Harvey had just shut down the darknet, deciding to meet in person the day after tomorrow, so there was no need to rush. Moreover, with Tony Stark about to embark on his Iron Man journey, it meant that he was now at a point where it was time to close the net.
Harvey opened his stock trading software and, after some procedures, planned to sell the 1.1 billion worth of stocks he held, gradually over the next month.
For Stark Industries, which was still a major arms conglomerate, 1.1 billion dollars worth of stocks wasn't a large sum. As long as someone was selling, there would be plenty of buyers.
However, selling all at once could be problematic and might bring some trouble afterward.
Although Harvey operated under the alias of "Reaper," a feared mercenary, his public identity was that of a young, wealthy tycoon. This identity helped him manage his funds, with the help of intermediaries who cleaned the money for a 20% fee. Though the fee was high, it helped him avoid many complications.
With this identity, Harvey could move freely unless he was in the mood to socialize. After selling the stocks at a high price, he planned to buy them back in large quantities once Tony Stark decided to change careers, causing Stark's stock value to plummet. Tony Stark would use his brilliant mind to drive Stark Industries' stock value back up, and Harvey would profit immensely.
Just as Harvey was dealing with this, his stomach growled loudly.
Harvey, accustomed to this, temporarily set aside his work and headed to the garage.
In the garage were a series of beautiful luxury cars. Harvey considered for a moment, changed into some casual clothes, and chose an Audi R8.
With the car key in hand, he drove out of the estate.
The power he gained from the Void Predator, Kha'Zix, made him incredibly strong but also left him very hungry. Harvey didn't mind this feeling, knowing that gaining power often came with certain costs.
He didn't see it as a true burden since the system had merely turned him into a foodie.
Harvey drove the Audi R8 to his favorite restaurant, the Clingston.
In America, in less bustling cities, many places close early around 10 PM. This was one reason Harvey chose to stay in New York, despite its dangers. The vibrant, busy atmosphere was another reason.
His League of Legends Void System allowed him to choose one of eight heroes from the Void faction:
Kassadin, the Void Walker
Kai'Sa, the Voidborn
Rek'Sai, the Void Burrower
Kog'Maw, the Mouth of the Abyss
Malzahar, the Void Prodigy
Vel'Koz, the Eye of the Void
Kha'Zix, the Voidreaver
Cho'Gath, the Terror of the Void
All eight heroes had extremely powerful abilities, but there was a priority among them.
Rek'Sai, Kai'Sa, and Kog'Maw, while all capable of evolution and becoming very strong, were harder to evolve initially, so Harvey had excluded them from the start.
Malzahar would grant him the power of prophecy and Void magic. In a different world, Harvey might have chosen this, but given the Marvel world was familiar to him, he didn't see an immediate need for Malzahar's power.
Kassadin would provide terrifying spatial magic abilities, but since the Marvel world's Blue Planet was sufficient for now, he might choose this hero later.
Vel'Koz had high intelligence and could analyze and learn everything, which was very powerful. However, as a pure mage without much physical durability, Harvey placed this option lower on his list.
The remaining options were Kha'Zix, the Voidreaver, and Cho'Gath, the Terror of the Void, both of which had evident growth potential and were the safest options for growth.
Harvey ultimately chose Kha'Zix, and it turned out to be the right choice.
Upon choosing, Harvey gained the ability to blend into darkness, making it almost impossible for others to detect his abilities and sharp blades. After 237 evolutions over two years, he mastered Mach 4 flight speed and developed extremely strong physical defenses.
Guns couldn't penetrate his defenses, and while his hearing wasn't as strong as Rek'Sai's, he could easily hear any faint sounds within several kilometers when focused. The powers of poison, fire, ice, and lightning were also not fatal threats to him.
Harvey knew he wasn't invincible yet; after all, the Marvel Universe had many almost illogical heroes, like Doctor Strange and Captain Marvel.
Particularly, Doctor Strange's existence made Harvey wary of attracting his attention, as it would bring significant trouble.
