《Marvel: Elysium》 The Beginning Your text had minimal grammatical errors, so I focused on improving flow and readability while keeping the word count and tone intact. Here¡¯s the refined version:
Welcome to the Reincarnation Station. Please state your name, a robotic voice said to a white blob. "James Richards," the blob replied as it was scanned. Scanning¡­ Sorry, sir. You were not found in the system. Contacting Administrator, the robotic voice stated. "Huh?" James asked, confused. Transferring to Administrator''s sector. Next. Before James could respond, he vanished. When he reappeared, he found himself standing in front of a massive desk. Behind it sat a towering being resembling a white version of Alien X, with countless black galaxies¡ªor were they black holes?¡ªswirling within its form. "Where is this?" James asked, glancing around in confusion. He turned to face the being, but after everything he''d experienced in the last hour or so, he felt no surprise at all. "Huh?... I never thought a mortal could look at me without fear or shock," the being said in a surprisingly gentle, elderly voice. "Well, it''d be weird if I were surprised. I mean, just a while ago, I watched a giant hand holding a pen stab me to death," James replied, his tone unnervingly calm. "Ah¡­ About that. I apologize," the being admitted sheepishly. "You see, I had this idea to modernize reincarnation since using the Book of Life and Death is getting a little... outdated. But in the process, I may or may not have erased you from it. Hence, your death." "No worries. It''s not like I can do anything about it. And judging by my presence here, I assume you can''t do anything about it either, right?" James asked, already accepting his situation. "Not exactly. I can bring you back to life in an instant, but that would break the rules and disrupt the balance of your universe," the being explained. "I understand. So, what happens now?" James asked. "As compensation, I¡¯ll reincarnate you into a universe that will accept your presence. And no, you don¡¯t get any abilities," the being added, as if reading James'' mind. "Why not? You literally just killed me." "I did, but I¡¯m also granting you a new life. That should even things out, right?" "Oh, hell no. A new life means I have to deal with being born again¡ªchildhood, people, responsibilities¡­ And who''s to say I¡¯ll even be reborn as a human?" "I can guarantee you¡¯ll be human. But since I doubt this conversation will end anytime soon..." Sigh. "I¡¯ll grant you one compensation. Think of it as a wish¡ªbut be wise and extremely specific," the being said, looking at James as if it wanted nothing more than to strangle him. "One wish, huh?" "Yes, just one. Make it count." James immediately started sifting through the countless ideas he¡¯d come up with for situations like this. As someone who enjoyed comics, light novels, and fanfiction, having a few wish scenarios ready wasn¡¯t unusual. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. But this time was different. Now, he actually had the means to make one real. After careful thought, he grinned. "I¡¯ve got it. I want my own resource dimension¡ªa space pocket containing an infinite supply of resources like gold, iron, seeds, and so on. Whenever I reach in to grab a material, I get a detailed explanation of what it is and what it can do," James said in one breath, his excitement evident. "Hmmm¡­ A smart choice. But isn¡¯t that a foolish wish? What if you¡¯re reborn on a dangerous or underdeveloped planet where you can¡¯t even process some of those resources?" the Administrator asked. "Then I¡¯ll deal with it when the time comes. I could wish for superpowers, but that would only be useful depending on the universe I end up in. Imagine I wish to be Superman but get reborn in a world just like my old one. I''d have to watch my family and friends die while I stay immortal," James explained. Wishing for superpowers was a gamble¡ªespecially if he landed in a universe where physics worked just like his old one. Super speed? Useless without protection from friction. Super strength? Unless he became a firefighter, what practical use did that have? And even then, it didn¡¯t guarantee durability. Enhanced intellect? Nice in theory, but without equally creative minds around him, he''d just be lonely. But a resource dimension? That guaranteed infinite wealth¡ªsomething that could actually be used to achieve anything. "I can¡¯t argue with that logic," the Administrator admitted. "But wishing for genetic perfection was also an option. You could be the pinnacle of your race." "Yeah¡­ No thanks. Being the best of my race also means it¡¯d be my duty to advance them further than ever before." "Though, that¡¯s assuming I¡¯m reborn in a normal universe. If I end up in DC or The Invincible Universe, my race matters a lot more. And since you already said I¡¯ll be human, I¡¯m not interested. I can achieve genetic perfection if necessary." "You really have everything thought out." "I try. And besides, a resource dimension guarantees infinite wealth, which means I can buy or build whatever I need." "Hmm¡­ Even though I already know how your journey ends, I¡¯d like to see how you get there," the Administrator mused. "Very well. Your wish shall be granted. But don¡¯t forget to visit when you become strong enough¡ªI may have a position for you." "Sure. Until then," James said with a wide grin as he faded out of existence. "Infinite resources, huh? Haven¡¯t heard that one before," the Administrator muttered, chuckling as he returned to his work.
Unknown Universe, Milky Way Galaxy, Planet Earth. Unknown location. Several groups of people entered a small house, their hands full of gifts and their faces alight with smiles. The house itself was nothing remarkable, but at that moment, the atmosphere was filled with warmth, laughter, and joy. In a small, crowded room, guests gathered around a crib at the center. James had been born just a few days ago. He had no idea where he was or which family he¡¯d been born into, but he did know one thing¡ªhis new family was big. At least, that¡¯s what he gathered from the sheer number of faces he¡¯d seen. Some people were there to see him. Others were clearly just there for refreshments¡ªhe doubted they all came just for him. The beer bottles in some of their hands told him as much. "Oh, come here! Who¡¯s a big boy?" an elderly man cooed, carefully lifting James from his crib. "Look at his eyes¡ªhe¡¯s got his father¡¯s eyes," the man said fondly. "Please don¡¯t mention that idiot¡¯s name here," an elderly woman snapped from somewhere nearby. Hearing her voice, James instinctively turned his tiny head, weakly wriggling in the old man''s arms to see her. "You can¡¯t deny it. The man was a fool, but his kid does have his eyes," the man chuckled. "Oh, look at my big boy." He hugged James tightly, pressing his face against him. James had no idea what was going on, but from what he was hearing, his father was probably a douchebag, and these two were likely his grandparents. His eyesight was too blurry to make out their faces, but he could tell when someone was older. For example, he could definitely make out the shape of a beer bottle in someone''s hand nearby. "Put the baby down. He needs rest. Go check on your daughter¡ªshe¡¯s been asleep ever since she got back from the hospital," his grandmother said. James felt himself being handed off. The moment he entered this person¡¯s arms, he felt an overwhelming sense of security. Like an army stood ready to protect him. It felt weird, but even an idiot like him could tell¡ªthis was a direct family member. Not an aunt or cousin. No, this was either his mother or grandmother. The wrinkles he could faintly feel against his skin confirmed it¡ªit was definitely Grandma. And from the way he immediately melted into her embrace, he could tell just how experienced she was. Mental note: always stay with Grandma. It helps with¡­ Yawn. James snuggled closer. And just like that, everything went black. Five Years later 5 Years Later, Smith Household. A little over five years had passed since James was reborn, and in simple terms, everything was going well for him. James had been reborn into the Smith family¡ªnot too rich, not too poor, though definitely below middle class. Despite their modest means, they ensured he never lacked anything. Of course, James never caused them much worry either. After all, he had a reincarnator''s reputation to uphold. The family was currently led by Grandma Lucy, following an unspoken tradition: the eldest takes charge. Grandpa had led before, though his decisions weren''t absolute. Still, they carried weight because everyone knew he always had the family''s best interests at heart. He had passed away a few months ago, leaving Grandma to take over. James still wasn''t entirely sure who his direct relatives were, given how large the family was. The immediate household consisted of him, his mother¡ªAnna Smith¡ªhis grandmother¡ªLucy Smith¡ªand his two aunts, Mary and Michelle Smith. As for the others, they were either distant relatives or something along those lines. Most had jobs and contributed financially, ensuring the family never lived in luxury but never lacked essentials. James had also figured out where he was. It wasn''t difficult once he started paying attention to the radio and TV news. It had been a challenge¡ªmost kids his age would fall asleep during the news¡ªbut he had managed. A year ago, a man named Anthony Stark took over his father''s company, Stark Industries. That was all James needed to confirm he was in the Marvel Multiverse. Which specific universe, however, was still a mystery. He was an MCU fan, but things weren''t aligning with the MCU''s storyline. In this world, Stark''s parents had died in a plane crash. There were also companies and countries present that existed only in the comics. For example, Rand Industries was real, and a country called Latveria existed. With that, James concluded he was in a comic-based Marvel universe. The problem? Marvel Comics had an absurdly vast multiverse¡ªEarth-616, Earth-1610, and many others. James had no real idea which one he was in. He had been a casual MCU fan and a passive comic reader, never deeply invested. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. But now? Now, he had to recall every tiny detail that could help him survive in this chaotic universe. Purple titans wiping out life to impress their girlfriends. Gods treating mortals like toys. Cosmic beings devouring planets¡ªor realities¡ªon a whim. James didn''t care how, but he would survive. And maybe¡­ just maybe¡­ he''d protect this new family that was growing on him. "James, are you in there?" an elderly voice called from behind his door. "Yes, Grandma. The door is open," James replied, hurriedly tidying his room. "Hmmm¡­ My grandson has really grown. If I hadn''t watched you grow up, I wouldn''t believe it," Grandma said as she suddenly hugged him out of nowhere. "Of course, I''ll grow up! I''ll definitely grow up to be rich and powerful!" James responded with childish innocence¡ªthough his eyes told a different story. Grandma saw the determination burning in them. "That''s good, then. You''ll have to carry me and give me piggyback rides, eh?" she joked, pinching his cheeks. James laughed. He was closer to his grandma than anyone else in the family. "That reminds me¡ªyour mom said you needed help with your assignment?" Grandma asked. "Here," James said, passing his book to her. "Hmm¡­ Don''t you think it''s a bit early to be asking this kind of question?" she mused. "Anyway, James, what do you want to be when you grow up?" "Eh? I don''t know. I wanna be like Tony Stark, but Grandpa said he''s a fool. Still, I don''t care¡ªI wanna be so rich that Mom won''t have to work anymore!" James replied innocently. Of course, in reality, being a rich bastard like Tony Stark would only be the beginning of his reign. "That''s good. But do you know why Grandpa said Tony Stark is a fool?" "Because he is a fool?" James grinned cheekily, teasing her. "No, dear. A friend of mine once told me, ''With great power comes great responsibility.'' Tony Stark has power, but he doesn''t handle the responsibility that comes with it. "He creates problems for everyone in his company, and he''s disrespectful. I don''t want you to be like Tony Stark¡ªI want you to be better," Grandma said, rubbing his head. ''Oh wow, no pressure. Just lay it all on the child,'' James thought sarcastically. ''Wait¡­ a friend? Did she just say she knew the Parkers?'' "Okay, Grandma! I''ll definitely be better than Tony Stark!" "That''s good. Now write ''CEO'' here. You want to be the CEO of a big company, right?" she said, pointing to the spot in his book. James could do all this himself¡ªhe was a grown man in a child''s body¡ªbut the school clearly wanted him to consult his parents. And, well¡­ who doesn''t love bothering others? As for being a CEO of some massive corporation? That was too small for him. He didn''t just want a company¡ªhe wanted one the world couldn''t live without. He wanted to rule the world. But at the moment, he was just a normal five-year-old¡ªalbeit one with infinite resources. For now, James was still combing through his memories, trying to figure out the best way to become powerful using the Resource Dimension. He had many options to gain godlike power, but there was a catch¡ªhe had no idea if they would all work. During his wish, he had carefully worded his request. The Being probably noticed his trickery but chose to ignore it. James had wished for the dimension to contain infinite amounts of every resource the Being knew. His knowledge of "resources" was limited¡ªbut that Being? It was omniscient. Or at least, close enough. Even if it wasn''t, it still knew far more than James. As a result, the Resource Dimension contained insane materials, some of which James had absolutely no idea about. Fortunately, he had asked to be informed about everything he extracted. He had access to materials from every fictional and non-fictional universe in existence. Just a few hours ago, he had been playing with a small piece of green kryptonite. It was tiny¡ªjust enough to fit in his palm¡ªbut it was real. He had brought kryptonite from the DC Universe into Marvel. Which meant he could bring a lot more. Vibranium? Not a problem. Adamantium? Not a problem. Food, both alien and Earth-like? Not an issue. The real problem was whether miracle metals from other universes would work as intended here. 4 Years Later ¨C 11:00 PM, Smith Residence James lay on his bed, flashlight in hand, arranging pillows to muffle any noise. Next, he gagged himself with a clean cloth. Then, he flailed his limbs rapidly¡ªtesting his soundproofing. Thankfully, it worked. "Please, God, One Above All, The Presence, Yahweh, Allah¡ªwhichever name you prefer¡ªplease let me survive this without too much change," James whispered, staring at the ceiling. He was about to attempt the impossible. With a literal dimension filled with magical and unknown resources, he had become more radical in his search for a survival plan. His first idea had been to import overpowered materials from other universes. Two stood out. Element X from DC. And Dilustel metal¡ªthe stuff that made Captain Atom. Either one could instantly make him a god. Element X allowed reality manipulation on a multiversal scale. Dilustel? It let users manipulate everything on a quantum level. At that point, scale became irrelevant. Ideas and Paranoia James had stumbled upon two materials that could, quite literally, turn him into a god. With their power, he could do as he pleased without consequence. However, he wasn''t reckless. He knew about the existence of the Living Tribunal, the cosmic overseer of the multiverse. If James wielded something too far outside this universe''s natural laws, The Man might intervene¡ªerasing him from existence or something equally catastrophic. With that in mind, James searched for an alternative. He needed something native to the Marvel universe¡ªsomething powerful but not multiverse-breaking. His search led him to two extraordinary materials. The first was Primagen, a potent evolutionary agent used by the Progenitors to create the Kree. The Kree, in turn, had attempted to recreate it, leading to the development of the Terragen crystals. According to the knowledge James had acquired, Primagen was a fragment of creation itself¡ªthough that was likely an exaggeration. The Progenitors were known for spreading life across planets, whereas the Celestials only sought to perfect it. Contrary to popular belief, the Celestials didn''t seed life throughout the cosmos. Instead, they experimented, repeatedly creating versions of Eternals and Deviants across different species. Essentially, the Progenitors created the raw material, and the Celestials refined it into their twisted idea of perfection. If James consumed Primagen, he theorized that his physical abilities would elevate to at least Kree levels¡ªeffectively making him a super soldier. The second material was Dreamstone, a rare crystal found in Svartalfheim, the realm of the Dark Elves. This peculiar artifact could manifest the desires of its user¡ªessentially a miniaturized Reality Stone. James hadn''t even known about it until he searched for the rarest materials in the Marvel universe. The Dreamstone''s ability to bring desires to life was immensely powerful, yet it remained scarce. That explained why Malekith had never used it to conquer the universe. But scarcity wasn''t a concern for James. He now had these materials in absolute abundance. The Primagen crystal was particularly strange¡ªit wasn''t a traditional mineral. It grew on a tree, requiring peeling before it could be used. Only the Progenitors could produce it, making it one of the rarest substances in existence. Despite their godlike abilities, the Progenitors were extreme introverts. They rarely interfered with the universe unless something piqued their interest. