Backup Plan with Kryptonian Heritage

"Well, then let No. 3 teach you!" 

Although No. 3 was an artificial intelligence without a physical presence, within the Justice League, No. 3 was an all-powerful entity.

Whatever you wanted to do, you could arrange for No. 3 to do it.

Even if No. 3 didn't currently have suitable tools or a usable body, it would find a way to create them.

If it weren't for No. 3, Russell alone would never have been able to develop the Justice League and Octopus Monster Industries to their current state. Even if he could do it, it would take a lot of time and effort, things that No. 3 could easily handle.

The more tasks he assigned to No. 3, the more he realized what a great invention artificial intelligence was.

Russell only recognized strong AIs like No. 3 and J.A.R.V.I.S. as true artificial intelligences. Those AI models on the market that couldn't even accurately identify photos were not worthy.

After having lunch with Hulk, Russell put on his Endosymbiotic Battle Armor and returned to his office at Octopus Monster headquarters.

He came back to play video games!

Originally, he had planned to hold a press conference after returning from Hawaii, announcing that Godzilla had officially joined the Justice League and revealing some unrelated information about Titan Monsters to the public.

However, the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing had disrupted his plans.

Just this morning, he had humiliated the Armed Services Committee in the Capitol Building, standing with Godzilla at the center of the storm.

Now was not a good time to hold a press conference, so he planned to postpone it for a while.

Time passed slowly.

Unconsciously, night had fallen.

Russell put down the game controller as he looked out the window at the dimming night. He turned to No. 3 and said, "Arrange a restaurant with a nice atmosphere. I want to discuss something with Kara tonight."

"Of course, sir," No. 3 immediately responded.

After giving No. 3 the instructions, Russell picked up his phone and dialed Kara's number.

After waiting for dozens of seconds, the call finally connected.

"Where are you now?" Russell asked.

"I'm out shopping, what's up?" Kara replied.

"Have you had dinner?"

"No, not yet."

"3 will send you the address of a restaurant later. Let's have dinner together tonight, and I won't come to pick you up."

If it were Diana, even if Diana said there was no need, Russell would definitely go to pick her up.

But if the dinner date was with Kara, he was much more casual. Although Kara was attractive, she still couldn't compare to Diana in Russell's eyes.

"Okay, I'll be there in a bit!" Kara replied happily.

After hanging up the phone, Russell placed it aside, leaned back in his chair, and began to contemplate silently.

He and Kara had been "dating" for over a month now, but the system still refused to acknowledge him as Kara's boyfriend.

Although his approach was somewhat suspicious of exploiting a bug, there was nothing wrong with it based on the activation requirements for the reward.

The activation requirement for the Kryptonian Heritage was simply for him to become Kara's boyfriend, without any restrictions on how he should become her boyfriend.

Although he didn't think there was anything wrong with his approach, the system simply wouldn't recognize it, and he had no choice.

While there were no new rewards available, he planned to make one final effort.

If it still didn't work, he would have to resort to the backup plan.

Because the system had yet to recognize him as Kara's boyfriend, he had made another preparation in advance.

He could possess Kara with the serum and replicate Kara's Kryptonian physique.

Although he hadn't conducted any tests on this, theoretically, replicating Kara's Kryptonian physique with the serum was feasible.

The only uncertainty was how long it would take for the serum to replicate the Kryptonian physique by possessing Kara.

Judging from the time it took to replicate negative energy from Mr. Negative when he first possessed him with the Venom, even if the serum was stronger, the possession time wouldn't be too short.

One was negative energy, and the other was the Kryptonian physique. It was clear that replicating the Kryptonian physique would be more difficult.

Apart from this, there was a small issue.

While the serum could indeed replicate the Kryptonian physique by possessing Kara, it was obvious that the "Kryptonian Heritage" reward from the system would be better.

Russell had confirmed this when he first possessed Sloan with the Venom. Although he had replicated the Marksmanship skill from Sloan, the reward offered by the system was clearly better.

The rewards offered by the system were always better than what could be replicated from symbiotes.

However, if the system continued to refuse to acknowledge him as Kara's boyfriend, he had no choice.

During this time of "dating" Kara, he had considered many possibilities.

For example, the system might only recognize him as having a legitimate girlfriend, so to activate the Kryptonian Heritage, he would have to break up with Diana.

Or perhaps the system believed that he and Kara were not truly a couple yet, because there were still some things that couples did not do.

Of course, it couldn't be ruled out that the system thought he was trying to exploit a bug, so it refused to issue the reward.

Regardless of the reason, the aloof system would never tell him the answer; he could only find it himself.

Breaking up with Diana was absolutely impossible.

Aside from the fact that Russell had no such intention, even if he dared to say such a thing to Diana, Diana would most likely chop him into pieces with the Sword of Hephaestus.

In the eyes of others, he was as formidable as a monster.

But if Diana wanted to deal with him, even if there weren't a hundred ways, there were ninety.

Unless he could obtain the system's reward for the Kryptonian Heritage or replicate the Kryptonian physique from Kara, he didn't think his current self would be a match for Diana.

Even if he brought along Grendel and the Hulk, using all the battle suits, the odds of winning would still not be great.

Diana's strength was like the ocean.

Standing on the coastline, you thought you could see the entirety of the sea.

But in reality, what you saw was only a small part of the sea that appeared in your vision.

Russell used to think that he had already seen Diana's entire strength.

But Diana had proven with facts that he had been thinking too much.

After No. 3 had booked a restaurant and sent the address to Kara, Russell put on his Endosymbiotic Battle Armor and flew to the restaurant.

After parking the Endosymbiotic Battle Armor in a parking space at the restaurant entrance, Russell entered the restaurant and arrived at the private room.

While sipping tea, he patiently awaited Kara's arrival.

Kara didn't make him wait too long.

After only about ten minutes, Kara, who had just finished her shopping, entered the restaurant with her "spoils."

Upon entering the private room, Kara placed the shopping bags of various sizes on the side and sat down next to Russell.

"Do you have something to talk to me about?" Kara asked with her sparkling, expressive blue eyes and a smile.

"Yes, there's something I want to discuss with you," Russell replied, pouring a cup of tea for Kara.

"What is it?" Kara asked.

"It's about me becoming your boyfriend to activate new abilities."