Renzo walked toward Bucky.
No matter how Bucky attacked, it had no effect. His expression shifted from disbelief to fear.
"What are you?" Bucky shouted.
Renzo didn't give him time to continue.
Boom!
A vibranium fist smashed toward Bucky's head. He tried to block with his metal arm—
—but Renzo caught it effortlessly.
"Damn it!" Bucky struggled, but Renzo's grip tightened. The arm began to deform under crushing force.
Pain surged through him.
"AAARGH!"
Bucky roared, striking Renzo repeatedly with his free hand. It did nothing.
Despair set in.
"Tony," Renzo said quietly, "do it."
Tony's eyes were red. The man who had killed his father was right in front of him.
His thoughts tangled.
Slowly, he raised the pistol he had kept hidden.
Bucky was pinned against the wall, his face flushed from lack of air, hair hanging messily over his eyes. He could barely make a sound.
He could only wait.
Tony aimed.
His pupils contracted.
Then—
Bang!
Bucky's body went still. The struggle vanished instantly, just like the day Howard died. Blood marked his head, unmoving.
Clatter.
The gun slipped from Tony's hand.
The man who had carried his hatred for years finally broke, tears streaming as everything collapsed at once.
The release was too sudden.
Combined with the lack of oxygen, Tony blacked out.
Renzo watched silently.
The Mind Stone on his forehead glowed faintly.
The illusion shattered.
The wound on Bucky's head vanished. His body lay intact on the ground.
...
Tony woke slowly.
A white ceiling. A faint scent—something like lilacs.
He licked his dry lips and tried to sit up, only to wince as pain shot through his arm.
"Tony… you're awake."
Natasha entered, relief in her voice.
"How long?" Tony asked.
"About sixteen hours. Don't worry—Stark Industries is still standing."
She helped him sit up.
"Bucky is dead."
"I know," Tony said calmly. "I killed him."
Natasha frowned slightly.
"Do you want me to call a psychiatrist?"
"How's Steve?" Tony asked, trying to sound casual. His hand trembled slightly as he reached for water.
"He locked himself in a room. Sam and I can't get in."
Tony fell silent.
"Where's… Renzo?"
Natasha crossed her legs. "Gone. His room's empty. No trace on surveillance."
Tony gave a faint, mocking smile. "Hacked the system and slipped out. Figures."
"Rhodey wants to see you. About Bucky."
"Tell him I'm sick," Tony said flatly. "Very sick."
He stood slowly, staring out at the city lights.
For a moment, his expression drifted.
...
Brooklyn.
"Whoa—he's got a metal arm!"
Peter stared at Bucky's arm in amazement, reaching out to touch it. The warped section at the wrist caught his attention, but he didn't dwell on it.
"Super soldier…" Otto muttered, studying the data. "Incredible… incredible…"
"Can I take some blood for research?"
"No," Renzo said flatly. "He stays intact."
Renzo placed a box on the table. It clicked open, revealing a sleek black-and-gold arm.
"Wakandan craftsmanship," he said. "Top quality."
Otto's eyes lit up. The design, the neural interface, the materials—it was all extraordinary.
His mechanical tentacles shifted behind him, reacting to his excitement.
"I won't stay," Renzo said. "I've got things to handle."
He activated the Space Stone. A vortex opened, pulling him in.
Peter and Otto exchanged a glance.
Then they both smiled.
__________________________________________
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