I Became Spider-Man's Cousin in Anime Crossover

Chapter 353 [3 Chapters Combined into 1] Reunion of Old Friends

After the initial surprise and emotional surge, Tony gradually came to his senses, though he still responded with his signature, slightly arrogant tone.

But his tightened arms and firm embrace conveyed without reservation his inner excitement and deep affection.

Instead of pushing Ethan away, he embraced him, finding solace in the joy of their long-awaited reunion. The anger that had simmered at the press conference vanished without a trace.

After a brief embrace, as the anger subsided, reason and responsibility regained their advantage, causing Tony to belatedly realize what he needed to do. He frowned slightly and gently patted Ethan on the back.

Then, releasing his grip, her tone tinged with barely perceptible urgency, she continued tactfully, "Ethan, seeing you again, and seeing you safe and sound, is the best news I've received in a long time… However, although it might sound a little cold-hearted, please believe me, I really have something very, very urgent that I must attend to immediately. So, let's catch up later, okay? I promise I'll have Miss Pepper arrange the best…"

"It's about your artificial intelligence, Mr. Jarvis, isn't it?"

Ethan gently interrupted him, his face showing a mixture of understanding and admiration, without the slightest displeasure at Tony's "sending him away."

Tony was taken aback, looking at Ethan in surprise: "How did you know?"

Ethan smiled, pointed in the direction he had come from, and said, "Spider-Man brought us here. He said you might need a little 'surprise' to lighten the mood of the press conference and help you calm down... Of course, I think his main goal was to ensure we arrived safely and avoid the ever-present media."

He paused, looked into Tony's eyes, and clearly conveyed, "Furthermore, before Spider-Man left, he guessed what would make you anxious, and specifically asked me to tell you—'Jarvis is fine. The intruder has been dealt with, and there were no losses. It just needs some time to organize the internal database, which has become a mess after the intrusion, so he used a pre-backed clone to respond to your call.'"

"Oh, I see... That's good, I'm glad you're alright... Honestly, you didn't even give me a heads-up, weren't you afraid of scaring me half to death..."

The good news brought by Dr. Ethan was like a clear spring, completely extinguishing the flames of anxiety in Tony's heart. His tense shoulders visibly relaxed, and he let out a long, thorough sigh of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

Then, as he muttered something in a low voice with a complicated tone, the expression in Tony's eyes showed both relief and a sense of security and satisfaction that comes from having an elder watching over and caring for him at all times, silently supporting him and solving his problems.

This feeling of having someone to support you, and not having to carry the burden alone forever, is undoubtedly both unfamiliar and precious to Tony, who has been shouldering the responsibility alone for decades since his parents passed away and Obadiah was replaced by the Skrulls.

Of course, with his biggest worry gone, Tony was finally able to focus all his attention on his old friend.

He took a closer look at Ethan and noticed that during their time apart, Ethan's complexion had become noticeably rosier and healthier, and he had also become more robust.

His face had gained weight; his once sunken cheeks had become round and full, and his eyes were brighter and more powerful. He was no longer the emaciated, listless man he had been when he was trapped in the terrorist's lair.

Relieved, Tony suddenly remembered a word Ethan had mentioned earlier. He raised an eyebrow, asking curiously, "By the way, you just said 'we'... Besides you, who else came?"

"Those are my family, of course."

Seeing Tony belatedly realize what was happening, Ethan's smile grew even brighter, a warm glow filled with happiness and gratitude.

He then waved in a direction around the corner of the corridor, right in front of Tony. A moment later, a woman dressed in a traditional black kandura, with a veil covering her face and only her eyes revealing a calm yet slightly hesitant and nervous expression, slowly walked over, leading a little girl who was also wearing a small kandura and, judging by her size, looked about five or six years old.

Influenced by local culture and experience, the woman's demeanor was elegant and quiet...

Or, to put it more bluntly, living under high pressure for a long time makes one's personality noticeably more taciturn and less adept at interacting with strangers.

Even so, when Tony waved and greeted her, the woman nodded back, her eyes filled with kind gratitude.

