Ch: 16-25
Chapter 16: Mastering the Rasengan, Kingpin's Deal
"Did you hear? That guy Flash..."
"He's truly too despicable; that guy's existence is a disgrace to Midtown High School!"
With the spontaneous promotion of the students on the school bus, Flash's "despicable" reputation spread throughout the school as if it had wings.
In the cafeteria during lunch, the voices were all discussing Flash.
Nowadays, Flash is like yellow mud falling into his pants; even if it's not crap, it's crap now!
Listening to the whispers of the students around him, Peter finished his last bite of lunch with satisfaction and then quietly left the cafeteria.
This complete social death was exactly the ending he had carefully prepared for Flash.
Due to the fact that his public identity could not be exposed, he really couldn't kill Flash directly.
But through this method, he could make the other party lose everything they once had.
This was also his standard of conduct in this new life.
If others don't provoke me, I won't provoke them; if they do, I'll pay them back twofold... The school sports equipment room.
It was sparsely populated here, so there was no need to worry about being heard.
Even more, there was no need to worry about being detected by S.H.I.E.L.D.'s satellite surveillance; it was a perfect place for him to practice the Rasengan.
Just as Peter had imagined.
By simply setting the Chakra injected when using the Rasengan into a mathematical model, practicing the Rasengan became twice as effective with half the effort.
He didn't even need to bother with water balloons, air balloons, or rubber balls; Peter just normally tried to form the orb, controlling variables by writing and drawing on scratch paper over and over again.
After working for just one lunch break, a high-speed rotating blue light orb appeared in his hand.
Looking at the blue light orb in his hand, Peter hesitated for a moment before pressing it directly onto the floor of the equipment room.
With a loud boom, the solid floor of the equipment room was instantly blasted into a large pit over two meters in diameter and more than half a meter deep.
After using the horse talisman to restore the pit to its original state, Peter couldn't help but nod in satisfaction.
The Rasengan was complete!
And its power far exceeded Peter's imagination; with the power of the Rasengan combined with the immense strength he already possessed, it was unlikely any supervillain in the Spider-Man Universecould take a direct hit.
Even Iron Man's armor would likely suffer local damage if hit by one.
"With the Rasengan, I temporarily have no shortcomings in terms of destructive power, and I feel even more confident about pulling off a 'black-on-black' robbery tonight."
...As night fell, Peter, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, used the excuse of going to Gwen's house for tutoring and successfully left home.
After leaving, Peter quickly turned into an alley, pulled up his hood, and covered himself tightly with a mask and sunglasses.
It couldn't be helped; due to limited funds, he could only cosplay as a bank robber for now... After completing his disguise, Peter moved like a ghost through the shadows of the skyscrapers and soon arrived at the famous Manhattan neighborhood... Hells Kitchen.
Slowing his pace, he concentrated on listening to the sounds around him.
Peter soon heard some interesting news while passing a car repair shop.
"Listen up, boys! Tonight's shipment is very important; Mr. Kingpin worked hard to get a share from Madam Gao!"
A hoarse, gravelly voice clearly reached Peter's ears.
"As long as we pull this off, each of us will get at least this much!"
"The location is Pier 9 in Brooklyn, half an hour from now. The other party is a group of Russians. Remember to bring your gear and watch out for them trying to double-cross us!"
Kingpin? Madam Gao?
Hearing these two names, Peter's steps came to a sudden halt, and a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.
Wilson Fisk, on the surface a successful businessman in The Big Apple City, was secretly the "Underworld Kingpin" who controlled New York's entire criminal Underworld.
And Madam Gao was a high-ranking member of The Hand and a well-known drug lord in Hells Kitchen.
He didn't expect that his first time out "jungling" would involve the business of a big boss.
This is really... great!
After all, the more famous the guy, the easier it would be for Peter to obtain items for sacrifice from them!
At this thought, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up.
I choose you! Fatty Kingpin!
...Brooklyn, Pier 9.
This place had been abandoned for many years; the sea breeze was filled with the salty smell of rust and seawater, and the dim streetlights cast claw-like shadows from the surrounding containers.
Over a dozen gang members with weapons tucked into their lower backs strolled around, smoking and chatting, their eyes vigilantly scanning the surroundings.
Before long, the roar of car engines came from a distance.
Three black sedans drove onto the pier, the doors opened, and a group of burly Russians jumped out.
The leader, with a Mohawk, asked in heavily accented English:
"Where is Fisk? Why didn't he come to see me personally!"
"Our boss is very busy; for such a small matter, there's no need for him to show up in person."
On Kingpin's side, Scarface stepped forward and replied with a fake smile.
Scarface then snapped his fingers, and a lackey behind him opened a briefcase containing packages wrapped in tape.
Noticing these packages, the mohawked leader of the Russians' eyes lit up.
He immediately called his men to carry two heavy metal briefcases down from the car.
The boxes were opened, revealing neat stacks of crisp new US dollar bills.
Just as both sides had inspected the goods and were about to exchange the money for the products.
"Swish!"
A faint sound of something cutting through the air rang out.
The next second, a burly man standing on the outer edge collapsed straight down without even having time to groan, his neck tilting to the side.
A small pebble had appeared in the center of his forehead.
"Sniper!"
Scarface reacted extremely quickly, instantly roaring out while drawing his pistol, rolling on the spot to hide behind a car, his dark muzzle pointing straight at the Russians.
The Russians were stunned for a moment, then became furious.
The local gangs were too impolite, actually using such a framing tactic!
"Stop them!" the mohawked man roared, and his lackeys immediately pulled out guns to exchange fire passionately with the gang members.
The mohawked man himself grabbed the money case and took the opportunity to rush toward a black sedan.
However, just as he was about to pull the car door open.
A figure dressed in black suddenly flashed out from behind a nearby container, pouncing like a predatory leopard.
The mohawked man was also an old hand; the moment he heard the movement, he pulled the trigger without thinking, intending to empty the entire magazine!
However, he had only fired two shots when he felt a black shadow rapidly approaching.
Bang!
The mohawked man only felt his vision go dark before his consciousness plunged into endless darkness.
Splat~
At the same time, a dazzling red and white substance splashed onto the car window, nearly scaring the driver inside to death on the spot!
Oh God! What did he just see?
A Russian strongman weighing over two hundred pounds actually had his head punched into an explosion by that masked man who looked well-proportioned and slender?
Chapter 17: Encountering Daredevil
At the pier, the sound of the intense firefight came to a sudden halt.
Whether it was Kingpin's men or the remaining Russians, everyone looked as if they had been hit by a pause button, stiffly turning their heads to gaze at the blood-soaked sedan.
The air, which had previously only been filled with the salty tang of gunpowder and sea breeze, was now thick with a sickening stench of blood.
Peter shook the filth off his fists, his eyes as calm as a bottomless spring.
His gaze slowly swept across everyone present.
Wherever his gaze landed, those present felt a chill rush from the soles of their feet to the crowns of their heads, their hair standing on end!
"The boss is dead!"
"Fire! Kill him!!"
Someone let out a desperate roar, breaking the deathly silence.
The remaining Russians snapped out of it, fear instantly overwhelming their reason. They instinctively turned their guns and frantically poured fire toward Peter!
"Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat—!"
Dense tongues of fire wove a great net in the dark night, as countless bullets whistled toward Peter.
Facing this hail of bullets, Peter didn't feel panicked; instead, a trace of excitement surfaced in his eyes.
Come on! Let me see where my limits are!
In the next second, Peter moved!
His figure turned into a blurred afterimage amidst the hail of bullets, dodging and weaving with a speed and trajectory that completely defied physical common sense.
These bullets, capable of tearing through steel plates, couldn't even touch the hem of his clothes!
"How... is this possible?"
One Russian's expression turned from ferocious to dull. He kept trying to pull the trigger, but could only hear the clicking of an empty chamber.
The bullets... had unknowingly run out long ago!
