Ch: 47-57
Chapter 47 – Peter vs. Captain America
Nick Fury, Natasha, Coulson, Captain America:???
When I type a question mark, it's not because I'm confused—it's because I think YOU'RE the one who's confused.
What do you mean, 'Let's fight to warm up'?
Ever heard of respecting your elders?
Be nice to the ninety-year-old, you punk!
After a brief daze, Captain America didn't jump at Peter's challenge; instead he asked meekly:
'Um… could someone first tell me where I am, and… what year this is?'
Hearing that, Nick Fury's eyes lit up. He hip-checked Coulson aside and planted himself in front of the Captain, desperate to max out goodwill with his future 'star enforcer':
'Captain, welcome home! It's 2009. I'm Director Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D.—the Strategic Scientific Reserve you remember.'
He'd expected the legendary hero from the past to show immediate respect once he learned who was standing before him.
Before Captain America could answer, though, a lazy voice drifted over:
'Bet you didn't see this coming, Captain.'
Peter, hands in his pockets, slouched against a lab bench and spoke in a tone that begged to be punched:
'These days, a Black man can run a big outfit. My beloved America really is thriving~'
Nick Fury: (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻
You little—will you never quit?!
Captain America: (˘•ω•˘)
Crude, but… he's not wrong. After a blink of surprise, the ever-PR-savvy Captain flashed his trademark heroic smile and politely nodded to Nick Fury in greeting.
Then he turned to Peter and said:
'Young man, thank you for saving me, but the Director deserves respect. In America we're all equal.'
As he spoke he flexed his still-stiff body, and a formidable aura rolled off him.
'About that spar… let's skip it. I'm still getting used to this body; I don't want to hurt any—'
He never finished. A sharp whistle of air split the space beside his ear.
On pure super-soldier instinct, Captain America snapped his hand up and caught the incoming fist.
SMACK!
The instant fist met palm, the sound cracked like a whip through the air.
Hiss—
Captain America sucked in a breath, his handsome face twisting.
What strength!
He followed the arm to its owner—and found the clean-cut, college-aged kid who'd looked harmless a second ago.
No honor among youngsters—ambushing a ninety-something senior!
Peter pulled back his fist and gave the Captain a radiantly 'friendly' grin:
'Looks like your bones haven't rusted solid after all.'
He dropped into a stance and beckoned:
'Come on. This is part of the therapy; a real fight beats any rehab workout.'
Peter wasn't a battle-junkie or grand-stander.
He simply wanted to crush, in the most direct and brutal way, every last shred of hope Nick Fury still clung to.
He'd already shown the 'magic' deterrent with his Giant Rasengan.
Now he meant to floor the man Nick considered the 'ceiling of close-quarters combat' using nothing but raw physical power.
He would make it crystal-clear, across every category of force, that Peter Parker was an opponent Nick Fury could never overcome.
If Fury ever nursed another shady idea again, not even Captain America could protect him.
Across the room, Nick Fury was secretly delighted each time Peter provoked the Captain.
He'd worried the Captain might refuse to help against Peter out of gratitude.
Now that Peter was shoving the legendary soldier right into his arms, Fury wasn't about to object.
Let the Captain beat some sense into you first, kid—show you what a real gap in power looks like!
With that in mind, Fury called out:
'Captain, since Peter says it's therapeutic, why not humor him? It's for your own good.'
He egged Captain America on, stopping just short of yelling, 'Captain, get in there—don't wimp out!'
Captain America flexed his still-tingling hand and studied the unfathomably strong but clear-eyed boy in front of him.
After a second's hesitation he nodded:
'All right.'
He hopped off the lab table, blue eyes meeting Peter's as he said softly:
'Young man, bring it on.'
The words were barely out when Peter blurred to him, far faster than Nick or the others expected.
BAM-BAM-BAM!
In the blink of an eye they'd traded a dozen blows, leaving after-images in the air.
'Captain, my body outranks yours—don't hold back; you'd better use that shield.'
Captain America gave a reflexive nod; the brief exchange had already shown him how formidable Peterwas.
The kid was easily super-soldier tier, with superb fight sense and technique.
He hadn't faced anyone this troublesome since before the ice!
Realizing it, the Captain felt a long-lost surge of excitement. He unslung the Vibranium shield and warned:
'Watch out!'
The shield whipped out like a lethal comet, slicing at Peter's neck from a vicious angle—a battle-tested kill-stroke, fast, precise, merciless.
Peter caught the shield one-handed, vaulted off it, and snapped a reverse hook-kick at the back of Captain America's head.
Alarm bells rang; the Captain threw up an elbow and blocked hard.
They separated, neither gaining the upper hand.
In that instant they locked eyes and saw the same thrill mirrored there.
Peter thought: Worthy of the 'Marvel 50-50' legend—still not fully recovered, yet with reflexes and experience he's turning every speed- and strength-based strike aside.
To Captain America, Peter's silhouette flickered, overlapping with another figure—Buggy Barnes, his best friend.
'Again!' they shouted in unison and crashed together once more.
BAM-BAM-BAM!
The tempest of fists left the other three spectators stunned.
Nick Fury, Natasha, and Coulson huddled in a corner, faces white with shock.
So this… is Captain Berry's true might?
Incredible!
But… why on earth is Peter Parker, a high-school kid—and supposedly a mage—trading blows with him blow for blow?!
Chapter 48: This Kid Must Be My Fan!
Nick Fury was looking forward to seeing Peter being pinned down and beaten by Captain America.
But reality disappointed him.
Not only was Peter not subdued, but he became more excited the more he fought!
He found Captain America to be a perfect sparring partner!
Daredevil was also a master of technique, but his physical fitness was too weak, and he only fought street gang members.
Plus, he always adhered to the no-kill principle.
So, while he had some skill, Peter felt somewhat restricted when fighting him.
Simply put... he was afraid of accidentally killing him with one punch!
But Captain America was different; after injecting the Super Soldier Serum, his physical fitness was only slightly inferior to Peter's.
This allowed Peter to fight him without holding back.
Additionally, the techniques Captain America mastered were real killing techniques honed on the battlefield.
These techniques perfectly compensated for Kyougoku Makoto's shortcomings.
Although Kyougoku Makoto was a fighting genius, he was an "athlete" rather than an assassin. Therefore, while his Karate moves were exquisite, they lacked true killing blows.
With Kyougoku Makoto's monstrous fighting talent and the super reaction speed provided by the lizard serum,
Peter was like a sponge, greedily absorbing the combat experience Captain America had accumulated through countless life-and-death struggles!
Every move, every exertion of force, every combat decision Steve made was firmly imprinted in Peter's eyes and body, then quickly transformed into his own.
This also caused Peter's fighting style and techniques to evolve rapidly at a visible pace!
...Is this kid... a monster?!
On the other side, Captain America grew more alarmed the more he fought.
He could clearly feel his stiff body gradually recovering during the fight, and his strength and speed were steadily returning to their peak.
But no matter how much he improved, the young man opposite him could always perfectly overpower him!
However, amidst his alarm, he couldn't help but feel some admiration.
Because several times, he clearly felt that when Peter couldn't block his attacks, the strength in Peter's fists would suddenly increase a few points.
But after forcing him back, in the next exchange, that strength would mysteriously recede, maintaining a level just enough to contend with him.
What did this indicate?
It indicated that the young man had actually been suppressing his own strength and speed.
He wasn't trying to show off by stepping on him.
Instead... he was genuinely helping him with his rehabilitation training!
With this thought, Captain America's gaze towards Peter softened considerably.
To be honest, when he first met Peter, his impression of him wasn't very good.
But after a round of fighting, he gradually realized that this young man... although a bit sharp-tongued and arrogant in his actions, was essentially a good person.
Especially... Clang!
Peter's fist heavily struck Captain America's shield, and the violent force caused both of them to subconsciously retreat two or three steps.
The moment they separated, they both spoke almost in unison:
"I can do this all day!"
At that instant, Captain America's eyes lit up.
You kid, you even said my catchphrase. Aren't you my fan?!
With this thought, Captain America's gaze towards Peter completely changed.
It was the loving and appreciative look of an elder seeing an outstanding junior!
Nick Fury, huddled in the corner, saw Captain America's expression and couldn't help but slap his forehead.
It's over... it's all over... even Captain America can't do anything about this brat!
