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Connors and Banner had a pleasant exchange with Reed and the others. Even Johnny, a scientific researcher, listened with enthusiasm. 

Although Johnny didn't fully grasp the technical content, he learned from Connors and Banner that the history of human enhancement medicine could be traced back to Captain America's super soldier serum during World War II—a key milestone in global research.

This historical insight happened to overlap with Reed's ongoing genetic engineering research.

"So, Batman wants us to help you develop the perfect body-enhancement serum?" Reed suddenly frowned, turning to look at Anton. There was a trace of unease in his expression.

Reed harbored reservations about such research. The origin of human enhancement agents—the super soldier serum—was born during wartime, a period rife with ambition and conflict. 

Reed believed that further development of such a serum could fuel human greed and even lead to war. He had no intention of becoming a villain in the annals of history.

"No," Anton clarified. "To be precise, our research goals align with yours."

Anton continued, "Most human enhancement medicines currently have significant side effects. Take the Green Goblin, for instance. I'm sure you've heard of him. His transformation was caused by injecting a flawed human enhancement serum, leading to schizophrenia and making him a violent, bloodthirsty villain. Our original aim was to heal him and restore his mind to normalcy."

After a brief pause, Anton added, "Now, with your research, we may finally have the ability to eliminate human genetic defects, protect people from diseases, and improve overall health."

Anton acknowledged that human enhancement medicines could indeed fuel ambition and incite conflict. 

He had no intention of creating an army of super soldiers—after all, not everyone could be Captain America. 

Most people, when given immense power, would lose themselves, becoming consumed by it and inevitably falling into darkness.

Moreover, the side effects of enhancement drugs were undeniable. For many, using these drugs meant becoming lawless supervillains, endangering society rather than helping it.

From the outset, Anton's team sought to develop an antidote to counteract the side effects of these enhancement drugs. 

Their ultimate goal was to correct genetic flaws, protect against diseases, and even extend human lifespans. If successful, their work could surpass the impact of traditional enhancement serums.

Such a breakthrough would undoubtedly cement Wayne Enterprises as a global leader in wealth and power.

"Understood," Reed said, nodding thoughtfully.

Anton's words resonated deeply with him. They reflected Reed's own values and thoughts. With newfound determination, Reed's eyes burned with conviction as he immediately replied, "I'm in!"

Trusting Batman's judgment, Reed and the others agreed to collaborate after understanding Anton's true intentions.

On one hand, the genetic engineering project naturally aligned with Reed's research interests. On the other hand, after Reed's discussions with Connors and Banner—scientists capable of matching his intellectual level—he felt he'd finally met peers who could challenge and inspire him.

With a team like this, success seemed inevitable.

Reed couldn't wait to get started.

In this way, Anton successfully recruited the Fantastic Four. However, their roles deviated from the original storyline. 

They showed no interest in becoming superheroes. Instead, they chose to focus their efforts on research, especially Ben Grimm, the Thing.

Their research had the potential to reverse the changes in the Thing's body structure, restoring him to an ordinary human form. Ben Grimm's stone-like figure had caused him considerable trouble over time.

Under Ben's influence, apart from Johnny Storm, who had an inherently brash and showy personality, the rest of the Fantastic Four had no desire to flaunt their abilities.

Recently, thanks to his frequent visits to the sewer laboratory, Johnny Storm had gotten to know the four turtles living in the sewer's ninja dojo and even Peter Parker, who occasionally visited to train with his martial arts teacher.

With Johnny's outgoing personality, he quickly bonded with the group. With Donatello's help, he used the uniform he'd brought back from space to create a flame-resistant battle suit. 

He even gave himself the nickname "Human torch."

"Johnny, you'll stick with us from now on," Michelangelo said, patting Johnny on the shoulder. Although Johnny was muscular, standing next to the four turtles made him look like a baby chick.

"When we meet Batman, we'll suggest he lets you join the Justice League," Michelangelo added. "But before that, why not come with us to the NYPD? You can join the task force. Don't worry—we've got your back. No one in the task force will mess with you. And while you're at it, you can start building up Human torch's reputation!"

"That's a great idea!" Johnny's eyes lit up, thrilled by the prospect. He already felt like he was halfway to becoming a full-fledged superhero.

Meanwhile, Reed and the others didn't bother paying attention to Johnny's antics. They fully respected his choices—after all, his contributions to their research were minimal at best. 

It made more sense for him to team up with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and do some good.

Given Johnny's current superpowers, the chances of him encountering serious danger were slim.

When Anton heard about Johnny's activities, he didn't take it to heart. In fact, he fully supported it.

