Chapter 8: The Mansion and the Training
The private jet touched down in Malibu, and Ben pressed his face against the window like the ten-year-old he appeared to be. The mansion sprawled below like something from a movie—which, his adult mind noted with surreal humor, it literally was.
Tony noticed his genuine awe and smirked. "Wait till you see the workshop."
The mansion was everything Ben remembered from the films and more. Glass and steel jutting from clifftops, the Pacific Ocean stretching endlessly westward, architecture that screamed expensive genius at every angle. But walking through it felt different than watching it on screen—more real, more lived-in, touched with the subtle details that cameras never captured.
"This is really happening. I'm really here."
Tony led him through corridors lined with art that probably cost more than entire buildings, past rooms that served functions Ben couldn't guess. The space felt simultaneously massive and intimate—a billionaire's playground designed by someone who valued intelligence over ostentation.
"This is you," Tony said, opening a door.
Ben stepped inside and his breath caught. The guest room was bigger than the entire orphanage common area. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered a panoramic view of the ocean. The bed was enormous, covered in linens that probably cost more than most people's cars. And there was a connected bathroom with actual hot water—unlimited, available whenever he wanted it.
Ben sat on the edge of the bed, overwhelmed. The mattress was softer than anything he'd ever experienced. The room smelled clean, not the institutional disinfectant of the orphanage or the urban decay of the streets. Safety had a scent, apparently.
The tears came without warning—partly his child body's reaction to sudden security, partly the adult's release of weeks of terror and stress. Everything he'd endured since waking up in this world came pouring out at once.
Pepper appeared in the doorway, took one look at him, and simply sat beside him on the bed. She didn't speak, didn't try to fix anything, just offered presence. It was the first maternal comfort he'd received since arriving in this world, and it broke something loose in his chest.
"She's going to be my mom. My actual mom."
After the tears stopped, Tony appeared with characteristic awkwardness around emotional moments. "So, uh, JARVIS can help with homework or whatever kids do. And if you need anything, just ask."
As if summoned, the AI's voice filled the room with its distinctive British accent. "Welcome to your new home, Master Parker. I am JARVIS, and I am at your service."
Ben wiped his eyes and looked up at the ceiling speakers. "Hi, JARVIS. It's nice to meet you."
"Likewise, sir. Mr. Stark has instructed me to provide you with any assistance you might require. I understand you have some rather unique... circumstances."
Tony caught the byplay between Ben and his AI with interest. "J, run a baseline assessment. I want to understand what we're working with here."
[SAFE HAVEN BONUS ACTIVATED]
[+25% EXP GAIN WHILE IN STARK PROPERTIES]
[SECURE ENVIRONMENT DETECTED]
[TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE]
Ben blinked at the System notifications. His grind had just gotten a massive buff simply by being in the right place. Every ability use would be more efficient, every training session more productive.
"And Tony wants to understand my abilities. This could be perfect."
The next morning brought his introduction to Happy Hogan, who approached the training assessment with the enthusiasm of a man trying to solve a puzzle that didn't make sense.
"Okay, kid, show me what you've got."
Ben faced the immediate challenge of pretending to be a normal ten-year-old while his Enhanced Reflexes screamed at him to move properly. The result was hilariously awkward—he'd start to dodge with perfect form, then overcorrect into stumbling.
"Throw a punch at me," Happy instructed.
Ben telegraphed a slow, clumsy haymaker. Happy easily blocked it, but Ben's Enhanced Reflexes read the counter-attack coming and made him duck—except he caught himself mid-motion and turned it into a face-plant instead.
"You move like you've got training, but then you trip over your own feet," Happy muttered, scratching his head.
Ben played up the confusion. "I don't know! Sometimes my body just knows what to do, but then I think about it and mess up!"
"Perfect cover. Natural talent but undisciplined."
Happy's expression shifted from confusion to determination. "Natural talent, terrible form. We can work with that. You're gonna be my project, kid."