And looking at Captain America's expression, it's clear he's developed feelings!
Damn it!
Is there still justice?!
Is there still law?!
Why can this brat achieve this level without even using magic?!
Is there really anything on Earth that can restrain him?
Peter didn't pay attention to Nick Fury's changing expression; he just looked at Captain America and asked:
"Captain, want to continue?"
Feeling the sore muscles in his arms, Captain America smiled and shook his head:
"No need, your treatment is very effective. I feel like I've reached my optimal state, and..."
At this point, Captain America paused slightly, but still sincerely praised:
"I'm no match for you. If that had been on the battlefield just now, I might have already died."
If Peter and Captain America's fight had merely made Nick Fury feel suffocated, then now, Captain America's personal "official certification" was equivalent to nailing the coffin shut!
There was absolutely no hope left!
He couldn't control Peter and could only accept all the "unequal treaties" as Peter said!
No!!!
While Nick Fury was immersed in the BGM of "Snowflakes fluttering, north wind howling~," Peter had quietly walked up to him:
"Mr. Nick Fury, I've already taken care of the two things you asked me to help with. Now, it's time to pay up."
Nick Fury looked at Peter as if facing a formidable enemy. Although he knew he was no match for him, he still spoke fiercely:
"I'll say this upfront: S.H.I.E.L.D. has no money. If you want money from me, forget about it!"
"Don't worry, I have other people in mind for making money."
Peter patted his shoulder, then stroked his chin and said:
"For this first payment..."
He surveyed the laboratory, then pointed at Captain America and said:
"I want Captain America..."
"You wish!" Nick Fury's voice changed pitch in excitement.
"Look at you, so impatient!" Peter rolled his eyes at him, then said:
"I want the uniform Captain America is wearing."
This was Captain America's original uniform, worn for 70 years after he injected the Super Soldier Serum!
Hmm... strange, why did I emphasize 'original'?
Anyway, although this uniform wasn't made of any special material, sacrificing it to the system would definitely be super valuable!
At least it would be on the same level as the Decay Rate Algorithm manuscript.
Hearing that Peter only wanted Captain America's uniform, Nick Fury breathed a long sigh of relief.
Uniforms weren't worth much; S.H.I.E.L.D. could make dozens of them in minutes if they wanted to.
Captain America, on the side, looked at Peter with a hint of excitement in his eyes:
And you still say you're not my fan?
"As for the second payment..." Peter stared at Nick Fury's eye patch for a while, then withdrew his gaze a moment later.
Nick Fury was just a weakling, and not particularly important. This item probably wouldn't be worth much sacrifice points, and exchanging a favor for a broken eye patch simply wasn't worth it.
"I haven't thought of it yet. I'll tell you when I do!"
Nick Fury had no choice but to humbly express: "Whatever makes you happy, sir."
Not long after, Peter received Captain America's uniform. The moment his fingers touched the uniform, a prompt immediately appeared:
[Detected sacrificable dark blue item: Captain Berry's Original Uniform]
[Item Description: The first generation uniform of Captain Berry, Steve Rogers. It accompanied Captain America through the glorious years of World War II and witnessed seventy years of solitude in the Arctic ice. It holds significant commemorative value.]
[Sacrificing this item grants 3000 points. Do you wish to sacrifice it?]
Chapter 49 – You're Finally Learning How to Be a Bureaucrat
As expected, it was an item on the same level as the Decay Rate Algorithm manuscript.
Peter was quite satisfied with that number, so he didn't hesitate for a second and immediately chose to sacrifice it.
Buzz!
The next instant, the suit he had been holding vanished into thin air under the stares of Nick Fury, Natasha, Coulson, and Captain America himself.
Of course, Peter had done it on purpose.
Sure enough, Nick Fury was badly rattled by this little "ace" of his.
Right now, Fury's one good eye looked ready to pop out of its socket.
That was… spatial manipulation?!
This guy can fire magic bullets, cast healing spells, and even wields spatial magic?!
Hiss—can't be provoked, can't be provoked!
If Fury had simply lost his temper earlier, now he was in utter despair.
He no longer dared dream of controlling Peter.
If he upset this ticking bomb and it ripped open space to stab him in the back… where could he even cry?
The moment the thought crossed his mind, Fury's face performed a Sichuan-opera mask change.
Instantly: I've learned my lesson, please spare me!
"All right, deal's done."
As if he hadn't noticed the odd looks, Peter languidly stretched and said,
"It's late; I should head home. Natasha, give me a ride."
He spoke as naturally as if she were his personal chauffeur.
Natasha parted her red lips to answer, but Fury cut in first with an almost fawning tone:
"No problem!"
"Agent Natasha, you will see The Punisher safely home! From now on, meeting and fulfilling The Punisher's requests is your top priority!"
After that, he still turned to Peter to keep himself in the limelight:
"Lord Punisher, if you ever need anything, just say the word—S.H.I.E.L.D. will cooperate!"
Watching the grinning Fury, who looked ready to offer his other cheek if Peter slapped the first one.
Beside them, Captain America's double chin wrinkled in disgust; he thought, So that's how this guy became Director.
Peter smiled and patted Fury's shoulder, giving him a rare compliment:
"Good, Nick. Looks like you're finally learning how to be a bureaucrat!"
On the way home, sirens wailed closer and closer.
Without rolling the window down, Peter's sharp ears still caught the keyword "Ghost-Spider."
He glanced out the side window.
High on a building, Gwen was fighting a purple-clad guy with steel-clawed gloves on the wall.
Noticing Peter's gaze, Natasha tactfully switched the radio to the police band:
"…the purple-costumed perp calls himself 'The Prowler.' He just robbed a jewelry store, but Ghost-Spider intercepted him. Officer, do we open fire?"
The Prowler?
The name made Peter raise an eyebrow.
It reminded him of the uncle who died in another Universe's Spider-Man story.
But he quickly shook his head, a faint curve on his lips.
This Prowler's suit looked crude and ridiculous, clearly homemade cheap stuff—nothing like Kingpin's version in the movies.
More importantly, even if the guy did have a nephew named Miles, so what?
Thanks to Peter's advice, Norman Osborn had every last one of Oscorp's gene-modified spiders destroyed.
Peter had watched Norman wipe them out; not a single one escaped.
Without those spiders, unless someone tinkered with Gwen's existing genes, this Universe could never birth another Spider-Man.
"That Ghost-Spider… is your childhood sweetheart, Gwen Stacy, right?"
Natasha's tone was casual, as if making small talk.
But her grip on the steering wheel tightened imperceptibly.
"Mm-hmm."
Peter shrugged in tacit acknowledgment.
In the rear-view mirror he watched Gwen kick The Prowler over, web him into a cocoon, and swing away with him by the collar.
A faint smile crept across his face.
After a few days off his radar, the girl was doing pretty well as a superhero.
Maybe soon he could reveal his own identity to her.
Where did she pick up that weird habit of taking the crook away after catching him?
Oh, right—from me. Never mind, then.
Natasha noticed the smile tugging at Peter's lips and glanced back at Ghost-Spider.
An odd feeling of envy stirred in her.
To be watched over by such a powerful man—what a lucky little girl.
Early the next morning.
Instead of taking the school bus as usual, Peter silently followed Uncle Ben as he left for work.
Ben's beat-up old car had barely left the block when a discreet black sedan slipped in behind.
Noticing Peter's attention, the sedan's window slid down to reveal a grinning Phil Coulson, whose hair Peter had restored.
Reading Coulson's "don't worry" lips, Peter nodded in satisfaction.
Looks like Fury really had learned his lesson; from now on Uncle Ben and Aunt May's safety at work was one less thing to worry about.
After chatting with Gwen about "Ghost-Spider vs. The Prowler" and feeding the girl's vanity, the day passed quickly.
He had just left her at her doorstep when Herman called:
"Boss, I've built the downgraded battery you wanted!"
Peter's eyes lit up; he ducked into an alley and pressed a button on his watch.
Buzz—
A black streak shot skyward and hovered in front of him: the flying skateboard.
Suited up, Peter stepped onto the board and shot straight to Herman's rented apartment.
"Chief, look!" Inside, Herman beamed with pride:
"This battery's the size of a normal phone cell but packs over 20,000 mAh—ten times a regular phone."
"And I added the special fast-charge you asked for: full in under thirty minutes."
