Max groaned, rubbing his temples. "Of all the things I have to deal with… Hydra, world-changing VR, intergalactic invasions—yet a simple college assignment is what ruins my day."
Vale laughed through the intercom. "Maybe you should use that overpowered brain of yours to finish it before launching world domination plans?"
"Shut up," Max grumbled, already pulling up his laptop. He stared at the blank document, sighing. "What was the assignment again?"
Vale clicked his tongue. "You seriously forgot? It's a research paper on the impact of modern technology on global security. Honestly, it's ironic, considering what you're working on."
Max blinked. Then he grinned. "Oh, that's perfect. I'll just write about my own damn project."
"Cheating, but not technically wrong," Vale mused. "But make sure it doesn't leak anything classified."
Max cracked his knuckles. "Please, who do you think I am? I could write this whole thing in my sleep without giving away a single crucial detail."
He started typing furiously, his mind racing.
"The Evolution of Cybersecurity: The Next Step in Global Defense"
The irony wasn't lost on him. Here he was, designing a game that could control minds, yet writing an academic paper about cybersecurity. But then again, who better to discuss the topic than the one actively revolutionizing it?
A few minutes in, Vale interrupted. "Oh, by the way, while you're busy pretending to be a responsible student, we've got a situation."
Max sighed. "Of course we do. What now?"
"Looks like someone took the bait. A group of unknown hackers has already started trying to breach our test systems."
Max's fingers paused over the keyboard. Then he smirked. "Good. Let them try."
"And if they get through?" Vale asked, raising an eyebrow.
Max leaned back in his chair, stretching. "Then we learn from it. If someone out there is capable of breaking through, that means they're good enough to be useful to us."
Vale chuckled. "Recruitment through hacking challenges? That's cold."
"That's smart," Max corrected. "If you can't keep them out, bring them in. That's how you make sure no one can use them against you."
His mind buzzed with the possibilities. This was only the beginning. The world was changing, and Max intended to be the one pulling the strings.
But first… that damn college assignment.
Max's fingers danced over the keyboard as he continued typing his assignment. It wasn't even a challenge—his mind was already filled with insights that could revolutionize global cybersecurity. Of course, he had to dial it down. No need to make his professor question why a college student had such in-depth knowledge about unbreakable security systems.
As he typed, Vale's voice came through the intercom again. "Boss, I think you'll find this interesting."
Max sighed. "You keep interrupting my genius, Vale. This better be worth it."
"Yeah, it is—the government is behind it. They didn't like your comment about your firewall being better than the nuclear code security."
"And?" Max asked while continuing to type.
Vale grinned. "Nothing. They failed to hack it," he said, then burst out laughing.
Max smirked, his fingers still flying over the keyboard. "Of course they did. Did they really think they'd be the first to crack it?"
Vale wiped a tear from his eye, still chuckling. "Man, the best part? They wasted an entire government team on it. Imagine the meeting after that—'Sorry, sir, we couldn't even scratch the firewall of a college kid.'"
Max leaned back, finally taking a break from his assignment. "Good. Let them know that if they want access, they can pay the licensing fee like everyone else."
Vale snorted. "Yeah, good luck getting the government to admit defeat and buy from a private company."
Max's smirk widened. "They will. If their best hackers failed, they'll have no choice. And when they do, they'll be paying for a security system that I still control."
Vale shook his head. "You're playing a dangerous game, boss."
Max shrugged. "All games are dangerous if you play to win."
"Anything else they said?" Max asked as Vale checked his messages.
"Nope, but their hackers are asking if your bet is real—about the million-dollar reward for each vulnerability or error in our database."
Max smirked as he typed. "Just tested it now—ten million per vulnerability."
Heart, the AI beside him, remained silent, though Max knew she understood the situation. With the technology they used to build the firewall, even the best hackers had a 0% chance of breaching it in the next hundred years.
Of course, Max wasn't arrogant enough to believe in absolute security—after all, this was the Marvel world, a place filled with wonders and anomalies. From superhumans to mutants, from enhanced individuals to cosmic beings, there were always unknown factors.
He understood Heart's greatness, but he also knew she wasn't completely invincible. So, he planned to periodically keep investing his UP into her, ensuring she remained undefeatable.
"Well, at least my college assignment is done," Max sighed as he sent it in. Just then, his phone rang.
"Why did I even give him my number?" Max frowned but answered the call anyway. "Hello, one-eyed bald eagle," he said as Fury's voice came from the other side.
"That program—was it yours, or did you steal it?" Fury asked.
"Ouch. Who do you think I am?" Max replied.
"A bastard who will threaten others to get what he wants," Fury retorted.
"Then you're right," Max nodded with a chuckle. "Though, technically, it was made by a guy who worked for me," he added. "Poor guy wanted to create a world where everyone had power, so I helped him develop a virtual reality where anyone can have whatever abilities they want."
"What do you want?" Fury asked, then added, "I doubt you're doing this just for the sake of that guy you mentioned."
"Again, you're right," Max nodded as he smirked. "I know you bastards already know that my sister have power too. So, if by any chance her identity is leaked, first I will kill the guy and whole organisation who leaked it , but most importantly I don't want her get isolated just because she has powers and she is special. That's why I came up with another plan—to get them distracted by letting them enjoy using powers themselves."
"Everyone will get lost in my game," Max continued. "It's a fully immersive VR game that simulates all senses perfectly... even sex."
Fury looked at his phone as if he had misheard. "So, you're doing this for safety? I guess that's something I can believe," he said before abruptly cutting the call.
Max chuckled. "He acts like as if he can even stop me," he muttered, shaking his head. Stretching, he stood up and went to bed. It was already late.
***
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