I need to farm 165 OP, ideally today. Options?
The criteria are simple: fast, cheap, functional. No fancy tricks or long preparations—only what actually gives points and doesn't require rare materials.
My brain, accelerated by the Intellect Potion running at 110% capacity, immediately started throwing out ideas—from untapped crafting areas like clay molding and advanced carpentry to building more complex electronics and mechanisms, with tons of detailed guides all over the internet. True, I immediately discarded most options: some lacked funding, others required expensive equipment or rare consumables, and some demanded lengthy debugging that I had neither time nor energy for right now. Plus, I consciously focused on practical and functional items: my limited experience had already confirmed that the system rewards noticeably more OP for clear utility than for "pretty but useless."
Naturally, while brainstorming ideas, I was digging through the internet: DIY forums (Do It Yourself, aka "Make It Yourself"), communities of homemade weapon enthusiasts and upgrades, mechanics, electricians, and even chemists in specialized threads. I was looking for inspiration and technical solutions from everywhere; all I needed was one, maybe two items that I could assemble quickly and cheaply, and the system would value "oh so highly"—at least 50+ OP, like with that very Potato Cannon. It, by the way, perfectly fit all my current criteria, except for one annoying fact: it was already crafted, and repeating it wouldn't impress the system for 50+ OP again.
I even considered upgraded versions of the Potato Cannon: a pneumatic variant with a compressor, a multi-barrel modification, and even a Gauss Potato Cannon (yes, I found detailed instructions for that monster online—I was shocked myself!). But everything ran into the same problem. I wasn't sure how the system would evaluate something like this—not cheating, of course, more like a clever repeat. Formally, the Potato Cannon, even of legendary rarity and conceptual complexity, remains a Potato Cannon, so there's a risk of a reduced multiplier. Plus, there's the issue of buying and sourcing materials, especially for the Gauss version: some components are both rare and expensive. In short, scrapping the Potato Cannon idea for now. Especially since I found what I was looking for, and it was PVC pipes again, which turned out to be far more versatile and interesting crafting tools than I'd previously thought.
On one DIY forum thread, I stumbled upon an enthusiast who step-by-step described and showed the process of creating various "weapons"—if it's even appropriate to call these essentially harmless shooting crafts that. Considering I had five Potato Cannons on hand that I could disassemble for fittings and fasteners if needed, and I'd buy the missing pipes—two hundred dollars would more than cover it, they're cheap—I was immediately interested in several of his designs. For each, I figured the system would generously dole out OP: simple mechanics, clear functionality, neat result.
First option—a PVC crossbow. A lightweight crossbow where PVC pipe serves as both the bow and the body, with the shot powered by elastic cord. Materials are simple: pipes (some already on my shelf), elastic cord, wooden or plastic handle, a couple of metal brackets, screws, washers—and other small bits for rigid node fixation. Bolts or arrows I'd make from ordinary wooden dowels: slightly adjust the geometry, glue in light tips or just sharpen them—and done. The whole process fits into a few hours, and the result is quite functional. In short, crossbow locked in!
Second option—logically, one might say "PVC bow," but it's too simple to assemble: high chance the system values it at a symbolic 10 OP. And I'm saving materials right now and don't want to burn them on a knowingly "weak" result. So, skipping the bow and settling on a PVC water cannon. Essentially a water "pump-action," only more powerful than a typical squirt gun. For crafting: pipe (naturally), a pump—manual or bicycle, check valve, nozzle (one from a garden hose will do), and PVC glue or sealant to hold pressure. The whole set is cheap, assembles fast, and the system loves this: clear mechanism with obvious functionality. Mentally locking it in as the second mandatory item.
Originally, I wanted a third, final, and most complex option, but after skimming the guide, I dropped it almost immediately. Screw that—making a PVC pneumatic turret. Servos, microcontroller for automation, electromagnetic valves, compressors with compressed air, wiring, debugging—a beautiful project, but not my level right now in terms of time and risks. After watching a half-hour video where everything went so smoothly and beautifully for the guy, I soberly realized: it's repeatable, but the cost of error and resource expenditure is high. Theoretically, if I really wanted to, like with that Intellect Potion for which I built the damn Marx Generator, I could manage it, but it would take who-knows-how-long and energy. At this stage, I'll make do with the Crossbow and Water Cannon; if needed, I'll make two or three of each and farm the missing points. 165 OP today—achievable.
