MARVEL-THE MULTIVERSE TRADER

[DING! THIS IS THE LAST OF THE MASS RELEASED CHAPTERS]

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A few days later, in one of Oscorp's private lower-level labs, Harry stood there slack-jawed, his brows climbing so high they nearly disappeared into his hairline.

"Wait — you two seriously finished a working regeneration serum… in four days?!" Harry demanded, his voice bordering on disbelief.

Peter rubbed the back of his neck, flushing a little in embarrassment. "Well… yeah, sort of."

Nova, standing beside him with arms confidently crossed, wore a smug grin. "Who do you take us for, Harry? Children? This was practically child's play for us."

Peter rolled his eyes and gave Nova a shove on the shoulder. "Don't listen to him. The original serum was already halfway developed — we just streamlined the process."

Harry blinked, trying to process it all. "Okay, wait. Streamlined how?"

Peter sighed, grabbing a tablet from the nearby counter and pulling up a molecular diagram of the serum's structure. He tapped a few times, and a 3D model of a double-helix structure laced with regenerating protein chains and growth hormone activators floated above the screen.

"You see," Peter began, gesturing at the display, "the original serum was designed to do more than just regenerate tissue. It would've massively enhanced cell density, muscular strength, neural conductivity — the whole package. But that complexity made it unstable."

Nova nodded, picking up where Peter left off. "Right. Every time they tried to stabilize the super-strength component alongside the regeneration factor, the cell replication rate went into overdrive. That's why you may turn into a big bad lizard as a side effect." He paused, inwardly smirking at the unspoken meta-reference.

Harry tilted his head, curiosity finally overcoming his disbelief. "So what did you do?"

Peter took a breath and pointed to the split display Nova had mocked up. "We divided the serum's functionality into two independent modules. One focuses solely on regeneration — repairing and replacing damaged tissue, cleanly and efficiently. No strength enhancement, no hormonal overdrive, just pure cellular restoration."

Nova added, tapping another section. "And the secondary formula, still in theoretical stage, would handle the enhancement protocols. But this way, they don't interfere with each other. It cuts down the risk of cellular mutation by, like, 93 percent."

What Nova didn't mention was that, using Grey Matter's intellect earlier that week, he'd already perfected both serums, including a stable enhancement variant. But he deliberately kept it low-key, letting Peter play a meaningful role, both to build Peter's confidence and avoid raising too many flags about his own capabilities.

Leaning casually against the counter, Nova smirked. "I even integrated a failsafe using Oscorp's Type-6 catalyst buffer. The regeneration serum will only work optimally if paired with a bio-energetic stabilizer — think of it like a vitamin shot, but one that fuels rapid recovery."

Harry's brow furrowed. "Meaning?"

"It means," Nova said smoothly, "if someone's lost a limb or suffered fatal trauma, the serum can regenerate tissue, nerves, and bone structure. Given an energy booster — we're working with glucose-suspended ATP accelerators for now — it could literally pull someone back from the brink of death." He held up a finger. "But it won't stop aging, and it won't reverse natural death. No Lazarus Pit nonsense."

Harry blinked. "Jesus… you two actually did it."

Peter gave a small grin. "We did."

Harry exhaled, a slow grin spreading across his face. "You realize what this means for Oscorp, right? Military contracts, exclusive medical rights, a monopoly on combat medicine…" His eyes gleamed with a mixture of genuine excitement and shrewd ambition.

Nova shrugged. "Sure. But more importantly — it means no more freak lizard transformations."

Peter chuckled, "Yeah. That too."

Harry clapped both of them on the shoulders. "Boys, you've earned yourselves a drink tonight. Top shelf."

As Harry left the lab to make calls, Peter nudged Nova with a grin. "Okay, college boy… admit it. You love showing off."

Nova smirked. "Only when it's worth it."

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After Harry got busy scheming over how to milk every possible benefit from the regeneration serum, Nova and Peter decided they'd earned a break. Both left Oscorp and headed to their respective homes, the late afternoon sun already dipping low behind the skyline.

Nova reached his apartment, tossed his jacket on a chair, and practically collapsed onto his bed with a content sigh. His head hadn't even settled against the pillow when his phone began to buzz on the nightstand.

He groaned, reaching over and grabbing it. The screen displayed May.

Nova smirked faintly and swiped to answer.

"Hey May!"

"Hey, genius," May's voice teased through the line, warm and playful. "I just heard that you and Peter pulled off some sort of scientific miracle over at Oscorp."

Nova grinned smugly, shifting onto his side. "Of course we did. You know me — I never do anything halfway."

