Ch: 26-35
Chapter 26: You're a Damn Genius
In a deep, dark alleyway, the air was thick with the sour, rotten stench of garbage.
Peter casually tossed Shocker off his shoulder onto the ground, resulting in a dull thud.
"Hiss~"
Shocker felt like his skeletal frame was about to fall apart. He wanted to cry out in pain, but he met that Hollow mask in the shadows, which looked incredibly sinister and hideous.
As a result, he forced the cry of pain back down his throat.
Peter crouched down and swiftly ripped the yellow-and-red mask off Shocker's head, revealing an unremarkable, middle-aged white face that looked somewhat nervous and wretched.
"Name, the origin of your equipment, and your purpose."
Peter's voice was low, devoid of any emotion.
Herman's eyes darted around, and he squeezed out a smile that looked worse than crying.
"I... my name is Tom..."
Crack!
Before Shocker could finish his sentence, Peter grabbed his wrist and gave it a light snap.
The sound of a bone breaking echoed again.
Shocker's body convulsed violently, his entire face twisting in extreme agony. He tried to scream, but Peter covered his mouth, leaving him only able to let out muffled groans of pain.
"Did you know? There are exactly 206 bones in the human body."
Peter shared a random piece of trivia, but it sent a chill down Shocker's spine.
He couldn't possibly miss the underlying threat in Peter's words.
If he dared to lie again, this maniac would break every single bone in his body!
Realizing this, Shocker didn't dare play any more tricks. Tears and snot streaming down his face, he immediately spoke up.
"I'll talk! I'll tell you everything!"
He didn't dare hide anything else, spilling his entire life story like beans from a jar.
Over the next few minutes, 'Shocker'—or rather, Herman Schultz—began to recount his experiences.
To summarize: he was a poor kid who hadn't even finished high school, realized he was a physics genius, and tried to change his fate through self-taught brilliance, only to have his inventions stolen repeatedly by greedy capitalists.
He tried to steal back his own inventions, but ended up in prison for it.
After that, he fell into a life of habitual crime, fantasizing about getting something for nothing using the equipment he invented... Peter initially listened with some boredom; these Marvel villain backstories were mostly the same, lacking any real novelty.
Until... "These Shock Gauntlets, I invented them myself! They're powered by a specially made high-density battery pack..."
"Wait."
For the first time, Peter's voice changed. He roughly interrupted Herman's whining.
"What did you say? Powered by a battery pack?"
Peter was genuinely shocked.
He had imagined that Shocker's equipment energy source might be very sci-fi and advanced.
But he truly hadn't expected it to be so advanced that it could be described as magical... A battery module capable of instantly releasing an Impact wave that could level an entire building, and it could be reused at least a dozen times?
What kind of god-tier capacity was that!
"Yes! It's a battery!" Seeing Peter's interest, Herman clung to it like a drowning man to a life raft, hurriedly explaining.
"This is a Micro High-Energy Battery Pack I developed myself! I discovered the material ratio by accident!
The charging capacity of this battery is over a hundred times that of common batteries on the market..."
Before Herman could finish, Peter roughly tore open his red-and-yellow bodysuit.
Ripping through the unknown composite padding, a second later, over a hundred crystal-blue batteries, each only the size of a button cell, appeared before Peter.
Hiss~
Peter couldn't help but suck in a breath of cold air.
You're a real madman, kid!
He pointed at the batteries, his voice slightly off-key.
"Aren't you afraid these things will short-circuit while you're fighting, or get punctured by an external force, and then 'boom,' blow you up like a firework?"
"They won't! Absolutely not!"
Herman's tone carried absolute confidence.
"I performed many tests while developing these solid-state batteries. They have absolute stability! Even if you puncture one directly with a nail, it will only fail; it will never catch fire, much less explode..."
Listening to Herman's explanation, Peter felt his World spinning.
Holding such god-tier technology... what can't you do with it?
If you made phone batteries, you could make every phone manufacturer in the World kneel and call you daddy!
If you made electric cars, you could disrupt the entire automotive industry in minutes!
And yet, this guy used such god-tier technology to... rob banks?!
At this moment, he really wanted to channel his inner Li Yunlong and give this guy a big thumbs up.
Heh, you're a damn genius!
...If Peter had previously held a 'give it a shot' attitude, planning to subdue this guy as a mere tool.
Now, his thinking had completely and utterly changed.
Looking at this 'loser' shivering on the ground from pain and fear, Peter felt like he was looking at an inexhaustible super gold mine.
A true talent!
As long as he could firmly control Herman Schultz and his battery technology, the commercial empire he had previously envisioned would instantly have an unshakeable, solid foundation!
"Herman Schultz."
After a long silence, Peter finally spoke.
His voice was low and magnetic, carrying a strange sense of allure.
"Do you think robbing banks is the only path left for your life?"
The moment he heard this, Herman was completely stunned.
He truly hadn't expected that this demon, who had just ferociously snapped his wrist, would suddenly say such a thing.
After a long silence, Herman spoke with a bitter expression.
"I... I'm truly at a dead end. I've been to prison for theft at least five times; no company is willing to hire me.
I told them about the technology I possess, but no one believed me. They just thought I was a madman..."
If there were a choice, if he hadn't completely lost hope in this rotten World, who would want to be a master thief chased all over the World by the cops!
"I believe you!"
Peter suddenly spoke.
"I've seen your talent!
I'm also willing to give you a chance—a chance to truly realize your value, to let your talent no longer be obscured by dust."
At this moment, even the wind in the alley seemed to stop.
Herman stared blankly at Peter, clearly feeling his heart beating violently!
"What... what do you want me to do?" Herman's voice trembled slightly with excitement.
Hearing this question, Peter slowly stood up and looked down at him, like a god looking down at his believer.
"It's simple. Just work for me."
"With your battery technology and some ideas in my head, we can build a commercial empire no less than Oscorp, Hammer Industries, or Stark Industries!
I will make you incredibly wealthy, allowing you to seize wealth that 99.99% of people in this Worldcouldn't achieve in a lifetime.
You will be admired by thousands, and those who once looked down on you will only be able to kneel on the ground and lick your boots!"
Chapter 27: Herman: My God, Is This Magic?
Looking at Peter, who was standing before him completely covered up, Herman's mind went blank.
Happiness... or rather, a shock, had arrived far too suddenly.
Work for "The Punisher"?
To be honest, Peter's earlier impassioned speech had indeed moved him immensely.
But after the initial excitement, the waves of stinging pain from his hands forced his attention back to reality.
This man before him was moody and ruthless. If he followed him, would there really be a good end for him?
Moreover... his hands had already been ruined by him!
In this state, he was no different from a cripple. What value could he possibly create for him?
Watching Herman stare at his own hands with a flickering expression, Peter easily guessed what he was thinking.
He let out a light chuckle and spoke up:
"You seem to still doubt my abilities."
As he spoke, Peter reached out and placed his hands on Herman's mangled and deformed hands.
"Watch closely."
Herman subconsciously looked over.
In the next second, he witnessed a scene he would never forget for the rest of his life.
A soft, warm white light radiated from Peter's palms.
This light seemed to possess a life of its own, holy and pure.
Peter gently covered Herman's twisted left wrist, where the bones were poking through the flesh, with his glowing palm.