Checking the multimeter and confirming the numbers, Peter nodded in approval.
With this battery tech, his smartphone project could finally move forward.
Without hesitation he scooped up Herman and the prototype and headed straight for Norman Osborn's manor…
Chapter 50: Unicorn and Shop Refresh
Norman Manor.
When Herman saw the legendary capital titan Norman Osborn welcoming his boss with a smile like a kind elder, he was completely stunned.
This young boss of his... what exactly was his background?!
To actually be treated with such respect by the head of Oscorp?
"The Punisher My Lord, you've arrived."
Knowing that Peter had not yet revealed his true identity to Herman, Norman pointedly avoided saying Peter's real name:
"Everything you asked me to collect is ready."
Since Norman had known early on that Peter wanted to build a mobile phone, he had specifically spent these past few days scouring for the highest-quality components and parts related to mobile phones for Peter.
Even the exterior molds had been manufactured according to the design blueprints.
Motherboard, capacitive screen, speakers, vibration motor, camera... relying on the super-brain left by his Previous Incarnation and the teardown videos he had watched out of boredom in his past life, Peterquickly attempted to assemble a phone himself.
Before long, a phone with a design similar to the "Fruit 5S" appeared on the lab bench.
Peter personally felt that although Fruit had released many generations, when it came to aesthetics, the 5th and 6th generations stood head and shoulders above the rest.
So, for the first phone he launched, he intended to base it on the 5s design.
On the other side, looking at the phone that had already powered on, Herman and Norman both unconsciously widened their eyes.
When it was just a pile of parts earlier, they hadn't felt there was anything special about it.
But now that it was assembled, the visual impact was truly stunning.
The centered screen design, an "oversized" screen-to-body ratio for the current stage, the minimalist home button... every detail exuded a sense of minimalist industrial aesthetics.
Norman even subconsciously pulled out his own latest mobile phone for a direct comparison.
Although his phone was also claimed to be a touchscreen phone, it used a resistive screen that required forceful pressing with a stylus to operate.
The screen brightness was low, and the colors weren't clear.
Furthermore, to ensure the user experience, the phone still utilized a slider design with physical buttons at the bottom, making the whole thing look particularly bulky.
In contrast, this so-called smartphone that Peter had "hand-crafted" himself was only about one-third the thickness of its competitors.
It felt exceptionally thin and light in the hand, the display effect was also excellent, and the responsiveness of the touchscreen operation completely crushed the new phone he had just bought for over 1000 USD!
"This is simply like... a work of art!" Herman, the country bumpkin, couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.
Although Norman didn't see any connection between this phone and a work of art, he couldn't help but give it a high evaluation:
"In appearance alone, this phone is three to five years ahead of its peers. Combined with the battery and fast-charging technology... The Punisher My Lord, this creation of yours will definitely dominate the entire mobile phone industry!"
After confirming that Peter's project was indeed promising, Norman did not hesitate and immediately discussed the investment amount and related share matters with Peter.
The result of the discussion was also very simple.
Norman would invest 50 million in Harry's name to establish a company. Following the naming conventions of the Marvel Universe, the company name was directly set as "Parker Tech."
The mobile phone brand and model name would be "unicorn generation 1," and the logo would be the pattern of the horse talisman with an added single horn.
Actually, Peter initially just wanted to commemorate everything the horse talisman had brought him, so he wanted to name it "White Horse Generation 1."
But Norman felt that name wasn't eye-catching enough. Coupled with the fact that he found Peter's healing magic to be miraculous, he replaced the white horse with a unicorn, a magical creature that better fit American perceptions.
As for the company's share distribution, it was also very clear.
Peter, as the chief designer and boss, held a 55% stake.
Harry Osborn, as the investor, held a 40% stake.
And Herman Schultz, as the head of the technical department, was allocated a 5% stake.
If there was a need for financing or going public in the future, the shares would be diluted proportionally to ensure that the company's decision-making power remained in Peter's hands.
When Herman heard this distribution plan, he was so excited he almost knelt down to Peter on the spot.
He originally thought it would be an act of great mercy if Peter gave him some dividends after the phones were sold.
He never expected Peter to hand out 5% of the original shares right away!
You have to realize, this is a "star of tomorrow" with a future market value of at least a hundred billion!
Even holding just a five percent stake would allow one to enjoy a lifetime of wealth and prosperity.
Thinking about the various wasted years of his early life and contrasting them with how well Peter was treating him now, an impulse to "die for the one who appreciates me" naturally arose in Herman's heart.
Patting his chest, he vowed solemnly that he would not fail Peter's expectations and would work overtime to complete the mass production of the new phone and subsequent technological innovations... After finishing the company registration with Harry, Peter didn't need to worry about the subsequent matters.
Even without using Oscorp's channels, Norman could leverage his own reputation and resources to quickly integrate the World's top supply chains.
And Herman, like a wound-up perpetual motion machine, led his newly recruited technical team every day, working overtime to optimize and perfect every detail and the operating system of the "unicorn generation 1."
Time passed day by day amidst these intense preparations.
A month slipped by quietly.
Over the past month, "The Punisher" had not made any public appearances.
Correspondingly, Ghost-Spider's reputation, as she fought crime and saved citizens time and again, reached an unprecedented height.
Although Gwen had not yet experienced the "Web of Fate" of losing a loved one, Peter felt that she could already be considered a qualified street hero.
Because of Gwen's efforts, the tone of reporting from most print media had also quietly shifted.
Only the Daily Bugle persisted in acting as Ghost-Spider's number one hater.
Unfortunately, without Peter's help in taking photos, they couldn't get exclusive pictures at all, and thus had nowhere near the high credibility they possessed in other parallel Worlds.
On S.H.I.E.L.D.'s side, they hadn't contacted Peter since the Captain's revival... It wasn't that Nick Furydidn't want to find Peter, but rather he was worried that Peter's appetite would grow with each "cooperation."
Today he dares to ask for Captain America's suit, tomorrow he'll dare to ask for Black Widow's undergarments, and the day after... I don't even dare to imagine the day after!
Therefore, Nick Fury would rather work Captain America to death than disturb Peter at a non-critical moment.
Peter, for his part, was happy to enjoy his leisure, simply counting the days and waiting for a certain day to arrive.
Finally, when the twelve o'clock bell rang, Peter heard the long-awaited system notification in his ear:
[Countdown zeroed out]
[Monthly items refreshed, host is welcome to browse and purchase!]
Chapter 51: A Master of Face-Changing
I've finally been waiting for you!
The moment he heard the system notification, Peter's eyes lit up immediately.
He could hardly wait to sink his consciousness into the system space.
In the store interface, eight brand-new items were lying there quietly.
The top right corner of the system displayed Peter's current sacrifice points balance: 8,200 points!
Let's go, let's go!
[Item 1: cold jade bed]
[Origin: Jin Yong's Wuxia World]
[Effect: A bed made of Cold Jade from the extreme north, highly beneficial for cultivating internal energy. Cultivating internal energy while sleeping on the cold jade bed grants a ten-fold efficiency bonus. Additionally, practicing on the cold jade bed prevents Qi Deviation.]
[Price: 500 sacrifice points]
Tsk~
The moment he saw this first item, Peter couldn't help but click his tongue.
It's a good item, but the problem is... I don't have internal energy!
Although Chakra is somewhat similar to internal energy, it's a product of physical and spiritual energy; it can only be extracted and used on the spot, and cannot be stored in the dantian like internal energy.
In the Naruto World, it seems only Tsunade, with her Strength of a Hundred Seal, managed to successfully store excess Chakra.
Besides, with the horse talisman, I don't need to worry about so-called Qi Deviation anyway... it's useless!
Thinking this, Peter shook his head and turned to look at the other items.
[Item 2: Byakugan]
[Origin: Naruto World]
[Effect: Eyes possessing X-ray vision and a 360° field of view. Visual range increases with the user's strength. Additionally, possessing the Byakugan allows the release of Chakra from any acupoint in the body.]
[Price: 500 sacrifice points]
This one is actually pretty good!
It's equivalent to having built-in thermal imaging + super vision!
Plus, with the Byakugan, I can figure out techniques like Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm and Rotation.
It counts as an indirect way to increase my ranged attack and defense methods.
This time, Peter didn't hesitate and chose to purchase it directly.