"Well then," May's tone turned sly, "since you two apparently saved the world of medicine or something, I thought it only fair to reward such brilliance."

Nova's brow quirked, his grin widening. "Yeah? And what kind of reward are we talking here?"

"That's a surprise," May teased, her voice like honey over the phone. "But you'll find out after our little dinner date tonight."

Nova let out a pleased hum. "And Peter? He cool with me stealing his hot aunt away for the evening?"

May laughed, a rich, playful sound. "Oh, he's busy. Said something about heading back to Oscorp with you and Ned to help Harry finalize some logistics. But you wouldn't leave a sexy, lonely milf to dine alone, would you?"

Nova laughed softly. "Not a chance. Text me the place and time."

"Already did," she replied. "Check your phone. And dress sharp — I'm not taking you anywhere in those tattered jeans you always wear."

"Hey, those are vintage," Nova protested.

"Uh-huh. See you at eight, handsome."

The call ended with a soft click, and Nova chuckled to himself, tossing the phone aside.

He have date to get ready for.

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The restaurant May picked wasn't overly fancy — one of those stylish, cozy spots tucked away in the quieter part of town. Low lighting, dark wooden panels, the gentle hum of jazz playing in the background. Nova arrived early, dressed sharp like she asked, and was nursing a drink at the bar when she walked in.

And damn.

May wore a sleek wine-red dress that clung to her in all the right places, a soft wave to her hair and a playful glint in her eyes. Every man in the room noticed — but it was Nova she smiled at as she made her way over.

"Not bad," she teased as she slid onto the bar stool beside him. "I see you actually cleaned up."

Nova grinned. "Had to. Couldn't let you outshine me completely."

The evening went easy after that. They shared a bottle of wine, laughed over half-forgotten stories from school and work, poked fun at Peter's absentminded moments, and skirted carefully around heavier topics. It wasn't tense — just light, good company.

By the time dessert came around, the lines between casual banter and flirtation had long blurred.

When May suggested they take the rest of the wine back to Nova's place, he didn't hesitate to agree.

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At Nova's Apartment

They arrived not long after, a bottle in one hand and a takeaway bag of leftover pastries in the other. Nova kicked the door shut behind them, and May made herself comfortable, slipping off her heels and padding over to his music setup.

"Alright, handsome," she called, flicking through his playlist. "You owe me a dance."

Nova laughed as he dropped his keys on the counter. "Seriously? Here?"

"Don't make me drag you," she warned with a mock glare, and a moment later, a slow, easy tune filled the apartment.

Nova held out a hand with a crooked grin. "Well, if you insist."

The music in the apartment was slow and smooth, a sultry rhythm that filled the dimly lit space. Nova pulled May into his arms, one hand settling firmly at her waist while the other brushed along the curve of her ass, fingers skimming bare skin where her dress dipped low.

May pressed herself closer, their bodies moving in a slow sway that was far less about the music and far more about proximity. The warmth between them built quickly, like some slow-burning charge neither of them was in a hurry to extinguish.

Nova's hands weren't exactly innocent, either. As the minutes stretched, his touch wandered — gliding up her spine, brushing the side of her ribs, dipping down to cup her sexy ass. His thumb traced idle circles against her lower back, dangerously close to places that made her shiver.

May tilted her head, her lips a breath from his ear. "You're getting handsy, troublemaker."

Nova smirked, his voice low and teasing. "I haven't even started yet."

She responded with a playful nip at his earlobe, her fingers trailing along the back of his neck, threading into his hair. Their bodies moved closer, the gentle friction of fabric against fabric making each brush and press sharper, heavier.

At one point, Nova's hand slid lower, gripping the round of her hip, his thumb tracing slow, lazy paths along the dip of her waist. May arched into it without hesitation, a soft, pleased sound leaving her throat.

The line between dancing and foreplay had long blurred.

When the song faded into the next, neither of them pulled away.

May's smile was wicked when she spoke again, her voice husky. "Alright, handsome. Let's see what else you've got."

And Nova, never one to back down from a challenge, met her teasing with a hungry grin. The moment their lips crashed together, it was less a kiss and more a claiming — rough, eager, like they were possessed.

Hands roamed without hesitation, and he wasted no time gripping May by her firm ass, lifting her effortlessly as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Clothes hit the floor in a messy, frantic trail, torn seams and hastily unbuttoned shirts left in their wake. The living room lights dimmed, forgotten, as the heat between them drowned out the world beyond those four walls.

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CHAPTER:- (46-50:→

46 → THE CONTRACT (II)

47 → THE PLAN AND THE ATTACK

48 → ATTACK (II)

49 → ATTACK (III)

50 → SANCTUM'S VAULT

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