Most of Spider-Man's villains' tech and equipment were stored in the Web-Head Base. Since the base lacked reliable engineers (Jonathan and Connors were both biologists), Peter mostly took the gear apart himself to see if anything was salvageable.
For instance, Shocker's gauntlets were abandoned because the energy output tended to overload with repeated use, while Mysterio's helmet and Rhino's metallic skin were discarded because they were simply too heavy for Peter to incorporate into his own gear. Doctor Octopus's equipment, however, was a rare exception—something Peter had frequently utilized ever since he started working with his nanotech suit.
The only problem was...
"Although there are some differences, you know Scorpion's tail, right? The artificial spinal neural system? The patent for that belongs to Oscorp."
Technically speaking, Scorpion's tail was a replacement neural system for spinal function, whereas Doctor Octopus's technology used the body's existing neurons to control extra limbs. Even though they weren't the same thing, considering Oscorp's history—like the time they used anti-gravity tech—the same kind used in individual flight platforms—to beat up Vulture's wings, and then threatened to bankrupt Toomes with massive legal fees—Peter felt it was better to be cautious.
"I'll handle the issues with Oscorp. You just get the tech finished. A perfect prosthetic limb created through implants that wasn't designed by Tony Stark... that sounds pretty good."
Tony nodded with satisfaction and exhaled, beginning to contemplate the next step. Unlike Stark Industries, which was well on its way to becoming a centennial institution, Oscorp was only about twenty years old. It was young, having grown into a cutting-edge technological giant entirely through the ruthlessness, malice, and wit of Norman Osborn.
Early on, Norman had been a scientist, but he had long since stepped away from scientific research. He had proven to the entire United States just how terrifying it could be if a genius directed their intellect toward business. He was like a reincarnation of J.P. Morgan or a reborn Rockefeller, making one feel as if they had returned to the late 19th century, the era of the monopoly giants.
Fortunately, this was no longer an era of such wild, unchecked growth.
More importantly, Tony had an ace up his sleeve: Peter Parker. As long as he proposed this as a research project led by Peter Parker, he believed even Norman Osborn would have to back down.
"You just focus on the invention; Stark will handle the patent issues. Ahem, alright, this is your room. As I told you, it's a 250-square-meter duplex apartment, 150 square meters on the ground floor. I designed the room style for all the members. Do you think it's appropriate?"
Peter's decor looked very much like... Tony's own. If Tony hadn't mentioned it, Peter would have thought he'd walked into Tony's personal quarters. The walls were covered in Avengers posters, a dartboard, and various science-fiction movie elements. One wall was lined with display cases for suits—Peter did have something similar back at the Web-Head Base, where he kept all his old suits aside from the nanotech one.
Many of the furnishings looked like decorative pieces fashioned from salvaged car hoods or engines, which left Peter completely baffled. "This stuff... uh, it doesn't seem quite right for me."
"Oh, of course... this was all from my old room. Sheesh... do young people these days not like this kind of heavy machinery aesthetic?"
So it really was stuff Tony had moved from his own room. Peter shook his head, unable to help but laugh. "Let's leave that part out, and the suit racks, too. It's fine in the base, but it feels a bit strange in a bedroom."
"Hmm, I don't find it strange. I once kept over forty mechs in my house."
Tony simply said "alright" and continued to lead Peter on a tour. "That over there is the training ground. Cap absolutely loves the place. I actually wanted to replicate a Danger Room, but Cap said it would make people lose their vigilance against real combat—that it was too realistic, and that training and actual combat need to be strictly separated."
Tony didn't understand Cap's line of thinking, but considering the old man held the most weight when it came to combat within the Avengers, Tony chose to respect his decision. Once the two walked in, Tony activated the test program, and training equipment instantly emerged from the floors, ceilings, and walls, filling the space completely.
"This looks a bit like... the defense system of the old Avengers Tower?"
"Something like that, but it's all non-lethal firepower," Tony said, shrugging. "And because of that, I've always felt the effect was limited; it's hard to get good training out of it. It's probably better suited for the students at the future Avengers Academy. Oh, the Avengers Academy is already under construction right next door."
Next was the research center. Throughout the entire Avengers base, the tallest and largest building wasn't the main activity center or the hangar, but the research center. From engineering and bioengineering to chemistry, experimental physics, micro-quantum fields, and celestial energy rays, every laboratory was top-tier.
"I referenced Reed Richards' Baxter Building and made some modifications. Strictly speaking, I wanted something more high-end than their labs. The Avengers' facilities must be the best."
Peter really wanted to remark that a poor student often blames their tools, but he decided against it. Facing Tony's immense confidence, he felt that if he said that, he might end up having to spar with Tony in the training room. And if he accidentally knocked Tony down, the situation would be even harder to smooth over.
"Alright, I think I get it. By the way, what is that thing over there?" Peter asked, pointing at an object within the base. It was clearly a man-made structure, resembling a giant snow globe, inside of which sat a massive, square-shaped building, placed right in the center of the garden in the middle of the base, within a small pond. It looked like some sort of landscape feature.
"Oh, that? That's the 'Mansion Prison.' When the Avengers Tower was demolished, it was a miracle those bastards didn't get blown to bits."
Tony spoke with a look of regret. The Avengers had to pay attention to their public image; although many of the criminals had been sentenced to death, they couldn't be executed before the proper procedures, so they had to be kept there. Having them as a snow globe in the middle of his home wasn't bad—at least, the moment he stepped outside, he could see the supervillains he had captured, which was quite a sense of accomplishment.
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