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Meanwhile…
Tony Stark had returned to his villa. He gazed at the Mark I armor, now fully reassembled, and thought of Smith Doyle, the one who had saved him.
Pepper mentioned that Doyle's information was stored in the computer. Tony immediately commanded:"J.A.R.V.I.S., show me Smith Doyle's profile."
"Certainly, sir."
Within moments, all available data on Smith Doyle appeared before Tony, who began browsing through it.
"Neanderthal Hunter?" he muttered."That name doesn't exactly roll off the tongue."
"The Assassin Alliance is a historic organization, so it's still impressive. And this 18-year-old leader… he reminds me a bit of myself."
Tony continued, half-smiling."Not a bad idea. An idealistic organization—a Robin Hood for a new era."
Seeing the High Table and the Continental Hotel listed, Tony's brow furrowed slightly."The underworld really hides some dangerous weeds. Thankfully, Smith Doyle cleared them out. Otherwise, I'd never let such things continue to exist."
After reading the files, Tony felt the information was still incomplete. Based on his own intelligence, Smith Doyle was far more than he appeared. He was incredibly strong, could fly, and even had an associate named Poole.
"J.A.R.V.I.S., perform a full intel sweep on Smith Doyle."
"Sir, this will require infiltrating certain secure locations," J.A.R.V.I.S. replied.
Tony didn't hesitate. "Gather all the information—but leave no trace of intrusion."
A short while later, J.A.R.V.I.S. announced:"Sir, the data collection is complete."
Tony began reviewing the new files and video footage."This is accurate."
"Small-caliber weapons won't touch him. His strength and speed match what I've observed personally."
"Super-serum? That doesn't even come close to Doyle's level. I really don't know how he got so strong."
Yet even with this intel, Tony felt it didn't fully capture Doyle's capabilities. In his eyes, Smith Doyle was a savior—he had saved Tony twice already. Their principles and methods aligned perfectly. Doyle could become Tony's beloved family, friend, and brother.
For now, Tony decided to wait until Doyle repaired his armor before inviting him over.
However, the small arc reactor in Tony's chest wasn't sufficient to power the new armor. Materials and conditions at the time weren't ideal. He needed to build a new type of Arc Reactor.
Without hesitation, Tony set to work, crafting the latest model of the Arc Reactor.
The Next Day
Following Smith Doyle's orders, the Assassin Alliance's intelligence department issued a global message: The Intercontinental Hotel would now be officially renamed the Assassin Brotherhood. All previous properties were retained, including safe zones, equipment, firearms, and intelligence gathering/trading. Original coins were invalidated, serving only as entry passes. A new currency, exclusive to the Assassin Brotherhood, was introduced.
A special wax-bath service was launched. Through this treatment, knife wounds, cuts, fractures, puncture wounds, and non-lethal gunshot injuries could heal within a single day.
Cost: 1 new coin + $10.
When the message reached assassins worldwide, they were stunned. The safe zones they thought lost were now restored—but the original coins were void. Only the entry function remained.
Still, recalling how the High Table's aristocrats had been eliminated, everyone felt both reluctant and powerless.
Then they saw the wax-bath equipment and were amazed. "Impossible!" they whispered.
Yet if such an announcement was made, it had to be true.
For assassins, this was a godsend. Injuries that once took hundreds of days to heal could now recover in a single day, greatly increasing survival rates. Many had died because they couldn't recover fast enough after completing missions.
Some assassins also recognized the commercial potential. Elite bodyguards and wealthy clients often got injured in extreme sports; being able to recover in a day could sell for millions, and buyers existed.
Curious about the new coins, some operative assassins immediately went to local Assassin Brotherhood branches to inquire.
Then a second text arrived:
Target Rewards: Hand membersCoin Bounty System: 1 coin per ordinary member, 3 coins per minor leader, 5 coins per Hand ninjaGlobal Scope: WorldwideEffective ImmediatelyKnown Locations: Midland Central Finance, Hell's Kitchen (New York), Goko Tower (Tokyo, Japan)Update Time: 12:00 PM
With this new information, assassins registered at the Continental Hotel received the message instantly. While pondering how to obtain the new coins, the opportunity had arrived.
Sofia, head of the Assassin Brotherhood in Morocco, glanced at her phone and told her bald subordinate:"Send people to New York. We need to make our stance clear."
Koji Shimazu of the Osaka Assassin Brotherhood frowned at the message. He hadn't expected the underground world, just settling down, to erupt into war again.
"Last time John saved me and my daughter. This time, I won't put him in danger again.""Akira, notify all assassins in Japan. Everyone must complete the bounty missions to the best of their ability. This is my personal request.""Also, mobilize all forces to Tokyo and eliminate Hand members there."
Moments later, another alert appeared—a link from the Assassin Alliance. Clicking it revealed a comprehensive list of all Hand members. The list seemed endless, with most members currently gathered in New York.
With the last message delivered, the violent world of assassins in America erupted instantly.
Across the streets, one phrase echoed everywhere:"Brothers, let's make money together."
Assassins flooded into Hell's Kitchen. Even local gangs and assassins received intelligence and prepared for action.
As for the Five Fingers of the Hand, Smith Doyle didn't assign special bounties. These masters of Kunlun Qigong were far beyond ordinary assassins—any rash attempt would be fatal.