Tony Stark’s Seaside Villa.
Tony Stark lay sprawled across a lounge chair overlooking the ocean, looking alarmingly pale.
His eyes were sunken, his face drawn, and his entire body seemed drained of energy.
He lifted a glass containing some custom cocktail and downed the whole thing in one go.
The defeated expression on his face looked completely out of place on a genius inventor whose ego normally occupied half the room by itself.
“Pepper…
Pepper…
did you find that doctor I asked for?” Even Tony’s voice sounded weak, carrying the weary resignation of a man several decades older than he actually was.
“Oh, Tony!” Pepper Potts hurried over the moment she heard him.
Her expression was equal parts exasperation and anger.
“You need to stop drinking.
The physicians recommended by the board already told you that between the constant late nights and the amount of alcohol you’re consuming, your body isn’t going to keep putting up with this.” The mere mention of the board was enough to irritate Tony.
He dragged a hand through his hair and sighed.
“Please stop bringing up the board’s doctors.
None of them can give me what I actually need, and half of them are exaggerating the problem.” His face darkened further.
“And those damn paparazzi have been camping outside private hospitals around the clock.
I can’t even walk into one without somebody turning it into tomorrow morning’s headline.
It’s exhausting.” Pepper sighed, and her tone softened.
“Tony, calm down.
I contacted another medical specialist.
He’s supposedly treated senior government officials and extremely wealthy private clients all over the world.
His confidentiality record is practically intelligence-agency level.” Tony managed a weak smile.
“Can he fix…
that?” He gave her a meaningful look.
“You know what I mean.” Seeing Tony reduced to this state made Pepper feel both sympathetic and deeply amused.
“I don’t know yet.
You were the one who insisted that whoever I contacted had to examine you personally, so I didn’t send him your medical records.” A hint of uncertainty crossed her face.
“He did say something strange over the phone, though.
Apparently, he comes from a family of physicians going back generations, and he claims he can tell what’s wrong with a patient just by looking at them.” Tony actually laughed.
“Come on, Pepper.
I’m a scientist.
Do you seriously think I’m buying that?” He shook his head.
“This guy sounds less like a medical doctor and more like someone with a doctorate in marketing.” Pepper spread her hands helplessly.
“We have to try something.
At least he has a reputation for keeping his clients’ problems private.” Right then, JARVIS’s voice came through the villa’s speakers.
“Mr.
Stark, the physician you scheduled has arrived.” “Fine.” Tony closed his eyes with the air of a man who had exhausted every better option.
“Send him over.” A short while later, Happy Hogan appeared with a casually dressed man walking beside him.
Tony forced himself upright.
The instant he got a proper look at the supposed doctor, his eyes widened.
Not because the doctor was a woman.
Because the man looked absolutely nothing like a doctor.
He was roughly Happy’s height, but his physique was completely different.
His body was broad and powerfully built without looking bulky, and the exposed muscles along his arms looked almost sculpted.
There was something bright and effortlessly energetic about him as well.
If Tony had not already been told the man was a physician, he would have assumed Pepper had accidentally hired either a fitness model or a personal trainer.
Truthfully, Tony had once entertained the idea of building a body like that himself.
Unfortunately, alcohol, women, and the general pleasures of being Tony Stark had always been far more compelling than disciplined exercise.
The man was naturally Calvin.
Or rather, for the purposes of this particular assignment, Dr.
Noah.
“Mr.
Stark.
A pleasure.” Calvin gave him a professionally pleasant smile and handed over the fabricated résumé S.H.I.E.L.D.
had prepared.
Tony accepted it.
Then he stared.
His eyelid twitched.
This résumé was ridiculous.
“Successfully treated senior officials and heads of state from dozens of countries.
Doctorate in medicine, with additional expertise in genetics, pharmacology, and hereditary disorders…” Tony kept reading.
“Also a master-level hand-to-hand combat instructor who has previously trained military personnel, with extensive proficiency in firearms and other weapons.” He slowly lowered the file.
Apparently, this guy was Tony Stark from some completely different skill tree.
If Stark Industries’ background check had not independently confirmed that the credentials were legitimate—or at least appeared to be—Tony would never have believed one person could be accomplished in such wildly unrelated fields.
At least the ridiculous physique made more sense now.
