Marvel: Master Of Role-Playing-Chapter 202: The Establishment of Vought International

In The Boys, Vought became what it did not just because of greedy corporate behavior, but also because of deeper problems, mainly how Compound V altered people.

Those powerful heroes were corrupted by wealth and power. Add to that the physical damage caused by the compound, and it’s no surprise things spiraled.

But Reid was different. Making money was secondary. Vought, to him, was a tool to control the world.

The people he selected were originally meant to be heroes in the Marvel world, and the cosmic energy he used wasn’t like Compound V, which came with heavy side effects.

With that in mind, Vought International in this world could never turn into what it did in The Boys. Even if someone like Homelander were ever to appear, it would be with Reid’s permission.

He currently possessed the physiology of Martian Manhunter. In the future, he would even gain Superman’s powers—or stronger ones from the DC universe. He could live to the end of time itself. Vought had no way to go off the rails under him.

"Ben, you’re the last one who hasn’t agreed yet. So, what do you say? Join the project. Become one of the Fantastic Four?"

Reid extended the invitation directly.

Ben looked around. Susan, Johnny, and Dick were all watching him. After thinking a bit, he nodded.

He didn’t want to give up this job. With Susan and Johnny there, it felt right. He had no reason to say no.

And just like that, all four of them, including Dick, stepped into the machine.

As the purified cosmic energy surged into their bodies, the first to show a reaction was Johnny.

"Flame on!"

Unlike in the original version where they gained their powers by accident, this time Johnny remained fully conscious throughout the process. So, as the cosmic energy flowed through him, he quickly began adapting to his new abilities.

It didn’t take long for him to grasp what kind of power he had received. The instant the chamber door opened, flames burst from his body. He shot straight up to the ceiling, then began flying in circles around the lab.

"I can fly! This is amazing!"

He didn’t calm down until Reid suddenly floated in front of him. It was then Johnny realized just how powerful this usually quiet assistant truly was.

Once both men gently landed, Susan stepped out of the chamber. But without a specially designed suit, her new invisibility made only her body vanish while the clothes remained fully visible.

"Sue, what’s going on with you?"

Johnny walked up to her, surprised by her powers.

What he didn’t realize, though, was that Susan wasn’t adapting nearly as fast as he had. Maybe her powers were simply harder to control, or maybe they were just much stronger.

Unable to manage the surge of her ability, she instinctively released a wave of invisible force as her brother got close. The blast threw him backward across the room.

Reid immediately stepped in, using his psychic ability to calm Susan’s emotions.

The third person to step out was Dick.

Unlike the pair of siblings, he didn’t seem to show any obvious changes and looked exactly the same as before.

"You... didn’t get any powers?" Getting back on his feet, Johnny asked, a bit confused.

Dick shook his head. "No, I did."

The next second, he tensed his body, and his muscles swelled rapidly. In the blink of an eye, the lean young man transformed into a towering, bodybuilder-like figure, resembling someone like Schwarzenegger.

"At full power, I can lift about twenty tons. Even without pushing myself, I’m probably sitting around five or six." fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

Maybe because Dick wasn’t originally from the Marvel world, the cosmic storm had given him a rather basic power—an enhancement of physical strength.

Still, being able to lift twenty tons at full strength was no small feat. It might not be flashy, but for now, it was more than enough.

"What about Ben? He hasn’t come out yet?" Johnny continued asking, sounding concerned.

He had no real issue with Ben, even if he didn’t get along with Reed. Seeing the man still inside the chamber made him uneasy.

"Could the machine have malfunctioned?"

"That’s impossible," Reid replied firmly. "I’m guessing Ben is probably cursing his own big mouth right about now."

"Yeah, you’re right." The man’s voice came from inside the machine.

As he spoke, the floor trembled slightly. A moment later, he stepped out, completely transformed into a stone-covered giant.

"Sorry for the trouble, Reid. Like you mentioned earlier... could you try removing this ability?"

Half an hour later, after going through the process himself and confirming that his rocky form wasn’t permanent, Ben let out a breath of relief. He now sat on the couch with his three teammates.

"So, I’m the only one whose appearance changed, huh?" He said with a sigh. Even though he knew he could return to normal, the thought of looking like a monster when acting as a superhero still made him feel a little down.

"Come on, Ben," Johnny chimed in. "Reid already explained. Your form might seem like a burden, but for tomorrow’s press conference, it’s perfect. That kind of exaggerated, monstrous look? That’s what makes a real impact."

* * *

The next day arrived fast.

Not a single media outlet dared skip the press conference announced by LexCorp. Many New York residents even showed up in person, eager to see how the trusted company would respond to the recent backlash.

When one of the reporters finally asked about the errors in the recent experiment, LexCorp’s representative, Luthor himself, didn’t dodge the question.

Instead, he directly admitted it.

"You’re not wrong," he said. "The accident at the space station: that was indeed our responsibility. LexCorp does share the blame. But let’s not forget, no real harm came of it, right? And the reason why... well, we all know it. Green Lantern arrived just in time and prevented a disaster."

Down below, many of the reporters planted by hidden forces began to frown. They couldn’t understand why Luthor would admit fault so directly.

But then, he continued, "I know what you’re thinking. Even if I say that Green Lantern showed up because LexCorp reached out for help in advance, it won’t change anything. You’ll argue that he’s a hero, that he would’ve come to save lives anyway. And you’re right. Everything you’re thinking... is absolutely right."

The frowns deepened. Luthor was saying everything they were preparing to bring up. In doing so, he was also cutting off all his own escape routes. If that was the case, how could LexCorp possibly win back public trust? Were they really giving up?

However, as that thought began to spread, Luthor at last reached his turning point.

"That’s exactly why I’ve come to a realization," he paused. "Humanity needs heroes. And sometimes, hardship is the forge where those heroes are made. We faced a crisis, but we came through it with success. We created something miraculous."

His voice rose with pride.

"Now, let me introduce to you the true superpowered heroes—heroes who belong to humanity, who stand for America. The Fantastic Four. Step forward!"

**

**

**

Thank you for reading! If you’d like access to extra Chapters and want to support my work, you can visit my P@treon:

P@treon/SilverShark769

Vote with Power Stones for Bonus Chapters!

Your support means a lot, thank you!

Read 𝓁atest chapters at fr(e)ewebnov𝒆l.com Only