Lord of Cinder in American Comics

The fact that he's hesitating here is obviously related to the greedy ones; it seems Stark wants to ask them something.

Ash patted Stark on the back, offering comfort even though it was just cold armor.

Looking at Hill, Ash said, "It's okay, I'll stay here with him."

"Be careful, this is the emergency button."

Without saying much, Hill tore a button off his sleeve and handed it to Ash. It was the launch signal for the Minuteman missile in the distance; pressing it would create a new artificial lake.

Hill and the others returned to the ground, leaving only Ash and Stark behind.

Stark, his face grave, returned to the vault. Meanwhile, the Greedy One had long since put away his table and was now playing chess remotely with someone.

The greedy man put his finger to his lips: "Shh! Wait until I finish this round, I've placed a huge bet."

Stark dared not disturb him rashly, for the Greedy One had just casually destroyed his armor with a single blow.

Stark could only stand quietly by and wait for the greedy one to finish the game.

The game lasted for several tens of minutes. In the end, the greedy player had only one lone king left on his board, while the other player had only one extra knight. This situation could not continue, and the game ended in a draw.

After stretching and yawning, the Greedy One looked at Stark with amusement and said, "Speak, what do you want to know, you cursed man of knowledge?"

Stark frowned, pondering the greedy man's words. Unable to understand, he asked, "What is the curse of knowledge?"

The Greedy One reached out to touch Stark's forehead, but Ashe stood in front of Stark, stopping him from taking any further action.

Withdrawing his finger, the greedy one said, "Once you know something, you can't imagine how it would appear to someone who doesn't know it. When you try to explain what you know to someone else, it's difficult to fully explain it clearly because of the information asymmetry."

"So this is you, Tony Stark. I suppose you'll be doing everything you can to develop the Anti-Greed Armor once you get back, won't you?"

After saying this, the greedy man snapped his fingers, and sparks flew from his fingertips toward Stark.

Ding~

The sound of steel clashing rang out as Ash, wielding the Astra Greatsword, held the hilt in one hand and the blade in the other, deflected the inconspicuous spark.

Seeing Ash's actions, Stark also activated all his weapons and aimed them at the Greedy One.

"What do you mean by this? Do you want to start a war?"

Stark's question trembled slightly as he faced an enemy he could not defeat at this moment.

Withdrawing his snapping gesture, the greedy man said nonchalantly, "It was just a game, don't take it seriously. So, what do you want to ask?"

Stark remained alert, and after an internal struggle, said, "I'm not going to ask anymore, Ash. Let's get out of here."

The two walked step by step toward the vault door.

However, the greedy man was not satisfied. He put his hand to his mouth and shouted at Stark, "Tony Stark, the answer you want to know is in the relics your father left at S.H.I.E.L.D. Let me think what he said. He said, 'My greatest creation now and in the future is you.'"

Stark's eyes widened in disbelief upon hearing the greedy man's words.

Stark had always followed in his father's footsteps, hoping to gain his father's approval, but that hope was shattered the moment Howard died.

But unexpectedly, the greedy received an answer that was so many years too late.

Upon hearing the greedy man's words, Stark was first delighted, then worried. He was delighted because, based on past transactions, the greedy man's words were correct. He was worried because he didn't know what debts this forced transaction would saddle him with.

"Tsk tsk, Tony Stark, how are you going to pay me back for what you owe me?"

He was just one step away from leaving the vault, but Stark's feet seemed to be nailed to the ground, and he dared not move an inch.

The deal is done with the greedy ones, now all that's left is for Stark to pay the price.

Before any agreement was reached, the greedy individual unilaterally paid for the information, and now it's up to him to ask Stark for how much.

Ashe stood behind Stark, reached out and touched the Astra Greatsword, and yellow lightning crackled around it.

Holding her greatsword, Ashe assumed an attack stance.

The greedy clapped and praised Ash's actions as if they were watching a clown performance.

Ash stepped back to Stark's side and handed him the emergency button Hill had given him, along with another item.

The greedy man strode forward, approaching Stark, and reached out to grab him.

Ash raised her sword to waist height, assumed an attacking stance, and charged forward in one breath.

However, the greedy one dodged with a turn, and a spinning kick struck Ash's greatsword with a deafening sound.

Ash raised his sword to thrust upwards but failed. He then dragged the greatsword hilt with both hands, turned around and swung it violently, like a dragging slash, carving a deep crack in the metal ground as it crashed down towards the Greedy One.

An explosion rang out inside the small vault, and even Stark, protected by his armor, felt the ground tremble.

Lightning bolts shot out from the center of the explosion in all directions, covering the entire vault.

Stark's armor once again issued an overload warning.

However, after the explosion, the greedy person was nowhere to be found in the entire vault.

Jarvis, controlling the armor's detectors, reported the location of the Greedy One to Stark: "Sir, the enemy is behind us."

Stark instinctively elbowed behind him, but was blocked by a long, slender hand that gripped his armor, making it creak.

The greedy one's head popped out from beside Stark's skull, tilting its head to look at the barely daring Stark, and said, "What price will you pay, Stark? To take your brain or to sever your inspiration—it's a tough choice indeed!"

