I want to thank Lotus04 and Solgalao for being my first two followers and I hope for them to continue following my stories. I love and appreciate you both. So for them I will drop 4 more chapters instead of one today. Now back to the story.
The dust was still settling around them, and the air was thick with the remnants of battle. Daniel Park stood amid the wreckage of what had been a fierce clash between two forces: the Hulk, the embodiment of pure rage and power, and Daniel, a man whose body and mind had evolved to the point where he could stand toe-to-toe with titans. Tony Stark, still reeling from the unexpected turn of events, gave Daniel a long, measured look.
The Hulk was gone, retreating into the distance with the force of a thousand storms. Tony had seen the green behemoth fight before, but never had he been so unsettled by the outcome. The Hulk had been tamed, if only for a moment, by someone who was barely more than a mystery to him.
"So, you're telling me," Tony said, his voice heavy with disbelief as he approached Daniel, "that you're not from around here, but you can handle the Hulk like he's a punching bag?"
Daniel shrugged casually, his hands in his pockets. He hadn't broken a sweat. "I wouldn't call it 'handling' him. Just... redirecting his focus for a bit."
"Redirecting?" Tony scoffed. "Buddy, you took him down without even breaking a sweat. If I didn't know better, I'd think you just stepped out of a comic book."
Daniel didn't answer right away. His thoughts were focused elsewhere. The battle had triggered something in him—an instinctual drive to evolve, to adapt, to become better. It wasn't just about surviving anymore; it was about understanding his limits, then shattering them. The Infinite Evolution was a gift, but it was also a curse. There was no real end point. No finish line. He could always push farther, always find a way to evolve to meet any threat.
But as Tony continued to examine him, Daniel knew there was something else that had brought him here—something far bigger than the fights. Bigger than even the Hulk.
Tony seemed to sense it too. He crossed his arms, squinting at Daniel, trying to read the young man's expression. There was an air of mystery about him, like a puzzle that was missing a few crucial pieces. But Tony Stark had never been one to shy away from puzzles.
"Alright, kid," Tony said finally, a half-grin tugging at his lips. "I have a ton of questions, but you're right about one thing—this place is about to get overrun with cops, and I don't think either of us want that kind of attention. Let's get out of here, and maybe you can tell me who you are and what you're doing here."
Daniel nodded. His mind was already calculating his next steps, weighing the options that lay ahead. "Lead the way."
The two of them walked toward the edge of the battleground, Tony's armored form flickering as he accessed his tech and began gathering data on the situation. The chaos of the fight had been brief, but the consequences would ripple through the city. The Avengers, S.H.I.E.L.D., and every other power player in the world would likely get wind of the battle soon enough. They wouldn't just be dealing with a Hulk rampage—they'd have to account for a mysterious new player who had just done the impossible.
"So," Tony said, glancing sideways at Daniel as they moved through an alleyway, "you've got the skills to put Hulk down for a few minutes, but you're still dodging the big questions. What exactly is your game plan here?"
Daniel's footsteps echoed in the alley, his pace measured, but his mind was elsewhere. Game plan? He'd never had one of those in the traditional sense. In his past life, survival had been the only plan that mattered. But this… this was different. Daniel felt as though the entire world was an arena, and every challenge was just another step toward realizing his true potential.
"I told you before," Daniel said, his voice quieter now. "I'm not here for the fights. I'm here to evolve this world."
Tony chuckled darkly. "Yeah, sure, 'evolve the world.' That sounds like something you could have told me before you went and took down the Hulk like it was a Tuesday workout."
Daniel stopped walking and looked at Tony. His gaze was intense, focused, but calm. It was the kind of look that only came from someone who had seen the worst and lived to tell about it.
"I'm serious," Daniel continued. "This world... it needs someone who can adapt to the chaos. Who can learn how to survive even the most impossible odds, and force those around him to do the same."
Tony blinked, taken aback. For a moment, he saw something in Daniel's eyes—something that made him feel uneasy. It wasn't arrogance or naivety. It was a quiet certainty, like Daniel knew exactly what was coming, even if no one else did.
"I'm not saying I'm the hero this world needs," Daniel said slowly. "But I can be the catalyst. If people want to survive what's coming, they'll need to evolve. And I can teach them how."
Tony raised an eyebrow. "You sound like a motivational speaker for the apocalypse. But hey, I get it. The world's already a mess, and the last few years have shown us that even the strongest need help. I just didn't think I'd be hearing it from some kid who's taken down the Hulk in five minutes."
Daniel's lips twitched, a faint smile. "That's because I'm not just a kid. I'm someone who understands that survival isn't just about strength. It's about adapting to what's thrown at you—whether that's the Hulk, aliens, or something worse."
Tony nodded slowly, taking in Daniel's words. As strange as it was, something in him seemed to resonate with the idea of adapting. Tony had built his entire career on adapting, constantly evolving his tech and his understanding of the world. But Daniel was talking about something deeper—something that felt primal, almost evolutionary.
Tony clapped him on the shoulder, a rueful smile tugging at his lips. "Alright, kid. I'll bite. I think you've got more than enough potential to make some serious waves in this world. But you're gonna need allies. People who can back you up when things get real ugly."
Daniel met Tony's gaze. "I'm not interested in allies, not yet. I'll take care of myself first, and if others want to follow... then they'll have to catch up."
Tony raised an eyebrow but didn't press the issue. "Fair enough. Just don't expect me to babysit you when the first supervillain tries to take you out."
"Don't worry," Daniel said with a quiet confidence, his body already shifting into a more relaxed stance. "I've got it covered."
As they continued their walk through the alley, a sudden realization hit Tony. This kid—this stranger—wasn't just a new player in a world of gods and monsters. He was something different. Something that couldn't easily be categorized. Tony had seen genius, power, and even madness in his life, but Daniel Park? He was something entirely new.
And Tony Stark had a feeling that the world would soon know his name.
"Just one last question," Tony said, glancing over at Daniel. "How do you plan to evolve the world? What's your next step?"
Daniel's smile faded, and for a moment, his gaze grew distant. "One fight at a time," he replied softly. "One evolution at a time."
And with that, they vanished into the streets of New York, the weight of an uncertain future hanging over them.
To be continued...