The training sessions became an exercise in controlled revelation. Ben had to show enough skill to justify Happy's interest while hiding the true extent of his abilities. It was like playing a character who was pretending to be weaker than he was—method acting taken to supernatural extremes.
Over the following weeks, Ben established patterns that would serve him for years to come. Morning training with Happy, where he'd "accidentally" display impossible reflexes while maintaining the illusion of clumsiness. Afternoons in Tony's workshop, absorbing knowledge while pretending childlike wonder. Evenings with Pepper, slowly building the maternal relationship that would anchor his new life.
The workshop tour changed everything.
Tony led him through the heart of Stark Industries innovation—holographic interfaces that responded to gesture and thought, the Mark II armor gleaming in its display case, technology that wouldn't exist in the real world for decades.
"This is where Iron Man is born. This is where the future gets built."
Ben stared at the Arc Reactor schematic projected in three-dimensional glory above Tony's workbench. His adult mind understood the physics, the engineering elegance, the sheer impossibility of miniaturizing an arc reactor to chest-mountable size.
Tony noticed his focus. "What do you think that's for?"
Ben couldn't explain advanced nuclear physics without triggering his speech restriction. Instead, he drew a heart shape in the air and pointed at Tony's chest.
The simplicity of it—this child understood the reactor was keeping him alive—touched something deep in Tony's chest. "Smart kid."
"He gets it. Not the science, but the meaning. That's more important."
JARVIS privately logged every interaction, building a profile that would fascinate and concern in equal measure. "Subject demonstrates advanced comprehension beyond age profile. Recommend continued observation."
As weeks passed, Ben's System offered an unprecedented opportunity:
[PROXIMITY TO ARC REACTOR TECHNOLOGY DETECTED]
[HERO FOCUS PULL AVAILABLE]
[COST: 15 PREMIUM TICKETS]
[GUARANTEED TECHNOLOGY HERO ABILITIES]
[ACCEPT? Y/N]
Ben stared at the prompt. Fifteen Premium Tickets—everything he'd saved, plus some. But the chance to pull abilities specifically from technology heroes like Iron Man, Batman, Cyborg... the synergy potential was enormous.
His finger hovered over "YES" as he lay in his enormous bed, ocean waves providing a soothing soundtrack through his windows. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, new opportunities to grow stronger while hiding his true nature.
But tonight, for the first time since arriving in this world, he felt genuinely safe. Protected. Part of something larger than survival.
The dark sedan that had followed him in New York was nowhere to be seen. But in a SHIELD facility across the country, Agent Coulson reviewed a file labeled "Parker, Ben - Enhanced Minor under Stark Protection," making a careful note: "Monitor, but do not approach. Fury's orders."
The pieces were moving into position for the larger game ahead. Ben had found his place in the Marvel universe, but the universe was about to make its own demands on the small boy with impossible knowledge and a hero's heart.
Tomorrow, he would make his choice about the Technology Hero pull.
Tonight, he simply listened to the waves and felt grateful for the journey that had brought him home.
+1 CHAPTER AFTER EVERY 3 REVIEWS
MORE POWER STONES == MORE CHAPTERS
To supporting Me in Pateron .
Love [ Marvel Gacha Game System ]? Unlock More Chapters and Support the Story!
Dive deeper into the world of [Marvel Gacha Game System ] with exclusive access to 25+ chapters on my Patreon, you get more chapters if you ask for more (in few days), plus new fanfic every week! Your support starting at just $6/month helps me keep crafting the stories you love across epic universes like [ In The Witcher With Avatar Powers,In The Vikings With Deja Vu System,Stranger Things Demogorgon Tamer ...].
By joining, you're not just getting more chapters—you're helping me bring new worlds, twists, and adventures to life. Every pledge makes a huge difference!
👉 Join now at patreon.com/TheFinex5 and start reading today!