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. James picked up a Primagen fruit from his bedside, peeled it, and examined the crystal within. It was paradoxical¡ªboth soft and incredibly strong at the same time. The information he had gathered stated that eating the crystal was the most direct way to absorb its power. So, he did just that. Tossing the whole thing into his mouth, he bit down. Surprisingly, it cracked under his teeth. James didn''t dwell on it¡ªafter all, celestial materials never followed conventional logic. Swallowing the crystal, he lay down and braced himself for a painful transformation. Nothing happened. "¡­Huh?" James frowned behind his gag, waiting for the agony to kick in. Minutes passed. Still nothing. "That''s embarrassing," he thought, removing the gag but keeping it close¡ªjust in case. Instead of pain, he felt... changes. They were subtle at first, more like shifts in his very being rather than physical agony. His senses heightened, his mind sharpened, and something within him fundamentally evolved. It wasn''t dramatic. No screaming. No body-wracking agony. Just silent, profound transformation. Hours passed before the process concluded. By then, James had already moved on to his next problem: what to do with the Dreamstone. He could use it to manifest a symbiote, perhaps something like Iron Man''s Model 50 Endo-Sym Armor. However, that would require altering the symbiote''s biological weaknesses. Another idea was to create a Cosmic Cube, an artifact capable of warping reality. But there was a risk¡ªit might become sentient over time. "I could just make a ring¡­ like the Cosmic Ring," James realized. Cosmic Cubes were immensely powerful. They harnessed the energy of the Beyonders, storing it in a matrix of force fields. Their reality-warping effects weren''t absolute¡ªother powerful entities or artifacts could counteract them. James knew that some Cosmic Cubes operated at a multiversal scale, while the Cosmic Ring was merely a fragment of one, making it less powerful. But that didn''t matter. His newly enhanced brain had already devised a superior containment matrix. James wasn''t in a rush. He didn''t need an overpowered weapon just yet. Besides, there was a bigger concern¡ªthe Living Tribunal. The Tribunal didn''t interfere in petty matters, but it did maintain balance across the multiverse. It didn''t care where powers came from or how they were used¡ªunless they threatened the stability of the entire multiverse. James had nearly overlooked this critical detail. "Damn. That was reckless of me," he thought, realizing that his mind felt clearer than it ever had before. That was definitely the Primagen''s doing. For the first time in both his lives, James felt... focused. He no longer struggled to find ways to grow stronger. Ideas flowed effortlessly, and he finally understood what he needed to do to achieve his goals. He wasn''t desperate for power anymore. He had options. Plenty of them. But before he moved forward, he needed to master what he had gained. James carefully placed the Dreamstone in a secure container and set it aside. He''d come back to it later. Right now, he needed to test his new body. Standing in the middle of his room, James took a deep breath. Instantly, he felt it. Power coursed through his veins. Strength, speed, clarity¡ªit was all far beyond what a normal nine-year-old should possess. He finally understood what those "genius" characters in comics meant when they said things like: "I suddenly knew exactly how much power my body could produce, how much force each muscle could generate and withstand." James felt the same way. His senses were sharper. His thoughts were faster. His body felt lighter, stronger, better. He glanced in the mirror. On the surface, he still looked like a normal kid. No major physical changes¡ªhis baby fat was still there, and he hadn''t gained any noticeable muscle mass. But internally? He was a completely different being. To test his strength, James walked over to his bed¡ªa massive, heavy piece of furniture that weighed at least 70 kg with the frame. Placing his small hands at the edge, he tried to lift it. At first, nothing happened. Then¡ª The bed moved. It wasn''t much. Just a few inches. But that alone was insane for a child his size. His body had evolved¡ªand this was just the beginning. A smirk formed on James''s face. This was going to be fun. The Primagen "Yes!!" James shouted in joy, then quickly covered his mouth when he realized his blunder. A normal nine-year-old¡ªor at least the previous him¡ªcouldn''t even make the bed shake without exerting all his weight, but now he had lifted it a few inches off the ground. To avoid any trouble for his slip-up, James hurriedly tidied the room, climbed into bed, and pretended to be asleep. After all, he was supposed to be sleeping. But as he lay there, he couldn''t contain his excitement. He knew that as he grew, his strength would only increase. Maybe one day, he''d rival Captain America, and with proper training, he could even surpass him. Though he hadn''t fully tested his strength yet, he was certain his future was bright. --- It had been four years since James discovered which universe he was in, and he had already taken measures to ensure his survival. His family was doing fine, though it was now just him, his mother, and his grandmother. James'' grandmother had three daughters, including his mother, and in the past four years, the other two had married and left home. That left his mother to handle everything, making her the de facto head of the household. While there were fewer mouths to feed, there were also fewer income sources, forcing his mother to take on multiple jobs to support them. As for his grandmother, she was doing well for her age¡ªaside from the Alzheimer''s she had recently developed. The woman was tough, but her condition made it nearly impossible for James to leave her alone. He had considered curing her many times but ultimately decided against it for several reasons, the most important being that she had lived a long life. She deserved peace. What was the point of extending her time in a world she had little attachment to? Besides, James doubted it was wise to heal her just so she could witness the chaos that would unfold after Tony Stark''s revelation. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. In a way, she was lucky. And while James would miss her dearly, he chose to play the role of Thanos in this situation¡ªletting her live out her remaining years in bliss rather than curing her, only for her to wake up one day to the Hulk smashing through their house. Moreover, the only viable methods James had to cure her were the Primagen Crystal and the Immortal Elixir from the Philosopher''s Stone. There were many versions of the Philosopher''s Stone in this dimension, but they all had one thing in common: they could create the Immortal Elixir. Using it would de-age his grandmother to her prime and grant her immortality, forcing her to live forever. The Primagen Crystal, on the other hand, would also heal and restore her youth, dramatically extending her lifespan rather than granting true immortality. Even now, James didn''t fully understand all the abilities the Primagen had given him¡ªespecially considering he had consumed an entire crystal by himself. The Progenitors had used only a handful of them to evolve the Kree, meaning a single Kree wasn''t even entitled to an entire crystal. At most, a few were shared across the entire race. Considering these factors, James chose to keep everything to himself rather than force an old woman into an eternal life she never asked for. There weren''t many resources in this dimension that could heal without side effects, and the few that could required him to bond with them first. Either way, there wasn''t much he could do¡ªunless he risked gaining unwanted attention from the Living Tribunal by bonding with some of the more powerful materials he could think of. James was at least 60% sure that the Living Tribunal wouldn''t care about power imbalances in the universe if he absorbed something like the Tenth Metal or another substance that granted near-omnipotence. But there was still a 40% chance that he would. The Living Tribunal existed to maintain balance in mystical forces across the Multiverse. While "mystical forces" might be interpreted as magic, it could also refer to supernatural forces in general. Any form of extraordinary ability fell under that category, meaning the Tribunal might indeed take notice if James suddenly became too powerful. And he wasn''t willing to risk it¡ªnot yet. He still had a long way to go before the major events of this universe unfolded, giving him plenty of time to find a way to grow stronger. ---- Three Years Later James'' POV It''s been thirteen full years since I arrived in this universe, and in my opinion, things have been going really well. Of course, there were some tragedies along the way, but that''s life¡ªbad things happen, and we move on. Grandma passed away two years ago. While it was a sad event, we all moved on fairly quickly. I think my mother shares the same mentality as I do¡ªdeath isn''t something to grieve when the person has lived a long, fulfilling life. School At that age, death becomes a celebration of life. They''ve lived long, and now they get to rest. If people truly believe in heaven, they shouldn''t be too worried¡ªafter all, their loved ones are off to enjoy a better existence. Grandma''s passing was unfortunate, but she died with a smile, just like Grandpa. We accepted it and moved on.... But yeah¡­ I''m not letting that happen again. For the past three years, I''ve been secretly adding small doses of the Immortal Elixir to every water source in the house. In simpler terms, Mom now looks like she''s in her twenties¡ªprobably immortal already. I didn''t ask for permission, and I don''t care. She''s not dying on me, not in this