The only way Rilley had found was to deceive everyone, including himself. Studying advanced books and behaving in a somewhat eccentric manner—none of it was genuine. It was all an act meant to make him look like some kind of gifted young genius.
Building that persona had taken a long period of gradual accumulation. He could not simply change overnight. If he did, then instead of looking like a genius, he would look more like someone possessed. Rilley had no desire to make his parents worry that something had stolen their son's body.
While it was true that he was not a naturally gifted genius, he did possess advanced knowledge in physics thanks to his previous life. That alone gave him a remarkably high starting point. Put simply, even though his intellect was ordinary, his accumulated knowledge was enough to place him above average, and with time on his side, he could still push his potential even further, learn much more, and even specialize in a second field.
So he once again centered his path on physics, showing his father his curiosity and interest in the subject, as well as his ease in organizing and applying what he had learned to real situations. From the age of six to seven, he had already demonstrated extraordinary understanding and the ability to skip grades. By the age of eight, he had shown enough knowledge to rival that of a university student.
Taking advantage of his control over Empire State University, his father then arranged for him to enter the physics program, allowing him to graduate at only ten years old with one of the highest GPAs after presenting his thesis, «A Theoretical-Experimental Study of Electronic Properties in Semiconductor Thin Films».
After his early graduation, he was finally able to glimpse a brighter future. Having died once and been given a new life, he could at last pursue the dream that had felt so distant in that other life:
to aim for a doctorate.
Entering a master's program in physics at the age of ten, he chose materials science, following the specialization track in advanced materials and the quantum behavior of matter. Two years later, after presenting his thesis, «Quantum and Electronic Properties of Nanostructured Materials for Functional Applications», he finally graduated.
His accelerated academic path did not stop there. For Rilley, that was still not enough. At twelve years old, he was finally able to pursue a doctorate in physics, choosing condensed matter physics and seeking a formal specialization in quantum mechanics applied to materials.
At sixteen, he presented his third and final thesis to complete that stage of his education, «A Study of Quantum Phenomena in Low-Dimensional Semiconductor Heterostructures».
At the same time, he also graduated from a second degree at Empire State University: a bachelor's in biochemistry. There, too, he achieved outstanding results after presenting his thesis, «Analysis of the Expression and Regulation of a Gene Involved in Cellular Differentiation».
While his first degree and specialization had been pursued largely to prove himself to his parents, they had also helped fulfill a certain frustrated dream from his previous life. But this second degree in biochemistry was different. It was not merely about proving his brilliance. Even if it served that purpose as well, that was never the main objective.
The reason behind that decision carried far greater weight.
It was meant to push forward the new plans he had laid out so carefully.
Rilley believed that a simple doctorate in physics was not enough to place true control in his hands. After years of constant reflection during his specialization, he resolved to pursue one of the great possibilities available to become someone extraordinary in a chaotic world with a tendency toward destruction.
In the Marvel universe, the paths were clear:
innate or acquired mutation, technology, magic, and the supernatural.
All of them held great potential, but each came with its own drawbacks.
Magic and the supernatural were ruled out immediately. Choosing them meant placing his fate in the hands of others. He simply could not accept that. More importantly, he saw them as a potential threat to the future. When the time came, he would have to think about how to deal with them.
Besides, he could not simply abandon everything and run off to the mountains hoping to be accepted as some sorcerer's disciple, nor could he actively seek help from supernatural beings like demons or gods. He had no interest in entrusting his soul to mystical opportunists for whom he felt nothing but disgust.
After discarding that path, only two remained on the table:
innate or acquired mutation, and technology.
One was inward transformation. The other was external enhancement. The first was bound to the body itself, like an additional limb. The second was little more than an accessory, something that could easily be replaced.
Tony Stark was a perfect example of someone who had taken the second path. But that path had its shortcomings, as Rilley had seen in comic book stories. Remaining an ordinary human being left one at a serious disadvantage against unforeseen dangers. After all, humanity's fragility was still there. When surprise entered the equation, any situation could turn disastrous in an instant.
