Mysteries On Marvel

"Heh, Aunt Pepper, that's because you don't understand the joy of Coke."

Pepper shook her head and said, "Alright, enough joking around. The pizza and fried chicken are still hot; let's eat before they get cold in this weather."

As she spoke, Pepper picked the meatiest slice of pizza from the box and handed it to Eren.

"Thanks, Aunt Pepper!"

Without hesitation, Eren took the pizza and began devouring it.

Since practicing the Cosmic Brain meditation, Eren's appetite had grown significantly. He was eating more and feeling hungry faster.

Whether it was due to the meditation consuming a lot of energy or his body now requiring more nutrients to sustain itself, Eren couldn't be sure.

By the time the meal was over, Pepper had only eaten one slice of pizza and drank a cup of juice. The rest of the pizza and all the fried chicken had gone into Eren's stomach.

Watching him eat like a ravenous wolf startled Pepper. She was almost worried something was wrong with his body.

"Aunt Pepper, don't worry. I've been training lately, so I'm burning a lot more energy and eating more as a result."

"Training?"

"Yeah. Last time, I was kidnapped so easily, partly because I was physically too weak. Even if I couldn't fight back, it wouldn't have been so easy for them to capture me if I were stronger. Since escaping, I've been training to build up my stamina. My appetite has grown along with it."

"I see."

Pepper let out a sigh of relief after Eren's explanation. Intense physical training leading to a bigger appetite wasn't unusual, and as a growing boy, getting stronger was never a bad thing.

After dinner, they began chatting leisurely.

"Oh, right," Pepper said, "I got a call from Chief George this afternoon. He said the leader of the Water Ghost gang died last night, and the last remaining boss, that guy named 'Seagrass,' was arrested for murder. You can finally relax and stop worrying."

Eren froze for a moment.

So the leader, Seagrass, was captured by the NYPD? No wonder I didn't find him when I wiped out the Water Ghost gang.

Messing with the daughter of a New York police chief? Eren had no doubt that Seagrass was finished.

Plus, as the second-in-command of a gang, it was impossible that his record was clean.

This time, the NYPD wouldn't let him go easily.

Eren grinned. "Well, karma sure does work fast. Looks like I can finally get a good night's sleep."

Pepper smiled. "You definitely need it, especially since you'll be at Gwen's house tomorrow night. You wouldn't want to look tired."

"Wait, Aunt Pepper, how do you know about that?"

Pepper chuckled. "I know Gwen's mom, Helen. She invited me too. But Stark Industries is a mess right now, so I can't make it. You're on your own, kiddo."

Then, with a teasing glint in her eyes, she added, "Maybe it's for the best. You might just charm your way into Gwen's heart without me around."

Oh, so that's how it is.

Ignoring Pepper's teasing, Eren recalled the troubled look on her face when he first entered. "Aunt Pepper, is something wrong with Stark Industries? Is that what's been bothering you?"

Pepper hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "You noticed, huh?"

"Of course!"

"Well, I won't hide it from you. Tony's gone missing. Stark Industries is in chaos, and even the military keeps sending people over for updates. As Tony's personal assistant, I have to handle all of it. On top of that, there's a flood of reporters. These past few days have been overwhelming."

Perhaps it was because she needed someone to confide in, or maybe she genuinely saw Eren as family, but Pepper began venting her frustrations to him.

Apart from the company issues, she had also been worried about Eren's recent troubles, though she chose not to mention that part to him.

"Tony? You mean the famous billionaire playboy Tony Stark? When did he go missing?"

Pepper looked surprised. "You didn't know? The news has been all over this for days."

Eren shrugged. "Aunt Pepper, you know why. After that incident, I haven't watched the news at all."

"Oh, my! I'm so sorry, Eren. I forgot about that."

Pepper immediately pulled Eren into a tight hug, guilt written all over her face.

After a while, she finally said, "Now that I think about it, Tony went missing on the same day you were kidnapped."

What?

The same day?

Pepper didn't realize the storm her words had stirred in Eren's mind.

As Marvel's chosen one, Tony Stark's disappearance marked the beginning of the extraordinary world of the Marvel Universe—the turning point for everything.

The day Tony Stark went missing was the same day Eren arrived in this world. Was it purely coincidence, or was there some unknown connection?

Suppressing his shock and doubt, Eren replied, "What a coincidence, huh?"

"Coincidence, my foot!" Pepper rolled her eyes. "Do you know how much I've been worrying about you two? Your issue is resolved now, but there's still no news about Tony…"

As she spoke, her eyes betrayed a deep-seated worry she couldn't hide.

"Don't worry, Aunt Pepper," Eren comforted her. "Tony Stark is a genius. He'll be fine."

"But the military found several wrecked vehicles and soldiers' bodies at the site where he went missing. They suspect it was a terrorist attack…"

Pepper's voice trembled, as if she couldn't bear to think about the worst-case scenario.

Seeing this, Eren offered another perspective. "Aunt Pepper, think about it this way: If Tony Stark were really in trouble, wouldn't the terrorist group responsible have bragged about it by now?"

"No group has claimed responsibility, which could mean Tony is still alive and well."

(End of Chapter)

[Check Out My Patreon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!! For Only $5!!][[email protected]/zaelum]

[+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]

[Thank You For Your Support!]