The next morning.
Tony Stark held a press conference for Stark Industries. All the major New York media outlets sent representatives to attend, eager to hear what he had to say about yesterday's battle.
Colonel James Rhodes was present to assist, attending in his capacity as a military liaison.
Before Tony appeared, Agent Phil Coulson—who had coordinated the rescue and street blockade during last night's incident—approached him and discreetly handed him a note. It instructed Tony to keep the identity of Iron Man a secret.
Stepping up to the podium, Tony scanned the crowd and noticed a familiar face in the front row—the female reporter who had once shared a hotel night with him.
At that moment, Leslie was staring at him with a half-smile, a mocking expression that resembled an ex-girlfriend's jealousy upon seeing her former lover thrive without her.
"It's been a while since I've met with all of you," Tony began. "So, this time, I'll just read from the script."
Ignoring the clicking of cameras below, he took a small folded paper from his pocket.
The reporters laughed—some kindly, some flatteringly, others mockingly. Only Leslie kept that same look, which made Tony slightly uncomfortable.
It wasn't his first time being in this position—he'd been with hundreds of women, and none of them had ever stayed. It was all casual fun to him. Did they really think they could marry into a billionaire's life?
"There's been speculation," Tony continued, "that I was involved in the recent highway and rooftop incidents."
He felt a flash of irritation. His mind was already racing ahead—Obama was gone, and the next step was to deal with the company's board and secure full control of Stark Industries.
Suddenly, Leslie raised her hand and spoke sharply, not waiting for permission.
"Mr. Stark, do you really expect us to believe it was just a bodyguard in a battle suit who happened to appear at the right time? Even though you—"
Before she could finish, Tony cut her off. "I know this situation is confusing. It's one thing to question the official story, but it's another to make wild accusations—or suggest that I'm a superhero."
Leslie smirked. "I didn't say you were a superhero. Captain America is the superhero."
The room buzzed with murmurs. Captain America had also been seen in the battle and photographed on-site. While everyone knew who he was, the identity of the man in the flying, missile-firing armor remained a mystery.
It was hard for the public to suddenly accept another superhero—especially one who seemed unpredictable and untested.
"Really? That's good," Tony said dryly. "Because that would be unrealistic and fantastical."
But as he spoke, memories of Dr. Yinsen (Ethan) in the Afghan cave flooded his mind. Every hero had a guide whose death ignited their transformation—Dr. Erskine for Steve Rogers, Uncle Ben for Peter Parker, and Yinsen for him.
Yinsen's family had died in wars fueled by Stark weapons. The guilt still haunted Tony.
"I'm clearly not cut out to be a hero," Tony continued, his tone softening. "I've got more than my share of flaws—and I've made plenty of mistakes."
Rhodes, standing nearby, frowned. Tony was drifting off-script. He leaned over and whispered, "Just stick to the notes."
Tony nodded. "Okay."
He looked at the paper in his hand one last time, then thought of Yinsen and Steve Rogers—their ideals, their courage.
And suddenly, he made his choice.
"In fact…" he said, lowering the paper.
"I am Iron Man."
The room fell silent for half a heartbeat—then exploded with shouts, camera flashes, and gasps.
Leslie stared in disbelief. Rhodes froze, realizing that Tony had just thrown the entire plan out the window.
Moments later, the press erupted into a frenzy. A superhero revelation! This declaration would set off a global media storm.
Leslie's face twisted with jealousy as she looked at the man she once thought she could control. Now he was beyond her reach—untouchable.
Rhodes immediately moved to protect Tony as they exited the stage. The situation was now far more complicated than expected.
Meanwhile, in the slums of Moscow.
An elderly man sat hunched in front of a flickering television, his trembling hands gripping a mechanical exoskeleton frame. When Tony's face appeared on screen, proudly declaring I am Iron Man, the old man's body shook with rage until he began coughing violently.
"Father! What's wrong?"
A tall, broad-shouldered man hurried to his side, patting his back and trying to steady him.
The old man's eyes were clouded with fury and disbelief. He had spent his life resenting the Stark family—waiting for their downfall. Yet now, Tony Stark had turned their invention into a symbol of heroism.
He pulled out a stack of old blueprints and handed them to his son.
"Ivan," the old man rasped, "Stark's glory should have been yours. Go… take back what belongs to you."
With those final words, he died—eyes open, consumed by hatred.
"No! Father!" Ivan Vanko cried, clutching his body, tears freezing on his cheeks as he glared at the TV.
Then his gaze fell on the blueprints. It was the complete design for the Arc Reactor, annotated with detailed parameters.
In the lower-right corner were two signatures: Howard Stark and Anton Vanko.
Meanwhile, in another part of the world, Steve Rogers—the man known as Captain America—was on a mission.
He and the Winter Soldier had already left New York aboard a Blackbird stealth jet, heading toward Siberia.
Although the tracker implanted in the Winter Soldier remained active, it had been cleverly jammed, confusing Alexander Pierce and the Hydra agents monitoring them.
Through Bucky's fragmented memories, Steve had learned of a hidden Hydra base buried deep beneath the Siberian snowfields.
He also instructed Sharon Carter to contact Ulysses Klaue on the black market to purchase vibranium—and to notify Wakanda as well.
Though Wakanda remained isolated, any attempt to resell vibranium would certainly draw their elite warriors into action.
The Siberian wilderness was a frozen wasteland of howling blizzards and endless snow. The light reflecting off the ice could blind a man, and even satellites struggled to detect the Hydra facility concealed beneath the glaciers.
It was a dead zone where almost no life could survive—less than a million people lived across all of Siberia, mostly near its borders.
Using Edith's detection system, Steve searched for large metallic signatures. Only massive underground structures would produce a detectable sonar echo.
If there was a reading, there was Hydra.
Beside him trudged Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier, his steps heavy and mechanical. His cold eyes betrayed no emotion—only obedience and the faint, flickering remnants of a lost humanity.
...
📢 Author's Note
The full completed version of Marvel: This Captain America Is Different (Part 1) is now available on Patreon!
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✅ Part 1 Complete — 117 Chapters
Join the journey of a wildly unpredictable Captain America as absurd system missions, unexpected rewards, and chaotic adventures turn the Marvel Universe upside down.
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1. Dragon Ball: Oolong's Sex Adventure
2. Elements of Lust – ATLA & Korra Mixed Smut
3. Doraemon: Filtering with Nobi Tamako
4. The Naive Me Who Became Someone's Everyday Secret
5. High School DxD: Rias Gremory, the Phenex Bride
6. Versatile Mage: Awakening the Succubus System
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