Tony Stark and Ethan gazed out at the disintegrating alien flora, their faces pale with a mix of disbelief and apprehension.
"I'm not S.H.I.E.L.D. or any kind of military operative," Watson said, his tone calm but firm. "These flowers are part of my secret. I trust you'll keep this... off the record."
Tony, still shaken, nodded. "Of course. Didn't expect you to be... quite this unique. It's our first meeting, but I'd like to invite you to a gala I'm hosting at Stark Tower. It could be a good way to stay connected."
Ethan, his usual humor absent, nodded seriously. "Your secret's safe with us, Mr. Watson. We'll talk more soon."
Watson simply nodded and stepped away to make a call, his expression unreadable.
Meanwhile, at Michigan's S.W.O.R.D. Command Center:
"Colonel, we've just received a response on the encrypted communicator!" a technician shouted, his voice filled with urgency.
James "Rhodey" Rhodes and Agent Phil Coulson entered the room briskly. "What's the location?" Rhodey asked.
"23 kilometers south, sir. Along with the response, they've transmitted a detailed report," the signal officer explained.
Rhodey's face lit up as Watson's voice came through the speaker: "I heard someone wanted me to take three months to think things through? Yeah, no thanks—not my style."
Rhodey smirked. "Good to hear you're alive and still sarcastic. We're sending a team to extract you immediately."
Watson, unfazed, ignored Tony's quips and crouched down in the sand, sketching a series of cryptic calculations. His sharp focus was broken only by the faint hum of system notifications that seemed to flash in his mind's eye:
Eliminated Hydra operatives: 73. Experience gained: +730!
Defeated Hydra cell leader: 1. Experience gained: +50!
Current level: 10.
Current XP: (250/1000).
Then, a sudden jolt—like a software update:
Host permissions updated!
Map exploration range: expanded to 10 kilometers.
Summoning permissions enhanced.
A digital menu materialized in his HUD, listing summonable creatures:
Stage 1: Dire Jackal, Razorwing Hawk, Venomous Wyvern, Earth Sand Dragon
Stage 2: Mud Serpent Dragon, Thunder Wyvern, Savage Jaw Dragon, Skyflame Wyvern (unlocked)
Stage 3: Dazzling Phoenix, Bonecrusher Dragon, Infernal Drake, Fire Queen Wyvern (unlocked)
Summoning points available: 4.
Derick, Watson's loyal ally, leaped to his feet with uncharacteristic excitement, startling Tony.
"Mission status updated," Watson muttered under his breath, his tone flat:
Destroy Hydra's stronghold: (4/4) – Completed.
Rescue Stark and Banner: Completed.
Rewards unlocked:
'Infernal Arsenal' gift pack.
Perfect-grade dragon saddle and battle gear.
Though Watson's face remained stoic, inside, he was brimming with triumph.
System, open the 'Infernal Arsenal' gift pack.
The notifications continued, a cascade of prizes unfurling in his mind:
Pharmaceutical pack: Medium Healing Potion x5, Medium Stamina Potion x5, Antitoxin x5, Secret Elixir x2, Perfect Secret Elixir x1.
Monster Expansion Pack: Volume Expansion (x3), Quantity Expansion (x3).
Summon: Horned Titan Wyvern (25 meters).
Watson's eyes widened. "Holy… a Titan-class Wyvern? Expansion packs too? This system might just make me unstoppable."
Tony blinked, watching Watson's reaction. "Okay, is it just me, or did this guy just level up in some kind of cosmic RPG?"
Ethan smirked. "Stark, you haven't seen the half of it."
Watson stood, the faintest smile flickering across his lips as he prepared for whatever came next.