Immediately after, an indescribable warm current rapidly spread from his hands to his entire body.
The agonizing pain that had reached his marrow was receding at an incredible speed!
Under Herman's astonished gaze,
his fingers and wrists, which had been snapped and twisted into pretzels, were resetting themselves at a staggering pace!
Broken bones healed rapidly under the white light, and torn flesh began to grow back at high speed, becoming as good as new!
In just three to five seconds, his ruined hands had miraculously returned to their original state.
Herman cautiously moved his fingers. All ten were flexible and moved freely, as if the heart-wrenching pain from moments ago was just a nightmare.
"This... this... this..."
Herman's mouth hung open wide enough to fit an egg, and meaningless syllables sputtered from his throat. He felt like his brain had completely shut down.
After a long while, Herman finally stammered out:
"Are you... an Angel?"
To the sheltered Herman, this near-miraculous healing method was something only a god could achieve.
Combined with Peter's earlier self-introduction as "The Punisher," Herman naturally thought of something like a Judgment Angel from Christian legends!
"If I were to cosplay as one of those, I'd probably need to switch to a white and gold suit,"
Peter joked with a smile, then patted Herman on the shoulder and said:
"Now, Herman, tell me your choice!"
"Do you want to continue being a rat in the gutter, or work for me and become one of the elite you never dared to dream of being?"
Thud!
Without any hesitation, Herman Schultz dropped to one knee and somewhat clumsily placed his hand over his heart in a gesture of loyalty:
"Boss, thank you for giving me the chance to reform. I am willing to follow you! As long as you give the word, I will do anything for you, except for murder and arson."
"Don't worry, I won't ask you to commit murder or arson."
Peter reached out with both hands to help him up from the ground, a subtle gesture that warmed Herman's heart.
This loser, who had been looked down upon wherever he went, felt what it was like to be respected for the first time.
Just as Herman was feeling deeply moved, Peter's next words left him instantly dumbfounded:
"If I need someone killed, I usually just do it on the spot. I don't need my subordinates to make an extra trip for that."
Herman:...If Peter had looked like a saint bathed in golden light to him before, now, Peter had become a being that was half-Angel and half-demon.
After a brief daze, Herman snapped out of it, swallowed hard, and asked:
"Then Boss, what are we doing now?"
Peter's ears twitched under his hood. He faintly heard the school bell coming from the direction of Midtown High School—lunch break was almost over.
After thinking for a moment, he pulled out his wallet, handed all the hundred-dollar bills inside to Herman, and then said:
"First, find a place to clean yourself up. Then... I'll give you a week to create a new battery of the same size, but with only about twenty percent of the capacity of the batteries you have on you now. Also, hand over the related research data. Can you do that?"
"No problem, Boss!" Taking the money, Herman couldn't help but feel his nose sting. He felt that since his parents died, no one in this World had cared about him like this.
He nodded hurriedly, but then, after hesitating, he couldn't help but ask:
"But, why do we want to make batteries with lower capacity instead?"
Nonsense, how else can you make money if you don't squeeze the toothpaste slowly!
Peter, who was well-versed in the various shady tactics of smartphone manufacturers from his past life, couldn't help but complain in his heart.
Of course, he wouldn't tell Herman that, so he just made up an excuse about "an innocent man getting into trouble because of his wealth" and not wanting to be targeted by tech giants too early.
Even though it was just an excuse, it still left Herman in awe.
No wonder he was the boss and Herman was just the employee!
After exchanging contact information with Herman, Peter intended to leave, but after glancing at Herman's suit and iron gauntlets, he quickly changed his mind:
"Wait! Take off that suit and equipment. Who knows if those witnesses have already described your appearance to the police?
You wouldn't want to get caught the moment you step out of the alley, would you?"
"Boss is wise!" Herman felt another wave of gratitude and immediately stripped off the gear in a few quick motions.
After Herman left the alley, Peter nodded with satisfaction and picked up the gear from the ground.
The moment his fingers touched the equipment, a system notification sounded in his head:
[Detected sacrificeable Dark Green item: Shocker's Tools of the Trade]
[Shocker's Work Suit and Vibration Gauntlets. Although they are only the first set of criminal equipment Shocker created, they hold extraordinary commemorative significance to him.]
[Sacrifice for: 800 points. Proceed with sacrifice?]
"Since you're going to be an honest man from now on, I, as your boss, might as well put this gear to good use!"
With that whisper, Peter chose to sacrifice it without any hesitation.
Seeing another 800 sacrifice points arrive, Peter couldn't help but be in a great mood.
Not only had he recruited a talent like Herman, but he had also gained a large wave of sacrifice points. Being a superhero is truly a wonderful thing!
Chapter 28: Angel Investor
Relying on his superhuman perception, Peter easily returned to school without alerting anyone and successfully changed out of his suit.
Almost as soon as he finished, the school bell rang.
When Peter returned to the classroom, the other students paid no attention to his movements.
Only Gwen stared at him unblinkingly, her eyes filled with complex emotions.
Don't misunderstand; it wasn't that she suspected Peter was "The Punisher."
Rather, she was very dissatisfied with Peter's "mysterious disappearance"!
She was in a terrible mood because of the stark contrast between her and The Punisher, as well as being misunderstood by the police!
Therefore, upon returning to school, she instinctively wanted to find Peter to chat and alleviate her bad mood.
But as it turned out, Peter was nowhere to be found, which made her mood even worse.
Anyone who has had a girlfriend knows that when your girlfriend is unhappy, even your breathing is wrong. If you dare to look happy, it's comparable to dancing on a grave.
So, when Gwen, who couldn't find Peter anywhere, saw him appear before her with a smile, her face instantly puffed up like a bun:
"Where did you go? Why couldn't I find you anywhere?"
As a transmigrator, Peter naturally handled this with ease:
"Oh, I heard later that Ghost-Spider also appeared at Manhattan Bank, so I wanted to go see the excitement."
"But there were so many people watching that I couldn't squeeze in at all."
I also heard them say Ghost-Spider was being suppressed by the robbers the whole time, so I figured they must have mistaken someone else for her. How could the heroic Ghost-Spider be so weak?"
"So, I left early and went to the library to read for a while."
"Oh, right, didn't you go to see the excitement early on? Did you see Ghost-Spider?"
Peter's words nearly choked Gwen on the spot, and her pretty face turned bright red.
I'm so sorry for being this weak!
But at the same time, she couldn't help but feel secretly lucky.
Fortunately, Peter didn't see her embarrassing state just now; otherwise, this guy might have become a fan of The Punisher!
Facing Peter's question, Gwen hesitated for half a second before finally giving up on the plan to lie and say she "didn't see Ghost-Spider at all."
Mainly, she was worried that new videos would leak online today, and then she wouldn't be able to explain it.
Thus, Gwen, who had originally wanted to throw a small tantrum at Peter, was instantly dumbfounded. She could only turn around and haltingly describe how troublesome Shocker was and how unreasonable the newly appeared Punisher was.
That performance, that expression... she looked as helpless as a man.
After easily handling Gwen, Peter began to conceptualize his business empire plan during the boring class time.
Even with Herman's battery technology, building a tech company from scratch was no easy feat.
Production lines, raw materials, designers, distribution channels, marketing... every link was a money-devouring beast.
Even if he invested all four million dollars he "borrowed" from Kingpin, it would only be a drop in the bucket.
