Infinite Evolution in the Marvel universe

The following day, a news report broke: Stark Industries had been attacked by terrorists at 4 a.m., with the offices of the top executives destroyed. Fortunately, there were no casualties, but the attackers remained unidentified.

This news quickly sparked public interest. Many speculated that this was a backlash to the foolish decisions made by Stark Industries' CEO, Tony Stark. Others believed it was an attempt to take down Stark Industries at a vulnerable time. There were even jokes about Stark Industries' security system being so ineffective that it couldn't even trace the attackers.

What was once an event that would have caused concern—due to many people holding stock in Stark Industries—now became a point of amusement. Since most had already sold their shares, the company's misfortunes now brought joy to those who no longer had any financial stake in it.

By 8 a.m., Harvey had also seen the news while eating breakfast. He knew Tony Stark had made his move. However, there were more subtle ways to achieve what Stark was after without such risks, but Harvey understood that Tony was still inexperienced, having only just built the Iron Man suit. He wasn't yet fully aware of how to manage his new power.

Despite his inexperience, the Iron Man suit, even in its early stages, was devastatingly powerful, akin to a high-tech fighter jet embodied in a human form. And as Stark continued to improve his technology, his power would soon surpass what Earthly technology could handle.

Harvey finished his meal, donned his signature black cloak, which obscured his face, and decided to check out Afghanistan himself. He knew Tony would likely head there to deal with the aftermath of the weapons Stark Industries had sold. Tony had the evidence to expose Obadiah Stane, but before acting on it, Stark would first go to Gulmira, Afghanistan, to save the people suffering due to his company's weapons.

If Harvey wanted to bring Tony Stark under his influence, there was still work to be done.

With that, Harvey activated his Void abilities and disappeared, blending into the darkness as he left his home. His speed had now reached four times the speed of sound. If he took on his full Void Reaver form, his actual speed would be unknown even to him. But for now, he didn't need to push himself to the limit, as it only took him around two hours to reach Afghanistan.

This war-torn land was a chaotic battleground, rife with violence, where terror reigned supreme. Despite the ever-present danger, it remained a mercenary's paradise, with some even becoming terrorists after acquiring enough firepower.

Harvey soared through the skies at top speed, and soon he arrived at the familiar sight of war-torn Afghanistan, where gunfire and explosions painted a grim picture of human suffering. But his eyes remained cold, unmoved by the devastation around him.

In his previous life, Harvey had admired superheroes—figures with immense power who dedicated themselves to saving the world. But admiration aside, Harvey had no intention of becoming a superhero himself. He had long realized that heroes were often burdened with obligations they never asked for. People would initially view them as saviors, grateful for being rescued. But over time, they would begin to expect help as if it were a duty, using the notion of "with great power comes great responsibility" to guilt them into submission.

But true power had no obligation. Across the universe, the truly strong lived according to their desires, unfettered by the expectations of the weak. Any attempts to control them through moral arguments were swiftly eliminated.

Harvey, now a force unto himself, refused to be shackled by such expectations. He lived freely, helping only when he wanted to, and not because of some imposed duty. He could save people, and even assist the weak, but it would always be on his terms.

As Harvey reached Gulmira, he saw a familiar sight—Tony Stark, suited up as Iron Man, battling the terrorists. But Stark's movements showed noticeable hesitation and pauses. It was clear he was still unfamiliar with combat and hadn't fully mastered the weapons at his disposal. Even so, the gap in power between him and the terrorists was too vast. With his suit's advanced technology, Tony easily wiped out the Ten Rings' forces, rescuing the people of Gulmira.

As the battle ended, the air around them suddenly grew colder. A chilling presence filled the atmosphere, dropping the temperature by several degrees.

"Sir, I'm detecting a life form one hundred meters above, to the southeast," JARVIS's voice alerted Tony.

Tony looked up and spotted a figure, cloaked entirely in black, hovering in the air without any visible means of support. "JARVIS, can you identify him?" Tony asked, a sense of unease creeping in.

"Analyzing... Analysis failed. Identity unknown," JARVIS responded after a moment, his extensive database yielding no results.

"You must be pretty smart to build something like that," Harvey's voice echoed coldly through the air, sending a shiver down the spines of everyone who heard it.

The civilians, even the crying children, fell silent, their fear palpable.

"Is that supposed to be a compliment? Well, thanks. I am pretty confident in my brainpower," Tony replied, slowly rising into the air to meet Harvey at eye level. He wasn't sure if this mysterious figure was a friend or foe, but since they were speaking, Tony played along.

"You can take it as a compliment," Harvey continued. "But your technology is impressive only by human standards. Compared to the universe, it's still lacking. You're weak right now. Let's hope the next time we meet, you'll have created something that truly piques my interest."

With that, Harvey's form vanished as quickly as he had appeared.

"JARVIS!" Tony shouted in alarm.

"Sir, the life form has vanished completely. No trace of it remains," JARVIS replied apologetically.

Tony was left in stunned silence. The eerie presence had praised his intellect, but Tony felt no pride in it. Instead, he was unsettled. He had never encountered a being like this—someone who could fly without any visible assistance and who clearly possessed vast knowledge of the universe.

It felt as if he had inadvertently opened the door to a new, unknown world, and Tony wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. The only thing that remained was a deep sense of unease.

Who or what was this mysterious being? Were they even from Earth? And if not, why had they come here?

Tony couldn't shake the feeling that he had stumbled upon something far beyond his current understanding. But before he could dive deeper into these questions, he reminded himself that he still had pressing matters at hand—namely, dealing with Obadiah Stane.

As Tony flew back home, his mind weighed heavily with these new revelations. He knew that, once his immediate business was finished, he would have to investigate this enigmatic figure.

Meanwhile, Harvey, satisfied that he had left a lasting impression, began his journey back. Drawing Tony's attention to the Void was the first step. Knowing Tony's curious nature, Harvey was certain they would cross paths again soon.