Let's reach 250 Power Stones for an extra chapter
***
Harry led the way, his footsteps echoing through the silent halls of the mansion. As they ascended the grand staircase, Spider-Man quietly shot a web at the wall. He had to be ready for anything.
The third floor was shrouded in shadows, the air thick with dust and the lingering scent of old money. Harry stopped before a massive oak door, its surface intricately carved with scenes of mythological battles. This was it: Norman Osborn's private sanctuary.
He hesitated, a flicker of unease crossing his face. "I've never been in here before," he confessed, his voice barely audible. "He always kept it locked."
Cipher stepped forward, his eyes scanning the door's intricate locking mechanism. "Stand back," he commanded, his tone brooking no argument.
With a swift motion, Cipher produced a slender device from his pocket and inserted it into the keyhole. A soft hum filled the air as the device worked its magic, bypassing the security protocols. A click echoed through the hallway, and Cipher pushed the door inward.
The room was a testament to Norman Osborn's wealth and ego. Neatly arranged bookshelves lined the walls, filled with leather-bound volumes on science, business, and philosophy. Family portraits hung in gilded frames, depicting Norman at various stages of his life, each image carefully curated to project an image of success and power.
Antique artifacts and gleaming trophies were scattered throughout the room, each a symbol of Norman's achievements and conquests. The air was heavy with the scent of expensive mahogany and old paper, a testament to the room's age and Norman's obsession with legacy.
Dominating the room was a large mahogany desk, its surface polished to a mirror sheen. Atop the desk sat a state-of-the-art PC, its sleek design clashing with the room's old-world aesthetic. It was the only sign of modern technology amidst the otherwise antique furnishings.
Harry stepped inside, his eyes darting around the room. "He kept everything so... meticulous," he murmured, his voice filled with a mixture of awe and resentment. "Like a museum dedicated to himself."
Cipher approached the PC, his fingers flying across the keyboard. "Do you know the password?" he asked, his eyes focused on the screen.
Harry shook his head. "Never. He always changed it, and he never told anyone what it was. He liked to be the only one who knew."
"Figures," Cipher muttered. He pulled out a small device, plugging it into the computer. "Stand back. This might take a minute."
Spider-Man watched the two, perched on the window sill. He needed to be ready for anything. He had a feeling that this was just the beginning.
Moments ticked by in silence, broken only by the faint hum of the PC and the whirring of Cipher's device. Suddenly, the screen flickered, and a login prompt appeared. Cipher's fingers danced across the keyboard, and the screen dissolved into a familiar interface.
"Got it," he announced, his voice laced with satisfaction. "He must've kept it logged in."
Cipher tapped away at the computer, navigating a labyrinth of files and folders.
"Jackpot," Cipher announced. "We're in."
The screen displayed the Oscorp database. It was time to look for answers.
The restricted file was nearly within reach.
Cipher stopped scrolling. "Well, here it is," he said, pointing to a file labeled 'OZ-Project Prime Directive.' "But there is a DNA scan."
A small, rectangular scanner popped out from the side of the PC monitor, humming softly. It was sleek and modern, a stark contrast to the antique surroundings. It was as if the computer was waiting for them to arrive.
Harry stared at the scanner, his face paling. He took a step back. "I don't know, man…" he said, his voice laced with doubt. "I never felt like I could live up to his expectations."
The pressure of his father's legacy weighed heavily on him.
Spider-Man pushed himself off the windowsill, landing softly on the floor. He stepped towards Harry, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Just try, Harry," he said, his voice gentle but firm. "You might be surprised."
He knew what it was like to doubt yourself.
Harry hesitated for another moment, his eyes fixed on the scanner. He swallowed hard, steeling himself for the task. He took a deep breath and extended his hand, his fingers trembling slightly.
Reluctantly, he placed his thumb on the scanner.
The scanner glowed blue as it read Harry's DNA. The room was silent save for the hum of the computer and Harry's breathing, until a beep sounded and the file unlocked.
It worked.
The screen filled with a series of documents, images, and video logs. They detailed the extent of Oscorp's ethically bankrupt experiments, revealing a twisted ambition that stretched far beyond scientific progress. Genetically modified creatures, illegal human trials, and weapons development programs filled the screen.
Both Harry and Spider-Man stared at the screen. Disbelief and horror painted their faces.
Cipher clicked through the files with a grim determination, his fingers flying across the keyboard as he sifted through the mountain of digital debris. He paused, his eyes widening as he opened a video file.
The screen flickered to life, displaying a grainy image of Norman Osborn in his private lab. He stood before a complex array of equipment, his eyes gleaming with manic intensity. He grabbed a vial filled with a luminescent green fluid: the Goblin Serum. Without hesitation, he injected himself.
Osborn writhed in agony, his body contorting in unnatural ways. His bones cracked, his muscles bulged, and his skin transformed into a grotesque shade of green. Claws sprouted from his fingertips, and horns emerged from his forehead. The transformation was complete. Norman Osborn was no more. Only the Green Goblin remained.
Spider-Man watched with wide eyes. "What have you done, Osborn?"
Harry stared at the screen. He started to hyperventilate. "No… it can't be," he stuttered, his voice cracking with emotion. "That's… that's my father?"
The revelation struck him like a physical blow. His world had been shattered, his carefully constructed reality crumbling around him. The man he admired, the man he strived to please, was a monster.