Not to mention that this money couldn't be exposed to the light at all.
Therefore, to quickly take this most difficult first step, the best way was still to find a reliable Angelinvestor!
Speaking of investors.
The first figure that flashed through Peter's mind was that man with the flashy mustache and a face that screamed "I am a genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist"—Tony Stark.
As the head of Stark Industries and the future Iron Man, his financial power and channels were beyond doubt.
But this thought existed for less than a second before Peter decisively extinguished it.
The "father-son" relationship between Tony and Peter was a setting exclusive to the Tom Hollandversion.
It had absolutely nothing to do with him, the Peter of this Ghost-Spider Universe!
Not to mention that current Tony wasn't even Iron Man yet; he was just a pure playboy!
If he, an unknown high school student, showed up with so-called black technology... the most likely result would be like Killian in Iron Man 3, being stood up and left to blow in the cold wind on a rooftop all night!
Peter didn't want to accept such "humiliation."
So, Tony... pass!
Excluding Stark Industries, what other giant could become Peter's Angel investor?
The answer to this question was obvious.
Oscorp!
In the memory of his Previous Incarnation, just like the Peter of the cinematic Universe, he and the young master of Oscorp, Harry Osborn, were best friends who grew up together!
And Harry's father, the future "Green Goblin" Norman Osborn, also appreciated him very much, even more so than his own son.
Compared to seeking investment from Tony Stark, whom he didn't know at all, it was clearly more reliable to seek investment from Norman Osborn!
With the other party's appreciation for him, as long as he could produce the battery sample and then pitch the concept of the "smartphone" from his mind to Norman... getting tens of millions of dollars in Angel investment from him shouldn't be a problem!
And with Oscorp as a backer, he wouldn't have to worry about his industry being coveted and swallowed up by other capital sharks.
Doing so might make him owe the Osborn family a big favor... under normal circumstances, Peter was unwilling to owe favors to others!
But Osborn was an exception.
For no other reason than that their family's favors were simply too easy to repay!
The genetic disease inherited by the Osborn family was an incurable disease for others, but for him, who possessed the horse talisman, it was just a simple matter.
Although the horse talisman couldn't instantly cure genetic defects.
But as long as it could help Harry and Norman eliminate symptoms and delay the frequency and timing of the disease's onset, that would be enough, wouldn't it?
As long as he could help the Osborn family solve their genetic defects, the entire Oscorp would become his strongest ally!
Isn't this much better than sucking up to Tony Stark?
The more Peter thought about it, the more feasible the plan seemed.
So, after school, he didn't hesitate to pull out his phone and call Harry Osborn.
"Hey, Harry, long time no see. Are you free after school?"
Harry was more than happy to be contacted by Peter, and his excited voice immediately came from the other end of the phone:
"Oh, Peter, you finally remembered me! I was originally planning to wait until the weekend to find you, but this is a coincidence. Wait for me, I'm coming to find you now!"
Not long after Harry hung up, a somewhat flashy convertible sports car parked in front of Peter's house.
Harry jumped out of the car, gave Peter a big hug first, and then asked casually:
"What are we playing today? Basketball or arcade games?"
Facing Harry's question, Peter twitched the corner of his mouth slightly and then spoke:
"Uh, actually, I called you here because I wanted to ask if you're interested in partnering with me to do some business?"
Chapter 29: Osborn on the Edge of the Cliff
"Huh?"
Hearing Peter say he wanted to do business, a large question mark couldn't help but appear on Harry's forehead.
"What kind of business do you want to do? Handmade burgers or an ice cream cart?"
It really wasn't that Harry wanted to be sarcastic toward Peter on purpose.
Rather, in his understanding, given Peter's family background, he could only manage small businesses like these.
Of course, even if Peter just wanted to drag him into this kind of "public-facing" work, Harry, as a wealthy young master, would definitely choose to join without even batting an eye.
After all, the two had been friends since childhood; their bond was incredibly strong!
"This isn't the place to talk. Let's find somewhere quiet to chat."
Peter followed Harry into the convertible sports car, and before long, the two arrived at a secluded cafe.
After taking their seats, Peter didn't keep him in suspense and directly pulled out the design sketches for a "Smartphone" he had drawn during class today:
"Harry, what do you think the phones of the future should look like?"
"Phones of the future?"
Harry was stunned for a moment, then glanced at his latest BlackBerry.
This phone had a large screen, but it still wasn't a touchscreen; one had to use the small buttons below to compose messages:
"Larger size, more features? Better signal? Or... can play more games?"
"Or maybe, press a button and a holographic projection pops up?"
"No."
Peter shook his head and pushed a design sketch of a Smartphone, which would be very common in later generations, in front of Harry.
There were styles with buttons similar to an iPhone.
There were also true Full-screen models, as well as various Foldable screen styles.
"Although I also long for that kind of tactile holographic projection technology, such an idea is still too far ahead of its time at this stage."
"Compared to that kind of completely conceptual product, I want to produce a more feasible phone..."
As Peter began to describe his "Smartphone" in immense detail, Harry's eyes couldn't help but widen.
Looking at the simple concept drawings in his hand, his breathing became rapid for a moment.
Although he wasn't a professional researcher or technician, as the heir to Oscorp, he still possessed a business sense far beyond his peers!
Therefore, as Peter described it, he quickly realized that this so-called "Smartphone" indeed had great potential!
If this thing could really be made, then all current phone manufacturers would only have two paths left in the future.
Either follow behind them and pick up the scraps, or be completely swept into the dustbin of history!
"Peter... this... all of this... you came up with it?" Harry's voice was trembling.
"Of course."
Peter nodded calmly and then dropped another bombshell:
"Moreover, a friend and I have solved the core energy issue."
"Once we use the new type of battery we developed, the battery life of the phones we produce will be more than three times that of our competitors."
"You know what this means, right?"
As Peter laid out his plan in full, Harry could no longer sit still.
He was just a High school senior who had only turned 18 this year; he really couldn't be as calm and composed as Peter.
"Peter! This idea of yours is simply amazing! And the feasibility is incredibly high! Almost every difficulty involved can be achieved with current technology."
"Plus, with the specialized battery you and your friend developed as the core competitiveness... as long as there's enough financial support, we'll be successful in no time!"
At this moment, Harry's behavior was even bordering on obsessive.
It couldn't be helped; the psychological shadow left by Old Norman's oppressive education was far too severe.
Nowadays, Harry could be said to dream of gaining his old father's approval and making him see him in a new light.
Previously, he had no real skills and could only sulk alone when faced with his father's suppression and ridicule.
But now, with the new type of phone proposed by Peter, he felt he could finally hold his head high.
Harry couldn't help but grab Peter's shoulders and said with burning eyes:
"This project can really work! As long as you bring the new battery, I can definitely persuade my father, or at least secure an opportunity for him to meet with you privately."
"I believe that when you lay out these concepts before my father, even he will be amazed!"
At this moment, Harry seemed to already see the scene of his old man patting his shoulder with a gratified expression, sighing, "I knew you could do it!"
He then slapped his chest boisterously and took everything upon himself, promising it would definitely succeed... What Harry didn't know at this time was...
That his father, Norman Osborn, who was omnipotent in his eyes, was currently under unprecedentedly immense pressure.
Oscorp, top-floor office.
