~Umbrella Corporation, Main Research Building~
The researchers, usually buried in their work, had all set aside their tedious experints and tests, forming a loose gathering...
When Dr. Connors walked through the door, a round of enthusiastic applause erupted.
*Bang!*
Hiding in the crowd, Gwen popped a party popper.
Colorful confetti rained down from above. Dr. Connors froze for a mont before realizing what was happening. His eyes reddened slightly as he removed his glasses to wipe them, then sincerely thanked his colleagues around him...
"Doctor, congratulations on finally fulfilling the greatest ambition of your life," Sean said, looking at the beaming Dr. Connors...
In the original tiline, the disabled scientist had dedicated himself to cross-species genetics research in pursuit of limb regeneration.
The middle-aged doctor had drawn inspiration from lizards' ability to regrow lost tails, leading to the developnt of a serum infused with lizard DNA.
However, due to genetic rejection, the serum triggered severe side effects. While Dr. Connors did regrow his arm, he also transford into a half-human, half-lizard monster... the infamous Lizard.
But now, Dr. Connors' fate was entirely different.
Back when Oscorp faced crisis, he had been forced to test the unstable serum on himself prematurely. However, Sean's intervention had altered his tragic path.
After joining Umbrella, Dr. Connors had ample ti and resources to refine his research. With unlimited funding and a top-tier scientific team, the disabled scientist could imrse himself fully in his work without pressure.
"...There was no need for such a grand gesture," Dr. Connors said, slightly flustered.
"Don't thank , this wasn't my idea." Sean pointed at Gwen who was stifling a laugh in the crowd, rcilessly throwing her under the bus, "Your thoughtful student wanted to surprise her ntor. Who was I to refuse?"
"...Besides, you deserve this honor. The release of the Chrysalis Serum will bring hope to those suffering from disabilities and discrimination. Doctor, you've saved their lives."
"This is the proudest achievent of my life," Dr. Connors admitted, unable to contain his excitent.
He glanced at his empty sleeve, his voice thick with emotion.
"Ready to prepare your acceptance speech?" Sean teased, "I'm sure the betting agencies will list you as a frontrunner for the next Nobel Prize in dicine!"
With 'tis Serum' for neurodegenerative diseases and 'Chrysalis Serum' for limb regeneration, Umbrella was poised to reap imnse profits, solidifying its foothold in the dical industry.
As a cutting-edge research institution, this year's financial reports were bound to be impressive.
After the brief celebration, everyone returned to their busy work schedules... after all, that was the rhythm of daily life...
...
When the crowd dispersed, Gwen tiptoed up behind Sean like a mischievous kitten, a playful grin on her pretty face.
"Hey– ah!"
Sean suddenly turned around. Caught red-handed, Gwen let out a startled yelp and stumbled straight into his arms, almost as if she had thrown herself at him.
The intimate proximity made the usually cheerful blonde blush furiously. After hesitating for a few seconds, she pushed Sean away, grumbling, "You scared ..."
"Are you sure you weren't just caught in the act?" Sean smirked, his eyes glinting with amusent.
Flustered, Gwen raised her fists, scrambling for an excuse, "You sold out!"
Sean endured her half-hearted punches without complaint. There was no need to expose the girl's innocent crush... keeping things ambiguous added a little spice to life.
'I'm such a good person,' he thought to himself.
"Dr. Connors said you've been holed up in the lab lately. Found a new research project?" Gwen quickly changed the subject to mask her embarrassnt.
Sean nodded slightly, his gaze aningful. "Studying the effects of high-voltage currents on brain responses to pain, as well as mory manipulation and thought implantation."
"Sounds like sothing a supervillain would do," Gwen muttered...
...
After exchanging a few more casual words with the lovestruck Gwen, Sean returned to his private laboratory... a restricted zone within Umbrella.
Unauthorized personnel who ventured too close would be flagged by the Red Queen as intruders, triggering security protocols.
Closing the door behind him, he stepped into the dark room where a lone figure sat. Without turning on the lights, Sean walked into the shadows and took a seat opposite.