The next second, he felt a cooling sensation in both eyes.
Looking in the mirror, good, the Byakugan produced by the system didn't make him look like he had cataracts.
Even when using the Byakugan, no veins would bulge around his eyes.
He activated the Byakugan to test it out.
Peter felt as if he had gained an option similar to adjusting 'transparency.'
As long as he wished, the walls of his bedroom could instantly become transparent, allowing him to easily see the World outside.
Peter tried to let his vision penetrate layers of obstacles, intending to see the maximum observation distance of his Byakugan at its current stage.
And then... he saw Gwen taking a bath in the tub.
Gwen's house was only about three hundred meters away from Peter's in a straight line, so when Peter's vision passed through the walls, he noticed Gwen at a glance.
The effect was as if Gwen was right in front of him... Peter instinctively wanted to look away, feeling his behavior was a bit sinful.
But on second thought... she'll be my wife sooner or later, what's wrong with taking a couple of looks!
Besides, didn't Gwen also... last time? Now we're even!
While Peter was thinking this, Gwen in the bathroom suddenly sensed something. She jerked, instinctively curling her body into a ball and looking around warily.
Crap, I forgot Gwen has Spider-Sense... Peter hurriedly retracted his gaze. After calming his inner agitation, he began to seriously test his vision limits.
As Peter pushed the Byakugan's field of vision to the maximum, he found his vision easily covered several surrounding blocks, with a range of about two kilometers in radius.
It's worth mentioning that while using X-ray vision, he also saw Agent Hill from S.H.I.E.L.D., who was currently instructing two people nearby.
It looked like she planned to have them responsible for the safety of Uncle Ben and Aunt May.
This made Peter nod in satisfaction; at least Nick Fury was being sensible.
After confirming the Byakugan's effect was definitely worth the price, Peter exited Byakugan mode and continued looking at the subsequent items.
[Item 3: SpongeBob SquarePants' Spatula]
... [Item 4: Conan's Stun Gun Wristwatch]
... [Item 5: emerald dragon scale]
[Origin: The Adventures of Little Carp]
[Effect: The emerald dragon scale of Xiao Mei the Jellyfish. Insetting the dragon scale on one's head and singing loudly can confuse enemies and cause the sea to produce giant waves and whirlpools.]
[Price: 800 sacrifice points]
[Item 6: Clow Card - The Sweet]
[Origin: Cardcaptor Sakura]
[Effect: After use, it can make all food taste sweet.]
[Price: 500 sacrifice points]
Peter:???
Are you freaking kidding me?
Looking at these items, Peter's face was almost as dark as Nick Fury's.
That spatula and stun gun wristwatch felt like they were purely spawned for laughs.
And that Sakura Card... The Sweet? To even put out an item like this, you really are a genius!
If it had been something like The Sword, The Windy, or The Snowy, he might have considered it.
As for this Sweet card that makes food sweet, Peter really couldn't think of any use for it.
In comparison, the effect of that emerald dragon scale was actually quite powerful, roughly equivalent to the Marvel 'Aquaman' Namor's artifact trident.
But the problem was, the way to use this thing was too abstract!
Peter didn't want to be commented on by other superheroes in the future as:
Oh, Peter? He's just a showgirl!
Just as Peter was complaining in his heart about what kind of trash items were in this batch, the appearance of the last two items made him perform a 'face-change' again:
[Item 7: Six Powers of the Navy]
[Origin: One Piece]
[Effect: Purchasing this item will grant immediate mastery of the Six Powers of the Navy and its extended techniques. Long-term use can lead to the preliminary awakening of Observation Haki and Armament Haki.]
[Price: 3,000 sacrifice points]
[Item 8: Stand - wheel of destiny (Enhanced Edition)]
[Origin: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 3]
[Effect: Possesses a vehicle and significantly enhances its appearance and performance. Makes the vehicle no longer consume fuel and self-repair. It can even allow the vehicle to enter a combat stance. The Stand's effect will evolve as the user's strength grows!]
[Note: Stand-type items are not unique; the host can obtain multiple Stands by purchasing items.]
[Price: 4,000 sacrifice points]
Insta-buy!
Without any hesitation, Peter chose to buy these two items on the spot.
Although after purchasing these two items, he only had 700 sacrifice points left.
But he felt that these sacrifice points were very well spent.
Every move of the Six Powers of the Navy could be considered a minor trump card, and paired with his current super physique, it could achieve a one-plus-one-is-greater-than-two effect.
The setting that he could awaken the two types of Haki later on would save him a huge amount of future expenses.
And that enhanced version of the Stand, wheel of destiny, made him feel it was even more extraordinary.
Chapter 52: wheel of destiny, Nick Fury's Call for Help
With a thought from Peter, the next second, the Stand "wheel of destiny," which only he could see, emerged beside him.
It was reddish-brown all over, covered in spikes, and shaped like a fusion between a car and a Beast.
In the original work, wheel of destiny wasn't considered a top-tier Stand ability.
Furthermore, its user was a useless comedic character, and the vessel provided for it was just a dilapidated, scrapped car.
So, although wheel of destiny caused quite a few crises for the protagonist's group, it was ultimately resolved by them with ease.
But!
Just because it wasn't outstanding in the original work didn't mean the Stand itself lacked potential.
Especially since this Stand had been enhanced by the system!
In the original, wheel of destiny was attached to a junk car that had been scrapped for who knows how many years, yet it relied on its own ability to make the old junker's performance exceed that of the protagonist group's vehicle.
The originally rusted and scrapped body also formed sharp spikes and steel claws capable of crushing rock.
Even an old junker could become a lethal weapon under the amplification of the original wheel of destiny.
So... what would happen if the enhanced wheel of destiny, which was no longer restricted by the type of vehicle, was placed on a higher-grade vehicle?
For example, the flying skateboard with its own weapon system that Peter was currently using, the Vibranium car seen in Black Panther, or even... S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Helicarrier and the Chitauri space carrier!
When these vehicles were enhanced by wheel of destiny, gaining infinite power and weapon modifications, how much would their offensive performance increase?
Even more ridiculous was that everything mentioned above was something the original wheel of destiny could already achieve!
Now, the wheel of destiny in Peter's hands could continuously evolve, just like Koichi's Echoes or Johnny's Tusk!
What was the endpoint of vehicle evolution?
The answer to this question was undoubtedly—Transformers!
Peter estimated that as long as wheel of destiny could ascend to Wheel of Fortune ACT4, or use a Stand Arrow to evolve into 'Wheel of Fortune Requiem,' he might truly be able to traverse the Universein a Transformer in the future!
Shaking his head to toss aside those thoughts that seemed far too distant for now, Peter didn't hesitate. He immediately changed into his suit, climbed out the window, and summoned his flying skateboard.
With just a glance, wheel of destiny rushed forward and directly possessed the flying skateboard.
Once wheel of destiny possessed the flying skateboard, its appearance immediately changed.
The glider as a whole expanded by two sizes. The gliders on both sides and the spikes protruding from the front became incredibly sharp and retractable.
Even more absurdly, the machine gun below the glider, which had previously run out of bullets, was now wrapped in ammo belts, and a barrel similar to Iron Man's palm repulsor appeared on the other side.
According to the information sent back to his brain by wheel of destiny, this barrel could use the internal special battery pack as energy to fire electromagnetic pulse beams!
Peter stepped onto the glider and tentatively gave the command 'depart' in his mind.
Whoosh~
The next second, the flying skateboard shot out like an arrow from a bow, nearly doubling its speed!
Previously, the flight speed of the glider was around 400 kilometers per hour.
But now, the flight speed had increased to at least Mach 1 (1225 km/h)!
Such a fast speed had even broken the sound barrier.
If Peter were willing to upgrade the raw materials and the engine of the flying skateboard, this speed could continue to double!
Surpassing the latest modern fighter jets wouldn't be a problem at all!
Not only did the speed increase, but the glider's operation also became more effortless.
The current flying skateboard didn't even need Peter to control it; it could spontaneously fly according to Peter's will.
It could even help him with automatic navigation and obstacle avoidance while Peter had his eyes closed.
The only slight drawback was that because the flight speed was truly too fast.
Peter, who wasn't wearing any protective gear, would feel a slight physical discomfort, requiring the activation of the horse talisman to eliminate those abnormal effects.
