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Chapter 360: Ghost Jerry (6000+)
Chapter 360: Ghost Jerry (6000+)
Late August 2013, at the entrance of Columbia University.
"Alright, Dad, you guys can go back. I can manage on my own!"
Jerry pulled his suitcase out of the Mini Cooper's trunk, waved to Has, Teacher Berry, and Elsa in the car, and then joined the stream of new students reporting in.
This was his second time attending university, and it was one of the world's top institutions. Jerry had thought he would be quite excited.
However, when he actually walked into the campus, luggage in hand, and saw the diverse students from all over the world and the tall, distinctive buildings, he realized that he felt no wave of emotion at all.
Even when he first saw the dilapidated junior college he attended in his previous life, which was smaller than a key high school, he had been more excited than he was now.
But he soon understood why.
In his previous life, a world-renowned university like this seemed unattainable. His family's economic conditions meant that even with excellent grades, he could not have attended such a prestigious school. First, his rural background meant that his parents and relatives had no idea how to send him abroad for university, and second, they simply could not afford it.
But in this life, a mere human university was nothing to him. He had studied at Hogwarts, the legendary Asgard, and the Earth wizards' holy land, Kamar-Taj. He had encountered things that most people would never experience in their lifetimes.
He had researched magic, improved magic, created magic, pursued the fundamental laws of the universe, and continuously strengthened himself. If he wanted to, he could easily destroy a country with his current power.
Given his strength, walking through an ordinary university, even one of the world's top institutions with many famous alumni, would not excite him. If it did, that would be a sign of a psychological issue.
The purpose of attending Columbia University was to gain knowledge in biology and find ways to enhance the Witchbloodline.
It might take two years, one year, or just a few months. When he achieved his goal, he would leave.
Columbia University was not much different from the high school and middle school he had attended before. The only difference was that his classmates had evolved from a bunch of kids to young adults in their late teens and early twenties.
"Hey, Jerry, over here! Over here!"
Just as Jerry was reflecting on the subtle changes in his mindset, a familiar voice called out from ahead.
It was Thor, Jane, and Daisy, who had only parted ways with him a month ago.
Jane was a professor of astrophysics at Columbia University, and Daisy was an assistant. All three lived in the university's faculty housing.
When they learned that Jerry had been accepted to Columbia University and would be reporting in today, they had arrived early to wait for him.
"You guys are really drawing a lot of attention, aren't you?"
Jerry pulled his suitcase over to the three of them, saying with a sigh.
Because of Thor, many of the new students were looking in their direction.
Thor often visited Columbia University because of Jane, and the students were already used to seeing him. However, the new students, especially those from other countries, were still very curious about Thor, one of the Avengers.
They had seen many photos on Facebook of Thor and Jane showing off their affection at Columbia University, but this was the first time they were seeing Thor in person.
"I'm already being as low-key as possible. See, I'm not wearing my silver War Armor, and even my beloved Mjolnir has turned into an umbrella. What can I say? I'm just too outstanding!"
Thor lifted the black umbrella in his hand, a smug look on his face. Having lived for 1,500 years, he had never known what it meant to be low-key.
"Outstanding? Who was the one who got so scared watching 'The Ring' last night that you threw the TV?"
Jane rolled her eyes and immediately started to expose Thor's faults when she heard him boasting.
"Cough, cough, Jane, there's no need to bring that up!"
Thor quickly interrupted and changed the subject.
"Jerry, come on. Jane says she can help you with the enrollment procedures much faster."
Actually, Thor was not afraid of ghosts. There were plenty of them in the Underworld of Hel, one of the Nine Realms.
However, watching a movie was different from reality. The atmosphere and the music made him feel uneasy. In the end, when the ghost tried to crawl out of the TV, he subconsciously threw the remote to protect Jane.
"God, I never thought the Witch would be a student at our school. It's a shame you're not in the astrophysics department, or I might have been able to teach you!"
Daisy, who was standing nearby, looked at Jerry with excitement.
Although Daisy studied astrophysics, it did not stop her from becoming a fan of Jerry. Two years ago, in Old Bridge Town, she had even asked Jerry for an autograph.
At the time, she had always thought the Witch was a girl.
