c38 - The Greatness of the Void
Harvey knew perfectly well that Tony Stark had already experienced the benefits of restored youth and enhanced physical capabilities.
With that firsthand experience, the time it would take for Tony Stark to desire and actively request power like his own would never be long.
"Once you become like me, because your identity is different, you will inevitably be discovered and treated as something outside the norm."
"That was your concern before, wasn't it? Now, are you truly certain you've thought it through?"
Now that the opportunity had finally presented itself, Harvey hesitated slightly before speaking.
"To have a longer lifespan to fully utilize my talents… to discover things I've never known before."
"I believe this is an opportunity that countless people would dream of."
"It's just that before, I was too narrow-minded… too bound by how others might see me."
"But now I understand."
Tony Stark looked at his palm and spoke slowly.
"Since you've thought it through, I can grant your request."
"But before that, let me formally introduce myself."
"I come from the Void, and the power I wield also originates from the Void."
Harvey said with a faint smile.
Tony Stark was not surprised that Harvey Ambellaca was no longer a normal human.
After all, Harvey's knowledge and perspective far exceeded what even enhanced humans on Earth, whether tied to S.H.I.E.L.D. or other hidden forces could typically possess.
Moreover, Harvey's mindset was fundamentally different.
He could not be restrained by morality, authority, or conventional systems.
However, when Tony Stark heard the word "Void," his eyes narrowed slightly.
"That Grim Reaper… is that also you? Someone from the same origin?"
It was precisely because of that mysterious "Grim Reaper" identity that Tony Stark had first realized the existence of a world beyond normal human understanding.
"'Grim Reaper' is just a role I use for convenience."
Harvey's eyes flickered, and after a brief pause, he decided to be direct.
If Tony believed the identity belonged to someone else, he would inevitably try to investigate or even make contact.
Given Tony Stark's intelligence, it would only be a matter of time before he discovered the truth.
"…No offense intended."
Upon hearing this, Tony Stark's mind raced rapidly.
Thinking back to his earlier arrogance and casual attitude toward Harvey Ambellaca, a cold sweat formed on his back.
"You don't need to be afraid just because you know more now."
"I don't care much about etiquette or status, but I follow one simple principle."
"I treat others the way they treat me."
"As long as you don't stand against me, I won't harm you."
Harvey noticed Tony Stark's tension and reassured him calmly.
Tony Stark thought back carefully.
From the beginning until now, Harvey Ambellaca had never truly retaliated against him despite his earlier provocations.
That realization allowed him to relax slightly.
"You might as well say that Death itself is connected to you… or that you represent it in some way."
"Then dragging you to show off my Iron Man armor earlier… doesn't that make me look like a complete fool?"
Tony Stark said with a self-deprecating tone.
"That wasn't my intention."
"And I've never considered you foolish."
"On the contrary, I think you're a genius."
"You built the Iron Man armor entirely through your own intellect."
"Even if it still has limitations, once you solve the palladium issue just like what Howard Stark once envisioned with new elements it will become a revolutionary creation."
"A technology that allows ordinary humans to wield power approaching that of enhanced individuals."
"That alone is enough to change the course of human civilization."
Harvey Ambellaca paused his meal, thought seriously for a moment, and then spoke.
Tony Stark's creation was not trivial.
Even within Marvel's broader framework, Iron Man armor represented one of the rare instances where human ingenuity alone could rival superhuman abilities.
"Let's set that aside for now."
Tony Stark waved his hand, clearly more focused on something else.
"I understand that you come from the Void."
"So tell me how exactly can I become an existence similar to you?"
Tony Stark was taken aback by the praise, then pretended not to care and changed the subject.
"Tony Stark, if you want to become an existence similar to me, you must believe in the Void and join the Void."
Harvey saw the uncontrollable smile and pride on Tony Stark's face but didn't expose him, instead continuing on the topic Tony Stark had raised.
"Believe in the Void, join the Void?"
