Tony had called Sora Yukihara, but the one speaking was Pepper—and she was crying.
That alone made things feel extremely wrong.
Sora Yukihara asked, "Pepper, what happened?"
Pepper replied, "An attack! A group of armed men attacked us at home. Tony was shot. Before he passed out, he told me not to trust anyone and to ask you for help."
Without hesitation, Sora Yukihara said, "Arrange the fastest private jet for us. I'll head over immediately!"
Pepper answered, "Already done. Go to the airport now—JARVIS will have everything ready by the time you get there."
"Good."
Sora Yukihara turned to Parker. Parker immediately stood up, but Sora Yukihara said, "You're not coming with me."
Parker frowned. "Why?"
"Simple. You're too weak."
Sora Yukihara shook his head.
That answer dimmed Parker's eyes.
Sora Yukihara wasn't trying to insult him—he was stating a fact.
Although Parker was a bit stronger than the original Spider-Man, it was only by a small margin. Without web-shooters and without real combat experience, he couldn't form effective fighting power.
More importantly, someone had to stay here.
Sora Yukihara added, "Since you're a spider, then develop your spider abilities properly. Create something like spider silk—like this."
He demonstrated the String-String Fruit ability briefly.
Parker was a top student, and since it concerned his own power, he quickly grasped the idea.
As for the rest, Sora Yukihara couldn't explain much more. He could only guide him within limits.
"Hope I'm not forcing growth too early…"
With a sigh, Sora Yukihara left.
Parker, meanwhile, began training like a madman—for revenge, and for himself.
Inside the hospital.
Tony's face was pale. He was hooked up to an IV, and even his breathing required an oxygen mask. His condition looked bad.
Sora Yukihara stood outside the isolation room, looking at Tony, who hovered between life and death, then turned to Pepper, whose eyes were swollen from crying.
Pepper was extremely smart. She immediately said, "I don't know what happened. The attack came too suddenly—we had no preparation at all."
Sora Yukihara asked, "Think carefully. Has Tony offended anyone recently? Or did anything unusual happen before or after the attack?"
Pepper thought for a moment before replying, "These past few days… no, ever since Tony was rescued, he's been acting very strange. He's been locked in the lab the whole time."
Sora Yukihara nodded. "I know that. Think deeper."
Pepper continued, "Also, during this time, Tony has been secretly mobilizing resources. It feels like he's trying to take control—very different from before."
Then something clicked in her mind. She quickly added, "Oh right! Before the attack, JARVIS didn't issue any warning—that's completely abnormal. And since the attack, Obadiah Stane—Tony's closest partner—hasn't shown up at all. It's like he disappeared."
"That's him."
Sora Yukihara said decisively, then asked, "If I go to your house to investigate, what do I need?"
Pepper replied, "The police have sealed off the scene, but it's late—they'll probably start the official investigation tomorrow morning. Right now, security is handled by JARVIS. I'll give you authorization so JARVIS won't alert the police if it detects you."
"Good