The timeline of the Fairy Tail world had reached a critical turning point—the end of the Dragon King Festival. This event marked the slaughter of numerous dragon clans by the feared black dragon, Acnologia.
Amidst the devastation, Aleehla Riley already foresaw her inevitable fate. With no hope of survival, she made a crucial decision. Utilizing her powerful magic, she refined the dragon blood spilled on the battlefield, extracting the immense dragon power within it. She then transferred this power to Lin Mei in a manner reminiscent of the first dragon-slaying magician, Irene Belserion.
From the moment Lin Mei absorbed the dragon blood, she became a dragon slayer magician.
However, such a profound gift did not come without conditions. Aleehla Riley, the Dragon King, had one final request. She implored Lin Mei to take a newly hatched dragon cub away from this world—a desperate attempt to protect her child from Acnologia's merciless pursuit.
To ensure the safe fusion of dragon power within Lin Mei's body, Aleehla Riley took one final step. She sealed a portion of her own dragon soul within Lin Mei, stabilizing the vast and chaotic energy now flowing through her.
As the saying goes, there's no such thing as a free meal. The gift of immense power came with the responsibility of safeguarding the Dragon King's heir. Understanding this exchange, Lin Mei agreed without hesitation. For him, it was merely a transaction between two parties—one that would grant him extraordinary strength while fulfilling Aleehla Riley's last wish.
Before Acnologia could arrive at the dragon's nest, Aleehla Riley completed her preparations. She sealed her dragon cub, Aleilin, along with invaluable dragon-slaying magic knowledge, into Lin Mei's body. With the assistance of an elder dragon, Lin Mei activated his unique dimensional ability, tearing through space to return to his original world.
However, something went wrong. Instead of reaching his intended destination, Lin Mei found himself in a vastly different and unexpected place—a terrorist base in Afghanistan, where Tony Stark was being held captive.
Lin Mei gradually regained consciousness, feeling the surge of magic within his body. His strength was slowly returning, allowing him to rise from the bed. Pushing aside the quilt, he stepped into the villa's living room.
"Hey! Baby! Why are you up so soon? The doctor said you needed rest!"
Melissa, his mother, immediately rushed to his side, attempting to guide him back to bed. However, Lin Mei swiftly evaded her grasp. His sharp eyes observed her keenly, curiosity evident in his tone.
"Mommy, I'm fine. But, tell me—did you meet someone last night?"
Melissa's eyes widened in surprise. She was well aware that her son possessed some unusual abilities, but his sudden question caught her off guard.
She had indeed encountered someone after work—a client who had seemingly been waiting for her. Coincidentally, at that same moment, Professor Charles Xavier had been scanning the world with Cerebro and detected Lin Mei's disappearance. Realizing something was amiss, he had sent Storm from the X-Men to retrieve Melissa.
Lin Mei frowned slightly, his senses tingling with something unusual. Though Melissa's scent was faint, he could still detect subtle traces of blood. More curiously, there was another scent on her—one that did not belong to a human or a mutant. This heightened perception was one of the many enhancements he had gained from becoming a dragon slayer magician.
Just then, the television in the living room captured their attention, broadcasting the latest breaking news.
Tony Stark, known for his bold decisions, had just announced the immediate shutdown of Stark Industries' weapons development division.
Melissa gasped in disbelief. "Oh my God! Why would Tony Stark shut down the weapons R&D department? What's going to happen to my shares?"
As a sharp businesswoman, Melissa had an acute sense of financial trends. Panic set in as she reached for her phone. "No, I have to sell all my Stark shares before the stock price crashes!"
Lin Mei's expression turned serious. He was familiar with the future and understood the immense potential Stark Industries held.
"Wait, Mommy! You can't sell the Stark shares!"
Melissa halted, turning to face her son. "Baby, what do you know? Why are you stopping me?"
Though confused, she trusted Lin Mei's judgment. His wisdom often exceeded his years, and she had long since learned to take his words seriously.
Lin Mei took a deep breath, steadying himself before speaking with a calm yet resolute tone. "Mommy, I know this seems like a reckless decision that might cost us money in the short term. But trust me—shutting down the weapons division is the beginning of something bigger. This is an opportunity, not a loss."
Melissa narrowed her eyes, intrigued. "You're saying this is a chance? For what?"
Lin Mei's gaze remained firm. "For us to ride the wave of the future. Stark Industries is about to revolutionize the world. If we hold onto those shares, their value will skyrocket."
Melissa studied her son for a moment. "Son… do you know something?"
A knowing smirk played on Lin Mei's lips. "Let's just say… I have a feeling Stark Industries is about to become the most powerful tech company in the world."
Melissa hesitated before setting her phone down. She had always trusted her instincts, and now, she chose to trust her son's as well.
As the world shifted around them, Lin Mei knew one thing for certain—his journey was just beginning.
Melissa had gone to Stark Manor yesterday with Professor Charles to bring her son back. Though she recognized her baby boy immediately, she sensed something unusual about Stark Manor. What she didn't know was that her son had been rescued from the Afghan desert alongside Tony Stark just two days ago!
If she had known, the fiercely protective and slightly overbearing mother would have caused an uproar. However, the news of Lin Mei and Tony's simultaneous rescue had been intentionally erased from the internet. If Lin Mei had to guess, he'd place the blame on Tony's artificial intelligence, J.A.R.V.I.S., or perhaps even S.H.I.E.L.D., which had likely noticed his existence and deliberately concealed the truth.
Under Professor Charles' guidance, Melissa believed that her son had merely triggered his latent mutant ability, which had somehow transported him to Stark Manor. Lin Mei, unwilling to worry his mother, chose not to correct her assumption.
Lowering his voice, he leaned in and spoke with quiet intensity. "Tony Stark is about to transform Stark Industries. He plans to shift the company's focus to clean energy, artificial intelligence, and cutting-edge technology. These fields hold massive potential, and in the future, Stark Industries will be worth far more than it is today."
He met his mother's gaze and added with a knowing smirk, "Mommy, you know my instincts. But ultimately, the decision is yours."
Melissa furrowed her brows, deep in thought. Though she had sharp business acumen, she lacked expertise in technology.
"Are you sure, baby? These are just guesses, right?"
Lin Mei shook his head, his confidence unwavering. "This isn't a guess—it's a judgment based on reliable information and future trends. Trust me, Stark Industries' future is brighter than ever."
Melissa studied her son's serious expression. Her doubts slowly faded, and with a sigh, she set her phone down. "Alright, Lin Mei. Since you're so confident, I'll trust you this time. But if the stock price falls too much, we need to be ready to act."