He stumbled backward, his hand flying to his mouth as he fought back tears. His legs felt weak and he needed to sit down.
Spider-Man rushed to his side, his mask concealing the empathy in his eyes. He placed a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder. The young man was obviously struggling to come to terms with the horrific truth.
"I know this is a lot to take in, Harry," he said softly, his voice laced with sympathy. "But you're not your father. Don't let his actions define you."
Cipher ignored the exchange, his mind already racing with possibilities. He swiftly copied the complete Goblin Serum data onto a thumb drive, knowing Peter could use the information to find a cure, or at least understand what had happened to Norman. The drive secured, he returned to the digital depths of Osborn's PC, sifting through more files. Perhaps there was some clue, some hint of what Norman planned to do next, a way to stop him before he hurt anyone else.
He scrolled through documents with code names and obscure references, his brow furrowed in concentration. Legal documents, lab reports, financial statements… nothing seemed relevant to the current situation.
Suddenly, a low rumble echoed through the room, barely audible over the hum of the computer. The three occupants tensed, their heads snapping up in unison.
Then, with a soft grinding noise, a section of the bookshelf slid inward, revealing a dark and narrow passage hidden behind it. Dust motes danced in the air, illuminated by the faint light filtering from the study.
A secret entrance.
"What the…" Harry trailed off, his eyes wide with disbelief. "I had no idea this was here."
Spider-Man stepped forward, his senses on high alert. "Looks like Osborn had a few secrets he didn't want anyone to find," he muttered.
The passage beckoned, promising answers but also hinting at unknown dangers. Norman had gone to great lengths to conceal it. What exactly was he hiding?
Spider-Man readied a web-shooter. Cipher was already moving, drawing one of his Dual Rayguns.
It was time to delve deeper into the labyrinth of Norman Osborn's twisted mind.
The passage was tight and claustrophobic, the air thick with the scent of ozone and decay. Cipher led the way, his Digi-Gloves illuminating their path with a faint, ethereal glow. Spider-Man followed close behind, his spider-sense tingling with a growing sense of unease. Harry brought up the rear, his face pale and drawn, his mind reeling from the revelations he had just witnessed.
After what seemed like an eternity, the passage opened into a vast, subterranean chamber. The air was cold and damp, and the only light came from a series of flickering fluorescent bulbs that cast long, dancing shadows across the walls.
The chamber was an armory, a testament to Norman Osborn's dark ambitions. In the center of the room stood the Green Goblin's armor, a grotesque mockery of a superhero costume. Its metallic scales were painted in a lurid shade of green, and its helmet was shaped like a snarling goblin's face, complete with sharp teeth and glowing red eyes.
Beside the armor, a sleek, bat-winged glider rested on a metal platform. Its surface gleamed with a menacing sheen, and its twin turbines hummed with barely restrained power. Rows of pumpkin bombs lined the walls, their orange shells casting an eerie glow across the chamber. Razor-sharp batarangs hung from racks, their edges glinting in the dim light.
The entire place radiated an aura of malice and impending doom.
Harry stared at the arsenal. The undeniable proof of his father's monstrous double life washed over him in a crushing tidal surge. "This is insane," he whispered, his voice trembling with a mixture of horror and grief. "He was planning this all along."
The scale of Norman's madness was overwhelming, a dark mirror reflecting a lifetime of obsession and unbridled ambition. He had not simply snapped under the influence of the Goblin Serum, but had been meticulously preparing for this transformation for years. The twisted machinery of his mind was now laid bare before them.
Cipher surveyed the chamber, his expression grim. "He was ready for war," he muttered. "And he intended to wage it on this city."
The sight of the Goblin's equipment sent a shiver down Spider-Man's spine. He knew, with a chilling certainty, that Norman Osborn was a threat unlike any he had faced before. This was a man driven by power and ego, fueled by madness, and armed with technology capable of leveling city blocks.
"We have to stop him," Spider-Man said, his voice filled with determination. "Before he hurts anyone else."
The weight of the city's fate rested heavily on their shoulders. They were now facing more than just a supervillain. They were facing the culmination of a man's life, a dark legacy that threatened to engulf them all.
A section of the back wall shimmered, then dissolved, revealing another, even darker passage. A figure emerged from the shadows, clad in the Green Goblin armor. His eyes glowed red, and a manic grin stretched across his face. He moved with predatory grace, the air around him crackling with malevolent energy.
It was Norman Osborn, now fully consumed by the Goblin persona.
He surveyed the scene, his gaze sweeping over the intruders with a mixture of surprise and amusement. He had carved out this secret entrance to the mansion, a hidden artery allowing him to come and go undetected, bypassing the prying eyes of the world. He used it to travel between his lab, his home, and other Oscorp facilities. Never in his wildest nightmares did he believe anyone would discover his private arsenal.
"Well, well, well," the Goblin cackled, his voice distorted by a modulator in the helmet. "What do we have here? Looks like the party crashers have found my little toy room."
His eyes zeroed in on Harry, and his grin widened into a truly terrifying display. He took a step forward, and a shadow fell across Harry's face.
"And look who it is. My own disappointing son."
The scene was set. The stage was ready. The Goblin was here.
***
Donate Power Stones to support this novel
Advance chapters in patreon.com/Najicablitz