c8: Why Did He Come Here?
Meanwhile, Harvey left the New York Police Department building and returned to his convertible, only allowing a faint smile to appear once he was alone. Maintaining the identity of Harvey Ambellaca had cost him a considerable amount of money and effort, and he had no intention of letting S.H.I.E.L.D. uncover anything that could disrupt his current life. As far as outsiders were concerned, he remained nothing more than a wealthy civilian. This balance between secrecy and normalcy was crucial to his long-term plans.
His daily routine quickly returned to normal. He continued dining out, enjoying life while steadily accumulating evolution points through consumption. Occasionally, he would accept missions that interested him under his Grim Reaper identity, ensuring a steady flow of income and experience. Beyond that, he chose patience over action. Harvey understood that timing mattered more than speed, especially in a world where powerful figures like Nick Fury were constantly observing potential threats.
To maintain his cover, Harvey adjusted his behavior even further. After a brief outing, he avoided returning to his original manor and instead relocated to another private villa within New York. There, he drastically reduced his public appearances, ordering large quantities of food directly to his residence. From the outside, he appeared to be nothing more than a reclusive billionaire indulging in a lazy lifestyle. In reality, every meal was part of his evolution process.
Each high-calorie pizza, steak, and pork chop he consumed translated directly into evolution points. The system continuously notified him of gains ranging from tens to thousands of points per meal. What initially seemed like a massive requirement millions of evolution points was gradually revealed to be achievable through consistent accumulation. For Harvey, eating was no longer just a habit; it was a reliable and efficient method of growth.
At the same time, Harvey understood that the Void Race's true strength lay in adaptation. In extreme environments, the Void could evolve rapidly, gaining powerful traits in response to external pressure. However, Harvey saw no need to force himself into suffering. Compared to risking unpredictable mutations in harsh conditions, enjoying a comfortable lifestyle while steadily gaining evolution points was far more appealing. Efficiency, not recklessness, was his guiding principle.
There were still years before the arrival of the being he referred to as the "Purple Potato Spirit"Thanos, the Mad Titan who would eventually threaten the universe. This meant Harvey had ample time to evolve at his own pace. Even without taking risks, continuous consumption alone would allow him to grow significantly stronger before that inevitable turning point.
In addition, Harvey had already set his sights on future opportunities. One of them was Wakanda, the hidden African nation known in Marvel lore for its vast reserves of vibranium the most advanced metal on Earth. If he could access and absorb such material, the resulting evolution would be extraordinary. Although the metallic taste was unpleasant to him, he suspected that harsher substances yielded greater evolutionary benefits, much like how extreme environments triggered stronger adaptations.
During this period of isolation, Harvey also made several strategic financial decisions. He sold off his shares in Stark Industries while quietly monitoring the dark web. The bounty placed on Tony Stark had already been claimed, signaling that the events leading to Iron Man's emergence were underway. This aligned perfectly with Harvey's knowledge of the timeline, confirming that critical events were beginning to unfold.
For Harvey, this moment was significant. The rise of Tony Stark as Iron Man marked the beginning of a new era one where superhumans, advanced technology, and global threats would become increasingly visible. This was effectively the starting point of larger interconnected events, often referred to as the early phase of major superhero activity. Harvey had no intention of interfering, as doing so could disrupt the very timeline he relied on.
Instead, he treated Tony Stark's fate as a test. If Stark survived captivity and returned to change his life, it would indicate that this world followed the main continuity he was familiar with. If Stark died, however, it would suggest a divergent timeline one where future events could not be predicted with certainty. This distinction was crucial for Harvey's long-term planning.
If this was indeed the main timeline, Harvey planned to prioritize unlocking advanced Void templates such as Cho'Gath or Kassadin, both of which offered immense growth potential and mobility. On the other hand, if this was a parallel world, he would abandon caution and actively recruit powerful individuals, accelerating his evolution without relying on foreknowledge. In either case, Harvey remained confident in his ability to survive and grow stronger.