She had clearly heard from her husband about the deep bond between Tony and Dr. Ethan, forged through thick and thin. She also understood that their family reunion was largely thanks to the people around her.

The little girl beside her, though also somewhat shy, held tightly to her mother's hand, standing timidly beside her, half-hidden behind her mother's robe.

But her childlike curiosity would always lead her to peek out from time to time, her big, bright eyes, like black grapes, cautiously watching the man in front of her, whom her father had mentioned more than once, the "great Tony Stark".

That adorable, shy look, coupled with those pure and innocent big eyes, almost melted Tony's heart instantly.

An unprecedented tenderness spread through his chest.

At that moment, a thought suddenly popped into his mind that even he found somewhat amusing—

If I really settle down in the future, get married and have children...

I definitely want to have a baby daughter as cute as the little girl in front of me!

He'll spoil her rotten! He'll give her the best of everything in the world! He'll love her three thousand times a day!

Of course, even if Ethan didn't say it explicitly, Tony could tell that this mother and daughter were the family Ethan had mentioned to him when they were in the terrorists' hideout.

Seeing that they were all safe and sound...

Having recently reunited with Riley and Obadiah, Tony fully understands how precious this reunion is, and is genuinely happy for Ethan.

However, what Tony didn't know at that moment was...

Because of the somewhat subtle timing of Riley's intervention...

Ethan simply warned Tony, just like in the original story, "Don't waste your life."

But because Ethan hadn't suffered a fatal injury, he hadn't had a chance to tell Tony about the deeper tragedy that could have shattered his will—his family had actually perished in a brutal attack launched by terrorists using weapons manufactured by Stark Industries. He was then rescued by Riley, who used Ming's teleportation portal to take him directly back to his home, which had been reduced to ruins after being ravaged by gunfire.

So Tony could never have imagined...

Riley did more than just save Ethan's life.

In order to completely prevent the tragedy and to prevent Ethan from losing his motivation and purpose to live after his wife and daughter left him, and from developing a tendency to commit suicide, we must take action.

Riley also traveled through time, bringing the mother and daughter, who should have been buried alive in the collapsed building, to Ethan's side at this point in time.

This also meant that Tony, at this moment, could sense Ethan's extraordinary, almost absolute, gratitude towards Riley...

But I don't quite understand...

Why is it that every time Riley's name is mentioned, Ethan's eyes always reveal a kind of almost devout, godlike light, a mixture of boundless awe and admiration?

But in any case, just as Riley had predicted, the arrival of the Ethan family successfully calmed Tony's emotions, which were on the verge of spiraling out of control.

After a brief interaction—a bit awkward and nervous, as Tony wasn't good at dealing with children, but which clearly revealed his sincerity—the initially timid little girl, under Tony's flattered gaze and Ethan's encouraging look, left her mother's side, cautiously walked to Tony, and tentatively held his finger.

This made Tony realize how foolish he had been to adhere to the principle of not getting married. At the same time, the atmosphere, which was initially somewhat awkward and distant, gradually shifted to a more relaxed rhythm.

After that, Tony led Ethan and his family to the backstage dressing room.

Compared to the high-tech work area, this rest area dedicated to Tony Stark has a much more down-to-earth feel.

Well, of course, that is, if you ignore the few circuit boards scattered in the corner and the empty hamburger boxes casually placed on the table.

This somewhat unkempt environment seems out of place with the persona Tony has cultivated.

But it is precisely because of these everyday details that Ethan's family realized that Tony was just an ordinary person like them in private, which further brought them closer together.

Not to mention Tony's future wife, Miss Pepper Potts.

Even without Tony's instructions, this strong woman, who always manages to provide just the right amount of support from Tony's every move, had already arranged for someone to deliver snacks and juice.

Especially those carefully arranged, brightly colored, and deliciously sweet and sour fruit juices are undoubtedly the best way to attract children.

So the little girl sitting next to Tony, while sipping her orange juice, would occasionally steal glances at Tony with her big, bright eyes.

