Marvel : Endless Power

Tony's words reignited Bled's hope, but the next sentence crushed it again.

"That kid is my cousin. I'll be handing the $300 million over to him in the future. If you can convince him, the money's yours without spending a single cent. Got it?"

Bled's face turned red, and after a moment of hesitation, he gritted his teeth. "No problem, Mr. Stark. I'll have a proper conversation with Mr. Rody."

Tony smirked and clapped Bled on the shoulder. He didn't even bother remembering the guy's name but knew exactly what had happened. Tony was well-accustomed to the arrogance of high-society types.

Bled, mesmerized by the thought of $300 million, approached Rody, though his heart still burned with jealousy. Rody, who could hear those bitter thoughts, felt increasingly irritated.

Lydia, on the other hand, was even more blatant practically throwing herself at Rody. But despite being young, Rody had no interest in a social climber drenched in heavy perfume.

Just as he was about to brush them off, an intrusive voice boomed inside his head so loud that it nearly overwhelmed his senses. Unlike the scattered thoughts of the people around him, this one was crystal clear.

"Target: Tony Stark. One shot to the heart. One to the head."

Rody's breath hitched. His eyes snapped toward Tony, who was casually chatting with Obadiah Stane, completely unaware of the imminent danger.

Without hesitation, Rody turned on his heel, scanning the room for the source of the thought. His eyes landed on a white man dressed as a waiter, weaving through the crowd with a tray.

The moment their eyes met, Rody knew this was the assassin.

What sent an extra chill down Rody's spine was the faint red glow outlining the killer's body. A meta-human. This wasn't just a hitman; he had powers.

Rody had no time for subtlety. "Move!" he barked, shoving past Bled and Lydia. People turned to stare, startled by his sudden outburst.

The assassin must have realized something was off, as he abandoned the act, quickening his pace toward Tony.

Tony, hearing the commotion, looked over right as the killer reached into his jacket.

Everything slowed.

It was happening again Rody's heightened perception kicked in. Time stretched, his vision sharpened. He could see the tiny engraved pattern on the assassin's cufflinks as he pulled out a gun transparent like glass.

Plastic?

Before Rody could question it, the gun's texture shifted solidifying into gleaming metal.

Shit. This guy can manipulate matter. That's how he bypassed security.

The killer leveled the weapon at Tony. His mind rang with excitement: "Almost there. Just a few more steps and"

Not on my watch.

Rody didn't have time to close the distance. Instead, he let instinct take over.

"Drop dead, bastard!"

His mind screamed the command.

A burst of raw psychic energy shot from his eyes, bypassing all physical barriers and slamming directly into the assassin's brain.

The killer staggered back, his thoughts shattering into chaotic static. His grip on the gun faltered, but he wasn't down. Unlike Rody's previous kill, this time his attack lacked precision more of a psychic sledgehammer than a needle.

A sharp pain stabbed through Rody's own skull. He gritted his teeth. Still too reckless. Need to refine my control.

The assassin, disoriented but not defeated, fired blindly.

Gunshots rang out.

Panic erupted. People screamed, scrambling in every direction.

Rody's eyes darted toward Tony. Did he get hit?!

No Tony had already reacted, shielding Pepper and using his earpiece to summon security.

"Tony! Get the girls to safety. I'll handle this bastard," Rody shouted.

Tony hesitated. "Rody, playing hero is one thing, but this"

"Go!"

Seeing Rody's unwavering stance, Tony nodded and hurried Pepper and Claire toward an exit.

Rody turned back to the assassin, who was shaking off the effects of the psychic blast.

A smirk played on Rody's lips. He lifted his hands, and with a subtle flick, his sleeves tore open, revealing sleek, silver-gray gauntlets.

Tony caught the movement and groaned. "Ugh, you're still calling those 'Altaïr Sword v2.0'? Kid, we gotta work on branding."

Rody grinned. "Say what you want, but this 'toy' is about to save your billionaire ass."

Tony rolled his eyes but muttered, "Alright, I really need to make portable Iron Man armor."

Meanwhile, the assassin had fully recovered. He locked eyes with Rody.

"He knew about my attack. He reacted instantly. He must have some kind of perception ability."

The assassin's thoughts were crystal clear to Rody.

So he's aware of me now.

No more waiting. The killer lunged forward, raising his gun.

Rody was already moving.

The first shot fired—Rody saw the bullet's trajectory before it left the barrel. A quick pivot, and the round whizzed past him.

But the killer was smart. The second shot was angled toward Tony's retreating group.

Rody cursed. Bastard's using them as leverage.

No choice. He had to intercept.

With a flick of his wrist, the blade hidden within his gauntlet snapped into place. The next bullet met cold metal. CLANG! Sparks flew as Rody deflected it mid-air.

Gasps filled the room. The crowd those who hadn't fled yet stared in awe.

The assassin, however, didn't look surprised.

That's what unsettled Rody. Why does he seem so confident?

And then, it clicked.

The assassin knew about his abilities.

Which meant...

He wasn't the only one here.

Rody clenched his jaw.

There was another killer in the room.

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