Max's gaze fell on Anna, who was busy pondering the technicalities—whether such a scheme would be feasible with an industry giant like Apple or not.
Another pressing concern was the risk of the company betraying them by leaking the deal prematurely.
She had to be certain before leading anything substantial. Apple was powerful and unpredictable. Any mistake could sabotage everything.
"What do you think?" Max broke her train of thought, and she peered back at him, musing over the strategy.
She nodded thoughtfully. "It's feasible, but only if Apple has such intentions. Otherwise, we'll lose the first-mover advantage, and the market will realize you're planning to sell your stakes in a hurry."
Her brow furrowed, and she finally addressed the elephant in the room. "But why are you doing this? I mean, sure, you'll make money, but still!"
Max stared at her, debating how much he should reveal. Given Anna's dedication so far, he decided to be honest.
With a despondent sigh, he shook his head. "The other shareholders are planning to dilute my shares and reduce my power."
"Even if I keep my stakes in the company, it would never truly belong to the Knights from now on. It's better to start something new with money I can firmly control," he continued after a pause, his voice steady but tinged with bitterness.
Anna was speechless at his circumstances. Such incidents weren't rare—but all too common.
She had seen it happen countless times—founders pushed out of their own companies, or small startups swallowed whole by giant corporations, stripped of their soul in the name of synergy.
She nodded in understanding. Even then, she couldn't help but feel concerned. Starting a new company wasn't as easy as Max might think.
It took more than just startup capital. If money alone could guarantee success, countless wealthy individuals would already have thriving ventures instead of investing in others' ideas.
"Max—" she began, ready to list her reasons, but when her eyes met his, she stopped herself.
The confidence and determination burning in his gaze were enough to silence her.
And from the slight grin tugging at his lips, she could tell he had already thought everything through before meeting her.
He didn't just want her agreement—he wanted a partner who could move fast.
She swallowed, licked her dry lips, and changed her tone. "I'll help you with this, and we'll move quickly. Don't worry—my team might be small, but we're professionals nonetheless."
Max smiled at her response, nodding as if he'd expected nothing less. Then, his expression turned serious.
"That's about KTech," he said. "But your work's not done yet."
"You might need to book a flight for this one," he added with a grin. "Last year, a website called Facebook was launched at Harvard University by Mark Zuckerberg and a few other students."
"Invest in this site and hold the position for the long term."
Anna narrowed her eyes at the mention of the site, then nodded, writing it down in her notepad using codes only she could decipher. After finishing, she looked back at Max.
"I assume you see potential in this website?" she asked.
Max nodded. "Yes. Try to invest in the website, even in the later funding rounds."
Although Max assumed it might be hard to secure a foothold in Facebook, he knew Mark Zuckerberg chose his investors carefully, prioritizing those who could maximize his own control while also offering strategic advantages like extended reach and influence.
Still, if Max could acquire even a small stake now—while Facebook was still in its infancy and not yet the billion-dollar behemoth it would become—it might be one of the best decisions he ever made.
The idea had come to him after surfing the internet for a while, pondering not just opportunities—but patterns.
Why was Tony Stark considered one of the richest men in the Marvel Universe, aside from a few exceptions like the Wakandan king or others who preferred to keep their wealth hidden?
The answer wasn't just Stark Industries. The main reason lay in Tony's strategy: the sheer number of investments he held, coupled with the countless patent rights owned by both him and his company.
Tony invested heavily in budding ideas. If those ventures succeeded, his stake in them skyrocketed his wealth. It wasn't luck—it was calculated foresight, multiplied over time.
Max mused over the critical question: if he wanted to wield power in the Marvel Universe, what should he focus on first? What should he chase?
Strength? His system could provide him with that, but it required patience. Risky methods—like unstable serums or tampering with magic—weren't worth it.
After all, he didn't know how the Sorcerer Supreme might react to his meddling.
Status? Tony Stark had immense status, which gave him significant leverage on the political stage.
Even after ceasing arms deals with the U.S. military, Stark remained untouchable in many ways.
But status demanded a more elaborate strategy—and often came as a by-product of something greater.
That left wealth: a foundation of power that often brought influence in its wake. In any world, money spoke louder than anything else.
Max decided wealth would be his first target. However, creating a company from scratch would take time—time he wasn't willing to waste.
Instead, he would follow Tony's playbook: strategic investments. But unlike spreading money indiscriminately like charity, Max resolved to focus on ventures he knew would flourish in the future.
Facebook was one such opportunity.
It was a rare chance. Max knew it was being created during this time period, and he had a perfect opening to position himself as a stakeholder.
Of course, Facebook wasn't the only company in his sights. Max could recall others from his own world—apps and platforms he'd actively used during the rise of the internet and social media.
He planned to pursue all of them—ones he could remember, ensuring those future billion-dollar giants bore the Knight name as parent company in this world.
The thought lit a fire in his eyes, a blazing determination for the future he envisioned. With such companies under his banner, he'd have the power and status to make his voice heard—loudly enough to dictate the course of events.
Turning to Anna, he said, "There's one more place you might have to visit. I need you to secure as much stake as possible in this one—it's only a few days old venture."
…
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