c16 - A Change of Mind
When Harvey finished eating and stepped out of the venue, he saw Tony Stark standing alone on the steps, his expression heavy and unusually subdued. The noise of the gala faded behind them, leaving only the quiet tension of realization.
"I told you, trust your instincts," Harvey said calmly as he walked past, his tone carrying quiet certainty.
Tony Stark paused, then spoke after a brief silence. "You're right… but Obadiah Stane watched me grow up. Until I see him actually make a move against me, I can't fully believe it even if my instincts say otherwise."
Earlier, when Tony confronted Obadiah Stane, the response he received was far from reassuring. Stane had already begun maneuvering within Stark Industries, even proposing removing Tony from the board under the pretense of protecting the company after his reckless announcement.
That alone revealed ambition. But combined with the events in Afghanistan, the ambush by the Ten Rings, the pieces began to align in a far more dangerous way.
Tony Stark knew his trip had been classified, coordinated with the U.S. military to demonstrate advanced weapons. There was no way terrorists could have prepared such a precise attack without inside information. It was not coincidence, it was a calculated betrayal.
For days, Tony had been analyzing every possibility, every person who could have leaked his movements. Yet the one answer he had subconsciously avoided was now the most likely.
He had never imagined that the man who had stood beside his father, Howard Stark, and helped build Stark Industries into a global powerhouse, would be the one to betray him.
Harvey, though not personally involved, understood the weight of such betrayal. Being targeted by someone you trusted was far more dangerous than facing an open enemy.
"Once you've identified your enemy, don't be merciful," Harvey said, his voice steady and devoid of sympathy. "Otherwise, when things spiral out of control, it will already be too late."
There was no comfort in his words.only cold, practical advice.
Tony Stark's eyes flickered slightly. It was as if Harvey had seen straight through his hesitation, exposing the conflict between logic and emotion that he had been struggling with.
This time, Tony did not question him further. Despite Harvey Ambellaca's mysterious knowledge and unpredictable behavior, one thing had become clear he was not an enemy, at least not for now.
Originally, Tony had planned to quietly investigate Obadiah Stane, to find leverage or weakness before making any move. But Harvey's reminder changed something in him.
Hesitation was no longer an option.
Without another word, Tony Stark turned and left the venue, abandoning the gala behind him as he headed straight for his mansion, his mind already set on what needed to be done next.
Harvey also returned home, and the huge amount of evolution points from the meal he had just eaten allowed him to evolve for the 265th time.
Purple light enveloped Harvey's body, and after a short while,
Harvey's Void Skin successfully evolved to the 46th time.
Harvey decided to evolve his Void Skin to the 100th time before evolving in other directions.
After all, many heroes in the Marvel universe, even geniuses like Tony Stark, are not particularly durable in their base human state, but their offensive capabilities especially when enhanced by technology like the Arc Reactor are extremely powerful. If
he wants to survive safely, then physical strength is the most important thing.
As long as he is not killed in one blow, he can always come back.
Harvey originally did not intend to overly influence Tony Stark, but this time he reminded Tony Stark because he had figured it out.
Aside from Tony Stark's near-death experience in Afghanistan at the hands of the Ten Rings a pivotal event that forced him to build the first crude Arc Reactor with the help of Ho Yinsen and ultimately led to his transformation into Iron Man other minor matters could be influenced to a certain extent.
Obadiah Stane would ultimately be exposed and eliminated by Tony Stark.
With no one else's influence remaining, Tony Stark would have complete control over the future of Stark Industries.
If, aside from the crucial moments, he couldn't influence anything, and merely a few words of advice could make this universe no longer the main universe,
then his later attempts to entice Tony Stark to believe in the Void would similarly make this place no longer the main universe.
This was why Harvey understood this and went to the party.
Moreover, even if the universe he was currently in wasn't Earth-616, the main continuity of Marvel Comics, it would only affect some of his future plans, not his safety.
Currently, aside from not being able to openly promote the Void and provoke beings like Ancient One and Odin, he could act entirely according to his will.
Harvey felt the power within him and began adapting in the basement.
The Void skin not only simply enhanced his physical defenses but also strengthened his power.
Although the increase wasn't as significant as the direct evolution of active skills, it still subtly and continuously enhanced his power.
This is why Harvey is currently focused on improving his Void Skin.
Of course, mental resistance also needs improvement, but there's no need to rush it yet. After all, he won't face powerful reality-warping or chaos magic users until encountering someone on the level of Scarlet Witch.
And there's no need to be overly afraid; even if the opponent's magic is strong, they won't be qualified to fight him head-on.
He can emerge from the shadows before they even make a move, silently injuring or even killing them.
Harvey spent over three billion US dollars this time, and after deducting some fixed assets, he only has one hundred million US dollars in liquid funds left.
So Harvey casually opened the black market, wanting to do a few jobs to earn some extra money.
However, Harvey found only small jobs of one to two million US dollars left.
And these were guard jobs, requiring protection for a week or two to complete.
These jobs are often done by groups of mercenaries, similar to how private military contractors operate in the Marvel world, often intersecting with organizations like S.H.I.E.L.D. intelligence networks.
Because being a guard means having time to set up defenses and then simply eliminating the enemy.
Therefore, a million dollars a week is not a small sum.
However, for Harvey, he'd rather save that time for eating more, hoping to evolve more quickly.
Finding no jobs worth over five million dollars in raids or annihilations, Harvey shut down the black network, went into the basement, and began his daily training.
Meanwhile, Harvey Ambella's gluttonous behavior at the Stark Industries charity ball,
while not widely known throughout New York, was secretly circulating among the city's upper class.
Many in New York felt both disdain and envy upon hearing it.
Years of enjoying a life of luxury had spoiled their palates, making them increasingly picky eaters. They'd only take a few bites of most foods before losing their appetite.
Those who looked down on Harvey Ambella were mostly upper-class men.
However, some upper-class women had developed a strong interest in Harvey Ambella's excellent appetite.
Previously, Harvey Ambella didn't attend many parties, so even if they were interested in finding him, they had no excuse.
But now things were different; Harvey Ambella had started appearing at parties hosted by the upper class.
Although he had only attended one Stark Industries charity gala so far, it was already a signal.
They could try inviting him later; what if he came?
....