Unlike in the original story, these mechanical arms didn't need to physically connect to the human body. Instead, they were directly controlled through computer intelligence.
Otto Octavius continued his explanation:
"They're completely immune to heat and magnetic fields, thanks to the adamantium alloy used in their construction. These arms will assist me in conducting this nuclear fusion experiment."
With Aetheris's advanced AI systems and the high-tech materials he'd provided, Otto had built mechanical arms far superior to those in the original tale.
Ethan's eyes lit up. A few exciting ideas had already popped into his mind. What if these arms were integrated into the Hellfire Armor? The results would be extraordinary.
The suit's combat capabilities would skyrocket, and its offensive techniques would become far more diverse.
Peter had similar thoughts. Although he was Spider-Man, he only had four limbs. But real spiders had at least six. Should he design a spider-themed battle suit with extra limbs?
Peter raised his hand."Dr. Octavius, why did you only design four mechanical arms? Why not six or even eight, like a real spider?"
"That's a great question," Otto replied. "The current AI system can only manage up to four arms. Any more would cause program errors."
He continued,"These intelligent arms follow computer-generated commands with incredible precision. In environments where humans wouldn't survive, they can carry out every operation flawlessly."
Truthfully, even without the nuclear fusion breakthrough, the invention of these mechanical arms alone would've been enough to cement Otto's reputation in artificial intelligence and material science.
"Now, let's get to the most important part!"
Otto turned around and manipulated the arms with practiced ease. A dazzling series of actions followed.
"The system requires a rare element "tritium" to operate. There are only 25 pounds of it on Earth. I must give special thanks to Tony Stark and Stark Industries for providing me with such a precious resource."
Aetheris chuckled to himself. All of it had been scavenged from the ruins of the Osborn Group anyway. Since it wasn't his to begin with, he felt no guilt using it.
Old Norman Osborn hadn't committed any unforgivable sins, yet still ended up losing everything. In the end, Aetheris was the one who benefited from the fall of Osborn Industries.
The mechanical arms carefully placed a small orb of tritium at the center of the machine. Lab technicians handed out safety suits and sunglasses to everyone, including Aetheris.
"The reaction produces an incredibly intense light. You'll need sunglasses to protect your eyes."
As he spoke, Otto also suited up and put on his own pair of glasses.
"Buckle up, this old driver's hitting the gas!"
With that, the machine roared to life. Four blazing beams of light focused on the tritium orb, which instantly expanded into a small sphere of energy glowing like a miniature sun.
"Doctor, the nuclear fusion was successful!"
A mechanical voice echoed throughout the lab. This was a fully AI-run facility, custom-built for this experiment.
Clap clap clap!
Aetheris led the applause. Controlled nuclear fusion had yet to be achieved in 2021 yet here they were, pulling it off in his own company's lab.
Materials, information, and energy these were the three fundamental pillars of modern civilization. And whoever controlled them, controlled the future.
Some might scoff, saying the economy is what drives a nation's progress.
They'd be wrong. The economy is merely a tool. Science and technology are the real engines of productivity.
If one of the world's poorest countries suddenly developed a weapon capable of destroying humanity, who would dare look down on it?
Even the United States who would challenge their possession of weapons of mass destruction?
AI voice:"Energy output at 1,000 megawatts."
Octavius stood before the artificial sun, his face glowing with pride."The power of the sun... in the palm of my hand!"
The sheer power of science was intoxicating. Ethan and Peter were completely mesmerized by the dazzling sphere of light.
In the original story, nuclear fusion had caused gravitational distortions that affected nearby metal objects. That didn't happen here. Aetheris had warned Octavius in advance, and that scare led to a critical breakthrough.
After careful calculations, Octavius discovered a flaw in his original formula. Countless tests followed until the problem was resolved.
"Haha! Dr. Octavius, I told you you could do it. Look...success!"Aetheris strode over and gave him a hearty slap on the shoulder.
Poor Otto, though he looked bulky, was actually quite frail. The slap nearly knocked him over. He rubbed his shoulder, grimacing."If you hadn't reminded me, I might've missed the flaw... and blown up all of New York."
"Boss, the restaurant called. Everything's ready. Should we go now?"Nova whispered to Aetheris.
"Well then, what are we waiting for? Let's head out."
With a theatrical wave, Aetheris led the group to the most luxurious hotel in New York—the Manhattan "Grass Chicken" Hotel.
Pepper was already at the entrance. Today marked the first official gathering of Aetheris's core team, and as the lady of the house, she had to be there to show her support.
Also present were Octavius's wife, Ethan's wife and daughter. Peter came alone, which made him seem a little out of place.
Aetheris headed upstairs with Ethan and Octavius, while Peter followed behind, joining the women.
"Ladies, I'm Peter Parker. I'm Dr. Ethan's assistant."
Seeing two elegant women and the youthful, radiant Annie, Peter immediately straightened up and adjusted his tone.
"Peter, do you have a girlfriend?"Octavius's wife asked.
The question caught him completely off guard.
"Uh… well, I'm not sure,"Peter said awkwardly.
Ethan's wife chuckled."If even you're not sure, who else would be?"
Octavius's wife added,"Maybe he just doesn't want to talk about it. Could be a secret romance."
Ethan's wife said warmly,"Love shouldn't be kept secret. Bottling it up only leads to stress and sickness. I was lucky to find true love your mentor, Ethan. Love is never perfect, but it's worth the effort."
(End of Chapter)
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