I Became Spider-Man's Cousin in Anime Crossover

Chapter 354 Surgery

Therefore, Tony, who was already proud and arrogant, would never lower his head and humbly seek Strange's help. In private, they were even more hostile towards each other, with Tony finding fault with Strange at every turn.

Incidentally, when Riley learned of this, he remarked to Tony's face with some strange words, such as "What a mess Holmes made." and "Indeed, there can only be one Holmes in the world," which still baffles Tony to this day.

She couldn't understand how her bitter relationship with Strange could be connected to that world-famous detective...?

"Yes, Dr. Strange explicitly refused because of a misunderstanding about you. But you may not know that Spider-Man once looked for a doctor from China, someone he wanted to have perform the surgery on you."

And seeing Tony standing in front of him, looking indignant.

Honest Ethan wanted to complain, but the former Tony seemed to be even worse than Strange in terms of arrogance and disdain for others.

However, in order to avoid upsetting Tony and causing him to become angry and refuse to undergo the surgery, the procedure was not performed.

Ethan carefully chose his words, picked up where Tony left off, and continued to explain to Tony.

"Strangely, Spider-Man claims that no matter how hard he searches, even using a special network of contacts known as 'District 13,' he can't find any trace of him. It's as if this person never existed in the first place."

"So, with Mr. Strange refusing to operate on you, and the original candidates mysteriously disappearing, Mr. Spider-Man, who was always concerned about your health, entrusted me with the important task of being the chief surgeon. He believed that I was currently the most suitable, and possibly the only, candidate who both clearly understood the special nature of the device inside your body and was capable of safely performing this surgery."

Ethan concluded, his gaze was honest and firm.

As Ethan finished speaking, the lounge fell into a brief silence, with only the occasional sound of the little girl sipping her juice.

Tony leaned back on the sofa, his fingers tapping unconsciously on his knees.

His gaze swept over Ethan—the doctor who had pulled him back from the brink of death, his eyes steady, professional, and carrying the reliability that comes with the passage of time.

He thought of Riley again, the mysterious older brother next door who had disappeared for decades and then reappeared without warning, always providing crucial help in unexpected ways when he needed it most.

This time, Riley didn't bring him a reactor upgrade package or a warning of an invasion by a powerful enemy, but a living, breathing hope that could allow him to return to a normal life.

Of course, risks exist.

Any surgery performed near the heart carries extremely high risks.

But Tony Stark was never one to shy away from risk. He weighed probabilities and the reliability of the executors.

Ethan is undoubtedly the person who understands the mess in his heart the most, without exception.

Moreover, Ethan's medical skills have been tested on Hell difficulty.

not to mention……

Tony knew Riley's cautious, almost precognitive, way of doing things...

Without absolute certainty and meticulous planning, Riley would never have suggested doing this, much less risked Tony's life.

This silent yet steadfast protection from his elders began to ease Tony's last remaining concerns.

So, after a brief silence, Tony finally spoke.

Even though he tried to sound relaxed, his voice was still a bit lower than before, and he looked at Ethan with a complicated expression as he replied.

"Do you know what this means, Ethan? That thing has been in my body for so long that it's practically become a part of me. Blood vessels, nerves, muscle tissue... they've probably become like vines, wrapped around those metal fragments. Trying to bypass those blood vessels and remove them all won't be much easier than that surgery in the cave."

"I understand, and it's precisely because I understand its complexity and danger that Spider-Man specifically sought me out, which is why I'm standing here."

Ethan answered without hesitation, and in front of Tony, he took out a thick stack of paper surgical plans from his handbag, which looked blackened with patina but had its interior meticulously organized, showing that he had come prepared.

"Look, I've already done a preliminary review of the latest scan data about your physical condition that Spider-Man provided. Plus, now we no longer have access to a dark, bacteria-ridden cave and all sorts of worthless junk. We have a sterile operating room, ample blood reserves, and a life support system. More importantly, we have time for thorough pre-operative planning and simulations… In short, although the surgery is quite challenging, compared to when we were in the cave, we have everything we need now."

As they talked, Ethan, who was originally facing Tony, a billionaire, may still have had some lingering feelings of inferiority due to the difference in their social status.

