Early the next morning, Pepper arrived looking unusually excited.
A half-asleep Rowan was still rubbing his eyes when she practically dragged him out of bed.
“Pepper, what are you doing this early in the morning?” His voice was full of resentment.
Pepper completely ignored his complaints.
“Rowan, hurry up!” “I want to see the panda!” “…” Rowan immediately became alert.
“What panda?” “I don’t have a panda.” That was absolutely not something he could admit.
Otherwise, he’d be petted bald before lunch.
Pepper crossed her arms.
“Tony already told me everything.” “You can turn into a panda.” “And a fat orange cat.” Her expression clearly said: You are not fooling me.
Rowan immediately gritted his teeth.
Tony Stark…
The second I get the chance, every embarrassing photo I have of you is going online.
Then he turned back toward Pepper with a painfully fake smile.
“Pepper, don’t listen to Tony.” “People can’t turn into pandas.” “He was probably drunk.” Pepper gave him a look usually reserved for idiots.
“Oh really?” “So people can’t become pandas…” “But they can become giant birds?” Rowan froze.
“…” Right.
She’d literally seen his flying form.
“Looks like you’re choosing the hard way.” Pepper smiled.
“JARVIS.” Five minutes later…
A giant black-and-white fluffball was lying helplessly on the floor.
Pepper enthusiastically rubbed the panda’s head.
Every few moments she would even throw herself onto him and hug him tightly.
“Pepper!” “This isn’t normal!” Rowan protested.
“You’re basically cuddling me!” Pepper didn’t care at all.
“You’re my little brother.” “What’s the problem?” “Besides…” She squeezed the panda tighter.
“Pandas are adorable.” “Why would I need self-control?” At that moment, Tony entered the room.
Rowan’s eyes lit up.
“Tony!” “Help!” Unfortunately, Tony acted as if he hadn’t heard anything.
Instead, he walked over.
Then started petting the panda too.
Rowan stared at him in complete betrayal.
The disbelief in his panda eyes could have filled an ocean.
After another thirty minutes of relentless petting, Rowan felt like he was genuinely losing fur.
The moment an opening appeared, he transformed into his cheetah form and escaped.
Or rather…
His orange-cat form.
Pepper’s eyes immediately lit up again.
The panda was gone.
But now there was a chubby orange cat.
That worked too.
“What a cute cat!” “Come here and let your sister pet you.” Rowan nearly jumped out of his fur.
“Nope!” “I suddenly remembered I have something important to do!” Before Pepper could react, he bolted.
The orange cat sprinted across the mansion.
Then leaped straight through the ocean-facing window.
Pepper gasped.
“ROWAN!” She rushed over.
Just in time to see the falling cat transform midair.
A strange fish appeared.
It splashed into the ocean and vanished beneath the waves.
The moment he entered the water, Rowan became excited.
His aquatic form really was the Kun.
The legendary Kun.
A giant fish from Silvarise mythology.
Moments later, the Kun exploded out of the sea.
In midair it transformed into a Roc.
Then dove back into the ocean.
Then became a Kun again.
Then a Roc.
Then a Kun.
Then a Roc.
Over and over.
Like a hyperactive child discovering a new toy.
As he played, he continuously recited: “In the Northern Sea there is a fish called Kun…” “The Kun is so big…” “…one pot can’t stew it—” “Wait, wrong version!” “Uh…” “The Kun is so vast that no one knows how many thousand miles it spans.” “When transformed into a bird, it is called Peng…” Back at the mansion, Tony and Pepper stood side by side by the window.
Watching Rowan play in the ocean.
Both smiled.
“He’s happy.” Pepper leaned against Tony’s shoulder.
Tony squeezed her hand.
“Yeah.” “He is.” For some reason, he’d felt close to Rowan from the very first day they’d met.
Back in Afghanistan, despite barely knowing him, Tony had instinctively wanted to protect him.
Funny enough…
Looking back now, Rowan had probably protected him more times than the other way around.
Watching the giant fish repeatedly launch itself out of the ocean, Tony suddenly turned to Pepper.
