As the final gavel had fallen and the auction's feverish energy began to dissipate, Norman Osborn quietly reveled in his victories. He'd secured two highly coveted items: the Jade Ring, and SAI-682's fragment—the hard-to-destroy sample of one of the most resilient creatures known in anomalous circles. Both objects would be invaluable in his search for personal power and, more pressingly, for a solution to his own deteriorating condition.
In his private jet later that evening, Osborn held the Jade Ring, its cool, muted green surface gleaming faintly under the dim cabin lights. The ring felt unnaturally heavy in his hand, carrying with it a subtle, almost pulsating energy. He knew of its effects, of course—its ability to stave off mental fatigue, make the wearer immune to compulsion, and grant resilience against mind-altering influences.
The part of the ring's ability that was the most important to him was the chance that it might be able to deal with the genetic disease that bothered him. He had tried everything, yet nothing could cure it, but this ring and its strange powers might be able to do just that.
Still, he wasn't a fool, he knew nearly nothing about the ring other then what he had been told, and wasn't about to just wear it without a few tests, after all it had some side-effects and it was entirely possible that they had been downplayed.
The slowness of body was of little concern, no the fact that it made the mind of the wearer slower, less focused, was what concerned him. He relied on his mind, it was what had allowed him to reach where he was today, so the idea of it being negatively affected wasn't pleasing.
Still, depending on how bad that particular side effect was, it might very well be well worth it, since it could potentially be a matter of life and death.
He leaned back, thinking over his strategy. His laboratories had the resources and expertise needed to analyze the ring's properties safely. With specialized containment protocols and medical diagnostics, he could have his team examine the effects on test subjects before he even considered direct exposure.
If he could understand the exact mechanism behind the ring's abilities, he might isolate the parts that would alleviate his condition without compromising his mental faculties.
But his gaze drifted to the other acquisition, the SAI-682 fragment encased in reinforced glass. The sliver of black, scaly flesh seemed inert at first glance, but every so often, it twitched faintly, a reminder of the primal life force embedded within.
This was something else entirely—an artifact with raw power, practically pulsing with the promise of regeneration, survival, and adaptability. Even in its dormant state, the fragment exuded an intensity that was almost tangible.
The fragment held the potential for regeneration that could be revolutionary in the field of genetic research and longevity. Yet, he had seen the fight, he was clear that the creature was indeed powerful, but it was also cruel.
It wasn't just some mindless beast, it had a frightening level of intelligence and it used it for hate, to hate humanity and all living things. There were some potential dangers in using such a sample, but also immense value.
The Hulk, the green giant that had fought and defeated the Giant lizard, was the result of a failed attempt by the military to make another super soldier serum.
It was a failure not because the result wasn't powerful enough but because it was too powerful and couldn't be controlled or replicated.
He knew that after the fight between those two monsters, every military out there had tried to get their hands on samples, but the people who had cleared out the place had disappeared, including the somehow still alive Captain America, and his girlfriend, the once at death's door Peggy Carter that was somehow alive.
The world demanded questions, or at least those in charge of the world.
Everyone was questioning what was going on with that whole situation. Yet none had any answers.
Now, however, he might have some answers, this fragment might be able to offer the answers to the giant lizard's strength. Answers to the question of regeneration, healing, maybe even immortality.
Osborn allowed himself a small smile, gazing at the fragment as his mind raced with possibilities. This sliver of SAI-682 wasn't just a piece of flesh; it was a gateway to untold potential—a path that could lead him to breakthroughs in resilience and regenerative medicine beyond anything Oscorp or even the military could have ever dreamed.
The creature's natural hostility, however, was something he'd need to handle carefully. If the regenerative properties could be isolated without the fragment's inherent rage, he might be able to incorporate its abilities safely. There was, of course, the risk that whatever allowed SAI-682 to regenerate and adapt so completely might carry over in unintended ways. But risk was something Osborn understood and had long embraced as a necessity for true power.
He thought again of the Hulk and the disastrous outcome of the military's super-soldier program. Power without control was useless, a lesson the world had learned all too painfully through the appearance of beings like the Hulk. Osborn, however, was determined to harness the creature's traits without succumbing to chaos. He would be more than just a man with borrowed power; he would master it.
He had considered ending funding for Connor's research, having not seen much success from it, but clearly, he would have to take another deeper look, maybe even increase funding and see if nothing could be learned from it.