Just as he finally realized this and began fumbling for the magazine at his waist, Peter appeared before him like a ghost:
"Too slow."
An indifferent voice rang in his ear, like the sentence of the Shinigami.
Splatter!
The Russian looked down in bewilderment.
He saw a hand pierce through his chest without resistance, emerging from his back.
In that palm, it held a heart that was still slightly beating.
Squish~
In the next second, the heart shattered, and blood gushed out like a fountain.
Peter pulled his hand out expressionlessly, letting the heartless corpse slump to the ground.
Suddenly, his figure flashed, and a blue orb of light condensed in his hand.
Bang!
Beside him, another Russian trying to sneak attack Peter with a rifle butt happened to slam right into the Rasengan.
Whether it was the gun in his hand or his arms, both were shredded by the Rasengan in an instant, and a massive hole was blasted directly into his body.
"Aaaaaah—!"
Another Russian preparing to sneak attack was scared witless by the sight, but before he could finish screaming, Peter's other hand had already gripped his throat, his fingers exerting a bit of force.
Crack!
Amidst the crisp sound of bone snapping, the scream stopped abruptly.
The slaughter continued.
With his full combat power unleashed, Peter transformed into the most efficient killing machine.
Kyougoku Makoto's Karate techniques, bolstered by physical fitness far exceeding human limits, erupted with terrifying power.
Every strike was inevitably accompanied by the shattering of bones and the fading of life.
With a hand-sword strike, one man's head flew high, freed from the constraints of his neck.
With a straight punch, violent force punched completely through the opponent's entire upper body, internal organ fragments spraying from his mouth.
With a knee strike, another unlucky soul's spine was snapped raw, his body folding into a bizarre "V" shape.
This was no longer a battle.
It was a one-sided Carnage.
The thugs under Kingpin, including Scarface, were all dumbfounded.
Hiding behind cover, their faces were pale, their legs trembling uncontrollably, and a wave of wet heat came from their crotches.
They were also tough characters with many lives on their hands.
But the scene before them was completely beyond their comprehension.
That simply wasn't something a human could do!
Even in cult films, such bloody scenes were rare.
In less than a minute.
The boisterous Pier 9 returned to silence.
All the Russian mobsters, without exception, had turned into a floor covered in incomplete parts.
The entire pier had completely turned into a Shura Field.
Peter stood in the center of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, his body spotless, forming a sharp and terrifying contrast with the hellish scene around him.
He slowly turned around and looked at Scarface and the others hiding behind the cars.
Scarface shuddered, nearly kneeling before Peter on the spot.
He suppressed his heart, which was nearly jumping out of his throat, squeezed out a smile uglier than crying, and tremblingly raised his hands as he stepped out from behind cover:
"B... Boss, you're amazing!"
"Boss is mighty! You are simply a God descended to earth!"
"With you here, Boss, Mr. Kingpin will surely be able to unify The Big Apple City!"
A crowd of thugs scrambled over, showering Peter with frantic flattery.
In their minds, this inhumanly strong guy must be a secret ace trained by Mr. Kingpin, sent specifically to keep things under control.
It must be that the Russians' attitude earlier was too arrogant, so this boss stepped in to teach them a lesson.
Scarface was even more flushed with excitement, as if he could already see his prosperous future.
As long as he could cling to this powerful thigh, in the future in Hells Kitchen—no, in all of New York—he would probably be able to walk tall!
Thinking of this, he leaned forward obsequiously, pointed to the two cases full of US dollars, and said pleasingly:
"Boss, this money... should you keep it, or should we take it back to the boss?"
Peter looked at these villains whose faces were full of greed and flattery, his heart completely unmoved.
Boss?
Who is the boss of you scumbags?
His gaze fell on the crate of packages tightly wrapped in yellow tape, his eyes growing a few degrees colder.
Once these things enter the market, how many human tragedies will they create, and how many innocent families will they destroy?
With that thought, Peter's gaze fell on Scarface.
Just as he was about to make a move to clean up these men of Kingpin as well.
A sharp gust of wind suddenly attacked from his flank!
Peter's perception was so keen now that he sensed the danger almost the instant the wind whistled.
He didn't turn around, just tilted his head slightly.
Swish!
A dark red metal baton, carrying a sharp whistling sound, flew past his cheek and slammed heavily into a container in front of him with a dull thud.
Then, a vigorous figure leaped down from the top of a distant container, landing silently on the ground.
The newcomer wore a dark red skin-tight combat suit, with a mask featuring two small devil horns covering the upper half of his face, revealing only a resolute chin.
The moment he saw the newcomer, the originally calm Peter couldn't help but show a look of surprise.
This guy is... the Guardian of Hells Kitchen—Daredevil?!
Chapter 18: Daredevil? He's Just a Sparring Partner I Ordered!
Daredevil, formerly known as Matt Murdock.
Blinded by chemical waste as a child, his other four senses were significantly enhanced as a result.
As an adult, he is a blind lawyer by day, dedicated to seeking justice for the poor.
By night, he transforms into Daredevil, the man who strikes fear into the hearts of all criminals in Hell's Kitchen, using his fists and billy clubs to purge the darkness and evil within.
Clearly, this fellow had also learned of this gang transaction from one of Kingpin's subordinates today... At this moment, Daredevil's heart was burning with rage.
In his sensory World, over a dozen corpses were scattered across the ground in an extremely gruesome manner, causing the entire pier to be soaked in a thick scent of blood.
And that fellow, wrapped in the aura of fresh blood, was currently being surrounded by a group of Kingpin's thugs like stars around the moon, "enjoying" the flattery of those around him.
Based on these various signs, Daredevil instantly reached a conclusion:
This mysterious and dangerous individual must be a terrifying enforcer newly recruited by Kingpin, similar to Bullseye!
"Kingpin's lapdog!"
Daredevil let out an angry roar. His body, like a fully drawn bow, suddenly catapulted forward, lunging straight at Peter!
He didn't hesitate for a second, nor did he give the other party any chance to explain.
Facing such an executioner with hands stained with blood, the only way to communicate was to subdue him with fists and then send him to court to face judgment!
Noticing Daredevil's movements, Kingpin's subordinates were stunned for a moment before they all recognized Daredevil's identity:
"Oh no, it's the 'Devil of Hell's Kitchen'!"
"Run! If we don't run now, it'll be too late!"
"Wait, what are we afraid of? With the Big Boss here, won't killing him be a matter of minutes?"
These people had originally intended to flee, but after looking at the masked Peter, they suddenly gained confidence.
With that thought, instead of scattering in fear, they began to clamor excitedly, preparing to watch a good show.
Listening to the clamor of the gang lackeys around him, Peter thought for a moment and temporarily gave up his plan to deal with them first, instead facing the charging Daredevil.
This wasn't because he intended to fully transform into a villain.
He also didn't intend to kill a "saint" like Daredevil.
He just... had his eye on the other's suit and billy clubs!
Peter's gaze swept over Daredevil's finely textured dark red suit.
This material looks quite extraordinary.
Strength, toughness, elasticity... it seems to have it all.
It's simply the most ideal material for a suit!
That club also seems to be made of a special alloy. He could take it back for his own modifications or simply sacrifice it.
Anyway, as a superhero, the other party wouldn't lack such a set of equipment, so why not support him, who was currently quite poor!
Furthermore, Peter was in no mood to play out some drama of heroes respecting each other after resolving a misunderstanding.
Having read the original works, he knew very well that his philosophy was diametrically opposed to Daredevil's.
This guy insisted on procedural justice and never personally killed anyone.
Whereas Peter only believed in consequential justice; whoever dared to provoke him, he would send them to hell.
Neither could possibly convince the other, so why waste words?
If the opponent were a hero with special abilities, Peter might have tried to recruit them.
But Daredevil... this guy had no superpowers and was a lone wolf who worked alone.
In the comics, Captain America had invited him to join the Avengers several times, and he had been rejected every time.
