"Welcome, everyone."
"This is Tony Stark, the inventor of the miniaturized gravity device," Sonya said, ignoring the surrounding crowd as she introduced the group of over thirty people who had gathered.
"He seems a bit young, doesn't he?" remarked one of the blue-skinned visitors, surprised by Tony Stark's appearance.
"While I appreciate the compliment, I'm actually over forty," Tony replied with a smile. "I know everyone's busy, so let's cut to the chase. I'll assemble my gravity device for you and we can run some tests. If the results aren't satisfactory, I can remove it without any issues."
"That sounds good to us," one of the representatives responded. They were here to assess the performance of the prototype, so testing it directly made the most sense.
Tony nodded. "Alright, give me just a moment. Suit up!"
With that, Tony called out, and the crowd's eyes widened in awe.
Pieces of his armor began flying toward him from a distance, breaking the sound barrier with sonic booms as they approached over two Mach. The sky roared with the impact of their speed, but just as quickly, the parts decelerated and assembled onto Tony's body in perfect synchrony.
Within seconds, Tony was clad in his iconic red and gold armor, radiating a sleek, futuristic aesthetic that left everyone stunned.
"That looks a bit like something out of the Nova Corps," one observer noted.
"It's similar, but not the same," another chimed in. "The Nova Corps wear combat suits. This... this is full-on battle armor."
"Impressive, but how's the performance?" someone asked skeptically.
The representatives were intrigued. Nova Corps' combat suits were legendary across the galaxy—each star rank gave its wearer greater strength, agility, and defense. But getting accepted into the Nova Corps was notoriously difficult, especially for non-human species.
Now, seeing Tony Stark's advanced armor, capable of breaking the sound barrier with ease, they began to realize that this wasn't just another run-of-the-mill invention.
Tony, noting their interest, smirked behind his visor. This was exactly the reaction he wanted.
"J.A.R.V.I.S., scan these spacecraft and determine the optimal locations for installing the gravity devices," Tony ordered.
"Yes, sir," J.A.R.V.I.S. responded as a red beam of light shot from Tony's helmet, scanning the fleet of ships before them.
And then, the real show began.
In a breathtaking display of agility and precision, Tony flew from one spacecraft to the next, effortlessly installing the gravity devices. The crowd watched in disbelief as he hacked into the ships' systems, opening access to their interiors and installing the devices as if it were second nature.
His movements were fluid, each action as precise as the last. The speed of his armor—now reaching over three Mach—was nothing short of jaw-dropping.
The representatives, hailing from various top-tier companies, exchanged glances. The look in their eyes had shifted from curiosity to something far more intense—greed. This kind of technology could revolutionize military combat across the galaxy. If they could equip their armies with these suits, they would hold an insurmountable advantage over their competitors.
The members of the Void Cult, who had been quietly watching from the sidelines, were equally impressed.
"Reno, do you think you could keep up with him?" Kael asked, staring up at Tony's airborne figure.
"I couldn't before, but now I can," Reno responded calmly, leaning against a tree. He had been tracking Tony's flight pattern and speed meticulously. "Even so, taking him down with a well-placed sniper shot wouldn't be too hard. But I've got to admit, his technological genius is something else."
Precursor, who had been observing quietly, nodded in agreement. "Yeah, the suit's performance is extraordinary. Even with our advanced abilities, Tony's engineering is on a whole different level."
The Void Cult members had all undergone physical enhancements since joining, their powers now far exceeding those of ordinary beings. Precursor's ability to predict future events had only grown stronger, making him a deadly opponent when combined with advanced weaponry.
But none of them could deny the sheer brilliance of Tony's invention. If mass-produced, these suits could generate untold wealth.
However, it was clear Tony had no plans to do that. If he did, he wouldn't be focusing on gravity devices to make money.
"Imagine if the Void Cult was equipped with these suits," Kael mused, his eyes gleaming as he followed Tony's movements. "We'd be unstoppable."
Precursor chuckled. "We'll evolve to that level soon enough. Once we can fly naturally, these suits won't be necessary. For now, they're Tony's most valuable asset. He won't share them until he's powerful enough to not need them anymore."
He was right. Since joining the Void, Precursor had witnessed deities capable of bending entire galaxies to their will. He knew that with time, he too would evolve to that point.
"We could still benefit from the firepower these suits provide," Lacey, who had been silently observing, finally spoke up. "Tony may not share the suits, but the fact is, technology like this has the potential to tip the balance of power. The richer you are, the more devastating your arsenal becomes. And Tony? He's just getting started."
Her words resonated with the group. Advanced civilizations might not always need superior strength to win battles. Sometimes, overwhelming firepower could be enough to wipe out entire planets.
That was the beauty—and the danger—of technology.