life or the next. If she does, I''ll march straight into heaven or hell to drag her soul back, even if it means fighting Dormammu or The One Above All himself. That''s not up for debate. The Immortal Elixir worked wonders, not just restoring her youth but enhancing her beauty even further. If I didn''t know about the physical enhancement side effects, I''d have insisted on escorting her everywhere. It seems the Elixir doesn''t just grant immortality; it refines the body to its peak state. My best guess? Mom is probably on par with a super soldier now. That brings me back to myself. The Primagen crystal I absorbed years ago did more than I initially realized. I don''t get sick, I don''t need food, water, or even sleep. Complete self-sustenance. And how do I know? Well, I haven''t slept in nearly a year, and I feel perfectly fine. At thirteen, I actually look my age¡ªno bulging muscles, just a well-defined physique that seems sculpted for perfection. But despite my slim build, I can lift up to five tons. That''s my limit for now. For context, your average elephant weighs about that much. I could lift an RV and hurl it at someone if I wanted to. That''s an absurd amount of strength for a thirteen-year-old. And that''s not even the best part. Unlike Terrigen crystals, which target specific traits and enhance them, the Primagen crystal amplifies everything¡ªfrom intellect to physical attributes. The Kree evolved from primitive beings to the super-powered race we know today in just a few hundred years, all thanks to the Primagen. It transformed their entire physiology, elevating them to the peak of their potential¡ªyet the Progenitors still considered them a failure. Now, think about that. A race with heightened intellect, strength, speed, and agility was deemed a failure. Humans, on the other hand, were already optimized for extreme adaptability by the Celestials¡ªwhether directly or indirectly. Stolen story; please report. The Celestials'' experiments on early humans created the Deviants and the Eternals, while the "normal" ones remained unchanged. Add in the fact that a Celestial died on Earth, leaving behind cosmic residue that eventually led to the X-gene''s emergence, and you realize just how much potential humans have. Taking the Primagen crystal just made me the absolute best a human can be. My intellect is on another level. My speed, agility, reflexes, and coordination are insane. My durability is likely enhanced too. Oh, and I''m immortal. That part didn''t come from the Primagen, though. It drastically increased my lifespan, but true immortality came from the Elixir. Actually, now that I think about it¡­ maybe my insane power set is the result of a fusion between the two? A combination of Primagen and Immortal Elixir? I don''t know for sure, but I don''t really care. It''s not affecting me negatively, so why question it? "James! What are you still doing? You''ll be late for school!" Mom''s voice rang from the kitchen. "I''m coming! Just finishing something up!" I called back. School. The only downside to my existence right now. As someone who''s practically done with college-level studies, being stuck in middle and high school is beyond annoying. I have to deal with kids who don''t even understand how a fan works. I enjoy the experience of being a child again, but being around other kids? That''s a different story. They get overly attached just because you''re nice to them. Once they latch onto you, they won''t let go until you agree to play. And that''s something I have zero interest in. Academically, school serves more as a refresher for me. It helps me pinpoint the differences between this universe and the Marvel Universe. The laws of physics and chemistry are mostly the same, but there are subtle differences. With my enhanced intellect, getting top grades is effortless. I have perfect recall and understand concepts instantly. Schoolwork is easy¡ªthe real challenge is dealing with people. With a sigh, I shut my notebook, grabbed my backpack, and headed downstairs. Entering the kitchen, I found Mom sitting on a stool, eating breakfast before heading to work. It''s just the two of us in the house now. The rest of the family either got married or moved away, and with Grandma gone, Mom inherited the house. That was a blessing in disguise. With her current income, affording a place this spacious would have been impossible. At least we have a roof over our heads. Money-making Ideas People in the ''80s had it much easier. Affording a house like this now, especially with Mom''s income, would take months of continuous work. But back in Grandpa''s time, it was relatively simple. The house wasn''t too big or too small¡ªjust the right size for a small family. But with today''s economy, a place like this would drown us in debt just for a month''s rent. "I''m here," I said as I stepped into the kitchen. "Mmm-hmm," Mom replied, her mouth full, but she still pointed toward the food on the counter. "Thanks," I said, grabbing it and digging in. I might not need to eat, but that doesn''t mean my body can''t process food. In fact, it absorbs everything I eat and converts it into energy, storing it for later. I may not rely on it, but even my body understands the concept of "better safe than sorry." "What were you doing all this time?" Mom asked once she swallowed. "I''m building an app for people to find work online. If it takes off, we could charge service fees and make nearly a million dollars a year¡ªor even more," I said with a grin. This universe was turning out far better for me. For some reason, freelancing didn''t exist here. I had searched high and low, but there was nothing. So, as a sensible reincarnate, it was my duty to fill that gap¡ªand make a fortune in the process. I planned to create the most user-friendly freelancing platform and dominate the market before anyone else even thought of it. As for how I learned to code? Easy. With my intellect, it wasn''t hard at all. The real challenge was finding good learning resources. Thankfully, the Resource Dimension had exactly what I needed. Since knowledge itself is a resource, I got access to programming books¡ªnot just from this universe but from several others. So when I say I learned to code, I mean I mastered every existing programming language, both human and alien-made. I didn''t know when or where they''d all come in handy, but I preferred to be prepared. After extensive practice on Mom''s laptop, I could confidently say I was among the top ten programmers in the world¡ªprobably around eighth place. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Everyone here could create an AI, and I wasn''t quite at that level yet. But this freelancing app was just my first step. This world lacked a proper search engine¡ªno Google equivalent. Stark Industries would eventually create something similar, but for now, they were focused on weapons and tech. That gave me time to fill the void before they did. I planned to introduce all the conveniences of my old Earth here. Whatever happened after that, I didn''t care. Mom and I were already immortal, and I had bigger plans to grow even stronger. "Is that even possible?" Mom asked, looking confused. "It''s simple. Companies post job requests, and professionals or freelancers worldwide accept them, complete the work, get paid, and I take a service fee," I explained. "That sounds amazing! Why don''t we already have this?" she asked, clearly more excited than expected. I didn''t blame her¡ªif a platform like this had existed, she wouldn''t have struggled so much to find work. Here, making money still required the traditional grind. "I know, right? But it''ll take time before it really starts making money," I admitted. The platform''s success depended on publicity. I could spread the word for free, but without a real advertising budget, it wouldn''t reach enough people. Still, I was willing to wait a year for it to gain traction. "See my baby, becoming the man of the house," Mom said, hugging me and kissing my forehead. "Mom!" I groaned in embarrassment, but I couldn''t stop myself from smiling. If my plans worked, I wouldn''t just be the man of the house¡ªI''d be the richest man in the world. And I wouldn''t stop at freelancing and search engines. This universe had comics, sure, but aside from Deadpool''s antics, no one had even heard of manga or anime. That was unacceptable. If I had to, I''d start my own animation studio. Wait¡ªwhat if I created Crunchyroll here and made people pay for it? Another way to make money. Matthew Malloy "Okay, time for school. Maybe you''ll make some new friends today," Mom said, taking my empty plate. "I have a friend. Matthew is a human being, you know." "I know, but just one? Who has only one friend?" "Introverts like me. One or two is enough. Three is a crowd." "Why are you so determined to be an introvert?" "Nothing special¡­ I just prefer peace and quiet." "That''s sweet, honey, but you still need friends. Now, we''ll continue this later¡ªthe bus is here." She grabbed my arm and led me outside. Waving goodbye, I ran to the bus and spotted my only friend, Matthew, sitting alone, excitedly waiting for me. He wasn''t a weirdo or bullied¡ªjust like me, known but not too noticeable. Truthfully, though, I befriended him because of his name: Matthew Malloy. Any Marvel fan following Quora or Facebook groups knows him. In the comics, he''s Marvel''s most powerful reality warper¡ªso strong that the only way to stop him was preventing his parents from ever meeting. I wasn''t sure if my Matthew was the Matthew Malloy, but if he was, I had a plan. I''d invent an X-Gene detector, confirm his powers, and transfer them to myself if necessary. Sounds cruel? Maybe. But the X-Men erased him from reality instead of helping. This would be a better fate. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. "What''s up, bro?" I greeted, shaking his hand before sitting beside him. "I''m fine," he muttered, looking exhausted. "You look like you haven''t slept in months. What happened?" "Nothing serious. Do you have any updates on that comic you gave me last week?" he asked, giving me puppy-dog eyes. "Yeah, but I''m not giving it to you until you sleep," I teased, already knowing what kept him up. As part of my plan to introduce anime and manga to this world, I recreated Dragon Ball and distributed it in school. Judging by Matthew''s reaction, it was a hit. This week, I planned to hit them with Naruto¡ªsome emotional damage to balance out the mindless Dragon Ball action. For now, everything was hand-drawn, but soon, I''d have enough money for proper equipment and start publishing. There wasn''t even a digital platform for comics here¡­ another money-making opportunity. By year''s end, I''d release Dragon Ball Z through Super, making sure the power levels actually made sense. "Please! You can''t leave me hanging! Does Goku gather all the Dragon Balls or not?!" Matthew begged. More Ideas "Nope, don''t talk. I''m not done reading mine," a voice called from behind us. "You''ll manage. Please!" Matthew pleaded. "I can''t tell you, but I have a new update. You''ll get it after school." "Yeah, the principal¡­" Matthew sighed, lowering his head. The manga''s growing popularity might attract the principal''s attention, and the last thing I needed was for them to seize my copies or, worse, shut down my mission to introduce culture to these kids. Of course, considering that the Marvel Universe''s general tech level matched modern-day Earth, stopping my distribution of physical copies wouldn''t affect me much. I planned to release digital versions soon. "Don''t worry. By next month, you should be able to read it online." "Who has time to wait a whole month?" Matthew scoffed. "Then you''ll just have to wait for the next update." We spent the rest of the ride talking about anything and everything. Ignoring my original motive for befriending him¡ªsuspecting he might be a reality warper¡ªMatthew and I genuinely got along. Well, mostly. He did most of the talking, rambling about the manga, while I took mental notes. After all, I hadn''t read all of Dragon Ball''s manga, so I''d have to fill in gaps myself eventually. Matthew and I were freshmen at the local public high school. It was a bit far from home, but close enough that we arrived within minutes. Movies always exaggerated high school life. In my past life, I attended primary and secondary school¡ªnot middle or high school. Same thing, different names. Everything I knew about high school came from movies and the news¡ªboth unreliable, given Hollywood''s tendency to exaggerate. Sure, some students acted like high school was the peak of their lives, but they didn''t bully everyone like in the movies. This was a sobering reminder: I wasn''t just in a fictional universe. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. This was a real world with real people, not just comic characters following a script. Even the so-called "high school divas" mostly minded their business. Maybe they were just like this because I was new. Either way, these people grounded me in reality. I used to scoff at fanfiction protagonists who dismissed their worlds as "fiction," but now I understood. It wasn''t about seeing people as literal characters¡ªit was realizing the world revolved around specific figures while everyone else was just background noise. "See ya after class," Matthew said, pulling me in for a hug before we went our separate ways. Our lockers were far apart, and we didn''t take the same subjects. School was as boring as expected. I already knew most of what they taught, and anything I didn''t know, I picked up within minutes. That left me plenty of time to brainstorm more storylines for the manga and entertainment projects I planned to release soon. I just needed to get equipment before next month to start. My other plans were long-term, but this? I could begin immediately¡ªwait¡­ "Oh my god, I''m an idiot," I muttered, slapping my forehead. I had access to metals I could control with my mind. In the Resource Dimension, I had an abundance of materials that responded to thought. The Tenth Metal was just one of many¡ªthere was Nth Metal, Psionic Bio-Metal, Transformium (or whatever they called it), and more. Some didn''t even require technical knowledge. Just imagining what I wanted would be enough for them to shape themselves. Metals like Transformium, Nth Metal, and Tenth Metal were especially good at this. Psionic Bio-Metal required some knowledge of what I was making, but even that wasn''t a huge limitation. With these resources, I didn''t have to wait for my freelancing sites to generate income. I could start now. Grinning like an idiot, I glanced at the teacher still lecturing at the front of the class. A Resource Dimension changed everything. Wait¡­ I could also sell valuable materials like emeralds or jadeite and be swimming in money instantly. Even More Ideas "Don''t be stupid, James," I thought to myself. That wouldn''t work. People would start asking questions about where I got it from, and lying wouldn''t help the situation. I couldn''t just say I picked it up, because even if most people don''t know what real Jadeite or Emeralds look like, they wouldn''t ignore them if they saw them lying by the roadside or something. Selling minerals like that could only happen once I was at least 18 years old or older¡ªby then, people would be less inclined to ask stupid questions. But then again, by that time, I''d already be extremely rich, so I wouldn''t even need to sell them. The resource dimension was truly the best thing I had. If not for my fear that the Living Tribunal might take notice, I would have used the Tenth Metal long ago. To warp reality on a planetary level, I needed enough of it to form a breastplate. To go to a universal level, I would need enough to create a full suit of armor. And I doubted the Living Tribunal would appreciate such a powerful, unknown metal suddenly appearing within his domain. The man sealed the Starbrand because it was too powerful, and that was something from this multiverse. Imagine what he would do with the Tenth Metal, which is just as powerful¡ªif not more. I was stuck using my most valuable asset in tiny amounts just to avoid attracting attention. But it didn''t matter. Even that was enough for me. Imagine how powerful a normal computer would be if I enhanced it with just a tiny drop of Tenth Metal. Of course, it wouldn''t become ridiculously overpowered, but at the very least, it would instantly match the most advanced supercomputers in the world. That was how powerful the Tenth Metal was. After school, I kept my promise and distributed the latest issue of Dragon Ball manga. This whole process was self-destructive... giving away manga for free meant I was wasting paper I didn''t have and gaining nothing in return. But then again, this was all part of the plan. I was building my first user base. The moment my website went online, these same people would be the first ones to check it out. They would then talk about it, spread the word, and bring in more visitors, creating a chain reaction until my website gained real popularity. This wasn''t just a giveaway¡ªit was an investment. "Eh? Sorry, guys, all the copies I had on hand have already been distributed. But from now on, you''ll be able to read the manga online," I announced, climbing onto one of the cafeteria tables to address the large crowd. "Drawing on paper over and over isn''t exactly convenient, so just go to SmithComics.com, and you''ll find it there. It''s free for this whole month, but after that, you''ll need to subscribe." This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. "Oh, come on! I waited for this, you know!" someone complained. "I''m sorry, I''m doing this all by myself," I apologized, though deep down, I was thrilled to see how many students cared enough to come back for updates. "But don''t worry, by tomorrow, I promise there''ll be new updates. You might even get daily releases." Drawing the manga was repetitive, but it wasn''t exhausting. Printing it would have cost more money than I had, so instead, I had torn out the middle pages of an empty notebook and used those as comic pages. But with my latest plan, I could start uploading the manga online. This was a game changer. Instead of drawing multiple copies by hand, I could just upload a single version, and everyone would have access to it. That would save time and allow me to produce more updates at a much faster pace. My enhanced physiology wasn''t just for show¡ªI could draw and color an entire page in just a few minutes. And with my self-sustaining