Being A Law God In Marvel!

Ryuji hadn't expected it at first, but the man he met turned out to be Robert Stark, the father of Howard Stark.

The connection made sense now. One of Howard Stark's well-known flaws—his struggles with alcoholism—was hinted at in Captain America and shown in full in Agent Carter. Apparently, it was something he inherited from Robert, who had already downed an entire bottle of Martell and half a bottle of rum in a single sitting.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Ryuji wasn't sure exactly how old Howard was when he died, but he knew it happened in December 1991, when Hydra's Winter Soldier, Bucky Barnes, assassinated him in a staged car accident.

Based on his appearance in Captain America during the 1940s, Howard was likely in his late thirties or early forties at the time.

Now it was 1919. Judging by the timeline, Howard Stark must have been a boy of around ten years old at this point.

Ryuji had also overheard something intriguing during his conversation with Robert—"New York."

It wasn't the first time he had come across something like this. Having encountered Steve Trevor from Wonder Woman, as well as Logan (aka Wolverine) and Victor Creed (aka Sabretooth) from X-Men, he knew connections across worlds weren't uncommon.

Still, it made him think. In DC, New York was Gotham City. Was there a version of this world where Gotham and New York coexisted?

Ryuji smirked at the thought. Perhaps not. This world seemed to favor Marvel's timeline, so Gotham City likely didn't exist here at all. But would Batman still show up somewhere down the line?

Possibly.

Diana interrupted his thoughts with a curious look. "How do you know Howard Stark?" she asked, her tone more serious than usual. "Don't lie to me. I can feel when you're hiding something."

"Do you really want to know?" Ryuji teased, a sly grin on his face.

Diana raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a faint smile. "What are you planning?"

"I'll tell you... if you can beat me."

"Deal."

---

Half an hour later, Ryuji was sprawled across the floor, utterly defeated. "Alright, you win," he groaned, clutching his sides. "If we keep this up, I'll end up needing serious medical attention."

Diana chuckled, her expression playful but smug. "Want to try again?"

"No way," Ryuji said, shaking his head. He sat up slowly, rubbing his back with a sheepish grin. "Alright, here's your answer. I've studied mysticism—sometimes you can catch glimpses of a person's future."

"That's it?" Diana looked skeptical, though she continued washing her hair.

"That's it," Ryuji replied casually. "You'll see. One day, Howard Stark will grow into an incredible figure."

One of the founders of S.H.I.E.L.D., after all.

---

Meanwhile, in another part of the ship, Robert Stark sat in his luxurious quarters, swirling brandy in his glass. Ryuji's parting words lingered in his mind:

"Your son is going to be a wonderful man."

Robert frowned, unease creeping into his thoughts. How had this stranger known he had a son named Howard? Ryuji's presence in Britain alone was suspicious, not to mention his rank as an officer.

"Boss," came the low voice of his head bodyguard, Adams. "Do you want me to investigate this man further?"

Robert glanced at him, his brow furrowed. "What's your take on him?"

Adams didn't hesitate. "He's a con artist."

Robert raised an eyebrow, letting out a dry laugh. "A con artist? Really, Adams?"

"Yes, sir," Adams said firmly.

Robert took a sip of his brandy, mulling it over. "A con artist with a wife like that? Unlikely."

Adams hesitated. "Maybe... she's part of the act?"

Robert shook his head. "If Diana's a liar, she's the most convincing one I've ever seen. Her elegance and nobility surpass even the finest British aristocrats. That's not something you can fake, Adams."

Adams remained quiet, his doubt lingering.

"And their companion, Samir," Robert continued. "He's a sharp man—a sycophant, sure, but incredibly respectful to Ryuji. That kind of dynamic isn't common among fraudsters. No, Ryuji isn't just anyone. That's why I invited him in the first place."

Adams gave a slow nod. "You've always had a keen eye for people, sir."

Robert finished his drink in one gulp. "Still, his knowledge about Howard concerns me. We'll test him further tomorrow."

Unfortunately, Ryuji made himself scarce the next day. For two weeks, Robert heard nothing, and his unease only grew.

Finally, as the Tamar reached its next destination, Hong Kong, Robert spotted Ryuji again—this time with an entirely new air of confidence.

###

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