Peter didn't think he had more sway than Captain America.
So, using him as a whetstone was about enough.
He could use the other party to test what level his newly mastered Kyougoku Makoto-style Karate had reached while he was at it.
In the blink of an eye, Daredevil's fist was already close at hand!
Peter's eyes narrowed. He deliberately suppressed his strength and speed to a level no different from an ordinary person, then reached out and grabbed Daredevil's wrist.
Bang!
Fist and palm met, producing a muffled thud.
Peter's body swayed slightly. While neutralizing the other's attack, his footwork shifted, and like a butterfly weaving through flowers, he instantly moved to Daredevil's side, driving an elbow toward Daredevil's ribs!
The movement was smooth and fluid, possessing a sense of violent aesthetics.
Although Daredevil was blind, his sensory abilities were superhuman, and his motor nerves were incredibly developed.
Without even looking, he dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the elbow strike. Simultaneously, he swung a club toward Peter's face.
For a moment, fists and feet flew on the pier, the sound of impacts constant.
Two figures rapidly wove, collided, and separated among the shipping containers.
As the exchange of blows increased, Peter became more and more startled.
In official settings, Daredevil's fighting skill level is a "6," belonging to a combat master proficient in multiple martial arts.
Experiencing it firsthand now, it truly lived up to its reputation!
With Peter suppressing his physical attributes to an equal level, the other party was actually completely dominating the rhythm of the battle, even showing signs of gaining the upper hand.
This wasn't because Kyougoku Makoto's Karate was lacking, but because his own combat experience was insufficient, such that he hadn't fully integrated Kyougoku Makoto's combat memories.
Thinking of this, Peter's gaze toward Daredevil held a hint of excitement.
His idea was indeed correct; the Daredevil before him was undoubtedly his best sparring partner at this stage!
He could clearly feel that under the immense pressure brought by Daredevil, those combat memories that had been somewhat stiff were now being rapidly digested, absorbed, and thoroughly integrated into his own combat instincts!
He thus set aside his complicated thoughts and began to focus on fighting Daredevil.
And so, unconsciously, each of his moves gradually became smoother and more lethal than before!
Just as the two were locked in an inseparable battle, the group of thugs under Kingpin, led by Scarface, quietly exchanged glances.
This "Big Boss" seemed to be tied up by Daredevil, and a winner wouldn't be decided anytime soon.
In that case, should they... take the opportunity to slip away?
Scarface gave a signal, and two lackeys immediately picked up the briefcases that had fallen on the ground, trying to creep away from the scene.
However, they had barely run a few steps.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"Don't even think about escaping!"
Two voices rang out almost simultaneously.
One came from Peter, and one came from Daredevil.
In the next second, the two figures tacitly disengaged from combat at the same time, one from the left and one from the right, instantly blocking the thugs' path.
Daredevil used a leg sweep, knocking three thugs to the ground.
Peter was even more direct. He instantly burst with speed, kicking a lackey holding a money briefcase so hard his body broke in two, then turned and blew another lackey's head apart with a punch.
This bloody and brutal scene terrified Scarface so much he almost screamed his throat raw.
Hmm?!
On the other side, sensing the "mysterious person's" actions and the fear emanating from Kingpin's subordinates, Daredevil couldn't help but be stunned.
Did I... get something wrong?
If this guy really was Kingpin's lapdog, why would he stop his accomplices from leaving with the money? And why would he disrupt the deal?
Daredevil quickly dealt with the thugs around him and then looked at Peter, saying:
"Wait! You..."
He wanted to pause the fight and have a proper talk with Peter.
But Peter gave him no such chance.
After blowing Scarface's head apart with a punch, Peter quickly closed in on Daredevil and threw an unreasonable punch!
Chapter 19: I Really Am a Great Person!
Daredevil was caught off guard by Peter's punch, sent flying and rolling awkwardly several times on the ground.
Shaking his slightly dazed head, Daredevil couldn't help but feel the urge to curse.
He could no longer tell if this guy was simply a battle maniac or so insane that he didn't even care about the lives of his own men.
Looking at Peter, who just stood there silently, not pressing the advantage but quietly waiting for him to get up.
Daredevil gritted his teeth and finally made up his mind.
"Since you want to fight, I'll accompany you to the end!"
"Once I defeat you, I'll see if you can still be this stubborn!"
Murdock's grandmother once said that the people of the Murdock family have devils hidden in their hearts.
Clearly, the current Daredevil was releasing a bit of that inner devil.
Getting up from the ground, Daredevil no longer held back, unleashing everything he had learned in his life as he clashed with Peter once more!
The battle instantly reached a fever pitch!
Daredevil's movements were no longer limited to boxing and joint locks; Staff arts, Judo, Aikido... various fighting techniques were at his fingertips, integrated and transformed into a storm-like offensive that continuously enveloped Peter.
That special short stick seemed to come alive in his hands.
At times it was like a venomous snake emerging from its hole, tricky and ruthless; at others, it was like a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix, ever-changing; and sometimes it would be retracted just in time to become an indestructible shield.
As time passed, Daredevil gradually sensed something was wrong.
He found that no matter how his attacks changed or how fierce they were, he still couldn't take down the You-Know-Who across from him.
Moreover, this guy seemed to be growing... at a staggering speed!
At first, when he hadn't unleashed his full strength, he could still suppress the opponent.
He could often find openings in the gaps between the opponent's moves to counterattack.
But now, even though he was clearly using all his strength, that guy still appeared to be at a disadvantage on the surface, while actually maintaining order amidst the chaos.
Furthermore, the opponent's transition between offense and defense gradually neared perfection in this process, becoming increasingly flawless.
It was as if all his experience and all his techniques had completely become nourishment for the opponent to grow stronger!
Even more terrifying was that although the opponent had clearly taken several heavy hits from him during the fight, he still acted as if nothing had happened.
Fighting until now, he was already starting to feel exhausted.
But the guy's movements showed no sign of slowing down, as if he were eternally tireless!
Just what kind of monster is this!
Finally, after another violent clash, Daredevil was sent flying heavily due to physical exhaustion.
Just when he thought he was certainly dead this time, the opponent stopped again, quietly looking at him as if waiting for him to stand up and fight once more.
Daredevil was a bit broken; he didn't get up immediately, but couldn't help but hiss out a question:
"Who... exactly are you?!"
He was almost certain that the opponent wasn't one of Kingpin's men.
If he were Kingpin's subordinate, he probably would have twisted his head off long ago to claim the reward from Kingpin.
But if he wasn't Kingpin's subordinate, then what on earth was he after by tangling with him for so long?
Facing Daredevil's inquiry, Peter didn't respond immediately.
He first carefully recalled the battle with Daredevil.
After the fight, he had completely digested Kyougoku Makoto's Karate insights, turning them entirely into his own.
Now, he had already stepped into the hall of combat grandmasters!
If he had to give his combat skills a score, it would be around a 5.5, slightly inferior to the Daredevil in front of him.
The opponent mastered more combat styles than he did, but each technique was only at an A+ ranklevel.
While Peter only knew Karate now, he had elevated this single skill to an S-Rank level.
Of course, this was just a comparison on a purely technical level.
If he factored in his inhuman physical attributes, the terrifying recovery of the horse talisman, and a finishing move like the Rasengan... let alone Daredevil, even if the Hulk came, he would be severely educated by infinite recovery plus the Spiralling Serial Spheres.
Having obtained the answer he wanted, Peter finally turned his gaze toward Daredevil.
Since the whetstone's utility had been squeezed dry... Peter looked at the solemn, panting Daredevil, and after flashing a harmless smile, spoke in a relaxed tone:
"Daredevil, you're quite good."
"Tonight, I had a lot of fun."
"So, our game can come to an end."
Daredevil:???
"Wait, man, so you're not a mute?"
"Also, what do you mean you had a lot of fun?"
"Were you... using me as a sparring partner this whole time?!"
