Chapter 23: Improvement

In another part of the facility, Helen was meeting with two scientists who had nearly lost their lives during Ultron's attack. She offered them financial compensation for the trauma they endured, but both declined with a wave of humility.

"There's no need for that, Dr. Cho," one of them said with a smile. "We just want to thank the person who saved us."

Helen smiled back warmly, knowing exactly who they meant. She made a mental note to tell Pietro later, though she already guessed how he'd react—probably dismiss it like it was nothing.

After finishing the conversation, Helen made her way back down the corridor and spotted Pietro sitting in a chair outside the room where the damaged Regeneration Cradles were stored. He was casually scrolling through his phone, completely at ease.

"What are you doing out here?" Helen asked.

"Reading," Pietro replied, standing up as she approached. He leaned in closer and whispered, "Can I take the broken Regeneration Cradles?"

Helen raised an eyebrow. "What for?"

"I just want to experiment with some things. Don't worry, I can pay for it if that's an issue," Pietro said nonchalantly.

Helen considered it for a moment. "I can give them to you, but you can't sell any part of it."

Pietro grinned. "Deal. I'll send the money to your company's fund now." He spoke into his phone, "Gaia, transfer 25 million to U-GIN Research Facility."

"You don't need to—" Helen's words were cut off as her phone chimed with a notification. She glanced down and saw that 25 million USD had just been deposited into the research facility's account. Her eyes widened in disbelief.

'How much money does he have to throw around like that?' she wondered, still processing the transaction.

After a brief pause, she sighed. "Just take it then."

"Thanks," Pietro replied casually, then added with a smirk, "I'll take the Regeneration Cradles now."

"Do you need me to arrange transport?" Helen asked.

"Nah, my carrier's already on the way," Pietro said, flashing a grin.

Helen was confused for a second before the realization hit her. "The jet?"

"Yep," Pietro said with a wink. "See you at home, honey." He grinned mischievously as a few workers walked by, catching his words. Without waiting for her reaction, he slipped into the room.

Helen shook her head, sighing as she walked away. "My life just keeps getting more complicated by the day," she muttered to herself.

Meanwhile, Pietro was wheeling the damaged Regeneration Cradle toward his waiting jet. Once inside, he settled into the cockpit and spoke, "Gaia, buy a warehouse big enough for the jet and order the materials we need to repair the Cradles. Also, look into any discarded or damaged Arc Reactors that might be salvageable."

"It shall be done, my lord," Gaia responded as the jet lifted off and headed for its hidden location.

"How's the identity card?" Pietro asked, his tone shifting to business.

"It's complete," Gaia replied.

"Good. I need to visit the government building. Also, create a driver's license for me," Pietro instructed.

"Working on it, my lord," Gaia confirmed before asking, "Is there anything else you require?"

"Yeah," Pietro said, leaning back in his seat. "Research and gather everything you can on Quantum Computing."

"Right away, my lord," Gaia replied, his voice calm and efficient as the jet soared into the distance.

Pietro looked over the Regeneration Cradles, his fingers tracing the edges thoughtfully. "A few tweaks, and it could work like new," he muttered under his breath. Without hesitation, he spoke to Gaia. "Send me a detailed list of what needs fixing."

A notification pinged on his phone almost immediately. He opened it to find the list of issues with the cradles: new power source, system stability, energy surge protection, change in component materials, and an overhaul of the cooling system.

"Let's take care of these basics before making any improvements," Pietro said, settling into a chair. He pulled up research papers on Quantum Mechanics, focusing especially on the works of Hank Pym. His mind, however, began wandering.

'I wish I had access to Reed Richards' or Victor Von Doom's work on this. Wait… they *might* exist in this universe,' Pietro thought suddenly, a spark of curiosity lighting up his eyes. He quickly spoke, "Gaia, search for any research papers published by Reed Richards and Victor Von Doom."

"I will look into it, my lord," Gaia responded, her tone efficient.

Within minutes, Gaia had found the documents. As Pietro skimmed through them, Gaia added, "These two are emerging as geniuses in this world. Reed Richards and Victor Von Doom—it's impressive you know about them, my lord."

Gaia often wondered how his creator knew such strange yet vital things. He felt proud to have someone so extraordinary as his maker.

Pietro smirked, already immersed in their work. "Interesting. These two are brilliant."

He spent the next few hours pouring over the papers, fully absorbed in the groundbreaking work. Reed had already made significant progress in interstellar travel, while Doom had been delving into unconventional energy sources—fields far beyond the scope of most researchers.

"Damn, these guys are something else," Pietro said, shaking his head in disbelief as the jet finally landed. Stepping outside, he reflected on their brilliance. "Reed's doing some fascinating stuff on space travel, and Doom… well, his research on energy harnessing is downright revolutionary."

But as intriguing as it was, Pietro reminded himself to stay focused. "I'll dive deeper into that later. Right now, I've got to stay focused on Quantum Mechanics and get my Korean ID card sorted."

Pietro flagged down a taxi and headed to the nearest government building. After using the excuse of having lost his card, he paid the necessary fees and left with his new identification. It felt like a minor victory, but a necessary one.

With that task out of the way, Pietro switched gears and began his training. He started with a light jog, keeping his movements measured, focusing on endurance. A few minutes in, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He grabbed it and slipped in an earpiece.

"I found a reliable broker who deals in Arc Reactors," Gaia informed him.

"Perfect. Set up the deal as soon as you can," Pietro said, a small smile playing on his lips. He pocketed his phone again and resumed his run, already planning his next steps.

...

6.30 PM,

Helen arrived home, catching sight of Pietro effortlessly doing push-ups while watching the TV. His eyes were glued to the news, though his body moved as if the exercise required no effort at all.

"The South African government is voting for the Hulk to be imprisoned. Many countries are following suit after the destruction caused, with damages estimated in the hundreds of millions. Despite Stark Industries covering the costs, public sentiment leans heavily toward containment, citing the Hulk's destructive tendencies," the news anchor reported.

Noticing Helen's arrival, he looked up from his push-ups. "How was work?" he asked casually.

"Same as usual," Helen replied as she made her way into the kitchen. "Did you cook anything?"

"Yeah," Pietro said, his tone lighter. "Made some cheesy lasagna."

Helen lifted the cover from the dish on the counter, the aroma instantly filling the kitchen. She took a deep breath, savoring the smell. "It smells amazing," she muttered, clearly impressed. 'He's surprisingly good at cooking,' she thought.

Curious, she turned back to Pietro. "Who taught you how to cook?"

"My bro—" Pietro started, but quickly corrected himself. "Sister. My sister taught me."

Helen raised an eyebrow, sensing the odd slip-up but she couldn't hear it properly.