The laboratory was silent except for the steady mechanical hum of automated equipment. Robotic arms moved with precise, almost delicate motions, their joints whirring softly as they executed a sequence of programmed tasks. Ethan Cole stood to the side with his arms loosely crossed, quietly observing the procedure unfolding before him. His expression remained calm and unreadable, though his sharp eyes missed nothing happening in the room.
Tony Stark lay inside a transparent nutrient chamber, his body partially submerged in a pale green solution designed to stabilize his physiology during the transformation. His eyes were closed and his breathing was slow and steady beneath the oxygen mask fitted over his face. Several thin mechanical arms extended from a nearby console, each tipped with delicate instruments and needle-like injectors.
One of the arms lowered carefully, and a microscopic needle pierced Tony's skin. Through that needle, a specially prepared genetic stock solution began to flow into his bloodstream.
The formula had been calculated in advance by Svija, Ethan's advanced analytical system. Every variable had been simulated thousands of times until the optimal configuration was achieved. The genetic stock solution had been tuned precisely to match Tony's biological structure, ensuring that the implanted gene sequence would integrate smoothly rather than trigger rejection.
Because of that preparation, the actual transformation process was deceptively simple.
In earlier eras, genetic fusion experiments were dangerous, unstable, and wildly unpredictable. But the more refined the technology became, the less dramatic the procedure appeared. Most of the complexity now existed in the calculations and preparation rather than the execution itself.
From Ethan's perspective, there was nothing left to do except wait.
Fortunately, Tony's body was already in a uniquely suitable condition. The radiation poisoning that had once threatened his life had severely damaged his genetic structure, weakening the natural rejection mechanisms embedded within human DNA. Ironically, that damage made his body far more receptive to external genetic modification.
Because of this, the implanted gene sequence would encounter far less resistance than it normally would. The fusion would be faster, cleaner, and far more direct.
About ten minutes after the genetic solution finished entering Tony's body, Ethan noticed the first visible changes.
Tony's originally pale skin slowly began regaining color. The dull, unhealthy gray tone faded, replaced by a natural flush as fresh blood circulated through newly revitalized tissue. Muscles beneath his skin twitched faintly as the healing factor activated and began reconstructing damaged cells.
Then something even more dramatic happened.
The fist-sized magnetic coil embedded in Tony's chest began to move.
At first it shifted only slightly, pushed outward by regenerating flesh beneath the surface. But within seconds the process accelerated as layers of new tissue rapidly grew around the foreign object. The coil slowly rose toward the surface, forced outward by the body's relentless repair mechanisms.
Thin streams of blood seeped from Tony's chest and dissolved into the nutrient solution surrounding him. Mixed within the dark red swirls were tiny metallic fragments—remnants of the shrapnel that had once threatened to pierce his heart.
One by one, those fragments were expelled as the healing factor purged Tony's body of the deadly debris.
The entire process lasted less than thirty minutes.
When Tony finally woke up, his eyes opened suddenly as if emerging from a deep sleep. He sat up inside the chamber, pushing aside the floating cables attached to his body. With impatient movements, he ripped off the monitoring patches adhered to his chest and shoulders before tearing away the oxygen mask.
Water splashed softly as he climbed out of the nutrient chamber.
Tony stared down at his hands in stunned disbelief, flexing his fingers slowly as if expecting pain that never came. The tremor of weakness that had haunted him for months was gone.
He looked up at Ethan with uncertainty written across his face.
"Is it already done?" Tony asked cautiously, his voice carrying a trace of disbelief.
Ethan shrugged slightly and gave a relaxed nod.
"It's done."
Tony blinked several times as if trying to process the answer. His mind struggled to reconcile what he had experienced with everything he knew about science.
"What time is it?" he asked again.
Ethan glanced briefly at the nearby console.
"Only been about half an hour."
Tony stared at him in disbelief.
"That's impossible."
As someone deeply familiar with laboratory work, Tony knew better than most how time-consuming advanced research could be. Complex biological experiments usually required weeks of preparation and hours of delicate execution.
