"You… are you a monster?!"

The leader of the criminals staggered back in terror. The power he had just witnessed was too unnatural, too far beyond anything he'd seen—except perhaps that one figure spoken of only in whispers.

Kurogai didn't answer. His calm gaze never wavered as he took a slow step forward.

"I have a question for you," Kurogai said, his voice even. "Who do you work for? Who's pulling your strings?"

He already had a guess. He remembered that someone significant was behind this operation, but with the timeline shifted, he wasn't certain if it was still the same puppet master. He needed clarity—this was why he hadn't killed the man right away.

The criminal still had a use.

"I don't know what you're talking about," the man stammered, attempting to sound confident. But his eyes betrayed his fear. As terrifying as Kurogai was, the person behind him—the real power—was worse. Much worse.

"No matter," Kurogai said. "I'll get the truth myself."

Without hesitation, he grabbed the man by the collar and pulled him forward, locking eyes with him.

The golden time dial in Kurogai's irises shimmered—then shifted. In its place, a blood-red pair of eyes emerged, the three tomoe slowly spinning into a pinwheel pattern.

Mangekyō Sharingan: Tsukuyomi.

In an instant, the criminal collapsed into a genjutsu—a prison of his own mind. Kurogai released him moments later, letting the man drop like a puppet with its strings cut.

"Mandarin. Ten Rings. So it is them…" Kurogai murmured, a slight smirk tugging at his lips.

It was just as he suspected—the Ten Rings were involved. But this wasn't really his fight. It was Stark's. Still, there was a reason Kurogai had taken an interest.

The Mandarin's rings.

They weren't just ornamental—they were powerful relics. And power interested him.

"Stark may be more useful than I thought. I might need him… to draw out the Mandarin."

He'd already confirmed the thug knew nothing about the Mandarin's location—he was too low on the ladder. But Kurogai knew the Ten Rings had a long-standing grudge with Stark. The Mandarin would seek him out eventually.

"That'll be my opening," Kurogai said quietly, his Sharingan fading as the time dial returned.

He raised a hand. Complex runes glowed in the air, condensing into a growing blaze. In seconds, the entire makeshift base was swallowed in a roaring sea of fire.

Satisfied, Kurogai turned and walked into the cave.

"Let's go," he said calmly as he approached Stark and Yinsen. "We're done here."

"What happened to the rest of them?" Yinsen asked, confused. The quiet outside didn't match what he expected after such a confrontation.

Kurogai didn't answer. Instead, he lifted his hand, weaving space with practiced ease. A golden portal shimmered to life before them.

"This… What is this?" Yinsen gasped in awe.

Stark chuckled weakly. "Still gets me every time. Yinsen, don't try to explain it—it's beyond science. Just walk through."

Stark groaned as he rose to his feet, still injured. Yinsen hurried to support him, and together, the three stepped through the portal.

In the blink of an eye, they were standing in the center of a luxurious villa—Stark's Malibu home.

"God, it feels good to be back," Stark wheezed, coughing as he eased down onto a couch.

Yinsen stood motionless, stunned. It wasn't the villa's opulence that shocked him—it was the distance they had just traveled in a second. From a hidden cave in a desolate wasteland to the heart of California… teleportation that defied any known law of physics.

Just then, a smooth, composed voice echoed through the room.

"Welcome back, Mr. Stark. Are you alright?"

It was J.A.R.V.I.S.

"I'm fine," Stark said. "Jarvis, contact Pepper and Rhodes. Tell them to get here immediately."

"Understood, sir."

Stark turned to Kurogai. "Mind sticking around a bit? I'll finish that Iron Man suit soon. You'll get your share."

It wasn't just gratitude. Stark didn't trust many people anymore, and Kurogai had just saved his life. Keeping someone like him nearby gave Stark a sense of safety.

Kurogai, of course, saw through that.

"Stark," he said dryly, "my services don't come cheap. I hope you're ready to pay the price."

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