His daily life became highly structured. Harvey consumed five massive meals a day, each equivalent to feeding dozens of people, rapidly accumulating evolution points. After eating, he dedicated time to training, refining his control over his increasingly dangerous power. This balance between consumption and control ensured that his growth remained stable rather than chaotic.
After a full month of maintaining this low-profile lifestyle, Harvey successfully dispelled any lingering suspicion from Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. To them, he had become just another wealthy civilian with no special significance. This allowed him to continue his plans without interference, reinforcing the effectiveness of his careful acting.
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Unbeknownst to Harvey, more than three months had passed in this routine. During this time, he evolved steadily, averaging one evolution per week and reaching a total of eighteen additional evolutions. With his offensive capabilities already formidable, he chose to focus entirely on defense. All eighteen evolutions were invested into strengthening his Void Skin, increasing it from twenty-five to forty-three evolutions.
This enhancement pushed his physical durability to an extraordinary level. To test his limits, Harvey traveled to the Pacific Ocean, conducting experiments in extreme underwater environments. With his evolved body alone, he could descend to depths of 40,000 meters without any protective equipment. The immense pressure, which would instantly crush ordinary beings, had become something his body could withstand.
Repeated exposure to such harsh conditions triggered further adaptations. His body autonomously evolved the ability to breathe underwater, achieving six separate evolutions in that direction. In total, Harvey had now reached 262 evolutions, with a portion dedicated to environmental survival. However, these passive evolutions came with a drawback they could not be controlled or selected, often resulting in abilities that were not immediately useful.
This unpredictability reinforced Harvey's earlier decision to avoid unnecessary hardship. While extreme environments accelerated evolution, they also introduced inefficiencies. Each unwanted adaptation increased the total evolution count, raising the cost of future controlled evolutions. For someone focused on long-term optimization, this was an unacceptable trade-off.
On one particular day, Harvey was relaxing in his villa, casually eating snacks and watching the news when a sudden report caught his attention. The broadcast announced that Tony Stark, who had been missing for over three months, had safely returned to New York. The news also confirmed that Stark Industries was preparing to hold a press conference, signaling a major shift.
Seeing this, Harvey smiled slightly. However, he chose not to manipulate the stock market by shorting Stark Industries shares. Such actions, followed by rapid reinvestment, would attract attention from financial analysts and institutions. Instead, he planned a more subtle approach observing events firsthand before making any financial moves.
Without hesitation, Harvey got into his latest Maserati and drove toward Stark Industries. As he moved through the streets of New York, the distant sounds of gunfire and breaking glass echoed through certain areas a reminder of the city's underlying chaos. Yet Harvey remained completely calm, relying on his enhanced senses and precise driving skills to navigate safely.
Soon, he arrived at the venue where the press conference would take place. As he stepped out of the car, his presence immediately drew attention. As a known billionaire, his appearance did not go unnoticed among reporters and business figures gathered at the scene. His identity alone was enough to spark curiosity.
"Mr. Harvey Ambellaca, I'm from Primal Technologies. May I speak with you?" a man in a suit asked politely, approaching him.
"I'm here to see Tony Stark," Harvey replied casually with a smile. "If you're looking for investment, you'll need to scale your plans first. When the time is right, I'll consider it." Without stopping, he walked toward the venue entrance, maintaining the image of a confident and selective investor.
The man hesitated but continued probing. "You came specifically to see Tony Stark? Mr. Harvey Ambellaca, are you acquainted with him? As far as we know, you've never attended any of his events or corporate gatherings before."
Several female reporters, intrigued by Harvey's response, quickly gathered around him, eager to dig deeper. In a place like New York, where figures like Tony Stark dominated headlines, any rising billionaire showing interest was bound to attract attention. Cameras and microphones were directed toward Harvey as they waited for his explanation, hoping to uncover a connection that could become tomorrow's headline.
