24.9 meters per second.

Staring at the number on the screen, both Rowan and Director Norris wore expressions caught between frustration and amusement.

Just 0.1 short.

They couldn't help but laugh helplessly.

"Director, looks like I'm still not quite there. I'll go back and work on my speed some more," Rowan said with a wry smile.

Though slightly disappointed, Director Norris quickly nodded in understanding. Rowan's rate of progress was already astonishing. There was no doubt he'd hit the mark by next week.

"All right, Rowan. I suggest you take the warrior candidate assessment at the beginning of next month. Oh, and by the way the exam also tests neural response speed, in addition to punching power and sprint speed. You might want to brush up on that," Director Norris reminded him.

In his eyes, Rowan was more than ready for the assessment. If he performed well on the day, he might even pass it in one go.

Rowan nodded. He was already aware of that requirement.

But when it came to neural response, he was confident.

Whether it was due to his dimensional travels or something else, his reflexes had always been sharp. During S.H.I.E.L.D.'s evasion training, he consistently scored top marks.

He was confident he'd pass that part of the test with ease.

After that, Rowan and Director Norris left the testing hall.

Outside, Luo Feng, Yang Wu, and the others were eagerly waiting.

"How'd it go, Rowan? Did you hit the mark?" Luo Feng asked the moment he saw him.

Over the past month, his friendship with Rowan had grown deeper.

Rowan shook his head and shrugged. "24.9 meters per second. Missed it by 0.1."

"What? That close?"

Yang Wu smacked his forehead in frustration, looking more disappointed than Rowan himself.

"It's fine. A little more training will do me good. No harm in solidifying the foundation," Rowan said, smiling.

He then spent the rest of the afternoon training with Luo Feng and the others before leaving the dojo in the evening.

Back in the Marvel world, Rowan was in high spirits.

On September 1st, he'd be eligible to take the warrior candidate exam and officially earn the title.

Once that happened, he'd gain access to the Five Hearts Toward Heaven cultivation technique and begin training in gene energy.

That would bring another leap in strength.

As a warrior, his path would widen significantly.

After all, he held resources from two separate worlds.

Just as Rowan was about to step out and buy groceries to cook dinner for Hill and Sharon, his phone rang.

He glanced at the screen.

It was Tony.

"Hey, Rowan, you free? Come out for a drink!" Tony's voice slurred through the speaker, tinged with exhaustion and something darker beneath.

Rowan's brow furrowed.

What's up with Tony?

A little over a month ago, Tony had made a grand entrance at a charity gala, strutting in with his Iron Man suit and capturing everyone's attention.

But after the event, Obadiah had come clean. He'd admitted to conspiring with the board to strip Tony of his executive authority.

Betrayed by the man he considered family, Tony had lost control of Stark Industries and was forced to watch helplessly as his company continued selling weapons to the world.

The rage that followed had consumed him.

Tony donned the Iron Man armor and began a one-man crusade against global terrorist organizations.

Rowan hadn't tried to stop him.

Sometimes, pain is a necessary part of a man's growth.

Still, he didn't expect Tony to reach out tonight.

Apparently, he'd been drinking.

Rowan thought for a moment and replied, "Sure, I'm free. Where are you now?"

"At the villa."

"Okay. I'm coming over."

He hung up the call.

Rowan could understand what Tony must be feeling.

Tony wasn't someone who easily trusted others. At this point in his life, the only people he genuinely relied on were Rhodey and Pepper Happy Hogan didn't quite make the cut.

He and Pepper weren't romantically involved yet.

And Rhodey had grown distant, frustrated with Tony's reckless vigilante actions.

In this low point of his life, Tony had sadly discovered that he didn't even have someone to drink with.

After thinking it over, he realized that the only person who truly got him, who he could be around without pressure was Rowan.

So he picked up the phone and called.

Rowan didn't hesitate. He shot a quick message to Hill letting her know he wouldn't be home for dinner, then drove straight to Tony's seaside villa.

By the time he arrived, the sky had already darkened.

The coastline was free from city lights, and the stars above shimmered in the night sky.

Their glow reflected on the gently lapping waves, painting a scene that was both serene and quietly sorrowful.

The villa's lights shone brightly, but it stood alone on the shore isolated and unguarded.

Much like Tony's current state of mind.

Rowan parked in the garage and made his way upstairs, familiar with the layout.

As he stepped onto the second floor, he saw Tony sprawled on the sofa, facing away from him. Empty liquor bottles littered the floor. The man looked utterly defeated.

Rowan was about to crack a joke but then he froze.

His expression shifted.

He narrowed his eyes.

Thanks to the enhancements from the RR virus, Rowan's physical senses had improved dramatically including his hearing.

He could hear something odd: a faint, raspy moan from Tony.

It sounded like… a dying animal's last gasp.

Rowan's heart skipped a beat.

In a flash, he vaulted over the back of the couch and landed beside Tony.

His face darkened at the sight.

Tony's skin was pale as chalk. His body trembled slightly, drenched in sweat. His eyelids were red, his pupils dilated, and he couldn't move.

Where the glowing arc reactor had once pulsed in his chest, there was now only a hollow cavity.

The reactor was gone.

Seeing Rowan's face, Tony looked like a drowning man spotting a lifeline. He reached out with trembling hands, clutching at Rowan's clothes, his face twisted in pain.

Rowan felt a mix of exasperation and disbelief.

It was obvious what had happened.

Obadiah had used a neural paralytic to ambush Tony and steal the arc reactor from his chest.

"Okay, okay, I get it," Rowan said, brushing Tony's hand aside as he looked around the room.

"You've got a spare reactor, right? Where is it?"

Tony couldn't speak, but his finger slowly pointed toward the basement stairs.

Rowan nodded and swiftly hoisted Tony onto his back.

Now that his strength had reached warrior candidate levels, carrying Tony was effortless.

He dashed downstairs and reached the basement.

Tony feebly input the passcode, and the glass door opened with a soft hiss.

The lights in the lab were already on.

Rowan immediately spotted the spare arc reactor sitting on Tony's workstation, protected beneath a glass case.

Next to it was a small plaque: Proof That Tony Stark Has a Heart.

A gift from Pepper.

Rowan didn't wait for Tony's instructions.

He strode forward, shattered the glass cover with a punch, and grabbed the old arc reactor.

Then he laid Tony on the workbench and installed the device in his chest.

The socket connected directly to Tony's heart. The smell wasn't pleasant, but Rowan didn't hesitate.

Saving a life came first.

Click.

The arc reactor locked into place and lit up.

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