HIATUS

For a couple of months since I used my new power, the city was in a state of high tension. Due to the recent gang activities and the Governor calling the National Guard to help and sort out the mess of the city.

After I use my "life steal" once, I decided to remain hidden again and just let the National Guard deal with the mess of cleaning the gangs. It was found out later that the reason while the gangs had been heavily active as of late was due to the Cicada gang going out of their territory in selling their drugs, which lead the other gangs to retaliate with bullets. Apparently, Gangs don't like losing money.

This was later escalated when, in the words of the Cicada gang, Conner and Lucas seem to disappear. Unbeknownst to them that the two individuals were returned to Afterlife. Lacking this knowledge the Cicada gang thought that the other gangs found them and decided to eliminate a threat to their business.

Life goes on even with all the things happening in the background. After The National Guard was called to try to quell the increase in gang violence, the city got a lot better.

I'm still acing my class and my research with Conner's Blood has been going well. Identifying the reason that makes Conner's blood do what it does and recreating it, had been fruitful.

My ninjutsu training is going good as well. I have one clone practicing some ninjutsu. One clone going for school and me specifically to training in taijustsu and one clone in fuinjutsu. I'm actually quite happy with this.

Now, the next problem in my arsenal comes from speed. Don't get me wrong I'm fast but I could be faster. That's why I also decided to try to master and learn the Flying Thunder God Technique. With this technique, no one will know what hit them. Flying Thunder God for Speed, Tsunade's insane strength for power, and Jiaying's Lifesteal for some assurance.

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TWO  YEARS LATER

Tony Stark POV

Well, I finally graduated and also a Summa Com Laude, well that was to be expected. And because of that "Time Magazine" wants to interview me, saying I'm going to be on the cover of this month's issue. Well, this is quite annoying but let's dabble in this. It's not all the time you see a 17-year-old graduate Summa Com Laude from one of the best Engineering Schools in the Country.

I arrive at the venue quite late. Maybe around 20-30 minutes late. Ah, whatever, they can't start without me anyway. When I was entering the photoshoot area, I was quite startled, 'who would have thought he was invited as well', I smile at this.

ETHAN'S POV:

I was waiting for one last person so that we can begin the photoshoot. I was reading last month's Time magazine issue "Gorbachev's Revolution" to kill some time while waiting.

"Please wait a minute sir Ethan, It seems that mister Stark is late," the Photoshoot Organizer said as he interrupts me from my reading.

"It's fine", I replied with a smile.

Suddenly a smiling Tony Stark enters the room, as if not caring that he was actually 30 minutes late for the photoshoot.

"Sorry I'm late, there was a little traffic on the way here," Tony said with a smile.

'Clearly a lie', I thought, well doesn't matter.

"Hi, Tony. What's up? Graduate yet?", I know full well that he did graduate, let's just try to rile him up just like the good old days.

"I should say the same thing to you, Congrats on graduating,", Tony said with a smile.

"hahaha. Anyway, I hope you don't mind sharing the cover of next month's Time magazine issue with me" I said.

"As long I am in the front of the photo while you're slightly behind me then I'm good," he said to me smiling.

"Douche" I replied.

The photoshoot organizer then ushered us to a room where we will begin taking photos, the organizer wanted to do this quickly due to Tony being late ruining the schedule. We did quite a few posts, each post was instructed to us by the cameraman. Well, this seems fun, I thought, I couldn't help but smile at this.

After the Photoshoot, it was time to be interviewed. The Interviewer asked if it was okay to interview us at the same time. I really didn't care that much.

She asks us a few questions like, how our parents influence us, The Carter Family for me, and the Stark Family for the case of Tony.

She also asks us, how does it feel to be graduating as both Summa Com Laudes of our respective University. She also asks us how we knew each other. Tony answered that we meet in Central Park a few years ago, saying he and Jarvis found me at the park and how my parents were mad at me for touring the park alone at 5 years old. Well, obviously the interviewer smile at that.

I didn't forget to tell her that we played chess while Jarvis was trying to contact my parents and how I defeated Tony.

The interviewer noticed a bit of rivalry going on but she moved on to the next topic.

She asked Tony what was his plan after graduating as Summa Com Laude. Tony basically said he is going to work his way to the top of Stark Industries and how he is going to obtain a master's degree in the side and following that with a Ph.D. in the near future.

She asked me about the new drug that I passed to the FDA to be approved and a paper that I published that was getting a lot of traction in the medical field. I can see Tony's eyebrow went up a bit after hearing this. I'm pretty sure he didn't know about this, basing on his reaction.

The paper I published for my thesis "How Cells Manage Oxygen" talks about the established genetic mechanisms that allow cells to respond to changes in oxygen levels. The findings have implications for treating a variety of diseases, including cancer, anemia, heart attack, and strokes.

While my drug will still be undergoing clinical trials and a few studies before it will be released to the masses, I am confident that the drug will be a success.

The drug was to be sold to those who have HIV. The drug will revolutionize the treatment for this disease, making me a lot of profit in the future.

With the amount of knowledge, I have inherited from Tsunade and Orochimaru in the field of genetics and medicine creating this drug was not impossible. The modern world's medical knowledge and the shinobi worlds' medical knowledge was a fluctuating sphere of information. Some aspects of the shinobi world's medical knowledge had superiority but in some aspects the modern world was superior. Combining these two aspects will eventually lead to something beneficial.

She also asked me which company I was planning to work for. After publishing that paper for my thesis, word of my paper actually got out and a lot of companies are contacting me about hiring me and funding the research of any project I had in mind.

I told her that I was not going to work for anyone and that I was going to work for myself. The moment that my drug is FDA approved I will establish my own pharmaceutical company. The HIV drug will be the first drug that my company will offer to the masses.

The anti-depressant drug, which was the first drug I wanted to make was still a rough idea that I needed to properly look into.

The interviewer became glad at being the first one to write an article about the future Carter Pharmaceutical Company. After the interview, I talk with Tony and gave him a verbal invitation to the opening of my Pharmaceutical Company which will be happening soon in the future. He shook my hand and said that he'll be there.