Routine

I couldn't help but laugh at Grandpa's reaction when he found out I'd earned $1.2 million. Although he didn't approve of me "gambling" the money, he couldn't deny he was happy with the results.

I told him I'd send him some of it once I was through this busy period. I still remember exactly what he said:

"Don't you dare send that money to me, Liam. You earned it; you need to keep it."

Of course, that won't stop me from sending him some after I've reinvested everything into Stark Industries' second rise.

Waking up early the next day, Liam settled into his routine. His daily regimen included training with Incursio, working on his physical fitness, practicing Eldritch Constructs, and improving his sling ring skills.

After activating Incursio, he started a timer. Over the past four months, his progress had been steady. As he kept an eye on the timer, the minutes ticked by, nearing the 10-minute mark. Finally, when it hit exactly 10 minutes, the armor disappeared, leaving him back in his normal clothes.

"Finally, the 10-minute mark," Liam said with a satisfied smile.

Next, he moved on to physical exercises, beginning with push-ups while wearing the extra weights Mordo had given him. Afterward, he went for a jog through Tibet. During the run, his thoughts drifted to recent events. Tony had survived, but Yinsen...

Yinsen was gone.

"Yinsen was one of the most memorable characters in the MCU," Liam thought. 'His sacrifice had made me tear up multiple times while rewatching the movies in my past life. I would've saved him if I'd known exactly where they were in the desert. But without mastering the sling ring, there was nothing more I could've done.'

At least, thanks to Yinsen's sacrifice, Tony would now become less egotistical, more selfless, and more heroic.

"While Yinsen's death is tragic, it's necessary for Tony's growth," Liam reasoned. "Who knows? If we defeat Thanos, maybe we can use the Infinity Stones to bring Yinsen and his family back."

After his jog, Liam returned to wash up and change. Later in the day, he had another training session with Mordo focused on Eldritch Constructs and further improving his sling ring skills.

Arriving at the training grounds, Liam sat down and waited for Mordo. When Mordo arrived, he instructed, "Create an Eldritch whip."

Liam focused, channeling energy into his hand, and visualized a whip. An orange construct materialized, flickering slightly.

"Now aim at the bottle and strike it," Mordo said, placing an empty glass bottle on a table 10 meters away.

Liam swung the whip. It hit the bottle, but instead of shattering, the bottle spun and fell over.

"Your spell isn't stable enough," Mordo noted. "Had it been solid, you would've shattered the glass."

Mordo then conjured a golden shield. "Now, punch this."

Following Mordo's instruction, Liam punched the shield with all his might. The shield didn't even dent—it was solid and immovable.

"You see? That's how a spell should be. Now, create your own shield. I'll show you where it's lacking."

Liam focused again, manifesting a shield in front of him. Mordo punched it, and his fist went straight through, hitting Liam's arm.

"You need to focus on density," Mordo explained. "You've got the shape down, but you need to make it solid. Think of it like a tree—the bark is strong because of the minerals flowing inside. Without that, the tree would crumble under pressure. The inside structure is what supports the outside."

Liam nodded, understanding the concept but knowing it was easier said than done.

"Now try again," Mordo urged.

'Focus on the inside, and the structure will follow,' Liam thought to himself. He formed the shield again, but just as it was about to complete, it burst apart.

"You rushed it," Mordo said. "This time, you focused too much on the inside and neglected the structure. It's like filling a paper bucket with water—the moment it can't handle the pressure, it bursts. You need balance."

Liam nodded again. 'This is tougher than I thought,' he mused to himself.

"We'll work on this later," Mordo said, moving on. "Let's practice with the sling ring now."

Mordo handed Liam the sling ring. Liam visualized his room, holding the sling ring in front of him while using his other hand to trace a circle in the air.

A portal opened, large enough for his arm to pass through, revealing his room on the other side.

"Very good," Mordo praised. "The size has improved since last time. Now, try reaching into the room."

Liam extended his hand through the portal, grabbing a small object and pulling it back. The portal remained stable.

"It's still holding," Liam noted.

"You've made significant progress," Mordo acknowledged. "Practice it a few more times, and that will be enough for today."

After practicing for a while longer, Liam returned to his room and resumed his Incursio training, focusing on shortening the activation time.

-----

Meanwhile, a black van slowly pulled into the parking lot outside Liam's grandfather's apartment.

Four individuals, all dressed in black suits, stepped out of the vehicle and made their way to the building's entrance. Once they reached the door, they knocked.

Knock, knock.

"Coming!"

The door opened to reveal an elderly man.

"Who are you?" he asked, eyeing the strangers with suspicion.

"Agent Phil Coulson," one of the men replied. "Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division. Is Liam Hawthorne home?"