Chapter 70: Return to Earth

After purchasing a galactic communicator, a universal translator, and a few materials unavailable on Earth, Harvey stepped into the void of space just outside the planet. With a single step, he found himself in a dead star system. Gazing over the galaxy, he quickly pinpointed Earth and teleported through the void.

In just a few minutes, he crossed over a thousand light-years and landed on the Moon. Another step brought him back to his estate in New York.

It had been a month since his last visit, and upon turning on his computer, Harvey noticed several messages from Tony Stark. Most of them were check-ins, asking if Harvey had returned and wanted to chat.

Seeing the messages brought a smile to Harvey's face, but instead of responding immediately, he decided to relax. He shed his golden armor, took a long shower, and changed into some fresh clothes. Only then did he call Tony back.

Meanwhile, at the Stark estate in New York, Tony Stark was sitting down for a meal, feeling frustrated. It wasn't the food—his research had hit a wall. His Iron Man armor had reached Mark 25, but without new materials or research breakthroughs, all he could do was refine functionality rather than achieve real improvements.

When Harvey had been on Earth, Tony could bounce ideas off him, but now that Harvey had left, it was hard to find anyone to talk to.

Just then, a familiar voice broke the silence.

"Sir, Mr. Harvey is on the line. Should I patch him through?" Jarvis's voice was something Tony had heard countless times, but this news was music to his ears.

"Yes, put him on!" Tony's eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly recovered, his excitement obvious.

Moments later, the video call connected.

"Harvey! When did you get back?" Tony had a million questions but settled for a simple greeting.

"About half an hour ago. Saw your messages, and thought I'd check in. Are you busy?" Harvey replied, smiling at Tony's enthusiasm.

"The only time I'm too busy to see you is at night, my friend," Tony said with a grin, "It's the afternoon—I'm free."

"Since when are you still keeping busy at night? Not afraid Pepper will get jealous?" Harvey teased, raising an eyebrow.

Tony laughed wryly. "Don't get me started. It's because of Pepper that my nights are so... busy."

Tony explained with a chuckle. After designing an improved arc reactor, Stark Industries was running like a well-oiled machine. With Pepper handling the day-to-day business, there was little left for her to do but manage the occasional high-level meeting. Since Pepper had also joined the Void, her beauty had been enhanced, and she was growing stronger by the day, with flexibility that rivaled that of professional dancers.

There was an old saying: "When you're comfortable, your mind starts wandering." With Pepper's newfound free time and vigor, she had taken to... keeping Tony occupied during their nights together. Fortunately, Tony had also joined the Void. Otherwise, Pepper might have worn him out completely.

"Alright, I brought back some gifts for you. Mind if I swing by?" Harvey said, sensing the contentment behind Tony's joking complaint.

"Of course! Come on over!" Tony responded eagerly.

At Tony's nod, a purple void portal opened, and Harvey stepped through, carrying a large box.

"This is for you," Harvey said, tossing the box onto a nearby table. "Inside, you'll find a universal translator, a galactic communicator, and some rare materials from the cosmos."

"A universal translator?" Tony's eyes lit up as he caught the box. "Can it translate any language?"

Currently, Earth's translators, like those from Google, can only handle rough translations, leaving much of the nuance lost in translation. If they could develop a truly universal translator, the financial possibilities were endless.

"I haven't studied it in detail," Harvey admitted. "But with this, any language you don't understand will automatically be translated into one you do."

Harvey settled on the couch, comfortable in Tony's mansion.

Excited, Tony opened the box and found a wristband-like device, a transparent tablet, and several unfamiliar minerals and materials, along with some books written in languages he couldn't comprehend.

"Which one is the universal translator?" Tony asked, his curiosity peaking as he examined the contents.

"The wristband," Harvey replied. "Once you put it on, it'll start working automatically."

Without hesitation, Tony slipped the device onto his wrist, and as soon as it activated, the text on the previously unreadable books morphed into English.

"That's incredible!" Tony marveled, impressed by the technology.

However, he noticed something else—a notification on his wristband displaying "C53."

"What's this C53?" Tony asked, puzzled by the new information.

"The translator identifies the planet a language originates from. Earth's designation in the galactic database is C53," Harvey explained. Spending a month on Xandar, completing several bounty missions, and interacting with the locals, had given him a decent grasp of galactic common knowledge.

"That's so useful! But doesn't that mean anyone in the universe can instantly know where you're from?" Tony asked, his scientific mind already pondering the implications.

Harvey nodded. "The translator can identify where your language is from, but it doesn't guarantee that's where you are from. If you want to stay anonymous, you'll need to learn other languages. Because anyone with a translator will be able to identify your language as soon as you speak."

Harvey wasn't concerned about being linked to Earth. His reputation had already started spreading throughout the galaxy, and there were more than enough rumors about his origins to keep his true background a mystery.

Note: If you are interested you can read up to chapter 100 at patreon.com/MythicForge11.