Days as a Spiritual Mentor in American Comics Chapter 5748 - 4771: X Royal Family: Rebirth (11)
Previously on Days as a Spiritual Mentor in American Comics...
"How’s it going?" Stark inquired with concern in the living room. "Why were you suddenly summoned?"
"There’s been a minor issue with the Professor," Shiller responded, "but it’s been resolved now."
"It concerns the Shi’ar Empire, doesn’t it?" Steve accurately deduced, adding, "I’m unsure if it's due to the Shi’ar Empire in this dimension being excessively powerful, or ours being too feeble. Their threat to mutants is something I hadn't anticipated."
"Mutants from our universe didn’t linger on Earth for an extended period. They departed prior to the Solar System development initiative. Before that point, humanity lacked the capacity to engineer Sentinel robots, and subsequently, there was no necessity for them. Consequently, no weapon capable of completely subduing mutants emerged," Stark explained.
"That seems accurate." Steve offered a nod of agreement.
"So, are the Sentinels genuinely that formidable?" Matt inquired, his brow furrowed. He placed aside the dossier he had been examining and stated, "To my knowledge, all three major Empires harbor ambitions to develop weaponry to counter mutants; they have been genuinely alarmed by them. However, no one appears to have achieved success thus far."
"Their caliber is insufficient," Stark declared, shaking his head. "I’m not referring to their technological standing, but rather their proficiency in developing instruments of genocide against specific demographics. In that regard, they fall far short of humanity."
"To be candid, if the mutants were to turn hostile at this juncture, and we remained uninvolved, the human government could likely deploy Sentinels within a mere few days, perhaps even more potent than those existing in this universe. Otherwise, why would the Three Great Empires harbor apprehension towards humans?"
A consensus was evident among the group. Matt then interjected, "I’ve just reviewed the economic report from Clarkia Island, and guess what I discovered?"
The others turned their attention to him, and Matt continued, shaking his head, "At present, Clarkia’s primary economic driver is virtual currency."
"What?"
"Huh?"
"Virtual currency?"
A wave of astonishment swept through the assembly. Shiller commented, "I haven't had the opportunity to delve into that matter, but I'm surprised you uncovered it first. However, in truth, they lack a substantial real industry, compelling them to subsist solely on a virtual economy."
"Indeed, and the servers and keys for their virtual currency are situated internationally. Specifically, they are located on the mainland, not on the island itself."
"That presents an excessive level of risk." While Stark might not possess a profound interest in financial matters, as an entrepreneur, he observed, "The Stark Group does hold virtual currency as part of our digital assets. However, I have secured the servers and keys within the Asgard vault. Earth is as porous as a sieve; one never knows when sensitive information might be compromised. I place no trust even in S.H.I.E.L.D."
"You are absolutely correct not to trust them." Steve cast a glance towards Shiller and remarked, "If you were to entrust your assets to S.H.I.E.L.D., they could be reallocated as medical funds at any moment."
"What are you implying? I wouldn't appropriate anything without authorization."
"Yes, you would simply leave others with no alternative."
Laughter ensued once more. Shiller rose to prepare coffee, and Matt stated, "The situation within the Solar System is precarious at this moment; I fear they might leverage Clarkia Island’s virtual assets as a means to exert pressure on the mutants."
"Pressure the mutants?" Stark furrowed his brow. "Currently, the mutants are the ones bearing the brunt of the difficulties. Their field operatives have been engaged relentlessly, ceaselessly battling along the Jupiter Line. What further demands does the Earth government wish to impose?"
"Naturally, they desire for the two leaders to intervene directly." Steve appeared particularly attuned to this issue, observing, "The Earth government hopes this engagement will further deplete the mutants' fighting capacity. While a multitude of mutants are stationed on the front lines and possess considerable strength, they are not the principal figures."
"But if a leader were to fall in combat, wouldn't that galvanize the mutants into a more unified force?"
"Indeed, but the critical difference lies in the fact that mutants have two spiritual figureheads; should one perish, the other would undoubtedly seek retribution, thus escalating the conflict between the mutants and the Shi’ar Empire indefinitely, thereby significantly alleviating the burden on Earth."
"Is that so?" Stark lowered his gaze. "Now that we are collaborating with China, those virtual assets hold diminished importance, correct?"
"While you state that, it would still be exceedingly vexing if they were compromised or commandeered." Matt shook his head and added, "And precisely due to this cooperation with China, the likelihood of sanctions being imposed has substantially increased."
"It seems the Shi’ar Empire’s incursion has failed to foster any unity on Earth." Stark directed another look at Shiller, remarking, "Your efforts might prove to be in vain."
"Merely targeting virtual assets already signifies progress," Shiller stated, setting down the coffee. "You understand, employing the tactic of sanctioning other nations to impose sanctions on Clarkia is a considerable exercise in restraint. Their preceding action involved the Red Orchid Factory."
