Refining the Mind's Power

A week had passed, and New York was still buzzing with the aftermath of the mutant protests and the chaos that had unfolded. Tensions simmered as debates flared across the city, media outlets running wild with speculation and theories. For Silence, though, it was a brief moment of calm. The city's eyes were elsewhere, and he'd taken full advantage of the distraction.

His payment came through, as promised, a significant amount wired into an untraceable account. The sum was more than enough to fund his next moves, and the weight of the cash only reaffirmed that his methods were working. It wasn't just about power; it was about playing the game and winning.

With his finances in place, Silence—now switching back to Aaron—prepared for the next stage. Midtown High was fast approaching, his time to blend in and slip back into the mundane world as a normal teenager. But beneath the surface, he was anything but normal. The gap between Silence and Aaron grew thinner each day, but for now, he needed to keep them separate.

The week had allowed him to refocus, and with the city still tense, he knew his next steps would need to be carefully planned. There was no rush. For now, Aaron was ready to step back into the world, play the part, and keep building his strength.

Aaron's mind was racing, his thoughts tumbling over one another: he needed a plan now. Of course, money was the immediate necessity-getting it big and fast. The subprime mortgage crisis in 2007-2008 was just what Aaron had been waiting for.

He decided to invest every dollar in the purchase of CDS with a 20/1 margin or unite with Michael Burry, the predictor of this collapse. He would then sell his swaps at an astronomical price once the housing market exploded.

When the time came, Stark Industries was his next target. He would short sell their stock in anticipation of Tony Stark's announcement of closing the weapon manufacturing sector, after which the stock plummeted. The shorting would yield a windfall of great proportion, and once Stark revealed himself as Iron Man, Aaron would then invest heavily again to ride the stock's inevitable bounce back for another windfall.

But the money was only part of the key. The knowledge was the other part, and he needed it fast. He needed genomic studies, more precisely, if he was ever to take his plans to the next level. He envisioned experimenting with mutant genes, unleashing their potential, working with the Super Soldier serum-perhaps getting his hands on Hydra's secrets once he gained strength.

Last but not least, Aaron knew he needed to stretch his mental capabilities. Strengthening brain powers meant mastering his Cursed Energy and completing all of his plans. Everything had to be thought out, precise, and not a line wasted on useless hesitation.

Aaron wasn't only ambitious about investments and genetics. When he was thinking about what to do next, he noticed a big opportunity that lay in store for him within the tech world. With smartphones on the rise and social media blowing up, this was a great opportunity for him to get into tech development.

"Why not?" he thought with a smirk, as he raised his eyebrow. It could be another source of income besides developing apps, whereby he will have the right idea for creating companies that will get him through the coming digital boom. Building something from the ground up wasn't just about money, though; it was about control, influence, and having all the tools necessary for whatever lay ahead.

With his mind set, Aaron added tech knowledge to his growing list of priorities. Coding, app development, and business strategy—he would master them all. Creating a company seemed like a logical extension. It wasn't just about financial gain, but having a front for his activities, a legitimate empire in a world that was bound to notice him sooner or later. He knew that with his skills and foresight, he could outmaneuver almost anyone.

Aaron approached the warehouse that he was right next to, very much busy within his own thoughts on how to push himself to the limit of his powers. Then, the idea of improving his brain came across his mind. There were many protagonists in novels and stories who achieved something called 'photographic memory', he thought, "Why not me?"

He reached the warehouse, which was quiet and empty, then faced the middle of it with his hands in his pockets, thinking about what to do. "Perfect recall!" he whispered, his face breaking into a mischievous smile. Instantly, his cursed energy started beating within his veins like a tempest, racing to flood his brain. He could feel it gathering behind his eyes, a slight humming as the energy began to pool in his brain like thick clouds before a heavy downpour.

As the CE gathered, Aaron's eyes widened. It was as if he could suddenly remember everything that had happened to him in the body he currently possessed. All visuals, all noise, all smells—lucid, like he was reliving each moment in that instant. What was even more astonishing was the way memories of his past life started flowing, things he had intentionally chosen not to remember now became very hard to avoid in this tide of memories. The faces, the feelings—they all rushed back, mingling with memories of this world. It was dizzying, but he held his ground.

"Interesting," Aaron thought, his excitement tempered by caution. Another discovery came as the CE pulsed through his brain. The recall only remained as strong as long as the CE was actively present. When he willed the energy to drain away from his brain, the intensity of the memories faded, becoming less sharp, like a photo losing its resolution.

"So, the commands only function as long as the CE is maintained." Aaron pondered, now deeply concentrating on setting the energy in place. At first, it was a slight struggle-the energy naturally wanted to dissipate, to flow through his body. But with raw willpower, he forced it to stay in his brain. His head throbbed with the effort, his thoughts briefly scattered. "Come on, focus," he thought, gritting his teeth.

Little by little, he balanced it. He could not hold in his brain as much CE as he would have wanted, but the amount which he did manage to contain was sufficient for now. "Not perfect, but a start," Aaron concluded. "If I can master this, it will be more than enough for what I have planned." A little smile played across his lips as he realized this was just the tip of the iceberg in mastering his power.

With that, Aaron continued fiddling with the Cursed Energy. Suddenly another idea came to him, and he wanted to see what the effect of commands would be which enhanced his thinking speed and intelligence. "Faster", "Smarter?"

What he noticed was that whenever he said something new, a different command it seemed would make the CE flow into his brain and activate different parts: "So. each function of the brain requires energy in different areas?". It was starting to be more and more apparent with each attempt that he wasn't just uttering random commands, but actually influencing parts of his mind with his energy.

"If I really want to improve my brain, I have to learn about its entirety," he thought, his mind firming with conviction. He'd have to learn what every part of the brain does and how to channel his CE to every single one of them more effectively. The revelation struck like a nugget of pure enlightenment.

"Wait a minute." Aaron paused, eyes suddenly wide with sudden realization. "If I can send and feel the CE in every single part of my brain, what is to stop me from doing it without even needing the commands?" The thought sent a shiver down his spine.

For if he could fully control the flow of energy within his brain, then the abilities he was able to unlock could be done without the use of verbal commands, and his actions quickened and more accurate. That is what most people only dream of: he would have total control over his own mind.

"The possibilities." Aaron mused, his brain turning over in his head the various ways one might apply it. Increased focus, wiser choices, quicker reactions-if he could refine this grasp on his CE a little more, the stuff he could do would be unlimited. "I need to practice more. Refine this."

With a newfound determination, Aaron knew he had to spend more time perfecting his control. It was only the beginning, and he knew what he could do with this kind of power would set him apart from anyone else, friend or foe.