Norman Osborn gripped the armrests of his chair tightly, veins bulging on the back of his hands.
At this moment, he was holding a physical examination report in his hand.
The report showed that the genetic collapse within his body was accelerating.
His private Doctor even asserted that if an effective treatment couldn't be found soon, he might only have less than a month left!
The shadow of death was approaching him step by step.
And what terrified him even more than death was his life's work—Oscorp was now standing on the edge of a cliff!
"Norman, the Military has issued an ultimatum."
A member of the Board of Directors sat across from him and said in a heavy tone:
"They aren't interested in the Military flight vehicle project at all, even going so far as to say that having Stark and Hammer Industries is enough for ordnance projects."
"What they want from us is only the Human Performance Enhancer project."
"If we can't produce results that satisfy them in this week's demonstration, they will withdraw all funding. This is an outcome we cannot accept."
This news, like a heavy hammer, struck hard against Norman's already fragile nerves.
Over the years, as his health deteriorated, he had no energy to pay attention to the company's many projects.
This indirectly led the group, under the idiotic operations of several shareholders, to invest in several projects with massive costs but almost no return on investment.
These burdens made Oscorp's financial pressure increasingly tight, almost on the verge of collapse.
If news broke now that Oscorp had also lost financial support from the Military, the stock price would definitely plummet as well.
Those shareholders who had long been dissatisfied with him would be like sharks smelling blood, tearing him and the empire he founded into pieces without hesitation!
"I understand."
Norman waved his hand wearily. Only after dismissing the board member did his last bit of strength drain away, and he slumped powerlessly into his chair.
After being despondent for about half a minute, Norman rubbed his face and forced himself to pull it together.
Nowadays, Harry still lacks the ability to stand on his own.
For the sake of his son, he had to survive and sweep away all obstacles for his son to take over Oscorp!
For this, he would pay any price!
Chapter 30: The Birth of Two Major Villains
Norman cast his gaze upon the two reports on the desk.
One was the "Physical Enhancement Formula" that he had personally supervised.
The other was the "lizard serum" project from Dr. Curt Connors.
The former had completed animal trials long ago, but because the effects were unstable, he had been hesitating whether to proceed with human trials.
The latter had been progressing slowly until he suddenly heard of a major breakthrough the day before yesterday; limb regeneration had been initially achieved in mice, and it was currently in the follow-up observation stage.
If one failed, there was still the other as a backup... Thinking this, a trace of determination and madness flashed in Norman's eyes.
He then pressed the call button on his desk and summoned his secretary, Saji, to the office, giving the order:
"Inform Stom to immediately arrange human trials for the 'Physical Enhancement Formula,' and then pay a visit to Dr. Connors' lab."
"Tell him I am very satisfied with the progress of his project and encourage him to keep up the good work and complete the animal trials as soon as possible."
"Understood." The hot-bodied female secretary respectfully exited the room, but her expression changed instantly once the door was closed.
She immediately dialed a number, a cold light flashing in her eyes:
"Gentlemen, the boss can't wait any longer. Moreover, he seems to intend to start Connors' project as well, as a backup plan..."
Hearing this, cheers and celebrations immediately erupted from the other end of the line. After a moment, someone spoke:
"Very good. Next, go and pressure that cripple to immediately conduct human trials using veterans... This way, regardless of whether Norman's plan succeeds or fails, we will be the ultimate winners!"
Hearing this, the female secretary felt her heart rate accelerate:
"And after it's done?"
"Don't worry, you'll get every cent of your share. Once we sell off Oscorp, you'll get at least this much..."
Hearing the astronomical figure mentioned on the other end of the phone, the female secretary became even more excited. Without any hesitation, she immediately jogged to Connors' lab.
Bang!
Rudely pushing open the door, the female secretary spoke haughtily:
"Dr. Connors, I'm glad your project has finally made significant progress. Mr. Norman is quite satisfied."
Hearing this, Connors smiled and pushed up his glasses, speaking somewhat shyly:
"I will continue to work hard and strive to complete the animal trials as soon as possible."
"Animal trials?" The female secretary couldn't help but sneer:
"That's over. Mr. Norman has already sent all the follow-up preclinical research reports to the FDA(Food and Drug Administration). Disabled veterans will be arranged for clinical trials the day after tomorrow."
"What?!" Connors' eyes widened in disbelief. He subconsciously reached out to grab the secretary's shoulder:
"You can't do that! The follow-up observations of the animal trials haven't even been completed. No one can guarantee that there won't be accidents. Conducting human trials now—how is that any different from murder!"
"Doctor, these are not things you should be concerned about."
Because Connors had only one arm and was just a frail scientist, the female secretary easily pushed him to the ground, looking down at him from above:
"Caring too much about certain things won't do you any good! You should know that once you leave Oscorp, you, a cripple, will be nothing!"
Secretary Saji easily trampled on Connors' dignity and left haughtily like a victor.
Leaving Connors alone on the floor, his expression flickering as he looked at the serum in his hand... "So cold!"
Lying shirtless on the cold examination table, Norman couldn't help but sigh.
"Mr. Norman, I must remind you again that the Physical Enhancement Formula is still very unstable. Theoretically, it shouldn't even be in clinical trials yet. You are risking your own life by doing this!"
"I know it's a risk, but I have no choice." Norman didn't bother to explain further, merely waving his hand weakly after drinking the formula:
"Begin, Dr. Stom."
Stom, the project leader, sighed helplessly and had to start the device as instructed.
As the green gas filled the sterile chamber, Norman began to scream in agony.
Almost at the same time Norman received the Physical Enhancement Formula, Connors made the same decision.
He didn't want those heroes who had bled for the country to suffer an undeserved catastrophe because of him.
Thus, with the spirit of "if I don't enter hell, who will?" and a longing for limb regeneration.
After one last look at his stump, Connors unhesitatingly took out a vial of lizard serum and injected it into himself.
"Aaaaaah!"
As Dr. Stom, who had kindly come forward to perform CPR on Norman, had his neck snapped by Norman with a sinister grin.
At this point, the two major villains of the Spider-Man World, the Green Goblin and Dr. Lizard, were born together... Because the two had reunited after a long time, Harry pulled Peter aside to talk about many personal matters.
The two talked about everything from a business empire that was still just a dream, to the troubles in their respective lives, and from those small troubles to the romantic matters that teenagers inevitably discuss.
Their conversation lasted until after nine in the evening.
"I'll wait for your good news, Harry!"
After a reluctant farewell to Harry, Peter returned to his bedroom and immediately contacted Herman.
Since he was a newly recruited subordinate, Peter felt it necessary to give him some reassurance to demonstrate his extraordinary nature as a boss and, in passing, boost his subordinate's favorability:
"Yes, Herman, I've found an Angel investor. As long as you can produce the first sample battery, the funds will arrive soon.
Remember, this battery is for powering mobile phones, so the power output must be stable enough..."
While Peter was sharing the good news with Herman, the old car radio Peter kept by his bedside suddenly made a sound.
This was a little gadget Peter had put together; the radio could hack into exclusive police wireless channels, helping him quickly keep track of police incidents in The Big Apple City.
"Calling all units! Calling all units! Emergency on the Manhattan Bridge! Witnesses report... a giant... Lizard Monster is attacking vehicles! Repeat, this is not a drill!"