body, I could work from dusk till dawn without experiencing fatigue. "You better give us two extra issues to compensate!" a girl at the front said, crossing her arms. I smiled. "Sure, why not? Now, if you guys would excuse me, I don''t want to miss my bus." I stepped down from the table as the crowd dispersed, returning to their usual activities. On the bus, I saw Matthew reading his copy, surrounded by several kids peeking over his shoulder to read along. The sight filled me with satisfaction. I had spent an entire week drawing, updating, and distributing the manga to random students¡ªseniors and juniors alike. And now, people not only knew about manga, but they also loved it. Instead of interrupting, I gave them space and found a seat elsewhere as the bus started its journey home. ... An hour later, I was back home¡ªalone. Mom always came home late due to her job. Or rather, jobs. We had our own house thanks to Grandma, who passed it down to us. Without it, we would have basically been homeless. Even the laptop I had begged Mom to buy was a used one, sold for cheap because the last owner hadn''t taken care of it properly. But all of that would change soon. I could finally trash the laptop, which was honestly a scam. It looked brand new on the outside, but its internals were a mess¡ªlike the previous owner had patched it up just enough to resell it. Not that it mattered anymore. Because with my latest plan, I wouldn''t need to rely on old, broken tech. I had everything I needed to build something far better. New Systems As soon as I entered my room, I began rearranging things to create space for my new setup. The room was mostly empty to begin with¡ªaside from my bed and the wardrobe against the wall, there wasn''t much in it. After clearing out a few unnecessary items, I had more than enough room for what I planned to build. "You''re going away," I muttered, placing my old laptop on the bed. I still needed to transfer some files before getting rid of it. Next, I reached into the Resource Dimension and pulled out a stack of books¡ªthen another, until a small pile formed in front of me. At first glance, they had nothing to do with building a computer or a drawing setup, but they were some of the most advanced books available on computer hardware and engineering. If I was going to create my own system, I wanted it to be the best, not just some random construct shaped by metal. The sheer volume of information in those books would take an average person days¡ªmaybe weeks¡ªto absorb. But for me? That wasn''t an issue. I had Perfect Recall¡ªa superpower often underestimated. I could memorize everything at a glance and understand it later at my own pace. Taking a deep breath, I began reading. Or more accurately, memorizing. My eyes scanned through the pages at a speed no normal person could match, processing vast amounts of data in mere seconds. Within two hours, I had already gone through half the stack, despite some books being as thick as encyclopedias. Moments like these made me grateful for the Primagen Crystal. A few more hours passed, and I finished the entire pile. Closing my eyes, I replayed every bit of information in my mind, analyzing and connecting concepts for better understanding. Perfect Recall + Enhanced Intellect. It was a dangerous combination. Limitless, both the movie and series, proved just how powerful this mix could be. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. With total recall, I never forgot anything. And with enhanced intelligence, I could grasp even the most complex subjects with ease. I exhaled sharply, feeling excitement rise within me. "Alright, let''s do this," I grinned, jumping up. In the words of Eddie Morra, I knew exactly what I wanted and exactly how to get it. Reaching into the Resource Dimension again, I pulled out a soccer ball-sized sphere. It was pure white, smooth, and dense¡ªfar harder than concrete. But this wasn''t just any material. It was Transformium. Or Cyber-Metal. Or Living Metal¡ªwhichever name you preferred. The same adaptive nanomaterial that the Transformers were made of. It wasn''t a simple metal¡ªit was a programmable material capable of shifting into any form at will, as long as it adhered to the laws of science in this universe. Looking at the ball, I smirked and projected a detailed mental blueprint into it. Immediately, the sphere disassembled into countless tiny, perfect cubes. They floated in mid-air for a moment before rapidly rearranging themselves into a laptop. It looked nearly identical to my old one¡ªbut that was just the exterior. Internally? This machine was unlike anything on Earth. Transformium allowed me to shape the laptop exactly as I envisioned. And I didn''t settle for cutting-edge¡ªI pushed beyond. I didn''t aim to match Stark Industries'' technology; I aimed to crush it. To put things into perspective¡ªTony Stark''s most powerful quantum computer operated at 79 qubits, which was groundbreaking by current human standards. But the Progenitors¡ªthe weakest among the cosmic gods¡ªhad quantum processors as small as molecules, each surpassing 100 qubits in power. Their entire World Farm¡ªa planetary-scale supercomputer¡ªwas built from quantum molecules, each functioning as an independent processor. Compared to that? Stark''s Quantum Stark was nothing. And this laptop I just built? It had the processing power of a 100,000-qubit quantum computer. I didn''t limit myself to standard architectures. I hybridized it, merging classic computing with quantum processing. The qubit processors handled calculations at unimaginable speeds, feeding results into the classical processors, which refined them for practical use. This design gave me the best of both worlds¡ªraw quantum speed with structured classical output. Satisfied, I placed the new laptop on the bed beside my old one. Then, I reached into the Resource Dimension once more and pulled out a smaller white sphere. This time, I transformed it into a flash drive¡ªbut not just any flash drive. This one had near-unlimited storage¡ªa capacity so vast that even I wouldn''t run out anytime soon. Now, the real work could begin. Comics Smith Using my new flash drive, I transferred all my important files from the old laptop before crushing it and tossing it into the main trash bin¡ªmaking sure Mom wouldn''t see it. Normally, I would have transferred the files directly to my new laptop, but there was one issue: it had no operating system yet. Fortunately, I had anticipated this and already mapped out a basic framework for the OS I wanted to create. Developing an OS from scratch should take at least six months or more, but with my speed, knowledge, and processing power, I could cut that time down significantly. Any additional equipment I needed could be created on the go since I had the resources to make it happen. Settling into my newly crafted chair, I placed the laptop on my computer stand and got to work. With 100,000 Qubits backing the system, I could operate at lightning speed. Hours passed as my fingers flew across the keyboard, moving faster than even peak humans like Captain America. Marvel classified him as "peak human," but honestly, who runs 35 mph and lifts 1,500 lbs without being outright superhuman? Regardless, I was far beyond that level. At my typing speed, an ordinary keyboard would have shattered, but my laptop was built from Transformium¡ªself-repairing and reinforced, ensuring I hadn''t even come close to its limits. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. As the sky darkened, I finally finished the OS, leaving myself enough time to create additional apps for my upcoming projects. Some of these would also be included in the suite of services I planned to offer users on my search engine. "I''m back!" Mom called out as she entered the house. "I''m coming!" I replied, placing my new graphic pen on the freshly created drawing pad before hurrying downstairs. "How was school today?" she asked as I reached her. "Fine. Oh, and Mrs. Andrew asked about you." "She''s probably wondering why I haven''t been to the bank lately. So, have you eaten?" "Yeah," I lied, immediately changing the subject. Mom didn''t know I didn''t need food yet. "How was work today?" "Compared to most days, today was actually nice. So, what have you been up to?" "I''m almost done with my website¡ªjust need to publish it." "That''s great! I''ll start on dinner. You can go back to your work," she said as she headed to the kitchen. I returned to my room to continue. Within minutes, I had redrawn the entire manga up to the latest update. It was easy since I was already familiar with my own work. After making a few enhancements for better software integration, I saved my progress and immediately started working on a new release. As promised, I would compensate readers with two extra issues. "James, dinner is ready!" Mom called from downstairs. "Coming!" I replied, setting my work aside to eat. A few minutes later, after finishing dinner, we both retired to our rooms for the night. Instead of sleeping¡ªwhich I didn''t really need¡ªI went straight back to work. I completed the two extra issues, then focused on finishing my website so I could upload everything. Unlike traditional manga, which is in black and white, I opted for full-color illustrations, making my work look more