Chapter 29: Chapter 29: The Green Goblin's Rampage
"But my daughter has no interest in math, physics, biology, or chemistry," Ethan said with a hint of frustration. He had hoped she'd follow in his footsteps, but she simply refused.
"I see. So what does she like?" Aetheris asked, curious.
"Dance. Especially classical dance."
Aetheris's eyes lit up. "Dance is wonderful! It can enhance her grace and cultivate her sense of beauty and refinement."
He couldn't help but recall countless flirtatious videos from his past life—graceful women practicing yoga or dancing always left him in awe, often making him sigh with longing.
Having a girlfriend who studied dance would be like having access to every elegant pose imaginable… and even the ones beyond your imagination.
"Thank you for your generosity," Ethan replied, a little embarrassed. He hadn't even done anything yet, but Stark was already offering support and resources.
Determined, he silently vowed to work hard and repay Stark's kindness and recognition.
"Alright, Nova, take Ethan to the lab and start working on synthesizing the new element as soon as possible," Aetheris instructed.
Exploration Aerospace, Sixth Test Site
"General SCOM, welcome to the first test flight of our latest humanoid exoskeleton, developed by Exploration Aerospace!" the engineer greeted.
"I'm eager to see what you've got," General SCOM replied as he entered the bunker, flanked by high-ranking officers.
"The firepower on this suit is impressive."
"If it performs as promised, I'll sign the deal immediately," General SCOM added.
"Confident about today's test?"
"Absolutely. Captain Curtis is one of our top pilots."
"What about Osborn's side?"
"Hmph, ignore them. I'm sick of that clown. Frankly, I'd love to see the Osborn Group collapse," General SCOM said darkly.
He had hinted several times that he expected certain… 'incentives,' but Norman Osborn had been completely clueless, like a blind man stumbling around with his eyes wide open.
To make matters worse, Osborn had the nerve to send him a basket of Texas-style roast chicken.
Did he really think roast chicken could sway the leadership of the United States?
Well… who could truly resist that temptation?
"Pre-flight checks complete. Taking off now!" Captain Curtis reported into his headset.
Suddenly, white smoke billowed from beneath the aircraft, and it steadily ascended into the night sky.
Then, a panicked voice crackled through the headset. "Unidentified object rapidly approaching!"
"What the hell is that?" Captain Curtis narrowed his eyes. In the distance, a green light streaked toward him, so intense it made his heart race with dread.
And then came the eerie, maniacal laughter.
"Hahahahaha!"
A small missile sliced through the sky.
Boom!
A deafening explosion erupted as the aircraft burst into a massive fireball.
"Wow, what beautiful fireworks," sneered the figure soaring through the sky.
A demon wearing a twisted goblin mask zipped back and forth on a sleek glider.
He casually tossed a small, round bomb straight at the bunker where General SCOM and his team were hiding—hitting his mark with deadly precision.
Boom!
Another fireball exploded. General SCOM and his officers didn't even have time to react before they were reduced to ash.
"Die! All of you, die!"
Tormented for so long by Victor, the darkness within Norman Osborn had finally been unleashed. He had injected himself with the human enhancement serum.
And thus, the Green Goblin was born.
"Maybe I should take care of Tony Stark while I'm at it… end this once and for all," Norman muttered, his eyes fixed on the towering Stark Industries building in Manhattan's business district.
"Damn it, let's do this."
Norman Osborn accelerated, soaring straight toward Stark Industries.
Stark Industries Headquarters
Inside the sleek, high-rise office, Pepper Potts was buried in paperwork.
Aetheris had no clue how to run a business, and rather than pretend, he wisely left it to the professionals.
After all, he hadn't hired a team of finance graduates from top universities just to let them sit idle. Even Pepper had four assistants working under her.
No matter how tough the job got, he wouldn't let his unofficial sweetheart overwork herself.
"What… what is that?" one of the male assistants exclaimed, staring wide-eyed at the window.
"What are you talking about?" Pepper looked up—and her eyes widened too.
"Quick! Call security—now!"
Calf University
Aetheris strolled through the campus, his eyes drifting left and right, constantly scanning his surroundings.
There were indeed plenty of beautiful girls at NYU, many from wealthy, influential families.
They carried themselves with the effortless grace of the upper class.
Compared to the girls from abroad, American girls were far more open and modern but they still had the innocence typical of college students.
Once they entered the workforce, that innocence would fade, replaced by the poised, sharp confidence of career women.
That's why college girls were so captivating—they were fashionable, lively, and most importantly, still believed in pure, innocent love.
As he walked, several pretty girls sent flirtatious glances his way, but he politely declined them all.
Blonde hair, blue eyes, freckled faces—the all-American look simply wasn't his type.
Even so, their jaw-dropping figures still made for a pleasant view. When Aetheris passed groups of cheerleaders in yoga pants or tight athletic wear, he couldn't help but stand a little straighter, as if raising a flag in salute.
"Calm down. You haven't had enough rest lately. You've practically been smothered to death by Nova's kisses," Aetheris muttered to himself with a scowl.
He dialed Betty Ross's number.
"Hey, gorgeous. Where are you right now?"
"I'm in the library, reading. Why?"
"What, I can't call unless something's wrong? Don't tell me you were in the shower," Aetheris teased, recalling a familiar internet joke from his previous life:
Are you there?Are you awake?Are you hungry?Have you eaten?Drink more water.Sorry, I was in the shower and missed your message.No worries, it wasn't important.Goodnight.Goodnight.
"Where are you? Don't tell me you're already here."
"Bingo. What do I get as a reward?"
"Hehe, should I come pick you up?"
"No need. Be a good girl and wait for me in the library."
Aetheris ended the call and headed toward the library.
The Calf University library was much quieter than the bustling campus outside, though a little stuffy.
Still, the air carried the faint scent of books and knowledge. Honestly, Aetheris had always enjoyed that subtle fragrance. Reading helped him calm his mind.
Scanning the mostly empty library, his eyes quickly landed on Betty Ross, seated at a table by the window, a delicate water bottle resting beside her.
He approached quietly, not disturbing her focused reading.
At that moment, Betty radiated an undeniable scholarly charm. Her concentration, her quiet beauty—completely captivated Aetheris.
It reminded him of a girl from his high school days, quietly reading in the library, lost in her own world.
(End of Chapter)
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