Right now, Ben couldn't just pull another technology out of thin air.
He couldn't very well transform into Greymatter right in front of Harry and the other customers in the smoothie shop, could he?
"Harry, I know this is hard to believe," Ben tried to persuade him. "It might even sound like a fantasy. But trust me, I can make it a reality. I promise!"
He looked seriously at Harry. While he couldn't provide concrete proof, his solemn tone reminded Harry of the Ben from his memories—steady, mature...
Maybe he really could do it? Harry couldn't help but wonder.
At this moment, even though Harry still found it absurd, an impulse to believe surged within him.
He thought, what if?
What if it really could be done?
He couldn't understand those formulas anyway; maybe what was written there was real?
After all, this was Ben!
The guy who never let him down before!
"Alright." Harry took a deep breath, as if making a monumental decision, and picked up the file again. "I'll show it to my dad. Oscorp has many experts. If there's any real potential, I think he might be willing to start a new project."
Because it was Ben asking, Harry was determined to put this file in front of his father, even if it meant risking Norman Osborn's further disdain.
"No!"
Harry felt a sudden gust of wind.
In the next instant, before he could even react, a force tugged at his arm. He looked down to see the file slammed back onto the table by Ben's hand!
The tempered glass tabletop shuddered under the impact, let out a loud CRACK, and shattered into pieces the size of fingernails!
"Ben...?" Harry was startled, staring dumbfounded at his old friend who seemed so different now.
"Are... are you okay?"
"I'm fine... The glass just seemed a bit weak..." Ben clearly hadn't expected this result. In his agitation, he'd failed to control his strength and shattered the tempered glass.
A flustered server rushed over, asking if they were hurt.
No one suspected Ben's strength; they all assumed the glass was defective. The manager even offered some financial compensation, but Ben and Harry quickly sent them away.
With the interruption, both decided to continue their conversation elsewhere.
They walked along the riverbank, talking as they went.
"Don't show it to your dad," Ben said. The wind from the river ruffled his hair. "I'm not looking to partner with Oscorp, Harry. Just with you."
Ben had no intention of sharing his technology with Norman Osborn, a man destined to become the Green Goblin.
Even if the current Norman was still a decent enough adult, Oscorp was a massive corporation, and nothing there was decided by Norman alone.
The shareholders were vampires. If Ben actually produced results, they'd all want a piece.
Ben could handle it, but why invite the trouble?
"Understand, Harry? It's just you and me," he said, poking a finger into Harry's chest. "Maybe Peter later, but no Oscorp, no other corporation."
"Just us?" Harry stopped walking, looking at Ben in surprise.
Ben nodded, leaning against the railing and phrasing it carefully. "Oscorp isn't a one-man show. I don't want outsiders involved in my company."
Ben's ambition was to build Primus Tech into a behemoth on par with, or even surpassing, Stark Industries. It was best to avoid troublesome shareholder issues from the very beginning.
He didn't trust other investors, not even Harry's father.
Of course, saying that directly to Harry would be impolite.
"I understand," Harry nodded. "To be honest, those shareholders would tear Oscorp itself apart for a profit, bones and all, given the chance."
"You're right, that's what I'm worried about. Besides, if we succeed without Oscorp's help, don't you think your father would be even more proud of you?"
"You're right about that. But Ben, developing nanotech without Oscorp's financial backing is impossible." Harry sighed, shaking his head ruefully. "Just building a nanoscale lab would cost a fortune."
"We don't have to start with nanotech," Ben reconsidered.
Highly intelligent nanobots were indeed too advanced. His only real advantage was having a ready-made sample to study, which would prevent wasted effort and save costs.
"What are you thinking?" Harry asked.
Ben's mind naturally went to the Iron Man armor. Much of the Mark III's technology had civilian applications. More importantly, once transformed into Greymatter, fully understanding the Mark III's tech wouldn't take long.
He could upgrade the armor and sell the enhanced functionalities.
"It won't cost that much. I think a few million would be more than enough," Ben said, winking. Harry shook his head in resignation.
He'd thought he was just supporting an old friend's startup, maybe investing a hundred grand to set up a small company. He hadn't expected it to run into the tens of millions...
