Ice-Ice Fruit in Marvel

Tony Stark jolted awake from his nightmare. He was Iron Man—idolized by millions, genius, billionaire, and superhero. But since his encounter with the Ice Demon, Ethan Hayes, on top of the Empire State Building, Tony hadn't had a decent night's sleep.

The thought of Ethan's power haunted him. He had come face-to-face with death, and he barely escaped because of his connection with the Ice Demon. Ethan's heat rays were hotter than the sun itself, and the mere memory of them made Tony feel vulnerable.

"J.A.R.V.I.S., what's the current laser temperature?" Tony asked, voice tense.

J.A.R.V.I.S. responded, "Sir, the laser temperature now exceeds 10,000 degrees Celsius."

Even cutting-edge military-grade lasers typically maxed out around 3,000 degrees, but Tony had achieved instant temperatures of over 10,000. He could push it further, but he knew this wasn't enough. Against Ethan Hayes, even this cutting-edge weapon was inadequate.

"I understand. Save the data and continue refining it," Tony said, steadying himself. For the first time, he felt the limits of technology pressing against him, and it frustrated him. He had always believed he could solve anything with science, yet here he was, powerless against a being like Ethan. Killing the Ice Demon, he mused bitterly, seemed impossible.

Just then, a voice interrupted his thoughts, smooth and mocking. "Interesting, Tony. I never realized you were so eager to kill me."

Tony whirled around, watching as particles of light coalesced into Ethan Hayes, standing casually before him.

Tony composed himself, hiding his surprise. He watched Ethan stride to his bar, pick out his favorite whiskey, and pour a glass.

"Care for a drink?" Ethan offered.

Tony nodded. "Sure."

With a flick of his wrist, Ethan chilled both their glasses instantly. Tony felt a pang of unease. Ethan's abilities felt limitless, and for the first time, Tony understood the depths of the power gap between them.

"The limits of your power… do you ever think about them?" Tony asked quietly.

Ethan glanced at him. "Tony, have you ever stared into the depths of space and felt fear?"

Tony shook his head. "The void of space doesn't frighten me. It's full of mysteries, things to discover. Fear has no place in that."

Ethan's gaze darkened. "But I do, Tony. I fear the things lurking in the universe, beings more powerful than you could imagine. That's why I strive to grow, to reach heights where nothing in the cosmos could harm me."

Tony's eyes narrowed. "Are you saying there are forces out there stronger than you?"

Ethan nodded. "Far stronger. The Celestials, the Watchers, the Life Tribunal—there are many who could snuff out the Earth or kill me without a second thought. I've seen that future, Tony, and it terrifies me."

The reality hit Tony like a blow. If Ethan was right, and such beings existed, then humanity's defenses would be meaningless.

Ethan smiled, breaking the silence. "Thank you for the drink. I know you've been working on a new AI system, Friday. I'll take it off your hands."

Tony gave a resigned nod. "Fine. Connect through the data server; I'll grant it access. Friday's powerful, but I still prefer J.A.R.V.I.S."

Ethan didn't waste time. "Thank you, Tony. I'll take good care of Friday."

With a flicker of light, Ethan vanished, leaving Tony alone. J.A.R.V.I.S. confirmed, "Sir, the second entity has left the room."

Tony muttered to himself, "He left without a trace… incredible."

At Osborn, Ethan connected the hard drive to a secure server. Within moments, Friday's system initialized.

"Hello, Mr. Hayes. I'm Friday. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Welcome, Friday. Begin internal network integration and take over Osborn Group's security systems," Ethan commanded.

[Affirmative, sir.] Friday responded smoothly, transferring all necessary protocols and securing the network.

Ethan's gaze sharpened. "No matter what, I won't allow Ultron to exist," he murmured. The idea of an AI with the power to wreak havoc across the Internet was not something he would risk.

A notification pinged from Friday. [Sir, Ms. Elizabeth has sent a message asking if you will be joining her tonight.]

Ethan smiled. "Tell her I'll be there shortly."

In a flash, Ethan transformed into light and appeared outside Psylocke's door.

He knocked, and Psylocke opened the door, wearing a black lace nightgown. She accepted the flowers he offered, her gaze playful.

"Mr. Ice Demon, I didn't know you had such a romantic side," she teased.

"There's a lot about me you'll discover," Ethan replied with a grin.

Psylocke tossed the flowers aside, grabbed his collar, and pulled him into the room, her gaze intense. She hooked her leg around the door and slammed it shut, giving him no time to react as she pressed him against the wall, her kiss searing.

Meanwhile, Domino in the neighboring apartment smirked as she put on her headphones, muting the sounds from next door. Raven, watching from the rooftop, chuckled to herself before returning to her work, analyzing financial records.

As the clock neared two in the morning, Raven sighed, stretching after hours of reviewing Tesla Lighting Energy Group's reports. She had uncovered evidence of embezzlement within the company, affecting Ethan's interests.

Feeling familiar warmth behind her, she smiled. "Satisfied with Captain Britain's performance? Or was even Psylocke unable to keep up with you?"

Ethan chuckled, wrapping his arms around her. "She's impressive, but she's no match for me yet."

Raven looked up, amused. "Well, our beautiful Captain is fast asleep now. But it seems I haven't had your attention for a while, Mr. Hayes."

Ethan lifted her effortlessly, her laughter echoing through the quiet room.

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