Tony's Request

Tony Stark saw that Harvey Anberaka said nothing and simply continued eating.

"But just how powerful are you, Harvey Anberaka? Can even a mushroom cloud do anything to you?"

In the end, Tony Stark could not suppress his curiosity and asked.

"With humanity's current technology, nothing can harm me in the slightest."

Harvey answered casually.

Over the past few months, he had not been idle. Maintaining an average of six evolutions per month, he had already evolved two hundred and eighty-three times.

His Void Skin had evolved sixty-four times.

Even at the deepest point of the ocean on Earth, facing the terrifyingly crushing water pressure, the environment no longer counted as harsh to him.

He could swim through it as freely as if he were in a pool.

However, if he took the explosion of a mushroom cloud head-on, he might still be injured.

So long as he avoided the initial force of the blast, even if he did not leave afterward, his body would naturally evolve radiation immunity within an extremely short time. Then he could move about freely amid the mushroom cloud's radiation.

That was the terrifying aspect of the Void. Even if one was injured and trapped in a harsh environment, as long as one did not die, one could rapidly evolve the abilities needed to adapt to any extreme conditions.

"If I became a being similar to you, could I also reach your current level?"

Tony Stark's eyes widened in surprise as he asked.

"Not at first, but given enough time."

"You, too, can possess a nearly eternal lifespan and strength that no one can match."

Harvey knew at once that Tony Stark had been moved. He nodded slightly and gave Tony Stark a clear answer.

Void creatures were themselves the most powerful weapons. With their ability to evolve, they would eventually become exceptionally powerful.

The only difference between various Void creatures was the requirements and difficulty of their evolution.

Having witnessed the power Harvey Anberaka displayed, Tony Stark could not stop a fervent gleam from appearing in his eyes upon hearing this.

"Unmatched by anyone? What about gods?"

However, Tony Stark quickly came to his senses and asked doubtfully.

After witnessing Harvey Anberaka's power, Tony Stark would not have found it strange even if a god appeared before him now.

"You can think of gods as creatures or aliens born with long lifespans and greater power."

"Because their power exceeds human understanding, and because humans live for only a brief century."

"Humans regard them as gods, and certain things they do as miracles."

Harvey said calmly.

"Humans only live for a short century. That really does sound cruel."

Hearing Harvey Anberaka's casual tone, Tony Stark thought it over and gave a bitter smile.

Compared to those aliens, humans had only a mere century to live.

"Throughout the course of history, humanity has never lacked brilliant talents."

"They accomplished deeds worthy of being sung for ages while still young, but as they grew older, their bodily functions inevitably began to decline."

"Their minds also became sluggish, leaving them without the time or energy to discover things in the world that they had yet to uncover."

"In the end, they could only bloom briefly in the long river of history."

"If they possessed longer lifespans and the geniuses of every era could build upon one another."

"Human technological civilization should be far more advanced and prosperous than it is now."

Harvey's gaze flickered as he spoke slowly.

Lifespan was a problem humanity could not avoid, which was why countless people longed for longer lives.

They longed for more time to put their talents to use.

They longed for more time to witness with their own eyes the future they had imagined.

They longed for more time to witness sights and deeds they had never even dared to envision.

Harvey himself had gained a longer lifespan, so he now had the ability to witness the future firsthand.

Thus, he did not reject what had made him what he was, even if others might see him as an outlier.

But Harvey understood human nature very well. Everyone condemned outliers, yet everyone longed to become one.

Those who believed a long lifespan was useless or considered it a curse only thought so because, aside from that long lifespan, they lacked the power to do whatever they wanted.

With such a long stretch of years, countless wonderful things could happen.

Tony Stark was deeply shaken by Harvey Anberaka's words.

Harvey Anberaka possessed power beyond his understanding, so his position and view of the world were completely different from Tony Stark's.

When facing Nick Fury's threats, Tony Stark had been furious inside, yet he had been unable to retaliate.

Because Nick Fury represented America's military.

But when Harvey Anberaka faced Nick Fury's threats, he struck back with thunderous force.

If Harvey Anberaka had not been merciful, everyone from S.H.I.E.L.D. would have died here just now.

The power Harvey Anberaka had shown him made Tony Stark realize that, no matter how much he improved the Iron Man armor, it would likely be difficult to match it.

Because Harvey Anberaka had revealed a crucial piece of information to him just now.

If he became a being similar to Harvey Anberaka, his power would grow stronger and stronger with time.

Then Harvey Anberaka, who had created him, surely possessed the same ability, perhaps one even more terrifying and powerful.

Because Harvey Anberaka had said that even if Tony became a being similar to him, he still would not be able to catch up to Harvey Anberaka.

Though Harvey Anberaka had merely said it in passing at the time, Tony had not forgotten those words.

Now, an opportunity to obtain a longer lifespan and greater power—the very thing countless people desired—lay before him.

Yet he was still agonizing over what others might think of him. That was undoubtedly foolish and ignorant.

"Harvey Anberaka, I know I do not have enough power or standing to demand anything of you."

"So this is my request."

Thinking this, Tony Stark's eyes filled with resolve as he looked at Harvey Anberaka and spoke.

"You do not need to belittle yourself so much. Your mind is quite impressive."

"And ours is not a relationship between a superior and subordinate, so you need not be so restrained."

"Tell me your request. I will consider it."

Harvey looked at the resolute Tony Stark and spoke.

"Only now have I truly realized that having power and having power but choosing not to use it are entirely different concepts."

"I want to ask you to let me become a being similar to you, to gain a longer lifespan and greater power."

Upon hearing Harvey Anberaka's words, Tony Stark spoke with a serious expression.

"Shouldn't you discuss this with Miss Pepper?"

"Didn't you just say that you had not told her about these things yet?"

Harvey Anberaka knew that Tony Stark had already prepared himself mentally, but instead of agreeing immediately, he asked in return.

"She will understand. That is also why I know my actions are greedy, perhaps even shameless."

"But even so, I want to say that there is one more thing I wish to ask of you."

"If Pepper has thought it through, then even if the power you grant her is incomplete, that is fine."

"Please let her gain a longer lifespan as well."

Tony said.

Women's desire to preserve their youth was even stronger than men's.

So Tony knew that as long as he became younger and told Pepper the secret behind it, it would not be difficult to persuade her to understand and accept it.

Whether Harvey Anberaka was willing to grant this request, however, remained unknown.

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