…
After finishing his shower, Leon walked into the living room just in time to see a replay on the massive screen.
Tony stood before a sea of reporters.
"Mr. Stark, what exactly happened during your captivity?"
"I saw young Americans killed by weapons I created to protect them. And I realized that the system is comfortable with irresponsibility—and I was part of it."
Tony paused, then stepped back up to the podium.
"I've had a change of heart."
"I believe I have both the ability and the responsibility to contribute more to this world—beautiful as it is flawed—than simply building weapons designed to explode."
"So effective immediately—"
"I am shutting down Stark Industries' weapons manufacturing division."
The room erupted.
Obadiah Stane immediately rushed onstage, trying to soften or redirect Tony's declaration.
But what was said was said.
Tony's decision was final.
Leon lost interest in the replay and turned off the television.
He was just about to head upstairs for some long-overdue sleep when—
"Master Leon, Mr. Stark is calling," J.A.R.V.I.S. informed him.
"Put him through."
"Leon, what're you doing? I'm not coming home tonight. Pepper's got me chained to the office handling fallout from the weapons division closure."
"And if I get back and see that cover model we bet on in my bed, I swear I'm kicking your ass."
"Oh, poor Tony," Leon replied sweetly. "I only care about my dear big brother."
Then he hung up.
As if he'd listen.
"I do what I want."
"Going to sleep."
"Good night, Master Leon."
"Night, J.A.R.V.I.S."
…
When Leon finally woke up—hair a complete mess—it was already noon the next day.
Downstairs, in Tony's workshop beneath the Malibu Mansion—
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Metal rang out rhythmically.
"Are you trying to kill my sleep schedule?" Leon yawned as he rode the elevator down.
"Perfect timing," Tony said, holding out a newly fabricated miniature Arc Reactor. "Swap this in."
"Couldn't Pepper do that?" Leon glanced at Tony, who was already lying back shirtless.
"I don't want her worrying. She's got enough on her plate."
There was an unusual softness in Tony's voice.
"Fair enough."
Leon quickly removed the old Arc Reactor and installed the new one with practiced efficiency.
"What about the old one?"
He tossed the small, life-saving device lightly in his palm.
"Keep it. Trash it. I don't care."
Tony pulled his shirt back on and returned to assembling his next suit.
He had once dismissed personal power.
Money solved problems.
Until it didn't.
After being kidnapped.
After seeing Leon display near-superhuman strength.
Tony's perspective had shifted.
At the very least, he needed to reassert himself as the older brother.
He refused to be the billionaire genius constantly rescued by his kid brother.
If Leon was going to be formidable—
Then Tony would be iron.
Together.
Focused and determined, Tony became so immersed in construction that he didn't notice Leon doodling on the back of his shirt.
The robotic arm Dum-E noticed.
It tried to gesture a warning—
Until Leon crushed the paint marker in its claw into a useless lump.
Dum-E immediately pretended it had seen nothing.
"Boring."
Leon soon lost interest in watching the Mark II Armor take shape. It was fascinating, sure—but mostly incomprehensible.
System, you there?
[Query: Would you like to complete today's sign-in?]
I hear you—hold on!
Out of the corner of his eye, Leon spotted something in the workshop corner.
A circular shield.
Red, white, and blue.
A star at the center.
Captain America's shield—
A replica, of course. The real vibranium original was still frozen in the Arctic alongside Steve Rogers.
Leon walked over, heart racing.
He set the old Arc Reactor aside and picked up the replica shield.
System. I hear destiny knocking.
"Activate."
"Leon, why are you yelling? Get out!" Tony snapped.
"Sure thing, big bro."
Leon set the replica shield down and left immediately.
Because if he stayed any longer, he'd burst out laughing in front of Tony.
The moment he reached his bedroom—
He did.
"Hahahahaha!"
"I did it! I freaking did it!"
The system notification echoing in his mind was sweeter than music.
[Ding. Daily sign-in complete. Reward obtained: Adamantium Skeleton.]
Leon froze.
Then grinned like a maniac.
[Adamantium Skeleton: Constructed from the hardest known metal on Earth. Molecular formula lost. Indestructible, heat-resistant. System-enhanced integration. No toxicity. No side effects.]
[Description: Congratulations. You are one step further away from being human.]
Leon's mind raced.
Looking back at previous rewards, he was now almost certain—
The Daily Sign-In System's rewards were influenced by his current condition, environment, and the objects he interacted with.
Possibly even story-relevant individuals nearby.
If that was true—
Then the system wasn't random.
It was manipulable.
Which meant—
Infinite potential.
Just as Leon began fantasizing about punching gods and kicking cosmic tyrants—
A pain unlike anything he had ever felt pierced through him.
It was not surface pain.
It was bone-deep.
"F—!"
[Notice: Adamantium Skeleton integration commencing.]
"…Now?!" Leon choked out. "You couldn't mention that earlier?!"
He had assumed it would be painless.
He was wrong.
The agony was immediate and catastrophic.
Then—
Black.
He collapsed flat onto his bed, limbs splayed.
Eyes rolled back.
Foam at the mouth.
Occasional spasms.
From the outside, he looked like he was peacefully asleep.
In reality—
His entire skeletal system was being replaced at the molecular level.
…
Meanwhile—
Tony's Mark II Armor had taken on a recognizable form.
By coincidence—or fate—
The brothers were forging their own versions of an iron body.
One through engineering.
One through forced evolution.
As if echoing an old saying—
The flesh is weak.
Ascend through steel.
…
[Notice: Adamantium Skeleton classified as innate physiology. Scales proportionally with host's strength. No upper limit.]
[Notice: Super Self-Regeneration fully compatible with Adamantium Skeleton. No interference detected.]