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Chapter 4: The Forge of a Sanctuary
For two entire days, Leo operated in the shadows, his dual powers of Sage and Forge working in harmony. With his heightened mental processing and Forge's innate understanding of engineering, his operations were swift and calculated.
He tracked down the corrupt—CEOs, politicians, gang leaders—and exposed their criminal acts to the world. Money from their illicit dealings was rerouted to victims, to shelters, hospitals, and legal funds, all while Leo took a quiet "fee" for his services. His fortune grew as fast as his resolve.
By the end of the second day, Leo's bank account swelled to $180 million dollars.
But this wasn't about money. It was about building the future he wanted.
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Step One: Resources
Leo's next task was to procure the resources necessary for his sanctuary. Through deep-web forums, burner accounts, and encrypted communications, Leo infiltrated the black market and secured adamantium—the rarest, most indestructible metal on Earth. Over several weeks, he managed to collect small but significant amounts of beta-grade and true adamantium alloy—highly coveted in underground circles.
And as always, Leo paid nothing.
He hacked the black market systems, rerouted payments to the suppliers' own secret accounts, and silently moved his shipments under the radar.
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Step Two: The Land
With his fortune, Leo turned to acquiring land. Using forged identities, fake credit histories, and tampered government records, he managed to purchase a large plot of land in the Catskill Mountains, a secluded and largely untouched area.
On paper, it belonged to a "retired botanist", a character Leo had fabricated.
But Leo wasn't interested in the mansion itself.
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Step Three: The Vision
Leo's mind began to work as it never had before. Guided by Forge's blueprint creation abilities, he mentally mapped out the structure of his sanctuary—something between Tony Stark's tech labs, Bruce Wayne's Batcave, and his own innovations.
He recalled designs from his past life—plans for Stark's Iron Man suit, Black Panther's vibranium tech, even the Avengers' Tower. His photographic memory and Forge's power allowed him to reverse-engineer these technologies in his mind and transform them into practical applications.
With Sage's processing, he also understood the technicalities of them—why they worked.
He began to sketch designs in his mind:
A garage for future vehicles.
A workshop stocked with tools, 3D metal printers, and assembly stations.
A vault made of layers of adamantium and reinforced alloy, impossible to break into.
A lab brimming with cutting-edge research equipment.
And above ground? A simple, decaying cabin, an illusion of normalcy, disguised with an advanced holographic camouflage. Hidden in plain sight.
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Flashback — Memory-Based Engineering
Leo drifted into a trance-like state, his mind accessing fragments of his past life's memories. He remembered the tech—the arc reactors and nanotech from the Iron Man films, vibranium-based security systems from Black Panther, and the energy shielding from Avengers: Endgame.
But instead of just remembering, he felt the understanding come alive in his brain. It wasn't just what was happening in those films—it was the why. The mental blueprints fell into place, piece by piece.
"Arc reactors can't be powered by just any energy source... it has to be sustainable," Leo whispered to himself, testing his newfound knowledge. "And vibranium—its atomic structure can be altered to store kinetic energy."
Forge's power made these ideas come to life, and Leo found himself capable of imagining complex mechanical systems and structures in intricate detail. His mind became a supercomputer of innovation.
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Step Four: The Build
With the blueprints mentally drafted, Leo went to work.
Using nano-construction drones, he began hollowing out the mountain's interior. The drones, each no larger than a rat but equipped with specialized tools, silently drilled and carved out vast spaces in the rock. The process was near-invisible to satellites or any other forms of detection.
In just weeks, the mansion was transformed.
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One Month Later
The sanctuary now stood complete—an underground haven of advanced technology and self-sufficiency. The garage was stocked with equipment for future projects. The workshop had automated systems that could assemble anything from drones to power suits. The lab was set up for experiments, and the secure vault was nearly indestructible.
The living quarters were simple—functional, minimalistic, but embedded with high-tech features. Every surface was a smart panel, every system a personal command interface.
Above ground, the mansion was nearly invisible. Hidden behind thick forest and shielded by the holographic camouflage, it looked like a derelict cabin. The secret entrance was concealed behind a flowing waterfall, leading into the heart of the cave below.
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Security and Camouflage
Security was Leo's top priority.
Sage's AI operated a drone surveillance system that constantly scanned the area. The drones were equipped with thermal imaging and motion detectors, ensuring that nothing moved unnoticed.
Meanwhile, Forge's powers allowed Leo to modify the environment itself. Should anyone approach too closely, the cave could collapse. An EMP field could wipe out any electronics. Security systems built by Leo were designed to handle any intrusion.
And in case all else failed, Leo built an underground escape tunnel, leading directly to a nearby river, just in case he needed a quick getaway.
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As Leo stood inside his newly completed lab, looking at the array of tools, holograms, and systems all around him, he allowed himself a brief moment of satisfaction.
"This is just the beginning," he whispered, standing in the heart of his new home.
He had created his sanctuary—his base of operations.
The next phase was upon him, and the world would never know what hit it.
End of Chapter 4
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