Su Yu didn't believe Natasha's excuses for a second.
This woman was, after all, the Black Widow.
Although Natasha didn't spell it out, Su Yu could guess what she was up to from the evening news.
It had to be about tracking down Tony Stark's whereabouts.
But Natasha's efforts were destined to be futile.
Tony Stark, the playboy, would undergo his metamorphosis in captivity, using his ingenuity to escape.
A groundbreaking superhero would soon emerge.
Iron Man.
"With mortal flesh, rival the gods!"
"I see now. No wonder you were so hungry earlier—it was because of a mission, huh?"
Su Yu nodded knowingly and released Natasha.
She immediately shot him a resentful look.
"Hmph, jerk."
Natasha spat playfully, clutching her tattered clothes.
She glared at Su Yu and teased:
"Look at what you've done! How am I supposed to go out in this? Couldn't you be a little gentler?"
"Heh."
Su Yu chuckled, countering:
"Who was the one cheering me on, hmm? And now you're blaming me?"
"Hmph!"
Natasha huffed, her face unflinching as she gave him a sidelong glance and prepared to leave.
But just as she reached the door, she stopped and leaned in close.
"Tell me honestly—do you know something? About my mission? If you've got a lead, I might have a little... reward for you~~"
She threw him a sultry look, her charm undeniable.
Su Yu replied nonchalantly:
"It's Tony Stark we're talking about. I'm just an ordinary guy—what kind of leads could I possibly have?"
"You say you don't know anything?"
Natasha's interest was piqued. She jumped back onto the bed, wrapping her arms around Su Yu's and pouting:
"I didn't even mention Tony Stark's name, but you clearly know something! Spill, please?"
She leaned in and kissed him deeply.
When their lips parted, Natasha wiped the corner of her mouth with a satisfied grin, her voice sultry:
"Happy now? Ready to talk?"
"Ah, caught in the trap," Su Yu sighed, shaking his head.
He had to admit, the Black Widow's tactics were as crafty as ever.
A few playful words, and she had him cornered.
Still, it didn't bother him much.
What harm was there in sharing a little information? It wasn't as if Natasha could immediately track down Tony Stark based on his hints.
"I don't know much, but..."
Su Yu met Natasha's captivating gaze and added cryptically:
"You don't need to go looking too hard. Some people will eventually show themselves. If you really want advice, focus on the people close to Tony Stark instead of searching aimlessly."
"People close to Tony Stark?"
Natasha's expression grew thoughtful as she stared intently at Su Yu.
She didn't press further.
It was clear that Su Yu knew more than he was letting on, but this much was already enough.
With the resources of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s intelligence division, it wouldn't take long to dig into Stark Industries thoroughly.
When that happened, Tony Stark's location would inevitably come to light.
"You're the best, darling. Love you!"
Natasha grinned, blowing him a kiss.
"If your tip helps me complete my mission, I'll let you do anything you want next time I'm back."
"Really?"
Su Yu's eyes sparkled with mischief.
"You said it! I recorded that. Next time, I'm playing cavalry!"
"Ugh, you pervert!"
Natasha's cheeks flushed red before she slipped away.
Meanwhile, Su Yu lay in bed, lost in thought.
Iron Man was on the verge of being born.
The world's new era was about to begin, bringing both dangers and opportunities.
If he was a piece on the board, he needed to work harder to become stronger.
Without hesitation, Su Yu resumed his training.
Currently, aside from borrowing Tom the cat's quirky inventions, his path to power relied primarily on his own efforts.
Though chakra-based ninjutsu had its limits, it was better than nothing.
"Small steps lead to great distances."
At the very least, it was a way forward.
Half a month passed.
Recently, New York had been unusually peaceful. No monster attacks, no major incidents. Even Natasha hadn't been in contact.
A few days earlier, it seemed Natasha had uncovered some leads.
After a passionate night with Su Yu, she had left for the Middle East.
Su Yu, familiar with the story, guessed that Natasha had likely traced clues to Obadiah Stane and the Ten Rings.
What remained uncertain was whether the Ten Rings had any hidden masters behind the scenes—perhaps even the fabled Mandarin.
But none of that concerned Su Yu for now.
Over the past few days, aside from training, Su Yu had often been invited out by Gwen for dates.
Their relationship was progressing rapidly, to the point where they could be considered completely familiar with each other.
Only one final step remained for them to achieve... "perfect harmony."
"I never would've guessed that this little Gwen would also become Spider-Woman! With so many superheroes gathering, could this world be part of the Sacred Timeline?"
After finishing a date with Gwen, Su Yu couldn't help but reflect.
He could sense the changes in Gwen.
Outwardly, she appeared the same, but within her body lay a potent power.
Stronger, even, than Peter Parker, who lived next door.
This led Su Yu to wonder about the designation of this world.
The Marvel Universe encompassed countless parallel worlds, even Sacred Timelines—but such concepts were far beyond Su Yu's reach for now.
"Whatever. That's not something I can deal with yet. I'll just find a quiet place to test some ninjutsu!"
With that, Su Yu hopped into his car and headed to the outskirts.