As they reached the doorway, Tony waved a hand without looking back.
"I also already covered the hospital bills, so you can just relax and go home," he said casually.
Alex nodded in appreciation. "Thanks."
Tony and Pepper left, and the room grew quiet. Alex leaned back against the pillow, exhaling slowly.
"So… it's the year 2012, huh?" he muttered to himself.
"Shit is going to get real really fast now."
He stared up at the ceiling, deep in thought.
"But if Tony is acting that carefree, that means I still have at least a month before things start getting crazy," Alex reasoned. "I need to master my powers fast… or I'll just be another unlucky guy who dies in the New York invasion."
He clenched his hand, feeling the faint flicker of dark and light energy pulse from his skin.
"I won't die like a nobody in the background. Not happening."
One Week Later
Time moved quickly. Alex spent every day hidden away in his private hospital room, practicing control in secret—drawing out tiny sparks of Lightforce and Darkforce, learning how to suppress their aura so he wouldn't accidentally vaporize a wall.
By the end of the seventh day, he could form stable energy spheres the size of small marbles without losing control. He still couldn't maintain the Dual Form for longer than a second, but it was progress.
The morning sun streamed through the window as a nurse walked in with a clipboard and a bright smile.
"Good news, Mr. Alex! You've fully recovered. You're officially discharged today."
Alex stood, stretching. His body felt lighter, sharper—and far stronger than any normal human.
"Great," he said with a small smile. "Thanks for everything."
He signed the papers, grabbed his clothes, and stepped out of the hospital doors into the open air for the first time in weeks.
His eyes narrowed slightly at the skyline.
"New York City," he muttered. "The world's about to change."
The system's voice echoed in his mind:
[Reminder: Integration Progress – 1.6%]
[Recommended Objective: Secure isolated training area for continued synchronization.]
Alex smirked.
"Already planning on it."
He tightened his grip on the strap of his bag and started walking.
Alex left the hospital and walked through the busy streets, blending with the crowd. Cars honked, people shouted, the air smelled like smoke and street food. Classic New York.
It took him about half an hour to reach his building—a small old apartment complex, paint peeling off the walls, rust on the railings, a buzzing flickering light over the entrance.
"Home sweet home," Alex muttered, staring at the cracked brick walls. "Well… better than sleeping outside."
He climbed the stairs to the third floor, footsteps echoing in the narrow hallway. He stopped at Door 302 and unlocked it with a key he found in his pocket earlier.
The door creaked loudly as he pushed it open.
Inside was a simple, small room: a single bed, a tiny kitchen area, a wobbly table, and a small window that barely opened. Dust collected everywhere, and it smelled slightly like old wood and rain.
Alex tossed his bag onto the bed and sat down, taking a deep breath.
"It's really small… but it's mine."
He looked at his hands again, watching a faint wisp of white light spark between his fingers before fading.
"Training here isn't going to work. Too dangerous. One wrong move and I'll blast this whole floor."
The system spoke calmly in his head:
[Correct. Host must find an isolated place. Preferably far from population.]
Alex leaned back against the wall.
"Yeah… I know. First I need a map, maybe search abandoned areas, empty warehouses or outskirts."
He pulled the envelope Tony gave him from his pocket and opened it properly.
$10,000,000.00
Alex whistled softly.
"…That's a lot. Tony really felt guilty, huh?"
He placed the card down and grinned.
"This is enough to start preparing. I can rent a private property, or even buy a small piece of land outside the city."
He stood up and stretched.
"Tomorrow, I'll look around. Today I rest."
He fell onto the bed, staring at the ceiling.
"But I need to hurry. The invasion is coming. Aliens, gods, super soldiers… This world is insane."
His eyelids slowly closed.
"And I'm not going to be weak when it happens."
After resting for a few hours, Alex woke up with the afternoon sunlight shining through the window. He rubbed his eyes, sat up, and grabbed the laptop that was left in the room. The internet was slow, but it worked.
"Alright… time to find a place no one visits," he muttered, opening real estate sites and city documents for abandoned property.
For hours he searched, scrolling through listings of old factories, empty storage lots, and forgotten industrial zones. Finally, he found something interesting—an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of Brooklyn. Half-collapsed roof, broken windows, isolated area, surrounded by empty land. Perfect.
"Nice. No neighbors, no reporters, no curious eyes."
He called the listed number. The owner sounded tired and desperate to sell.
"Three hundred and twelve thousand dollars," the man offered. "Take it or leave it. I just want it off my hands."
Alex grinned.
"I'll take it."
Within two days, paperwork was done and signed. Money transferred. The warehouse officially belonged to him.
Now he needed a safe living place too—somewhere better than the old broken building that looked like it could crumble if someone sneezed too hard.
He searched again and found a clean, modern apartment in Queens. Not too fancy, but comfortable, secure, with reinforced structure and a quiet neighborhood. Two bedrooms, clean kitchen, working elevator, and good sound insulation.
Price: $3,200 per month.
Alex nodded and signed the rental.
When he entered the new apartment, he smiled. White walls, wooden floor, big window with a view of city lights, soft couch, working shower—nothing like his old place.
"This is perfect," he said, dropping his bags on the floor.
He walked to the window, staring out at the glowing night city.
"Warehouse for training. Apartment for living. Money for equipment. And powers that will grow."
He clenched his fist, feeling the black-and-white energy spark quietly inside him.
"Step one complete."