Mysteries On Marvel

"Stark Industries' stock is plummeting. This is… fantastic news!"

For Eren, who had shorted Stark Industries' stock, the collapse was nothing less than a windfall.

This meant a considerable influx of cash was heading his way.

With such a pleasant thought, Eren resumed his meditation.

Above the ruins of Abbott Freezing Company's warehouse, reduced to rubble in a previous explosion.

"Humming~"

A figure wearing a top hat strolled nonchalantly under the moonlight, stepping over the police's caution tape as if it didn't exist, walking boldly into the wreckage.

Suddenly, his cheerful humming halted, and his steps froze.

Though he quickly returned to his usual carefree demeanor, a flicker of surprise—and delight—lingered beneath the shadow of his hat.

"Hehe."

"The aura of an eldritch god? Abbott, that incompetent fool, actually managed to catch the attention of an eldritch being and survived a sacrificial ritual?"

"What a… miracle!"

"However, for such a gaze to pierce through the Sanctum's barriers and reach New York… it seems the rumors about something happening at Kamar-Taj might be true."

"This is truly delightful news."

But before the delight faded, his face twisted into anger.

"To think such a promising start was ruined by a group of ordinary people! Abbott even lost his life to them. What a complete waste of my time. How could I have been blind enough to choose such a useless pawn out of everyone available?"

He wasn't upset about Abbott's death itself but about the stalled growth of the larva hidden beneath the altar due to the lack of blood and resentment to nourish it after Abbott's demise.

Despite his grim mood, the man raised his cane and tapped it heavily on the spot where the altar once stood.

Bang!

An invisible ripple spread from the cane, reaching deep underground.

Moments later, the crimson surface of a larva nestled deep below cracked with a sharp sound.

The next second, a writhing, shadowy form emerged from the shell.

Hearing the crack, the man's face lit up with unrestrained joy.

Just as he reached to claim the spider egg he had placed beneath the altar, a slender tendril shot out from the ground, piercing his chest.

Looking down at the wound, the man showed no fear. Instead, he grinned maniacally.

"Shadow Touch? It's already mastering spells of this level right after hatching. Has the eldritch god's influence caused some sort of mutation? This is… perfect."

Blood poured from the wound, staining the tendril and spreading into the ground below.

Within moments, the vegetation within a several-meter radius withered and decayed as if struck by a deadly poison.

In the next instant, the man's spirit emerged from his body. Grasping the tendril tightly, his soul flowed into the ground, merging with the shadowy form of the larva below.

...

The following morning.

While Eren was having breakfast, Pepper arrived with a group of people.

"This is…"

Seeing Eren's puzzled look, Pepper introduced the slightly overweight, greasy-looking man wearing a blue hard hat.

"This is Mr. Tom, the best project supervisor at Stark Industries. He's overseen everything from Tony's lab to other critical projects. He'll be responsible for the renovation and construction of your underground lab."

The man nodded politely at Eren and asked, "Mr. Eren, may I inspect your basement first? While Pepper has provided me with the design blueprints, I'd like to see the space myself to better plan the construction process."

"Of course, no problem."

Eren opened the door, allowing Tom and his assistant inside. After examining the first-floor layout, Tom headed straight for the basement.

As he descended the narrow staircase, Tom frowned and turned to Eren.

"Mr. Eren, I noticed that the lab will house some large, high-precision equipment that isn't easily disassembled. To ensure smooth transportation, may I suggest modifying this staircase?"

Eren nodded, "Sure."

Relieved, Tom continued into the brightly lit and spacious basement, his eyes lighting up.

"Ah, you've already cleared this area?" Pepper commented in surprise.

Eren nodded, "Since I'm building a lab, I had to clean out the clutter."

In reality, all the junk that had been in the basement was moved to a spare storage room on the second floor by his little helper.

After answering Pepper, Eren asked Tom, "How long will it take to complete the lab?"

Tom estimated briefly and replied, "Including equipment installation, it'll take about seven days."

Seven days?

"Alright. I'll set a seven-day access permission for you. You can bring your team and start work anytime," Eren said.

After instructing Tom, Eren and Pepper left the basement.

Once outside, Eren noticed Pepper's tired expression and asked curiously, "Pepper, how do you even have the time to handle my small project? I thought you'd be swamped after Tony's announcement about shutting down Stark Industries' weapons division."

"Don't mention him," Pepper groaned, massaging her temples in frustration. "I don't even want to hear his name right now."

Pepper had hoped that bringing Tony back would help stabilize the precarious situation at Stark Industries. However, Tony had blindsided her by dropping a bombshell at the press conference, announcing the closure of the weapons division without giving her any prior notice.

Now, she was left to deal with the fallout, facing the wrath of shareholders like Obadiah, while Tony secluded himself in his mansion without a care in the world.

Pepper was utterly fed up with it all.

(End of Chapter)

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