This thought exploded in Daredevil's mind like a thunderclap, making him feel an unprecedented sense of humiliation.
However, he no longer had time to think further.
Because in the moment he was dazed, Peter moved!
This time, he no longer suppressed his strength and speed!
Swoosh!
His figure appeared behind Daredevil instantly, like a ghost.
So fast!
Daredevil was startled, and alarm bells rang in his heart.
He instinctively wanted to take a defensive stance, but it was already too late.
Bang!
A clean and swift knife-hand strike landed precisely on his carotid sinus.
Daredevil's vision instantly went black, and he fell completely unconscious.
Looking at the unconscious Daredevil on the ground, Peter nodded in satisfaction.
He stepped forward without hesitation and quickly stripped the dark red suit off Daredevil, along with the mask and short sticks.
The feel in his hands was indeed extraordinary.
Hmm, with a slight change in color and style, I can probably use it directly.
After putting away the suit and sticks, he looked at Daredevil, who was left in only his underwear, curled up in a ball in the cold wind.
After thinking for a moment, he picked a Kingpin subordinate who hadn't been scared to the point of wetting himself, stripped off his clothes, and put them on Daredevil.
Then he dragged him into an abandoned shipping container and considerately closed the door.
This would prevent him from being killed by Kingpin's arriving men and also keep him from catching a cold.
After completing all this, he fished a phone out of a thug's pocket and dialed the New York Police Department:
"Hello? There's a dangerous goods transaction going on at Pier 9 in Brooklyn..."
After hanging up, Peter picked up the two suitcases full of U.S. dollars and strolled away, sighing to himself:
"Sigh, I really am a kind and great person!"
Tonight was quite a bountiful harvest~
Chapter 20: Huge Sum and Suit
10:30 PM.
For a high school student, this time wasn't early, but it was just at the threshold where elders wouldn't worry too much.
Peter pushed open the door to his home; not a hint of gunpowder or blood could be smelled on him.
The power of the horse talisman had long since erased all traces, even restoring his hoodie—which had become tattered in the fierce battle—to its "factory settings," looking as clean as if its tags had just been removed.
As for the two cases of US dollars and Daredevil's full set of equipment, he had already shoved them through his bedroom window ahead of time... "Peter, you're back."
In the living room, Aunt May and Uncle Ben were sitting on the sofa watching TV. Seeing Peter return, gentle smiles appeared on their faces.
"Yeah, sorry I'm back late."
Peter lied without blinking, pushing all the blame for his late return onto Gwen:
"Today's lesson was clearly quite simple, but for some reason, even after I explained it many times, Gwen kept saying there were parts she didn't understand..."
Sure enough, hearing this "innocent" explanation, Uncle Ben and Aunt May's attention was instantly drawn:
"It's not late, not late. That girl Gwen is just trying to catch up with her studies."
"Peter, you have to understand her. You need to be more of a gentleman and have more patience with girls."
The old couple earnestly lectured Peter, not forgetting to exchange a glance, both reading a hint of helplessness in the other's eyes.
They didn't know when their silly nephew would finally wise up... After fooling Uncle Ben and Aunt May, Peter quietly returned to his room and immediately opened the two briefcases.
The fragrance of ink, mixed with the unique decadent scent of money, filled the air.
After a simple count, an exact figure surfaced in his mind.
Four million US dollars.
For him at this stage, this was undoubtedly a huge sum of money.
Although it couldn't see the light of day and couldn't be deposited in a bank.
But breaking it down to buy some precision instruments, adding necessary equipment and props, or even quietly improving his family's living conditions, was more than enough.
After taking out a stack of dollars and pulling out a dozen or so to put in his wallet, Peter stuffed the two briefcases under his bed and turned his gaze to Daredevil's equipment.
He reached out and grabbed Daredevil's short baton. As soon as it was in his hand, a system prompt appeared in his mind:
[Detectable blue item for sacrifice: Daredevil's Multi-functional Billy Club]
[Daredevil's exclusive weapon, made of aircraft-grade aluminum alloy with a built-in high-strength cable. Daredevil has solved many troublesome enemies with it, and this baton has witnessed his entire journey from a rookie to becoming Kingpin's major headache.]
[Sacrifice to obtain points: 1000. Sacrifice now?]
"Only blue quality?"
Peter's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
He felt the system was being a bit stingy.
But on second thought, he let it go.
According to the information he had gathered since transmigrating, the current Daredevil had only been active for a year or two and was far from his future peak.
This baton itself wasn't made of rare metals like Vibranium or Adamantium; its value was indeed limited.
Moreover, in the original comics, Daredevil's weapons had undergone several iterative upgrades, unlike Captain America's shield which remained the same throughout.
For such transitional equipment to be rated at 1000 points was already thanks to Daredevil himself.
"Even a mosquito's leg is still meat."
With that thought, Peter still chose to sacrifice it.
After all, with his current genius mind and those four million dollars, he could create similar equipment anytime.
But blue items worth 1000 sacrifice points weren't something he'd encounter every day.
[Current sacrifice points: 3000]
After looking at the system balance with satisfaction, Peter's gaze finally landed on that dark red skin-tight suit.
Because sacrificing items related to the same character has a six-month cooldown, this suit didn't trigger a sacrifice point prompt.
(The spider corpse belongs to Spider-Man, the decay rate notes belong to Peter's parents, so there's no setting conflict.)
His fingertips lightly brushed over the suit; it felt tough yet elastic to the touch.
This was a special material primarily made of Kevlar fiber, which not only possessed top-tier abrasion and puncture resistance but also balanced breathability and flexibility.
For Peter right now, this was simply the most ideal material for his first-generation suit.
"Kevlar fiber, huh..."
Looking at the thousand-plus dollars in his wallet, Peter didn't hesitate. He pulled up his hood, opened the window, jumped down from the second floor, and headed straight for a nearby industrial supply store.
Before long, Peter returned carrying a large shopping bag.
Inside were rolls of finished Kevlar fabric, along with a tactical belt and a pair of black combat boots.
With that, all the materials for making the suit were ready, and Peter immediately got to work.
Taking a break, Peter opened his computer to check a local New York web forum.
Soon, he found a post that had been pushed to the top:
[Masked Heroine Spotted Fighting Crime Late at Night in Queens!]
A photo was attached below the post.
The photo's resolution was low, the shooting angle was awkward, and the image was blurry—clearly a snapshot taken by a panicked citizen on their phone.
Although the photo was blurry, Peter recognized the classic suit in the photo at a glance.
That iconic black-and-white skin-tight suit, and... the emerald-green ballet shoes that were full of things to complain about.
It was exactly Gwen's Ghost-Spider suit!
Looking at the blurry photo, the corners of Peter's mouth couldn't help but curl up slightly into a smile that was part playful and part appreciative.
Gwen's movements were even faster than he had imagined.
She had actually completed the entire set of equipment, including the web-shooters, in just one day.
"In that case, I can't slack off either!"
At that thought, Peter's movements quickened slightly.
When the morning sun shone through the window into the bedroom, Peter's suit was finally completed.
In Peter's original vision, the suit was supposed to be primarily black and gold, but because he had used some materials from Daredevil's suit, the originally black and gold suit had to be modified into black and red.
He put on the suit to get a feel for it; the fit was just right, it was very supportive, and more importantly... it was much more stylish than Gwen's ballet outfit!
After stuffing the suit into his backpack for emergencies, Peter, having finished breakfast, took the school bus as usual.
Today, Gwen hadn't taken the day off, but she still looked unhappy as she sat in her seat, holding a classic copy of the Daily Bugle.
Peter sat down next to Gwen and instinctively glanced at the newspaper, almost bursting out laughing on the spot.
The front-page headline of the Daily Bugle today was—
"Shocking: Dog-Eat-Dog Tragedy at Pier 9! Over a Dozen Gang Members Bleed Out at the Docks, Dying Miserably!"
Chapter 21: Is There Really Such a Narcissistic Superhero?
