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But he didn't summon his armor.
Because Bucky made a move.
From behind his waist, he pulled out a black Glock pistol.
Then, he reversed the grip and handed the gun to Tony.
"I know this can't make up for anything."
Bucky looked at Tony, his eyes heart-wrenchingly hollow.
"Howard... he was a good man. He helped me a lot."
"Maria... she was very gentle."
He took a step forward, the gun handle almost touching Tony's chest.
"I don't ask for forgiveness."
"A life for a life."
Tony looked at the gun in front of him, his face grim.
He suddenly snatched the pistol.
Click!
Chambered.
The dark muzzle of the gun was pressed directly against Bucky's forehead.
"Bucky!!" Steve cried out in alarm, about to rush forward to grab the gun.
"Don't move."
A hand held down Steve's shoulder.
Homelander stood behind him, his strength as immense as a mountain.
"Anthony!" Steve said urgently, "He will...!"
"This is a necessary step, Steve," Homelander whispered in his ear. "This is Bucky's choice."
"Now the right to choose is given to Tony. Non-interference is the greatest respect for them."
Steve froze and didn't move again.
Tony felt the heavy metallic touch in his hand.
Images of his parents' tragic deaths flashed back frantically. Kill him! Kill him!
As long as he pulled the trigger, the murderer who killed his parents would die before him.
The pleasure of revenge might wash away the pain of the last twenty-plus years.
But immediately after, another image rushed in.
That was yesterday.
At the Avengers Tower.
He had knelt at Lorelei's feet, begging for mercy like a dog. Shooting the serum at Hulk, watching Hulk mutate in pain, watching the streets be destroyed, watching innocent people get hurt.
That feeling... Huff... huff...
Tony's heavy breathing was exceptionally clear in the quiet room.
One second. Two seconds. Three seconds.
"Damn it..."
Tony gritted his teeth and suddenly reversed the pistol.
Thud!
He smashed the butt of the gun hard against Bucky's face.
Bucky was knocked back stumbling, the corner of his mouth instantly splitting open as blood gushed out.
"This one is for my father!!"
Tony roared, rushing up for another blow.
Thud!
This strike hit Bucky's brow bone, tearing the skin open.
"This is for my mother!!"
Bucky didn't dodge or block, letting Tony beat him.
His body even relaxed a bit because of the pain.
Thud!
The third time.
Tony used all his strength to smash the gun into the bridge of Bucky's nose.
"This is for myself!!!"
Bucky was knocked to the ground.
His face was covered in blood.
Tony stood there, gasping for air, his chest heaving violently.
He looked at Bucky on the ground and raised his hand again.
But this time, his hand stopped in mid-air.
He couldn't bring himself to strike again.
Clang.
The pistol dropped to the floor.
"I just... acted like a Winter Soldier for a moment."
He gave a self-deprecating laugh and pointed to his head.
"That feeling... was terrible."
"And, you didn't lie to me."
He looked at Steve, a sense of relief appearing in his eyes.
"This is important, Rogers. You didn't hide this."
"You brought him before me and gave the right to me."
"At the very least, it shows... you still consider me a friend."
Steve's eyes welled up.
"Tony... thank you."
"Don't thank me." Tony waved his hand and turned his back to them.
"But I don't want to see you guys, at least not right now."
"Get lost with your old bestie, Captain."
"Don't let me run into you in Vought's cafeteria, or I might throw hot coffee in his face."
Steve nodded solemnly.
He walked to Bucky's side and pulled up the shoulder of the man who was still lying on the ground dazed.
"Let's go, Bucky."
Bucky took a deep look at Tony's back.
"I'm sorry."
He whispered.
Then, he turned and followed Steve out of the room.
Until the door closed.
Only then did Tony sit back in his chair as if his strength had left him, propping his head with both hands.
Homelander walked over to Tony, looking at the billionaire who appeared incredibly lonely at this moment.
"Good job, Tony."
Tony didn't look back, just covered his face with his hands.
"Shut up, Anthony."
"I just want to be alone right now."
"Of course."
Homelander shrugged and then added,
"About that free technical support thing."
"If you're in a bad mood... I can allow you to start work tomorrow."
"Get out!!"
Accompanied by Tony's roar, Homelander walked out of the meeting room with a smile.
"Gained special popularity value + 10,000! (From Steve Rogers)"
"Gained special popularity value + 10,000! (From Bucky Barnes)"
"Gained special popularity value + 5,000! (From Tony Stark)"
The system prompts were music to his ears.
Homelander was in a great mood.
Tony was the only one left in the meeting room; the hatred in his heart had not disappeared, it had merely been redirected.
"HYDRA..." Tony softly uttered the name... Tap, tap, tap.
With a light rhythm and joyful steps,
He returned to his spacious office.
"Ashley."
"I'm here, sir!" Ashley's voice replied almost instantly.
"Clear my schedule. For the next two hours, I don't want anyone to disturb me."
"Understood, sir! Do you need me to prepare anything for you? Hot milk?"
"No need."
Homelander hung up the communication.
He turned and walked toward a wall of books in the corner of the office. He lightly tapped a thick copy of 'The Horus Heresy'.
Click.
The bookshelf slid open silently to both sides, revealing Homelander's private collection room.
The Mind Stone scepter lay quietly on a titanium alloy stand, the top of the scepter emitting a cold blue light.
Homelander reached out and picked up the scepter.
He didn't use any sophisticated instruments to analyze it, nor did he carefully extract the energy like HYDRA.
Instead, he chose the simplest and most brutal way.
His left hand rose slightly, gripping the blue shell at the top of the scepter that encased the Mind Stone.
Crack—!
Homelander's fingers suddenly tightened.
Under his brute force, cracks spread across the blue crystal shell like a spider web.
Bang!
The shell shattered, turning into countless tiny fragments that fell onto the floor.
A bright but not dazzling yellow light instantly filled the entire collection room.
The Mind Stone.
Homelander looked at it, his eyes showing appreciation for its beauty.
He lightly pinched it with two fingers and moved it toward the Infinity Gauntlet on his right hand.
It was as if two powerful magnets were attracting each other.
The oval Mind Stone, like a swallow returning to its nest, actively flew with a "whoosh" into the slot on the back of the gauntlet.
Click.
A perfect fit.