“The school arrangements.” “Speed them up.” Pepper laughed.
Tony grinned evilly.
“My dear little brother.” “This is for your own good.” “Children shouldn’t have this much free time.” Out at sea, Rowan suddenly shivered.
“Huh?” He looked around suspiciously.
Nothing.
No enemies.
No danger.
No weird magical creatures.
“Strange.” “Maybe the water’s cold.” He shrugged.
Then immediately forgot about it.
“It’s still early.” “Maybe I should fly to Silvara for breakfast.” The idea instantly sounded perfect.
“Let’s do it.” Turning toward the mansion, Rowan shouted: “Tony!” “I’m going to Silvara for breakfast!” Then he vanished into the horizon.
Pepper stared.
Then slowly turned toward Tony.
“Did he just say…” “…he’s flying to Silvara for breakfast?” Tony clenched his jaw.
“You heard correctly.” Pepper looked impressed.
Tony looked jealous.
Technically he could fly there too.
But if Iron Man casually flew to Silvara for breakfast…
Rhodey would probably suffer a fatal aneurysm.
Tony sighed.
“Children belong in school.” “Otherwise they become insufferable.” Then he paused.
A second later: “Actually…” “I kind of envy him.” He looked toward the horizon.
“Armor suddenly feels a lot less impressive.” Then he turned toward the ceiling.
“JARVIS.” “Get me Silvarise food for lunch.” Silvara A bustling southern night market.
Rowan sat at a roadside food stall.
His mouth was covered in chili oil.
Originally he’d planned to eat breakfast.
Unfortunately, he’d forgotten time zones existed.
So breakfast had somehow become midnight snacks.
Close enough.
The stall was packed with people.
The atmosphere was lively.
The air smelled of grilled meat and spices.
As Rowan sucked snail meat from the shells and washed it down with cola, he sighed happily.
Nothing beat a Silvarise night market.
Nothing.
After finishing his meal, Rowan checked the time.
Then another idea appeared.
“Since I’m already here…” “Why not visit Tiananmen Square?” “I wonder if they still have the flag-raising ceremony.” The moment the thought appeared…
It was over.
The decision had been made.
Soon, Rowan arrived above the square.
Even from the sky, he could see massive crowds already gathered below.
He immediately landed and joined the queue.
This wasn’t something to watch while flying overhead.
As dawn broke and the first rays of sunlight illuminated the city, music began to play.
The red flag slowly rose into the sky.
Standing among the crowd, Rowan felt his chest tighten.
In his previous life, he’d always wanted to witness the ceremony.
But circumstances had never allowed it.
Now…
In an entirely different world…
That wish had finally come true.
As he watched the flag flutter in the morning breeze, his eyes grew moist.
No matter which world he lived in…
That familiar shade of red still carried a special meaning.
Eventually, Rowan calmed himself.
Then checked the time.
Still early.
An idea immediately appeared.
“Since I’m already here…” “Should I try the legendary douzhi?” Thirty minutes later…
A golden streak flew through the sky.
“BLEEEEGHHHH!” Rowan looked traumatized.
The flavor still haunted him.
Some foods really weren’t meant for everyone.
After several minutes of suffering, he suddenly had another thought.
“What about surströmming?” “If I transform into an orange cat first…” “Cats eat fish.” “So maybe it won’t be that bad.” A dangerous plan was born.
With a full stomach and no immediate responsibilities, Rowan leisurely began flying home.
Life was good.
Peaceful.
Comfortable.
Perfect.
Then he remembered school.
His expression immediately darkened.
“Damn you, Tony.” “Sending me to school?” “What kind of monster does that to someone?” He crossed his arms.
“This time I’ll definitely stop it.” “Tony Stark!” “Prepare yourself!” “This hero shall defeat you!” “Mwahahaha!” The laughter of a completely delusional sixteen-year-old echoed across the clouds as he flew toward Malibu.
Completely unaware…
That Tony and Pepper had already finalized his enrollment paperwork.