76
Chapter 76: Stark Harvesting a Forest
The brief period of the "30 seconds real man" buff quickly came to an end, and Thor reverted to his normal form, looking innocently at the irritated Ancient One.
"Uh... shall we continue tomorrow?"
He was promptly expelled from Kamar-Taj.
…
At the airport in Kathmandu, Thor approached his private jet.
Why not use the Tesseract? Nonsense! How can teleportation compete with the elegance of traveling in a private jet?
It has been over four years since Carol left Earth.
During these years, Thor has been honing his abilities and is now highly proficient in wielding thunder without Mjölnir.
Of course, Mjölnir, as a super artifact forged in Nidavellir, still provides a significant boost.
Regarding the Phoenix Force, progress has been gradual. Unlike thunder, there are no established precedents or plots to follow. Even Jean Grey had to experiment to master it, facing various instabilities.
Currently, Thor combines the Phoenix Force with Mjölnir as a high-level enchantment, and uses it for widespread attacks, just as he did in Kamar-Taj.
This power greatly enhances his physical abilities. After all, the Phoenix Force could overwhelm an unprepared body...
As Thor approached the plane, a professional-looking woman in business attire greeted him.
"Boss, you're finally back! We need to hurry if we're to catch Mr. Stark's New Year's celebration tonight!"
The woman was Pepper Potts, his personal assistant. Previously, she had worked for Tony Stark, but circumstances had changed.
After Howard Stark survived Bucky's assassination, he continued to oversee his company even after retiring. Tony Stark had no choice but to accept his father's choice of assistant until Howard's death two years ago. Tony then reassigned the role to his driver and bodyguard, Happy.
What is the primary role of a personal assistant? Undoubtedly, it involves helping with social interactions and romantic pursuits, an area where Happy excels.
Pepper Potts had initially applied for a job with Stark Industries but did not get the position. She was eventually recruited by Thor, who is also a shareholder in Stark Industries...
Thor recognized Pepper's value as a significant asset. In this world, money isn't everything, but not having it is a major disadvantage. Even as a god from Asgard, Thor has many expenses.
Building a manor, investing in Maya Hansen's research, and future construction all require funds. Even this advanced Wakandan fighter was purchased with money.
Though the Wakandans are reluctant to sell...
Money makes a hero. Thor is skilled in battle, but he still needs to pay for things.
After World War II, Thor's shrewdest move was acquiring a stake in Stark Industries. Based on his previous life's memories, he also invested in several future business giants, hoping to become a financial tycoon.
However, reality did not meet expectations. Most of his acquired companies failed due to poor management...
If Stark Industries weren't profitable and if Kingpin didn't contribute significantly every month, Thor might have been financially strained...
Previously, Thor managed with limited resources. However, after investing in Maya Hansen, he realized he was relatively poor, with only a few minor goals at hand...
Learning finance was a challenge for him. Despite Miss System's help, Thor needed someone who could manage money effectively.
Thus, Thor decisively recruited Pepper Potts, the future CEO of Stark Industries.
Tony Stark will never know what he's missed...
Even if he did, he would likely be relieved to have given up a tree for an entire forest!
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