Gaining the cooperation of the Fantastic Four was a significant win for the Justice League. Reed and the others not only excelled at research but were also capable fighters, helping to cover the League's shortcomings and raising its overall potential.

As for Johnny Storm, while he didn't have much to contribute scientifically, teaming up with the turtles and joining the NYPD task force seemed like a positive direction for him.

However, something unexpected came up: Victor von Doom was missing.

Over the past few days, in conversations with Reed, Anton had heard about Victor von Doom, also known as Doctor Doom, who had accompanied the group to the space station. 

Reed, despite his past conflicts with Doom, had no intention of causing him harm. However, Victor's own arrogance and inflated ambitions after gaining powers often led him astray.

Reed had planned to inform Victor about the changes in his body but discovered that Doom's phone was unreachable, and no one knew where he was. Alarmed, Reed approached Anton for help.

Anton was also concerned. If Doctor Doom had truly disappeared, it would mean losing a valuable opportunity to gain an ally—or at the very least, to keep an eye on him.

After some investigation, Anton called in Cyborg to review surveillance footage from the past few days. What they uncovered was shocking: Victor von Doom had been taken by S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives.

On the same day that S.H.I.E.L.D. approached Reed and the others, they failed to recruit them for their plans. 

Frustrated, they turned their attention to Victor von Doom's company. After a conversation, Doom surprisingly chose to leave with S.H.I.E.L.D. willingly.

To investigate further, Anton used Cyborg's surveillance abilities to monitor S.H.I.E.L.D.'s activities that day. 

He discovered that, after Natasha failed to recruit the Fantastic Four, she visited a prison and took the Sandman into custody.

"Doctor Doom, Sandman... and Doctor Octopus," Anton muttered to himself, a look of bemusement crossing his face. After a moment of thought, he sneered. "Looks like S.H.I.E.L.D. is assembling a villain team. Are they running out of actual heroes to recruit?"

But that wasn't the only thing Anton uncovered.

Before leaving New York, Nick Fury, acting alone, had visited Oscorp and met with Harry Osborn. The meeting lasted about an hour before Fury left.

Anton's mind raced. While he couldn't be certain what Fury and Harry had discussed, the timing and Fury's attempts to recruit both Doom and Sandman suggested a clear motive: S.H.I.E.L.D. might also be targeting Harry for their plans.

Anton decided to act. Picking up his phone, he called Harry.

Shortly after, Anton arrived at Oscorp and met with Harry Osborn.

"Anton," Harry greeted him, gesturing toward a seat. "Have a seat."

"Let's skip the pleasantries, Harry," Anton began bluntly. "S.H.I.E.L.D. approached you recently, didn't they? They're trying to recruit you into the Avengers. What did Fury say to you?"

Harry blinked in surprise, then smirked. "Fury… or as you know him, 'spy king'? That's quite the description," he said with a chuckle.

After regaining his composure, Harry continued, "You're right. Fury wanted me to join the Avengers. He even dangled the promise of alien technology to enhance my combat capabilities. On top of that, he offered to funnel a large number of contracts to Oscorp under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s banner. But I told him I'd think about it and ultimately declined his offer."

Harry leaned back and spread his hands. "You know as well as I do—the relationship between S.H.I.E.L.D. and the military is terrible. Oscorp's arms industry still relies heavily on military contracts. If I were to side with S.H.I.E.L.D., it'd put me at odds with our biggest client."

"Actually," Anton said, his eyes glinting, "I suggest you reconsider and join them."

Harry froze, his expression a mix of surprise and confusion. "What did you just say?"

"I said you should join the Avengers," Anton repeated calmly. "On the military front, I'll personally secure their continued support for Oscorp in the name of Batman. Your company won't suffer for it."

Harry stared at him, his expression skeptical. After a moment of thought, his face twisted into a curious smile. "Why would you want me to join the Avengers? Honestly, I'd rather work with you and the Justice League."

"It's simple," Anton explained. "First, the military will want to monitor S.H.I.E.L.D.'s movements closely, especially with how erratic they've been lately. If you're on the inside, you can help us keep tabs on them. Second, S.H.I.E.L.D. and the military have recently launched a joint research project that has dangerous implications. Batman needs someone on the inside to watch it closely."

"So, this is Batman's request?" Harry asked, narrowing his eyes thoughtfully. After a pause, he added, "If that's the case, I can agree to it... but you'll need to handle the military and explain things on my behalf, right?"

Anton nodded. "Of course. You have my word."

"Yes, the 'spy king' might discover our meeting, but it doesn't matter… he won't give up trying to win you over," Anton said. "If you'd like, I can contact Secretary of Defense John Keller and inform him about this."

