Two Earth years had passed since the creation of the Kingdom of Origin, and life there had settled into a rhythm both serene and intensely productive. As the civilization of ether and light continued to grow, adapting to the needs of its inhabitants and thriving under the benevolent influence of the Source, Naruto and his council remained focused on the multiverse—particularly the MCU's Earth. Events were accelerating, and the fate of that fragile world seemed inexorably tied to the emergence of figures who would either protect it… or doom it.
Thanks to dimensional outposts and energetic avatars, Naruto and Natasha had near-complete visibility over Earth's developments. Tony Stark, their discreet friend, had become a global icon, his identity as Iron Man revealed to the world. The impact of that revelation was immense—generating admiration and controversy in equal measure.
"Stark is a magnet for both trouble and innovation," commented Natasha, analyzing a stream of data on Stark Industries' technological advances. Her new cosmic powers allowed her to process astronomical quantities of information with ease, her fingers brushing across holographic projections in their command hall. "His technology is unprecedented, but his management of it is… chaotic."
Naruto, seated beside her, his emerald gaze fixed on the projected images, nodded. "He's a visionary, Natasha. But his heart is still burdened. The death of his parents, the lies of his father... he seeks redemption through Iron Man, but he hasn't yet discovered what that truly means. He's a well of contradictions—capable of genius, but also of self-destruction that could unravel everything he's built."
Tobirama, always the pragmatic strategist, interjected, "The fact that he made his identity public is a double-edged sword. Yes, it inspires public trust, but it also draws the attention of those who would exploit or destroy his technology. Or worse—come after him directly. His bravado makes him vulnerable."
Sasuke, whose Sharingan, now enhanced by the Origin, allowed him to perceive malevolent intent with terrifying clarity, added, "There's a new signature. A mind consumed by vengeance. He doesn't have the same level of power as the cosmic figures we usually monitor, but his hatred is a dangerous catalyst. He's driven by deep-rooted resentment, and that alone is a devastating force."
Naruto, whose senses were the most acute of them all, confirmed, "Ivan Vanko. A man whose life was broken by Howard Stark's actions. His father, Anton Vanko, had collaborated with Howard, but he was betrayed—stripped of his invention, the miniature arc reactor, and expelled from the United States. That injustice planted a lasting hatred in the Vanko family. Ivan grew up with that legacy of betrayal and theft, feeding an intense desire for revenge against the Stark name."
The Kingdom of Origin began closely monitoring Vanko. They saw his genius—on par with Tony's—but twisted by hatred. They watched the construction of his first miniaturized arc reactors, the design of his electrified whips—all forged in the shadows, fueled by bitterness and the need to destroy the Iron Man icon.
"He's isolated," noted Hinata, whose Byakugan, now capable of reading souls, sensed the solitude and burning rage inside Vanko. She had blossomed under Natasha's mentorship, becoming an expert in infiltration and psychological analysis—her natural kindness masking a will of steel. "His father passed down an obsession, and he's making it real. He's a man broken by the past, trying to rebuild himself from the ruins of his father's enemy."
Kushina, Naruto's mother, who had reclaimed her role as fierce protector, added, "That kind of hatred is dangerous. It feeds on itself. And it can consume everything around it. Vengeance is a poison—it destroys not just the target, but the one who carries it."
Tsunade, meanwhile, was analyzing Vanko's physiological data through the avatars, noting the constant tension in his body, the fatigue from overwork and lack of rest—all driven by an iron will. "His body is a vessel of rage. He's pushing himself to the limit, thinking only of his mission of revenge."
Two Earth years had passed since the creation of the Realm of Origin, and life there had found a rhythm both serene and intensely productive. While the civilization of ether and light continued to grow—adapting to the needs of its inhabitants and flourishing under the benevolent influence of the Source—Naruto and his council remained focused on the multiverse, and more specifically, on the Earth of the MCU. Events were accelerating, and the fate of this fragile world seemed inextricably tied to the rise of figures who would either protect it or destroy it.
Thanks to dimensional outposts and energy avatars, Naruto and Natasha had an almost complete view of terrestrial events. Tony Stark, their discreet friend, had become a global icon, his identity as Iron Man revealed to the world. The impact of this revelation was immense, generating both admiration and controversy.
"Stark is a magnet for problems—and innovations," Natasha commented, analyzing a stream of data on Stark Industries' technological advances. Her new cosmic power allowed her to process astronomical amounts of information effortlessly, her fingers gliding over holographic projections in their command hall. "His technology is unprecedented, but his handling of it is... chaotic."
Naruto, seated beside her, his emerald gaze fixed on the projected images, nodded. "He is a visionary, Natasha, but his heart is still weighed down by burdens. The death of his parents, the lies of his father... he seeks redemption through Iron Man, but he doesn't yet know how to truly find it. He's a well of contradictions, capable of genius but also of self-destruction that could ruin everything he's built."
Tobirama, ever the pragmatic strategist, interjected, "The fact that he made his identity public is a double-edged sword. It inspires trust among the people, yes, but it also draws the attention of those who would exploit or destroy his technology. Or worse—target him directly. His bravado makes him vulnerable."
Sasuke, whose Sharingan—enhanced by the Origin—allowed him to perceive malicious intent with terrifying clarity, added, "There's a new signature. A mind consumed by vengeance. He doesn't have the same cosmic power as the entities we usually monitor, but his hatred is a dangerous catalyst. It's fueled by deeply rooted resentment, and that alone is a devastating force."
Naruto, whose senses were the sharpest of all, confirmed: "Ivan Vanko. A man whose life was shattered by the actions of Howard Stark. His father, Anton Vanko, had collaborated with Howard but was betrayed, stripped of his arc reactor invention, and deported from the United States. That injustice planted a deep-seated hatred in the Vanko family. Ivan grew up with this story of betrayal and loss, which fed a burning desire for revenge against the Stark legacy."
