While Harvey was enjoying himself with his carefree adventures, Tony Stark was deep into his research on nanotechnology.
A few days ago, Agent Coulson from S.H.I.E.L.D. visited Tony. Although Coulson was polite and respectful, Tony didn't budge. He outright told S.H.I.E.L.D. to forget about getting their hands on the cosmic warship or any other alien technology.
There was no way Tony would provide them with the means to reverse-engineer the cosmic warship. If S.H.I.E.L.D. got hold of that kind of tech, it would mean the U.N. Security Council would as well. Even if they couldn't replicate it perfectly, it was only a matter of time before they developed more advanced aircraft and defense systems. Such advancements could disrupt the delicate balance between global powers, potentially igniting another world war.
Tony had grander goals for Earth—he wanted humanity to advance into the interstellar age, not be thrust back to the Stone Age by a devastating conflict.
Sure, he could escape with Harvey's help if a world war erupted, but what would be left of Earth? Even if Harvey could protect him and Pepper, Tony had already extended invitations to people like Reno to visit Earth. If Reno and the others showed up and found Earth in ruins, it would be utterly humiliating.
Thus, no matter how much S.H.I.E.L.D. pleaded, Tony wasn't about to share the advanced technology he had acquired from his cosmic adventures.
When he wasn't spending time with Pepper in the evenings, Tony was immersed in his nanotechnology research. Once he cracked the code on nano-tech, his Iron Man suits would receive a massive upgrade, becoming more versatile and powerful to handle any kind of threat. It would also help him reduce the chances of exposing his true identity in future battles.
Tony was well aware that while he was hard at work, Harvey was living it up on Earth, enjoying the high life. As one of New York's notorious playboys, Tony couldn't help but feel a bit envious of Harvey's free-spirited lifestyle. He would love to follow Harvey's example, but even if Pepper didn't mind, there was no way he could let the world find out he had regained his youth. It was frustrating, to say the least.
If he could, he'd pack up and head to Xandar right now for some carefree fun. But an imminent alien invasion of Earth was keeping him grounded.
Somewhere out there was a threat that planned to invade Earth this year. If it weren't for them, Tony would only need to hang around Earth for two more months before he could convince Pepper to leave for some fun in space.
With that looming invasion on his mind, Tony had tasked J.A.R.V.I.S. with monitoring the skies 24/7. No matter how advanced the aliens' technology was—whether it be warships or battleships—if they tried to invade Earth, they would eventually slip up, and Tony would be ready to strike.
After two years in the Void, Tony had adopted a more low-profile approach to life. His year-long absence from Earth had been cleverly concealed with Pepper's help, but he still occasionally ventured outside.
On this particular day, Tony was flying at a low altitude in his Iron Man suit when J.A.R.V.I.S. issued a warning: someone was trying to attack him.
Tony immediately took to the sky, narrowly avoiding a whip of electricity that cracked through the air where he had just been.
Hovering in the air, Tony saw a disheveled man, wielding an electrified whip. The man's chest was outfitted with a strange device, one that looked suspiciously like an Arc Reactor. With his wild hair and desperate look, the man glared at Tony with rage in his eyes.
"J.A.R.V.I.S., who's this guy?" Tony asked, not retaliating immediately but instead seeking more information.
"Scanning… Identified. Ivan Vanko, son of Soviet traitor Anton Vanko," J.A.R.V.I.S. reported back in under ten seconds, having scoured countless records.
"Traitor? This guy has a personal beef with me?" Tony raised an eyebrow.
"Ivan Vanko's father, Anton, was a Soviet nuclear physicist who once worked with your father, Howard Stark, on developing the miniature Arc Reactor," J.A.R.V.I.S. explained. "That's all I could find on him. Whether or not he's your enemy is for you to decide."
At the same time, J.A.R.V.I.S. projected additional footage of Ivan Vanko's history in front of Tony's eyes.
J.A.R.V.I.S. had eyes everywhere; any system connected to the internet was vulnerable to its surveillance. Nothing escaped its gaze.
"Tony Stark! Come down here!" Ivan shouted from a nearby building, his voice dripping with hatred.
Tony ignored Ivan's demands and instead focused on J.A.R.V.I.S. again. "You recording his attack earlier?"
"Sir, every moment of your actions is always recorded," J.A.R.V.I.S. affirmed.
"Play it back for me," Tony ordered.
Tony watched as the footage confirmed Ivan had indeed aimed for his chest. If that electrified whip had hit, it could have short-circuited the Iron Man suit, causing him to crash into the crowded streets below. Tony himself would've been fine, but civilians would've certainly been hurt or killed.
Now that he had the full picture and had confirmed Ivan's hostile intentions, Tony's expression hardened.
Earlier, Tony had held back because he wasn't sure who this guy was or what his motives were. But now that it was clear Ivan was a threat, there was no need for restraint.
Over the years, Tony had learned a lot from Reno and the other bounty hunters he had gotten to know. One of their guiding principles: if someone attacks you, find out who they are, and if they're truly an enemy, don't hold back—kill them if necessary.
There was an old saying on the battlefield: mercy to your enemy is cruelty to yourself.
Unless your opponent's status was so high that killing them would cause more trouble than it was worth, there was no need to hesitate.
As for Ivan Vanko? He didn't have any high-level backing.
However, a fight in the heart of New York could cause considerable damage. Tony decided to avoid that. His suit's thrusters roared to life as he shot forward, grabbing Ivan by the collar and taking him high into the sky, away from the city.
"What are you doing, Stark?!" Ivan shouted as they ascended into the freezing heights.
"You tried to kill me. I'm just returning the favor," Tony replied coldly, bringing them higher and higher into the atmosphere. The cold began to bite into Ivan's skin, and ice started to form around him.