Chapter 4: First Clash with the Green Goblin

Fortunately for Aetheris, Tony Stark had always been too busy chasing women all over the place to ever lay a hand on Pepper, the beautiful flower blooming right on his doorstep.

Could this be one of the perks of transmigration?

A starter gift — Pepper, all for him?

Just picturing her stunning face and flawless figure stirred a primal force deep within Aetheris.

And so, he made a decision that would leave generations of ancestors rolling in their graves.

He booked a commercial flight. Something he had never done before.

That's right, this was Tony Stark's first time... flying economy.

And technically, Aetheris's first time too.

Before transmigrating, Aetheris had been just another broke nobody who had never even stepped foot on a plane.

Hearing voices behind him, Aetheris didn't react.

If it had been the real Tony Stark, he probably would've told the chief flight attendant to throw those people off the plane without batting an eye.

But Aetheris, being a proper, law-abiding citizen at heart, naturally wouldn't do something like that.

Even though he now wore Tony's body, his mind hadn't fully adjusted to life as a billionaire playboy.

Of course, that was only a matter of time.

With enough money, people would practically line up to offer you every pleasure this world had to offer.

"Please hold on a moment, Mr. Osborn."

A stunning flight attendant approached, knelt gracefully, and asked softly, "Respected Mr. Osborn, is there anything I can assist you with?"

Osborn?

Aetheris couldn't help but turn his head at the sound of that name.

Sharp chin. Weasel-like face. The kind of rich scumbag look you couldn't mistake. That's definitely the main villain from the Spider-Man movies — Norman Osborn.

Norman Osborn. Better known as the Green Goblin. One of Marvel's most notorious supervillains and Spider-Man's sworn enemy. Chairman of Oscorp. Father of Harry Osborn, Peter Parker's friend.

After injecting himself with a human enhancement serum his company developed, Osborn gained strength and abilities far beyond ordinary people.

But the serum's side effects shattered his mind, creating a twisted, ruthless split personality. Under its influence, Osborn used his immense wealth to develop advanced weaponry, transforming himself into the Green Goblin, and repeatedly clashing with Spider-Man and the Avengers.

Thinking back on all the havoc Osborn had caused, Aetheris couldn't help but curse the man as a complete lunatic.

He even remembered how the Green Goblin had developed a depraved obsession with Gwen — the same girl his own son, the Junior Green Goblin, was chasing. That kind of behavior made him seem like a modern-day decadent emperor. Frankly, the man was a disgrace to humanity.

But taking down the Green Goblin wasn't as simple as throwing a punch. It had to be done carefully, strategically.

Oscorp's influence rivaled Stark Industries. If Aetheris killed Norman Osborn outright, the fallout would be enormous.

His son would undoubtedly come for revenge, and once Spider-Man and the Avengers caught wind of it, they'd paint him as the villain and come hunting.

And right now, he wasn't confident he'd last even three rounds against them.

In this Marvel world, there were plenty of protagonists — he was just one of many. And at present, his power level was laughable. His only path forward was to rapidly develop his tech.

Mutate instead? Please. Rich people relied on technology. Mutation? That was for the poor. Who did they think they were insulting?

Aetheris perked up his ears to listen to the exchange behind him.

"Mr. Osborn, is there anything I can assist you with?"

"I have a question for you. How much is your salary?" Norman Osborn replied, ignoring her professional tone completely.

The flight attendant — a young woman with Middle Eastern features — had caught his eye the moment she walked over.

Such beauty. Even Osborn didn't see many like her these days.

Desire flared in his eyes. He began plotting, hoping for the opportunity to get... closer.

"Eight thousand dollars a month," the flight attendant answered politely.

"Oh? Eight grand? I'll give you ten. Have dinner with me tonight," Osborn offered, his eyes shamelessly roaming over her.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Osborn. I have to decline," the flight attendant replied firmly, rejecting him without hesitation.

"Tch. Just a lowly flight attendant. You think I don't have a thousand ways to make you lose your job? When that happens, forget ten grand — you'll be begging to crawl into my bed for even a thousand," Osborn muttered darkly.

The flight attendant's expression faltered.

She knew full well how powerful Osborn was. A financial tycoon like him could destroy her life with a snap of his fingers.

Her mind drifted to her sick younger brother, her alcoholic father, her exhausted, overworked mother.

The crushing burden of supporting her family weighed heavily on her slim shoulders.

Tears welled up in her eyes, dark and shimmering like obsidian.

Osborn grinned, pulling out a business card.

"This is for you. Call me after the flight. I'll give you the address," he said smugly.

This tactic had never failed him before. Money could make anything happen.

Ding! Detected Green Goblin's disgusting behavior. Host, please make a choice:

1. Ignore and stay silent. Reward: Enter the Final Destination world. Note: You must survive there for one year.

2. Confront Osborn and publicly denounce his abuse of power. Reward: Golden Bell Shield technique, mastered.

3. Let Ethan step in to stop Osborn. Reward: $100,000.

Huh?

System, what kind of nonsense is this?

Are you insulting my morals?

When did I ever say I wouldn't step in?

Not only are you questioning my character, you're questioning my intelligence!

I, a proud defender of justice, don't save people for the sake of rewards!

Just as the flight attendant reached for the business card, her face filled with humiliation...

Suddenly!

A large, tech-enhanced hand appeared, snatching the card away.

The flight attendant looked up, stunned.

What she saw was the impossibly handsome, smug, yet undeniably magnetic face of Tony Stark — the embodiment of a mature, confident playboy.

"I say, Osborn, you really have no shame. That girl's young enough to be your daughter, and you seriously want to sleep with her?" Aetheris said coldly.

"Where did this mutt come from, daring to interfere in my business?" the Green Goblin snarled, his face darkening.

"I once heard an old saying. When the road is unjust, draw your sword. When the road is treacherous, someone will clear it. When something's wrong, someone will stand up."

"Today, I, Tony Stark, am standing up."

Aetheris casually tossed the business card back into Osborn's face.

"You..." Osborn's fury froze mid-sentence as Aetheris slowly removed his sunglasses.

Though Oscorp wielded power, compared to Stark Industries, it was like a child's toy beside a war machine.

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