c43: I Need Your Promise
Two whole cow feasts were quickly delivered to the gate. The payment had already been made through Stark Industries' automated system, so the deliverymen left quickly after dropping the food off without asking questions.
Tony and Harvey each pushed their large tables of food inside.
Tony immediately closed the door after pushing his food inside.
Although he was mentally prepared to be seen as an oddity by others, he had only recently joined the Void, and with S.H.I.E.L.D. especially someone like Nick Fury already taking an interest in him, it was best to remain hidden for as long as possible.
Tony Stark then ignored Harvey Ambellaca and began eating with his hands, indulging in a hearty meal without restraint.
The amount of food from one cow was enough for many people, but it was disappearing at a visible rate under Tony Stark's astonishing appetite, far beyond what even an enhanced human should be capable of.
Life energy continuously replenished and strengthened Tony Stark's cells, similar in principle to how certain experimental serums.like the Super Soldier Serum developed during World War II.enhanced the human body, but far more extreme and uncontrolled.
Having just joined the Void, his body was still very weak compared to Harvey Ambellaca, so every bit of energy brought about noticeable changes.
In just fifteen minutes, Tony Stark finished the entire cow.
When Tony Stark finished eating, he felt an increasingly powerful strength within him, his senses sharpening, and both his mind and body felt unusually clear and invigorated, far beyond the effects of adrenaline or any stimulant he had ever experienced.
However, due to his ravenous eating, Tony Stark had a lot of oil and sauce on his lips.
As he was about to wash his face, he suddenly saw Harvey Ambellaca a few meters away, still eating in a composed and controlled manner and almost finished with his own portion.
Most importantly, he noticed that Harvey Ambellaca's face and clothes were spotless, without any grease or stain, as if the act of eating did not affect him at all.
"You don't just eat with your hands, how come you eat almost as fast as me?"
Tony compared himself to Harvey Ambellaca, looking at him strangely, unable to reconcile the difference in their manners and speed.
"It's a habit,"
Harvey replied with a smile, swallowing the meat in his mouth with calm precision.
"Looks like I'll have to learn from you."
Tony Stark glanced at himself, then went straight to the restroom.
Although dining etiquette was never something he cared much about, especially given his reputation as a genius billionaire who rarely adhered to convention.
Since he was usually the one hosting guests, as long as his eating manners weren't completely appalling, no one would openly criticize him.
Even in front of women, they would often interpret his behavior as confidence or authenticity rather than rudeness.
However, this is relative. Although he didn't record his eating earlier, thinking about it now, compared to Harvey Ambellaca's almost aristocratic elegance, his actions could only be described in one word: crude.
Later, when there are more Void brethren, he'll definitely have to treat the rest of them to a meal. Imagine himself wolfing down his food without restraint, completely lacking composure.
Just imagining it makes Tony Stark find the scene somewhat comical and slightly embarrassing.
So, to avoid being laughed at especially by people who might surpass even him in power, he'll have to be more mindful of these things in the future.
Harvey didn't seem to care and continued eating as if nothing else mattered.
After washing his face in the bathroom, Tony Stark found that his appearance hadn't changed much.
If there was any change, it was subtle but noticeable to him.his eyesight had improved significantly, and he could clearly see that his brown hair was more vibrant than before, showing early signs of restored vitality.
Compared to the temporary physical improvements Harvey Ambellaca had previously granted him during treatment, these changes were more stable and deeply rooted in his biology.
Tony Stark couldn't fully comprehend the extent of Harvey Ambellaca's power.
However, considering what he had witnessed in the Void, including those incomprehensible cosmic entities, Harvey Ambellaca's strength no longer felt mysterious, it felt inevitable.
He still had a long way to go, and most importantly, he couldn't allow himself to be consumed by hunger or desire.
Tony Stark patted his face and walked out of the bathroom.
Not long after, more food began to arrive in large quantities.
Hundreds of servings prepared by Stark Industries' hired chefs were devoured by Tony and Harvey Ambellaca within hours, disappearing as if they had never existed.
"I've never had such a good appetite,"
Tony Stark said, rubbing his stomach and lying flat on the floor without caring about his image, something he would never do in front of the public or investors.
