At this moment, Octavius was no longer the timid man he once was. After all, he was on the verge of unveiling a groundbreaking invention one that would etch his name into history. Fame and fortune would inevitably follow.
He nodded slightly, a confident smile on his face.
"It's not about winning a Nobel Prize. Mr. Stark, and this is…?"
He glanced at the young man beside him, looking slightly puzzled.
"This is Mr. Stark's friend and also my student Peter Parker. He's now a researcher at Stark Labs and my assistant," Ethan quickly explained.
Peter stepped forward and extended his right hand.
"I'm Peter Parker, sir. I'm currently writing a paper about your work."
Octavius appeared rather indifferent. He assumed Peter had gotten in through Tony Stark's connections and gave a half-hearted handshake, replying dispassionately,
"I know why you're here, but I don't have time to entertain students. However, since you're a friend of Mr. Stark and a student of Ethan's, I'll let you observe just speak less and watch more."
Peter froze slightly. So, this Dr. Octavius was one of those arrogant types?
Then, as if something clicked, Octavius looked at Peter and said,
"Peter Parker? Ah, I remember now. You're Connors' student. He mentioned you. Said you were smart… but also lazy and often late."
Peter scratched his head awkwardly.
"I'll work harder."
With his hands in his pockets, Octavius said,
"Being smart isn't enough, young man. You need discipline. Talent isn't a privilege, it's a responsibility to serve humanity."
"Right…" Peter could only take the scolding quietly. After all, Octavius was a leading authority in the energy field and a close friend of both his mentors. His criticism wasn't unjustified.
Ethan chimed in,
"That's right, Parker. My old friend doesn't sugarcoat things. Take it with grace."
Peter nodded, a little helpless. Young people always preferred praise to criticism.
Tony Stark patted him on the shoulder and smiled.
"Don't take it too hard. You're not the star of the show today. Come on, let's appreciate Dr. Octavius's masterpiece."
Led by Octavius, the group entered the experimental facility. The interior was pristine white, lined with advanced security systems—iris scanners, facial recognition, full-body scanners.
Combined with virtual displays and AI voice assistants, it felt like stepping into the future.
"Thanks to Mr. Stark's technical support, everything here is managed by J.A.R.V.I.S.'s artificial intelligence. It's saved us considerable manpower and resources," Octavius said with admiration.
"We're all on the same team no need for formalities," Stark replied with a smile.
Treat comrades with the warmth of spring, approach work with the intensity of summer, remain self-disciplined like autumn leaves sweeping away, and face enemies with the chill of winter.
That was the wisdom passed down to Stark, something he never dared forget.
"We're here."
Octavius pointed ahead.
"This is the inexhaustible energy system I designed."
Peter's competitive side flared. He scanned through his knowledge base, and suddenly, it clicked.
"This is based on harmonic atomic energy frequencies, isn't it? Compatibility alignment, harmonic amplification?"
Octavius raised an eyebrow, intrigued. He nodded.
"Go on."
Peter glanced at Ethan for reassurance, then continued.
"This would cause energy output to grow exponentially."
"Exactly," Octavius said with satisfaction."It's a massive, clean, pollution-free energy source. Like the sun, it can continuously provide humanity with renewable energy."
Ethan raised a concern.
"Can you guarantee the fusion reaction's stability?"
"Of course. You know I've devoted my life to this. I understand the consequences even a slight miscalculation could bring."
Octavius's cheeks flushed. He always got emotional when challenged.
It was true that his achievements hadn't yet matched those of Einstein or even Stark.
He didn't handle pressure well. Any criticism hit a nerve. This project was his life's work to his child. He couldn't tolerate even the hint of doubt.
Ethan, understanding his friend's temper, softened his tone.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to question your research."
Octavius waved it off and turned to Tony Stark.
"Mr. Stark, my friend thinks I'm going to blow up the whole city."
Tony burst into laughter because he knew it wasn't entirely a joke. Octavius really could pull off something like that.
Of course, that was in the original timeline.
Tony clapped him on the back.
"That's exactly why I had you relocate to the outskirts. Here, you can blow up whatever you want. Even if you level the place, no one's going to care. It's an experiment. If it never fails, it's not really a test."
Octavius smiled gratefully.
"Mr. Stark, thank you for your support. I, Octavius, have no way to repay your kindness except through tireless work and meaningful contributions to society."
"Alright, enough of that. Don't just stand there, get started already! It's nearly lunchtime. I've booked a restaurant. Once the experiment's done, we're celebrating!" Tony clapped his hands.
"No problem. Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you all this afternoon. Today, you'll witness the birth of a new energy technology nuclear fusion-based, safe, renewable, and capable of delivering affordable power to all."
Octavius couldn't help launching into a speech. It seemed like every scientist unveiling a major breakthrough did this sort of thing.
Like Dr. Connors in The Amazing Spider-Man, or Howard Stark, or even Dr. Pym.
"Nova, did you bring the camera like I asked? Looks like our Dr. Octavius wants this moment immortalized. Don't forget to buy a page in The Daily Planet once we finish filming."
Tony leaned in and whispered in Nova's ear.
A tingle ran through her ear as he spoke. She gave him a playful side-eye and replied,
"Already handled."
Seeing that smug look on her face, Tony was tempted to flick her forehead if only there weren't people watching.
She'd gotten bolder daring to roll her eyes at her boss now!
"To finish this experiment, I'll need to bring out my little assistant."
With that, Octavius pulled a white cloth from the corner of the lab, revealing four mechanical arms to the astonished crowd.
(End of Chapter)
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