"What is your na?" he asked gently.
"...Victor von Doom," a hoarse voice answered.
"Are you sure?" Sean pressed.
The tallic figure trembled slightly, as if recalling sothing terrifying. Then, hesitantly, he corrected himself: "Doctor Doom."
The answer was uncertain, his mind was a battleground between two conflicting identities. Yet the searing white electricity that had drowned his mories resurfaced, reinforcing the new persona.
"Correct." Sean nodded approvingly. "Can you tell about your past? Do you rember anything?"
Doom shook his head in confusion. Fragnted mories flickered in his mind, but whenever he tried to focus, they were swallowed by blinding light.
Like a broken radio, static noise buzzed in his skull, leaving him agitated.
"Your na is Victor von Doom. You hail from Latveria, the 'Pearl of the Balkans', a war-torn, impoverished nation nestled between Hungary, Serbia, and Romania..." Sean's calm narration carried an almost hypnotic quality.
The tallic figure began repeating the words, creating an eerie scene like cultists chanting dogma in the dark.
"...Through relentless struggle, you earned admission to Columbia University, escaping your destitute holand for the glittering tropolis of New York. There, you beca a celebrated genius, even winning the admiration of Susan Storm, the campus beauty. But your old classmate, Reed Richards, envied everything you had..."
"...Reed convinced you to invest in his experint, then deliberately miscalculated, causing a catastrophic accident. Your fortune vanished overnight. Your business partners conspired to oust you. The woman you loved abandoned you... You lost everything. Victor von Doom was left with nothing!"
As Sean spoke, the tallic figure's breathing grew ragged. His fists clenched, electricity crackling along his arms, white-hot energy dancing across his form.
"...Betrayed ti and again, you swore vengeance. Victor von Doom, the Wall Street magnate, was no more. In his place rose... Doctor Doom!"
Sean's voice resonated with overwhelming authority, reshaping Doom's psyche, "You will return to Latveria. You will lead its war-ravaged people toward a brighter future... Like a shepherd, you will beco their revered leader, establishing a theocratic regi! You will ascend to godhood, worshipped as a supre being!"
"No... I want revenge!"
Amid the chaotic mories, Reed's smug and triumphant face lood large.
Doom refused to accept exile to that barren, war-torn wasteland while his rival basked in glory and adoration!
"I will kill them... All who stand in my way!" His voice, thick with fury, echoed through the room. Had the soundproofing been any weaker, the entire lab would have heard...
Electricity flared, illuminating the darkness. The tallic figure rose abruptly, his erald cloak billowing. Behind the steel mask, his eyes burned with hatred and vengeance.
Sean remained seated, his expression cold. With a flick of his wrist, a searing beam of light lanced out and slamd Doom into the reinforced alloy wall with a deafening–
*Clang!*
"Know your place. And rember... until I permit it, you will suppress your rage. Be a tad beast."
Sean stepped forward, his palm glowing crimson. The energy beam sliced through Doom's tal skin like a laser scalpel. A bestial howl of agony filled the room as the once-proud villain writhed.
"You are a caged animal. Disobedience earns only the whip."
Watching Doom tremble at his feet, Sean withdrew the energy beam and healed the wounds with a surge of life energy, "Play your part, and soon you'll leave this place. You'll return to Latveria, a paradise tailor-made for you..."
"...So, the next ti I co... impress ." Sean's figure vanished into the shadows.
Left alone in the darkness, the broken figure of Doctor Doom curled into himself, muttering incessantly:
"I am Victor von Doom... Doctor Doom... Latveria..."
Through repeated torture and relentless indoctrination, the lines between truth and fabrication had blurred beyond recognition.
The man who had once been Victor von Doom was gone. In his place was a puppet, his will subjugated by the devil who now ruled his mind.
Only one thing kept him going... vengeance...
He blad Reed for his downfall. His hatred burned hotter than ever, like a poison-fla that would consu everything in its path...
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