The private jet descended smoothly onto the runway at New York Airport. Waiting nearby were four vehicles: two Rolls-Royces, a military Humvee, and a medical ambulance.
Ginny, accompanied by Umino Iruka, waited for the cabin door to open. On the other side, Pepper Potts and Happy Hogan watched the plane with bated breath, while Colonel Rhodes stood by with a military escort. They were all there for one reason: to welcome Tony Stark and Shiranui Hayate home.
As the door hissed open, Tony Stark was the first to emerge. He saw the paramedics approaching with a stretcher and waved them off. "I'm fine. I don't need that. Send them away."
Pepper's eyes were red, but a joyful smile broke across her face as she watched him walk down the steps. Tony stopped in front of her. "Your eyes are red," he noted softly. "Were you crying for your boss?"
"These are tears of joy," Pepper replied with a laugh. "I hate job hunting."
"Fair enough," Tony quipped. "Vacation's over."
Shiranui Hayate stepped off the plane a moment later, having purposefully stayed back to give Tony a private moment. Pepper immediately stepped forward to meet him. "Thank you for bringing him back safely, Mr. Hayate. The remaining balance will be wired to the Agency's account shortly."
"Make sure to run that through the company account for reimbursement, Pepper," Tony interjected.
Hayate smiled and waved off the formality. "You provided the funds, I provided the service. It's what we do. If you ever have another commission, you know where to find the Shiranui Agency."
He knew that the birth of the Iron Man armor signaled the true beginning of the Marvel Universe's major events; the world would never be quiet again.
Rhodes finally got his chance to step in, pulling Tony into a firm hug. "Man, don't ever disappear on me again. That 'Fun Vee' was anything but fun."
After the reunions, Tony looked back at Hayate. "I'll be in touch once I've settled in. I definitely want to show you my next masterpiece." He clearly hadn't forgotten about the Ninja Hounds and summons.
With a final nod, Tony climbed into his Rolls-Royce.
Seeing the crowd disperse, Ginny stepped forward to meet Hayate. "Welcome home, Boss!" After a brief greeting, they entered their own Rolls-Royce with Iruka at the wheel.
"Ginny," Hayate began, "how is the matter I discussed with you?"
Ginny opened a folder. "Boss, the entire 90 million has been moved into Stark Industries. We've taken a heavy short position. However, I assumed you'd be bringing back a body. Now that he's returned alive, the stock is likely to rebound. We could face a massive loss. Should we close the positions before the news of his return officially breaks?"
Hayate laughed. "No. Not only are we staying in, but once the final payment from Ms. Potts arrives, dump that in as well. Short everything."
"What?" Ginny asked, bewildered.
Hayate didn't play the mystery card this time. "Just drive. Watch the news in a few hours, and you'll understand exactly why."
"Are we going to the apartment or the Agency, Lord Hayate?" Iruka asked from the driver's seat.
"The Agency," Hayate replied, leaning back.
In the other car, Happy asked, "Where to?"
"The hospital, Happy," Pepper said firmly.
"No," Tony countered.
"Tony, you need a checkup," she insisted.
"I said no. I've been locked in a cave for three months. I only want two things: an American cheeseburger, and..."
Pepper's face turned cold as she cut him off. "Don't say it."
"It's not what you think," Tony clarified. "I want to hold a press conference."
"A press conference?"
"Yes. Happy, drive. And get me those burgers first."
Back at the Shiranui Agency, Ginny took a call and turned to Hayate. "Boss, your Mercedes 300SL is finally finished. Where should they deliver it?"
Finally, Hayate thought. He'd almost given up and started looking for a new ride. "To the Agency."
Iruka took his place at the service desk to begin filtering through Continental Hotel contracts, while Ginny went to handle the massive influx of capital into the market. Shorting a giant like Stark requires precision.
Hayate retreated to his private room, poured a glass of Black Jack whiskey with ice, and added a splash of cola. He took a sip, satisfied with the flavor, and lay back on his bed. His consciousness drifted back into the System Space.
He opened the Task Assembly Hall and saw the "Rescue Tony Stark" mission marked as complete. He tapped the reward.
Ding! Congratulations on completing a B-Rank mission. Reward: 2,000 Reputation, 200,000 Copper Coins, and 1 Common Chest.
The missions for Lee and Sasuke were still in progress.
"System, Sign-in."
Ding! Sign-in successful. Reward: 50 Gold Coins!
Hearing the word "Gold," Hayate sat bolt upright. In this system, Gold was the true currency of power.