like a manhwa. My website, ComicSmith.com, was structured similarly to Crunchyroll but with a much cleaner, more intuitive interface. Users could read and download comics for free. Once I started animating these manga, I''d introduce a monthly subscription model for exclusive anime content¡ªgenerating passive income. If things went well, I could even get paid to host private animations on the platform. With the website complete, I developed a companion app linked to it for easier access. After ensuring everything functioned as expected, I uploaded the manga and double-checked the entire system. Satisfied with the results, I released the app on this world''s version of the Play Store while also making it available for direct download on the website. I created both mobile and PC versions of the app, making sure it was accessible to as many users as possible. Now, all I had to do was wait for the downloads to start rolling in. A Year Later After confirming everything I created was in order, I moved on to my next projects: Naruto, Avatar: The Last Airbender (the comic), and Sword Art Online. These titles had made waves on my Earth, so they should have the same impact here. Once I had the funds, I planned to create an online book platform and publish the *Harry Potter* series. Since these stories didn''t exist in this world, I would introduce them and profit from them. As for my Google-like search engine, that could wait¡ªI needed more than just a single comic on my website before launching it. By 11 PM, I had created four chapters of each comic and uploaded them to both the website and the app. With that done, I turned my attention to my freelance app, *Smith-Market*. Compared to my past knowledge, my current skills were on an entirely different level. *Smith-Market* functioned similarly to Upwork, allowing clients to hire freelancers across various fields. Unlike other platforms that focused on specific industries, I designed mine to generate revenue from every possible sector. Once the app was finalized, I uploaded it for download and moved on to my main task: creating a search engine as successful as Google. But I needed a unique name¡ªI couldn''t keep using unoriginal placeholders like my previous projects. Then again, I could just steal Google''s name outright. "Eh, I''ll just stick with *Smith Search*," I thought, then got to work designing the platform. --- A Year Later, Unknown Location The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Crowds moved in and out of a grand building adorned with banners depicting ancient artifacts and historical sites. Visitors explored the museum, some admiring the exhibits while others worked there. Today, James and his classmates were on a school excursion, following their guide through the museum''s halls. "Everyone, stay with the group," the teacher reminded them. "Thank you, ma''am," the guide acknowledged before turning to the students. "Now, if I can direct your attention over here, you''ll see our mummy exhibit. I''m sure this is what most of you were waiting for." "Yes!" the children cheered excitedly, eager to see the mummies. As the guide led them toward the exhibit, the students hurried along¡ªexcept for James, who took his time, examining each artifact as he walked beside the teacher. She didn''t seem bothered by his slow pace. Everyone knew James was a good kid who wouldn''t cause trouble. He observed the artifacts with the keen interest of a collector inspecting rare finds. Since the school had brought him to a museum filled with historical treasures, he figured he might as well learn as much as possible. Egyptian culture was fascinating, after all. "Sir, what''s that?" James asked, raising his hand to get the guide''s attention. "Yes? What do you need?" the guide responded. "I was wondering about that statue. It wasn''t in the other displays," James said, pointing to a small black cat figurine beside a tomb. "Oh, this?" The guide walked over. "We haven''t identified the owner of this tomb yet, but we do know one thing¡ªthis statue is a depiction of Bastet, the Egyptian goddess. She was once believed to help pharaohs transition peacefully to the afterlife¡­" The guide paused, allowing the others to gather around. "However, as time passed, the worship of Bastet declined. On this side, we have artifacts from the oldest pharaohs, while the ones over there belong to later rulers¡ªthough both are over two thousand years old," he continued effortlessly. "Huh¡­ Ancient Egyptians were really skilled at sculpting," James remarked, noting the incredible detail of the statue. It looked almost alive. "Indeed," the guide chuckled. "They put extra effort into their afterlife preparations." As the tour continued, James couldn''t shake the feeling that the little statue was watching him. Normally, he would dismiss it as his imagination, but this was the Marvel Universe. If a tiny Bastet statue was staring at him, it was probably actually watching him. Even without knowing he was in Marvel, he could sense a strange mystical energy radiating from it. Smith Industries Over the past year, James had learned a great deal, using his Resource Dimension to his advantage. From weaving to smithing, woodworking to astronomy, he spent each morning reaching into the dimension and pulling out any book his hands could find. Among the many subjects he studied was magic¡ªor at least magic theory. He refrained from practicing it, unsure of its effects, and was certain that if he became excessively powerful, the Living Tribunal would take notice. He had no intention of being sealed away like Zom. With that in mind, James kept his studies theoretical, focusing on branches of magic that could be useful¡ªalchemy, runes, enchanting, and more. Individually, these disciplines weren''t exceptionally powerful, but when combined, they could produce abilities like "Mana Sight," as he called it. This ability allowed him to perceive supernatural energy, and at the moment, he could see a strange mist surrounding the statues of Bastet¡ªthe Wakandan Panther Goddess, Bast. It was clear she was using them to watch him. James could only hope she wasn''t doing so with ill intent. Now that he was paying attention, he noticed many of the idols in the museum had mystical ties to the gods they represented, and all of them were watching him. "James, come along. We''ll be leaving in an hour or so," his teacher called out when she noticed him standing still, observing everything. "Sorry, Miss Adams," James replied, shaking off the eerie feeling and running to catch up with his friends. Later that day, James returned to an empty house. By now, he was used to it, but there was a major difference from before. A year ago, his mother had worked multiple jobs just to put food on the table. In fact, when she bought the second-hand laptop he initially used, she had spent all her savings and had to work even harder to recover. But now, she was the founder of one of the fastest-growing businesses in the world. After perfecting his products, James had confided in his mother about his plans, needing her to handle licensing for those requiring official approval. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. As a thirteen-year-old, he wasn''t legally allowed to register businesses, but having an adaptable mother made things much easier. Today, Smith Search was the world''s most-used search engine, with millions relying on the various services attached to it. James had essentially replicated Google''s entire ecosystem. Google Sites became Smith Sites, Google Play turned into Smith Play¡ªeach performing the same function as their counterparts. He even recreated WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, though he redesigned them to fit his vision. In essence, he had dumped most of the Google Play Store''s functionality onto this world. However, he hadn''t touched the gaming industry yet, simply because his mother had advised him to wait. The company generated over $300 million per month from advertisements alone, and things skyrocketed when James launched his animation studio. Smith Studio pulled in $500 million monthly¡ªeven in its early stages¡ªthanks to Dragon Ball, the first anime released. With its high-quality animation and captivating storyline, the series was an instant sensation. Streaming platforms rushed to secure rights to air it, further boosting revenue. The family went from struggling to afford meals to donating generously to charities and families in need. In James''s eyes, it was an incredible transformation. Smith Industries¡ªthe parent company overseeing Smith Search, Smith Studio, Smith Entertainment, and more¡ªwasn''t as big as Stark Industries or Rand Industries yet, but it was climbing the ranks rapidly. The introduction of Smith-Market was another game-changer. Apparently, people hadn''t considered the concept of remote work before. Within a month of its launch, the platform had gained its first clients and freelancers. From there, it exploded¡ªthousands of new users joined daily, with countless transactions occurring every minute. James took a 5% cut from each, adding another massive revenue stream. --- As he arrived home and took in the sight of their newly furnished house, James smiled. His bedroom, too, was completely transformed. After he made his first