A scarlet tongue darted out from the greedy man's lips, as if savoring the taste of Stark.

Stark held out his hand, showing the emergency button in his hand.

“If I press down, we will all be buried here.”

The greedy man laughed and said, "So what? I'm a demon, I can't die."

Ash walked over from the battlefield, carrying her greatsword, and said with a solemn expression, "But this will hurt you, right? Hell is not a peaceful place. If I tell this to just anyone, you will be caught in an endless escape until your wounds heal."

"You're very brave, little priest!"

The greedy man narrowed his eyes, and the murderous aura emanating from those unseen eyes made Stark, standing beside him, feel as if his very soul had been frozen.

Ash pointed out the greedy man's little trick, saying, "Just kidding, I'm super brave, okay! Besides, if you can completely avoid my abilities, you won't need to rely on Stark to block the damage."

Stark recalled their previous encounter and indeed discovered the key point Ash had mentioned.

In their first meeting, the Ravenous Man dodged Ashe's lightning spear before defeating Stark. This time, however, the Ravenous Man's only contact with Ashe was kicking away the greatsword and then hiding behind Stark, using the armor to absorb Ashe's lightning.

Unexpectedly, the greedy man reached out and pressed Stark's head down as if he were pressing down on a chick, and said to Ash, "So, poor Mr. Stark, how will you pay the price? You know, the deal is between him and me, you can't pay the price for him."

As the armor's alarm sounded, Stark opened his other hand, revealing the item in his palm—a coin surrounded by golden sparkles.

Stark's teeth chattered as he stammered, "Is this payment acceptable?"

The greedy man squinted at the gold coins in Stark's hand, then turned to look at Stark.

After a long while, the greedy man reached out and took the gold coin from Stark's palm, then released Stark.

Once freed from the control of the greedy, Stark prepared to fire the weapons on his armor to take revenge, but Ashe stood in his way.

Ash shook his head at Stark, reached out and pressed down Stark's outstretched hand, saying, "It's no use, let's get out of here first."

Stark and Ashe positioned themselves in a defensive formation, guarding against attacks from the greedy, and carefully withdrew from the vault.

Only after the vault door closed did the two of them breathe a sigh of relief.

Stark felt the chill on his back and said, "Ash, thanks. I owe you a lot."

"nothing."

"By the way, what was that coin you gave me earlier? It just accepted it like that? I thought it was going to have its brain ripped out..."

Ashe sheathed the Astra Greatsword and gestured for Stark to leave first. On the way out, Ashe explained what had just happened to Stark.

"A rusty gold coin, even just holding it can improve a person's luck. If you crush it, it can grant that person endless good fortune for a short period of time. Even the biggest prize in Powerball is just a matter of a thought."

At the end of the passage, just two more steps and you'd be back on the ground, but Stark stopped in his tracks: "Ash, it's very valuable, isn't it?"

Ash turned around, sunlight streaming in from behind him, obscuring his expression.

"It's nothing, I have plenty of rusty coins. Let's go, we've reached the ground."

After Ash finished speaking, he walked back to the ground, leaving Stark alone.

Stark, however, did not take Ash's words seriously. Rusty gold coins and rusty coins are only one word different, but Stark sensed a huge difference between them.

After regaining his composure, Stark returned to the ground.

As soon as they reached the ground, Stark told Hill about the news he had just received from the Greedy Ones.

“Hill, S.H.I.E.L.D. has my father’s belongings, and I hope to get them as soon as possible.”

Hill knew that Howard was the founder of S.H.I.E.L.D., and it was only natural for him to pass on his belongings to his son. However, Nick Fury had previously been in charge of these things.

Hill readily agreed and explained his reasons: "I can only say as soon as possible. You know, Nick Fury used to manage these things, and I can't guarantee whether your father's belongings are still there."

It's Nick Fury again; that guy is always there, getting in the way of everything.

Stark nodded and casually posted a bounty on the dark web.

Anyone who finds Nick Fury or provides information will receive $100 million worth of Bitcoin.

Hill, on the other hand, found Ash but didn't know how to start the conversation.

Ash noticed Hill's hesitation and asked, "What's wrong?"

"The Council has expedited the approval of a draft, which has recruited two church knights, a saint, and a guardian knight from Pope Salvador. They will be arriving in New York soon. They have been assigned to the Bureau of Mysteries Control."

Upon hearing this news, Ash's eyes narrowed like those of a greedy person, a cold glint in them.

All that could be heard was Ash's quiet reply: "Is that so~~"

Chapter 168: Irina and Ego of Kalim

Ash's words were full of complaints, which was exactly the kind of reaction the World Security Council behind Hill wanted to see.

After all, no one wants to see a united and disciplined military group that only obeys one person's orders.

Taking action from within the Ash cult was the result of comprehensive consideration from various aspects.

After all, it wasn't a secret within religious circles that Ash had gone to New York as a doctor ten years ago to raise funds for the Firelink Shrine.

It is said that Ash left the original location of Firelink Shrine only after he beat up Pope Salvation.

The battle between religious figures was also the first time that the World Security Council had specifically documented the event with video footage.

This time, recruiting church knights and other clergy from under the Pope was a way to plant spies on Ash.