But now, after entering his area of ​​expertise, Ethan radiated a completely different aura. His eyes sparkled with the light of a top expert, and his expression became increasingly confident as he spoke fluently and confidently to Tony.

"I can customize a detailed surgical plan for you, using the nanotechnology provided by Spider-Man to minimize damage to the tissues surrounding the shrapnel. Furthermore, according to Spider-Man, Tony, you possess the world's most advanced artificial intelligence, sufficient to help us precisely model the position and shape of each shrapnel, as well as their spatial relationship with the cardiovascular system, before the surgery. We can even provide a near-realistic simulated surgical environment through holographic projection and haptic feedback technology, allowing me to 'practice' beforehand, further increasing the success rate of the surgery. Also…"

As Tony listened to Ethan's clear and logical explanation, which even began to actively utilize his Stark technological advantages, the scales in Tony's heart completely tipped.

Even though he was already confident, Ethan did not boast or claim that he could complete the surgery 100%.

But his professional competence, calm mind, full understanding of the difficulty of the surgery, and his proactive and well-prepared attitude are more convincing than any verbal guarantee.

"Riley... I owe you again."

Thinking of this, Tony couldn't help but lower his eyes and mutter something under his breath.

His tone was complex, but beneath the complaint lay an undeniable gratitude.

Finally, Tony looked up at Ethan, a signature smile on his face that was a mix of sharpness and a hint of barely perceptible relief.

He shrugged, adopting a helpless expression as if forced into this situation by his family, and replied, word by word, "Well, it seems it's time for my 'chest ornament' to retire... Perhaps I'll miss it occasionally in the days to come, after all, it accompanied me through many 'passionate' years."

With that, Tony stood up, walked over to Ethan, and extended his hand.

It was no longer the emotional embrace we had when we reunited before.

Rather, it is a solemn entrustment and trust between men.

"Well then, Ethan..."

"My life is now in your hands once again."

He didn't say thank you, but the trust in his eyes carried more weight than any words of thanks.

Clearly, this is different from the Tony in the original story, who had to be cautious in everything he did because he had few trustworthy people around him...

In this universe, Tony, with the help of his companions, subtly undergoes a change in his mindset and naturally chooses to completely trust the old friend who climbed out of hell with him.

And that "big brother next door" who stood behind him, silently paving the way for him, whose mere presence filled him with a sense of security.

Therefore, at this point, Tony couldn't help but feel a sense of unease...

It all started with the press conference, exposing the ugly faces of certain groups. And now, with the selection of the person to perform Tony's surgery...

Logically speaking, even if Riley is very busy, he should be by Tony's side, or at least show his face.

The reality is that, apart from Ethan mentioning it verbally, Tony never saw Riley again.

Just like when Riley suddenly left during Tony's childhood, and no matter where he went, he couldn't find him...

It's as if Riley Parker no longer exists in this world...?

But Tony quickly dismissed this idea, which he considered somewhat absurd.

The reason is simple...

If Riley was able to leave so easily and decisively because he had no ties as a child...

So right now, as far as Tony knows, Riley's "darling son" Peter is still fast asleep in his villa, making up for the huge amount of energy he expended preparing for this press conference all night long.

Furthermore, considering Riley's high regard for Peter...

Tony didn't believe that Riley would suddenly disappear without a word.

Unless, of course, some unforeseen event has occurred.

But what in the world today can possibly affect this truly greatest superhero of our time?

……

The story has two parts, on the other side...

……

In a sense, Tony's conjecture was actually correct.

By this time, Riley had already left New York and silently teleported to Tokyo, the island nation.

A faint, burnt smell permeated the air, mingling with the salty, damp sea breeze blowing from Tokyo Bay, creating a nauseating and bizarre atmosphere.

Riley, dressed in a black Spider-Man suit, stood on a high ground not far from the charred ruins, taking advantage of the darkness, and stared expressionlessly at the burning "toilet" below.

Unfortunately, this was not Riley's masterpiece.

He had just stepped out of the portal and hadn't even had a chance to find a suitable angle to appreciate this "historical site" that was at the top of his special list in his mind, or to determine the best course of action.

To his surprise, the target started burning right in front of him.

Soon after, Riley, who was paying attention to changes in online information, also noticed the live stream recordings that were constantly being spread on YouTube, as well as the particularly eye-catching title with the word "divine retribution".