In less than a minute, Peter flew from Queens to Hells Kitchen.
Activating his Byakugan, he quickly locked onto a gang stronghold belonging to Kingpin's men.
Peter descended from the sky, and then... bang bang bang~, bang bang bang~... the machine gun mounted under the glider began to madly spit fire.
In Peter's Byakugan observation, every time a bullet was fired, new bullets would eerily grow out of thin air at the end of the ammo belt... After confirming this, Peter simply closed his eyes and let the flying skateboard rotate and leap spontaneously under the control of wheel of destiny!
Since the overall strength of a Stand is influenced by its host, wheel of destiny's precision attribute had clearly increased to Rank A.
Without Peter's intervention, wheel of destiny actually easily avoided some of the bullets fired by the enemies and riddled the gang members one by one with a dense rain of bullets.
The machine gun fired frantically for over a minute with no sign of stopping, yet the gang members on the scene had already fallen one after another into pools of blood, looks of confusion on their faces.
They didn't understand who they had offended until the moment they died... After completing all this and looking at the scene that resembled a Shura field, Peter began to try using the electronic pulse.
Hum~!
Accompanied by a low hum, a beam of light as thick as a baby's arm gushed out.
Wherever it passed, whether it was the concrete ground or the buildings, long trenches were swept out, and the area was completely turned into scorched earth.
The beam of light lasted for about three to five seconds before gradually disappearing.
According to the information sent back by wheel of destiny, this was because the battery pack Peterhad installed on the flying skateboard was only enough to support firing for that long.
Of course, if he chose not to fire a continuous beam but to fire in the form of energy bolts, he could fire many shots.
At least dozens or even a hundred shots wouldn't be a problem!
Additionally, although wheel of destiny could provide infinite energy, replenishing that energy also required a certain amount of time.
After the power in the battery pack was exhausted, wheel of destiny needed about five seconds to refill the battery.
Although there was a cooldown time, Peter was already very satisfied with this.
After all, the energy weapons released by Tony Stark using the arc reactor also had to have their barrels cooled, didn't they!
After confirming that the Stand could enhance the power of the vehicle's built-in weapon system and provide nearly infinite energy for it, Peter turned to test wheel of destiny's self-healing ability.
He jumped off the glider, conjured a Rasengan, and pressed it directly onto the glider.
Just like when he subdued Green Goblin, with a boom, a large hole was blasted into the flying skateboard on the spot.
Under normal circumstances, the glider would definitely have been scrapped on the spot.
But under the effect of wheel of destiny, that large hole was being repaired at an astonishing speed.
In just three to five seconds, the large hole was completely repaired, without even a trace left behind.
"Invincible! This amount of sacrifice points spent was simply too worth it!"
Just as Peter finished testing wheel of destiny and was preparing to change to another gang stronghold to try out the Six Powers of the Navy, the S.H.I.E.L.D. private line phone on him rang.
Peter had just picked up the phone when Nick Fury's slightly anxious voice came from the other end:
"Pe... My Lord Punisher, I have something I'd like to ask for your help with... Have you heard of Tony Stark?"
Chapter 53: Mind Your Own Business When It Comes to mages!
"Tony Stark?"
Upon hearing this name, Peter instantly perked up.
He's coming, he's coming!
He's coming with piping hot sacrifice points!
Although he was already calculating how to fleece Tony in his mind, Peter's tone when responding to Nick Fury remained indifferent:
"That arms dealer and playboy... I have some impression of him."
"What's up? Does he have a kidney deficiency and need me to help patch him up, or what?"
Nick Fury on the other end of the phone was choked up, nearly gagging on his own saliva.
But... the kid wasn't wrong.
With Tony Stark's debauched lifestyle, one day in the future, he might actually come crying and begging "The Punisher" for help.
Sigh, it was a pity the other party wasn't one of his own; otherwise, he could use this situation to pull Tony under his command... Shaking off those messy thoughts, Nick Fury regained his composure and began to recount in a low voice the general events of Tony Stark being kidnapped by a terrorist organization in Afghanistan.
He was truly out of options this time.
Tony had gone missing in Afghanistan, a place where even the U.S. Military's reach fell short.
Without clear intelligence, and unable to make a big fuss to have the U.S. Military conduct a carpet search, the Captain was also unfamiliar with the environment there.
In such a situation, trying to find a person in the mountain ravines of Afghanistan was no less difficult than finding a needle in a haystack.
Therefore, Nick Fury was genuinely worried that by the time they found Tony, the man might have already been turned into Gundam fragments... Thinking of this, Nick Fury's voice grew even lower:
"Tony Stark is very important! He possesses the nation's highest-level weapon technology. Once he is coerced and exploited by Terrorists, it will deal a devastating blow to the security landscape of the entire World!"
Nick Fury tried to appeal to Peter's "mercy," attempting to get Peter to "give him one" for free this way.
But he was destined to be disappointed.
"The usual rules: one favor for one intervention. If you also need me to save someone along the way... that's an extra price."
Motherfucker!
Nick Fury was so angry he felt like smashing his phone.
But he had no choice and could only pinch his nose and say:
"No problem. As long as you can bring Tony Stark back alive, our S.H.I.E.L.D. is willing to agree to another condition for you! As long as it's within our power!"
Nick Fury had completely seen through Peter.
Things like national righteousness, personal feelings, or patriotic sentiment—these empty concepts were completely ineffective against him.
Only the most simple and crude exchange of interests could make this little monster temporarily work for them.
On the other side, Peter, having received a satisfactory answer, finally agreed to Nick Fury's request with a drawn-out tone:
"Hmm~ that's more like it. I'll take this job!"
What Nick Fury would never have imagined was that even if he hadn't invited Peter, Peter would have gone to Afghanistan himself after seeing the news.
Nick Fury knew to win over Tony, but did he think Peter didn't?
He had been eyeing that first-generation Iron Man Suit for a long time!
Although it was just emergency equipment Tony hammered out of a pile of scrap metal in a cave, this suit was the beginning of the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe!
Its precious commemorative value could at least be ranked at the "Purple" grade, a presence that could sit at the same table as the radioactive spider corpse!
Additionally, the "wheel of destiny" had indeed piqued Peter's desire for an Iron Man Suit.
The feeling of strong wind hitting his face during supersonic flight, to the point where he couldn't even open his mouth, was really not pleasant.
An Iron Man Suit with a constant temperature system could already be considered a necessity for the current Peter.
"However... I have one more condition."
"This trip to Afghanistan will take three to five days at the fastest, and ten days to half a month at the slowest. I don't want Uncle Ben and Aunt Mei to worry, so you have to provide a suitable reason for my absence so they don't have any suspicions."
"That's easy!"
Nick Fury breathed a sigh of relief.
He thought it was some big deal, but it was just this?
...The next morning, S.H.I.E.L.D. arranged a title for Peter through Midtown High School: "An academic visit and exchange to Saudi Arabia on public funds."
To avoid suspicion, Natasha, disguised as Teacher Tasha, also specifically extended an invitation to Gwen.
But unsurprisingly, Gwen rejected it without even thinking.
Peter knew very well that Gwen had chosen to decline this opportunity to continue being a superhero, but on the surface, he still put on a disappointed look and asked:
"Gwen, don't you want to have a 'deep exchange' with me?"
Simple-minded Gwen didn't notice the ambiguity in Peter's words at all; she just helplessly stammered like a man:
"No, it's not like that..."
She thought for a long time before coming up with a somewhat reasonable explanation:
"It's just... Flash's father is my father's colleague, and he's been asking me to help tutor that guy these past few days... My father already promised him, and I don't want to make it difficult for him."
Peter thought to himself that when you father and daughter are playing a game of wits on the streets of New York every night, you don't see such "filial piety," but he still made a reluctant face and curled his lip:
"Fine, I'll let you off the hook."
Seeing that look, Gwen couldn't help but find it a bit funny, and her heart felt a bit sweet because of the "excessive concern" Peter showed.
However, as Peter turned to leave, she looked at his back and unconsciously tilted her head.
Strange, has Peter... bulked up a lot lately?
And this back... why does it feel somewhat familiar, like a certain someone... Peter didn't know what Gwen was thinking.
After calling Aunt Mei to report, he went to S.H.I.E.L.D. with Natasha.
"Wait... is your S.H.I.E.L.D. really this poor?"
