Let's be real for a second: A twenty percent discount isn't a favor. It's a hook.
Capitalism doesn't do "favors." If a bank gives you a break on the principal, it's because they plan to own your future labor for the next three decades. And Emperor Industries wasn't just a biotech firm anymore; with the acquisition of a mid-sized national bank, they were now a financial institution.
Luther sat in his office, reviewing the terms of the "Emperor Enhancement Loan."
"It's the ultimate leash," Luther mused, spinning a pen.
Once someone signed that contract, they belonged to him. If they worked hard, paid their premiums, and served the company economy? Great. They got to keep their superpowers.
If they tried to run? If they tried to skip the country and default?
"They underestimate my security," Luther chuckled.
His security team wasn't made up of mall cops. It was comprised of the elite assassins sent to kill him, reprogrammed by his own hypnotic voice and enhanced with the diluted serum. They would find the defaulters.
And honestly? A defaulter was just a walking bag of assets. A Superhuman kidney? A liver capable of filtering military-grade toxins? On the black market, a "Repo Job" on a defaulter would net Emperor Industries more than the loan value itself.
"Waste not, want not."
The door opened. Michelle walked in, looking sharp in a tailored business suit, holding a tablet.
"Boss," she said, her voice cutting through his thoughts. "The press pool is assembled. We're live in ten minutes."
"Right," Luther sighed, standing up and stretching. "The dog and pony show."
His head was still full of data on the Senzu Bean synthesis and the Super Divine Water purification. Playing CEO was boring compared to playing God in the lab. But it was a necessary evil.
This wasn't just a PR stunt. It was a counter-attack. The "Free Evolution for All" movement was gaining traction, and Luther needed to kill that narrative before Congress got any stupid ideas about nationalizing his tech.
"Do you have the sample cases?" Luther asked.
"The Type-A Permanent Compound and the new Type-B Temporary Vials are ready," Michelle confirmed.
Luther grinned.
The Type-B—or as he called it, the "Superman Drug"—was the real money maker.
Compound One was a one-time sale. Ten million bucks. Done. But Type-B? It was a temporary high. One shot. One hour of godlike power. Ten thousand dollars.
It was affordable enough for the upper-middle class to buy for a "wild weekend." It was cheap enough for the military to issue to special forces for a specific mission without risking a ten-million-dollar asset on a suicide run.
And the best part? It was addictive. Not chemically, but psychologically. Once you know what it feels like to lift a car or run at sixty miles an hour... going back to being normal feels like a disability.
They would come back. They would always come back.
The Emperor Tower. Grand Atrium.
The flashbulbs were blinding.
Over five hundred journalists were packed into the hall. Every major network—CNN, FOX, BBC, Al Jazeera—was there. This was the first time the mysterious founder of Emperor Industries was showing his face to the world.
Rumors were flying. Was he an old man? A government spook? A computer algorithm?
The lights dimmed. A hush fell over the crowd.
Luther walked out.
He didn't wear a tie. He wore a fitted, charcoal suit that cost more than most people's houses. He moved with a predatory grace, his presence filling the room instantly. His Kryptonian-optimized features looked perfect under the stage lights.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Luther said, his voice smooth and commanding. "Welcome to the future."
FLASH. FLASH. FLASH.
The room erupted. He looked like a movie star, not a scientist.
"I am Luther," he continued, leaning against the podium casually. "Founder. CEO. Lead Researcher."
He gestured to the woman standing to his left. "And this is Michelle J. Dina, my Executive Vice President. She runs the world; I just build it."
Michelle nodded professionally, though she suppressed a smile.
The Q&A session started instantly. It was a chaotic wall of noise.
"Mr. Luther! What are your plans for the protests outside?" "Is it true you're selling to foreign militaries?" "Is the serum safe?"
Luther held up a hand. The room went silent.
"We hear the people outside," Luther said, his voice dropping to a sympathetic register. "They say evolution shouldn't be just for the rich. And you know what? They're right."
He clicked a remote. The massive screen behind him changed.
THE EMPEROR ENHANCEMENT LOAN.Evolution for Everyone. Starting today.
"We believe in equality," Luther lied beautifully. "That is why Emperor Bank is launching a comprehensive financing program. Low interest. Long terms. If you want to be better, we will lend you the money to get there. No one gets left behind."
A murmur went through the crowd. It was a brilliant pivot. He wasn't giving it away, but he was making it "accessible."
"But," Luther said, raising a finger. "We know not everyone wants to commit to a permanent change. Maybe you just want an edge for a big game. Maybe you need to finish a construction project on time. Or maybe..." he looked directly into the camera, addressing the Pentagon generals watching at home, "...you have a dangerous mission that requires short-term superiority."
He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a sleek, silver case. He opened it to reveal a glowing blue vial.
"I present Vigor."
"Ten thousand dollars," Luther announced. "One dose. For sixty minutes, you are a Superhuman. Double strength. Double speed. Double durability. No fatigue."
The journalists gasped.
"It wears off with no side effects," Luther added. "It's the ultimate 'Try Before You Buy.' Or the ultimate tool for when you need to be a hero... just for an hour."
Pandemonium.
Luther watched the chaos with a satisfied smile.
He had just handed the world a new drug. The civilians would use it for thrills. The military would use it for war.
"Ten million for the permanent upgrade," Luther thought. "Ten thousand for the rental."
He looked at the frantic reporters shouting questions into their phones.
"Business is good."
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