The Realm of Origin began closely monitoring Vanko. They saw his genius—equal to Tony's—but twisted by hatred. They observed the construction of his first miniature arc reactors, the design of his electrified whips, all done in the shadows, fueled by resentment and a desire to destroy Tony's legacy. They understood that Vanko didn't seek money or power, but the destruction of the Iron Man icon.
"He's isolated," noted Hinata, whose Byakugan, now capable of sensing souls, perceived Vanko's loneliness and burning rage. She had blossomed under Natasha's mentorship, becoming an expert in infiltration and psychological analysis—her natural kindness masking a steely determination. "His father passed down an obsession, and he's bringing it to life. He's a man broken by the past, trying to rebuild himself on the ruins of his father's enemy."
Kushina, Naruto's mother, who had resumed her role as fierce protector, added: "Such hatred is dangerous. It feeds on itself. And it can consume everything around it. Vengeance is a poison that destroys not just the target—but also the one who carries it."
Tsunade, meanwhile, was analyzing Vanko's physiological data through the avatars, noting the constant tension in his body, the fatigue from relentless labor and lack of rest, all driven by sheer willpower. "His body is a vessel of rage. He's pushing himself to the limit, thinking only of his mission of revenge."
Naruto knew that direct intervention at this early stage could drastically alter the timeline and potentially prevent Tony Stark from growing into the hero he was meant to become. Their role was to ensure balance—not to do everything in others' stead. However, subtle adjustments were possible: invisible nudges that could minimize losses or guide events without forcing fate.
"We cannot stop Vanko," Naruto stated. "His destiny is tied to Tony's. Their confrontation is necessary for Stark's evolution. But we can ensure that collateral damage is minimized, and that Tony receives the help he'll need—even if he doesn't realize it yet. We'll be the invisible weavers of this complex web."
And so began the first discreet actions of the Realm of Origin within the events of Iron Man 2.
Subtle Guidance at Stark Industries:
Naruto, through subtle energetic impulses, sent cosmic "inspirations" to certain engineers and key executives at Stark Industries. These ideas, appearing as sudden flashes of brilliance or intuitive leaps, led them to strengthen certain database securities, improve remote intrusion detection protocols, and diversify encryption methods. These actions wouldn't neutralize Vanko entirely, but they would make his attempts to access Stark tech more difficult—forcing him to exert greater effort and leaving him with less time for other malicious deeds. For instance, a sudden "impromptu" software update to JARVIS was subtly inspired, adding unexpected new layers of protection.
Preparing SHIELD:
Natasha, using her "sight" within SHIELD via undetectable energy avatars, began to subtly manipulate the flow of information reaching Nick Fury's desk. She didn't expose Vanko directly—doing so could trigger a premature chain reaction. However, she ensured that Fury and his agents became slightly more vigilant regarding unauthorized technological activity and potential threats to Tony Stark. She planted "seeds" of concern about the implications of Iron Man technology falling into the wrong hands—reinforcing the logic behind SHIELD's eventual surveillance of Tony and the "necessity" of embedding Black Widow in his circle. She also emphasized the importance of monitoring figures in the weapons industry beyond Stark himself.
Reinforcing Tony's Weak Points:
Naruto knew Tony was going through a dark period, consumed by the illness caused by his arc reactor and his increasingly self-destructive behavior. He used his subtle connection to Tony to send impulses of "clairvoyance" to Pepper Potts and James Rhodes. These impulses didn't override their free will, but they strengthened their resolve to protect Tony and not let him spiral too far. For Pepper, this meant an increased drive to take over as CEO and manage Stark Industries herself—making her more proactive in dealing with Tony's excesses. For Rhodey, it manifested as unwavering loyalty despite Tony's provocations, and a willingness to confront him if necessary—for his own good. These subtle nudges were meant to reinforce the bonds keeping Tony anchored to the real world.
Monitoring Justin Hammer:
The Realm of Origin also had eyes on Justin Hammer, Stark's rival—whose unchecked ambition and lack of ethics made him a potential pawn for Vanko. Sasuke and Tobirama observed his clumsy attempts to replicate Iron Man's technology, and Natasha's avatars ensured that news of his failures was properly disseminated—further damaging his credibility with the government while also pushing him into more desperate strategies. This would inevitably lead him straight to Vanko. They watched as his desperation made him the perfect target for Vanko's manipulation.
Meanwhile, Naruto continued his exchanges with the Ancient One. Their magic lessons went on, but expanded into a deeper understanding of Earth's energy flows and coming extraterrestrial threats. Thanks to the infinite energy of the Origin, the Ancient One was able to extend her awareness beyond her own dimension—sensing signs of the Tesseract's arrival and the dimensional disturbances to come.
"The balance of this reality is more fragile than it appears, young Naruto," the Ancient One said during one of their sessions. "Every action ripples far beyond its intended effect. Tony Stark's decision to reveal his identity opened doors even he cannot comprehend."
"That's why we're here," Naruto replied. "To ensure those doors don't lead to destruction—but rather to a deeper understanding of everyone's place in the universe. So that Tony Stark—and the other heroes yet to rise—have the chance to become what they were meant to be."
The Ancient One nodded, a faint smile on her lips. "Your wisdom exceeds your age, Naruto. You are a true guardian."
As the Monaco Grand Prix approached, the hum of impending danger grew louder. The Realm of Origin stood ready. Its inhabitants, empowered by divine forces and guided by collective wisdom, stood as sentinels—watching fate unfold, prepared to intervene with the precision of a surgeon and the power of a god.
The game had begun, and Tony Stark—unaware of the cosmic forces guarding him—was about to confront his past… a past that would catch up to him like a lightning strike.