But the initial timidity had long since vanished. In its place was a pure, childlike curiosity.

Ethan looked at his daughter, then at his wife sitting quietly beside him, his eyes filled with a sense of cherishing and peace after going through so much.

He gently squeezed his wife's hand, gave her a reassuring look, and then turned his gaze back to Tony.

As a rising superhero, Riley's decision to bring Ethan's family all the way here was clearly not just to surprise Tony.

Both Ethan and Tony were well aware of this.

Therefore, as the pleasantries subsided, Ethan realized it was time to explain his true purpose.

"Tony," Ethan's voice was steady and clear, drawing Tony's attention away from his attempt to use a holographic projection to create a bunny to amuse the little girl. "The reason we're here is not only to see you, but more importantly... Spider-Man asked me to do something related to you."

Upon hearing this, Tony simply snapped his fingers, allowing the holographic rabbit to perform various funny actions in front of the little girl, just like the protagonist in a comedy cartoon, making her giggle.

He leaned forward slightly, his nonchalant expression softening somewhat. As if talking to himself, he muttered something under his breath and pouted, looking displeased at being looked down upon.

"Here we go again... I'm all grown up now, does he still see me as a little kid who needs his elders to take care of everything and arrange everything for him?"

Of course, even though Tony kept complaining.

But based on his experience in the Middle East, Ethan could tell that this was just Tony being arrogant as always...

Or rather...

Just like the pride and joy that Ethan couldn't help but feel when showing Tony his family.

Tony was showing Ethan, in an extremely awkward way, just how reliable his family was.

Therefore, with a smile growing wider in his eyes, Ethan ignored Tony's choice of words and went straight to the point: "He sent me here, partly because he hoped that my family and I could start a new life in a relatively safe environment, away from the gunfire and fear of the past."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over his wife and daughter with boundless gratitude, before refocusing on Tony, his eyes sharp and professional.

"But on the other hand, and more importantly, he wanted me to perform surgery on you to remove the shrapnel remaining in your chest."

"..."

The air seemed to freeze for a moment.

Tony's facial muscles tightened almost imperceptibly, and he subconsciously raised his hand to touch his chest through his expensive suit.

Beneath the suit, there was not the softness of warm flesh and blood.

Instead, it was a hard, cold, smooth texture with a metallic feel. Like a silent alarm, it instantly awakened Tony's deliberately suppressed memories.

Despite his seemingly glamorous and normal life, there was always a Damocles' sword hanging over his heart, ready to fall at any moment.

Those tiny, deadly metal fragments still lurked near his heart. Only the powerful magnetic force of the Arc Reactor maintained a delicate balance, saving his life.

Therefore, Tony had considered finding someone to completely eliminate this hidden danger more than once.

And at the beginning, Tony also believed that as long as he returned to the United States safely, he could easily solve this hidden danger.

After all, in his previous understanding, as long as the money was right, it seemed that there was nothing in this world that he couldn't buy.

What if I can't buy it?

That must mean there isn't enough money; just add more.

Unfortunately, reality slapped Tony in the face, making him realize for the first time that money isn't everything...

Especially when doctors look at Tony's X-rays and discover that the risks of the surgery are outrageously high, it's enough to deter most doctors.

Not to mention, performing this surgery involves facing more than just complex medical challenges...

There's also the immense pressure and potential controversy that comes with the name "Tony Stark."

This resulted in a situation where, no matter how generous the fee Tony offered, due to the extremely high risks of the surgery itself (close to the main blood vessels of the heart, with complex shrapnel distribution, the slightest mistake could cost Tony his life), or because of the poor interpersonal relationships Tony had built during his time as an arms dealer (such as Dr. Strange's undisguised contempt), no top-tier surgeon he could trust was willing to provide him with a reliable surgical plan.

Not to mention, with Riley's help, Tony discovered the new element ahead of time and successfully resolved the deadly threat of palladium poisoning.

Now, the reactor embedded in his chest is more of a powerful energy source, and... a symbol.

