The next morning (real-world time)
It was early—very early. The sun had only just risen, its golden light spilling over the towering buildings as pedestrians slowly filled the streets of New York.
After twenty more days of training at his base—amounting to only a few hours in real-world time—Zayne suddenly appeared in his room in a flash of red. This time, he hadn't used the base's teleportation system. Instead, he relied directly on the Grid's teleportation skill.
One thing he had already figured out was that the Grid's method of teleportation was borderline omnipotent. While the base's teleportation gates were powerful, they weren't perfect—at least not when compared to the Omni-Grid's level of precision and authority.
Zayne glanced around his room, seemingly unsure of what to do next. His mind felt chaotic. Managing Ranger affairs, overseeing training, and dealing with constant battles had taken a toll on him. He was mentally exhausted.
"Ah~… maybe doing some chores will put my mind at ease," Zayne muttered thoughtfully.
He had always used this method whenever his thoughts became too heavy. Repeating a simple action helped clear his mind, grounding him in the present. For his current state, it was the best solution.
He picked up his vacuum cleaner and got to work. As he continued cleaning, something surprising happened—his thoughts gradually settled. The chaos faded, replaced by calm clarity.
"Feels nice. Cleaning really does help," he muttered, a small smile blooming on his face.
Then his expression shifted, becoming serious and urgent. "I need to establish a company soon. It'll help me leverage real-world resources and connections. Moreover… I'm broke."
This thought had been nagging him ever since he transmigrated into this world. Even though it was a Marvel universe, the existence of Power Rangers meant the overall level of technology far exceeded his expectations. Aliens were even accepted as citizens in certain parts of the world—New Tech City being a prime example.
That place was a hub of advanced technology—sci-fi yet grounded. While they hadn't created absurd inventions like time machines or full virtual worlds, their tech was still exaggerated by normal standards. Floating vehicles, quantum communicators, and countless innovations were commonplace. Even Stark Industries operated a major branch there.
"But which industry can generate income the fastest and provide long-term stability?" Zayne thought to himself as he unconsciously moved toward his bedroom area, vacuum still in hand.
Once there, he sat down on the bed, rested his chin on the vacuum handle, and closed his eyes in thought.
Time passed slowly. The noise around him faded. His entire being grew serene.
Twenty minutes slipped by in silence.
Then—
His eyes snapped open, shining brightly as inspiration struck.
"Yes… yes, that's it. That's exactly what I'll do," he muttered, his face filled with barely contained excitement.
As for the niche he had chosen—it was health. But not just basic healthcare or pharmaceuticals. No. It was something far more encompassing. Something that could lead humanity into a new era—accessible to all.
"If I pull this off, the entire planet's population will become stronger. Taking on galactic threats and invasions will become much easier," Zayne continued, his thoughts racing.
The next moment, he calmed himself. "But… this will take time. Let's just do what we can for now. If the first step succeeds, I'll expand into other fields. Who knows? I might even become a business legend here—just like in my past life."
As he thought about that, memories surfaced. His past life had been successful… yet imperfect. He had shouldered burdens no one his age should have carried. And now, in this world, he was doing the same—only on a much larger scale. After all, he now bore the responsibility of protecting the world.
With great power comes great responsibility, indeed.
Zayne shook off those thoughts and finished cleaning, wrapping up in no more than fifteen minutes. Then it was time.
He sat down in front of his laptop, ready to work. But as it powered on, he frowned.
"I should replace this. It's too slow and might delay me," he thought, already planning to buy a new one.
He checked his balance—less than $5,000. "That should be enough for a good one," he said calmly.
Navigating through the streets, he made his way to the nearest tech shop to his apartment. Soon, a cyan sign came into view, displaying the name: Ray's Tech Kits.
It was the only opened this early.
Zayne nodded in satisfaction. The shop wasn't overly high-end, but it wasn't trashy either. It was presentable. Places like this usually offered the best balance between price and quality.
