Marvel: I can turn into anything.

Lusborn sat at the dining table alone, his plate of fried eggs, bread, and tea in front of him.

He ate slowly, his ears tuned to the news broadcast still playing in the background.

The voice of the anchor droned on about the aftermath of the Hammer Industries incident, the casualties, and the destruction left behind.

But his mind was elsewhere, calculating, planning. He knew that this world was unlike the peaceful life he once led.

Here, danger lurked at every corner, and power was the only thing that guaranteed survival.

Peace?

In a world with cosmic threats, godlike beings, and mad titans? That was a joke. The only way he could have true peace was by becoming powerful enough that no one would dare disturb him.

His ability held limitless potential.

If he could transform into any creature—fictional, mythical, or unknown—then the possibilities were endless.

Actually if his theory was correct, then he could outright just create creatures from his imagination.

Because if he could turn into even creatures unknown so long as HE knew them, it means he can outright imagine of a creature and viola.

Yet, the major drawback was clear: his body was pathetically weak.

It couldn't handle the strain of high-grade transformations, forcing him into a fragile state after shifting.

That needed to change, and fast.

He needed a body that could withstand anything, something on par with or even surpassing Captain America in just three days.

That's how long he gave himself.

Three days to reach peak human condition or beyond. It was a near-impossible task under normal circumstances, but Lusborn was anything but normal.

Not because it was too powerful or that it was his target, no, this was just his starting point.

He had to have this kind of strength to start his other plans, plus there he would be able to accept the strain of most low level supernatural creatures.

And with that, his path to strength would be greatly reduced.

Now, there were many methods to accelerate his growth.

The problem? Most of them would cost him his humanity— not like becoming crazy or something, but either by permanently altering his genetics or forcing him into a new, unrecognizable form.

That was a line he refused to cross.

No matter how strong he became, he wanted to remain human. There was something grounding in that.

Something that kept him sane in a world filled with monsters.

The second issue? Secrecy.

Whatever he planned to do, it had to be done in complete isolation.

He couldn't afford prying eyes or government agencies sniffing around his business. For that, he needed a place—somewhere remote, hidden, and secure.

And to acquire such a place, he needed one thing: money. A lot of it.

Lusborn's current job as an engineer at Hammer Industries paid decently, but 'decent' wasn't going to cut it.

He wasn't looking for a paycheck; he was looking for financial freedom—millions, preferably hundreds of millions.

That kind of money would allow him to operate without restrictions, purchasing whatever he needed without any issues.

So, where was he going to get that kind of money?

Stealing.

And not the cliché kind where he'd track down criminals, rob kingpins, or take down mob bosses like many fan fics portrayed. No.

That was reckless, risky, and quite frankly, inefficient.

He had read enough Marvel fan fictions to know that running around looking for 'bad guys' to rob was a shortcut to unnecessary trouble. Even Kingpin, as tempting as a target he was, wasn't a priority.

Okay maybe he might be on Lusborn's hit list later, since the dude really had money, but that was later after understanding the kind of Marvel he was in.

There were a lot of versions he wasn't really sure which one it was he was in, but it was already clear it wasn't the MCU.

Probably the comics, but which one exactly. He needed to know.

Anyway, if he was going to steal, he was going to steal from a bank.

A legal, well-established bank.

Why? Because banks had more money than they could count.

A few hundred million dollars missing wouldn't even make a dent in their reserves. Besides, banks had insurance for this exact kind of situation.

No one would be 'harmed' in the grand scheme of things.

And most importantly, it was the fastest, most efficient way to fund his plans without leaving an obvious trail.

If you ask me, the one watching over Lusborn, I think that's a really good thought process.

Now that the decision was made, Lusborn shifted his thoughts to the execution. He had to be methodical.

The plan needed to be clean, seamless, and leave zero traces.

Step one: Infiltrate a bank with a massive vault, preferably one that handled both digital and physical currency.

These kinds of banks usually had a lot, a lot of cash. Something he needed. 

As for how he would infiltrate without being noticed... never seen cameras that capture mosquitoes.

Pretty simple, right?

Step two: Secure an isolated location. He needed a place where he could work in peace, somewhere entirely off the grid.

Buying a property outright was risky, so he'd have to go through black market channels. It was more expensive, but it guaranteed anonymity.

Step three: Acquire high-tech equipment. Some of it he could buy legally, but the truly advanced tech—the kind that would accelerate his research and modifications—had to come from the black market.

Countries with looser regulations would be ideal for this. Russia, the Middle East, or even some parts of Africa and Asia had access to experimental technologies that he could repurpose.

Not because he couldn't create it himself, but he had a vision of creating really really advanced tech that is thousands of years from this era.

After all he had transformations with that kind of knowledge.

But for that, he needed the present tech to help him in the building of other tech, that's pretty basic, so... yeah.

Step four: Begin development. With the resources, he could then transform into creatures with unparalleled intelligence, ones capable of designing and engineering tools beyond human comprehension.

He didn't just want to become strong physically; he wanted to enhance himself scientifically.

His ability gave him access to knowledge beyond human limits—he just needed the right transformations and viola, he would have some really high tech.

And with that kind of tech, he can then collect a lot of DNA from really useful creatures and getting the ultimate serum.

Something with unlimited growth potential but also keeping him human.

Step five: Testing. He estimated this phase would take a week at most if he worked non-stop something he had no problem with.

In his old life, he was used to working for days on end without rest, pushing his body and mind to the absolute limit. This would be no different.

His plan was set.

He finished his meal, stood up from the dining table, and exhaled deeply.

His mother, still watching the news, cast a brief glance in his direction, but he ignored her.

He had long stopped caring about whatever guilt or regret she harbored.

Whatever damage had been done between them was irreparable. She sighed, clearly used to his cold demeanor, and returned her attention to the television.

Lusborn didn't care. He had far bigger things to worry about.

With his mind fully focused, he took his plate to the sink, washed it quickly, and then turned toward the stairs.

It was time to prepare.

It was time to take control of his future.