Peter had thought he could experience the Quinjet from the Marvel movies on this trip to Afghanistan.
But when he arrived, he found that S.H.I.E.L.D. had actually only prepared a small Military transport plane for him... It was only then that he suddenly realized that the current S.H.I.E.L.D. was far from being as awesome as he remembered.
Whether it was the Quinjet or the Helicarrier, none of these things existed in the current S.H.I.E.L.D.; they all had to wait until Tony solved the energy problem with the arc reactor before they could turn from blueprints into reality.
No wonder Nick Fury valued Tony so much; without Tony's financial and technical support, S.H.I.E.L.D.would probably be suppressed by the Military and other high-level organizations in America for a lifetime.
Feeling disappointed, Peter didn't even bother to get on the transport plane—this thing's flight speed wasn't even as fast as his flying skateboard!
He simply reached out and snapped his fingers; before long, the flying skateboard, strengthened by the wheel of destiny, stopped steadily in front of Peter.
Seeing Peter jump directly onto the skateboard, Coulson's eyelid couldn't help but twitch, thinking that the boy probably didn't know how far Afghanistan was from America:
"Lord Punisher, although your flying skateboard is very convenient, its internal energy reserves... probably aren't enough to support you flying to Afghanistan, right?"
Coulson's reminder was full of goodwill.
But to this, Peter only gave him a faint glance:
"Mind your own business when it comes to mages!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a black stream of light soared into the sky.
Whoosh!
A terrifying sonic boom cloud exploded in the air!
The huge momentum knocked the dazed Coulson right off his feet.
Watching Peter whistle away on his flying skateboard at a speed exceeding Mach 1, Coulson touched his shaken hairline and felt his life choices were being questioned.
A personal flight device... breaking the sound barrier?!
The World of mages was indeed not something a mere mortal like him could understand...
Chapter 54: You Should Have Said Earlier You Were Just Asking for Directions!
From New York to Afghanistan, the straight-line distance is over ten thousand kilometers.
If taking a red-eye flight, this journey would take at least sixteen or seventeen hours.
But Peter, relying on the flying skateboard enhanced by the "wheel of destiny", took less than eight hours to step onto Afghan soil.
It really was fast, but the experience was honestly a bit terrible.
When Peter arrived in Afghanistan, he immediately staged a "precious footage of early humans taming their facial features and limbs."
"The matter of the Iron Man Suit really can't be delayed any longer..."
Complaining like this, Peter immediately activated his Byakugan.
With the activation of the Byakugan, a 360-degree panoramic view without blind spots instantly unfolded.
flying skateboard + Byakugan is undoubtedly the perfect reconnaissance configuration; with this combination, Peter soon discovered a terrorist hideout similar to ISIS.
"Alright, you'll do!"
Thinking this, Peter didn't hesitate and immediately performed a leap of faith.
On the outskirts of the hideout, a patrolman carrying an AK pointed at the night sky and said to his companion in Dari:
"Buddy, look, a shooting star!"
His companion, carrying a sniper rifle, looked up at the so-called shooting star, and the more he looked, the more something felt wrong:
"Wait, man, why do I feel like this shooting star... is getting closer and closer to us?"
He instinctively raised his gun and aimed the scope at the shooting star; at this sight, he felt like his whole world was falling apart:
"Holy crap, that's a damn person!"
In the time it took for them to speak, Peter was less than a hundred meters from the ground.
Under the dumbfounded gazes of the two Terrorists, his rapidly falling body first became as light as a piece of paper.
Then, after stepping in the air several times, producing a series of strange "chi-chi-chi" sounds, he actually "hovered" steadily in mid-air!
These were the Paper Arts and Moonwalk from the Six Powers of the Navy that Peter had just obtained.
The effect of the former is to release all strength from the body, making it as light as paper, allowing one to dodge attacks by sensing the airflow of the opponent's movements.
The effect of the latter is to walk in the air by rapidly kicking the air.
This time, Peter didn't plan to use the flying skateboard enhanced by the wheel of destiny to deal with his opponents; instead, he wanted to use these Terrorists to practice and continue the "Six Powers test" he hadn't finished in New York.
The two Terrorists had never seen a monster like Peter, so they instinctively pulled their triggers.
Da da da da~!
Bullets rained down on Peter.
But Peter remained suspended in place, motionless.
Iron Body!
With a thought from Peter, his muscles instantly tightened, and under the moonlight, they even took on a metallic texture.
Clang clang clang clang!
When the Bullets hit his "mortal flesh," they actually made sounds like metal colliding!
And on Peter's body, where he was hit, not even a drop of blood could be seen!
Those Bullets were just "embedded" in Peter's body, unable to even pierce his skin.
As Peter deactivated the Iron Body state, those 7.62 caliber rifle Bullets fell to the ground with a clatter, leaving not even a mark.
Two 12.7 caliber Bullets fired from the sniper rifle were still stubbornly embedded in his body, requiring Peter to manually dig them out.
After digging out the two Bullets, Peter instinctively looked down and found that he still hadn't been breached; only a slight bruise remained on his skin.
Good grief, now I really can withstand Bullet!
Peter was quite satisfied with the test results of Iron Body; so as a reward, he decided... to give these two a quick death.
Shave!
As Peter exerted force with his feet, in the blink of an eye, he had completed dozens of ground-stomping movements.
With this explosive speed boost, he arrived in front of the two Terrorists a hundred meters away in an instant.
Finger Pistol!
He extended two index fingers and tapped the two Terrorists between their eyebrows.
With two muffled pops, his fingers instantly pierced through their skulls, scrambling the brains inside.
"Now then..."
Looking at the Terrorists in the distance who had been awakened by the gunfire and were hurriedly rushing out of the camp, disheveled.
Peter raised his foot and made a motion similar to kicking a goal.
Buzz~!
The next second, as his right foot kicked out, a light blue "blade aura" over ten meters long, carrying a strong whistling sound, flew toward the rushing Terrorists.
Puchi, puchi~!
The sound of blades tearing through flesh was endless.
One terrorist after another was sliced in half at the waist by this Tempest Kick, like harvesting leeks.
Because the speed was so fast, the legs that had lost their upper bodies could even run two more steps forward before collapsing to the ground with a thud.
With just this one Tempest Kick, Peter instantly slaughtered dozens of Terrorists.
It wasn't over yet!
A few dozen bodies were simply not enough to dissipate the terrifying kinetic energy carried by the Tempest Kick.
The light blue blade aura continued unabated, hitting a stone tower in the rear, actually cutting the tower completely in half.
Rumble!
The upper half of the bunker slid to the ground along the mirror-smooth cut, kicking up a huge cloud of dust.
When the dust settled, only a foundation less than half a meter high remained standing there, as if silently telling a story.
"Run!"
"Demon! It's a demon! This guy isn't human at all!"
Seeing Peter kill dozens of their companions with just one kick and even cut down an entire tower, the Terrorists who were lucky enough to survive went mad on the spot!
They shouted "Allah"; some dropped their guns and turned to flee, while others pointed their guns at their own heads and pulled the triggers.
Looking at the Terrorists trying to escape, Peter revealed a cruel smile.
Aiming at the guy closest to him, he didn't use Shave to pursue, but instead made a movement toward the other person like "flicking a booger."
Swoosh~
An almost invisible air Bullet was flicked out by Peter, hitting the terrorist right in the back of the heart.
Along with a spray of blood, the terrorist died on the spot.
This was the extended technique "Flying Finger Pistol: Bachi" used by Rob Lucci in the Pirate King!
Peter roughly tested it and found that the range of this Flying Finger Pistol was about twenty meters.
If "Chakra Bullets" were fired using Flying Finger Pistol, the range could be increased to about fifty meters.
As for longer distances, physical objects like pebbles or shell casings would be needed.
With Peter's current strength and the power-delivery techniques of Finger Pistol, he could easily headshot enemies hundreds of meters away with just a small pebble.
Using the insight of the Byakugan to slaughter all these Terrorists to the last man.
Peter went to the deepest part of the hideout, dragged out the terrorist leader who had already wet his pants in fear, grabbed him by the back of the collar, and asked succinctly:
"Where is the Ten Rings Gang's base? Tell me and I'll spare your life."
Terrorist leader:...Wait, man, you should have said earlier you were just asking for directions!