"I should go now. Discuss Pepper with her."
"If she's willing, I can give her a chance,"
Harvey replied, satisfied after enjoying the lavish feast Tony Stark had provided.
"Okay."
"After what happened with Obadiah Stane trying to take over Stark Industries, only Pepper and Jarvis are people I can truly trust."
"Having great power and a long lifespan is a great thing, but immortality is too lonely for one person."
"So I hope Pepper can stay with me for many more years."
"Therefore, I will persuade her no matter what."
Tony Stark said seriously, his usual carefree tone replaced by rare sincerity.
"Harvey Ambellaca, although I've said it several times, I still want to say it."
"Thank you for giving me this opportunity."
"And thank you for giving Pepper a chance."
Tony Stark stood up from the ground and said gratefully, his usual arrogance replaced with rare sincerity that even those who knew him well would find unfamiliar.
"I understand. Good luck."
Harvey's eyes flickered slightly, his expression calm as he nodded in agreement with Tony Stark's words before turning and leaving without hesitation.
This trip to Stark Manor had not only satisfied his appetite but had also yielded far greater gains than he had initially anticipated.
Not only had he successfully guided Tony Stark a genius on par with the greatest minds in human history into the Void, but he had also secured a steady future source of Void Energy.
He would return and carefully consider which Hero Template would best complement his current evolutionary path and maximize his combat capabilities.
After Harvey Ambellaca left…
"Jarvis, run a full-body scan on me and compare it with yesterday's biological data,"
Tony Stark said, looking at himself in the mirror in the underground research lab, the same lab where he had previously refined his arc reactor technology and designed multiple iterations of his Iron Man armor.
"Sir, your current physical characteristics are equivalent to a twenty-eight-year-old male at peak human condition, surpassing Olympic-level performance standards, with no detectable diseases or cellular degradation."
"Furthermore, all the cells in your body have undergone significant enhancement, similar in effect, though not identical in origin to experimental bio-enhancement technologies such as Extremis, and are still continuing to strengthen at a gradual rate,"
Jarvis replied immediately after completing the scan, presenting the data with precise accuracy.
"Where is Pepper now?"
Tony Stark asked with a faint smile upon hearing this, clearly satisfied with the results but more focused on what came next.
"Miss Pepper is currently resting in her room, engaging with a tablet-based game."
"She mentioned that this was a rare day of rest away from Stark Industries' operations, so I have filtered out external disturbances, including incoming calls and environmental noise."
"She has not been interrupted at all,"
Jarvis said in his usual calm and efficient tone.
"Smart, but now wake her up and have her come to the underground lab."
"Tell her I have something important to discuss with her."
Tony Stark praised Jarvis briefly before giving his instructions, his tone becoming more serious.
"Yes, I have relayed your instructions."
Jarvis responded and immediately transmitted the message to Pepper through the internal communication system.
Pepper, hearing Jarvis's message, paused briefly before putting down her tablet and stepping out of her room, her expression carrying a hint of curiosity.
She quickly made her way downstairs toward the underground lab, her heels echoing softly against the polished floors of Stark Manor.
"Tony?"
Pepper called out as she entered, spotting Tony's back as he stood in front of the mirror.
She immediately noticed something different—Tony's posture was perfectly straight, his shoulders relaxed yet firm, exuding a level of confidence and vitality that reminded her of his younger days, before the cave incident that changed his life.
"Pepper, I have something to tell you."
"And I need you to promise me that you'll keep it a secret, no matter what, and never reveal it to anyone else not even members of S.H.I.E.L.D. like Agent Coulson."
Tony turned around and looked at Pepper, his expression extremely serious, far removed from his usual joking demeanor.
"Oh my god!"
Pepper exclaimed in disbelief the moment Tony turned around fully, her eyes widening as she realized that he looked significantly younger like a man in his late twenties, full of life and completely free of the fatigue and strain he had carried for years.
---
Help motivate me
30+ advanced chapter on patreon....Visit patreon now to read my exclusive content... posting 5 chapters per day, Our collection is now available on PATREON
visit patreon.com/Elbertovic to view 30+ advanced chapters
Please subscribe guys