Chapter 12: Thanks to Captain Jack Sparrow

June. The sun blazed high in the sky.

It had been nearly a month since Finney's meeting with the Ancient One, and he was only a few credits short of graduation.

While universities here cared more about internships and recommendations, Finney's grades were good enough to secure admission. There was nothing for him to worry about.

One thing worth mentioning was that Carson had returned to school a few weeks ago. Surprisingly, he hadn't tried to cause any more trouble for Finney. This puzzled him at first, thinking Carson might be plotting something in secret. So, Finney took an opportunity, under the guise of reconciling, to use the Golden Great Evolution Technique and probe his thoughts.

It turned out that during Carson's leave, he did plan to make trouble again, but upon discovering that Finney's parents were both prominent lawyers, he hesitated.

In this country, lawyers held a special status—no one wanted to get on the wrong side of a good one. Carson, though reckless, wasn't completely stupid.

After weighing the consequences of crossing Finney, Carson decided to swallow the humiliation. Besides, with graduation approaching, he didn't want to stir up any more drama.

Understanding the situation, Finney could only chuckle. It was an unexpected resolution, but a good one nonetheless. He gave Carson a mental nudge with the Golden Great Evolution Technique, reinforcing his desire to avoid trouble, and then let the matter rest.

Right now, Finney's main goal was to finish his credits, graduate, and then locate the New York Sanctum to have a proper discussion with the Ancient One.

Over the past month, he'd been pondering the reason behind the Ancient One's visit that day. With limited information, he had concluded that it was most likely related to the Demonic Armor.

Thus, apart from a few weekend tests to explore its effects, he had refrained from using the Demonic Armor.

Becoming a superhero, especially one who debuts before Iron Man, wasn't even on his mind.

If he could wait until he was invincible before stepping into the limelight, that would be ideal. But at the current pace of his growth, that seemed unlikely.

To Finney, Kamar-Taj was crucial. Even if he couldn't learn magic directly from the Ancient One, being there would significantly speed up his development.

The growth of his experience bar was linked to using his abilities in combat. Outside of S.H.I.E.L.D. and a few other hard-to-find organizations, the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj were among the most formidable people he could spar with. He wouldn't need to worry about keeping secrets either.

Training with them would undoubtedly be faster than selling Purple Chicken Wraps in his shop. Especially now that he had the Demonic Armor, his strength might not be inferior to that of a typical sorcerer.

...

"Congratulations on graduating."

As the graduation certificate was handed to him, Finney finally breathed a sigh of relief. Even the sweltering weather felt a little cooler. College wouldn't start for a while, and for the first time in a long time, he had some freedom.

During the graduation ceremony, surrounded by the cheerful crowd, his happy parents, and Skye, Finney felt a sense of peace. He had often wondered if it was too indulgent to spend his time leisurely attending school when the world was only a few years away from chaos.

He'd even considered dropping out to focus entirely on improving his strength. This world hid many secrets, and if he truly searched, he would undoubtedly find something valuable.

But every time he looked at his aging parents, he couldn't bring himself to go through with it. He had asked himself seriously—what did he really want in this world?

In the early days after reincarnating, he'd thought about returning to his original world, but as time passed, that desire had gradually faded.

Here, he had loving parents who doted on him, a mischievous yet endearing sister, and a unique set of abilities. While there was danger lurking, his overall life was better than before.

Moreover, as long as he kept growing, there was a chance he could become invincible.

After much reflection, Finney realized that what he truly wanted was to live freely. He wanted to feel the pressure of impending danger but not let it control his life.

He wanted to enjoy a comfortable life while not losing sight of the risks he might face. So, he had ultimately chosen to progress step by step, at his own pace, rather than sacrificing everything to pursue power.

Looking at the scene before him now, Finney felt he hadn't made the wrong choice. Some moments in life, once missed, couldn't be regained—not even with the Time Stone.

That evening, his family continued to discuss the graduation festivities. His parents didn't mind his decision to major in ancient languages.

After all, they both had high-paying jobs, and Finney himself had made quite a bit of money over the past two years selling Purple Chicken Wraps, so he didn't need to choose a major just for work prospects.

The next morning, Finney found it strange not having to go to school anymore. But the realization that he could now arrange his time freely quickly filled him with joy.

At breakfast, though, Skye looked utterly dejected, which puzzled him. "What's wrong? Didn't sleep well?"

Skye shook her head, resting her delicate face on her hand as she sighed. "Now that you won't be at the shop anymore, I don't know what to do with myself."

"You could get a job," Finney suggested, casting her an amused glance. "By the way, it's been two years since you graduated, and you've never really had a proper job."

That remark made Skye's face flush with embarrassment. She snapped back, "Who says I haven't? I've been freelancing online, writing software for people!"

"Well, that's great! Just remember not to come to me for money when you need to upgrade your equipment," Finney teased, flashing a smug grin.

Skye opened her mouth, tempted to retort that she wouldn't need to borrow money. But deep down, she knew she'd need his help. Without his support, she probably couldn't afford a new computer.

"Hmph!"

Frustrated, Skye huffed, grabbed her bag, and stormed out of the house without finishing her breakfast.

Having successfully teased his sister, Finney happily finished his meal. But as he thought about the task ahead, his mood became more serious.

New York City was over 1,200 square kilometers. Finding a small, hidden building like the Sanctum would be no easy feat.

Over the past month, Finney had tried various methods—searching online maps, wandering aimlessly—but nothing worked. Eventually, he came up with a new idea.

Before leaving the house, he took out an old, worn compass he had scavenged from a flea market. Taking a deep breath, he focused his thoughts and commanded softly:

"Grant this compass special powers, so it may guide its holder to the place they most desire to go."

The moment he finished speaking, the compass needle began to spin wildly, wobbling for a few moments before settling in one direction.

"It worked!"

Finney, feeling a little lightheaded, fought back his excitement. Having something to visualize made using the Golden Great Evolution Technique much easier, and focusing his mind made the process more precise.

Of course, the key was that this request, while special, was relatively simple and didn't directly alter reality, making it easier to achieve.

"Thank you, Captain Jack Sparrow!"

Finney clutched the compass and offered a silent word of gratitude to the famous pirate before setting off in the direction the compass indicated. Since the powers granted by the Golden Great Evolution Technique weren't permanent, there was no telling when the compass would stop working.

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