"You think I don't know? I know the palladium levels in my body better than anyone, but without this—"
He tapped the reactor on his chest.
"—I would be dead right now."
Banner was silent.
"So," Tony continued, his welding torch moving steadily in his hand.
"Before that happens, I must find an alternative. Palladium won't work, so I'll find something else. Platinum, iridium, ruthenium, rhodium... there must be an element that can replace it."
"You've tried them all," Banner said. "Thirty-seven elements, none of them work."
"Then keep trying," Tony said. "If thirty-seven doesn't work, then thirty-eight. If thirty-eight doesn't work, then forty. There has to be one—"
His words suddenly stopped.
Because Mavuika had walked up to his side.
Tony looked up and saw Mavuika's amber eyes staring at him.
There was no trace of the usual ease or teasing in those eyes, only a serious, scrutinizing, and even somewhat worried light.
"How long has it been since you slept?" Mavuika asked.
Tony was stunned for a moment, then subconsciously forced a smile: "Two days? Three days? I don't remember. You know, once a researcher gets into the zone—"
"Tony."
Mavuika interrupted him.
His tone was calm, but there was an unquestionable power in that calmness.
Tony opened his mouth but couldn't say anything.
Mavuika's gaze shifted from his face to his chest, where the edge of the circular device could be seen through the collar of his shirt.
It was still emitting a faint blue light, but Tony's complexion was much worse than the last time they met.
Pale skin, sunken eye sockets, blue lips, and clearly thinned cheeks.
"Let me see," Mavuika said.
Tony subconsciously wanted to refuse, but Mavuika had already reached out and gently pulled open his shirt collar.
The device was revealed.
A circular metal ring, with the glowing arc reactor in the center, surrounded by skin that had turned red from long-term contact.
At the edges, one could see some fine, abnormal blue-black veins extending from around the device in all directions, like some kind of eerie blood vessels.
"Palladium poisoning," Banner said in a low voice from the side. "The core of the arc reactor is palladium, but palladium is highly toxic to the human body. Tony has to use this device to maintain his life, but the longer he uses it, the deeper the poisoning."
He paused.
"We've already tried thirty-seven alternative elements, and none of them work. Either the energy density isn't enough, or it can't output stably, or it produces even more toxic substances during the reaction process..."
Mavuika watched the blue-black veins in silence.
He could feel that those veins were slowly but irreversibly spreading toward Tony's heart.
Those were the tentacles of death, devouring his life inch by inch.
"How long?" he asked.
Tony knew what he was asking.
"...If I can't find an alternative," he said, his tone carrying a deliberate understatement.
"About another month? Maybe shorter. But this month is enough for me to finish testing the remaining few elements. Maybe—"
"Does Howard know?" Mavuika interrupted him.
Tony's expression stiffened for a moment.
"...No."
"Why?"
Tony looked away, his gaze falling on the pile of semi-finished parts on the workbench.
"The Old man has been retired for so many years," he said, his voice dropping.
"He's living in Florida with Maria, sunbathing, fishing, and planting flowers for my mom every day. My little mess... what's the use of telling him?"
He paused.
"Besides, my technology has long surpassed his. He spent his whole life trying to solve the stability problem of the miniature arc reactor and failed. I solved it. Even I can't find an alternative, what could he possibly do?"
"It would only add unnecessary worry."
After he finished speaking, he was silent for two seconds, then raised his head again, his face wearing that signature, flamboyant smile once more.
"So there's no need to tell him. Let me handle it myself. I'll definitely find a way. Don't you trust me? I am Tony Stark—"
"Tony!"
Mavuika's voice was very calm, and Tony's smile froze on his face.
Mavuika looked at him, and in those amber eyes, there was no blame, no anger, only a calm, non-negotiable persistence.
He said: "You are a friend I have known for seventeen years."
Tony opened his mouth.
"Howard is too, and he is your father," Mavuika continued. "He has the right to know about his son's situation."
"But—"
"He might not be able to help," Mavuika interrupted him. "But he should know."
He took out his phone.
Tony subconsciously wanted to stop him, but as soon as he raised his hand, it stopped in mid-air.
"...Suit yourself," he said in a low voice, turning back to face the workbench, with his back to Mavuika.
Mavuika dialed Howard's number.
The phone rang three times, and it was picked up on the other end.
"Mavuika?" Howard's voice came from the other side, with the sound of waves and seagulls in the background, sounding as if he were walking by the beach.
"Why are you calling suddenly? What trouble has Tony caused again?"
Mavuika was silent for a second.
"Howard," he said, "I need to tell you something about Tony."
The sound of the waves on the other end suddenly became quieter, as if Howard had stopped walking.
"What is it?"
Mavuika briefly explained Tony's situation: the arc reactor, palladium poisoning, all failed replacement experiments, and only about a month left.
There was a long silence on the other end of the phone.
Then Howard spoke.
His voice was still steady, but Mavuika could hear the weight suppressed beneath that steadiness.
"Let me talk to Tony."
Mavuika handed the phone to Tony.
Tony turned around and took the phone, his expression as complex as if a paint palette had been overturned.
"...Old man."
"Tony." Howard's voice came from the receiver.
"The existing known materials won't work. You need to create a brand-new element," Howard said.
"A new element that doesn't exist on Earth and has never been discovered by humans. Only then can the palladium poisoning problem be completely solved."
Tony smiled helplessly and self-deprecatingly.
"Of course I know I need a new element, but the problem is, is a new element that easy to create? You say it lightly, how do I do it? I can't even find the door—"
"Go look in my warehouse."
Howard's voice interrupted him.
Tony's words were stuck in his throat.
"What?"
"When I was young, I studied this problem," Howard said, his tone as calm as if he were talking about the weather today.
"At that time, I also wanted to solve the energy source problem of the miniature reactor. Palladium's toxicity was too high, platinum's energy density wasn't enough, and other elements had their own flaws. So I started researching, could I create a brand-new element?"