The reason the school approached Otto was simple: they wanted to strengthen their relationship and deepen their cooperation. When Otto's lab exploded and he went missing, the school had listed him as deceased and planned to repair the damaged lab for another professor's use.
The school hadn't done anything wrong, given the assumption that Otto was dead and couldn't return. Now that Otto was back and had become a superhero, the school needed to address these matters to avoid any discomfort or misunderstanding from Otto.
However, Otto wasn't concerned about the school's intentions. He was more focused on the state of his lab. Otto had hurried back from the Avengers base to check on his lab, which contained a large amount of his experimental data, crucial for his work.
Losing the data on the mechanical tentacles wasn't a big deal, as Otto no longer needed to create new ones. Even if he did, the technology was already well-developed, and the experimental data was no longer essential.
But the data on the artificial sun was much more important. Otto had not yet mastered this technology, and without the data from the last explosion, he might face the same disastrous outcome again. Even with his body fused with the mechanical tentacles, Otto didn't believe he could survive another such close-range explosion.
Therefore, retrieving his previous experimental data to avoid repeating the same mistakes was crucial.
"Doctor Otto, oh no, I should call you Doctor Octopus now!" The school representative, unaware of Otto's thoughts, greeted him warmly. "How about becoming our school's guardian superhero? The students are very excited about you, and their enthusiasm has been unprecedented!"
"You can arrange that, but I won't be able to manage many things. After joining the Avengers, I have more tasks to handle, so I may not have much time for you..." Otto waved his hand. The school had treated him well before, providing lab space and resources, even though most of the funding came from Otto himself. Given the abundant energy sources at the Avengers' base, conducting artificial sun experiments there wasn't feasible. Staying at the school was a better choice.
Otto also knew that as a superhero, the school would likely offer him better treatment than before. Thus, having the title of a guardian superhero was fine, even if it was just another title.
Otto didn't think that the campus would actually face any extraordinary events. In fact, he still didn't have a clear concept of what an extraordinary event entailed.
The school representative was delighted to hear Otto's agreement. Having a superhero as their guardian would be a major attraction, even if their school ranked low among nearby institutions. Doctor Octopus alone could change that.
"No problem, even if you don't have much time, just having your name associated with us is enough. Your benefits will be upgraded to the highest level, and there will be special funding. Also, about your students..." The representative hesitated, considering Otto's increased workload.
In the representative's view, Otto might not have time to teach anymore, necessitating arrangements for his students, like Johnny Storm. When Otto was declared dead, the school had already considered how to place Johnny and the others, knowing there were few professors as specialized as Otto.
Johnny had been somewhat looking forward to this, thinking he might have a valid reason to switch majors. When Johnny learned Otto had joined the Avengers, he felt a bit helpless, knowing Otto wouldn't return soon.
Otto, hearing the representative's concerns, remembered Tony Stark's advice about teaching students. This made him hesitate, especially since none of his students were particularly outstanding or his favorites. They were just average students with no exceptional talent.
"Alright, since I've already taught them for so long, I might as well finish," Otto decided after some thought. He believed in seeing things through and figured he could manage his experiments more efficiently with the mechanical tentacles fused to him.
"Understood, I'll pass on the message," the representative said happily, then walked over to the students watching nearby and announced that Otto had become their campus guardian superhero.
"OH!"
"GREAT!"
"FANTASTIC!"
Cheers erupted throughout the campus. Hearing these cheers improved Otto's mood, but he didn't stay long. He headed to his lab.
The lab was still in disarray. The school had planned to repair it but hadn't started yet. Despite this, the lab's condition was poor. Fortunately, with the help of his mechanical tentacles, Otto found the data he needed in the lab's ruins and copied it, ensuring it wouldn't be lost again.
Soon, the school completed the repairs and expanded the lab, making it more suitable for Otto's experiments. Otto gradually adapted to his new life of constant attention and occasional disruptions.
The school's PR department handled various rumors about Otto, which were effectively managed. Despite being a low-ranking school among nearby institutions, it was still one of the top schools in America, with a capable PR and legal team.
Under their efforts, those claiming to have had relationships with Otto or accusing him of inappropriate behavior faded away.
It seemed Otto had resumed a normal life. The Avengers didn't have any extraordinary events requiring his intervention, so Otto's daily routine involved teaching Johnny Storm and his classmates, researching his artificial sun, and occasionally helping the Martian Manhunter and Tony Stark with experiments.
During this period, with no severe extraordinary events, Otto didn't realize that his most disliked student, the seemingly dim-witted Johnny Storm, was actually his colleague, the superhero Human Torch.
Time passed until a holiday, and most students left for their break. Under Otto's guidance and Susan Storm's pressure, Johnny barely passed his exams and eagerly took a break.
Otto, however, had no intention of taking a break. With no students to teach, he could fully focus on his artificial sun research, provided Tony Stark didn't need him.
This was also why Otto reluctantly allowed Johnny to pass. He didn't want the dim-witted Johnny bothering him during the holidays, fearing it might affect his experiments.
While Otto continued his research, another professor conducted experiments in a different lab on campus. This wasn't unusual, but the problem was this professor's experiments involved himself.
This had something to do with Otto, who had become very famous recently. Although his influence was limited to the scientific community, in academia, Doctor Octopus was a top name.
Not everyone admired his fame, especially since Avengers-affiliated media revealed that Otto's fusion with his mechanical tentacles was accidental, not a result of his own abilities.
Many scientists believed they could achieve the same results as Otto. Despite Otto's numerous research achievements, few were groundbreaking. The mechanical tentacles alone weren't enough unless Otto could perfect the artificial sun.
Inspired by Otto, many scientists began secret experiments. The most extreme of these was Curtis Connors, whose situation was unique.
Before becoming a university biology professor, Curtis Connors was a military doctor who lost his right arm in the war. He dedicated his research to limb regeneration, hoping to regrow his arm and help others like him.
But Connors had never succeeded. His research stalled, especially without suitable test subjects and sufficient funding.
Previously, Norman Osborn had funded Connors' research for his own family's genetic disease, but after a disagreement, Osborn withdrew his support. Since then, Connors had struggled, receiving little funding despite being a professor.
Numerous projects focused on limb regeneration, but Connors had no significant achievements to attract investors. He had to rely on his own efforts.
Under Otto's influence, Connors decided to take a risk and experiment on himself. Success would bring him substantial funding and fame, making him a globally recognized scientist.
Connors used the regenerative properties of lizard DNA and had successfully regrown a rabbit's amputated leg. With no one else to experiment on, Connors chose to test on himself.
Driven by a mix of desperation and ambition, Connors injected the serum into his body without hesitation.
"Nothing?" Initially, Connors felt no change and regretted his decision. But he knew the serum would cause some reaction, and he needed to study it to avoid any adverse effects.
As he moved to the equipment to draw blood, Connors noticed his body changing. His right arm, previously lost, was regrowing.
It was a dream come true. Connors was so overcome with emotion that he began to cry. He moved his new arm, fearing it was just a dream.
"It's real. I've really recovered!" Connors took a deep breath and clenched his fist. "I've done it! I'll be the savior of countless people! I'll be a hero to all humanity! A milestone hero!"
In his excitement, Connors didn't notice a green hue creeping across his skin...
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