Chapter 41: Understanding a New World

"Of course, beyond consuming things, there's also the path of adaptive evolution," Harvey explained. "But if you want to evolve by adapting, you'll need to immerse yourself in places that are not only uncomfortable but also harmful to your body. Stay there long enough, and your body will naturally evolve to resist those conditions. The harsher the environment, the quicker the evolution."

Tony Stark, always quick to analyze, nodded thoughtfully. "Harmful places? Like the scorching heat of a desert?"

Harvey shook his head. "No, the surface of a desert would only make you uncomfortable at best, just enough to dull your sensitivity to heat. But if you want to truly evolve in a desert, you'd need to submerge yourself beneath the sands, allowing yourself to be buried alive for a while. The intense pressure of the sand would force your body to evolve more drastically."

He continued, "The same applies to the ocean. If you spend enough time underwater, your body will eventually develop the ability to breathe down there. But surviving the crushing depths of the ocean, that's going to take longer and more gradual adaptation."

Tony's face tightened a bit, his initial enthusiasm slightly dampened. "So you're saying this kind of evolution is essentially... risking your life?"

Harvey gave a grim nod. "In essence, yes. Adaptive evolution is the body's response to extreme, sometimes lethal conditions. But if you plan on traveling the universe with just your body, visiting hostile environments, fighting powerful enemies—then yes, the only way to guarantee survival is to push your limits and prepare in every conceivable way."

"Traveling the cosmos with my body alone..." Tony muttered, a far-off look in his eyes. He remembered the massive Void creatures he had seen earlier, beings larger than entire galaxies. Their strength was beyond comprehension. If he could evolve to their level... well, the universe itself would become his playground. Gamma rays, radiation, extreme temperatures—none of it would matter to such creatures.

But even getting close to Harvey's level seemed like a daunting task. Just mastering a fraction of the power Harvey wielded would take an unimaginable amount of time. Fortunately, now that his lifespan was no longer restricted to a few decades, he had all the time in the world to chase this power. He couldn't help but feel a burning desire to be ahead of any future Void recruits, to set the standard for those who followed.

"It's an exciting prospect," Tony admitted, a smile creeping across his face.

Before meeting Harvey, the furthest he could imagine going was exploring nearby space with his technology, perhaps pushing the limits of his Iron Man armor. But now, the idea of traveling the universe without any tech—just his bare, evolved body—was something entirely new and exhilarating.

"But don't get too ahead of yourself," Harvey interjected. "Just because you've joined the Void doesn't mean you're untouchable. There are still some major players on Earth who could kill you while you're still weak."

"Major players? Are you talking about Captain Marvel?" Tony asked, immediately thinking of one of the strongest beings he had heard about.

"Captain Marvel is off dealing with issues in other parts of the galaxy," Harvey replied. "Right now, your biggest concern should be the Ancient One, the Sorcerer Supreme. She's been protecting Earth for centuries."

Since Tony had officially joined the Void, Harvey decided it was only fair to share more information, especially to keep Tony from making any rash decisions that could summon the wrong kind of attention—like that of the Ancient One.

"Centuries?" Tony looked puzzled. "Wait... are you saying the Ancient One isn't human?"

"She's human," Harvey clarified. "But she uses magic to extend her life. Normally, she wouldn't interfere in material-world matters unless necessary. She's more focused on protecting Earth from magical threats and beings from other dimensions."

"I always thought magic was just a myth," Tony said, his mind spinning as he tried to reconcile this new information. "But then again, after meeting you and joining the Void, I suppose the existence of magic in the universe isn't so far-fetched."

Harvey nodded, appreciating Tony's open-mindedness. "There are many forces at play on Earth alone that are beyond human understanding. You've only just started to step out of the human experience. To regular people, your power will soon seem beyond their wildest imaginations. But compared to those who command true magic or other extraordinary abilities, you're still just an ant."

Tony couldn't help but feel a twinge of annoyance at being compared to an ant, but he also knew Harvey was right. "Alright, I get it. I'm still weak. But can't you at least call me a person? I mean, I was human for almost 40 years. Just because I've changed doesn't mean my entire identity is gone."

Harvey smirked. "I'm only talking about the difference in power. But it's good that you're aware of your limitations. It'll help you resist temptations down the road."

Tony perked up, clearly curious again. "So, how strong is this Ancient One? You know, if Pepper ends up joining the Void too, I'd like to impress her with some knowledge."

Harvey noticed how Tony was storing every bit of information away, preparing himself for what lay ahead. With a slight smile, he began to explain more about the world Tony was now truly becoming a part of.