Chapter 15 The beginning

In a press conference where dozens of reporters shouted questions uncontrollably, amidst the amalgam of people sat a man with his arm in a sling, casually eating a cheeseburger.

That man was none other than Tony Stark, who had just returned from his kidnapping. As he took another bite of his burger, his mind drifted back to everything he had witnessed. Then, pausing briefly, he spoke:

Tony: From this day forward, we are shutting down the weapons manufacturing division of Stark Industries.

The moment those words left his mouth, the nearly packed conference hall fell into a brief silence. Even Obadiah, Tony's trusted friend, stood frozen in shock.

But not even five seconds later, the silence was shattered by an explosion of questions, turning into a chaotic discussion. Tony, raising a hand, signaled them to stop before he continued.

Tony: Seeing how my company's weapons have caused so much harm to the world, even if unintentionally, I realized that I must change. So, from today onward, Stark Industries' weapons division will be completely shut down.

Finishing his statement, Tony made his way to the top of Stark Tower. Once there, he began the project that would later be known as...

IRON MAN.

Neo was heading home when he "accidentally" bumped into someone. The problem was that he could always sense people through their cursed energy, allowing him to avoid collisions before they even happened. But this time was different.

The person he bumped into was a stunning redhead with piercing green eyes and an absolutely breathtaking figure.

However, Neo hadn't let her run into him because she was beautiful. No, the real reason was that the woman standing right in front of his house was none other than Natasha Romanoff, also known as the Black Widow.

And just like that, Neo now had confirmation of how he ended up at that school.

Noticing the boy's sudden paralysis, Natasha quickly feigned a stumble, assuming he was dazzled by her looks.

Natasha: Ugh!

She exaggerated the fall, discreetly ensuring her cleavage was in Neo's line of sight, hoping to gauge his reaction.

Unfortunately for her, Neo couldn't care less about her appearance.

Still curious about how far she would go, he decided to play along and helped her up, acting completely innocent.

Neo: Oh, sorry, AUNTIE! I was distracted. Here, let me help you.

The moment Natasha heard "Auntie," she nearly had a stroke. She didn't look that old... right? Or had her makeup betrayed her for the first time?

Fighting off the overwhelming urge to smack him, she accepted his help and got back on her feet.

Neo: Are you okay, Auntie? If you need, you can come inside and put some ointment on your injury.

Hearing him say "Auntie" again made Natasha's eye twitch, but as a seasoned agent, she only allowed her frustration to show for a split second before regaining her composure.

Natasha: That would be great, kid. I think I might've twisted my ankle. Can you help me?

She feigned a limp, leaning on Neo's shoulder for support. He didn't refuse, instead playing the role of an innocent child who had just done something wrong.

As they approached Neo's house, Natasha had an unsettling feeling—like she was walking into a trap.

For a brief moment, she considered abandoning the mission, but before she could make a decision, they had already arrived.

Inside the house, Carina immediately ran toward Neo, jumping into his arms and shouting:

Carina: WELCOME BACK, NEO!

But as she hugged him, she noticed Natasha and instantly frowned.

Carina: Who's that old lady?

Natasha nearly lost her composure again after being called "old lady." But, being the professional she was, she masked her irritation with a polite smile.

Natasha: I'm here because your friend accidentally bumped into me, and I got hurt. I just need to put something on my ankle so I can walk better.

Carina was surprised—she knew how perceptive Neo was. But when she glanced at him, he had that smile. So, she said nothing.

Natasha tended to her "injury," then pretended to notice the shop.

Natasha: You guys run a store?

Neo, already seeing where this was going, answered truthfully.

Neo: Yeah, we sell all kinds of stuff. But unfortunately, we're all really busy and need a new employee.

Natasha sensed something was very off about this place and Neo himself. But she had never failed a mission, so...

Natasha: THAT'S GREAT! Oh, sorry for yelling—it's just that I've been looking for a job everywhere but haven't found anything. Would it be possible for me to work here?

Neo faked a surprised expression, then grinned.

Neo: Perfect! You're hired. Your shift starts tomorrow at 8 AM, and we pay minimum wage.

Natasha, still sensing something was off, forced a smile and responded cautiously.

Natasha: Perfect. No worries, I'll be here bright and early.

But then, out of nowhere, Neo's innocent expression turned serious as he spoke.

Neo: But you have to follow the rules to the letter, or else...

Natasha felt a deep chill run down her spine. For the first time in a long while, she hesitated.

Natasha: W-Why?

Just as suddenly, Neo's serious expression vanished, replaced by his usual innocent look.

Neo: I don't know.

Ignoring Natasha now, he turned and headed to his room to play with Brownie, who usually spent most of the day there.

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Watching him leave, Natasha forced herself to smile, pretending to be happy about landing the job. But deep inside, she knew... this was going to be one of the worst assignments she had ever taken.

Returning to the temporary S.H.I.E.L.D. base, she filed a report on her findings.

