~Hudson River, New York Harbor~
Harry stepped out of his car in casual attire, waving off his driver before boarding the luxurious yacht docked at the port...
The young Osborn heir took in the sight of this floating castle... It was five stories tall, its sheer size and imposing presence enough to make anyone hesitate.
As he stepped onto the third-floor deck, Harry couldn't help but whistle. From this height, the private yacht resembled a lavish, sprawling palace at sea, complete with a basketball court, a cinema, and a wine-tasting room.
It could easily accommodate over a hundred people...
Shaking his head at his friend's extravagance, Harry spotted Sean lounging on a deck chair, soaking up the sun.
The young genius who had taken New York by storm now lay there in sunglasses, a spread of fresh fruit beside him and a bottle of whiskey chilling in an ice bucket.
"You should've invited a bunch of Hollywood stars and thrown a yacht party while you were at it. Then tomorrow's headlines would scream, 'The Lavish Life of New York's Prodigy', letting the whole city know that Tony Stark isn't the only one who knows how to live." Harry took a seat as the massive yacht slowly set sail.
The moist sea breeze carried a misty spray, and above, sunlight pierced through the clouds. Seagulls skimd the crystal-clear waves, and the sky stretched endlessly blue with scattered white clouds.
For the young Osborn heir who was usually drowned in a world of decadence, the scene brought an unexpected sense of tranquility. His restless heart gradually settled into calm.
"New York is a circus of vanity. When you're useful, they lift you to the heavens. But the mont you lose value? They won't even spare you a glance."
Sean smiled faintly, his gaze resting on Harry as he said softly, "People like us, who chase fa and fortune, need a quiet place like this to unwind sotis."
Harry nodded thoughtfully, "Maybe you're right. Wealth doesn't always bring security. Who would've thought Worthington would fall so easily?"
A week had passed since the mutant attack in Midtown Manhattan. The high-profile world leaders' summit, originally scheduled for Liberty Island, had been canceled... likely due to security concerns. The White House couldn't risk another attack by those radical mutants.
Yet, calls to revive the Mutant Registration Act grew louder. Magneto's grand entrance and act of demolishing the Worthington Tower had thrust the mutant issue into the spotlight, drawing intense scrutiny from both the White House and the military.
As the now-vanished Senator Kelly once said: "We cannot allow dangerous individuals to roam this country unchecked by law!"
"We should thank the mutants. At least they've handed us victory without us lifting a finger," Sean remarked coolly.
In truth, the biggest winner in this upheaval was Colonel William Stryker.
But that suited him just fine. Letting the federal governnt deal with the mutants ant avoiding direct conflict. After all, he would be facing one of the most powerful groups on Earth... Professor X's telepathy, Magneto's magnetic mastery, and the limitless potential of the Phoenix.
Until he was absolutely ready, Sean had no intention of clashing head-on with the X-n or the Brotherhood. There were just too many variables.
Let Stryker charge ahead as his proxy...
"Oscorp has successfully entered the market with promising prospects. While we can't replace Worthington overnight, there's nothing stopping us from growing steadily now." Harry couldn't hide his satisfaction.
The thought of the board mbers' panicked faces during the crisis still amused him. Before Worthington's downfall, the world had written Oscorp off. Even internal morale had plumted.
But no one could've predicted the mutants' sudden assault, which didn't just destroy Worthington Tower, but also claid the life of its CEO...
And when Marcus Worthington's son was outed as a mutant, the vultures swooped in, effortlessly pushing the poor young heir out of the picture.
Now, it was all about dividing the spoils and rebranding Worthington for a new era.
In this capitalist frenzy, Oscorp played the role of spectator. There was no need to kick Worthington while it was down...
For Harry and Sean, the roadblock had been cleared. All that remained was consolidating their hold on the dical market, recouping investnts, and moving forward with the next phase of R&D.
"With Worthington gone, it's Oscorp's turn to set the new order. Once the other corporations finish their feeding frenzy, we'll reshuffle the deck again." Sean spoke as if he were the true master of Oscorp, yet Harry didn't protest.
The company which bore his family na had survived multiple crises, largely thanks to Sean's help. His initial wariness had long since faded into gratitude.
If Harry had one redeeming quality, it was self-awareness. He knew he stood alone on the board, no one would go out of their way to aid a diocre heir except for those with ulterior motives. So he trusted Sean. And so far, his friend hadn't let him down...
"I'm taking a quiet vacation. I've left the lab in Dr. Connors' hands." Sean stretched lazily, savoring the sensation of energy absorption.
His body felt like a black hole, endlessly drawing in power.
Focusing inward, he saw a surging golden radiance... It was like a miniature sun...
Strangely, his enhanced physique seed to harbor an invisible gateway, as if it connected to so unknowable dinsion.
A subtle yet persistent voice urged him to absorb more energy… and to open that unseen 'door'...
"I heard Umbrella also partnered with Doom Industries?" Harry reached for the whiskey in the ice bucket, his curiosity piqued.
Victor Von Doom was another larger-than-life genius. Compared to his forr classmate Reed Richards, the arrogant yet brilliant man had carved out a formidable empire on Wall Street while still young, once dominating New York's headlines.
"Just a private collaboration." Sean's voice was soft...
Witnessing the birth of the Fantastic Four and Doctor Doom sounded… entertaining...
Gazing up at the boundless sky, he felt a quiet anticipation for the upcoming space voyage. Would those violent cosmic energies help him unlock the mysterious 'door' hidden within him?
Bathed in sunlight, Sean smiled.
He wanted to beco this world's sun... To guide humanity toward the stars...
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