Tony set the résumé aside and rose slowly to his feet.
His eyes traveled up and down Calvin’s body, skepticism still clearly written across his face.
Then his usual sharp tongue came back online.
“Dr.
Noah, I hope your medical ability is as impressive as your biceps.” Calvin smiled pleasantly.
“Of course, Mr.
Stark.” His expression remained perfectly calm.
“And I sincerely hope your condition is as severe as your personality.
Otherwise, this appointment may disappoint me.” Tony paused.
“…” For once, he had been hit with a comeback quickly enough that he had nothing ready.
Before he could formulate a response, Pepper stepped in.
“That’s enough, Tony.” She pressed a hand against his shoulder.
“Sit down and let Dr.
Noah examine you.” Tony opened his mouth, reconsidered after seeing Pepper’s expression, and obediently sat back down.
His mouth, unfortunately, remained fully operational.
“You said on the phone that you can supposedly look at someone and figure out what’s wrong with them.” He gestured at himself.
“All right, doctor.
Take a look.
What exactly is wrong with me?” Calvin smiled knowingly.
From the moment he saw Tony, his earlier suspicion had already been confirmed.
So he answered immediately.
“You’re sexually exhausted, and you’ve developed premature ejaculation.” Silence.
Tony shot out of the chair as though someone had electrocuted him.
His face turned bright red.
“That is complete bullshit!” He began talking so quickly his words nearly ran together.
“I’m Tony Stark!
I’ve dated more cover models than you’ve had hot dinners!
I’ve owned more supercars than most people have owned shirts!
You have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about!” He pointed accusingly at Calvin.
“That’s slander.
Medical slander.
I should sue you!” Despite everything coming out of his mouth, Tony’s thoughts were already in complete chaos.
‘He actually saw it.’ The doctor had identified the problem instantly.
Which meant…
‘Can he fix it?’ Unfortunately, this was absolutely not the moment to admit any of that.
Happy was still standing there.
Tony could survive Pepper knowing.
He could even admit the problem to an actual physician.
But another man who was not medically necessary?
Absolutely not.
Pepper understood immediately.
She began frantically signaling Happy with her eyes.
Happy was still struggling to suppress his laughter when he finally noticed.
His expression froze.
Then, valuing his continued employment, he turned around and vanished at impressive speed.
The moment Happy was safely gone, Tony collapsed back into the chair.
One hand unconsciously drifted toward his lower abdomen as though his entire life force had suddenly been sucked away.
The arrogant, energetic confidence from moments earlier disappeared.
What remained was a very particular kind of masculine despair.
“Doctor…” Tony’s voice was hollow.
“Can I be saved?” Calvin had to work extremely hard not to laugh.
His guess had been right.
Even after everything Tony had gone through in Afghanistan, the man apparently had not abandoned his fondness for alcohol, late nights, and women.
Given that lifestyle, sexual exhaustion and premature ejaculation were hardly shocking outcomes.
Fortunately for Tony…
Calvin actually did have something that could help.
He deliberately made his expression solemn.
“Mr.
Stark, after carefully observing your condition, I’m afraid you should prepare yourself.” Tony’s legs nearly went weak.
His imagination immediately turned against him.
He pictured years of this problem continuing.
All those actresses and models who had once praised his legendary performance would smile to his face, then privately whisper that Tony Stark was all reputation and no follow-through.
The thought alone was horrifying.
Then Calvin finished his sentence.
“You should prepare yourself for the possibility of having several unexpected children in the future.” Tony froze.
Then his eyes lit up like someone had switched the arc reactor back on.
“You can fix this?!” He leaned forward urgently.
“Doctor, if you can cure me, money is not an issue.” Right on cue, a system notification sounded in Calvin’s mind.
[Tony Stark has issued you a mission.] [Mission: Back in Business] [Objective: Cure Tony Stark’s sexual exhaustion.] [Rewards: EXP +2,000, Tony Stark Favorability +40, Random Items ×2.] Calvin nearly lost his composure.
‘The rewards are this good?’ The mission itself was not particularly difficult, yet Tony was offering an absurd amount of EXP, forty favorability points, and two random items.
‘Is this what happens when the mission comes from one of the main characters?’ Calvin immediately understood one thing.
Main-story NPCs were incredible.
Absolutely incredible.