In a dimly lit office, Nick Fury sifted through stacks of documents detailing threats to humanity and potential protectors.

Massaging his temples, he pondered over the increasing number of emerging problems.

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

Nick: Come in.

Coulson entered, holding a folder.

Coulson: Sir, Black Widow's mission is progressing well. She successfully infiltrated Neo's shop—or rather, "Sukuna," as we initially knew him.

Hearing this, Fury relaxed slightly, relieved that one of the most concerning individuals was now under surveillance.

He grabbed a dossier, flipping through various locations Neo had been spotted. But what stood out the most was a classification stamped on the file:

City-Level Threat.

Fury then pulled out more folders, asking Coulson:

Nick: How are the candidates for the Avengers Initiative?

Coulson's eyes lit up as he began listing them.

Coulson: Captain America is still being thawed, but the process is going smoothly.

He handed over a file on Steve Rogers. Fury nodded in approval.

Coulson: The giant green monster, Hulk, is still missing, but we're searching for him.

Fury, glancing at Hulk's file, gave a firm order.

Nick: Make finding that green monster a priority.

Coulson nodded in agreement and continued.

Coulson: We asked Tony if he'd join, but he refused, saying he works better alone.

Finally, Coulson concluded.

Coulson: We're still unsure who else to recruit.

Fury handed him another file with a list of potential candidates. As Coulson scanned the top name, his eyes widened in shock.

Coulson: Sir... are you sure? He's unpredictable and unstable.

Fury's expression remained firm.

Nick: But above all... he's strong.

At the top of the list, one name stood out.

SUKUNA.

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Adrian: UNO!!!!

Meanwhile, Neo and the group were playing UNO!

And Neo was losing badly—simply because he couldn't draw a single good card.

Frustrated by his terrible luck, he found himself unable to win even once.

Seeing that victory was out of reach for the day, he made up a flimsy excuse and went to his room.

Once inside, Neo let out a sigh of frustration and muttered to himself.

Neo: Damn it, Adrian… How the hell did he win ten times in a row?!

Still annoyed, he flopped onto his bed, staring at the ceiling, reflecting on everything he had done in such a short time.

Then, something suddenly came to mind.

Neo glanced at the system and remembered that he had a spin available on the Technology Roulette—whatever that meant.

Curious, he decided to ask.

Neo: System, what exactly is this Technology Roulette?

The system responded immediately.

[THE TECHNOLOGY ROULETTE IS USED TO ACQUIRE DIFFERENT TYPES OF TECHNOLOGIES THAT CAN BE REPLICATED AND ADAPTED TO THE CURRENT WORLD BASED ON THE ORIGINAL VERSION YOU OBTAIN.]

Reading this, Neo realized how incredibly useful it was. However, there was a major issue—he needed someone smart enough, or better yet, a whole team of brilliant minds, to actually recreate whatever technology he won.

That was a real problem. Sure, he had Alex, a genius engineer, but that wouldn't be enough. Well, maybe it could be enough, but it would take a lot longer, and if he received a technology that Alex didn't understand, then it would be completely useless.

After thinking it through, Neo decided to take the gamble.

Neo: System, activate the Technology Roulette.

Suddenly, a massive roulette wheel with a sleek, futuristic blue design appeared before him, spinning at incredible speed.

After a full minute, the wheel gradually slowed to a stop, revealing Neo's prize.

[CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE WON...]

[AN ELIXIR]

Neo froze, shocked for two reasons.

First, this was amazing—elixirs could cure all diseases and ailments of the body… though they didn't heal physical injuries.

But the real problem was...

Neo: HOW THE HELL IS ANYONE SUPPOSED TO RECREATE THIS?!

Hearing his sudden outburst, the entire group rushed into his room, alarmed, thinking they were under attack—only to find Neo sitting there, holding a small vial filled with an odd, rainbow-colored liquid.

And he looked utterly defeated.

Carina approached him and asked.

Carina: Neo… what's that in your hand?

Neo looked up at her, giving a weak smile before answering.

Neo: The cure for cancer.

Everyone froze in shock. But before they could even ask another question, he finished his thought.

Neo: But I have absolutely no idea how to recreate it… or if it's even possible.

When they heard this, everyone in the room was stunned by the information Neo had just dropped on them.

They all turned their eyes to the small vial in his hand, their faces full of disbelief at what that tiny thing could do.

Seeing their reaction, Neo just sighed and said:

Neo: Stop staring and put the vial in a safe place. Then go to sleep.

Alex nodded, carefully taking the vial and moving to hide it somewhere safe. Adrian and Carina just shrugged and went to their rooms to sleep.

Meanwhile, Neo stayed lost in thought before going to bed, thinking about what to do with that elixir.

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Hey guys, if you're enjoying the fic, please send power stones!

Oops, sorry I didn't write yesterday. I had some work issues and couldn't get to it. But as always, if you didn't like something, have any suggestions, or want to comment, I always read and try to improve.