Henry sat back in his chair, staring at the towering stack of chips in front of him with a slightly dazed expression. The colorful tokens sparkled under the party lights, forming a small mountain on the card table.
Across from him, both Tony Stark and Dr. Yinsen wore the same slack-jawed look of disbelief.
"Bro," Tony finally said after a full minute of stunned silence, "if I hadn't been watching you the whole time, I'd 100% think you were cheating. Like—what the hell, man? Explain this sorcery!"
Henry could only smile awkwardly.
"I didn't expect this either," he muttered. "I guess I've been… a little lucky lately."
"A little lucky?!" Tony exclaimed. "You've been on a four-hour win streak in a game that's pure chance! That's not luck—that's statistical blasphemy!"
Even Yinsen was shaking his head in amazement. "Your luck is simply unscientific."
Henry scratched the back of his head sheepishly. Honestly, he was as shocked as they were. He knew he'd been abnormally fortunate since arriving in this universe—but this level of luck? It was starting to feel more than just coincidental.
Could he have a hidden cheat after all? Some kind of supernatural luck enhancement?
Tony leaned against the back of his chair, eyes narrowing. "So what now? You planning on buying a casino next?"
Henry laughed, a bit embarrassed. "I don't think I'm ready for that kind of responsibility yet."
"Still," Tony said, grinning, "your luck tonight really blew my mind. Do you usually win like this?"
"Not always. But… lately? Things seem to be going my way," Henry admitted honestly.
Before Tony could press further, a stern voice called out from across the rooftop.
"Tony!"
The cheerful atmosphere thinned instantly.
Turning around, the trio saw a tall, burly man approaching—bald, dressed in a dark suit, with a no-nonsense expression that practically screamed boardroom brawler.
Henry recognized him instantly. Obadiah Stane. Stark Industries' executive and major shareholder. A man who, despite his calm demeanor in public, radiated tension tonight.
"Obie," Tony said, his smile tightening. "Didn't expect to see you at the fun table."
"I was at the press conference," Obadiah said bluntly, ignoring Henry and Yinsen. "But you didn't discuss this decision with me."
Henry backed away slightly, sensing incoming conflict.
"What decision?" he asked quietly to Yinsen.
"The weapons division shutdown," Yinsen whispered.
Tony stayed seated, unfazed. "I already told you. The terrorists who captured me were using our weapons, Obie. That's not what I built this company for."
"We're not moral crusaders, Tony. We're businessmen!" Obadiah snapped.
"Maybe you are," Tony said coolly. "But I've changed."
"You're trying to play hero now?"
"Why not?"
"You're being unreasonable!"
With that, Obadiah stormed off, his expression tight with fury.
Tony's smile finally dropped.
The glow of the party lights seemed duller now, the music more distant.
"Are you in trouble?" Yinsen asked gently.
Tony exhaled. "Trouble? No. Just friction. I announced we're shutting down the weapons manufacturing division at the press conference. Obviously, the board isn't thrilled."
"I'm surprised you made that call," Yinsen admitted.
Tony didn't respond immediately. His eyes wandered toward the city skyline, thoughts clearly elsewhere. Then, with a short sigh, he stood up.
"It's getting late," he said. "I think I'll call it a night."
Henry blinked. "Already? It's only eleven."
"Tonight's party wasn't for me—it was for you two. I stayed longer than I expected anyway, especially after your little miracle run at the poker table."
Henry smiled. "So I distracted you for four hours?"
"Not a bad distraction," Tony said with a wink. "Now I need to get back to work. That armor we built in the cave? I'm going to make a real version of it."
Yinsen's eyes lit up. "You mean the Mark I?"
Tony nodded. "That was just the prototype. I've got better materials now. A better idea."
"Alright. Good luck," Yinsen said.
"Enjoy the rest of the night, gentlemen," Tony said, then turned and walked toward the elevator, leaving behind the party, the flashing lights, and the noise.
Henry lingered for a few more minutes. Yinsen tried to convince him to stay longer and celebrate, but his mind was already drifting elsewhere.
He had come here tonight to solve one problem—money.
And that problem? Solved.
He said his goodbyes, thanked everyone for the fun, and slipped away from the rooftop.
Before heading back to the villa, Henry stopped at the exchange counter. The chips he'd won needed to be converted before he could actually use them.
When the attendant tallied it up, Henry's jaw dropped.
Over three million dollars.
He'd guessed it was a lot, but hearing the number spoken out loud gave it weight.
Granted, for the ultra-wealthy guests who'd lost it to him, this amount was barely a rounding error.
But to Henry?
It was a fortune.
With Tony's prior arrangement, the cashout process went smoothly. He kept a portion in physical cash, while the rest was handed to him in secure bank-issued checks.
With a newfound spring in his step, Henry did what anyone would do after striking gold in another universe.
He went shopping.
An hour later, Henry walked through the front door of the villa with two essentials: a brand-new laptop and a cutting-edge smartphone.
He tossed the boxes onto the kitchen counter, grabbed a bottle of water, and headed straight for the living room table, where his real prize awaited: The Complete Collection of the Supreme Being.
Time to tackle magic.
Again.
Now armed with a translator and search engine, he powered up the laptop and began inputting the mysterious text.
To his delight, the results came through clearly this time. The computer successfully deciphered the strange characters and syntax, turning cryptic passages into readable instructions.
The first few chapters were an introduction: the origins of magic, its relationship with the human body, the importance of mental discipline, and the connection between physical space and dimensional energy.
To Henry's surprise, it wasn't just spells and chants—it was science.
Biology. Physics. Geometry. Even higher-level math.
It was like reading a mystical version of a college textbook.
"No wonder they're called 'Masters,'" Henry muttered, turning a page. "You need a Master's degree just to understand chapter three."
Still, despite the overwhelming knowledge, he kept going. Page by page, line by line, he absorbed it all. Meditation techniques. Energy sensing. Chakra alignments. Dimensional focus.
Eventually, something strange began to happen.
A tingling sensation rose in his chest.
It started as a warm pulse near his heart, then slowly spread to his limbs. It wasn't painful—just… awakening.
It felt like someone had flipped a switch inside him.
The air around him felt heavier, denser. He could sense… something. It was as if he were standing in the middle of a still pond and feeling ripples without touching the water.
He paused.
Then flipped back to a particular line in the book:
"When the body begins to absorb natural energy without conscious guidance, the practitioner has taken their first step on the path of mystic arts."
Henry stared at the sentence, heart pounding.
No way. Did I just… start practicing magic?
He looked at his hands.
Nothing flashy happened. No sparks. No glowing runes. No portals opening on the ceiling.
But deep down, he felt it.
A shift.
His breathing steadied. His thoughts grew quieter. The energy he hadn't noticed before now pulsed faintly with each heartbeat.
It was subtle.
But it was there.
He was beginning.
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