chapter 11
Chapter 11: Genesis of the Super Serum
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A sleek black Vector M12 glided through the bustling streets of Manhattan, its engine humming in contrast to the city's chaotic heartbeat. New Yorkers surged across crosswalks, weaving through cabs and crowds, each person wrapped up in the city's relentless pace. Behind the wheel, Duke Valentine gazed intently at the road ahead, his mind racing with thoughts of the day's mission.
Duke's POV:
It took me nearly two hours to reach my new lab—a two-story building I had managed to acquire from Stark Industries. Situated in a secluded corner of the industrial district, it was exactly what I needed for my research. The exterior was unassuming, but inside, it housed advanced Stark technology with architectural touches of modern minimalism.
The entry lobby struck me immediately: lush indoor plants integrated with steel and glass, creating a peaceful, almost symbiotic environment. Beneath the building, there was a vast, high-tech underground lab fitted with state-of-the-art equipment for DNA manipulation, chemical engineering, and real-time biological analysis.
As I wandered the lab, marveling at the seamless blend of technology and nature, I approached the central console—a giant monitor that served as the nerve center for the lab's AI systems. Plugging a USB drive into the monitor, I brought up the assistant I had designed.
"Are you online, Iris?" I asked, waiting for the familiar voice of my AI to emerge.
A mechanical blue eye illuminated on the screen, followed by Iris's calm and steady voice. "Yes, sir. I have integrated myself with the lab's system. All functions are operational and under control."
"Good." I nodded, pleased with the smooth setup. Two days of negotiations and legal work had finally paid off.
"Iris, pull up the file on the serum formula. The one we extracted from the venom sample," I commanded, feeling the anticipation build.
"Right away, sir," Iris responded, lighting up a side monitor with the formula code-named Super Serum.
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The Super Serum formula lay before me—a blend of cutting-edge genetic manipulation and chemical engineering. It was a concoction meant to override the natural limitations of the human body, enabling DNA from other organisms to integrate into the human genome without triggering aggressive immune responses or catastrophic mutations. Using synthetic retroviruses, the formula enabled human DNA to accept new genetic sequences as if they were its own.
Theoretically, this would mean I could merge my DNA with any creature I wanted, gaining aspects of their biology: the strength of an ant, the speed of a cheetah, or, in today's experiment, the predatory prowess of a dragonfly.
I reached into my bag and pulled out a small glass container. Inside was a striking blue dragonfly, Anax imperator, the Emperor Dragonfly. Renowned for its agility, precision in flight, and lightning reflexes, it represented the apex of insect evolution. Dragonflies are also remarkable predators, with nearly 95% success in capturing prey mid-air—a skill that would be invaluable in any combat scenario.
I carefully extracted a small blood sample from the dragonfly, preparing to blend it into the serum. A complex series of machines whirred to life around me, their scanners analyzing the genetic composition and breaking it down into manageable DNA fragments that could be sequenced and spliced.
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Hours passed. As night fell, I remained focused on the formula. Chemicals hissed and beakers bubbled as I fine-tuned each part of the serum, carefully adjusting pH levels, amino acid chains, and neural receptors to ensure maximum compatibility with my physiology. Every molecule had to be aligned perfectly to avoid dangerous mutations.
Finally, I held up a small vial containing a shimmering blue liquid—the finished Super Serum.
"Finally, it's done!" I shouted, a rush of triumph washing over me. I stood up and stretched, feeling the long hours melt away in the thrill of achievement.
"Are you quite finished celebrating, sir?" Iris's voice chimed in, her tone carrying the faintest hint of amusement. "While you were working, I ran a simulation of the serum with your DNA. The results were… intriguing."
Curious, I walked over to the monitor where Iris had displayed the analysis. At first, everything appeared perfect. The serum integrated seamlessly with my blood cells, enhancing them as expected. However, after five hours, an alarming mutation pattern appeared.
"What's happening?" I muttered. "I thought I'd perfected the serum. Why is it mutating?"
"Sir, your formula is perfected, and would indeed work without side effects on an average human. But you are far from average," Iris explained, her voice calm yet firm.
"Explain," I said, my annoyance tempered by the gnawing worry in my gut.
"Your unique adaptive ability, sir. It's trying to improve upon the dragonfly DNA even further, to make it a part of you permanently. The serum, intended as a temporary boost, is causing your DNA to mutate as it attempts to adapt, essentially viewing the new DNA as a target for optimization."
I clenched my jaw, realizing the gravity of the situation. "So, my power is adapting the serum to make it part of me—permanently. And in doing so, it risks uncontrolled mutation."
"Yes," Iris replied, her tone almost sympathetic. "However, your adaptive ability has a delayed reaction time. According to my calculations, the mutation will begin only after five hours of exposure. If you use the serum sparingly, your DNA should adapt safely over time."
I sat back in my chair, processing this. "So, the serum gives me powers temporarily, but with a ticking clock. If I exceed five hours, I risk catastrophic mutation."
"Correct. With an antidote to deactivate the serum, you could use the serum as a temporary boost while allowing your body to gradually adapt. Eventually, your DNA should integrate the powers of each creature without external assistance."
I mused over this new challenge. The serum's power was immense, but with its benefits came dangers that I couldn't ignore. However, with a careful regimen and antidote protocol, I could eventually unlock and control the dragonfly's abilities without fear of mutation.
"Well, looks like it's back to the drawing board. Let's start formulating the antidote," I said, feeling the renewed drive to push this experiment even further.
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As I became engrossed in my work, oblivious to the outside world, events began to unfold in the shadows of New York City.
In Queens:
Near an old boxing ring, a new fighter with uncanny reflexes and rapid, almost inhuman movements was causing a stir. He went by the name "The Spider." His swift, brutal fighting style and incredible agility were the talk of the underground, drawing crowds who whispered rumors about superhuman abilities.
In Manhattan:
In a dimly lit alley outside a bar, Harry Osborn staggered toward his car, arm slung over a friend's shoulder. Laughter filled the air as they stumbled drunkenly across the street. But before he could reach his car, Harry suddenly collapsed, his body convulsing as blood began to seep from his nose.
"Harry!" one of his friends shouted, terror striking their drunken stupor.
Chaos ensued as they dialed for an ambulance, their voices frantic with fear.
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To Be Continued…
(A/N): Next chapter I will answer some of your questions about the story. So you can ask anything you like in this chapter that I will answer in the next chapter. (As much as I can.)