"You're right, I've never met Tony Stark in a formal setting," Harvey said calmly, maintaining a polite and composed demeanor. "However, Tony Stark is far wealthier and more influential than I am. If there's an opportunity, it would naturally be beneficial to get to know someone like him." His tone was measured, giving nothing away while still sounding reasonable enough to satisfy public curiosity.
"Does that mean you're planning to invest in Stark Industries?" one of the reporters immediately asked, seizing on his words. The question reflected the broader speculation surrounding Harvey Ambellaca, whose rapid rise in wealth had already made him a notable figure in financial circles. Any potential move he made could influence market expectations.
At just twenty-one years old, Harvey had become one of New York's fastest-rising billionaires. In a little over two years, his net worth had surged to nearly three billion dollars, a level of growth that many considered unprecedented. In a world where technological giants like Stark Industries shaped global industries, a newcomer like Harvey naturally attracted intense scrutiny. Many believed this was only the beginning of his financial expansion.
"Perhaps… maybe," Harvey replied with a faint smile, deliberately keeping his answer vague. "That's all I'll say for now. Please allow me to watch the press conference in peace, alright?" His tone remained courteous, but it carried a clear boundary. He understood that giving reporters anything too definitive would only lead to speculation, exaggeration, and unnecessary complications.
In truth, Harvey was fully aware of how easily the media could distort information. Even a casual remark could be twisted into a major financial narrative, affecting stock prices or drawing attention from powerful entities. While his wealth gave him the ability to suppress such issues if necessary, doing so openly would contradict his current identity. As Harvey Ambellaca, a rising but still relatively low-profile tycoon, restraint was essential.
With that, Harvey moved past the reporters and entered the venue. Inside, the atmosphere was already lively, filled with journalists, investors, and notable figures waiting for Stark Industries' announcement. The press conference carried significant weight Tony Stark's return after months of captivity was already a global sensation, and whatever he said next could reshape the company's future.
Not far from the stage, Phil Coulson was engaged in conversation with Pepper Potts. As an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., Coulson's objective was clear gather as much information as possible about Tony Stark's escape. From intelligence reports, Stark had survived captivity under the Ten Rings, an organization known for its connections to global terrorism and advanced weaponry. Escaping such a situation with only minor injuries was far from ordinary.
"Why is he here?" Coulson murmured, noticing Harvey's arrival with visible surprise. Given S.H.I.E.L.D.'s previous investigation, Harvey had already been assessed as an ordinary civilian. His presence at such a critical event, however, raised new questions. Coulson's instincts told him that coincidences were rarely just coincidences.
Pepper followed his gaze and saw Harvey standing among the crowd. Dressed in a tailored suit, his composed demeanor stood out even among New York's elite. "Harvey Ambellaca?" she said, slightly puzzled. "Agent Coulson, are you surprised to see him here?" Her curiosity was natural—while Harvey was well-known in business circles, he had no known connection to Tony Stark.
"Miss Potts, if I may ask, are Mr. Harvey Ambellaca and Mr. Stark acquainted?" Coulson asked politely, maintaining his professional tone. His question was straightforward, but it carried an underlying intent: to confirm whether there was any prior link between the two individuals.
"No," Pepper replied almost immediately, shaking her head. "Tony and I are both aware of who he is, but I can assure you they've never met." As Tony Stark's personal assistant and closest confidant, Pepper had an intimate understanding of his schedule and interactions. If Harvey had ever made contact, she would have known.
Coulson nodded slightly, accepting the answer. "Understood. Thank you for your time." He recognized that further questioning would not yield additional information and chose not to press the matter. Maintaining subtlety was part of his role, and drawing unnecessary attention would only complicate things.
Meanwhile, Harvey had already found a position with a clear view of the stage, approximately ten meters away. From there, he calmly observed the surroundings, his attention focused on the platform where Tony Stark would soon appear. For Harvey, this moment was more than just a press conference, it was confirmation of whether the world he stood in followed the path he remembered.
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