Watching the famous Iron Man get dangled upside down in midair and tossed back and forth, Adrian Cross could barely keep himself from laughing.
He even wondered whether, after this incident, the fiercely prideful Iron Man might go home and develop some kind of “Anti-Celebi Armor,” just as he would eventually create specialized armor to deal with Hulk.
Still, Adrian Cross knew what he was supposed to be doing right now.
To spare Iron Man any further humiliation, he forcibly suppressed his laughter.
“All right, Celebi—put him down.”
“Bi?”
Celebi didn’t understand why its Trainer didn’t want to join in and play with the new toy, but it obediently lowered Tony to the ground.
Then it flew straight over to Adrian Cross’s shoulder, wrapped its arms around his head, and affectionately nuzzled against him.
“Adrian, that’s no way to treat a guest!”
Tony climbed to his feet looking thoroughly disheveled, irritation evident in his voice.
“Mr.
Stark, you were the one who rudely referred to Celebi first.”
Adrian Cross shook his head, while Celebi took advantage of its Trainer’s support to glare indignantly at Tony with its huge eyes.
“Sir, perhaps you were indeed at fault.
Based on my analysis, the unidentified organism has demonstrated both intelligence and abilities consistent with a highly advanced life-form.”
“Under those circumstances, the manner in which you addressed it was indeed inappropriate.”
Even JARVIS chimed in with his assessment.
Already irritated, Tony glared viciously at his own armor.
“Shut up, JARVIS!”
“Yes, sir.”
After being thoroughly undermined by his own AI, Tony could only take a deep breath.
“So, does this little—”
He abruptly caught himself.
“Ahem.
Does Celebi have some way to help with my palladium poisoning?”
“Of course.”
Adrian Cross gave Celebi a look.
Perfectly understanding his intentions, Celebi immediately flew over to Tony.
“…”
Tony visibly stiffened, clearly afraid the little creature was about to pull another strange trick on him.
Then…
Celebi gently placed one hand against Tony’s body.
The immense life energy within it instantly poured into him.
“Oh…
Adrian, this feels incredible!”
Tony immediately felt the difference.
His body, which had gradually grown weak and feeble from palladium poisoning, seemed to fill with strength almost instantaneously.
“JARVIS, scan my body!”
He could hardly believe what he was feeling.
“Sir, your body has completely returned to its original healthy state.
The internal damage previously caused by palladium exposure has fully healed.”
“The energy used by the unidentified organism called ‘Celebi’ matches the energy previously detected throughout this area.
It appears to possess restorative properties capable of healing physical injuries.”
Tony had no interest in listening to the rest of JARVIS’s analysis.
He simply clenched his fist in excitement.
This long-forgotten sensation of being healthy was almost intoxicating to a man who had spent his recent days trapped in despair, waiting for death to arrive.
[Detected: The host has altered the original course of events in this world by curing Tony Stark’s ‘palladium poisoning.’]
[Host has obtained 500 Points.
Summoned Pokémon Celebi has gained 20 Experience Points.]
[Summoned Pokémon Celebi has reached Level 2.]
Adrian Cross heard the System’s notifications as well, and his heart leapt with joy.
This was the first substantial amount of System Points he had earned.
And more importantly…
“System, will I earn Points if I repeatedly heal him?”
Adrian Cross silently asked.
Celebi’s life energy essentially restored Tony’s body to its healthiest possible state, but it couldn’t fundamentally change his current circumstances.
The missile fragments were still inside his body.
If Tony wanted to stay alive, he would still need the palladium-powered reactor to keep those fragments from reaching his heart.
That meant palladium poisoning would inevitably return sooner or later.
[Points will be awarded, but subsequent treatments will only grant 50 System Points each.]
The System’s answer instantly thrilled Adrian Cross.
He’s a Point-farming machine!
Adrian Cross glanced at Tony as though he were looking at a walking ATM.
“Mr.
Stark…”
“Adrian, just call me Tony.”
Tony cut him off directly.
Tony was certainly a proud man, but repaying kindness was one of his most basic principles.
Adrian Cross, despite being a complete stranger, had undoubtedly saved his life today.
As far as Tony was concerned, that was enough to begin considering Adrian Cross a friend.
“All right, Tony.
Celebi’s power can heal your body, but as long as you continue relying on that reactor, your palladium poisoning will inevitably return.”
“So until you find a way to permanently solve the problem with your body, you’ll probably need to come back here for treatment every so often.”
Tony stared deeply at Adrian Cross for a moment after hearing that.
“Thank you, Adrian.”
Anyone familiar with Tony would have been surprised to hear those words.
The proud Tony Stark rarely thanked anyone.
“In that case…
how does three million dollars per treatment sound?”
“…Cough!
Cough, cough!”
Adrian Cross immediately choked on his own saliva.
“H-how much?”
“Hm?
Three million isn’t enough?
Then how about five million dollars per treatment?”
Tony demonstrated through sheer action exactly what it meant to be obscenely rich.
Forget five million dollars.
For Tony Stark’s life, even if the price were five hundred million, he wouldn’t so much as blink.
And so, fifteen minutes later, Adrian Cross watched Tony’s Iron Man armor disappear into the clouds.
Holding Celebi in his arms, Adrian Cross broke into the radiant smile of a newly wealthy man.
“Celebi, from now on, if there’s anything you want to eat or play with, just say the word.
Don’t hold back—we’ll buy two of everything and throw one away.”
“Don’t even ask about the price.”
“We’re loaded!”