Chapter 55: Should I Secretly Do a Paternity Test?
Ten minutes later.
Having obtained the exact address, Peter slowly walked out from a sea of flames.
He kept his word and did not kill the leader of that terrorist organization.
He merely broke the man's limbs and threw him into the dungeon.
Afterward, he conveniently tore down the iron bars of the dungeon and gave all those pointed bars to the Islamic girls inside to use as "crutches."
As for what happened next... that was none of Peter's business~
...Stepping onto the flying skateboard once again, Peter followed the direction pointed out by the terrorist leader and successfully arrived at the Ten Rings Gang's lair in Afghanistan before dawn.
Relying on the X-ray vision of the Byakugan, he quickly located a crude laboratory inside a cave.
In the laboratory, a middle-aged man with a flashy mustache and an "LED light" embedded in his chest was swinging a hammer, sweating profusely as he struck metal plates scattered across the floor.
Beside him, a bald man with glasses was diligently helping out as an assistant.
These two were, naturally, Tony Stark and Dr. Ethan.
The metal plates laid out before them were the surface armor for the mark i.
Looking at the focused Tony, and then at the mark i that had clearly only just begun construction,
Peter turned and left without any hesitation.
Rescuing Tony now would only net him, at most, a "billionaire's favor" plus a verbal promise from S.H.I.E.L.D.
To him, that was a complete losing deal.
Only by "happening" to pass by when Tony finished building the suit would he maximize his profits.
As for Tony's safety?
The guy had protagonist armor; he wouldn't die that easily.
According to Marvel settings, if Tony, as one of the anchors, died before becoming Iron Man, the entire Universe might collapse on the spot!
Thinking this way, Peter simply rode his flying skateboard to a nearby urban area.
He found a random mall, bought a phone with video recording capabilities, and some simple components.
Peter returned to the desert and got busy for a while, taking out one of Herman's super button batteries from the flying skateboard to use as a power source.
Before long, a simple "Spider Drone" with four spider legs, only slightly larger than a button, was finished.
Operating the Spider Drone to infiltrate the cave and using the Byakugan to bypass patrol teams, Petersoon had the drone crawl into the laboratory where Tony was.
With the Spider Drone responsible for monitoring Tony's "work progress," Peter left Afghanistandirectly and flew to Dubai to enjoy the luxury and decadence of the city of gold.
Since he could swipe Nick Fury's black card on this trip, why should he eat sand in Afghanistan?
Wasn't it better to eat, drink, and have fun at the Burj Al Arab while remotely monitoring Tony's sweat-drenched labor?
While enjoying life, Peter didn't forget to milk the situation for all it was worth.
After playing a game of beach volleyball with swimsuit-clad beauties in Dubai and soundly defeating them, Peter took a moment to call Harry.
"Harry, it's me."
"Peter? Aren't you in Saudi Arabia for an exchange? How do you have time to call me?" Harry's slightly surprised voice came from the other end.
"That's not important. What's important is that I have a great opportunity to make big money."
Peter opened his mouth to accept a grape fed to him by a little fan-girl and spoke indistinctly:
"How much capital is left in your personal and company accounts?"
Harry did a quick calculation and replied:
"About fifty million or so?"
"OK, put all that money into the stock market and buy Stark Industries stock in bulk."
"What?!"
Hearing this, Harry felt his vision go dark, and his voice rose an octave:
"Stark Industries?! Peter, haven't you seen the news?
Tony Stark is missing, and his status is unknown! Stark Industries' stock price has hit the downward limit for several days in a row. Buying stock now is like throwing money into the water!"
While Harry was immersed in complaining about Peter's unreliability, Norman's voice suddenly came from beside him:
"Harry, listen to Peter. Also, I'll personally give you another ten million in pocket money. Use that money to buy Stark Industries stock as well."
Harry didn't know Peter's true identity, but Norman knew it perfectly well.
He had guessed as soon as he heard Peter was going to Saudi Arabia on a "publicly funded exchange" that it must be related to Tony Stark.
Now, hearing Peter's certain tone, Norman, who had spent years in the business world, could naturally guess what kind of plan Peter was hatching.
If it weren't for the fact that using Oscorp's funds to buy stock on a large scale would easily arouse suspicion, he would have wanted to take a big bite out of it himself.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
In a while, when Peter returned with Tony like a king, the value of these stocks would at least increase seven or eightfold!
Harry looked at his old man in disbelief and couldn't help but think secretly to himself:
Should I one day take my old man's and Peter's hair to do a paternity test?
"Fine then!"
After a long silence, Harry finally gave up on the idea of being hung up and whipped by his old man, and spoke absent-mindedly:
"I'll send someone to handle it right away!"
After hanging up, Peter took another pleasant sip of iced Coke.
Now, another few hundred million dollars would be coming in.
With this money, "Parker Tech" could directly break free from its dependence on Oscorp and establish its own production lines and supply chains.
And he himself could use this opportunity to openly improve the lives of Uncle Ben and Aunt May.
He had long been fed up with watching the old couple worry every day over bills for a few hundred dollars.
In the coming days, the old couple would only need to enjoy their retirement... While Peter was enjoying life and strategically planning for the future in a foreign land,
Queens, New York.
Gwen, dressed in her suit, was absent-mindedly dealing with masked robbers who had hijacked a transport vehicle carrying radioactive materials.
The first day Peter was away from New York, she missed him~
In a moment of distraction, the glass containers sealing the radioactive materials were about to fall and shatter on the ground.
Gwen snapped out of it, quickly regained her focus, and after swiftly subduing the robbers, hurriedly secured the glass containers.
In the process, she didn't forget to save a Black engineer from Oscorp.
"Oh, you're... Ghost-Spider?!"
The Black engineer, who was almost hit by a car, was still shaken, but then looked at Gwen with an incredibly excited expression:
"Do you know, I'm your biggest fan!"
"Uh, I can see that, Mr. Max Dillon." Glancing at the screen saver on his phone and then at his chest badge, Gwen responded absent-mindedly.
"You actually know a nobody like me?" Max's voice was trembling with excitement.
Gwen keenly sensed his low self-esteem, so after thoughtfully helping him adjust his crooked glasses, she patted his shoulder and encouraged him:
"Hey, listen, you're not a nobody. Everyone is the protagonist of their own life. Also, you can be my eyes and ears in New York, helping me fight crime."
After encouraging Max, she swung away on her webs under his admiring gaze, disappearing stylishly and quickly.
As she passed a newsstand, her eyes caught today's Daily Bugle:
"Today's Brief: Robber William Baker mysteriously disappeared after escaping from Ryker's Island Prison..."
Chapter 56: Tony: Not Cool, Bro? Is This Even Right?
"Today is truly my lucky day!"
Maxwell Dillon thought to himself secretly.
Even though his mother, who was paralyzed in bed and consumed over eighty percent of his monthly salary, still cursed him for being a waste.
Even though he was still ignored at Oscorp and even suffered through the difficulties and cold shoulders of others, Max couldn't help but hum a little tune at the thought of his idol, Ghost-Spider, personally encouraging him.
And then... he was tragically electrocuted due to forced overtime and the negligence of his colleagues, falling into the genetically modified eel observation tank where he was violently charged by countless eels.
In the final moment before losing consciousness, Maxwell's thought was:
Os☇corp,☇ how☇ are☇ you☇ go☇ing☇ to☇ pay☇ me☇ back☇ for☇ what☇ you☇ owe☇ me? (Electronic voice)
...On the other side, "Sandman" William Baker turned into a wisp of fine sand and quietly arrived at the bedside of his daughter, who suffered from congenital heart disease.
Although he stubbornly maintained the appearance he had when they parted so his daughter could recognize him, he didn't dare to meet her at this moment.
He was afraid—afraid his presence would hold back his wife and daughter, and even more afraid that his daughter would lose her chance for treatment because of it.
In America, where even a case of appendicitis can quickly push a middle-class person into the 'execution zone,' William's daughter's congenital heart disease was a bottomless pit for money.
Although there was no shortage of hearts available for transplant, the money and time required to complete the surgery remained astronomical.
Currently, his daughter's life was barely hanging on by donations from a charitable organization's fund.
Once it was discovered that his daughter was associated with a prison escapee like him, the charity would likely cancel her aid immediately.