Mutation, meanwhile, elevated an ordinary being into something extraordinary, and depending on the nature of that mutation, the potential for growth could be immense. But that path was not without its own dangers. There was, of course, the risk of death, and the possibility that the mutation might not develop in the way one hoped. Even so, setting those details aside, it still seemed that, despite its drawbacks, the path of mutation carried tremendous weight if the results were successful.
And the more deeply he reflected on it, with his sense of crisis acting as a stimulant, the more it seemed that the advantages far outweighed the disadvantages.
Rilley would have felt much more secure in that choice if not for the fact that, in most comic stories, powers and special abilities tended to be triggered by uncontrollable events. In the vast majority of cases, they were awakened through accidents. At times, that led him to wonder whether some kind of predetermined fate was at work. It certainly shook his confidence. But even if that were true, surrender was still not an option.
The best way he could think of to embark on the path of mutation was not to wish for it with blind fervor, nor to expose himself to biochemical or radioactive dangers like a fool. If he ever did something like that, it would only mean there was something wrong with his brain. The only thing he would achieve was running straight toward his own death.
Fortunately, Rilley kept both feet firmly on the ground and would not deceive himself with vague expectations. To step onto that uncertain path, he would have to proceed carefully, gather enough knowledge, and then commit himself to constant experimentation and testing. Unless he found himself in a desperate situation, he would wait until he had at least a sixty-percent certainty of success.
He certainly studied a great deal. His new life had been spent surrounded by books, academics, and professionals in the field. Although his mother was not entirely happy to see him setting his childhood aside and throwing himself into study so early, her support remained unconditional.
His father, for his part, was less expressive during those first years of training. The truth was that he was not cold at all—quite the opposite. On occasion, when his father was with his mother and they spoke about him, there was always a satisfied smile on his face. Later, Rilley came to understand that his father's somewhat detached and reserved expression had merely been a way of preventing him from growing complacent, ensuring that he would continue striving forward without pause.
Rilley himself considered his father, in this life, to be an excellent educator. Not only did he offer constant support and never hesitate to provide him with the best resources, but he also gave him genuinely sound advice.
One phrase his father repeated to him often was:
"Remember this, son. You may doubt your decisions. Uncertainty is part of being human, and it allows you to reflect more deeply. But once you make your choice, there is no turning back."
Another phrase usually followed in that same conversation:
"If you are going to do something, make sure you finish it completely. No matter the hardship, even if you do not want to, even if you feel you cannot bear it any longer, stand firm and keep moving forward. You cannot simply retreat. The moment you took the first step, you lost that luxury."
After receiving such affection from his family, along with their unconditional support, Rilley became even more determined to shoulder the responsibility of preserving his family's well-being.
Exploring the depths of cells, and everything that made them special, was without question what would bring him closer and closer to his goals. He would have to unravel the hidden mysteries within the human genes of this world and try to awaken their maximum potential. If he could not yet seize absolute control, then he would at least try to guide things toward the most favorable outcome.
It was, of course, very easy to say all of that. Speaking lightly cost nothing. But Rilley was someone who clung to even the slightest possibility. He understood very well that he did not possess the luxury of hesitation. This was a game of everything or nothing. The only thing he could do, if he wanted the results he sought, was move forward with steady steps—after first considering every option available to him.
And if, even after so much preparation, everything still turned out in the worst possible way, he still had some room left.
The second path had not been discarded entirely.
After studying on his own for a year, he formally began a master's program in molecular genetics at the age of seventeen. At the same time, he became Dr. Curtis Connors' principal assistant. It had been his father who arranged the position, intending to place him under the guidance of a qualified mentor.
Curiously enough, before that, his father and Dr. Connors had had nothing to do with one another. No closeness. No real exchange at any scientific event. Rilley himself had been the reason Dr. Connors eventually came to work for his father, even to the point of being taken away from Oscorp Industries before formally joining them.
Those events had unfolded largely because of Rilley's own efforts, all in order to support his studies. His father decided to recruit Connors because of his reputation as a brilliant scientist, first offering him a position as a professor at Empire State University, and later placing him in charge of the department of biochemistry and applied genetics.
If his father had not intervened, Dr. Connors would naturally have ended up working for Oscorp Industries.
Perhaps triggering a certain transformation after the failure of his experiment to recover his lost arm.