Lizard Monster?
Peter hung up the phone, his brow arching slightly.
Why is the plot starting so soon?
Wasn't Dr. Lizard supposed to appear only when he and Gwen were nearing graduation?
After a brief daze, Peter couldn't help but slap his forehead!
How could I have forgotten?
Because he wanted to obtain the lizard serum sooner, he had given the Decay Rate Algorithm to the doctor ahead of time.
In this situation, it was only natural that Dr. Lizard would be born early.
With that thought, he almost subconsciously reached for the suit in his bag.
But just as his hand reached out, it suddenly stopped.
In his mind, Gwen's stubborn and unyielding face subconsciously appeared.
Perhaps... he should give her a chance to grow on her own?
Chapter 31: A version update without notifying me, right?
Only two or three days had passed since the birth of Ghost-Spider.
Moreover, because his transmigration had reversed the almost fated 'lover must die' curse, the current Gwen was far more immature compared to the original work.
She possessed immense power and a heart full of passion, but she didn't know how to control that power, and she was completely ignorant of the cruelty of battle and the darkness of reality.
In this situation, if he continued to pamper her and didn't give her the chance to fight alone and accumulate experience...
How could Gwen ever grow up?
Flowers carefully cultivated in a greenhouse can never withstand the wind and rain.
If he simply kept her protected under his wing, she would never truly grow into a real superhero.
Perhaps... he should give her a chance to grow on her own.
With this thought, Peter completely withdrew his hand and lay back on the bed.
He knew Dr. Lizard's strength well. With Gwen's abilities, although she couldn't defeat him, she should have no problem preventing mass casualties and stalling until the main Police force arrived.
Furthermore, even if an accident occurred and things went south, given the previous 'mentor-student' relationship between Gwen and Connors, Connors—who hadn't completely lost his humanity yet—wouldn't kill Gwen.
Since Gwen's life wasn't in danger, why not let her handle it herself?
Even if she got beaten up by Dr. Lizard, it would be a rare and valuable experience for her, wouldn't it!
Thinking this, Peter simply ended his conversation with Herman, lay on the bed, crossed his legs like an old man, and turned up the radio volume a bit more.
This time, he was determined to be just a quiet listener... 'Hum, hum, hum~'
On the Manhattan Bridge, even a traffic jam couldn't dampen the secretary Saji's good mood. She rolled down the window, looked at the dimly lit night scene outside, and couldn't help but hum excitedly.
After all, once today's job was done, it wouldn't be long before she became a multimillionaire!
This was a windfall large enough for her to squander for a lifetime!
While she was leisurely humming a tune and imagining a life of luxury...
Boom!
Rip!
First, a heavy thud came from the roof, followed by... sharp claws piercing the roof, tearing it open like a tin can.
Dr. Lizard looked down at Saji in the car, his crimson vertical pupils flashing with rays of tyranny and chaos.
He recognized this woman.
It was this woman who, with the most vicious words, had driven him to a dead end!
Seeing the giant lizard-man, over three meters tall and covered in dark green scales, staring at her with cold vertical pupils, Saji felt a surge of warmth below; she was scared senseless by the terrifying monster on the spot.
She screamed frantically, curled into a ball, and hurriedly tried to push the car door open to escape.
But... a thick tail pressed firmly against the car door, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't push it open.
Seeing the Lizard Monster's claws getting closer, Saji closed her eyes in despair.
Just when she thought she was dead...
Swish, swish, swish!
Strands of white spider silk shot through the air, first accurately sticking to Dr. Lizard's eyes!
Then, as the silk continued to pour over Dr. Lizard, he was soon wrapped up like a giant Zongzi.
'Hey, big guy! Bullying an unarmed lady isn't something a gentleman would do.'
'Uh... although your current appearance has nothing to do with being a gentleman, anyway, your friendly neighborhood Ghost-Spider won't let you have your way!'
Gwen, wearing her Ghost-Spider suit, descended from the sky, not forgetting to strike a pose fit for a hero's entrance.
Yeah, this was an exclusive move she designed after repeatedly simulating the pose The Punisherstruck when he landed at noon... Gwen thought that after controlling the opponent with her silk, she could banter without a care.
But the next second, Dr. Lizard easily broke free from the webs, opened his mouth, and let out a deafening roar at Gwen.
'Hiss, what brand of protein powder do you eat? Also, by the way, how long has it been since you brushed your teeth?'
Gwen dodged Dr. Lizard's attacks using her Spider-Sense while leisurely mocking him.
It seemed all Spider-Men were naturally gifted at banter.
Although Gwen was still a rookie, her trash-talking skills were already reaching a professional level.
Just as she was feeling a bit smug from easily playing with Dr. Lizard...
Swish!
A huge tail, fast as lightning, predicted where she would land from swinging her silk and whipped Gwen hard.
A massive force struck, and she was instantly sent flying through the air.
Her petite body slammed heavily into a bus behind her, causing a large dent in the vehicle's side.
'Ugh!'
Gwen felt as if her internal organs were being displaced; the intense pain nearly made her pass out.
This blow knocked the sense right back into her eyes under the mask!
She couldn't help but vent inwardly: A version update without notifying me, right?
How did Shocker just appear at noon, and now another Lizard Monster pops up at night?
And this Lizard Monster's strength is even greater than that Shocker's Impact!
I wonder if The Punisher got the news this time?
Or was he really just passing by at noon?
While Gwen's mind was a mess of these random thoughts, her Spider-Sense rang again.
She immediately endured her injuries and stood up quickly.
Sure enough, just as she left the dent where she had been lying, a taxi came whistling through the air and smashed down.
The terrifying force caused the bus to flip instantly, tumbling and crashing into the bridge's railings, destroying a large section of them.
The life-or-death sensation forced Gwen to focus. Realizing it was better to rely on herself than others, she tried again to use her agility and silk to wage a guerrilla war around Dr. Lizard.
This tactic was indeed effective.
As her experience grew, the Lizard Monster was gradually suppressed by her speed and silk.
Additionally, as time passed, she noticed the monster's size seemed to be shrinking bit by bit.
Just as she was feeling invigorated and thought she might defeat the monster in one go, a mother's desperate cry came from behind her:
'Please, save my child!'
Gwen instinctively looked back and saw a car about to be flipped off the bridge by the shockwaves of the battle.
In the back seat of the car was a seven or eight-year-old boy, currently clinging to the window and crying his heart out!
Gwen's heart clenched!
Without thinking, she shot a strand of silk that accurately stuck to the precarious car.
Then, with a sudden burst of strength in her arms, she actually managed to pull the car back!
Having done this, Gwen couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, a sense of pride and satisfaction welling up in her heart.
But just as she was about to turn back and continue dealing with the Lizard Monster, she saw a scene she would never forget...
Chapter 32: The Alliance of Two Greens
Pfft!
When Gwen turned her head, she saw Dr. Lizard's sharp claws penetrate the chest of the female secretary, Saji, without any obstruction.
Saji's face was filled with terror. Even when Dr. Lizard threw her to the ground like trash, her eyes remained wide open, as if she couldn't believe she had died just like that!
As for Gwen, she stared blankly at everything, her mind a complete void.
As a young girl overflowing with a sense of justice, she subconsciously attributed Saji's death to her own powerlessness.