In his imagination, Ethan's so-called genetic transformation should have been an incredibly complicated procedure.
Yet the entire process had finished in thirty minutes.
Ethan laughed lightly when he saw Tony's stunned expression.
"That part is true," he said casually. "But compared to that, don't you want to know what ability you've actually gained?"
Tony's gaze shifted toward Ethan again, his expression turning complicated. A mixture of curiosity, excitement, and unease flickered in his eyes before he finally asked the question that had been lingering in his mind.
"So what power do I have now?"
Ethan answered with a question of his own.
"You've heard of Victor—the Sabretooth mutant?"
"Of course."
Tony nodded immediately. Through various classified channels and hidden networks, he had access to information that ordinary people would never see. The existence of mutants was not completely unfamiliar territory to him.
After a moment, his eyes widened slightly.
"Wait… don't tell me," he said slowly. "Is it… regeneration?"
Ethan nodded.
"That's right. You're a mutant now. The gene I implanted into your body comes from Victor's healing ability. It's what we call a healing factor."
He stepped closer to Tony as he continued explaining.
"No matter how badly you're injured, your body can repair itself in a short time. Bones, organs, muscle tissue—it will all regenerate. The only real exception would be losing your head."
Victor's healing ability was extremely powerful, but it wasn't completely invincible. If his brain was destroyed or his head removed entirely, even that regenerative power would be useless.
Of course, Ethan's own healing factor had already evolved far beyond Victor's original mutation.
His regenerative ability continued growing stronger with every passing moment. At his current level, even catastrophic damage could be reversed. If his head were ever severed, a completely new body could regenerate beneath it.
That was his theoretical limit, though.
Ethan had never actually tested it in practice, and he had no intention of doing so.
Tony stared at him in stunned silence.
"Oh my God."
The words slipped out of his mouth almost involuntarily.
For several seconds he could do nothing except stare at his own hands again, flexing his fingers and feeling the strength coursing through his body. The constant fatigue he had grown accustomed to had vanished entirely.
Ethan spoke again, breaking the silence.
"Your previous injuries are completely healed now. That ridiculous magnetic coil you've been carrying around is no longer necessary. More importantly, the long-term radiation damage has also been eliminated."
He paused briefly before finishing his explanation.
"You're basically a normal person again."
Tony's expression grew complicated.
He knew very well what the word mutant meant in modern society. Mutants were feared, hunted, and often treated as dangerous outsiders. The political and social tension surrounding them was impossible to ignore.
Yet he had never imagined that one day he himself would become one of them.
Ethan watched Tony quietly before offering a piece of advice.
"If I were you, I'd keep this ability hidden for now. At least until you understand the situation more clearly. Of course, with your intelligence and influence, it might not matter whether you hide it or not."
He shrugged casually.
"In the end, it depends on what you want."
Tony seemed momentarily stunned by those words. After a short pause, he asked something else.
"Don't you need me to do anything?"
Ethan chuckled softly.
"Oh, I absolutely need you to do things for me. Just not right now."
He looked Tony up and down with a calm, almost indifferent gaze.
"At the moment, you're no different from an ordinary person in my eyes. The wealth and corporate power you're so proud of doesn't impress me in the slightest."
Ethan's lips curved slightly.
"After all, I'm richer than you."
Tony opened his mouth slightly but said nothing.
"So grow stronger as soon as possible," Ethan continued calmly. "Otherwise I might just take back the power I gave you."
It was advice, but it also carried a clear warning.
Tony remained silent. A flicker of dissatisfaction passed through his eyes, but he suppressed it quickly. Regardless of how he felt, the reality was undeniable.
Right now, he was the one benefiting from Ethan's power.
"Oh, right," Ethan added suddenly as if remembering something. "Didn't you say you were trying to solve the energy problem for your suit?"
Tony nodded slowly.
"Go back and have Jarvis generate a structural map of Stark Industrial Park for you," Ethan said casually. "Study it carefully for a while, and you'll find your answer."
.....
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