Peter could more or less guess what Gwen was thinking at this moment.
It was just like in the Maguire version of Spider-Man; when Peter first gained his superpowers, he didn't immediately think about fighting crime.
Instead, he only wanted to use his special abilities to make money in underground wrestling rings and buy a used convertible to pursue Mary Jane.
As for becoming a superhero? What was that? Could you eat it?
Clearly, Gwen had similar thoughts at this time.
The reason she chose to become a masked hero was partly due to her father's influence, but mostly because of the vanity unique to teenagers.
Last night was her superhero debut.
One could imagine that after going home last night, she certainly didn't sleep well, her heart full of anticipation to see her own legend in the newspaper headlines and the discussions of her classmates early this morning.
And the result?
The fledgling little spider had her headlines snatched away, and there wasn't even a tiny column of reporting about her.
It would be strange if she wasn't depressed!
Since he had already identified the root of the problem, Peter naturally knew how to cure it.
"Hey, Gwen, stop looking at those old-fashioned print news! Look at this!"
Peter patted Gwen's shoulder and handed over his phone, which displayed a photo of Ghost-Spiderthat he had specifically downloaded from his computer yesterday.
The current year was 2009, and Tony Stark had not yet mysteriously disappeared; therefore, the World's technology tree was still quite backward.
Although there were industries like Oscorp with ridiculously skewed technology trees, smartphones were not yet widespread.
This was also an industry Peter intended to lay out; Apple didn't exist in this World. As long as he had the right funds, he believed he could replicate Apple's business empire in the Marvel Universe.
However, he hadn't even secured his first pot of gold yet, so building a business empire by selling phones was naturally a matter for later... Hearing Peter's shouting, Gwen raised her head listlessly, her eyes carrying a hint of resentment.
Can't you see I'm in a bad mood? Why are you grinning at me like a big jerk!
However, upon seeing the specific photo on Peter's phone, her expression immediately underwent a massive 180-degree transformation.
Because the photo on the phone was none other than her agile figure performing heroic deeds last night!
Gwen unconsciously shifted her body, and after brewing for a moment, she put on a curious expression and asked:
"Who is she?"
Look at her, acting so well!
After Make complaintsing in his heart, Peter also put on an excited look and played along with Gwen's game of house.
While it was impossible to keep it from Gwen forever, at this stage, teasing little Gwen was quite interesting:
"I'm not sure either. I saw it on an online forum. A female superhero who can shoot spider webs—that's so cool, isn't it!
And the poster said he saw this masked hero yesterday while she was subduing a robber. That's just amazing!
A friendly neighborhood hero dedicated to protecting ordinary people is just like the legendary RobinHood.
The people at the Daily Bugle have such poor taste; they didn't report on her deeds and instead focused on some gang infighting. It's truly baffling."
As Peter spoke, Gwen's eyes grew brighter and brighter, and a faint blush appeared on her pretty face. Her heart felt as sweet as if she had eaten honey.
So her actions weren't unnoticed after all. At the very least, Peter was paying attention to her actions last night and highly approved of her!
She subconsciously straightened her back, and her whole being became noticeably more cheerful.
"Is... is that so? Now that you mention it, I think she's pretty cool too."
As she said this, she couldn't help but blush, but then she asked curiously:
"Um, did you notice how everyone on the forum was discussing I... the masked hero I'm very interested in?"
"Well!" Peter put on a thoughtful expression, and only after keeping Gwen in suspense did he smile and speak:
"I remember the netizens were discussing what to call her last night. Someone said'Spider-Woman,' and someone else suggested 'White Widow' or something?"
"What terrible names!" Gwen couldn't help but complain.
"I also think the titles those people proposed were garbage," Peter nodded in agreement, then spoke with a serious face:
"If you ask me, her black-and-white suit flickering in the night is like a ghost. Maybe she should be called... 'Ghost-Spider'?"
Ghost-Spider... Gwen silently repeated the name in her heart, her eyes unconsciously shining.
This name was both mysterious and cool, perfectly fitting all her fantasies about her hero image!
It was infinitely better than those garbage names like 'White Widow'!
"That's a great name! That's what she should be called!" Gwen nodded vigorously, her smile more radiant than ever.
Seeing her like this, Peter couldn't help but want to tease her again, so he sighed deliberately:
"Sigh, what's the use of us thinking the name is good? I posted this name on the forum yesterday and no one responded!"
Who says it didn't reach her ears!
Also! It's a young lady, not a woman!
Gwen was complaining wildly in her heart, but she could only smile and say:
"Maybe this masked hero is also curious about how everyone is praising her after her heroic deeds! So, she will definitely see the name you gave her."
Gwen racked her brains to comfort Peter without exposing her hidden identity, only to hear Peter speak the next second:
"No way, is there really such a narcissistic superhero in this World?"
Gwen: (눈‸눈)
She, who had been in a great mood, suddenly didn't want to talk to Peter anymore... At the same time Peter was teasing the little Ghost-Spider, in Hell's Kitchen, at the top of the Fisk Tower.
Kingpin, whose body was as massive as a mountain, was currently nestled in a custom-made luxury sofa.
In front of him, a man wearing a blue tight-fitting suit with a Bullseye pattern on his head was kneeling respectfully on one knee.
This person was none other than Kingpin's trusted lieutenant, 'Bullseye'.
"Every corpse was killed in a single blow, either with their head blown apart or their chest pierced through."
"The methods are extremely brutal, completely unlike Daredevil's style."
"I suspect... the reason the opponent's methods are so cruel is likely..."
At this point, Bullseye's voice paused. After observing Kingpin's expression, he spoke carefully:
"It's very likely they are provoking you, Boss!"
Bang!
As soon as Bullseye finished speaking, the solid wood coffee table beside him was smashed to pieces by a fist the size of a casserole.
Kingpin's expression was gloomy, and his eyes were filled with ruthlessness:
"Daredevil hasn't been dealt with yet, and now another fellow who doesn't know death pops up. Do they really think I, Kingpin, am easy to bully!
"Immediately use all the media channels I have to publicize last night's incident far and wide!
Portray that person hiding their head and tail as a madman who disregards life and finds joy in killing, a demon who might randomly kill people on the streets at any time!"
"I want all the citizens of New York to spontaneously help me deal with this scourge!"
Chapter 22: Killing Without Torturing
As a top predator at the peak of the food chain, Kingpin vaguely felt a hint of unease.
While Daredevil was annoying, he was ultimately just an idealist adhering to a "no-kill" principle, hardly anything to fear.
Thus, Kingpin never thought about killing him immediately; instead, he had a "no rush, I'll play along with him" mindset.
Deep down, he even harbored some other ideas.
Like using dirty tactics to drive Daredevil into a corner until he bowed his head in submission.
But this You-Know-Who, who had committed the major crime, was different from Daredevil.
This guy didn't just kill his men; he wiped out that entire group of Russians as well.
The reckless, lawless style conveyed in these actions made even Kingpin feel a slight sense of wariness.
As the saying goes: the soft fear the hard, the hard fear the reckless, the reckless fear the suicidal, and the suicidal fear the insane.
In Kingpin's eyes right now, the You-Know-Who who committed the Pier 9 case was an insane madman.
This kind of uncontrollable existence was what he loathed and feared most.
A powerful, reckless madman with unknown motives was like a venomous snake lurking in the dark, ready to deliver a fatal strike at any moment.
Therefore, Kingpin decisively chose to strike first.
Using all his influence on the surface, he directly framed "You-Know-Who" as a terrifying, random serial killer.
Through this method, he would force the other party to reveal himself, exposing him to the sunlight just like Kingpin was.
And then... naturally, he would use thunderous means to crush him!
"As you command, Boss!"
Having received Kingpin's orders, Bullseye immediately withdrew from the room respectfully.
It was only after exiting the room that he dared to let the admiration and excitement show in the depths of his eyes.
