Chapter 153: Doctor Octopus Returns
"Wakanda's current king is T'Chaka... Barbara, hack United Nations document files. Query T'Chaka and external materials regarding Wakanda as a nation."
Batman stood before the Batcave's workbench assembling armor and tentacles while simultaneously instructing Oracle AI.
Venom emerged from the containment habitat, perching on Batman's shoulder to curiously watch the gradually taking shape armor.
"Dad, is this armor prepared for me?"
"No, Robin," Batman answered while continuing his work. "This is prepared for Doctor Octavius."
The armor prepared for Doctor Octavius utilized primarily composite materials formed from various fibers. Parker Industries alone could provide adequate raw materials.
Batman no longer needed to start from the stages of purchasing materials and manufacturing equipment merely to produce his own cape.
"Doctor Octavius? Why specially prepare armor for him?" Venom remained confused, tilting its head with perplexity as it watched Batman.
Batman also turned his head, looking at Venom perched on his shoulder. When traveling to North Brother Island as Peter Parker, he hadn't brought Venom along.
Hearing Venom's confusion now, Batman explained patiently. "Because most human bodies are relatively fragile, Robin."
"Doctor Octavius fears the other two scientists. His fear stems from inability to protect himself. We need to eliminate that fear, transforming his personal insecurity into capability sufficient for protecting himself—or even others."
Venom nodded with partial understanding, extending its long tongue to lick Batman's jaw but finding itself blocked by chocolate that appeared magically between Batman's fingertips.
"Dad, since Doctors Banner and Connors are so dangerous, why don't we simply lock them up?" Venom asked while enthusiastically chewing chocolate. "I learned from your memories that you once prepared a red sun spectrum prison for Superman."
Batman stopped his work, looking seriously at Venom.
"Because Superman was too powerful, Robin. I had to make the most thorough preparations, exert maximum effort, utilize everything possibly available to defeat him."
"And those methods would only be deployed if Superman developed problems. Currently neither Connors nor Banner have any issues. Professor Connors is even proactively learning to control himself."
"If we locked him up at this moment, we'd gain only a prisoner and the hatred growing in his heart."
"But if we give him trust, give him security, give him a chance at redemption—we might gain an ally and heal a broken soul."
Venom seemed unable to absorb these grand principles. Like an energetic little boy, it treated Batman's words as background noise, instead twisting and writhing alongside the tentacles being manufactured for Doctor Octavius.
Batman knew forcibly pinning Venom down and lecturing wouldn't work. He could only teach as he'd once instructed several Robins—through constant words and actions, influencing Venom from every angle.
Without consuming excessive time, the armor and tentacles Batman prepared for Doctor Octavius were completed with Oracle AI's mechanical arm assistance.
"Robin, onto me."
Batman spoke while extending one hand toward Venom circling the tentacles.
Venom immediately abandoned the tentacles, squirming smoke-like onto Batman's body, head emerging from Batman's shoulder asking, "Dad, who are we fighting this time?"
"Going to North Brother Island. Today some sparring may occur there," Batman said.
Finishing, Batman folded the armor manufactured for Doctor Octavius into a briefcase. He separately packed two pairs of pants as well before departing alongside Venom Robin aboard the Arkham Batmobile.
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Inside North Brother Island's laboratory, Doctor Octavius was conducting nuclear fusion clean energy simulation experiments with Doctor Banner.
Only after confirming no issues existed in simulations would they truly conduct nuclear fusion experiments.
Professor Connors still sat in a distant corner, but currently wasn't meditating—simply sitting there lost in thought about something.
Batman's arrival drew all three scientists' gazes toward him. Seeing the case Batman carried, Doctor Octavius stood first. He seemed to already know what lay inside.
He hurried several steps before Batman, hands trembling slightly as he accepted the briefcase Batman handed over, placing it on an empty table and opening it.
Inside lay neatly arranged armor, overall dark green with orange-yellow extending from the collar position toward both shoulders, while hands, feet, and belt were similarly orange-yellow throughout.
The armor lacked a helmet but possessed a flat backpack integrated with the suit.
Doctor Octavius carefully examined the armor, palms stroking the material inch by inch.
The suit felt soft yet tough. Octavius even discovered the interior contained numerous tiny sensors capable of reading bioelectric signals. These sensors' ultimate control center was that orange-yellow belt.
Currently Doctors Banner and Connors had also successively arrived beside Batman, both quite curiously observing the armor.
Both knew anything Batman produced definitely wasn't ordinary merchandise—especially since this armor's purpose was protecting Doctor Octavius from situations involving the Hulk and Lizard Professor.
Doctors Banner and Connors were extremely curious what degree of protection this armor could provide.
Except Professor Connors was still diligently learning emotional control, while Doctor Banner's temperament made it impossible he'd transform into the Hulk merely from curiosity to test-punch Doctor Octavius.
This made both even more curious, their hearts itching like cats scratching.
Batman ignored Doctors Banner and Connors. Their current curious appearance differed little from Venom circling tentacles in the Batcave.
"Doctor, try it on," Batman said to Doctor Octavius.
Doctor Octavius nodded, retreating several steps behind the laboratory corner's curtain. Rustling sounds quickly emerged.
Doctors Banner and Connors exchanged glances. But ultimately both remained mature, stable adults—not mischievously transforming respectively to frighten Doctor Octavius.
Several minutes later, Doctor Octavius wearing the armor slowly emerged from behind the curtain. He first nodded toward Batman, then opened both arms wide. His form gradually rose under Professors Connors and Banner's increasingly curious gazes.
Behind him, four tentacles extended from that backpack flattened to barely three centimeters height protruding from his back. Two planted firmly on the floor, two extending forward from Doctor Octavius's shoulders.
Doctor Octopus had returned. Or rather—having gained Batman's support—the fully upgraded Doctor Octopus had returned.
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