It symbolizes Tony's rebirth, the responsibilities he bears, and his transformation from an arms dealer to a protector and a hero.

Its direct threat to life has become virtually zero due to the elimination of palladium.

Therefore, to some extent, Tony even gradually got used to its presence and regarded it as a part of himself.

It's like how men always say that scars are a man's badge of honor.

Tony had long regarded the abnormality in his chest as a profound lesson and a precious medal. Therefore, unlike in the first few days after returning to the United States, he was no longer in a hurry to remove it.

Therefore, when Ethan brought up the surgery, Tony did not immediately object, but the look in his eyes clearly revealed some hesitation and weighing of options.

It's not that Tony distrusted Ethan's medical skills...

Rather, it is a complex mindset regarding the "change" itself, especially whether or not to completely remove this "flaw" that has gradually become part of his identity.

"Before I came here, Spider-Man told me that your physical condition has stabilized and you're almost like a normal person... But, just as you never expected that a trip to the Middle East would almost cost you your life, it's natural to minimize such potentially fatal risks whenever possible."

Of course, Ethan didn't miss Tony's little trick. As his smile gradually faded, he continued speaking in a gentle tone.

"Speaking of which, Tony... do you remember what happened in the cave? When I was performing surgery on you, I didn't even have a basic sterile room. All I had were car batteries, scrap metal, and some basic medical supplies. I had to risk everything in the dark, damp cave and make a hole in your chest."

"That was the most difficult surgery of my life... I had to make sure the electromagnet could attract the shrapnel pointing at your heart and keep you alive. At the same time, I couldn't let the wound itself cause infection, massive bleeding, or affect any of your mobility after the surgery. In fact... during the surgery, if I wasn't careful, you could have died in my hands."

With each word Ethan spoke, his words pulled both of their thoughts back to that dark, damp, and despair-filled cave.

Tony's eyes glazed over for a moment, as if he could smell again the din of a car engine running, and the unique smell of engine oil, sweat, and disinfectant mixed together in the cave.

Along with that, at that moment, the chest, which should have been relatively stable, began to feel a sharp pain and a foreign sensation with each heartbeat.

"The conditions at that time were a disaster in medical history."

Ethan's voice carried a hint of the heaviness of memories, but even more so, absolute confidence in his profession.

"But I did it, didn't I? I saved your life, and in the days that followed, that 'hole' didn't become an obstacle to your survival."

Tony couldn't refute this point. What Ethan displayed in the cave wasn't just medical knowledge, but also a creativity and composure that allowed him to utilize limited resources to their fullest potential under extreme pressure. It wasn't just medical skill; it was more like art, an art of meticulous sculpting on the edge of life and death.

This clearly demonstrates just how superb Dr. Ethan's medical skills are!

Ethan looked at the complex emotions flickering in Tony's eyes and knew that Tony understood and believed that he had the ability to perform the surgery for him.

Ethan then changed the subject, mentioning the current predicament: "Spider-Man told me he had also tried to find other ways. He mentioned Stephen Strange, one of New York's top surgeons... You've probably heard of him, haven't you?"

"That arrogant, conceited bastard? Of course I know him."

Upon hearing this, Tony quickly recalled the scene of Strange's sarcastic refusal to perform the surgery on him. Feeling annoyed, he instinctively snorted and responded with a hint of sarcasm.

"People outside are spreading rumors that this guy's hands were kissed by God. He can handle any surgery, no matter how difficult. His technique is so perfect that it's considered a model in the medical field... Unfortunately, he probably thinks my blood is black and unworthy to taint his sacred scalpel."

As mentioned earlier, Tony was not unaware of Strange's negative comments about him.

Just as vegetarians often view butchers as mortal enemies.

Strange, whose calling is to heal the sick and save lives, has made no secret of his contempt for Stark Industries in public media interviews on more than one occasion. He firmly believes that Tony, and even Tony's father, are "scum" who made their fortunes through war, and that saving him would only kill more innocent people. He resolutely refuses to have any contact with Tony.