C 114(1)

"I didn't expect you to be interested in this experiment."

Tony was genuinely surprised to see Anton here. Anton didn't strike him as the kind of guy who cared about scientific experiments.

As for the earlier party in Los Angeles, Obadiah's personal invitation to Anton had been completely forgotten by him. That type of event was something Tony had experienced countless times, to the point where he had practically evolved into a "master of skipping out."

"I do something serious occasionally," Anton replied with a shrug.

He gestured toward Eddie, who stood not far away. "I'm the boss of The Daily Bugle. Today, I'm technically here to inspect work and, by the way, enjoy the spectacle. After all, this public experiment has drawn a lot of attention, especially considering Stark Industries' stock has recently hit its daily limit. Oh, and Tony, maybe you don't know—I'm now a shareholder in Stark Industries!"

Tony raised an eyebrow, but Anton's claim was true. Under Anton's orders, Betty had placed a large bet on Stark Industries. During the uncertain period when the company's future hung in the balance, she had purchased a chunk of shares from a few minority shareholders at a steep premium.

Though the shares weren't massive, they were enough to officially make Anton a part of Stark Industries.

"Stark Industries won't let you down," Tony said, giving Anton a long, measuring look. He handed the Mark 5 portable armor case to Happy and walked toward the experimental platform with Anton, empty-handed.

At the platform, Otto Octavius, a leading expert in nuclear physics, was all smiles as he greeted people one by one.

Many had placed high hopes on this experiment. If successful, it would revolutionize the global energy industry and change the world forever.

"Tony, welcome!" Otto greeted warmly when he saw Tony Stark, completely ignoring Anton beside him. To Otto, Anton's presence was inconsequential—there was no overlap in their circles.

Tony Stark, however, was a different story. As a renowned inventor, Tony had crossed paths with Otto on a few occasions, and Otto had always respected Tony's intellect.

"I look forward to seeing your success, Otto," Tony replied. His eyes wandered behind Otto, studying the massive nuclear fusion device—the so-called "artificial sun."

The setup consisted of four curved strip machines, carefully arranged into a semicircle to focus energy output on a single point. The device was a marvel of advanced engineering, clearly the result of substantial investment.

Tony processed the information rapidly, impressed by what he saw. "Congratulations, Otto," he said, sincerely offering his praise.

Otto's smile widened. Receiving recognition from someone of Tony's caliber clearly meant a lot to him.

Suddenly, a familiar voice interrupted them.

"Tony, Anton, nice to see you both!"

It was Obadiah Stane. The bald-headed executive strode forward confidently, arms open wide. He embraced Tony tightly, a warm smile on his face—a far cry from the man who had orchestrated Tony's kidnapping in Afghanistan.

"Especially you, Tony," Obadiah said quietly, his voice tinged with emotion as he patted Tony on the back. "I'm really happy to see you out and about again."

Tony responded just as quietly, keeping his suspicion in check. "I'm trying to change, Obadiah."

The words came out smooth, masking the sharp edge of mistrust in Tony's eyes.

"Anton."

Obadiah turned to Anton with a broad smile. "This stage hasn't let you down, has it?"

"Of course not, I can't wait," Anton replied with a grin, causing Tony to roll his eyes in exasperation.

Tony couldn't help but suspect Anton's enthusiasm was an act. Yet, annoyingly, he also couldn't entirely dismiss the possibility that Anton was telling the truth. Anton's ability to blur the line between sincerity and deception was second to none.

What Tony didn't realize was that Anton's excitement was genuine.

As Anton greeted both Tony and Otto, his eyes wandered to the experimental platform. Beside the nuclear fusion device stood four mechanical arms arranged like pillars, housed under an inverted glass dome.

Anton immediately recognized them. These were Otto's "assistants"—the robotic arms that would eventually transform him into Doctor Octopus.

Seeing this, Anton felt Otto's fate was almost sealed.

Of course, Anton had no intention of stopping Otto from using the robotic arms. For one, persuading Otto would be impossible; the man's ego and belief in his own intellect would never allow him to heed advice, especially from someone like Anton.

For another, Anton wasn't particularly motivated to intervene. He had no personal connection to Otto and no compelling reason to prevent his downfall. Besides, if Otto's experiment failed and the arms corrupted his mind, Anton could swoop in and "save the day."

That would be a golden opportunity to earn some justice points.

While contemplating Otto's likely future and his own dramatic entrance, Anton's thoughts briefly shifted to how he might make his eventual appearance as heroic and stylish as possible.

The sun reached its zenith.

Twelve o'clock noon.

Clang!

Somewhere in the city, the sound of bells echoed faintly, like a herald of significance.

Under the watchful gaze of the crowd, Otto Octavius stepped confidently onto the platform. His posture was upright, his smile proud.

….

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