Tony Stark rambled on and on with Otto for a long time. Otto hadn't expected that cooperating with the Avengers would require him to take on so many additional tasks. Not only did his original duties remain, but his workload had also increased!
Originally, Otto had thought that by working with Tony Stark, he might gain some inspiration to perfect his artificial sun. But now, not only did Tony Stark have no time to help with his research, but he was also squeezing Otto's research time!
It seemed that being a superhero wasn't as glamorous as it seemed. In reality, superheroes were on call 24/7, always needing to work overtime. Otto couldn't help but wonder if a superhero union could be established to guarantee their right to rest...
However, upon reflection, Otto realized that most superheroes chose this path voluntarily. If they were tired, they could simply retire. Moreover, considering the secrecy of superhero identities, forming a superhero union seemed almost impossible.
Soon, under JARVIS's arrangement and through reports from Avengers-affiliated media, it was announced that university professor Otto had experienced a lab accident that caused his body to mutate and fuse with the mechanical arms he had developed. After being rescued by the Avengers, he recovered and agreed to cooperate with them, becoming Doctor Octopus. From now on, he would help protect ordinary people in extraordinary events.
The Avengers-affiliated media also advised the public not to be too frightened when they saw Otto. His mechanical arms were scientific creations, just as safe and reliable as Tony Stark's armor, and posed no threat to ordinary people.
This was the first time the Avengers had introduced a new extraordinary member in such a manner. Previously, neither Peter Parker nor the Martian Manhunter had received such an introduction. Apart from Tony Stark, no other Avengers had detailed profiles or positive photos on the Avengers' official website.
This practice was naturally to protect the identities of the Avengers. This also excluded the profiles of Robert, Clark, and Kara, as Tony Stark had mentioned before. These three were considered external members and didn't even have official records, mainly because they didn't habitually wear superhero costumes or masks.
Even though Robert could transform, and Clark and Kara could use their abilities to make others perceive them differently, it was better not to leave too much photographic evidence.
Elsewhere, at Johnny Storm's campus, news of Otto becoming a superhero had already spread widely. The campus website had begun to heavily promote this, even though they had previously reported Otto's death in a lab accident, asking students to mourn him.
This sudden change caught the school off guard, but they didn't hesitate to report on Otto's situation. In today's world, a superhero was a top-tier attraction, especially one in the Avengers. This association alone was enough to draw many prospective students. Reporters had already flocked to the campus, even before Otto had returned.
Even students who knew Otto's temper wanted to interact with him more, despite his reputation for being difficult. Now that he had a superhero title, their interest was piqued, even though he hadn't yet accomplished anything significant as a superhero.
"Who would've thought, Professor Otto didn't hide his identity but chose to reveal it. He's probably the first superhero to do so, besides Tony Stark," Johnny Storm remarked, listening to the ongoing discussions around him.
Typically, a new superhero wouldn't attract so much attention, especially not to this extent, where almost every student was talking about Otto. The reason was simple: Otto worked at their school. It was as if a celebrity had emerged from their village and was returning to live among them. Naturally, the discussion about such a figure would be intense.
"You still have the mind to think about these things? Are you considering revealing your identity too?" Susan Storm asked, narrowing her eyes at Johnny.
Susan had to be cautious with Johnny, given his penchant for seeking attention. If Johnny's identity as the Human Torch were revealed, who knows how many girls would flock to him, which would be a huge temptation for Johnny.
Susan was seriously worried that Johnny might be tempted to reveal his identity after seeing Otto's experience. She regretted letting him out instead of keeping him confined to study.
"No! Not at all!" Johnny quickly denied, feeling a sense of crisis from Susan's oppressive gaze.
Seeing the attention Otto was receiving did make Johnny contemplate revealing his identity, but his situation was different. He knew Otto was alone, with no family to be affected by his exposed identity. Johnny, on the other hand, had living parents who would surely be targeted if his superhero identity were exposed.
Reporters would seek first-hand news to boost their profiles and draw attention, while some would be merely curious. However, there would undoubtedly be those with malicious intent toward superheroes.
Moreover, despite a certain level of understanding between the Avengers and various official institutions, if controlling a superhero through their family were possible, those unscrupulous agencies wouldn't hesitate to exploit it.
Johnny also considered that revealing his identity could expose Susan, Peter Parker, and others due to their close association. If Johnny publicly identified himself as the Human Torch, his daily life would be scrutinized, revealing their connections to other Avengers.
This wasn't just Johnny overthinking; the campus discussions had already expanded beyond Otto's merits to include his alcoholic, abusive father. Students sympathized with Otto, admiring his resilience in overcoming such adversity to become a top nuclear physicist and university professor.
Some students even began to understand why Otto was harsh on underperforming students, attributing it to his belief in hard work. The discussions had also turned towards Johnny, as some students, out of jealousy, highlighted his perceived unworthiness compared to other students.
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
As the campus buzzed with talk about Otto, he arrived back on campus, controlled by his mechanical arms. Due to the Avengers' media publicity, everyone expected his appearance, so there was no panic upon seeing him in mid-air with his mechanical tentacles.
Instead, a swarm of reporters rushed towards him like sharks smelling blood, undeterred by the mechanical limbs. They wanted to observe and photograph the tentacles up close.
Otto felt uncomfortable with this attention. He had thought he wouldn't be affected by revealing his identity due to his lack of close connections. However, he hadn't anticipated the intense scrutiny and exposure he would face.
While he didn't mind media attention when presenting his research, it bothered him that the current focus was solely on his identity. He began to understand why there were no reports of Tony Stark's iterative updates on his suits after becoming Iron Man. The public and media were more interested in Stark's actions and battles rather than the specifics of his technology.
"Otto! How did you join the Avengers?"
"Doctor Octopus, does your title have any special significance? Is it because of your four mechanical arms?"
"Doctor Octopus, do you know other Avengers? Why did you choose to reveal your identity while they didn't?"
"Doctor Octopus..."
Questions bombarded Otto before he could gather his thoughts. If not for his elevated position, he would have been overwhelmed by microphones.
"See? Is revealing an identity really that simple?" Tony Stark commented, watching Otto's dazed expression during the interview while researching vampire and werewolf genetic defects with the Martian Manhunter.
"Indeed, people need their own lives, even superheroes. Otherwise, they lose all privacy," Mobius agreed, laughing. "Already, over twenty women have claimed to have had relationships with Otto. Oh, and five men too!"
"Let Otto handle these things himself. It will also show Johnny and Pietro what revealing their identities entails," Tony Stark remarked. He didn't intend to help Otto manage this fallout, believing Otto should deal with the consequences of his choice.
Otto could serve as a warning to Johnny and the others. Otto, with no family, still faced significant challenges. For someone like Johnny, with parents, the repercussions could be much worse, potentially exposing their entire family history.
Watching Otto's awkward predicament, Johnny and Pietro both swallowed nervously. The scene was more intense than they had imagined, making them more cautious in the future.
Otto, now dealing with both reporters and school officials, found himself overwhelmed. Although he was now an Avenger, he couldn't attack the reporters. But as soon as he managed to escape them, school officials approached him...
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