Good, crafting sorted. What's next on the agenda? Budget to get out of Hell's Kitchen (and figure out exactly where to), and a plan to convert ores from the "cheat" crate into real money. The first is more or less clear: need a private house with a garage extension and a spacious backyard, ideally completely hidden from neighbors. Obvious district priorities—Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island: that's where houses fitting my criteria pop up most often. After studying the city map and estimating prices, I settled on Brooklyn and Queens. Yes, monthly rent there is a bit higher than on Staten Island, but proximity to Manhattan is tempting, and the districts themselves feel more… respectable, I guess. And logistics are easier.
What about prices? That's where I got unpleasantly surprised. Renting this studio in Hell's Kitchen for 500 bucks, I expected a private house with garage and yard in a decent area to be a couple times more expensive, not six to eight! A two-story townhouse in Brooklyn for 4500 bucks a month… Fuck, and that's me putting it mildly. Plus broker commission 10–15% of annual rent, meaning another few thousand down; utilities, often not included; insurance; and deposit—from a few thousand up to ten. In the end, I'd need a MINIMUM of 20,000 dollars on hand to painlessly rent a house for calm crafting for at least three months, ideally six right away. Setting the lower threshold: twenty thousand.
Alright, target sum set. Now—how to legalize ores from my future miracle crate. Quickly scanning precious metal prices, I settled on gold and platinum (roughly 38,000 and 32,000 dollars per kilogram). I figure something like that will be in the crate. What are my selling options? Essentially one working right now: pawn shops. Up to about 10,000 dollars, they usually don't require documents or detailed proof of origin. The catch is that raw unprocessed ore won't be met with much enthusiasm and will likely get heavily undervalued. So, I'd need to visit a smelter first (since I don't have my own workshop) and for a couple hundred bucks melt it into ingots or granules. Those can then be pushed to pawn shops across the city.
Risky? Definitely. What other options? Online auctions, selling to private collectors or metal dealers, trying to reach industrialists directly and offer rare earths. But each of those paths at the start is even riskier than pawn shops: higher entry threshold, more paperwork, and prying eyes. So, sticking with pawn shops—for now, plural, with cash payments. Basic precautions mandatory: visit different spots on different days, at different times, change clothes and routes, avoid repeating patterns. I'm no super spy, but I like to think I'm not a complete idiot. Though… I already left a trail with the Ghost Orchid—so yeah, idiot. Alright, moving on without self-flagellation, just more carefully.
Now that the priority task of analyzing the most critical things was done, the agenda shifted to a different kind of analysis. Deep, meticulous analysis of the mess I'd landed in. Any proper isekai protagonist should've tackled this in the first hours. But alas, the system turned out to be too addictive a toy, and the first days were spent in a tactical resource race rather than strategic planning. Now, with not just survival but future development on the line, ignoring this would be suicidal.
So, let's start with the filing cabinet in my head. Key characters, factions, events. From what I know and remember, of course.
Global level: Gods and Monsters. The top of Earth's—and New York's—food chain. Tony Stark, aka Iron Man; Steve Rogers, aka Captain America; Bruce Banner, aka the Indestructible Super-Strong Green Rage Mountain, aka The Hulk; Thor, aka the Asgardian and True God of Thunder and Lightning. And the rest of the Avengers in descending order of global plot importance. These are titans whose clashes can wipe a city off the map. Right now, they're scattered, some not even existing yet, but I know their unification is just a matter of time and the right threat.
Ideologue level: Mutants. Two main, eternally opposing forces. Magneto with his mutant supremacy ideology and Professor X with his dream of peaceful coexistence. Charles Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, from fragmented online info, successfully exists but masquerades as an elite private academy. The fact that mutants are hidden from the public is alarming. This isn't a world where they're part of society; it's a world where they're a ticking bomb. No mentions of Magneto, which is even worse. Means he's either lying low or hasn't started his war yet. Of course, there's a tiny chance he doesn't exist in this reality at all, but in any case, meddling in their conflicts is insanity.
