Seeing Harry Osborn approach, Luca smiled and greeted him openly.
"Looks like you're recovering well."
Harry, who had been trying to figure out how to start the conversation, scratched his head awkwardly and whispered a soft "Thanks."
Yes, this was another acquaintance of Luca's.
Of course, this "acquaintance" didn't mean Luca knew him as the Green Goblin from his past life's Marvel knowledge.
It meant that Luca had already made contact with this Harry Osborn.
Ever since starting the partnership with Norman Osborn, Luca hadn't held back on the drug. He provided the finished product and even the complete formula.
After all, the drug itself had little economic value. Old Man Osborn's wife, unlike Gina, had a genetic condition that constantly produced the cocooning protein. Without a cure, she would need the drug long-term.
Instead of using the drug to blackmail Norman forever, Luca chose to give him the formula, cementing a solid favor.
Perhaps seeing Luca's sincerity, their collaboration went smoothly.
And because of this, Luca learned that it wasn't just Norman's wife; young Harry was also afflicted with the genetic disease.
Starting two years ago, parts of his nervous system began to show signs of protein cocooning.
Fortunately, the early stages didn't severely impact his life. The cocooned nerves only caused minor symptoms like sluggishness, lethargy, and slight uncoordination. However, given his early onset age, if left untreated, Harry might become paralyzed much younger than his mother.
So, Luca's help earned genuine gratitude from the Osborn family, allowing Luca to gain a foothold in the biopharmaceutical field.
Of course, company development was a story for later.
Right now, Harry's arrival didn't seem to make Luca's boring high school life any more interesting.
Boring class time flew by.
---
4:00 PM. School ended. This was usually club activity time.
However, since the school year had just started, most 9th graders hadn't chosen their clubs yet. Luca, due to his fame, received many invitations from upperclassmen clubs. But he preferred to go home and watch his Haros work rather than play social games with kids he didn't know.
Today, however, was different.
Luca had just walked to his locker, not even opening it yet.
A soft little hand slapped the locker door shut with a smack.
Luca turned to see Gwen Stacy looking at him with puffed-out cheeks.
Behind her stood a deeply resigned Gwen Potts, clearly dragged here against her will.
"Luca! You said we'd form a band together! Why are you trying to run away early?!"
"Huh? Did... did I say that? When?"
Luca looked at the Gwen in front of him, then bewilderedly at the Gwen behind her.
Gwen Potts gave him a look that said, Just accept your fate.
Clearly, although both were Gwens, Gwen Stacy, who hadn't experienced the harshness of life (yet), was much more energetic and impulsive.
And although the other Gwen looked helpless on the outside, deep down, she envied this carefree version of herself.
Before Luca could figure out how to decline Gwen's invitation, Gwen Stacy's eyes suddenly lit up, as if she had discovered a new continent. She looked past Luca at... Harry Osborn.
She hopped over to him in three skips and greeted him.
"Hey, new guy! Hi! You're Luca's friend, right?"
"Nice to meet you! I'm Gwen~ She's also Gwen. We are..."
At this point, Gwen Stacy realized her bestie wasn't keeping up. She turned around and wrinkled her nose at her.
Then, under Gwen Potts's eye-roll that screamed 'kill me now', the two quickly high-fived and spoke in unison.
"We are Gwen~ Two~!"
("We are Gwen... two...")
Looking at the overly energetic Gwen, the question marks above Luca's head transferred to Harry Osborn's.
"Uh... hello."
"So? Interested in joining our band? Luca is joining too~" Gwen's eyes twinkled with excitement.
"I am not! She's lying!" Luca immediately tried to clear his name.
"Um... I actually don't know how to play any instruments..."
---
Dalton School. Rock Club. Independent Band Practice Room.
The trio of Helpless, Bewildered, and Confused stood holding instruments, looking at Gwen Stacy, who was excitedly drawing on a small chalkboard at the front of the room.
"No one is born knowing how to play instruments~ Since we're forming a band, we need to assign roles and focus on learning one instrument."
"Haro, show them the common instrument combinations for a four-person band~"
Yes, the Aurantius Haro had also been drafted by Gwen Stacy. The little guy seemed very excited about joining a band.
It was the second most enthusiastic participant in the room.
By the way, the White Haro named "Erha" was currently piloting the Haro Mech back at the lab.
While Gwen babbled on about band formation, a voice suddenly interrupted her from inside the practice room.
"Can you form a band even if you don't know how to play instruments?"
"Who? Who dares interrupt the Captain when she's speaking?"
Gwen puffed out her cheeks and turned around.
But when she turned, she found the other three looking back too.
Yet, the practice room was empty except for them.
"Huh? Who spoke just now?"
At this point, Gwen Stacy realized the voice hadn't come from any of them.
Just as the four of them turned their heads in confusion, the voice came again, this time from the direction of the small chalkboard.
"So, which one of you is the lead singer?"
THWIP. THWIP.
Two rapid sounds cut through the air.
Luca and Gwen Potts reacted instantly, launching attacks towards the source of the sound behind them.
Gwen shot a webline from her wrist, while a tranquilizer dart fired from Luca's mechanical arm.
But despite their speed, both missed the target.
When they turned back, they discovered the small chalkboard Gwen Stacy had been scribbling on had vanished.
On the floor, a black hole, like a drop of ink, was rapidly shrinking and disappearing.
"I knew it. With these people together, something was bound to happen!"