He was very curious about this "You-Know-Who"—no, it wasn't just simple curiosity.
It was mixed with an anticipation of a "long-awaited spiritual encounter."
In the eyes of a true sociopath like Bullseye, the way You-Know-Who killed last night... was full of artistic flair!
He even felt that You-Know-Who was a genuine slaughter artist, just like himself!
This made Bullseye incredibly excited, and his killing intent surged.
If he could personally kill this "artist" who shared similar ideas, the pleasure he would derive would surely reach its peak.
As the saying goes... it's better than sex!
As Bullseye loyally executed Kingpin's orders, public opinion began to ferment rapidly.
Because Peter hadn't left a single photo or a shred of evidence when he killed last night,
to better refer to him and grab the audience's attention, the media under Kingpin directly slapped Peterwith the cliché title of "dock butcher."
For a time, all over New York, and even throughout the entire U.S., reports about the "dock butcher" were everywhere... Noon break, Midtown High School cafeteria.
The cafeteria television was playing the midday news, and the topic of discussion was naturally still the Pier 9 bloodbath.
On the screen, a so-called criminal psychology expert was talking eloquently to the camera:
"While most media outlets use 'dog eat dog' to describe this tragedy, as a professional criminal psychologist, I can assure you:
The killer is someone else, and every victim at Pier 9 died by his hand alone! This is evident from the large amount of cash that vanished from the scene!
Since we have not yet obtained any biological information on the killer, I have named him the 'dock butcher.'
Analyzing the traces left at the scene, the dock butcher is an adult male over 1.8 meters tall, weighing over 140 pounds, with an extremely strong antisocial personality.
He enjoys the process of killing and finds pleasure in torturing the weak; he is a dangerous element threatening the safety of all New York citizens.
We must apprehend him as soon as possible, otherwise he is likely to commit more indiscriminate killings in the city..."
dock butcher? That title is just terrible.
Watching the news report on TV, Peter couldn't help but complain silently in his heart.
This generation of media was truly the worst he'd ever seen; they had no imagination at all.
Even calling him 'Pyke' or the 'Buddha of Bilgewater' would have more class than a generic name like 'dock butcher.'
Compared to the speechless Peter, Gwen, after learning the details of the Pier 9 crimes, couldn't help but knit her pretty brows:
"This guy is too cruel... regardless of whether those people were bad or not, one shouldn't abuse life."
It wasn't abuse!
Peter continued to complain in his heart.
Last night, before those people could even figure out what was happening, their heads or torsos were blown apart by a single punch—they achieved a high-quality sleep like a baby's on the spot!
It was practically more comfortable than euthanasia!
Munching on a sandwich, Peter said with a muffled voice:
"I personally think as long as this guy doesn't hurt good people, there's no problem at all."
"The more gruesome the deaths of the criminals, the more it can deter those petty crooks, right?"
"Before, they always thought that even if they committed a crime, they could get away with it as long as they weren't caught—or even if they were caught, they could use money to grease palms and continue their villainy."
"But now, with a truly dangerous individual like this, they'll have to think twice before wanting to commit a crime in the future."
"The law might let them find loopholes, but the butcher won't show mercy."
Peter's words left Gwen somewhat stunned.
She had never looked at the issue from this perspective before.
Now that Peter put it this way, she actually felt it made some sense:
"Uh, maybe you're right... but I still think this guy is a bit too extreme. Anyway, if I had great power, I definitely wouldn't do that."
Gwen made her vow with conviction.
To this, Peter only nodded noncommittally.
Well, with me around, you really only need to be a 'pajama baby' and that'll be enough.
As they were talking, the TV screen switched again, and a bald, stout man in a custom-made suit appeared on camera.
It was Kingpin! Or rather... Wilson Fisk.
This uncrowned king of the New York underworld spoke with a look of compassionate sorrow:
"I am incredibly shocked and saddened by the emergence of the 'dock butcher.'"
"This barbaric and bloody behavior is an open trampling of our city's civilization and order."
"To bring this dangerous individual who threatens public safety to justice as soon as possible, I am willing to personally donate one million dollars to the NYPD to upgrade police equipment."
"Additionally, I will offer another million dollars as a reward for any leads regarding the true identity of the 'dock butcher.'"
As soon as this news broke, the students in the cafeteria instantly went wild!
That was a million dollars!
For a group of high schoolers, it was an unimaginable fortune!
Buzz, buzz, buzz!
While the students were discussing the "dock butcher," the cafeteria windows suddenly vibrated violently, and one pane of glass even shattered strangely out of thin air.
Just then, a student rushed in from outside, full of excitement, shouting at the top of his lungs:
"Guys, big news! That Manhattan Bank on the east side of the school is actually being robbed!"
Chapter 23: Shocker
"What?!"
"A bank robbery? For real?"
"Let's go check it out!"
Upon hearing the news, the cafeteria instantly erupted into a frenzy.
It was as if they had heard about a fight scheduled at the school gate; the students' curiosity was instantly ignited.
One after another, they didn't even care about finishing their meals, abandoning their trays and swarming toward the school entrance in a massive crowd.
Gwen's eyes also lit up instantly.
A bank robbery! This was big news!
Of course, it was also the perfect opportunity for her, as "Ghost-Spider," to make a name for herself!
She reflexively stood up, only having time to hurriedly say "I'm going to take a look too" to Peter before rushing out with the crowd.
Watching Gwen's departing figure, Peter couldn't help but shake his head.
Still too green!
With so many people, you're the only one pushing through the crowd in the opposite direction; anyone paying attention would see something's wrong with you at a glance!
After grumbling to himself like that, Peter slowly finished the last half of his sandwich before getting up and leaving elegantly.
He was definitely going to join in on the excitement.
The new suit tucked in his bag was due for its "debut," after all.
Walking unhurriedly into an empty utility room, Peter quickly changed into the black and red suit he had made overnight.
The form-fitting suit perfectly outlined his explosive, streamlined muscles; the black suit was accented with blood-red patterns and lines, filled with a sharp and dangerous unique beauty.
Fully dressed, Peter didn't hesitate and jumped out from the second-floor window.
The only slight drawback was that since he hadn't yet invented a device like the Web-shooters, he couldn't swing through the air like Gwen and had to scale walls and leap across buildings in the most primitive way.
"No way, next month I have to exchange for some speed-type item or movement technique no matter what. If there isn't one... then I'll find a way to hijack the Green Goblin Glider.
In any case, I can't keep traveling on foot. As a superhero, appearing like this is just too undignified!"
...While Peter was thinking this, the Midtown district outside the campus was already in total chaos.
Near the school, at the entrance of Manhattan Bank.
A man wearing a red and yellow quilted bodysuit with giant metal gauntlets on both hands was pummeling the bank's security force.
Peter, who had quietly climbed onto the wall of a nearby building, instinctively tilted his head the moment he saw the man.
A name surfaced in his mind: "Shocker," Herman Schultz.
This guy was also one of Spider-Man's arch-enemies, wielding weapons that could release an Impactto persistently rob banks over and over, only to be stopped by Spider-Man every time.
Vrrrrm~!
At the same moment Peter identified Shocker.
Shocker below raised his hands, aiming from a distance at the bank guards armed with live ammunition.
An invisible Impact was released.
In the next second, the guards were sent flying backward one by one, spitting blood, their guns falling who knows where.
"Everyone get the hell away from me! Cooperate with me honestly, and I guarantee you'll be fine."
Shocker swaggered through the crowd, threw the canvas bag on his back onto the counter, and commanded imperiously:
"Fill it up. Don't try any little tricks, or else you know what'll happen!"
The bank teller, living in the "Land of the Free," nodded obediently and quickly got to work without any hesitation.
While Shocker was leisurely leaning against the bank counter, admiring the metal gauntlets on his hands with a narcissistic look.
Whoosh~
A gust of wind came from behind, and in the next second, Gwen, swinging in on a web, struck a pose and landed as lightly as a ballet dancer.
