Across from the towering Empire State Building stood one of New York's most heavily fortified financial institutions, a bank renowned for its near-impenetrable defenses. At the entrance, a reinforced platoon of federal guards maintained constant vigilance, their presence alone enough to deter most threats before they even began. Inside, the security escalated even further, with specially engineered vaults rumored to withstand catastrophic force, with some even claiming they could endure something as extreme as a nuclear blast.
Of course, no one had ever tested that claim.
The question lingered, unspoken yet undeniable.
Just how secure was this place, really?
"Tap… tap… tap…"
The faint, almost rhythmic sound echoed along the outer wall, subtle at first, but quickly becoming impossible to ignore. Fine scratch marks appeared across the surface, cutting through the hardened material as if something was probing its limits.
Then, without warning, the assault began.
Doctor Octopus had returned.
Not only had he ignored Tony Stark's public threat, but he had chosen to respond in the most direct way possible, striking again, and this time, in a location designed to mock the very idea of security.
"Didn't you say you were going to catch me?" Otto muttered under his breath as he scaled the wall with unnatural speed. "Let's see what you can do."
Behind him, the mechanical tentacles shifted, their movements precise and coordinated. One of them extended forward, revealing a sharp, drill-like instrument that began to spin with a high-pitched whine.
The next second—
"Sizzle!"
The reinforced wall cracked.
Then shattered.
Concrete, steel, and brick collapsed together in a violent cascade, sending dust and debris spilling inward as the structure gave way. Through the opening, the monstrous silhouette of Doctor Octopus emerged, his mechanical limbs writhing like living creatures as he stepped into the bank.
The reaction was immediate.
Screams erupted throughout the lobby as employees and customers alike recoiled in terror, their eyes fixed on the terrifying display of power. The walls that were supposed to protect them had been reduced to rubble in seconds, and now the thing that destroyed them was standing right in front of them.
They had nowhere to run.
Otto didn't waste time.
His actions were swift, deliberate, and disturbingly efficient, as if he had already mapped out every step before entering. First, he gathered everyone into the center of the lobby, herding them together under the watchful presence of his mechanical arms. Then, he confiscated all communication devices and transportation keys, ensuring no one could escape or call for help.
Finally, he forced the lobby manager forward.
"Take me to the vault," he said calmly.
There was no hesitation in his tone.
Under such overwhelming pressure, resistance simply wasn't an option. Even those who might have considered standing up to him quickly abandoned the idea, their courage collapsing under the weight of fear.
Among the crowd, Claire Temple watched in shock, her face pale as she processed what was happening.
"Doctor Octopus… he's really doing this…" she whispered.
Not long before, someone had tried to resist.
A man, emboldened by anger or desperation, had refused to hand over his belongings, loudly proclaiming his rights as he argued back.
The response had been instant.
"Bang!"
The mechanical arm lashed out.
The man's forearm snapped with a sickening crack, blood spilling onto the floor as he collapsed in agony. The brutality of that single act was enough to silence everyone else, extinguishing any remaining thoughts of defiance.
From that moment on, no one dared to test Otto's limits.
"Strength earns respect…" Otto murmured, almost as if reaffirming the lesson to himself.
Guided by the trembling manager, they soon reached the vault, the most secure section of the entire building. The old man dropped to his knees immediately, his voice shaking as he pleaded.
"I don't have the special key… and there are three separate locking systems. If we force it, it will permanently seal. No one will ever be able to open it again…"
Otto tilted his head slightly.
"And why should I care whether it opens again?" he replied calmly.
Behind him, the tentacles shifted once more, their tips unfolding to reveal a series of tools. Drills, cutters, clamps, and specialized mechanisms extended outward, forming a complete set of instruments that looked more like a mobile workshop than a weapon.
He was going to do it himself.
The manager stared in disbelief, his decades of experience telling him that what Otto was attempting was impossible. He had witnessed the evolution of security systems over the years, seen every upgrade and every reinforcement, and he knew better than anyone that this vault wasn't something that could be broken through by force.
Ten years ago, maybe.
But now?
Absolutely not.
And yet—
As Otto began working, that certainty started to crumble.
One lock fell.
Then another.
Each mechanism was dismantled with a level of precision that bordered on artistry, his movements calculated and controlled as he bypassed systems that were designed to resist even the most advanced intrusion methods.
The impossible was happening.
When the final lock gave way, Otto pushed the door open.
Inside, wealth beyond imagination filled the space.
Gems, gold, and valuables were piled together in staggering quantities, their combined worth reaching unimaginable figures. Yet to Otto, it wasn't the wealth itself that mattered, it was what that wealth represented.
Resources.
Tools.
Progress.
Without hesitation, he began filling his backpack, his mechanical arms assisting him in gathering as much as possible. Even after every compartment was packed to its limit, the amount he had taken barely made a dent in the total.
Less than one percent.
Otto paused, glancing back at the remaining treasure.
"Looks like… I'll have to come back another time," he said with a faint smile.
As he turned to leave, he performed one last, almost absurd gesture.
Using one of his mechanical arms, he picked up the old manager's hat and gently placed it back on the man's head.
"You look sharper with this," he said casually.
The manager opened his mouth, his voice trembling as he struggled to respond.
"You… you…"
After a moment, he finally managed to speak.
"You're a monster."
Meanwhile, far away in a seaside villa, Tony Stark stood in his lab, adjusting the parameters of the Greed Armor, pushing its capabilities further as he fine-tuned its destructive potential. The work demanded his full attention, but that focus was abruptly broken by an alert.
"Mr. Stark," J.A.R.V.I.S. said calmly. "The target has appeared."
Tony froze for a fraction of a second.
"What?" he asked, turning sharply. "Where?"
"Near the Empire State Building. Surveillance confirms the identity matches Doctor Octopus."
Tony frowned slightly.
He had expected at least some delay after issuing his challenge, perhaps days or even weeks before Otto made a move. Instead, the man had acted almost immediately, choosing to escalate rather than retreat.
"Bold," Tony muttered.
His gaze shifted toward the Greed Armor.
"If I take the Mark III, it'll take ten minutes to get there," J.A.R.V.I.S. continued.
"That's too slow," Tony replied, already making his decision.
He looked at the new armor, its surface faintly shifting as if responding to his attention.
"This… two and a half minutes."
A faint grin appeared on his face.
"Let's go."
The armor surged forward, enveloping him in an instant, its living-metal structure locking into place as flames ignited beneath his feet. In the next moment, he shot into the sky, streaking toward the battlefield like a missile.
At the same time, a familiar notification echoed in Locke's mind.
[Ding, a random mission has been detected nearby.]
[Doctor Octopus's frustration: Dr. Otto only wanted to complete his research, but Tony's interference has pushed him to the edge. His anger demands release.]
[Ding! Mission objective: Assist Doctor Octopus in humiliating Iron Man. Reward scales based on Dr. Otto's satisfaction.]
Locke glanced at the system panel, a faint smile forming as he absorbed the details.
"Tony Stark really doesn't know when to stop," he murmured.
From his perspective, Otto wasn't just another criminal.
He was valuable.
A man driven by purpose, willing to push boundaries for the sake of his research, forced into desperation by circumstances. That kind of mindset wasn't something to waste, it was something to recruit, to reshape, to bring under control.
"This is someone worth keeping," Locke said quietly.
His eyes narrowed slightly as his thoughts aligned.
"Maybe I should thank Iron Man for this."
Because if Tony insisted on provoking people like Otto…
Then Locke would be more than happy to step in and take advantage of the fallout.
"We'll teach him a lesson," he added, his tone calm but carrying a dangerous edge.
.....
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