Reborn as Miles Morales with a Custom Stand

Mastering and Acquiring New Knowledge

Back on the rooftops of New York, Deon focused intently on honing his newly acquired abilities. With Mercury's assistance, he spent countless hours mastering his peak physical condition, testing his enhanced strength, speed, and agility. Each leap from one building to the next felt easier, his body moving like a well-oiled machine. Every muscle was now more defined, his reflexes sharper than ever.

"Remember, Deon," Mercury's voice echoed in his mind, calm and steady, " be careful with using your abilities in public."

Deon nodded, launching himself into the air with a powerful leap, effortlessly clearing the gap between two towering buildings. The wind rushed past him as he soared, landing with perfect balance, still marveling at the sheer control he had over his body.

Next, they moved on to mastering Clockwork. Deon created small spheres of time manipulation around objects, experimenting with stopping, slowing down, and rewinding time.

"Try expanding the sphere," Mercury suggested. "But remember, the larger the area, the more strain it will place on your focus."

Deon closed his eyes and extended the sphere, its shimmering edges now encompassing an entire city block. As he opened his eyes, he watched in awe as the world around him slowed to a crawl. People on the street moved in slow motion, like actors in a video paused at half-speed. With a thought, he reversed time, watching events play backward for a brief moment before releasing the sphere and letting the world return to normal speed.

"This power is... unbelievable," Deon whispered, his mind racing with the possibilities. The sheer control he had over time felt both exhilarating and terrifying.

"Use it wisely, Deon," Mercury cautioned, "Time is a precious resource, and tampering with it comes with risks."

Deon also practiced with Copy & Paste, opening portals to his pocket dimension and experimenting with storing and retrieving objects.

"Try storing that bench," Mercury instructed.

Deon focused on the bench near him, and with a flick of his wrist, it disappeared into the shimmering portal. A moment later, he retrieved it effortlessly, feeling a growing sense of satisfaction. "This could be incredibly useful," he remarked, thinking of all the tactical advantages the ability would provide.

With each passing day, Deon's mastery of his powers grew. He trained relentlessly, refining his abilities and pushing his limits. But as his skills sharpened, so did his sense of responsibility. He knew that in this new world, every action would have consequences.

---

Meanwhile, Deon sought out his friend Phin for help in understanding the world he had been reborn into. Phin, with her sharp mind and expertise in technology, became an invaluable resource in helping him grasp the complexities of his new reality.

"Hey Phin," Deon called one afternoon, feigning casualness as he approached her. "I need your help with something—can you give me a quick rundown on... well, just the general state of the world?"

Phin raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the odd question. "General state of the world? What's up with you, Miles?" she asked, her tone playful but her curiosity piqued.

Deon shrugged, trying to keep his cool. "I've just been thinking a lot, you know? I want to be more informed... especially with everything going on around us."

"Fair enough," Phin replied, pulling out her holographic tablet. "Alright, let's start with the basics. Oscorp and Roxxon are the two major players here. Both are heavily involved in advanced tech and bioengineering. Oscorp's been focused on genetic research for years, and Roxxon is more involved in renewable energy—though they've got a darker side, too."

Deon nodded, absorbing the information. "And what about the tech people use every day? Anything different from what I'd expect?" he asked, carefully choosing his words to avoid revealing too much.

Phin gestured toward her tablet. "Oh, definitely. Augmented Reality tech is integrated into pretty much everything—personal devices, public infrastructure, even some schools use it for interactive learning. It's crazy advanced."

Deon pretended to be impressed. "Wow. And... history? Any major events I should know about?"

Phin smirked, clearly enjoying her role as the tech guru. "Well, there's the obvious—superheroes. The Battle of New York, the rise of Spider-Man, all the crazy stuff that's shaped our world. Plus, we've had threats from other dimensions."

Deon raised an eyebrow. "Other dimensions?"

Phin nodded. "Yup. People like Doctor Strange, and villains like the Green Goblin—they've all messed with the multiverse in one way or another."

Deon tried to maintain his composure, though his mind was racing with this flood of new information. "Sounds like a lot to handle," he said casually, mentally piecing together how this would all fit into his plans.