Looking at Gwen behind him, Shocker was stunned for a moment, then shouted in an unfriendly tone:
"Hey, pal, can't you see I'm busy? Ever heard of first come, first served? Can't you just find another bank?"
Gwen:???
Am I... being mistaken for a fellow criminal by this guy?
Realizing this, Gwen's face under the mask turned bright red.
This is too much!
I, the great Ghost-Spider, a rising star in the superhero world, was actually mistaken for a peer by a bank robber?
If this can be endured, what can't?!
Well, also, maybe next time I should prepare an opening line so I don't get mistaken for a fellow criminal by the villain... After secretly noting down this "Superhero Rule," Gwen gave a cold snort and suddenly shot a web that stuck to Shocker's calf.
With a pull of her hand, the next second, the caught-off-guard Shocker was instantly tripped.
"Hey! Big guy! Your little farce is over!"
Gwen deliberately lowered her voice to make herself sound more intimidating, but it clearly didn't do much.
Falling down made Shocker furious; he quietly turned the dial on his thumb to adjust the Impact setting and then suddenly released a powerful Impact toward Gwen.
Gwen felt the warning from her Spider-Sense.
But due to her lack of combat experience, combined with the fact that the invisible Impact was indeed quite stealthy, Gwen failed to react in time.
As a result, she was blasted away by the Impact on the spot, her whole body crashing miserably into the bank wall, causing web-like cracks to appear on the thick wall.
This was only because she had undergone the physical modification of the Genetically modified spider; if a normal person had taken such a hit, they would likely spend the rest of their life in a wheelchair.
But Gwen... "Oh, my back..."
The little spider just grumbled like that, and in the next second, she scrambled up from the ground full of life:
"Wait until you're at the police station; you'd better honestly confess where you bought this thing!"
"Bought it?!" Hearing this, Shocker was instantly enraged, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on:
"I made this with my own hands! It's the culmination of my life's work!"
Greatly dissatisfied by the questioning, Shocker began to vent his rage frantically at Gwen.
Invisible Impacts struck toward Gwen over and over.
Although Gwen's Spider-Sense could predict danger, she was, after all, just a rookie hero.
Letting her deal with ordinary armed thugs was manageable, but letting her deal with someone like Shocker, who could step into the ranks of supervillains, right from the start made her feel a bit out of her depth.
After a lot of spinning, jumping, and frantic positioning using her web-swinging, she finally made a mistake due to a lack of coordination and insufficient trust in her Spider-Sense.
While in mid-air, she was hit by Shocker's Impact once again; her whole body first slammed heavily into a ceiling beam and then plummeted rapidly from the heights.
Hiss~
Just as Gwen thought she was definitely going to suffer a big loss this time, a black and red figure streaked in from the distance, catching the falling Gwen precisely in a bridal carry.
Who else could it be but Peter?
Looking at Gwen, who was held securely in his arms, Peter couldn't help but tease in a low voice:
"As a superhero, you really are... incredibly bad at this!"
Chapter 24: Have You Had Enough?
The moment she was caught by the "stranger," Gwen felt completely uncomfortable!
Without a second thought, she forcibly broke free from his embrace.
But just as she landed, she heard his somewhat playful and lazy assessment... "You're terrible!"
These words were like a heavy hammer, smashing hard against Gwen's fragile self-esteem.
Frustrated!
So frustrated!
Yet, she couldn't even talk back.
After all... her performance just now really was terrible.
After finally steadying herself, Gwen looked back at Peter and asked rather crossly:
"Who... who are you?!"
Facing Gwen's questioning, Peter hesitated for a moment before speaking in a deep, magnetic voice:
"You can call me... 'The Punisher'!"
This was a title he had come up with on the spot; it was much better than "dock butcher" or anything like that... After saying this, Peter suddenly tilted his head.
An Impact flew past his cheek at just the right moment, hitting the bank wall and blasting a huge hole in it.
Glancing at the furious Shocker not far away, Peter spoke to Gwen somewhat lazily:
"Watch closely, rookie."
"Let me show you what a real hero should do!"
... "Shocker" Herman Schultz was completely enraged.
First, some strange girl in a black-and-white bodysuit had appeared out of nowhere.
Now, another guy in a black-and-red suit had popped up.
Since when did New York have so many cosplay enthusiasts?
Or was it that everyone took him for a pushover?
Did they really think My Lord Shocker, the future King of Bank Robbers, had no pride?!
"Everyone, get the hell out of my way!"
Shocker roared, pointing his massive metal gauntlets at Peter and activating the energy again without hesitation.
Buzz—!
Another invisible Impact distorted the air, carrying destructive power as it blasted toward Peter in an instant!
"Watch out!"
Gwen instinctively wanted to shout a warning.
But before she could speak, Peter had already stepped aside, precisely dodging the Impact fired by Shocker once again.
Bang!
Another loud bang followed as the reinforced concrete pillar behind Peter instantly spiderwebbed with countless cracks, filling the air with dust.
Such fast reflexes!
Gwen couldn't help but marvel inwardly.
Shocker was even more stunned; as an ordinary human, he hadn't seen how the other person dodged at all!
"Bastard!"
Shocker cursed angrily, thrusting both hands forward and frantically unleashing Impacts toward Peter.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
Ripples of invisible death raged through the bank lobby, shattering the marble floors and counters.
However, Peter, at the center of the storm, remained as relaxed as if he were taking a stroll in a courtyard.
His figure wove through the dense network of Impacts, each dodge perfectly timed, forming a stark contrast to Gwen's previous frantic struggling.
"Finished playing yet?"
After dodging another Impact, Peter grew completely tired of the boring game of evasion.
He pushed off hard, lunging forward like an arrow from a bow, reaching Shocker in an instant!
Too fast!
Shocker only saw a blur before a black-and-red afterimage broke through his fire suppression!
He instinctively tried to retreat to gain distance from Peter, but that was pure fantasy.
Before Shocker could make a move, a hand in a black-and-red glove clamped onto his neck like an iron pincer.
In the next second, a surge of immense power struck.
Shocker felt his feet leave the ground as the whole World began to spin.
Bang!
With a dull thud, Peter slammed him onto the floor like a dead dog, his body making intimate contact with the cold, hard marble.
Slammed heavily onto the ground, Shocker felt like his internal organs had shifted, and a metallic sweetness rose in his throat.
If he hadn't been wearing a suit designed to absorb kinetic energy, he probably would have been slammed to death on the spot.
The moment he realized this, his survival instinct overrode everything else!
"Die!"
A hint of madness flashed in Shocker's eyes. Disregarding everything, he cranked his gauntlets to maximum power and unleashed his strongest vibration directly at Peter, who was right in front of him!
He had tested it at an abandoned construction site; this maximum-power shockwave could even collapse an unfinished building instantly!
Buzz—!!!
A visible, extremely violent ripple of energy erupted suddenly, centered on Shocker's body!
The terrifying Impact instantly covered the entire bank lobby!
The innocent staff and customers crouching in the distance with their heads covered couldn't help but double over and vomit under the influence of the terrifying shockwave; some even bled from their noses and mouths, fainting on the spot.
Gwen was also pushed back repeatedly by the aftershock, feeling a tightness in her chest.
She looked at the center of the Impact with a horrified expression.
That guy called "The Punisher" had taken the full force of the strongest attack at point-blank range!
He's dead for sure!
The thought flashed through the minds of both Gwen and Shocker almost simultaneously.
However, reality gave them a resounding slap in the face.
Facing Shocker's maximum-output Impact, Peter's figure only swayed slightly, but the hand gripping Shocker's neck didn't loosen in the slightest!
"How... how is this possible?!"
Shocker's eyes nearly popped out of his head, his face filled with disbelief.
A maximum-output Impact capable of destroying an entire building was actually tanked by a body of flesh and blood?!
Is this guy even human?!
What neither of them knew was that against Shocker, Peter had at least three layers of protection.