Now that she learned the Witch was a boy, she was not disappointed but even more excited.
"Jerry, do you have a girlfriend yet? How do you feel about me? Look, my figure is really good!"
On the way to the school registrar's office, Daisy, walking beside Jerry, proudly puffed out her chest, speaking very directly.
Jerry was her idol, handsome, and had saved her life a while back. As a very bold and straightforward girl, she naturally wanted to see if she could get a head start.
As a more traditional person, Jerry was taken aback by this sudden confession and took a moment to respond. Under Daisy's expectant gaze, he smiled and said:
"Sorry, I'm only fourteen!"
"Age isn't an issue, I can wait for you!"
Daisy replied without a care.
Jerry shook his head directly:
"I have someone I like!"
Daisy was very pretty and had a fantastic figure, but Jerry had no intention of dating at the moment. It didn't align with his views on relationships, so he rejected her decisively.
If you don't like someone, it's best to reject their advances straightforwardly to avoid wasting each other's time. This was part of his relationship philosophy.
"Alright, looks like I'm out of luck!"
Daisy sighed upon hearing Jerry's refusal, but she wasn't too upset. In her view, it would be great if Jerry agreed, as having an idol turn into a husband would be a wonderful thing. However, failure was also normal, given the slim chances of such a scenario.
She had approached it with the mindset of taking a chance, hoping for a miracle, and was prepared for rejection.
"See, I knew it!"
Jane, her best friend, didn't feel sad about Daisy's rejection; instead, she teased her a bit.
In this way, they walked and laughed all the way, and with Jane, one of the top professors at the school, Jerry quickly completed all the enrollment procedures and began his second college life.
Unlike other students who socialize, study, and participate in various activities and clubs to improve their skills and expand their social circles, Jerry's college life was much simpler.
It was all about studying, studying, and more studying.
Two months later, in the Columbia University Biology Lab.
Jerry, like most students, wore a nondescript Columbia hoodie, holding a textbook and notebook, walked into the lab to start today's practical class on animal cell research.
This practical class was a joint session, combining several classes.
As soon as the class began, he heard some chatter around him, but it wasn't about the course content.
Instead, it was:
"Wow, is he 'Ghost Jerry'? He looks even better in person than in photos!"
"Seriously, is he that amazing?"
"Absolutely, you'll see. After class, you won't be able to find him!"
Indeed, "Ghost Jerry" was a nickname given to him by his classmates, and over the past two months, it had spread throughout the school.
Some student clubs even suggested adding him to the list of "Top Ten Columbia University Urban Legends."
Jerry had heard about this from Daisy and Jane but didn't pay much attention to it.
He definitely wouldn't stay in the school dorms after enrolling, as it was inconvenient. So, he continued to live in his villa in Queens. With the ability to Apparate, he didn't worry about the distance from home.
Before each class, he would Apparate near the classroom and then walk in with the other students to start the lesson.
Besides the classrooms, he would occasionally visit the school library to find professional books to aid his studies in biology.
To avoid trouble, he always used a Disguise Charm to remain invisible while in the library.
Apart from the classrooms and the library, he rarely stayed on campus.
Actually, Jerry's study habits wouldn't usually draw much attention, as there are always reclusive, studious students in college who focus solely on their studies.
Most students don't particularly enjoy befriending such reclusive study enthusiasts, especially those of the opposite sex.
However, Jerry's exceptional appearance couldn't be ignored. With his brown hair, blue eyes, sharp features, and tall, athletic build, he was undoubtedly one of the top heartthrobs at Columbia.
More importantly, his years of studying Magic had given him a mysterious and sophisticated aura, and he occasionally exhibited the innate elegance of a Slytherin.
These qualities made him like a fine, aromatic wine, exuding an irresistible charm. Even when he was quietly studying, not participating in any activities or socializing, he remained impossible to overlook.
Every time Jerry entered a classroom, especially when he sat down and focused on taking notes, he would capture the attention of many of his classmates, especially the girls.
And in this country, girls like Daisy are often very direct and bold, seizing the first opportunity to get to know someone they like.
However, they were surprised to find that every time Jerry left the classroom after class, it became very difficult to find him again.