"True." Matt took a sip of his coffee. "Sanctioning virtual assets isn’t a huge loss, just a bit of an annoyance." "Besides, mutants don't entirely lack their own advantages." After Shiller finished speaking, all eyes turned to him. Shiller continued, "The engineers involved in the Red Orchid project are still on this island." "Are you suggesting a hostage exchange? But using these scientists to swap for virtual assets seems a little... wasteful, doesn't it?" "Ordinary people cannot remain on Clarkia Island for extended periods. The climate and the energy field here cause all sorts of problems. They will have to depart eventually. Trading such a group for some money is not a loss." "I'm concerned they might be hunted after their return." "That depends on the choices made by the mutants. It could be a multi-party extradition agreement." Stark downed his coffee and declared, "Iron Man in this particular universe should recruit them. Anyone capable of researching at the Red Orchid Factory is undoubtedly an exceptional scientist. The more, the merrier... Achoo!" Immediately after taking a sip of hot coffee, Stark sneezed. He grabbed a tissue to wipe his nose. Everyone looked at him with some concern, but Stark waved it off, saying, "Perhaps the coffee was too hot." Shiller approached and closed the window. Before doing so, he cast a glance outside; the weather was still quite poor. Although it wasn't raining, a persistent wind blew. "Perhaps we should request assistance from the Weather Witch," he suggested. "It's not a viable solution to keep it perpetually overcast. Many tasks cannot be accomplished." He barely finished his sentence when the wind abruptly ceased. The howling gusts and the rattling of the eaves vanished. All heads turned to look outside, and they approached the window. On the distant, misty horizon, a minuscule figure was bringing the storm to a halt. The island swiftly regained its tranquility, the clouds parted, and a beam of sunlight descended. The Royal Court, glistening after the rain, sparkled under the sun. The entire island was now a vibrant emerald green. Stark also moved towards the window, but the moment he opened it, he sneezed once more. His skin visibly flushed red. Steve immediately gave him a gentle nudge and placed a hand on his forehead. "You've definitely caught a cold," Steve stated. "You might even have a slight fever. We need to check your temperature to be certain. I'll go get the medical kit; stay right here." Stark pursed his lips, turned to leave, but Matt grasped his arm, holding him firmly. "Don't try to escape. You are the only ordinary person here, making you the most susceptible to this island's environment. We must ensure you are in good health." Stark, predictably, protested loudly but to no avail. There was no possibility he could overpower a trained combatant like Matt. And should he attempt to deploy his mecha, Shiller would undoubtedly employ some unconventional method to subdue him. Consequently, he was half-dragged, half-carried to the sofa and laid down. By this point, the skin on his face was already burning red, and his condition was noticeably deteriorating. Matt quickly returned with a cool towel. Stark lay there, his voice hoarse, and said, "I don't understand why I've caught a cold; I've been wearing so many layers." "It's not necessarily related to the temperature," Shiller explained, settling beside him and adjusting the towel. "You've been overly exhausted recently, and when you suddenly relax, it's easy to fall ill. Furthermore, this island truly isn't suited for ordinary individuals. Since you're not wearing your mecha, it's quite normal for you to be affected." "But you didn't warn me," Stark lamented. "If the other two Iron Men find out, they'll mock me across the entire Multiverse. They're fighting on the front lines without any issues, while I'm catching a cold in the rear." Shiller let out a chuckle. "Even if I had warned you, you wouldn't have chosen to wear your mecha constantly. You would have simply dismissed it as me overreacting. Do I not know you well enough?" Just then, Strange entered the room. He had been in surgery for several hours, yet he showed no signs of fatigue. Upon entering and seeing Stark sprawled on the sofa, he took him in with a glance and remarked, "Are you trying to assert your dominance by occupying the entire sofa now?" "He's unwell," Matt announced, returning. "Possibly a cold." Surprisingly, Strange's brow furrowed deeply. "How could it be a cold? Did you venture out during the stormy night?" "How could I possibly?!" Stark's voice rose. "What reason would I have to go outside?" Strange sat down beside him. "This island is not conducive for ordinary people, especially someone like you who lacks sufficient physical activity. I don't mean gym workouts; I mean you seldom expose yourself to environments with completely unfamiliar climates and conditions. Adaptability requires training."Stark remained speechless, perhaps due to an inability to vocalize. This chilling exposure quickly brought on a fever, and it wasn't long before Stark's skin became scalding hot.
"We need to get some medicine," Strange declared with a sigh. "I'll head to the hospital."
"No, I don't require antibiotics," Stark managed to say. "I will recover promptly."
Strange clearly found his statement unreasonable but opted against further argument, given Stark's current ill state. Shiller then interjected, "Then do not prescribe antibiotics. Otherwise, his medical team could come after you."
"A pack of insufferable fools," Strange muttered as he turned and departed.
Steve returned shortly, bearing a medical kit that contained alcohol. He proceeded to wipe Stark's cheeks and arms with the alcohol in an effort to reduce his temperature. Nevertheless, the fever was undeniably severe; Stark was muttering Pepper and Morgan's names, occasionally calling out for one Avenger after another.
"I have no clue what he's visualizing in his slumber," Matt commented softly. "I suspect it's nothing pleasant."
"Perhaps we are the subject of his hunt," Shiller conjectured. "He frequently experiences peculiar and strange dreams. Some are beyond explanation. His groundbreaking inspirations often manifest with greater wildness in his dreams. One such dream could potentially advance human technology by a decade."
At that precise moment, a knock echoed at the door. It was unlikely to be Strange, as he had only just departed. Shiller approached and opened the door, revealing an unexpected visitor: Captain America from an alternate universe.
"Greetings, do you have a moment?" Captain America inquired, appearing somewhat concerned. "The situation on the front lines is dire; we require reinforcement."
"Apologies, but our companion is unwell," Shiller responded. "We are not refusing aid, but it will take some time to ascertain who among us is capable of deployment."
"Who is displaying illness?"
"Tony Stark, naturally. An ordinary individual cannot remain on this island indefinitely. He has contracted a high fever. His recovery may be swift, or it may not. We are compelled to remain here and attend to him."
"Understood. I fully comprehend the circumstances, but please ensure that someone is dispatched. Otherwise, the western front might truly collapse."
"We shall dispatch assistance immediately."