Marcus had little interest in the Osborn Group's corporate machinations or Dr. Otto's newfound fame. These earthly concerns held no value for him—he had other worlds to explore and Aya Stars to collect. Of course, before departing, he didn't mind claiming the last few essences.
Camera lenses and microphones converged on the center of the press conference, where something had captured the world's attention. The artificial sun blazed in its containment field as the constant clicking of camera shutters filled the air, making Harry hesitate at the edge of the stage.
Although he was the Osborn Group's heir, this was his first time addressing the entire world. The prospect filled him with equal measures of excitement and terror.
"Go ahead, Master Harry," his butler encouraged. "This is the Osborn Group's chance to reclaim its position at the top. You'll make history today."
Harry took a deep breath, steadying his nerves, and walked onto the stage with a confident smile.
"Ladies and gentlemen, hello. Some of you may not know me—I'm Harry Osborn, current head of the Osborn Group."
The introduction sparked immediate activity among the press corps. Reporters began adding context to their coverage, noting Harry's investment record and dubbing him "the greatest young investor of the 21st century" for his supposedly keen vision. The live broadcast carried his words to a global audience eager to witness this historic moment.
"This concludes the introductory portion of our conference. Now, I'd like to invite Dr. Otto to demonstrate the artificial sun!"
Dr. Otto stepped forward, accompanied by a human-sized mechanical assistant—a simplified version of his larger creation. He'd chosen the smaller unit because today's artificial sun was a scaled demonstration model. Not that he'd neglected security measures entirely—a full-sized mechanical octopus lay hidden beneath the conference platform, ready to activate and protect the artificial sun if anything went wrong.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we're about to witness the dawn of a new century. For your protection, I recommend wearing the provided safety glasses."
With his warning delivered, Dr. Otto initiated the artificial sun demonstration. The equipment deployed with mechanical precision, and a brilliant fireball materialized before the assembled crowd. Contained within its magnetic field, the miniature star floated impossibly in mid-air, drawing gasps of amazement from the reporters.
Just as the Osborn Group had promised—this was a little sun! An artificial star!
"My God, this is a miracle!"
"Is this really the artificial sun? The beginning of a new era?"
"Humans actually created a star!"
The reporters' exclamations reflected the awe of viewers worldwide. Everyone understood they were witnessing the dawn of humanity's new age.
Then a shadow passed overhead.
A figure descended slowly from the sky, hovering in the air above the conference.
"Alien! It's the alien!"
Someone spotted Marcus's approach, and every camera swiveled to track the floating figure.
"Why is that alien here?" Harry felt his stomach drop. Today was supposed to mark the Osborn Group's triumphant return to prominence—why was this alien stealing their spotlight?
He kept his concerns to himself, watching intently as Marcus descended. The being had assumed his Wisp form, prepared to claim the final Ayatan Treasure. Of course, he had no intention of simply taking it—he had something to offer in exchange.
Floating before the artificial sun, Marcus circled the contained star several times before finally stopping in front of Dr. Otto and Harry.
"We meet again," Marcus said, his voice taking on an ethereal quality filtered through void energy. "Could you give me this little sun? I'm prepared to trade something in return."
The distortion made it impossible to determine Marcus's true intentions from his tone alone.
"Trade for the artificial sun? What are you offering?" Dr. Otto and Harry exchanged curious glances. What could this alien possibly want to trade?
They could manufacture more artificial suns—losing this demonstration model wouldn't significantly impact their plans. But they needed to know what Marcus was proposing.
"I have an energy design that might interest you."
Marcus gestured, constructing a complex energy model in the air before them. It was based on the fundamental energy designs Ward had developed from Kree technology.
Dr. Otto's expression transformed completely as he studied the floating schematic. His eyes widened as he absorbed the implications.
"Deal. The artificial sun is yours!"
Otto's response was immediate and categorical. This energy model contained principles he'd never encountered before. If he could decode its contents, his cold fusion research could advance by decades.
"Dr. Otto..." Harry didn't quite understand. The energy model seemed abstract—how could it be worth their artificial sun?
"Trust me, Mr. Osborn. This technology is invaluable—far more valuable than a single artificial sun."
Given Dr. Otto's conviction, Harry had little choice but to agree. Even if Marcus's offering proved worthless, they wouldn't really lose anything. The entire world had witnessed their artificial sun in action, and now even aliens coveted their technology. No advertisement could be more effective.
The reporters at the press conference were stunned by the exchange unfolding before them. Dr. Otto's artificial sun had now attracted alien attention twice, demonstrating its immense value. This time, the alien was actually negotiating—trading advanced technology for their creation.
The implications sent shockwaves around the globe. The Osborn Group had mastered artificial solar energy, and now they were potentially acquiring alien technology in exchange. This meant the Osborn Group was poised to lead humanity into an unprecedented technological revolution.