章 21: Chapter 21: Tony Stark (Part 1)
"Everything in this world seems to point to the Infinity Stones," Daniel mused, staring at the red Pym Particle in his hand. Observing Hank Pym creating the Pym Particle, Daniel learned that its origin lay in Hank's research on the Space Stone.
Just as Howard Stark discovered a new isotope through his research on the Space Stone, Hank Pym stumbled upon the Pym Particle. Howard couldn't create the isotope due to technological limitations of his time, but Tony Stark, as Iron Man, eventually managed to synthesize it.
Daniel realized that Hank Pym wasn't some unrivaled genius who miraculously created the Pym Particle. The ability of the Pym Particle to alter size perfectly mirrored the powers associated with space manipulation.
"In 'Avengers: Endgame,' Pym Particles could be used to travel through time. Does that mean the Quantum Realm is a time domain? That's why the Wasp could survive there for over thirty years without food or water; time doesn't exist there. A moment is eternal. Poor Jane Foster," he thought.
Daniel couldn't help but feel sympathy for Jane Foster, Thor's ex-girlfriend, who was infected by the Reality Stone but gained no powers from it. If she had harnessed the power of the Reality Stone, perhaps she and Thor wouldn't have separated.
For a mortal like Jane, being with Thor was incredibly difficult. Their differences were too vast, especially in terms of lifespan. Thor, as an Asgardian, lived for tens of thousands of years, while Jane, even with the best of human technology and Thor's attempts to prolong her life, wouldn't last more than a thousand years.
As a Kamar-Taj sorcerer, Daniel had deep insights into longevity. The key factors were the body and the soul, which complemented each other, but the soul was the more crucial element.
For example, someone with a damaged body could still live, albeit as a disabled person, whereas a damaged soul could result in a vegetative state at best.
Many people with incurable diseases sought healing at Kamar-Taj because it had methods to enhance the soul and use it to heal the body.
Longevity was almost a given for Kamar-Taj sorcerers; the stronger the soul, the longer the lifespan.
Human lifespans were short because their bodies decayed over time. If their bodies could remain youthful, their lifespans would naturally extend.
"Locating positions in the Quantum Realm—could it be possible in the dimensional realm too?" Daniel pondered. The Quantum Realm could traverse time, and the dimensional realm could traverse space.
If he could pinpoint locations in the dimensional realm, it would mean he could travel freely to other worlds.
The first lesson at Kamar-Taj was that our world is just one of countless universes. If a student couldn't grasp this concept, they couldn't learn Kamar-Taj's magic.
Given the existence of infinite universes, other sorcerers were undoubtedly interested in other worlds. But the vast number of dimensions made such travel incredibly difficult.
Dimensional monsters were one challenge, but the primary issue was the sheer number of dimensions. Many of these dimensions were devoid of life or anything significant, making it easy to get lost—much like the Wasp did in the Quantum Realm.
While at Kamar-Taj, Daniel had asked Wong about this. Wong advised against venturing into dimensional space without absolute certainty, as it was essentially suicidal.
Currently, only the Ancient One could navigate dimensions freely. Not even Kaecilius, before his descent into darkness, could do so.
Kaecilius initially didn't discover the Ancient One's absorption of dark energy. His discontent stemmed from the Ancient One's apparent favoritism. Only the Ancient One could traverse dimensions freely, while the other sorcerers couldn't, no matter how long they trained.
In such circumstances, it was natural to suspect the master of holding back. Kaecilius later told Doctor Strange that the Ancient One wouldn't teach him true magic because of this belief. He thought the Ancient One's dimensional travel was due to a unique spell.
Kaecilius sought dimensional travel magic to find a way to resurrect his wife. Just because this world lacked resurrection methods didn't mean others did.
At that point, Kaecilius hadn't succumbed to Dormammu's power. But his relentless study of time-related spells eventually shifted his goal from resurrecting his wife to letting Earth be consumed by Dormammu.
To Kaecilius, the greatest enemy was time itself. Everyone—kings, gods, and demons—was ultimately defeated by time.
Look at Odin of Asgard: a name that resonated across nine realms, feared throughout the universe, yet he succumbed to time, leading Asgard into Ragnarok.
Dormammu was a timeless entity. Kaecilius believed that if Earth were consumed by Dormammu, humanity would transcend time and achieve eternity.
While the ideal was noble, the method was flawed.
Traveling to other worlds held immense allure for Daniel, especially if it became achievable. As a famous saying goes, "The world is so big, I want to see it."
This phrase was merely an aspiration in his previous life due to financial constraints. Now, such restrictions no longer bound him.
Of course, this was a future plan. Visiting other worlds wasn't just about sightseeing; it was a contingency plan against Thanos' snap. He doubted the snap's effects extended to other worlds.
But for now, Daniel needed to focus on studying and starting his own company to earn money.
In this world, the most lucrative businesses were undoubtedly arms dealing, pharmaceuticals, and technology.
With his Ope Ope no Mi powers, the arms business was viable, but it required extensive connections. It was too challenging for an outsider to break into this field.
Daniel could approach Tony Stark or Justin Hammer for a partnership, but he abandoned the idea. Arms dealing was problematic; even Tony eventually gave it up.
If he wouldn't deal in arms, he definitely wouldn't touch the drug trade. His powers could easily create the best drugs, potentially making him a drug lord, but it was too morally corrupt.
Thus, only pharmaceuticals and technology remained.
Given his current studies and powers, pharmaceuticals seemed the best choice. Despite the pharmaceutical market's setbacks due to Umbrella Corporation's actions, it remained highly profitable. People always needed medicine.
However, entering the pharmaceutical market directly was impossible. Developing drugs, testing, and bringing them to market took too long. Plus, the industry's competition and internal politics made it even harder.
Unless he gave up significant shares of his company, speeding up the process was unlikely. But Daniel wouldn't do that. In the capitalist world, shares were everything. Giving up too much could mean losing control of his company.
Look at Hank Pym's Pym Technologies and Norman Osborn's Oscorp. Both founders were ousted from their companies.
Daniel didn't want that. He aimed to be like Tony Stark, who, despite having a board of directors, held absolute control over Stark Industries. This was why Tony could cease arms production at will. Other arms companies couldn't do the same.
So, Daniel's business wasn't exactly pharmaceuticals but a women's health supplement. Hollywood was filled with actresses, and rich socialites abounded. This product had immense potential.
To launch it successfully, he needed a high-profile spokesperson. Pepper Potts, Tony's secretary, was the perfect candidate. If she showed interest, meeting Tony would be easy.
"Can't seem to avoid Iron Man, can I?" Daniel mused.
He could have approached a Hollywood star, but that could lead to complications. Dealing with Tony would be simpler. Tony's pride ensured he wouldn't covet the supplement's profits, unlike others.
While Daniel had the power to handle any threats, avoiding trouble was preferable.
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