32 Back in modern civilisation and shifting focus(chapter 32)

Chapter 32

Ororo herself expected the same as Wanda, some skinny kid, but what stood in front of them was a 6 feet 5 inches, muscly excuse of a man, who dwarfed their heights—Ororo's 5 feet 11 inches and Wanda's 5 feet and 7 inches. His lush and wild, unkempt red hair cascaded down and behind his shoulders, and his bright eyes scanned them and the surroundings, while his coat consciously swayed. "Om," Wanda let out the last words on her mouth as she stared at the man she summoned, before she turned her eyes to the fading tattoo on his hand, causing her eyes to be filled with recognition. "You are that kid?" Wanda said out loud. "He is that kid?" Ororo immediately said after her as they all stared at the giant of a man.

- scene change -

Inside the emporium, Oliver, now wearing a black suit and white t-shirt, except for the blazer—conjured by Wanda—his skin smoother than before due to the fact he had just taken a really hot shower in Wanda's bathroom. His hair was tied in a bun, which he did effortlessly with his hand. He was currently sipping coffee, unbothered by the two hot ladies in front of him, while Wanda and Ororo sat across, staring at the supposed kid, now elegantly sipping his coffee. Ororo then leaned towards Wanda as she said, "Is he really the kid you talked about?" Wanda whispered, "Guess the time dilation was a lot more than we thought," as Oliver finished his coffee before saying, "I am literally sitting in front of you," causing the two women to cough as Wanda said, "Do excuse us; it's just that we weren't expecting, you know... this," as she gestured to Oliver's whole body. He shrugged and said, "Right, but a lot of time has passed since the last time," surprisingly soft-spoken, given that he usually preferred not to speak with unfamiliar people. Yet, to these two women, whom he didn't know too much about, he wasn't all that pressed against speaking.

"For me at least," he said as he placed his cup down. "Yeah, I guess so," Wanda said, offering him another cup of coffee before asking, "Do you need help getting in contact with your family? I have—" "I don't," he interrupted her. The two women gave him a confused look. "There is no family," he followed, this time stopping the conversation. The atmosphere got awkward quickly as Wanda sighed. "Is there anything we can do?" This time it's Ororo who spoke, surprising Oliver before his lips curled upwards, just a little. "Thank you, but I am content," he said as he then got up. Wanda also got up in a hurry, saying, "This place is called the emporium. It's where I help people—anyone who walks through the door. And you have spent time in an unfamiliar place. Are you truly certain that there is nothing you might need?" Oliver tucked in the chair as he replied, "Like I said, thank you, but I am good. I appreciate you bringing me back. I won't forget it." And he meant it genuinely as he walked away towards the door but stopped just as he arrived at the door.

He then turned back towards Wanda and Ororo as he said, "and technically, I didn't walk through a door," before walking through the door, leading to the streets of New York City. "COUGH COUGH" Oliver immediately coughed; after all, his nose was used to the very clean air of Vanaheim. Compared to New York's polluted atmosphere, it was too noticeable. "Well, I am back, again," as he looked at the passing cars, the towering buildings, and skyscrapers, and the giant billboards. There was anticipation in his eyes as he thought, "There were several designs that required modern-day machinery. Guess it's time I knock those out of my to-do list," he pondered.

Walking along the side road, he garnered a lot of stares, and who could blame them? Oliver was both intimidating and imposing. His face bore a stoic expression despite his mind wandering about. "Especially that flying boat; I need that up as soon as possible. I just want to fly in a flying boat," something he was looking forward to. "Well, there is also the drones, which I am going to need to build," he thought to himself.

[ 8 days later ]

Things have changed, as expected since Oliver was back in modern time, well, at least in modern civilization, and it didn't take long for him to adjust. As soon as he left Wanda's emporium, he headed to a pawnshop to sell a big natural rough gem. Of course, he had several; after all, he didn't just hunt monsters but also went after resources like gems, crystals, and other valuable metals. This led him to accumulate a whole box of valuables, which he was planning on giving options to. After all, that was his main goal in gathering materials.

He sold just a couple of gems, earning a hefty amount of money. Of course, he didn't sell them at the same pawnshop; he was a former thief, after all. Selling a very small amount of his collection earned him a substantial amount of money. He then used it to restock on supplies like gas, food, and other necessities before returning to things he was supposed to do. Unlike when he was in the Savage Land or in Vanaheim, Oliver didn't go hunting. Instead, he used his time to learn. Yes, learn. While waiting for cooldowns, Oliver dove into several topics, like engineering, mechanics, biomechanics, and all tech-related subjects.

The reason for doing so was simple: technology. Oliver wanted to give modern technology options now that he was at a higher level. He was further motivated by upgrading his original clock, which now looked like this:

[ Name: Enhanced Sidearm - Magnum Stalwart ]

[ Grade: White ]

[ Description: An upgraded version of the standard Glock handgun, the Magnum Stalwart is a favorite among law enforcement and civilians seeking enhanced personal defense. ]

[ Option 1: Precision Targeting (Rank: E) (Passive) - Provides improved accuracy and aiming stability, making it easier for the user to hit their target with greater precision as long as the user holds it. ]

[ Option 2: Mystic Munitions (Rank: E) (Active) - Enables the user to summon a magical magazine that contains infinite bullets for the next 15 minutes, allowing for sustained firepower without the need for reloading. ]

[ Durability: 77% (unstable; higher-ranking options won't be accommodated) ]

- scene change -

After he shifted his focus to modern technology, Oliver spent most of his time either giving items options, taking online courses, and reading lots of books. If it wasn't for his eyesight, enhanced by the dragon bloodline, he would have already had bad vision. Nevertheless, he made fast progress, made possible by one of his optioned-out items—a pair of rectangular glasses with neat passive options:

[ Name: Scholar's Spectacles ]

[ Grade: Green ]

[ Description: Sturdy and reliable, these scholarly spectacles are the perfect companion for a perfect night of studying. ]

[ Option 1: +55% Learning Enhancement (Rank: E) (Passive) ]

[ Option 2: +50% Improved Memory Retention (Rank: E) (Passive) ]

[ Durability: 75% ]

So, he spent most of his time in cafes and libraries, reading, watching, and even listening. It was certainly a spectacle seeing a giant, 6 feet 5 inches tall man, wearing a turtleneck, glasses, and holding a book. He got a lot of offers—whether from modeling companies or some eager ladies. Well, they both met cold and curt rejections. So, he decided to do things from the comfort of his shell home, where it was nice and quiet, with no one to disturb him, surrounded by things he had worked hard to acquire.

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A/N well, guess who is getting an early chapter, YOU, i have another exam to day, so i wont have enough time to upload.

PS: what type of techn would you guys like to see oliver make