Switching off the TV in the dining room, Liam headed back to his room. After flicking on the lights, he grabbed Incursio and sat down on the floor. He summoned the armor and carefully examined every small detail. As the armor encased him, Liam closed his eyes and calmed his breathing, feeling the raw energy from Incursio flow through him. For now, though, the energy seemed limited to just enhancing his physical abilities and powering up Neontote.
'Tatsumi only unlocked invisibility after evolving Incursio in his fight against The Stylish,' Liam thought. 'But how am I supposed to evolve it?'
Tatsumi had gained more power by absorbing energy from strong opponents. Would the same be true for him? He wasn't sure.
After five minutes, the armor vanished, leaving him back in his regular clothes. Liam remained seated, deep in thought. 'Maybe I should visit the Sanctum to learn more about controlling energy,' he mused. 'If I can manipulate the energy from Incursio, I could possibly apply that energy to magic as well.'
With no clear answers on how long it would take to evolve Incursio or extend its duration, Liam decided the best course of action was to keep training his body and to start learning new skills. He began his usual exercise routine, losing himself in the training, until his grandfather's voice interrupted.
"Liam! Dinner's ready!" Harold called from downstairs.
Liam quickly cleaned up and headed to the kitchen. Harold greeted him with a warm smile. "You slept in late today. Haven't seen you take a break like that in years," he chuckled. "But I made your favorite tonight, so sit down and enjoy."
"Thanks, Grandpa. I really appreciate it," Liam said with a smile as he took a seat.
As they ate, Harold glanced at him, a teasing glint appearing in his eyes. "So, what's new with you? Anything exciting I should know about? Maybe a girlfriend? Or some new friends?"
Liam chuckled. "No, nothing like that. Though I've been thinking about going on another trip."
Harold's smile faltered a bit. "Another trip? Where to this time?"
"I'm staying nearby—just towards the other side of New York. I'll be away for a bit, but I'll come back to visit often," Liam explained.
Harold sighed, clearly relieved. "Well, at least you're staying close this time."
"Still, be careful, Liam," Harold warned, his tone growing more serious. "I saw on the news this morning that Tony Stark was kidnapped. If someone as powerful as Stark can be kidnapped, you can guess what happens to you if you encounter the wrong people.''
"I know, Grandpa," Liam said, nodding reassured him. "But don't worry, I can handle myself."
As they finished dinner, Liam's mind drifted back to Stark Industries. 'Maybe I should invest in Stark Industries before everything takes off,' he thought, already forming a plan.
"Thanks for dinner, Grandpa. I'm heading back upstairs. Let me know if you need anything," Liam said, standing up.
Back in his room, Liam resumed training with Incursio, focusing on pushing his limits within the five-minute window. After a round of summoning and releasing the armor, he took a break and started researching the location of the New York Sanctum. But his search wasn't limited to just magic—he also began investigating where to borrow money to invest in Stark Industries.
As he was deep in thought, Harold unexpectedly entered his room.
"Liam, what are you doing?" his grandfather asked, noticing the computer screen.
Startled, Liam quickly turned around. "Uh, nothing, Grandpa," he said, trying to sound casual.
Harold walked over and glanced at the screen. "If you need money, you don't have to borrow from a bank. You know, your mother set aside a college fund for you. You could use that."
Liam blinked in surprise. "I have a college fund?" This was the first time he had heard about it.
"Yes," Harold said softly. "Your mother saved up a little before she passed. It's been sitting there untouched. I originally planned to keep it for you in case you wanted to go back to school, but if you've found something else that makes you happy, then go ahead and use it."
Liam sat back, processing the information. "Thanks, Grandpa. I'll be careful and won't do anything reckless with it."
Harold smiled, patting Liam's shoulder gently. "I trust you to make good decisions." With that, Harold left the room.
Liam leaned back, thinking about the college fund. 'Looks like I need to make a trip to the bank tomorrow to get access to that money.'
'It doesn't matter how much is in there—whatever it is, I'll invest all of it in Stark Industries while Tony is still missing. Once he's back, I'll sell everything and make a huge profit. Then, after he announces the closure of the weapons division, I'll reinvest it all and wait for the famous 'I am Iron Man' to make more money.'
With that money, Grandpa could live a luxurious life. That would make me happy.
'It's decided,' Liam thought as he stretched and got ready for bed. 'Tomorrow morning, I'll stop by the bank first before heading to the New York Sanctum.'
Feeling more determined, Liam lay down and let sleep take over, easing away the last bit of exhaustion from the day.