He seemed to appear like a ghost, only showing up in the classroom during lessons.
Once or twice might be coincidental, but this pattern had persisted for two months, naturally turning into a popular topic of conversation around the school. The most unreliable of these tales, however, remained unsolved, with no one managing to debunk it.
Thus, "Ghost Jerry" became famous throughout Columbia University.
Mention "Ghost Jerry" at Columbia, and while not everyone may have seen him, everyone has certainly heard of his legend.
But for Jerry, apart from studying biology and frequently consulting a few professors at the university, he didn't pay much attention to these rumors.
Even his classmates, he hadn't bothered to remember their names, thinking that he would likely have little to no interaction with them in the future.
For Jerry, while his daytime school life was somewhat dull, his nightlife was incredibly rich.
After returning in the evening, he would usually activate the Mirror Spatial and spend time practicing, modifying, and experimenting with Magic, or visit the Ancient One at Kamar-Taj for some milk tea and to discuss Magic.
New York's night was Kamar-Taj's day.
Occasionally, he would also spend some time specifically studying the Reality Stone. As the newly appointed guardian of the Reality Stone, how could he not understand it?
Well, he didn't really understand it that well.
After all, the Reality Stone had been sealed for five thousand years, and even when he asked the Ancient One, she wasn't very familiar with how to use its power.
Moreover, the Reality Stone was one of the most difficult gems to master.
Its abilities were incredibly arbitrary, defying all the fundamental rules of science and Magic in the universe, turning thoughts, fantasies, dreams, and illusions into reality.
It was as if you could have whatever you wanted, much like the Transfiguration Spell and Materialization Spell Jerry had learned before.
However, the Transfiguration Spell had to follow Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration, and the Materialization Spell required the creature to be a real one.
The Reality Stone, on the other hand, completely ignored these rules. As long as you could imagine it, it could make it happen, with its power entirely dependent on your imagination.
Of course, the prerequisite was knowing how to use it and how to unlock the immense power it contained.
Take Malekith, the Dark Elf, for example. Despite having the Reality Stone for so many years, the most he managed to figure out was a method to harness the power of celestial convergence to influence the Reality Stone and activate its inherent power.
No one knew if this method was real or if it could actually work, as it had never been successful, and there was no way to verify it. For all anyone knew, his fervent wishes might have resulted in nothing more than the re-darkening of his homeland, Vanaheim.
In reality, without the power of celestial convergence, Malekith himself could barely harness the abilities of the Aether particles, only managing to grasp the basics. Otherwise, he wouldn't have lost so miserably five thousand years ago.
The six Infinity Stones contained all the fundamental laws of the Marvel universe and possessed infinite power. However, to use their power, one needed to know how to wield them and have sufficient strength.
Otherwise, they were no different from six ordinary stones, perhaps slightly more durable.
Many individuals and forces in the universe had obtained the Infinity Stones, but they often ended up being killed and the stones stolen by those who were powerful but didn't have the stones.
External objects are just that—external. Focusing too much on external objects while neglecting one's own strength is putting the cart before the horse.
Look at Odin; after obtaining the Tesseract, he merely kept it in his treasure vault. The Ancient One used the Time Stone to observe the past and future, but without the Time Stone, she was still the most powerful Sorcerer Supreme.
Therefore, Jerry never placed his primary focus on the Reality Stone. He only studied it when he had spare time, hoping to gain insights into the cosmic laws it contained, which could help him advance his transfiguration skills.
He believed that as a stone containing countless cosmic laws, the Reality Stone was more useful for observation and understanding than for combat.
After completing a series of complex experimental steps, learning how to analyze cells, chromosomes, and Dna, and how to record, analyze, and summarize the results, Jerry was the first to pick up his textbook and notes and leave the Experiment Room when the professor dismissed the class.
To be honest, these biological experiments had many similarities to potion-making at Hogwarts. The only difference was that biological experiments used modern instruments, while potion-making relied on magical tools.
This period of research and study in biological experiments had also had a positive impact on his potion-making, often sparking new ideas in his mind.
"Apparition!"