million, his mother had been so overwhelmed with joy that she cried. It was understandable¡ªshe hadn''t grown up in wealth. While his grandfather had once been middle class, rising costs of living had gradually pushed the family downward. His mother and aunts had never experienced this kind of financial security before. So, when James hit his milestone, his mother and aunts celebrated¡ªnot just with words, but by spoiling him. They bought him everything they thought he might need (or didn''t need), from a new wardrobe to a basketball hoop now mounted at an angle on his wall. He hadn''t asked for it, but they insisted. After all, he was the one who had made all this possible. Now, all of them were actively involved in helping run the company, supporting their sister however they could. Yes, the family was close-knit and hardworking. But James knew that, while they were reliable and adaptable, they weren''t necessarily trained to manage a company of this size. That was something he''d have to address soon. Personal Briefcase system "Paris, open up," James said as he approached a briefcase resting quietly in the corner of the room. [Mana Signature Determined] A feminine voice echoed from nowhere as the briefcase slowly opened, its top folding into the bottom. Peering inside, one would see nothing but endless darkness. However, James didn''t hesitate. He stepped onto the darkness boldly and, as if in an elevator, began descending. The moment his head passed through, the top cover unfolded and sealed itself shut. Meanwhile, James found himself standing before a brightly shining door. Without a second thought, he walked through it, his expression devoid of curiosity. On the other side lay what could only be described as paradise. It was as if the door was a portal to an alien planet¡ªlush, vibrant, and teeming with life. Exotic trees, seemingly not of Earth, towered above, some with water flowing from their trunks to form serene streams. Strange butterfly-like creatures flitted about, alongside both small and large beasts playing in the landscape. James paid no mind to any of this, making his way toward a sleek, futuristic building a few meters away. [Welcome back. How was school today?] the same female voice asked as he entered. "You already know, Paris. You follow me everywhere," James sighed. Paris was an artificial intelligence he had designed specifically to help his family manage their company. Initially, she was hosted on his laptop and connected to accessories worn by his family members, allowing her to monitor and assist them. But eventually, James transferred her here¡ªafter he decided to, in simple terms, play God. James had created an entire dimension and made it his personal laboratory. This led to the birth of the briefcase, crafted from a material called Void Stone. He had discovered it while testing the limits of the exotic resources in his dimension. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Void Stone had a unique ability¡ªit warped space and time around itself, making it impossible to touch. Even a small chunk of it existed within its own independent space pocket. When James realized its potential, he was ecstatic. The idea of a suit made from this material was mind-blowing. It would render the wearer invulnerable, enable instant teleportation, time travel, and even boost speed and strength. After all, if you were encased in a pocket dimension, every punch would carry the weight of an entire reality. His imagination ran wild with possibilities, but reality soon set in. The Void Stone''s very nature made it impossible to shape or forge. Still, James refused to give up. He searched for knowledge in his Resource Dimension and eventually found a solution¡ªVoid Stone could only be worked with Void Stone. It was the dumbest yet most brilliant weakness he had ever seen. The only way to defeat someone using Void Stone was with more Void Stone. No one could beat you except yourself. Using this knowledge, James got to work. With his expertise in runes, he created a soundproof environment and began crafting. Months later, the briefcase was complete. However, the space inside wasn''t what he expected¡ªit was an empty void, stretching endlessly. He had assumed there would at least be solid ground. But instead of being discouraged, James saw an opportunity. He decided to create an entire solar system. Since this was his private dimension, he assumed the Living Tribunal wouldn''t care. Even Mephisto was omnipotent in his own realm, after all. To make it happen, James donned armor made of Tenth Metal, granting him an unknown level of reality-warping abilities. The sheer power was intoxicating, but with practice, he remained rational enough to complete his task and remove the armor. He crafted a massive sun, millions of times larger than Sol (Earth''s sun), and five enormous planets, each the size of Sol, orbiting at equal distances. Every planet had its own moons and one thing in common: they were all colossal quantum computers. James saw no reason to limit himself. If he had the ability to warp reality on an extreme scale, why not push it further? Inspired by the Progenitors, he took their work and magnified it. Every molecule of these planets¡ªexcept for their eternally burning cores, which served as power sources¡ªwas a 100,000,000-qubit quantum computer. With reality-warping, the impossible became trivial, and James fully exploited this. The result? A computational network so vast and powerful that it could solve nearly anything in an instant. Quantum communication allowed each molecule to exchange data with its neighbors, creating a cascading effect¡ªevery rock was connected, every planet synchronized. He had built something beyond even the most advanced supercomputers on Earth. And this was just the beginning. Dreamstone This simple setup created a computer far more powerful than necessary. Naturally, James was thrilled with his creation and moved Paris into the central computer, located in the house on the Third Planet. This gave Paris an immense amount of power¡ªmore than she actually needed¡ªbut James was known for making unreasonable requests, so she stayed busy at times. [I follow you everywhere, but that doesn''t mean I know how you''re feeling.] "....." [Okay, I''ll stop talking.] Paris replied, falling silent. "Anyway, did you manage to crack the Dreamstone?" James asked. [It was a matter of time. These things are as miraculous as you said, but I can program them now. I can even program what they turn into.] Paris replied. "That''s incredible," James said, amazed. The Dreamstone was part of his initial plan to gain power, but he eventually abandoned the idea, wanting to see what level of power the Primagen granted him instead. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. The Dreamstone was a magical artifact, something Paris, as a scientific entity, shouldn''t have been able to decipher. Yet, as she put it, "it was a matter of time." With literal planets full of computers at her disposal, she had the power to crack it. James had asked her to do this for one reason alone. In the comic where the Dreamstone was introduced, it was revealed that a witch had tampered with it, restricting it to manifesting only weapons. Over time, it would corrupt its user''s mind. Being able to program the Dreamstone could unlock endless possibilities. Imagine a suit of armor that could generate any weapon you desired, with unlimited ammo or similar capabilities. However, James''s real reason for asking was simply to see if Paris could do it. The Dreamstone was powerful, but aside from manifesting weapons or replacing amputated limbs, James couldn''t find a practical use for it¡ªat least for now. "I never thought you''d actually pull it off." [Oh ye of little faith, I hope you don''t doubt me anymore. But what exactly are you planning to do with the programmable Dreamstone?] Paris asked. "Nothing, really. I just wanted to see if you could crack magic." [Oh¡­ That''s the dumbest thing you''ve asked for so far.] Paris replied. "I know, but with your programmable Dreamstone, we can now create anything we want, exactly how we want it. The Dreamstone just manifests an exact replica of what you desire and doesn''t allow modifications." [True, but what''s your goal here?] "Initially, nothing. But now I want a sample of a true symbiote. I plan to create the ultimate safety suits for my people, you know¡­ Oh, and how''s the Mutant ability detector coming along?" James asked. [I''m almost done. It''s incredibly difficult to detect a mutant''s ability just from their X-Gene.] "I know, dear. But with the level of resources and computing power you have, nothing should be too difficult for you," James replied casually. After all, it was the simple truth. Besides, Paris had far more power than just the quantum planets. Calling her nigh-omniscient wouldn''t be an exaggeration. [Can''t argue with that. Now, back to the Ultimate Safety Suit.] "I want a Dreamstone symbiote with no weaknesses to fire, sound, or anything else. But you can''t create that without studying real symbiotes first, right?" [True. The simulacrum symbiote here has no genetic structure, so I can''t solve its weaknesses and program it into a Dreamstone.] "I know. Now, we''re off to Klyntar, home of the symbiotes," James said.