"Big brother was attacked too."
"It seems they're targeting the name Stark."
Returning to her room, Artoria had Saturday hack into her brother's itinerary. Knowing he was attending a banquet, Artoria had Saturday hack all the surrounding surveillance. It turned out there really was a harvest. Fortunately, Tony always wears his Liquid Nano Iron Man Suit; otherwise, he really might have been taken away. S.H.I.E.L.D. quickly arrived at the scene to control the situation. They could hide it from the general public, but they couldn't hide it from the AI butler Saturday. Artoria watched the whole thing; the style of the operation was exactly the same as the guys she had encountered.
After reviewing the video records, Artoria began to check on the comrades currently on Earth who participated in the Battle of New York. She found that only Artoria and Tony had been attacked. No one else was targeted. This meant these guys were indeed targeting the Stark siblings.
"The Ten Rings! If you hadn't mentioned it, I almost forgot. Big brother's grudge hasn't been fully settled yet. That black-hearted Big Bald Head is dead, but the nouveau riche with the ten rings is still around."
At the mention of The Mandarin, Artoria began to recall information about him. Having been in this world for so many years, she had forgotten quite a few things. For future battles, Artoria had written down some of the more obscure characters in a notebook, but some parts were completely forgotten. She only knew The Mandarin was a nouveau riche wearing ten Magic Rings on his hands, possessing ten different powers. Also, the guy was an old pervert who wanted to be an emperor and have a harem of three palaces and six courtyards. Such a thought is truly env—Ahem! Truly despicable.
"What powers do those ten Magic Rings actually have? Right, this old guy's close-combat ability is also quite strong; he knows many Chinese martial arts. I need to be careful not to be blindsided."
"And then there's that cockroach-like vitality. Once I find an opening, I must deliver a fatal blow. The corpse must also be blasted to dust."
As Artoria was recording the remaining information in her mind, a phone call came in. She was about to decline it, but then she saw it was from her brother who had just been attacked. It looked like he was calling to check on her again. Fine, I'd better not let him worry.
"Artoria, have you encountered a group of dangerous guys with guns?"
Tony's panicked voice came through as soon as the call connected. Artoria helplessly moved the receiver away; Tony's voice was way too loud, making her ears hurt. He usually didn't have such lung capacity. It seemed he had encountered some dangerous characters at the banquet. Could it be more than just a few Terrorists with guns? As a hero who has seen my power, why do you still think I'd suffer at the hands of firearms?
"Don't worry! I haven't run into any 'dangerous guys' lately, I just stepped on a few 'cockroaches' on the road."
Artoria felt a warmth in her heart at Tony's concern, but it really wasn't necessary. She wasn't an ordinary person. Even if the enemy came at her with an atomic bomb to take her down with them, it might not actually kill her. So, you should worry more about yourself!
"I know your abilities, but no matter how strong you are, you are my family, Tony Stark's sister. Artoria, the opponent isn't simple. Those guys aren't afraid of death at all, and that eerie vitality and recovery rate prove they've been modified. They've become Cyborgs. You must stay safe."
Tony's words gave Artoria a start. She didn't bother to refute the earlier lecture; it was true that they both cherished their family bond. Artoria had nothing to say to that. But Tony's subsequent words made her furrow her brow. 'Cyborgs who aren't afraid of death?' Does The Mandarin have that technology? I don't remember that. Besides, the ones on my end were all ordinary people, not even soldiers, just like thugs with guns.
"I understand. I'll keep it in mind, brother."
Artoria, who had been feeling a bit conceited due to her status as a transmigrator with foresight, now had a clear head. She finally took her opponent seriously. Anything beyond the records in her data represented the unknown. In other words, she had indeed underestimated the enemy and been somewhat arrogant. Taking Tony's words to heart, Artoria crumpled the paper she had just written on and threw it into the trash. Those things were no longer important. Replying to Tony with a serious tone, the two chatted for a while longer before hanging up.
"I was getting cocky, really getting cocky."
After hanging up, Artoria looked at her hands and then at the trash can, speaking with a bit of relief. Luckily, she hadn't been cocky for too long; otherwise, it would be hard to change, and it would be even more troublesome if it became a habit. This is Marvel, where the planet could be destroyed at any moment. Who knows when a boss might pop out and put an end to her arrogant self.
"Big brother, you've taught me another lesson."
Shedding her clothes, her snow-white body was exposed to the air. Her large breasts appeared exceptionally firm on her tall and slender frame. With a gentle flick of her right hand behind her head, her long golden hair cascaded down like a waterfall, resting on her full hips. Stepping with her fair legs, Artoria soaked her body into the warm hot spring pool. In the massive European-style bath, she was the only one soaking.
No matter how much Artoria indulged in her decadent lifestyle, right now, deep in the woods outside New York, the Ancient One stood silently face-to-face with a woman; an immense aura burst from the Ancient One, the very Space around her seeming on the verge of collapse. The woman paled at the sight, but she refused to yield.
"Return to where you belong, Morgan le Fay."
Though her expression was calm, the Ancient One's tone brooked no refusal. She didn't know why this woman, who had always stayed in Britain, had suddenly come to the United States, but she would not allow such a bomb into a country only just recovering. Back then, she had wanted to hand Morgan over to Merlin and let the two of them live together in Avalon; unexpectedly, Morgan stubbornly refused, insisting she would wait for 'that person' to return. That fierce devotion had moved the Ancient One, and in the end she had let her go—after all, she was no devil.
But to her surprise, the woman had now, for some unknown reason, come to New York under her protection. If she were here for tourism, fine—but that murderous aura? Did she think the Sorcerer Supreme was blind? Or that the title could be bought?
"I want to see my sister."
Morgan spoke, a steely glint in her eyes. She truly wanted to know whether Artoria Stark was the reincarnation of her sister—and, incidentally, to kill the bearer of the holy sword Merlin had chosen.
"Your sister?"
Hadn't your sister died ages ago? The Ancient One looked into Morgan's eyes; the words stuck in her throat. For a moment, both fell silent.
---------------------------------
I hope you're enjoying the fanfiction so far! If the story has you hooked and you can't wait to see what happens next, you can unlock 30 chapters in advance over on my Patreon: patreon.com/TLHimejima1
Every bit of support means the world to me so if you're loving the ride, don't forget to drop a Power Stone and let me know.