Marvel - The Blood God

"It'll come in handy soon," Maverick assured.

Ivan's eyes lit up with excitement. "I can't wait to make my debut. Everyone will see that Tony Stark is just a show-off."

Maverick smiled. "I'm looking forward to your performance. By the way, Frank, could you bring over the box I brought?"

Frank stood up, retrieved a box from nearby, and placed it on the table. Maverick slid it toward Ivan. "This is the hardest metal in the world: vibranium. Ten thousand dollars per gram. See how you can use it."

"Vibranium? You've got some impressive resources." Ivan exclaimed, opening the box. "I'll use it to make myself an axe."

"Don't get carried away. I only have ten kilograms," Maverick cautioned.

"Understood. I'll go check out Oscorp's weapons department. It'll be my domain soon enough," Ivan said, closing the box.

Maverick nodded and asked Mercury to escort Ivan to the weapons department and introduce him to the team.

Once Ivan and Mercury left, Frank turned to Maverick. "You don't really expect me to wear a battle suit worth hundreds of millions, do you?"

"Hundreds of millions? That suit could sell for at least five hundred million without anyone batting an eye," Maverick replied with a grin. "Don't worry about the cost. If you break it, you won't have to pay for it."

"I couldn't afford it even if I tried," Frank muttered. "Fine, since I'm working for you now, but I hope I can give some input on its design."

"Feel free to discuss it with Ivan," Maverick suggested.

Turning to James, he said, "James, as Oscorp's head of security, I'll allocate some shares to you. Remember, until the battle suits officially debut, everything must remain confidential. Oscorp's stock price soaring depends on this."

"Understood, Maverick. I'll ensure complete secrecy," James replied enthusiastically. Following Maverick was proving to be a wise choice.

After wrapping up, Maverick encouraged Frank and James to explore Oscorp. Just then, Felicia knocked and entered the office. "Maverick, Tony Stark has invited you over."

Maverick responded casually, "Let him know I'll be there tomorrow night. Have you arranged the meeting with the model tonight?"

"Yes, she's waiting for you at the Grand Theater," Felicia replied, a hint of exasperation in her voice.

"Excellent," Maverick nodded approvingly. "I'll give you that authentic Picasso as a token of appreciation. Keep up the good work."

"Thank you, Maverick," Felicia said gratefully, though she mused internally, Funny, I acquired that painting myself.

Despite her thoughts, Felicia was amazed at how things had unfolded. She had stolen a painting from Kingpin, and instead of retaliation, Kingpin sent Maverick a bottle of red wine to celebrate. Maverick was even more formidable than she'd imagined.

Maverick inquired, "What's next on the agenda?"

Felicia answered, "This afternoon, you'll be inspecting various departments, followed by a meeting with the supervisors."

"Good," Maverick acknowledged. It seemed he would soon meet Dr. Connors, who was developing the lizard serum. Perhaps even Dr. Octavius. Oscorp truly was a hub of brilliant minds.

At that moment, there was a knock at the door. Maverick looked up to see a young blonde woman in a white lab coat. "Hello, I'm Gwen Stacy. I'd like to speak with you, Chairman," she said.

Felicia interjected, "Miss Stacy, which department are you from? To see the chairman, you need to schedule an appointment with me."

Gwen began to respond, but Maverick waved a hand. "It's alright. Miss Stacy, please come in. Felicia, could you give us a moment?"

"Of course," Felicia replied, eyeing Gwen as she left the room and closed the door behind her.

"Hello, Mr. Maverick," Gwen said, approaching him. She looked at him with keen curiosity. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but are you really a member of the blood race—a vampire? My dad mentioned it last night, but I found it hard to believe."

Maverick smiled warmly. "Yes, I am. And our new president, Miss Mercury, is as well."

"Really? What's different about the blood race compared to humans? How do you turn humans—through a virus? Do you need to breathe? Do you..." Gwen's questions spilled out in rapid succession.

Maverick chuckled, amused by her enthusiasm. "Miss Stacy, are you here to study me?"

Gwen blushed slightly. "Sorry, Mr. Maverick. Actually, I came to ask if you'd give Dr. Connors a chance. He wants to present his cross-species genetics project to you personally."

Maverick leaned back thoughtfully. "Dr. Connors? The one Mr. Osborn plans to remove?"

"Yes, sir. Dr. Connors' project is groundbreaking. If successful, it could eliminate human imperfections."

"Didn't your father advise you to resign?" Maverick inquired.

"He did, but I don't want to. Dr. Connors' work is fascinating," Gwen admitted, then added sheepishly, "And I'd love to learn more about the blood race."

"I admire your dedication to science," Maverick said. He picked up the phone and called, "Felicia, please bring Dr. Connors and Mercury to my office."

After setting down the phone, he turned to Gwen. "Please, have a seat. We'll wait for them together."

"Thank you, Mr. Maverick," Gwen said, settling into a chair. After a moment's pause, she couldn't resist asking, "How did the blood race come into existence?"

"It's a complex history. The North American blood race is a branch lineage; we know less than our European counterparts," Maverick explained. "Some legends say the blood race came from another realm, which is why there are purebloods."

"Purebloods? So the blood race didn't originate from humans bitten by bats?" Gwen asked, intrigued.

"Not at all. There's even a myth that we were created by an ancient artifact, but few give it credence," Maverick replied.

Their conversation continued until Mercury and Dr. Connors arrived.

"Chairman," Dr. Connors greeted, his nervousness evident as he adjusted the empty sleeve where his right arm once was.