If I had been more careful, if I had noticed the situation of the vehicles on the bridge at the first moment... I could have saved both of them!
But now... looking at Saji's unclosed eyes, a sense of guilt involuntarily welled up in Gwen's heart.
She felt that she was responsible for the other party's death.
Realizing this, Gwen, in an attempt to rectify the mistake she had made, recklessly charged forward, trying to stop the Lizard Monster... "At least the killer must be brought to justice!"
With this thought, she crashed into the Lizard Monster.
Her anger indeed increased her strength. She successfully knocked down Dr. Lizard, whose potion's effects were gradually fading, and straddled him, repeatedly throwing punches.
Her fists rained down on Dr. Lizard's face, even smashing his incredibly strong defenses into a bloody mess.
But that was all!
While anger enhanced Gwen's strength, it also caused her Spider-Sense to temporarily malfunction.
Dr. Lizard seized the opportunity to bind Gwen with his tail, then raised his hand and clawed at Gwen's stomach.
Fortunately, the moment his claws swung out, they vaguely showed signs of impending collapse.
Otherwise, if that claw had landed squarely, Gwen would surely have been disemboweled.
Watching his strong right arm slowly disintegrate, the Lizard Monster seemed to witness the most terrifying thing in the World.
Taking one last look at Gwen, who he had heavily thrown to the ground, and the armed helicopter circling high above, he dared not linger. He immediately climbed onto the bridge's steel beam and quickly disappeared from the scene.
Gwen reluctantly got up from the ground. She originally wanted to continue pursuing the Lizard Monster.
However, the distance between them was too great, and faint police sirens could be heard behind her.
Thinking of what happened at noon, Gwen gradually calmed down. She dared not stay any longer, so she covered her bleeding abdomen and swung away with her web... Osborn!
Watching his completely disintegrated right arm, Connors, who was gradually devolving from a Lizard Monster back into a human, involuntarily thought of this name.
He must return to Oscorp Tower to inject himself with more lizard serum, and also... he must get revenge! Make that Norman Osborn, who regards human lives as worthless, pay the price!
Clang!
Dr. Lizard smashed through the glass curtain wall on the ground floor of Oscorp Tower, tearing apart all the employees and security guards in his path with his sharp claws.
He stumbled towards his laboratory, completely unaware that outside the window, a monster in a dark green metal battlesuit, riding a flying skateboard, was quietly watching him.
"Curt Connors?"
Green Goblin, or rather, Norman Osborn, grinned an exaggerated arc, his eyes flashing with excitement and curiosity.
"It seems my 'backup plan' has also succeeded... or failed?"
Yee-haw!
Seeing Connors, in his half-human, half-lizard state, about to reach for the lizard serum, Green Goblin, who was in the air, let out a strange cry and instantly swooped down.
The Green Goblin Glider beneath his feet easily smashed through the glass curtain wall, snatching an entire box of lizard serum into his hands at an incredibly fast speed!
Seeing his "hope" snatched away, Dr. Connors, in an extremely unstable mental state, roared and reached out to grab Green Goblin, who was in the air.
But now, the effects of his potion had almost worn off, and his body had returned to the height of a normal human. How could he possibly reach Green Goblin, who was rapidly moving through the air?
After all that struggle, he didn't even catch a single hair of Green Goblin's, and instead was riddled with wounds from Green Goblin's darts.
"Oh, poor Connors! Look at your worthless state~"
Seeing the lizard scales on Connors' body almost completely disappear.
He quickly manipulated the glider to fly down and injected Connors with one-third of a tube of the potion.
This, in his opinion, was the most suitable mode, neither indecisive as usual, nor so violent as to be unable to communicate.
After injecting the potion, Green Goblin jumped off the glider and simultaneously removed his Green Goblin Helmet.
"Osborn?" Connors looked at Green Goblin, letting out a low growl.
"Oh, I'm glad you still recognize me~"
Green Goblin looked down at Connors from above, his tone full of mockery.
"However, Norman Osborn is dead. You should now call me... Green Goblin!"
"You! Deserve! To die!" The half-human, half-lizard Connors let out a piercing roar.
Green Goblin, however, ignored this, merely circling Connors, analyzing and saying:
"Unstable... it seems your gene chain, like mine, is on the verge of collapse."
Green Goblin instantly determined that the lizard serum was a failure, even inferior to his physique enhancement potion.
At least he was sane (Green Goblin believed he had killed the weak personality), while what Connorscreated was a monster completely unable to control itself.
He needed a real antidote!
An antidote that could both allow him to retain his power and perfectly stabilize his genes, freeing him, Harry, and future generations from the family's hereditary disease forever!
To achieve this... a name quickly surfaced in his mind—Peter Parker!
Because Connors' report meticulously detailed Peter's help in completing the Decay Rate Algorithm.
Green Goblin was convinced that this young man, Peter, or rather, the relics left by his parents, held the key to saving the Osborn family!
Yes! It's him!
In the blink of an eye, a crazy plan formed in Green Goblin's mind:
"Listen! You wretch!"
Green Goblin ignored Connors' chatter and shouted in a highly inflammatory tone:
"We are not enemies! We are now of the same kind! Both abandoned by this World... a higher existence!"
Green Goblin walked to the French window, looking at the bustling traffic outside and exclaimed:
"Look at them! Those fragile, foolish, lowly humans! We are meant to dominate and enslave these inferior beings, and even gradually transform them into our brothers!"
Listening to Green Goblin's words, Dr. Lizard's eyes subconsciously showed a thoughtful expression.
Building a kingdom full of Lizardmen... that didn't sound bad either!
"What do you want to do?" It couldn't help but ask.
Green Goblin, hearing this, involuntarily grinned again:
"We must immediately find Peter Parker! That child will be our key to opening the New World!"
Chapter 33 – Comfort and the Hunt
Tap tap tap!
Thanks to Kyougoku Makoto's combat experience and the lizard serum's double boost to his hearing, Peter instantly recognized the visitor—Gwen.
Peter wasn't surprised by Gwen's sudden arrival.
It was something he had more or less expected.
For Gwen, after a setback, it seemed the only person she could confide in was her childhood friend—him.
With that thought, Peter walked out of his bedroom, went downstairs, and pretended to look for a late-night snack.
Just then the doorbell rang at the perfect moment.
Peter turned and opened the door.
"Gwen?!"
He put on just the right expression of surprise, his voice pitched so that the two elders eavesdropping in the living room could hear.
Almost the instant he spoke her name, Peter noticed the TV volume in the living room being quietly lowered several decibels.
He rolled his eyes mentally.
Uncle Ben, Aunt May, at your age you're still this nosy!
While Peter grumbled inwardly, Gwen outside first exhaled in relief, then leaned close to his ear and whispered:
"Take me to your bedroom—don't let Uncle Ben and Aunt May follow."
Peter nodded knowingly, his deep gaze flicking over the wound on Gwen's abdomen before turning back to call out:
"Aunt May, Uncle Ben! It's Gwen—she's stuck on some homework and wants my help. I'll take her upstairs!"
"Oh, and she's on a diet lately—don't make her any snacks or she'll get mad!"
In the living room Uncle Ben and Aunt May exchanged a knowing smile full of "we understand."
"All right, you kids study hard, we won't disturb you," Uncle Ben said with a wicked grin, raising an eyebrow at Peter and even turning the TV volume up a notch… Click.