"Alright."

Harry nodded decisively, no longer hesitating. "For you and Batman, I'm willing to join the Avengers."

After saying that, he looked at Anton and added, "I do have one small request."

"Go ahead," Anton replied.

"I want to see my father again," Harry said, his expression clouded with worry. "The last time I saw him, he wasn't doing well."

"Don't worry," Anton reassured him with a smile. "Our research has made significant progress. We've found a few rare talents whose abilities rival even those of Dr. Connors and Dr. Banner. With their help, we'll soon create what your father needs. At the same time, the genetic illness hidden in your body might also be treatable."

"Really?" Harry's eyes lit up. Trusting Anton deeply, he stood up, excitement clear in his expression. "That's incredible news!"

"It shouldn't be delayed," Anton said. "I have some matters to handle, but if you want to see your father, head to the ninja dojo in the sewers and find the turtles—they'll take you there."

After that, Anton bid Harry goodbye and left, saying, "I'll contact the Secretary of Defense right away."

"Understood."

As Anton walked out of the office, Harry took out his phone and called the number S.H.I.E.L.D. had left him.

"Nick, I've made my decision," Harry said after a pause. "I've decided to join."

After leaving Oscorp, Anton called John Keller to inform him about S.H.I.E.L.D.'s ongoing recruitment of extraordinary individuals for the Avengers initiative.

Keller's response was calm—he had already been aware of this. However, when Anton mentioned Nick Fury's recent meeting with Harry Osborn, Keller's expression darkened.

"I plan to let Harry join the Avengers," Anton said, causing Keller to freeze momentarily in surprise. After a brief pause, Keller narrowed his eyes and replied, "That's actually a solid idea."

"I thought so too," Anton agreed. "I'm calling to keep you informed so there's no backlash that might affect Oscorp."

"There won't be any direct impact," Keller replied hesitantly. "But Nick Fury will likely suspect that Harry is aligned with us."

"That doesn't matter," Anton said firmly. "I don't intend for Harry to spy on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s secrets or dig too deep into their operations. I only want him to monitor their surface-level movements. And even if Fury suspects, so what? S.H.I.E.L.D. is desperate for talent right now. They won't risk missing out on Harry.

"Besides, even with Stark Industries on their side, S.H.I.E.L.D. would be foolish to ignore the influence and resources Oscorp brings to the table."

It's worth noting that a massive, corporate powerhouse like Oscorp can provide unparalleled support for an organization. 

From cutting-edge technology to funding and top-tier talent, Harry's involvement would help fulfill nearly all of Nick Fury's demands for the Avengers initiative.

"You're right."

Keller understood Anton's implication. It was equivalent to the military and the Justice League openly placing Harry in the Avengers to keep an eye on the enemy.

This wouldn't impact S.H.I.E.L.D.'s decision-making. On the contrary, S.H.I.E.L.D., which had just managed to calm public opinion, needed Oscorp's resources to bolster its strength within the United States.

"By the way, regarding the Pegasus Project, I want to remind you…" Anton paused, thinking for a moment, before continuing. "The Tesseract—it's very dangerous. You need to be cautious."

"Dangerous?" Keller frowned. He wasn't entirely surprised by Anton's mention of the Tesseract. 

Batman had access to highly classified intelligence through unknown but effective channels—a fact both the military and S.H.I.E.L.D. had come to understand.

"What kind of danger?" Keller asked. "Is this a warning from Batman?"

"The Tesseract is tied to alien worlds and could potentially attract extraterrestrial enemies."

Given the cooperative relationship between the two, Anton decided to warn him: "That's all I can say—and, honestly, all I know."

Loki's inevitable arrival was something Anton couldn't stop. However, he hoped his warning would prepare Keller and his team, ensuring they weren't caught off guard, reacting recklessly with nuclear missiles or overly relying on the concept of nuclear deterrence.

After the call ended, John Keller was left deep in thought.

Anton's warning about the Tesseract possibly attracting alien enemies left him both surprised and skeptical. But considering Earth's history, aliens had indeed appeared on the planet more than once.

Perhaps Anton's information about the Tesseract had come from studying alien remnants.

Keller's expression shifted as he recalled events from the previous century. Shortly after the Pegasus Project was initiated, there had been alien incursions, the death of Dr. Lawson, and the subsequent disappearance of the Tesseract. These events had led to the suspension of the Pegasus Project.

His face darkened slightly.

Could it really be, as Anton said, that the Pegasus Project—or more specifically, the Tesseract—could draw alien threats to Earth?

…

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