This was the last class of the day, so the moment Jerry stepped out of the classroom, he took advantage of the lack of witnesses and used the Apparition spell to return to the villa.
Just as Jerry vanished, a few vibrant blonde college girls rushed out of the Experiment Room.
But after a quick search revealed no sign of Jerry, they all exclaimed in unison:
"Truly worthy of the name 'Ghost Jerry.' The speed at which he runs is incredible. In just a moment, he's completely out of sight!"
These blonde girls were from other classes taking the joint practical course today. They had heard the legend of "Ghost Jerry" and seen the photos of Jerry taken secretly during class.
After seeing Jerry for the first time today and developing a fondness for him, they had hoped to catch him after class to ask for his phone number. Instead, they witnessed firsthand the absurdity of the "Ghost Jerry" legend.
"You see, I told you. You'll never catch him. I've tried twenty-three times, and not once have I succeeded. I've given up!"
Then, a tall girl with brown hair, who was Jerry's classmate and a friend of the group, walked out calmly, looking unsurprised.
In the living room of the villa, Jerry, who had just Apparated back from Columbia University, was about to activate the Mirror Spatial when the Magic Mirror at his waist emitted a special magical power fluctuation.
"Could it be Thor wanting to drink again? The guy, I already lent him Hufflepuff's Goblet!"
Jerry sighed in exasperation and reached for the Magic Mirror at his waist.
During his time at Columbia University, besides studying various biological sciences and researching magic, he would occasionally be pestered by Thor, who would invite him to drink.
The main reason was that after Jerry had sent away the Dark Elves, Heimdall had stopped opening the Bifrost for Thor to return to Asgard, likely on Odin's orders.
Unable to return to Asgard regularly, Thor could no longer enjoy the various fine wines there.
Jerry, with his transfiguration abilities, could turn plain water into any kind of wine, including those from Asgard. As long as the wine existed in the world, he could conjure it. How could Thor, a lover of wine, not be tempted?
So, whenever Jane had free time from her research projects, Thor would often use the Magic Mirror to harass Jerry, insisting that they drink together.
Reluctantly, Jerry had shown Thor the Hufflepuff's Goblet and its ability to automatically produce various wines, and lent it to Thor temporarily, which helped him get rid of Thor's persistent invitations.
"It's not Thor, it's Coulson. Could something have happened?"
Seeing that it was Coulson, Jerry had a feeling that he might be about to earn some red stars.
Perhaps it was because he had studied Divination at Hogwarts. Although he couldn't make actual predictions, he felt his own precognitive abilities growing stronger.
Like during the attack on the Dark Elf warship, his intuition had told him to have Thor lead the charge, which had proven to be a wise move.
Indeed, he had avoided being vaporized by a laser cannon.
This time, seeing Coulson contact him, his intuition told him that good news was on the way.
"Coulson, what's up?"
"Jerry, I need your help!" Coulson said, looking surprised at the smiling Jerry in the Magic Mirror.
He had been worried that Jerry might be upset at being disturbed, knowing that the other was busy with classes recently. But it seemed Jerry was in a good mood.
"Wait a moment, let's meet in person!"
Jerry used the Magic Mirror to teleport directly to Coulson's side.
In an office on an Airbus, Coulson looked relieved to see Jerry appear instantly.
"Alright, tell me what's going on", Jerry said, pulling out a chair from under the desk and sitting down gracefully.
Coulson wasted no time and began his explanation:
"The story starts with the first mission of my newly formed team."
It seems a mysterious organization called Keen Eye is using ordinary people for experiments to develop and perfect a centipede virus, with the aim of creating a large number of super soldiers.
"From your description, this centipede virus sounds a lot like the Extremis Virus that Kilian used", Jerry noted, remembering the Extremis Warriors he had helped Iron Man deal with last year. They, too, would explode if their emotions became unstable, just like these so-called centipede warriors.
Coulson nodded:
"That's why I suspect they've kidnapped Dr. Hansen. Our investigation shows that she is currently missing!"
Maya Hansen, the creator of the Extremis Virus and one of Tony's early partners, had originally intended to use the virus to help disabled people regain their health. However, she had been deceived by Dr. Kilian into creating the Extremis Warriors.
(End of Chapter)
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