Only after the door was locked did Gwen finally relax, nearly collapsing into Peter's arms.
From Manhattan Bridge all the way here—who knew how much blood she'd lost.
An ordinary person would have gone into shock long ago.
Seeing her pale face, Peter wasted no words, pulling a pre-packed first-aid kit from under the bed.
He motioned for her to sit on the bed and gently lifted her top.
On her fair, smooth abdomen three ghastly claw marks were stark against her skin.
It was the first time they'd been this intimately close; Gwen could feel Peter's warm breath on her stomach.
A strange tingling spread from around the wound, warming her cheeks.
"How did this happen?" Peter asked casually as he swabbed the cut with alcohol.
The sting made Gwen hiss softly, scattering the flutter in her chest.
She gathered her thoughts and recited the story she'd prepared:
"Did you see the news about Manhattan Bridge?"
"I… happened to be there and ran into that Lizard Monster…"
"I saw him about to kill Ms. Saji—the secretary from Oscorp we met before. I tried to help and got hurt by mistake…"
Her voice dropped, thick with self-reproach:
"Then… Ghost-Spider saved me. She was amazing and drove the Lizard Monster away, but Ms. Saji still died."
"Peter, am I useless? If I'd been braver maybe I could've saved her…"
Listening, Peter silently grumbled.
You silly girl, still protecting your superhero image every second.
Aren't you afraid I'll fall in love with that elusive Ghost-Spider?
He finished cleaning the wound and said seriously:
"Gwen, it's not your fault."
"You did everything you could and got hurt in the process… don't be so hard on yourself."
While wrapping the bandage he guided her gently:
"Think about it: in all that chaos the Lizard Monster singled out Ms. Saji—what does that tell you?"
"It was probably a revenge killing."
"Since his goal was to kill Saji from the start, even if you or Ghost-Spider saved her for a moment, the monster could've attacked other people to distract you and then finished the job."
"So don't blame yourself. As long as you know you did your best, that's enough."
His words lifted a weight from Gwen's heart.
His reminder also made details she'd missed click into place.
A name surfaced—Dr. Connors!
If her guess was right, Oscorp could still be in danger.
"I get it, Peter. Thank you!"
Once he finished bandaging, Gwen dared not linger; she thanked him and, afraid her father would notice she'd sneaked out, hurried home.
Watching her disappear into the night, Peter knew she was heading to Oscorp to check.
He didn't follow.
He knew she'd find nothing.
Too much time had passed; Dr. Connors had surely left with the serum. She'd arrive only to find an empty lab.
And he'd already hinted she should put her safety first; if she couldn't win, she could still escape.
Just as he expected, Gwen's trip to Oscorp came up empty and she left dejected.
But neither Gwen nor Peter realized that as Gwen swung away on her web-line, two pairs of eyes in the darkened top-floor office of Oscorp Tower watched her go.
"Huh? So there really are more of our kind."
Beneath the Green Goblin helmet his lips curled in a greedy smile as he stared at Gwen's retreating figure.
He was certain this self-styled "Ghost-Spider" was a perfect specimen.
"You should've let me keep her," Connors grumbled beside him.
"No, acting now would scare the prey."
The Green Goblin's eyes glinted with calculation as a two-birds-one-stone plan formed:
"Instead of tipping them off, tomorrow we'll pay a visit to Peter Parker's school—Midtown High—and wait for our chance!"
Chapter 34 – The Punisher Returns
The next morning, sunlight bathed the campus.
Midtown High was, as always, buzzing with youthful noise and energy.
Students drifted down the corridors in twos and threes, chatting about last night's game or the coming exams.
No one sensed the huge crisis creeping closer.
BOOM—!!!
A deafening blast tore through the air above the school.
Green Goblin swooped down on his glider, hurling pumpkin bombs that left two craters in the quad.
Before the students could grasp what was happening, he cackled and charged into the main building.
He kept shouting at the top of his lungs:
"Peter Parker, good boy, where are you?"
At the same time, a Beast-like roar echoed from the restrooms; Dr. Lizard, who'd spent the night in the sewers, burst out of the toilets.
The two villains rampaged across campus, cornering lone students and demanding, "Where's Peter Parker?"
Inside the chemistry lab…
Peter stared at Green Goblin soaring past the window, his brain short-circuiting for a second.
What's that in the sky?
A bird? A cloud?
No—damn it, that's Green Goblin!
I've seen everything, right? (crossed out)
This—this I have NOT seen!
Dude, seriously!
We agreed the target was Dr. Lizard—where did Green Goblin pop from?
Green Goblin's entrance gave Peter a harsh lesson.
From today on, he'd never trust any so-called villain timeline again!
"…Shit!"
The instant Peter spotted both villains, Gwen realized something was wrong.
Glancing at the "clueless" Peter beside her and the chaos erupting in class, she made an instant call.
"Peter! Come with me—this place is too dangerous!"
"No."
Peter shook off Gwen's hand, dead serious.
"You heard him—he's after me. If I stay, everyone else stays safe."
"Gwen, go. Call the cops—fast enough and I'll be fine."
Gwen froze for a second, then saw the cold logic.
After a quick "Stay hidden," she sprinted out of the chem lab.
She had to suit up—only then could she save Peter.
"Aha! Good boy, found you!"
Less than a minute after Gwen left, Green Goblin on his flying skateboard smashed through the lab wall.
Before the dust settled, his mocking voice hit Peter's ears.
Peter answered by hurling a beaker of chemicals.
BOOM!
It burst against the wall beside Green Goblin; the shockwave nearly knocked him off his ride.
"So your chem grades are solid too~"
Green Goblin shrugged, unimpressed by the "parlor trick."
But as he lunged to grab Peter, a black-and-white blur swung in—Ghost-Spider.
She kicked Green Goblin off his glider, then turned to Peter.
"I've got this—run!"
Her cool lasted all of three seconds; a thick tail smashed through the opposite wall and batted her aside.
Dr. Lizard burst in, roaring, from the next classroom.
Back on his glider, Green Goblin chimed in with glee:
"Nasty little bug—time to die!"
Gwen hissed, feeling yesterday's claw wounds start to bleed again.
No time to care.
To give Peter a chance, she fired a web at a metal cabinet,
yanked it free, and swung the massive locker like a mace at the duo, sending both villains flying.
"FYI, bugs and spiders are different species~"
"Hmph—hope your moves match your mouth!"
Stung twice, Green Goblin hurled a flurry of blades.
Gwen's Spider-Sense let her twist and dodge every one.
Before she could breathe, Dr. Lizard charged.
The two-on-one beatdown spun the already-wounded Gwen like a top…
Neither villain noticed Peter slip into the boys' restroom instead of fleeing downstairs.
The instant the door shut, his "panic" vanished, replaced by cold composure.
"Unexpected curve, but still on script."
"Time to put things back on track."
Bam-bam-bam!
Rookie and injured, Gwen lasted only moments before the pair floored her.
She was flung by pumpkin-bomb shockwaves or smashed by Dr. Lizard's brute force again and again.
Each hit chipped at her resolve.
This is impossible!
Handling either one alone was tough enough.
Facing both? This is outright bullying!
As despair crept in, both villains felt a sudden chill.
A calm voice cut through:
"Rookie—looks like you need backup."