First was the Chakra defense!
The moment he sensed Shocker's movement, Peter controlled his Chakra to cover his body and manipulated it to fluctuate rapidly, canceling out the vibrations acting on him and forming the first layer of cushioning.
Then there was his Superman physique, modified by the lizard serum.
One must know that in the original story, Dr. Lizard's strength and defense were far superior to Spider-Man's.
Spider-Man's two encounters with Dr. Lizard were only won by luck after using a serum to force Dr. Lizard back into human form.
Although Peter's lizard serum had lost the tail and scales under the purifying effect of the horse talisman, the enhancements in other areas hadn't diminished at all—in fact, they had reached a new level.
Under these circumstances, using his physical body to withstand an Impact that had already been weakened once was naturally no problem.
Finally, and most importantly, were the healing abilities provided by the horse talisman and the lizard serum itself.
The combination of these two self-healing abilities meant that the moment Peter was injured by the Impact, he was instantly restored to full health.
The final result of the three layers of protection was that Peter easily tanked the maximum-output Impact completely unscathed!
"If you're done playing, it's my turn!"
The moment the words left his mouth, Peter, still holding Shocker's neck with one hand, gave Shocker's hands a gentle squeeze with the other.
Crack~
After a series of cringeworthy bone-snapping sounds, all of Shocker's fingers were broken by Peter, and the continuous output of Impacts came to an abrupt halt...
Chapter 25: Should a Good Person Let Someone Point a Gun at Them?
Ahhhhh!!!
A piercing scream echoed through the bank lobby.
Shocker was just an ordinary person; facing the sheer agony of having all his fingers forcibly snapped, he lost his combat capability on the spot.
"Hey, quiet down, pal."
Peter's head throbbed from the noise, so he casually slammed a fist into the marble floor next to Shocker.
"Unless you want to end up like this!"
Bang!
Accompanied by a loud bang, the hard marble floor instantly cracked into a spiderweb pattern, with a clearly defined fist print embedded deep within.
Shocker's screams stopped abruptly; though his body still twitched from the pain, he didn't dare make another sound.
If that punch had landed on his head, he feared he really would have died on the spot!
"I... I surrender!"
Finally, having caught his breath, Shocker spoke tremulously:
"I surrender! As long as you don't kill me and don't hand me over to the Police, I'll do anything!"
Do anything?
Peter's eyes couldn't help but light up.
That was quite an enticing offer.
Compared to Spider-Man's other arch-enemies, Peter actually appreciated Shocker.
This guy hadn't even graduated high school, yet he was self-taught, mastering the skills of lock-picking and even teaching himself physics to hand-craft the equipment he wore.
He was a rare technical talent!
Additionally, this guy had quite a few principles compared to other villains.
Although he was focused on getting something for nothing, he never thought about using this gear to kill or commit arson; in the comic book setting, Shocker had never killed a single person from beginning to end.
A technical talent with a conscience! Handing him over to the NYPD would be a waste.
Perhaps he could give him a chance to work for him and turn over a new leaf.
With that thought, Peter didn't hesitate, immediately hoisting the half-dead Shocker onto his shoulder, preparing to leave.
He wanted to find a secluded spot to have a good chat with him... "Hey, wait a minute!"
Seeing Peter about to swagger away with Shocker on his shoulder, Gwen finally snapped out of her shock and couldn't help but call out to stop him.
Peter stopped and looked back at her; under the white and red Hollow mask, not a single ripple of emotion could be seen.
Gwen summoned her courage, stepped forward, and asked in a tone she thought was very serious:
"Don't you think we should hand him over to the Police?"
In her simple sense of justice, catching bad guys and handing them over to the Police was only natural.
Facing her question, Peter didn't even turn his head as he asked in return:
"Why do you think I'm called The Punisher?"
After leaving that question, he started walking away, leaving behind only a friendly tip:
"I suggest you leave as soon as possible too, rookie."
"Otherwise, watch out for being treated as an accomplice to the bank robbers."
This callback hit Gwen right where it hurt, while also successfully freezing her in place:
"That won't happen! I'll prove to you just how wrong your thinking is!"
The NYPD wouldn't be as indiscriminate as this guy claimed!
My dad is a cop, and the most upright cop in all of New York!
To prove she was right, Gwen gave up the idea of chasing The Punisher and instead stood in the bank lobby with her arms crossed, silently waiting for the Police to arrive.
She wanted to explain everything to them personally and tell them that Ghost-Spider was a trustworthy hero.
At the same time, she wanted to show that self-righteous jerk just how horribly wrong he was!
Watching Gwen's stubborn little expression in the bank lobby through the reflection of the building's glass, Peter, who had already disappeared around the corner with Shocker, couldn't help but smile slightly.
Still too young, little Gwen.
Reality will teach you a good lesson... The NYPD's efficiency never disappointed Peter.
It wasn't until the bank robbery had concluded and the customers had mostly fled that the shrill sirens finally arrived, fashionably late.
"NYPD! Everyone inside, listen up! Drop your weapons and surrender immediately!"
A large group of heavily armed Police officers rushed into the bank lobby, seeing only a mess and a masked woman in a strange costume standing silently in place.
These people raised their guns almost instinctively, the dark muzzles pointing squarely at Gwen.
Gwen was instantly stunned.
She held up her hands, for a moment not knowing what to say.
The turn of events was completely different from what she had anticipated.
In her imagination, the Police would arrive, she would explain the situation to them, and receive a wave of gratitude and praise. As it turned out... why was she being pointed at with guns?
Does being a good person mean having guns pointed at you?
"Don't shoot! She's the hero who came to save us!"
"That's right! The robber in the red and yellow suit was driven away by her... no, he was taken away by another, even more powerful hero!"
"She's a good person!"
Fortunately, the bank staff and the customers lying on the ground waiting for rescue spoke up one after another to testify for Gwen.
Otherwise, Gwen might have turned dark on the spot in a matter of minutes.
Hearing the consistent testimony from the crowd, the officer in charge finally raised his hand dubiously, signaling his subordinates not to fire for the time being.
"This... lady."
The officer looked Gwen over, his tone still filled with caution:
"Regardless, you need to come back to the station with us to cooperate and give a statement."
Go to the Police station?
Gwen's heart skipped a beat.
You've got to be kidding!
She wasn't mentally prepared to meet her own father, George Stacy, at the Police station in her Ghost-Spider identity yet!
Just thinking about that scene made her scalp tingle.
Refuse! She had to refuse!
At the same time, Gwen couldn't help but think to herself:
I regret not listening to The Punisher's words!
If I had chosen to leave directly as well, there wouldn't be all this trouble!
"Sorry, I have other things to do."
Gwen decisively rejected the Police's request.
"Hey! You can't leave!"
The officer's expression changed, and he immediately stepped forward to stop Gwen.
But how could Gwen be caught by an ordinary person like him?
With a flick of her wrist, a strand of webbing shot out instantly, sticking to the ceiling.
Whoosh!
Amidst the exclamations of the Police and onlookers, Gwen's figure was carried by the webbing, swinging high into the air, exiting through a broken window and quickly disappearing among the city's skyscrapers.
And this scene happened to be captured perfectly by Eddie Brock, a photographer and reporter for the Daily Bugle who had rushed to the scene.
"Did you see that! Did you see that!"
At the Daily Bugle headquarters, J. Jonah Jameson looked at the photo in his hand and couldn't help but shout excitedly to everyone around:
"The masked hero you suggested I report on is fleeing in front of the Police!
What does this prove? If she didn't have a guilty conscience, why would she run!
Hmph, in my view, this person, that 'dock butcher,' and the 'Punisher' mentioned by witnesses are all the same! They're just a bunch of masked thugs threatening the city's safety!"
Gwen, who had finally managed to shake off the Police pursuit, had no idea that a storm of public opinion was quietly brewing against her.
She only knew that the guy called The Punisher seemed to have been right again...