Street level: Heroes and Spiders. My current world, what's happening outside the window. Spiderling—and in my case, Spider-Woman. I'll call her Gwen-Spider for convenience and ego-stroking. She's already active, but quick news analysis confirmed: for now, it's just fighting regular crime. However, her personal rogues gallery is classic spider fare: Kingpin running the criminal underworld; Lizard—and here a chill runs through me, because in most realities with Gwen-Spider, that role is played by Peter Parker; Morlun, the energy vampire hunting spider totems; Jackal, Kraven the Hunter, Vulture, Doctor Octopus, Goblin, and of course, Venom. Since Octavius is holding his manipulator presentation on October 14, just a month away, I suspect he'll be her first serious opponent. And that event will kick off the appearance of a whole slew of meta-criminals in New York.
But Gwen isn't the only one on this level. Hell's Kitchen, my district… that's Daredevil's territory. Blind lawyer Matt Murdock by day, vigilante by night. His war with Kingpin and the Japanese ninja clan "The Hand" is the city's shadow side, invisible to the average person. In a way, without meaning to, I'm living right in the epicenter of that war. Another incentive to leave this district…
Science and Space level: Pioneers. Fantastic Four. Their cosmic expedition launches September 22, literally days away. How long they'll be in orbit—unknown, but their return will be a sensation. And with them come two threats of entirely different scales. First—Victor von Doom. Genius, billionaire, king of Latveria, powerful sorcerer—his version and threat level can vary, but he's always one of the most dangerous people on the planet. Second threat… absolute. Galactus, Devourer of Worlds. He and his herald, Silver Surfer, are somehow tightly linked to the Four. If Doom's appearance is a political and technological crisis, Galactus's arrival is the end of the world. And I have no idea what I could possibly oppose that with or if I even should…
Starting point: Genius, Billionaire, Playboy, Philanthropist. Of course, Tony Stark. His arc of becoming Iron Man is supposedly where the whole Avengers epic, Chitauri invasion, and Mad Titans who love finger-snaps begins. When will he fly to Afghanistan? Unknown. No mention of "Jericho" missiles online. Could be a super-secret project. But monitoring Stark Industries news is my highest priority. His kidnapping will be the gong announcing the start of a new era.
Hidden forces: Shadows and Conspiracies. S.H.I.E.L.D. with Nick Fury and HYDRA, metastasizing through its structure. They're the gray eminences waging their own war. Magic. Doctor Stephen Strange—brilliant neurosurgeon—still saving lives in the OR, hands intact. His upcoming car crash will be a portal to a world where physics is just a suggestion, plus he plays a key role in global events and has saved the world a couple times, apparently. Need to keep an eye on him too. The Ancient is somewhere in Kamar-Taj training acolytes.
And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Blade and vampire clans waging their thousand-year war in the night. Captain Marvel and the eternal Kree-Skrull conflict somewhere in deep space. Celestials who created life. Guardians of the Galaxy. Shang-Chi, Ten Rings, and K'un-Lun's mystic forces. Hellfire Club, secret society of the richest and most influential. And dozens of other hidden organizations, ancient cults, and alien races.
This world is an insane, multilayered cake of threats. Trying to cover everything means going mad. I don't need to know it all. I need to know enough to survive and grow stronger. All I want for now is time to gear up. My strength is in constant, even if relatively slow, growth. But that's for now. My progression isn't arithmetic—it's geometric. And who knows what skill, blueprint, or Legendary item will finally let me step out of the shadows and become a player on this mad chessboard. Until then—silence, development, and information gathering.
Closing the incognito browser with secure tunnel encryption, I leaned back in my chair, exhaling all the built-up stress and fatigue from a solid mental workout. The Intellect Potion's effect wore off, and I suddenly felt dumb and heavy, like after a sleepless night. But glancing at the notes I'd been keeping the last few hours, capturing the most important and useful thoughts, I realized it wasn't so bad. Pseudo-NZT-48 did its job: I got answers to the questions tormenting me and simplified my immediate decisions. And even despite the oncoming headache—a minor comedown from the potion—I was ready to start creating and earning OP. I desperately needed that miracle crate of ores—too much depends on it right now.
Slapping my cheeks and pulling myself together, I opened a regular browser—on the tab with the step-by-step PVC crossbow guide. Half an hour to an hour to ride out the headache: plenty of time to hit the hardware store and buy what's missing for the Crossbow and Water Cannon—cord, a couple fittings, glue, small fasteners, and so on. Back home—and I start farming. Today I close 165 OP. Tomorrow I handle money. Then everything else, step by step, escalating.