Maverick stood up and offered his hand. "Dr. Connors, I was planning to meet with you this afternoon regardless. I place great value on your project."

"Thank you, Chairman." Dr. Connors exclaimed, relief washing over him. "Our cross-species genetics project aims to eradicate human flaws. It might sound ambitious, but with success, it's achievable. For instance, I could regenerate my lost arm using lizard DNA."

As Dr. Connors delved into his research, Maverick listened intently. After a while, he asked, "Doctor, as I understand, your project is stalled at its final stage?"

"Yes, but I have promising new ideas. With a few more months, I believe I can complete it," Dr. Connors replied earnestly.

"I'm sure Mr. Osborn has heard that before," Maverick remarked with a slight smile.

Dr. Connors looked momentarily abashed. Maverick continued, "Have you considered the potential side effects? Animals have instincts. After integrating their DNA, how will you address any emerging animalistic behaviors?"

"Well..." Dr. Connors hesitated. "We've been primarily focused on achieving successful transplantation. But you're right; it's an aspect we need to monitor closely."

"Make sure to document it and keep it under observation," Maverick advised. "Also, no human trials without my explicit approval—and certainly no unauthorized self-experimentation."

Dr. Connors was surprised but pleased. "Understood, Chairman. I won't conduct any human experiments without your permission."

"Excellent," Maverick nodded. Then he added, "There's something else you should know: I'm part of the blood race."

"Excuse me?" Dr. Connors blinked in astonishment.

"Gwen can confirm it. Her father is the police chief, after all," Maverick said reassuringly.

Gwen nodded. "It's true, Doctor. Mr. Maverick is a member of the blood race."

"I see," Dr. Connors said, processing the revelation.

Maverick continued, "The blood race possesses self-healing abilities, immortality, and can create progeny. However, we have vulnerabilities: dependence on human blood, and weaknesses to sunlight, silver, and garlic. I want to eliminate these flaws through genetic optimization. Do you think that's possible?"

Dr. Connors pondered for a moment. "Chairman, I'd need to study your genetic makeup before providing an informed answer."

"Then let's begin immediately," Maverick proposed. "I'll allocate additional funding and personnel. You can continue your work on the lizard serum, but also focus on studying blood race genetics and optimizing them."

He added, "The blood race can turn humans into our own kind. If we remove the drawbacks, we could usher in a new era—a species with self-healing abilities and immortality."

"Immortality?" Dr. Connors and Gwen echoed, their eyes widening.

Gwen considered the implications. "Mr. Maverick, are you suggesting transforming all humans into members of the blood race?"

"No, Miss Stacy. I'm suggesting that people will choose to become part of the blood race once the flaws are gone," Maverick clarified. "Who wouldn't want to be immortal and self-healing? Wouldn't you?"

Gwen admitted, "It's an incredible possibility."

"Exactly. Humans and the blood race could merge into a new, perfected species," Maverick said with conviction.

Mercury watched Maverick with a mixture of surprise and admiration.

"This is an extraordinary vision," Dr. Connors said, his excitement evident. "But Chairman, I can't promise immediate results. I haven't even begun analyzing blood race DNA."

"That's alright. Take your time. Resources are not an issue," Maverick assured him. "The Blood Race Completion Plan will be Oscorp's top priority. Funding and manpower will be provided accordingly. I'd like you to lead this project."

"The Blood Race Completion Plan..." Dr. Connors repeated thoughtfully. He then said, "Thank you for entrusting me with this, Chairman. I'll accept the responsibility, but I don't wish to abandon the lizard serum. It's nearing completion."

"That's acceptable. You can work on both. Oscorp has ample resources," Maverick agreed. He turned to Gwen. "Miss Stacy, I'd like you to be part of this project as well."

"Absolutely." Gwen replied enthusiastically.

"Excellent. If you need anything, consult with Mercury. She'll ensure you have everything you require," Maverick said.

"Thank you, Chairman. I'll dedicate myself fully," Dr. Connors pledged.

After they departed, Mercury finally spoke up. "Maverick, do you truly believe we can eliminate the blood race's weaknesses?"

"Why not? The world is full of possibilities," Maverick replied confidently. "If we can envision lizard men, perfecting the blood race isn't far-fetched."

Mercury considered this. "So, the biotech department was your main interest in acquiring Oscorp."

"I need all of Oscorp," Maverick corrected with a smile. "Genetic optimization is the future for us. If we don't evolve, we'll be outpaced by advancing human capabilities. Even the so-called traditionalists in Europe, like Grand Duke Makinos, are delving into genetic research."

"Makinos is researching genetics too?" Mercury asked, surprised. "Didn't he accuse us recently of abandoning blood race traditions?"

"That hypocrite loves his double standards. Once I've consolidated control here, I'll address the situation in Europe," Maverick said with a smirk. "Times are changing, Mercury."

"Indeed. When even ancient figures like Makinos embrace genetic research, it's clear the old ways are fading," Mercury acknowledged.

"The Blood Race Completion Plan is crucial. I appointed you as president of Oscorp primarily for this project. I'll continue recruiting top talent to join us. It's even more important than the artificial blood initiative," Maverick stated.

"I understand, but Maverick, this plan could become a financial sinkhole," Mercury cautioned. "A bottomless one."

"Is that a problem? Do I look like I'm short on cash?" Maverick grinned. "Hundreds of millions, billions—even tens of billions—are just drops in the bucket."

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