He stepped inside and immediately heard a greeting from the counter up ahead.
"Hello, welcome to Ray's. How may I be of assistance?" a female voice spoke courteously.
Zayne looked up, ready to respond—
But he froze.
Three figures stood before him, two of them instantly recognizable.
Only one thought echoed in his mind at that moment.
"Spike and Bulk!"
What the hell?
They also live around here?
"How come I never knew?"
"Hm… it should be because my former self never associated with anyone. I basically knew nobody. I acted just like a robot." These thoughts flashed through his mind rapidly. He had ideas about why he had been like that, but that was something to think about later.
Then he noticed the girl who had greeted him earlier. She was also a familiar face.
It was Aunt May. A young Aunt May.
Surprising—yet normal. The Parkers lived just a few blocks away from him, after all.
Zayne walked up to her and replied to her greeting politely. She smiled professionally and asked what he wanted. But before he could answer, Spike suddenly appeared right in front of him.
"Oi, kid, never seen you before. You live around here?"
The question startled Zayne. Normally, no one would start a conversation with a stranger like that unless there was a reason. But then again… it was Spike. This was just how he acted.
"Yeah," Zayne replied simply and turned back toward May.
May chuckled at Spike's familiar antics. They always did this to new faces in the shop. She was already used to both Spike's and Bulk's behavior—it never ended.
Apparently not satisfied with the answer, Spike impatiently called out.
"Bulk! Over here, quickly! We got a fresh face!"
Bulk, who had been trying to sneak some food during work hours, stiffened and cursed Spike inwardly for not letting him eat in peace.
"I'm coming!" Bulk replied, hurriedly wiping food crumbs from his mouth.
His large body shook slightly as he jogged toward the center of the shop.
May pushed Spike aside, intending to stop him from scaring off a new customer. But before she could act, Bulk was already standing in front of Zayne, staring at him with a wide grin.
"Yeah… you're right, Spike. He really is a fresh face."
Hearing the words fresh face, Zayne couldn't help but think to himself, Oh no… do they have some kind of weird fetish? Has America happened to them?
(A/N: It's a joke, guys. I hope my American readers aren't annoyed.)
But after hearing what came out of their mouths next, he realized he had completely overthought the situation.
They just wanted to know if he would join their secret club. As for what the club was—it was easy to guess. A hero club.
"Sigh… I think you should get a job first, or at least learn how to fight. Being a hero isn't child's play," Zayne advised, feeling utterly drained after the thirty-minute pep talk he had received from the two of them.
They were enthusiastic and genuinely serious about becoming heroes, but for now, it was simply impossible for them.
Hearing his words, they looked visibly displeased. No one had ever truly believed in their dreams. Lacking the strength to argue further, they walked away to handle other tasks around the shop.
"I'm sorry about the inconvenience," May Parker said apologetically, her tone sincere and slightly embarrassed. "They don't usually take that long. They're just… way too enthusiastic."
Zayne waved his hand dismissively and replied, "Nah, I don't mind. It's always right to have dreams. No one should stop someone from having a goal in life—no matter how absurd it seems. We live in an impossible world anyway."
May smiled, genuinely pleased by his response. She couldn't help but wish her nephew carried himself with this level of confidence.
I wonder how he's doing now, she thought.
"Thank you for understanding. So, what kind of PC are you looking for?"
Zayne nodded and told her his preferences. It took her less than three minutes to pick out the right one, clearly showing her professionalism. The laptop cost $2,000, instantly cutting Zayne's savings in half.
He cried internally.
He was officially poor now.
As he left the store, that brief interlude faded away, as if it had never happened. It was already relegated to the back of his mind.
But as he walked toward his apartment, only one viable plan for making money occupied his thoughts.
"Trading. Stock trading."
--- ✦ ---
It's another chapter, guys. I hope you all are enjoying it so far. This few episodes would focus on Zayne's financial stability and influence as an ordinary citizen of Earth. Stay tuned.
Power Stones please ,guys.