"Looks like I'll have to sell a few cars," he shrugged.
They then discussed the company's shares, which turned out simpler than expected.
The young Harry wasn't a shrewd businessman yet. Or perhaps, in this matter, he wasn't treating it purely as a business transaction.
In the end, he only asked for a very small percentage of shares.
"Money isn't that important to me," Harry said, shaking his head. "You asked me for help, and I'm helping you. It's that simple!"
"Besides, I'm going to inherit Oscorp eventually. No matter how disappointed Dad is in me, I'm his only son." Harry smiled, clapping Ben on the shoulder. "The best repayment you can give me is making this company a success, making my dad see me in a new light!"
"Don't worry, Harry. I won't let you down."
With the funding issue tentatively resolved, Ben was about to say goodbye when Harry stopped him.
"Wait..."
"What is it?" Ben asked.
"Seriously, Ben?" Harry exclaimed in mock offense. "I just decided to give you all the money I've saved since I was a kid, potentially even selling my cars, and you're just going to leave me here on the street?"
"Why are you making me sound like some heartless jerk who bolts right after?"
"You are!" Harry declared. "The least you could do is invite me over for a meal!"
He slung an arm around Ben's shoulders without waiting for an answer, pulling him in the direction of Queens. "It's been ages since I've seen Peter! I finally got out of boarding school; I'm not going back so soon!"
So it was about Peter after all. You two are the real soulmates, aren't you?
Ben rolled his eyes but didn't object. Harry and Peter were indeed very close. They'd known each other longer, and compared to the more mature Ben, Peter and Harry were better playmates.
When they arrived home, Aunt May and Uncle Ben were still at work.
To make ends meet, especially raising two boys, they had to work much harder. In the earlier years, Uncle Ben was often busy until late at night, and Aunt May worked multiple jobs.
For a long time, both Ben and Peter wanted to get part-time jobs after school, but they were too young, and Uncle Ben wouldn't allow it.
Peter, however, was home.
After the incident with Aunt May, Peter realized he'd been too focused on his deceased parents. It wasn't wrong, but he shouldn't neglect the family he still had.
He'd been feeling guilty, so he hadn't visited Dr. Connors lately.
On the other hand, he believed that sharing his father's formula had solved the serum's core issue, so another visit seemed unnecessary.
"I'll check in on the Doctor's progress with the serum another time," Peter muttered to himself, crouching as he calibrated the small device on his desk.
—The web-shooters!
After Ben's suggestions, Peter had been obsessively working on the suit and the shooters.
For some reason, it felt like instinct. His brain clearly knew how to create a special enzyme and synthesize it into web fluid.
And he'd succeeded.
Now, it was just the suit and the mechanical shooters left.
"Wonder where Ben went this time. Says he doesn't want to be a superhero and offers zero help," Peter sighed, but quickly perked up.
He'd had a great idea.
"You might not want to be Spider-Man, but I won't forget to share the good stuff with you. That's what cousins are for!" Peter grinned slyly, flipping through Ben's sketchbook and picking out another suit design.
"This one looks cool—" Peter held the design in one hand and the half-finished spider-suit in the other, pondering how to modify it for Ben. Just then, he heard the door open downstairs, followed by a familiar, faint electric tingle across his scalp.
"Ben's back? Perfect timing to ask which one he likes." Peter muttered about the weird sensation again, gathering the sketches to go find Ben.
At that moment, a voice he hadn't heard in a while came from outside his door.
"Peter?"
Harry shouted up the stairs before even reaching the top, his foot landing on the old, creaky steps which let out a groan.
"Your stairs have seen better days, huh?" Harry joked, half-afraid he'd break through.
"By age, you could call it 'Uncle Stairs'," Ben quipped. "But don't worry, it doesn't have osteoporosis. It won't collapse."
"I hope not."
Harry reached Peter's door and was about to knock when the doorknob turned by itself. Peter stepped out, holding the sketchbook filled with Spider-Man suit designs.
"Long time no see, Peter!" Harry greeted him excitedly, but his eyes quickly dropped to the sketchbook in Peter's hands.
"What's this?"
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