"What exactly is the Void? Is it a place, an organization, or something like the Negative Zone or a manifestation of some kind of will?"
Tony Stark was somewhat confused, instinctively comparing it to known cosmic domains like the Negative Zone that even geniuses like Reed Richards had explored.
Upon hearing Tony Stark's question, Harvey heard the system's voice in his mind.
"A new being has been detected intending to contact the Void. Please confirm that the being experiences the Void and alters its life essence."
"You can understand the Void as a place, a will, a race, or even something similar to the cosmic forces that govern reality,"
Harvey explained to Tony Stark, ignoring the voice for the moment.
"So, if I join the Void, I'll no longer be human?"
Tony Stark asked thoughtfully, thinking of beings like Silver Surfer, who had transcended humanity after receiving cosmic power.
"You can understand it that way."
"After all, humans don't have long lifespans, nor can they naturally wield cosmic-level power like entities such as Thor or other enhanced beings."
"Explaining it might be difficult to understand, but I'll show you, and you'll understand."
"After you see it, you can truly decide whether to believe in the Void."
Harvey nodded slightly and said.
"Show me? How do I do that?"
Tony Stark was tempted but unsure how.
"You'll know,"
Harvey said with a smile, then confirmed the system's request.
The moment Harvey agreed, Tony Stark's eyes glazed over, his consciousness seemingly drifting away.
He felt himself transported to a vast cosmic expanse, similar yet far beyond anything recorded by S.H.I.E.L.D. or even hinted at in data related to beings like Galactus.
A colossal vortex of energy surged within the galaxy, resembling a living singularity rather than a natural black hole. Its bizarre and dazzling colors were more terrifying than beautiful.
Tony Stark had never witnessed such a spectacle in reality, not even in simulations created by J.A.R.V.I.S. or theoretical projections.
At that moment, he noticed the universe trembling. Space itself warped like unstable matter, far beyond anything explained by modern physics.
When Tony Stark realized this, he froze, completely paralyzed, as if every cell in his body was trembling with fear.
He had faced terrorists, built the Iron Man Armor, and stood against overwhelming odds, yet none of that compared to this.
A gigantic, unimaginably large, purple-skinned, mantis-like monster emerged from the vortex.
This wasn't even its entire body; just a fragment of it already surpassed planetary scale, rivaling the presence of cosmic entities.
Before this monster's immense size, stars seemed like grains of dust.
Celestial bodies appeared insignificant compared to this creature, let alone Tony Stark himself, who felt like nothing more than a microscopic speck.
The monster eventually shifted, its form condensing into something resembling a humanoid silhouette.
And as Tony Stark saw this figure's back, a storm erupted in his mind.
He recognized the figure instantly.
It was Harvey Ambellaca.
But this Harvey was completely different from the one he had shared a table with moments ago.
This version walked through the cosmos with his hands behind his back, radiating an existence that rivaled abstract entities like Eternity or Infinity.
Meanwhile, Tony saw other incomprehensible beings within the Void.
He saw a figure wearing a golden mask and a white cloak, its body spanning across galaxies, vanishing with a single step like it had phased through dimensions.
He saw a monstrous entity covered in countless barbs, devouring stars in a manner disturbingly reminiscent of cosmic predators.
He saw what appeared to be a massive purple star only to realize it was a single eye observing the universe from beyond reality itself.
He saw a creature that carved tunnels through space-time, its roar echoing across dimensions like a distortion of existence.
He also saw a gigantic armored humanoid, standing still yet seemingly observing the flow of time itself, similar to how beings like The Living Tribunal oversee balance.
Every single entity in the Void surpassed Tony Stark's understanding of science, logic, and even imagination.
And yet, All of these beings, these incomprehensible monsters, these cosmic horrors…
Ultimately converged into one existence.
At this moment, Tony Stark truly understood.
He understood his insignificance.
He understood the vastness beyond Earth, beyond S.H.I.E.L.D., beyond even the known cosmic hierarchy.
And most importantly he understood the true greatness of the Void.
.....