To Gwen it was heaven-sent; she turned and saw the familiar yet alien black-red suit.
The Punisher had arrived.
"Where'd this guy crawl from?" Green Goblin muttered to Dr. Lizard.
But the good doctor had lost the power of speech and simply roared at Peter.
Peter didn't flinch; he smiled at Gwen.
"Rookie, keep the clown busy—give me one minute, then I'll tag in."
The boast left Gwen, Green Goblin, and even Dr. Lizard blinking in disbelief.
Is he nuts?
Against a three-meter monster that can level a building, he claims he needs only sixty seconds?
ROAR!
Feeling mocked, Dr. Lizard slashed with his claws—
and the next second, jaws dropped all around.
One hand.
The Punisher caught the lizard's claw with a single hand.
Then—BOOM!
With a neat shoulder-throw he slammed the towering Beast to the floor!
Chapter 35: Not Very Harmful, But Extremely Insulting
How could he call me that!
The Green Goblin was originally a bit angry because Peter called him Joker, wanting to give Peter an unforgettable lesson.
But when he saw Peter ignore the completely disproportionate size difference and knock down Dr. Lizard in one blow, his eyes under the helmet instantly cleared.
Umm... suddenly, being called Joker didn't seem like such a big deal... On the other side, Dr. Lizard, who was knocked to the ground, felt his mind go blank.
Did he just... get knocked down by a human?
Influenced by the lizard genes, Dr. Lizard's current logic was very peculiar.
He subconsciously believed that humans were inferior creatures, and only Lizardmen were noble beings!
And at this moment, a noble Lizardman had been knocked down by an inferior human!
Realizing this, the Lizardman was beyond furious.
He let out a threatening low growl, attempting to scramble up from the ground with his hands and feet, while his thick tail swept out like a steel whip, creating gusts of fierce wind that tore through the air!
This strike was enough to send a car weighing over a ton flying!
But facing this thunderous blow, there wasn't a ripple of emotion on Peter's face. He just slowly raised his right hand... Under the incredulous gazes of Dr. Lizard, the Green Goblin, and Gwen in the distance, he actually caught that heavy, powerful tail with his palm, just like that.
The violent kinetic energy, at the moment it contacted Peter's palm, was like a clay ox entering the sea, vanishing without a trace.
Peter's body didn't move an inch!
"What?!"
Dr. Lizard's vertical pupils were filled with disbelief.
How could this be!
How could his strength be so easily caught by such a tiny human?!
Before he could react from the shock, Peter's arm suddenly exerted force!
"Up you go~"
In the next second, Dr. Lizard only felt an irresistible, terrifying force coming from his tail. His massive body, weighing several tons, was actually swung up by Peter!
Whoosh!
Like a hammer throw, Dr. Lizard traced a perfect parabola in the air!
Boom!!!
The reinforced concrete wall was like paper, with a huge hole instantly smashed through it!
Dr. Lizard's massive body slammed heavily into the corridor. The concrete part of the corridor railing collapsed, and the metal railing above was completely bent by the violent force.
"This... how is it possible!"
Gwen stared blankly at this scene, her mind completely blank.
The Lizard Monster she had to struggle with all her might just to barely deal with was now actually being... spun like a top by that guy named "The Punisher"?
Is this guy... really human?
"Roar!"
Shaking his dizzy head, Dr. Lizard let out another angry roar.
As a being with strength equal to Peter's, he naturally wouldn't be defeated by two simple moves.
Rage completely drowned out the remaining bit of reason in his heart, so he lunged at Peter regardless of everything, launching a fierce attack based only on the most primitive survival instinct.
Sharp claws tore through the air, pouncing with the whistle of the Shinigami.
The thick tail whipped toward Peter again, trying to smash him into a folding screen on the spot.
But facing Dr. Lizard's reckless attack, Peter's face still showed no ripple of emotion.
He just stepped aside, effortlessly dodging the tail attack:
"Want to move your body? Then I'll play with you for a bit!"
As Peter spoke, his fists traced series of afterimages in the air!
Seeing this, Gwen, who was dodging the Green Goblin's Pumpkin Bombs while constantly maneuvering around him, almost had her heart in her throat.
Is he crazy?
To actually give up his powerful combat techniques and go head-to-head with the Lizard Monsterwithout dodging?
Bang bang bang!
Just as such a thought surfaced in Gwen's mind, the muffled sounds of fists hitting flesh rang out one after another.
Gwen subconsciously turned her head and saw "The Punisher" was actually trading blows with the Lizard Monster!
Moreover, he performed with such leisurely steps, as if he couldn't feel the pressure at all.
No, it wasn't "as if" he couldn't feel the pressure; he really had no pressure!
This guy even... found time to reach out and yawn?!
This time, it wasn't very harmful, but it was extremely insulting.
Dr. Lizard's eyeballs completely turned from yellow-brown to crimson!
He almost frantically continued to attack Peter, and the battle between the two left the corridor in a mess.
The ground was full of craters from the impacts, and the walls and classrooms they passed were torn apart.
On the playground below, the high school students who were taking refuge were originally so scared their breathing almost stopped.
But seeing the two fighting more and more vigorously, they actually started cheering one by one.
What The Punisher and that Lizard Monster were currently dismantling was the place where they went to school!
This was just like the daydream every kid in a certain large Eastern country has had: "I'm off to blow up the school, with a pack of explosives on my back!"
Now, the dream had become reality!
As long as The Punisher or the Lizard Monster threw one more punch at the surrounding classrooms, they could have an extra day off!
Even many of the Seniors among them might be able to just lie at home until graduation!
Not having to attend a single day of class and being on vacation until graduation—what a beautiful thing!
"So cool! Punisher, help us out, give the classroom next to you another punch!"
"Nice! I love you to death, Punisher! I want to have your babies!"
Seeing that an entire floor of the teaching building had been almost destroyed by himself and Dr. Lizard, Dr. Lizard's movements also became slower and slower.
Peter then spoke mockingly:
"Hey, no way? I haven't even started trying yet, and you're already giving out?"
"Humble human! Stop talking big in front of me!" Dr. Lizard retorted angrily.
But this behavior precisely proved his weakness!
If the serum was still in full effect, he could never have spoken such a coherent sentence.
"Talking big?!"
Peter sneered, and in the next second, his entire being instantly turned into a black and red afterimage.
Followed by... Boom!
A straight punch hit Dr. Lizard's stomach like a heavy cannon!
Caught off guard, Dr. Lizard took this punch; the solid scales on his body were shattered, and his eyeballs almost popped out of their sockets.
"It's not over yet!"
Peter didn't give the mid-air Dr. Lizard any chance to adjust his state.
Stomping heavily on the ground, he rushed toward Dr. Lizard at high speed.
Followed by... "Ora ora ora ora..."
Like a storm of Consecutive Normal Punches, Dr. Lizard felt like a small boat in a violent storm.
His massive body became almost entirely a large punching bag, with no chance to fight back, only able to retreat steadily under the barrage of Peter's "Ora" sounds.
After taking who knows how many hundreds of punches, with his joints deformed and his body size completely shrunk back to a normal human, Dr. Lizard struggled to get up from the ruins, but failed several times in a row.
Finally, Dr. Lizard's vision went black, and he completely lost consciousness.
Dr. Lizard: Retired!