However, Harvey wasn't in a hurry. His current state was just the beginning of his evolution, and he could become even stronger. Since he wasn't strong enough to ignore everything, he didn't act recklessly.
Regarding the second hero template, Harvey was unsure how to activate it. The system had only mentioned it would be available after the first choice, with more options opening up later.
For now, Harvey lived freely, completing mercenary tasks, amassing wealth, and sampling global cuisine. He not only evolved by consuming food but also by absorbing objects with unusual energy, such as metals like iron and steel. He assumed he could absorb and evolve with vibranium, Marvel's special metal.
Because absorbing iron and steel had caused him to feel extreme hunger for a week, Harvey preferred to avoid such substances unless necessary.
He planned to absorb large amounts of vibranium in the future when he unlocked more templates, hoping it wouldn't be too unpleasant.
As he thought about vibranium and compared it to the taste of iron and steel, his hunger eased a bit.
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Harvey continued driving to the restaurant.
As he passed through the streets of Hell's Kitchen, he executed a stylish drift and parked smoothly in front of a luxurious restaurant.
Despite being an Asian, his tall, muscular build, handsome appearance, and expensive suit along with the latest Audi R8 immediately attracted the attention of several young, attractive women.
Harvey was used to this. Though he sometimes selected a woman who met his taste for a night, he didn't immediately think of bed when seeing a woman.
At this moment, a young blonde woman, with a charming smile on her face, approached him. "Mr. Harvey, you're as handsome and charming as ever."
"Miss Diana, you know I'm not interested in such things," Harvey responded with a smile as he saw the beautiful woman with golden hair, blue eyes, and a figure accentuated by her suit.
"I'm sure I know. I just wonder which lucky person might capture your heart."
"Come with me inside."
"I've already informed the chef. They know you're here and are preparing your meal."
Diana smiled slightly, with a hint of flirtation in her eyes as she curtsied politely and said, "Winning your heart is hard to say, but a fleeting attraction isn't impossible."
"Though I wonder, Miss Diana, would you like to be the lucky one and share breakfast with me tomorrow?"
Seeing Diana's impressive figure and her slightly flirtatious words, Harvey didn't back down and responded directly.
Diana's heart stirred at the words, and she looked up at Harvey with some expectation.
Harvey Amberlock had only moved to New York a little over a year ago. He was a young, handsome, and wealthy businessman with a personable and polite demeanor.
Although Harvey Amberlock wasn't as famous as New York's renowned playboy Tony Stark, he was still a man who attracted many beautiful women.
If Harvey Amberlock genuinely intended to, Diana would indeed like to share breakfast with him the next morning.
Since a single night with Harvey could potentially bring her a sum of money surpassing what she'd earn in decades of work, even if they severed ties immediately.
However, Diana noticed that Harvey's eyes were still clear, and she realized it was just a joke.
"Mr. Harvey, you're as playful as ever."
Suppressing her disappointment, Diana responded with a smile and continued to lead Harvey inside.
Harvey nodded slightly in response and didn't say more as he followed her inside.
※※※※※※
After enjoying a feast and filling his stomach, it was already midnight when Harvey drove back home.
Once back, Harvey went straight to the secret training base underground in his estate, which featured a complex terrain.
It also had some rapidly moving targets. With his current strength, there weren't many in the Marvel world who could match him.
Those who could match his abilities were too overpowered, so Harvey had to train daily to adapt to the enhanced abilities from his evolution.
[Your evolution points have reached one million. Please choose the direction of evolution.]
[Passive Intangible Threat Evolution Level 27: When there is only one target within ten meters of you during combat, they will be isolated and helpless. Against enemies in this state, your cutting and piercing abilities will be greatly enhanced.]
[Fear Tasting Evolution Level 32: Instantly deliver sixteen silent stabs. If the enemy is isolated and helpless, the power is greatly increased.]
[Void Pierce Evolution Level 40: Instantly release explosive, toxin-infused stabs around you, returning the target's life energy to accelerate the healing of your injuries. Currently, it covers a 360-degree angle, with a range of one kilometer. If the target is isolated and helpless, the power and life energy absorption effect is increased.]