Chapter 4 — Sparks of the Future
"56… 57… 58… 59…"
Hu… hu…
Sweat dripped down Leo's temple, glistening under the warm morning light seeping through the open windows of his small apartment gym. Every breath felt heavier than the last, but he didn't stop—not after coming this far.
Two months had passed since he'd arrived in this new world—the year 1990. Two months since Sam William became Leo, an 18-year-old orphan with Forge's power humming beneath his skin and a hidden energy dimension waiting to be filled.
He stared at the strange-looking equipment surrounding him. Each one was something no one in 1990 could've imagined—a treadmill that automatically adjusted resistance based on heart rate, a bench press with dynamic counterweights powered by electromagnetic pistons, and a gravity-controlled squat rack that simulated microgravity training.
All built from scrap metal, junkyard parts, and his imagination.
Leo grinned between breaths. "Man… if Tony Stark were here, he'd probably hire me on the spot."
These inventions had helped him train every muscle group with surgical precision. Each push, each pull, every strain of his body synced with his Forge-enhanced engineering mind, calculating, improving, optimizing.
It wasn't just training—it was evolution.
And it was paying off.
His reflection in the mirror showed someone lean, stronger than any ordinary mechanic, his eyes brighter, sharper. The power of invention wasn't just in his hands—it was in his blood now.
He picked up a towel and laughed softly. "This is interesting… I can even see a solid business forming from this."
He turned to his cluttered desk in the corner of the room, where blueprints were sprawled across the surface. Among them, one particular design gleamed—the half-finished prototype of a mobile phone, years ahead of its time. Sleek, minimal, with a modular circuit that could easily outclass anything the world had ever seen.
"Paired with this beauty," he muttered, tapping the sketch, "I could start a revolution before it even begins."
---
At Jack's Motorworks
The smell of oil, burnt rubber, and coffee filled the air. Engines hummed, wrenches clicked, and the faint sound of a radio played Bon Jovi in the background.
Jack, the garage's owner—a broad-shouldered man in his forties with grease-stained hands and a smile that hid no nonsense—watched Leo work with a smirk.
"As usual, you're doing better than me, kid. Now even I gotta start learning from you."
Leo chuckled, wiping his hands. "You say that every week, Jack."
"'Cause you keep proving me right every damn time." Jack slapped his back with a laugh. "That carburetor system you designed last week? Saved me hours of work. You've got some magic in those hands, Leo."
"Just good old engineering," Leo said, hiding the truth behind a casual shrug.
But inside, he knew—Forge's gift made even the most complex machine an open book. Every gear, every bolt, every circuit whispered its secrets to him.
And Jack's garage had become the perfect cover and training ground.
---
At Home, Late Evening
The city outside buzzed with life. Neon lights flickered across the old apartment walls as Leo sat by his desk, surrounded by notes, prototypes, and empty cans of soda.
He looked at his growing list of plans.
1. Fitness Equipment Company – Advanced gym gear that enhanced training efficiency.
2. Electronics Company – Early development of future technologies.
3. Video Game Consoles – Simple start, fast growth, solid income.
"The two ventures—the fitness and the electronics industry—are decades behind. With my powers, I can change that."
He opened a small drawer and pulled out a notebook titled Project Genesis. Inside, detailed sketches of futuristic devices filled the pages: smart sensors, holographic screens, compact energy storage cores.
He smirked. "Just wait, world. You're not ready for what's coming."
His immediate funding came from something simpler, though—video game consoles. A small wooden box with a built-in joystick, a few cartridges, and bright pixelated fun that hooked customers instantly.
He already had one installed in Jack's garage.
Jack, of course, took his cut. "Fifty bucks rent per week," the man had said with a grin. "Business is business."
Leo rolled his eyes remembering it. "That money grabber…"
Still, even after the rent, Leo's profit hit $120 a week. Not bad for something that cost him barely a few bucks to make. And the best part? People were lining up for it.
Some guy even tried to buy the patent for a quick buck.
Leo turned down the offer without hesitation.
"I wasn't satisfied with that amount," he said, closing his notebook. "Because this… this is just the beginning."
He leaned back in his chair, gazing at the ceiling fan spinning lazily above.
His energy dimension hummed faintly in his mind—empty but waiting. His hands itched to create, to build, to push this world toward something greater.
"Now that everything is settled," he whispered to himself, "it's time to gather funds for the real project—the future."
Outside, thunder rumbled faintly, the world completely unaware that in a small 1990s apartment, the foundation of a technological empire was being laid by a boy who was never meant to exist.
End of Chapter 4
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Author's Note:
This is still a Marvel fanfic—don't worry! Some groundwork like this is necessary for the future arcs. It might feel a bit rushed, but that's intentional—we're setting up for something much bigger.
If you liked this chapter, comment below and send some Power Stones my way! Your support keeps me motivated to keep building this Marvel Universe, one chapter at a time.