After all, if Connor could even get close to a regenerative serum from a normal lizard, then that would in ways unfathomable once that normal lizard was changed out with the monster sample.
Returning to Oscorp's top-tier research facility, Norman Osborn wasted no time in setting his new acquisitions on a carefully planned path of experimentation. The lab was prepared meticulously, with every possible precaution in place.
Security systems were enhanced, new protocols enforced, and the highest levels of containment implemented. Osborn was not one to take risks with such anomalous objects, and he made it clear to his team that failure—or a breach—would have severe consequences.
The Jade Ring was his first focus. Osborn had the ring moved to a reinforced lab chamber designed to monitor its effects on living subjects in real time.
Norman Osborn watched with careful intensity as the test subject—a nervous, thin man in his mid-thirties who had been lured in under the guise of generous compensation for "routine testing"—slipped the Jade Ring onto his finger.
Osborn's private lab, cloaked in a sterile, high-tech elegance, was buzzing with the quiet hum of machines and the low voices of his researchers. He had handpicked this team, their loyalty and discretion bought at a price that guaranteed their silence and unwavering obedience.
The ring slid over the man's knuckle, and almost immediately, Osborn saw a change in his expression. The man's shoulders, which had been tense with a barely contained anxiety, seemed to relax. His eyes drifted into an unfocused gaze, and his breathing slowed to an easy rhythm.
"Vitals?" Osborn asked sharply, his voice slicing through the silence.
One of the researchers glanced at the monitors, then looked back at Osborn with a nod. "All normal, sir. Lowered stress levels, stable heart rate. Subject appears to be experiencing reduced neural agitation."
Osborn felt a surge of satisfaction. So far, the ring seemed to be doing exactly as promised—calming the mind, enhancing mental fortitude. But he wasn't interested in just resilience. His eyes narrowed, and he gave a nod toward the subject.
"How are you feeling?" Osborn asked, his voice smooth, coaxing.
The man blinked, his eyes slightly glazed. "I feel… good. Really good. It's like my thoughts are clearer, but…" His words trailed off as his eyelids began to droop. "I feel a little… drowsy…"
The man's head bobbed slightly, and his shoulders began to slump. Osborn's interest sharpened. Drowsiness wasn't an unexpected side effect—certainly nothing he hadn't heard in the artifact's description—but he hadn't anticipated it setting in so soon.
One of the lab techs looked over at Osborn, a hint of concern in her eyes. "Sir, should we consider removing the ring?"
Osborn held up a hand, silencing her. "No. Let's see how this progresses."
The man's breathing deepened, his head lolling forward as his eyes fully closed. Within moments, he was fast asleep, slumped in the chair, his fingers loosely clasped around the armrests. A brief pang of annoyance rippled through Osborn. He needed data on the mental effects, but if the subject was asleep, there would be no way to gauge the ring's influence on his cognition.
"Wake him," Osborn ordered, the irritation creeping into his tone.
One of the assistants moved forward, shaking the man's shoulder gently. The man didn't stir. She shook him a bit harder, calling his name, but there was no response. The other researchers exchanged uneasy glances, and Osborn felt a small prickle of unease himself. He forced it down, leaning over the slumbering subject with a calculating gaze.
"Vitals?" he demanded, his voice colder now.
"Steady heart rate… no abnormalities in neural activity," one of the researchers replied. "But… it's almost like he's in a deeper sleep state than expected. REM patterns are… extremely active, almost like he's in a coma-like state."
Osborn clenched his jaw. The ring was supposed to induce resilience, not a state of complete incapacitation. He reached forward, grabbing the subject's shoulder and giving it a firm shake himself, but still, the man did not respond. His breathing remained deep and steady, almost tranquil, but there was a disturbing permanence to it—as if he'd slipped away into something far beyond sleep.
"Remove the ring," Osborn snapped, his patience thinning.
One of the assistants carefully lifted the man's hand and slid the Jade Ring off his finger. For a moment, they all watched, expecting some kind of reaction, a sign of waking. But the man's eyes remained closed, his breathing unchanged. Osborn's annoyance grew into a knot of frustration.
"Administer a stimulant," he ordered.
The team moved swiftly, injecting a dose of a strong stimulant into the subject's arm. And finally, after a few minutes the man finally woke up, still tried but seemingly none the worse for wear.
Osborn's gaze darkened, his mind churning. The Jade Ring, for all its supposed benefits, was proving to have a hidden cost he hadn't anticipated "Troubling."