Tony shared his discovery with Banner and Rhodes, and they were just as shocked as he was. He ran multiple facial recognition analyses across different universes, and the results were conclusive—the old man was exactly the same in every one of them.
Realizing the gravity of this anomaly, Tony immediately contacted Nick Fury to see if he had any insights.
Upon receiving Tony's message, Fury set aside the documents he had been reviewing. He had long suspected that something was off about this old man and had already assigned agents to investigate.
Unfortunately, their searches turned up nothing. It was as if this person didn't exist in their world at all—until Tony was seen greeting him on The Sky Screen.
Acting swiftly, Fury had his agents obtain the guest list for the charity event. S.H.I.E.L.D. worked fast, and soon, the list was in his hands. But to his dismay, the old man's name was nowhere to be found.
Simultaneously, Jarvis retrieved security footage from the event. The video clearly showed Tony walking straight to Obadiah—but the old man was missing from the footage entirely.
Exchanging information with Tony, Fury felt a rare chill run down his spine. He couldn't comprehend what kind of existence this old man was. How could someone appear in every known universe yet leave no trace behind?
If The Sky Screen hadn't revealed him over and over again, they might never have discovered him at all.
The sheer impossibility of it left Fury at a loss for how to proceed.
Meanwhile, observing the old man on The Sky Screen, the Ancient One's expression shifted into one of subtle reverence. Though she couldn't discern his true identity, she could sense his overwhelming presence.
Whoever—or whatever—this old man was, he was far beyond the comprehension of mortals.
[Tony walked up to Obadiah and remarked, "What kind of world is this? You invite the guests but not the host?"]
[Obadiah greeted him with a grin. "Look who decided to show up! Hey! I didn't expect that!"]
["I'll head inside and wait for you," Tony said nonchalantly.]
[Obadiah stopped him. "Hey! Listen to me. Don't be so hasty, okay? I think I've convinced the board."]
["Got it." Tony nodded but didn't comment further. Instead, he gave a small smile and added, "I was just impulsive. I'll be leaving soon."]
[Casually, Tony made his way to the bar and called to the bartender, "Give me a drink."]
[As he waited, a familiar voice spoke from behind him. "Mr. Stark! I'm Agent Coulson."]
["Oh! Yeah, yeah… uh…" Tony trailed off, trying to recall what S.H.I.E.L.D. was called before it rebranded.]
["Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division," Coulson supplied helpfully.]
["Yeah, that's right! Oh my God! You guys really need a better name," Tony groaned, shaking his head. "It's a mouthful! Who actually remembers that?"]
["You're not the first to say that," Coulson admitted with an awkward chuckle before getting back to business. "Look, I know things have been difficult for you lately, but we need to discuss some matters."]
["Yeah, yeah. Lots of unknown issues and all that. But hey, time's tight. Let's set up another meeting. How about 24:00 on the 7th at Stark Industries?"]
[Coulson continued talking, but Tony's attention was elsewhere—on Pepper, standing across the room in a stunning blue backless dress, deep in conversation with someone.]
[Not bothering to listen further, Tony absentmindedly extended his hand for a shake. "Yeah, sure, you're right. Absolutely right."]
[Coulson blinked at the sudden handshake but accepted it anyway.]
["I'll go find my assistant first, then we'll set a time," Tony said, pointing toward Pepper before striding off.]
"Honestly, that name is so hard to remember," 2nd Gen Spider-Man muttered. "I heard it twice and still didn't get it."
"Hahaha… It is pretty long! I have to break it into two parts just to remember it," Gwen giggled.
"I really hope they change it soon. I don't want to hear it again—just hearing it gives me a headache." 2nd Gen Spider-Man threw up his hands in frustration.
He wasn't someone with a particularly strong memory. Fans took pictures with him all the time, and remembering their names was already difficult enough. Now he had to remember Coulson's organization's ridiculously long name, too?
Honestly, he'd rather avoid another awkward Max situation altogether.
Unlike 1st Gen Spider-Man or Tony, 2nd Gen Spider-Man hadn't paid much attention to these details. Though the incident at his school had caused some temporary buzz, the excitement faded quickly.
And with it, people forgot—forgot about the event, about the anomalies… and even about the old man.
["You look gorgeous! I almost didn't recognize you," Tony greeted Pepper with a smirk.]
[Pepper turned, surprised to see him. "What are you doing here?" Shouldn't Tony be holed up at home, working on his armor?]
["Hiding from a government agent," Tony replied smoothly.]
["You came alone?" Pepper was surprised—Tony usually had a girl on his arm at these events.]
["More importantly, where'd you get that dress?" Tony's curiosity was piqued. He had never seen her wear it before.]
[Pepper glanced down and smiled. "Oh, this? It was a birthday gift. From you."]
["Nice! I've got great taste," Tony grinned proudly.]
["Yes, you do," Pepper agreed with a laugh.]
["Wanna dance?" Tony asked, offering his hand.]
["Oh! No!" Pepper shook her head quickly.]
["Too bad. Come on!" Ignoring her refusal, Tony grabbed her hand and led her toward the dance floor.]
[As they danced closely, Tony studied her face. "Are you mad at me?"]
["Oh, no! No, I just—" Pepper hesitated. "I forgot to put on perfume today, and now I'm dancing bare-backed in public with my boss."]
[Tony smirked. "Relax. You look amazing. And you smell great."]
["Oh, God," Pepper mumbled, lowering her head in embarrassment.]
["Maybe I should fire you. That way, you'd loosen up," Tony teased.]
["Ha! I don't believe that for a second. Without me, you wouldn't even be able to tie your shoelaces," Pepper shot back, grinning.]
["I could try managing on my own for a week," Tony mused.]
["Really? What's your Social Security number?" Pepper challenged playfully.]
[Tony froze at the unexpected question. After a long pause, he finally blurted out, "Five!"]
["Five! That's right! You're just eight digits short!" Pepper burst into laughter.]
["That's what I have you for," Tony retorted, guiding her smoothly through the dance.]
[After a while, Tony looked at her and suggested, "Let's step outside for some fresh air."]
["Yeah, I think so too," Pepper agreed, nodding.]
[Meanwhile, from across the room, Coulson watched Tony with thinly veiled disdain.]
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