Chapter 134: Master Splinter

[Third Person's PoV] 

The next morning, Tony stood inside the containment chamber, the small rat in front of him. He wore his sleek Mark 42 Lantern suit, his power ring glowing ominously, casting a vivid silver-blue light across the lab. The tension in the air was palpable as he aimed the ring at the seemingly oblivious rodent.

"I ain't scared of you!" Tony shouted, his voice bouncing off the metallic walls. His ring flared brighter, pulsing with energy.

The mouse, in response, merely looked up at Tony, tilting its tiny head to the side. It let out a few soft squeaks, its whiskers twitching as it rubbed its nose with its delicate paws, almost as if mocking him with its cuteness.

"I will blast you to kingdom come!" Tony continued to threaten, though a hint of amusement slipped into his voice.

"Boss…" Friday's voice chimed in slowly, her tone a mix of confusion and concern. "May I ask what exactly you are doing?"

Tony shrugged nonchalantly, keeping his eyes on the mouse. "Just having a little fun until Baymax gets here with SYB-012."

Baymax, the ever-patient robotic assistant, soon waddled into the lab. His large white frame moved with surprising grace as he carried a sleek cylinder containing SYB-012, a new and hopefully improved version of the symbiote Tony had been testing. Unlike its more volatile predecessors, SYB-012 appeared calm—its viscous white form sloshing gently inside the containment vessel.

"All right, Friday, let's begin the bonding process," Tony said, his voice edged with cautious optimism. He couldn't get his hopes up too high after the many failures, but this time felt different.

Baymax moved with robotic precision, inserting the cylinder into the containment unit's slot. With a quiet hiss, the hatch opened, and SYB-012 oozed out onto the floor. Its glossy white mass shimmered under the bright lab lights as it moved with an unnerving grace, its every motion purposeful and controlled.

"SYB-012 has been released," Friday reported. "All systems are nominal."

Inside the containment room, Subject 12—the rat—sniffed the air cautiously. Unlike a typical lab rat, this one had been enhanced for strength and durability, its small frame packed with surprising muscle and resilience. It had been carefully chosen for this specific test.

"SYB-012 is approaching Subject 12," Friday narrated as Tony leaned closer, his eyes fixed on the scene unfolding before him. The symbiote moved like liquid silk across the floor, almost sentient in its behavior, and far more composed than any of its previous versions.

"Initiating contact," Friday said, her voice calm and steady.

Tendrils of the symbiote extended, wrapping gently around the rat's body. The creature stiffened momentarily, but it didn't panic as the cool white mass began to spread over its fur. The rat's enhanced nervous system helped it remain composed, allowing the bonding process to proceed without resistance.

Tony checked the readings through his ring, monitoring every data point. The energy levels were stable, the neural feedback within acceptable limits. Nothing was being drained from the host, nor was the symbiote overloading it with energy. So far, everything was going according to plan.

"Bonding process initiated," Friday continued. "No adverse reactions detected."

Tony's heart pounded in his chest. After all the setbacks, it seemed like SYB-012 was finally working as intended. The rat twitched slightly as the symbiote coated its entire body, but there were no violent spasms or agonized squeals this time. Instead, the rat moved with newfound ease, its small muscles rippling beneath the smooth white layer of the symbiote.

"How are the energy levels, Friday?" Tony asked, not taking his eyes off the rodent.

"Energy levels are optimal," Friday confirmed. "The symbiote and host are sharing energy at a balanced rate. The symbiote is enhancing the host's physical abilities without depleting its bioenergy."

A wave of relief washed over Tony. It was working. After so many trials and errors, SYB-012 was finally behaving like a true symbiote, not a parasitic force.

Inside the containment room, the rat leaped into the air, far higher than any normal rat could. It landed with precision, its claws digging into the metal floor. Its eyes, once dull, now gleamed with an unnatural light as it scurried across the chamber with incredible speed and agility.

"Subject 12 is displaying enhanced physical abilities," Friday reported. "Increased strength, agility, and reflexes confirmed."

Tony couldn't suppress his grin. "Friday, I think we've done it."

The rat continued to test its new abilities, leaping up the walls, scaling them effortlessly, and darting across the floor with near-blinding speed. It had been transformed from a simple lab rat into something far more powerful.

But then, the rat stopped. Its beady eyes fixed directly on Tony, and the smile slowly vanished from his face.

"Fridayyy… It's looking at me weird…" Tony said, his voice dropping into an uneasy whisper.

"All systems indicate everything is still normal," Friday reassured him. "The actions you are observing appear to be the rat's own. It's not being influenced by the symbiote."

Tony took a slow step back, eyes still locked on the rodent. "I have the power of God and anime on my side," he muttered, slipping into a mock karate stance. "I'd watch your next move very carefully."

His eyes narrowed as the rat seemed to smirk at him—yes, smirk. A sharp, white tendril extended from the symbiote covering its tail, and it struck the floor with a loud thud. The rat's tiny eyes gleamed with a mischievous glint as if it was taunting him.

"You little bastard," Tony muttered, his voice incredulous. "Did you just threaten me?"

Without warning, the rat leaped into the air, its tail slicing downward like a sword. Tony barely had time to react, conjuring a glowing silver-blue shield just in time to deflect the strike. The impact sent the rat flying, but before it could crash into the wall, tendrils shot out from its body, anchoring it to the ground.

"Of course, you just had to be difficult," Tony grumbled, snapping his fingers. Silver-blue energy constructs materialized around him, forming dozens of floating, glowing eyes that began firing lasers at the rat.

The enhanced rodent darted around the chamber, dodging the lasers with incredible precision. It flipped and zigzagged, its tendrils pulling it out of harm's way at the last second. Long, more menacing tendrils sprouted from its back, transforming into clawed appendages that tore through Tony's light constructs with ease.

The rat swung itself towards one of the constructs, shattering it with a single punch from its tiny, yet terrifyingly powerful, fist.

Tony stood there, wide-eyed and speechless. "I've created a fucking monster... Forgive me, Master Splinter..."

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