Chapter Forty-Three: I Want You to Promise Me

Soon, two whole-cow banquets were delivered to the gate. The payment had already been transferred, so the delivery workers left quickly after dropping off the food. Tony and Harvey each pushed their own enormous table of dishes inside.

As soon as Tony entered, he immediately closed the main gate. Though he was mentally prepared to be seen as an oddity by others, since he had only just joined the Void, it was best to remain hidden for as long as possible.

Without paying further attention to Harvey Ambaraka, Tony Stark began to devour the feast, grabbing the meat with his hands and eating heartily. The meat from a whole cow was more than enough for many people, yet under Tony Stark’s astonishing appetite, it disappeared at a rate visible to the naked eye.

Life energy continuously surged, energizing and strengthening Tony Stark’s cells. Having only just joined the Void, his body was still weak, so every bit of energy brought noticeable improvement.

In just fifteen minutes, Tony Stark finished off the entire cow. After he was done, he could feel the growing strength within his body, and an overwhelming sense of contentment.

However, due to his ravenous eating, Tony’s mouth was smeared with oil and sauce. As he prepared to wash his face, he happened to notice Harvey Ambaraka a few meters away, dining elegantly and nearly finished as well. Most notably, neither his face nor his clothes bore a single stain of grease.

“You’re not eating with your hands like I am, so how are you eating just as quickly?” Tony, comparing himself, looked at Harvey Ambaraka with a slightly puzzled gaze.

“Habit becomes second nature,” Harvey replied with a smile after swallowing his mouthful.

“Looks like I need to learn from you,” Tony said, glancing at his own state before heading to the restroom. Table manners had never been something he cared about; as the host, so long as he wasn’t utterly unpresentable, no one would say anything. Even in front of women, he would often be praised for his sincerity or his healthy appetite.

But thinking back, compared to Harvey Ambaraka’s impeccable elegance, Tony’s own actions could only be described as crude. Once more companions joined him in the Void, he would surely host a feast for the newcomers. He could already imagine the amusing scene of himself wolfing down food in stark contrast to others’ refinement.

To avoid becoming the butt of jokes, he’d have to pay more attention in the future. Harvey, unconcerned, simply continued his meal.

After Tony Stark washed his face in the restroom, he saw that his appearance hadn’t changed much. If there was a change, it was that his vision had improved; he could see that his brown hair was glossier than yesterday, showing signs of regaining its youthful vigor.

Compared to the subtle enhancements Harvey Ambaraka had given him during his earlier treatment, these changes were minor. Tony Stark found it hard to imagine just how powerful Harvey Ambaraka had become.

Yet, considering the nature of the Void, Harvey’s strength was inevitable. Tony had a long road ahead, and above all, he could not allow himself to be consumed by desire.

He patted his face, and after returning from the restroom, more food began to arrive. Hundreds of portions were brought in and, within a short hour, both Tony and Harvey Ambaraka polished off everything.

“My appetite has never been this good,” Tony Stark sighed contentedly, rubbing his belly and lying flat on the ground without a care.

“I should be going now. As for Pepper, discuss things with her. If she’s willing, I can give her a chance,” Harvey said, rising contentedly after the feast Tony had hosted.

“Alright. After Obadiah Stane’s betrayal, only Pepper and Jarvis are left for me to trust. Possessing great power and a long life is a blessing, but immortality alone would be unbearably lonely. That’s why I hope Pepper can accompany me for many more years. No matter what, I’ll convince her. Harvey Ambaraka, though I’ve said it before, I want to say it again—thank you for giving me this opportunity, and for giving Pepper a chance as well,” Tony Stark replied, standing up with a grateful expression.

“I understand. Do your best,” Harvey replied, his eyes flickering momentarily before he nodded and turned to leave. This visit to Stark Manor not only filled his stomach but also brought him greater gains than he had expected. Once home, he would give serious thought to which hero template would suit him best.

After Harvey Ambaraka left—

“Jarvis, scan my current physical condition and compare it to yesterday,” Tony Stark said in the underground lab, gazing at his reflection in the mirror.

“Sir, your current features are equivalent to your twenty-eight-year-old self. There are no ailments anywhere in your body. Additionally, your cells have been greatly enhanced and continue to strengthen at a slow pace,” Jarvis reported promptly after scanning.

“Where is Pepper now?” Tony Stark asked, a smile spreading across his face at the good news.

“Miss Pepper is resting in her room, playing games on her tablet. She mentioned that today is a rare day off, so I have blocked out all external noise for her. She has not been disturbed,” Jarvis replied.

“Smart. Now, please wake her and ask her to come to the underground lab. Tell her I have something important to discuss,” Tony Stark instructed, first praising Jarvis.

“Understood. Your message has been delivered,” Jarvis confirmed, relaying the request to Pepper.

Upon hearing Jarvis’s words, Pepper left her room and headed downstairs.

“Tony?” Pepper called as she descended, first seeing Tony’s silhouette. She noticed at once how tall and spirited his stance was—a sense of vitality radiating from him.

“Pepper, I have something to tell you,” Tony said, turning to her with utmost seriousness. “But first, I need you to swear to keep this secret—never to reveal it to anyone.”

“Oh my god!” Pepper exclaimed in disbelief the moment she saw Tony’s face—he now looked like a man in his twenties.