MARVEL'S MONSTER HUNTER WORLD

Watson shook his head quickly when he heard Aunt Liya. "No, no, it's not a girlfriend!"

"Oh ~ Then I'm relieved." Aunt Liya let out a breath, though for some reason, even she wasn't sure why.

Uncle Polk, catching wind of the conversation, raised an eyebrow. "Then who is it? Watson, do you know?"

"Yeah, he's a friend—Tony Stark."

With that, Watson strode toward the door.

"Hey there, kid. I'm Obadiah Stane, Tony's uncle," a deep, confident voice greeted him as the door swung open. "Listen, I heard about your uncle's passing. I'm truly sorry for your loss, and if it were me..."

Before Obadiah could finish, Tony cut in with a smirk. "Alright, alright, let's skip the formalities. We should head inside."

Poor Tony. He had no idea... the real villain behind the scenes was standing right beside him.

Right now, in Tony's mind, Obadiah was still his trusted mentor, his only family.

The five of them entered the house, where Uncle Polk and Aunt Liya stood waiting.

Tony stepped forward, offering his hand. "Hey, I'm Tony Stark. Good friend of Watson. This is my uncle, Obadiah Stane. Over here is my assistant, Pepper Potts, and this is Colonel James Rhodes."

Uncle Polk gave a firm nod as he shook Tony's hand. "I appreciate you all coming. I'm Polk Kane, and this is my wife, Liya." He gestured toward a small pet in the corner. "Oh, and our newest family member, Little Braised Egg."

"Aha! I've met this little guy before," Tony said with a chuckle. "But I doubt he remembers me."

With that, the group made their way toward Greenwood Church.

The large wooden doors creaked open, revealing a solemn scene: a black coffin resting in the center of the altar. An elderly priest stood beside it, waiting for their arrival.

"Come now, my children," the priest beckoned softly.

"Thank you, Father Koya," Watson replied.

As everyone took their seats, the priest began his prayer.

"Merciful God, we gather here to praise and thank you. You are the source of life, the beginning and the end. You brought this soul into the world, and though his time among us was brief, we trust in your love and your plan. You have called him back to your side—grant him peace in your eternal embrace, and comfort those he leaves behind..."

The room fell into a heavy silence as the priest's words settled over them.

One by one, people approached the coffin, offering their final goodbyes. The ceremony was solemn, a moment of shared grief and quiet reflection.

Soon after, the group made their way to Rocco's cemetery, where the black coffin was lowered into the earth.

Uncle Polk, unable to hold back any longer, finally let his tears fall. His voice cracked as he whispered, "Goodbye... Rocco."

Aunt Liya instinctively clutched his arm, grounding him.

Polk felt the warmth of his wife beside him, and his teary eyes remained fixed on the grave.

With a deep breath, he placed a hand on Little Braised Egg's head, then gently kissed Aunt Liya's forehead. Finally, he turned to Watson.

And in that moment—despite the pain, despite the loss—he let go of his weakness.

The sorrow did not break him.

Polk straightened his back, and with a familiar, confident grin, he became the man he had always been.

Pepper, ever the observer, felt her heart swell at the sight. The warmth, the resilience—it was enough to bring tears to her own eyes.

Tony, meanwhile, turned to glance at Obadiah.

The older man caught his gaze and, seeing the sentimental look in Tony's eyes, rolled his own with a helpless smile. "Oh, come on. Don't do this."