Looking at his daughter, whose brow remained furrowed even in her sleep, the once-hesitant Sandmanfinally made up his mind.
His wife and daughter were his everything; as long as he could cure his daughter and let them live healthy, happy lives, he was willing to give everything... including his own life!
With that thought, William Baker quietly left his trailer home and turned toward a nearby jewelry store... Unfortunately, he had just transformed his quicksand arm into the shape of a mace and smashed through the jewelry store's bulletproof glass.
The next second, Ghost-Spider, wearing her black-and-white striped suit, descended from the sky along with the NYPD:
"Buddy, I don't think this is a good idea. You don't want to spend the rest of your life in Rikers Island, do you?"
...Five days later, Dubai, Burj Al Arab.
Looking at the surveillance footage, the scrawny Dr. Ethan was panting as he tried to weld those steel plates onto Tony.
Peter knew it was about time for his hero's entrance.
Stepping onto his flying skateboard, he immediately set off toward the Ten Rings Gang's base.
At the same time Peter was heading to the base, the Ten Rings Gang Terrorists discovered Tony and Ethan's little operation, and a large number of armed lackeys began charging toward the laboratory.
To help Tony stall for time while the program loaded, Ethan gritted his teeth, picked up a submachine gun, and chose to sacrifice himself by using his body to buy Tony time.
Tony's Iron Man Suit was a success!
Though it was clunky and ugly, it was sturdy enough to completely withstand the impact of bullets.
With this armor, Tony was able to wreak havoc in the narrow cave until... a weirdo in a black-and-red suit appeared before him.
Although the other's outfit was clearly different from the Ten Rings Gang Terrorists, Tony, who was already seeing red because Ethan had been shot, didn't care about any of that.
He controlled the clumsy mech to "walk" toward Peter, swinging a fist and slamming it right into Peter's chest.
He thought this punch would send Peter flying just like it did the Terrorists, but what happened next was completely beyond Tony's expectations.
A hand.
A well-proportioned, slender, and fair hand that clearly hadn't done any heavy labor, actually caught Tony's "armored iron fist" with ease.
Even though Tony had pushed the armor's power to the maximum, that force strangely vanished the moment it touched the other's palm, like a clay ox entering the sea.
No, it didn't vanish!
Looking at the clear, visible fingerprints on the knuckle armor, an absurd and terrifying thought emerged in Tony's mind:
It wasn't that his armor had a mechanical failure; this weirdo in front of him... had actually fucking caught his attack with his bare hands!
Rat-tat-tat... Just as the two were locked in a stalemate, the bald leader of the Ten Rings Gang in Afghanistan felt he had caught a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
He first ordered his underlings to fire wildly at the two, then he himself simply hoisted an RPG and shouted arrogantly at Peter and Tony:
"Two monsters, go to hell, both of you!"
Sshhh—
As he spoke, the bald leader pulled the trigger, and the grenade trailed a long plume of fire as it rapidly streaked toward the two.
"Fuck!"
At this moment, Tony was completely stunned.
He couldn't understand how things had developed to this point.
At the critical moment, he only had time to maneuver his armored body in front of the already dying Ethan.
Although as a physics genius he knew very well that this steel armor couldn't possibly absorb all the impact of the grenade, and that the already severely injured Ethan would most likely still die.
But he still acted almost instinctively.
He was willing to swear on the name Stark that if Ethan could live, he would do anything!
Just as Tony was "praying" like this in his heart, he found that he actually saw a "miracle"!
He saw that the weirdo who had been blocking him earlier hadn't been turned into a sieve by the dense hail of bullets.
At the same time, this guy performed a god-tier move that almost made Tony's eyes pop out of his sockets.
That guy... actually reached out his hand as fast as lightning the moment the grenade flew in.
And then, he actually intercepted the grenade!
He even threw it back with a flick of his wrist, back, back, back... Boom!
The grenade exploded right in front of the dumbfounded Ten Rings Gang Terrorists.
These people didn't even dare to believe that everything that had just happened was real until the moment they died... Meanwhile, Peter finally spoke:
"Still want to continue testing your armor's performance? Mr. Tony Stark?"
Hearing Peter speak English, Tony was first stunned, then asked somewhat excitedly:
"Are you with the Military?"
"No, I don't belong to any organization," Peter responded coolly,
"I'm just an Anti-hero passing by."
Saying this, he tilted his head to look at the dying Ethan and spoke out of the blue:
"By the way, do you need me to save that bald guy over there? My fee is very cheap; just handing over this suit of armor you're wearing will be enough."
Bald guy?
Tony blanked for a second, then suddenly snapped out of it.
Holy shit, Ethan is still lying on the ground!
Chapter 57: Is the End of Science Theology?
"You, you can save him?"
Looking at the dying Ethan, Tony didn't even bother to doubt if the other party was a fraud; he couldn't help but grab Peter's shoulder in excitement:
"As long as you can save him, you can have as many suits of armor like this as you want!"
Looking at the incredibly agitated Tony, Peter couldn't help but tell a dry joke that wasn't particularly funny to him or Ethan:
"If you keep pressing down on me like this, it won't work."
It wasn't until Tony hurriedly let go of Peter's shoulder that Peter squatted down and pressed his hand against Ethan's wound.
Ethan felt his vision blurring; he struggled to grab Tony's hand and spoke intermittently:
"Don't... feel guilty... for this... it was... my own... choice. My family is all over there... waiting for me... You can... do more... don't waste your life."
After saying all this, Ethan, believing he had fulfilled his duty as a guide, smiled silently and then turned his gaze to Peter.
"Young man, I appreciate your kindness, but my body... Huh?!"
He suddenly realized his speech was becoming smoother, and his body, which had been shivering from excessive blood loss, was warming up.
Additionally... his head was very itchy again, feeling like it was about to grow a brain.
Huh? Why did I say 'again'?
In short, injuries that seemed fatal to him, a doctor of medicine and physics, were now healing at an incredible speed in an inconceivable way.
He even saw... the rapidly growing flesh forcefully pushing the bullets embedded in his body out.
This almost made him, a Muslim, think the masked man before him was a messenger sent by Allah.
"Done~"
After spending less than a minute using the horse talisman to help Ethan fully recover, Peter clapped his hands lightly and turned to Tony.
"I've taken care of your problem; now, it's time for you to pay the reward!"
As he spoke, Peter reached out and pressed his hand onto Tony's armor without further ado.
He disassembled the suit in a few moves and then pulled the bewildered Tony out of it like pulling a radish.
When Tony left the mark i, Peter reached out to the armor, and the long-awaited system prompt sounded in his ear:
[Detected sacrificable Deep Purple item: Iron Man Suit - mark i]
[mark i: The first-generation armor built by Tony Stark in a desperate situation with the help of Dr.Ethan. It can be called the origin of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and holds profound commemorative significance.]
[Sacrifice to obtain: 8,000 points]
[Do you wish to sacrifice?]
Hiss~
The moment he heard this number, Peter couldn't help but gasp.
Is this the value of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's main pillar?
Even though it was just a commemorative item, it yielded three thousand more sacrifice points than the Little Spider's remains!
Without any hesitation, Peter directly chose to sacrifice it.
The next second after making the decision, the Iron Man Suit eerily vanished into thin air, leaving Ethanand Tony stunned.
"You won't be needing this in the future either, so why not give it to me as well!"
Looking at the sacrifice points balance that suddenly surged to "8,700 points."
Peter first nodded with satisfaction, then, with the thought that "even a mosquito's leg is meat," he snatched Dr. Ethan's glasses.
Ethan wasn't a famous character in Marvel, but because he was associated with Tony, his glasses actually sold for three hundred sacrifice points, allowing Peter to round off the total.
Ethan:???
As someone with severe nearsightedness, considering he'd be as blind as a bat without glasses, Ethaninstinctively reached out to grab them back when he noticed Peter's move.
It wasn't until he grabbed at nothing that he suddenly realized:
So my vision wasn't blurry because I was dying, but because... my nearsightedness has been cured?!
Ethan's outstretched hand immediately stopped in mid-air; he even felt like kowtowing to Peter a few times.
Saving his life + curing nearsightedness + hair transplant, and only charging a pair of glasses? He's so kind, I'm gonna cry!
On the other side, Tony Stark looked at Ethan, who had regrown his hair and looked inexplicably high-spirited, his eyes turning green with envy.
He didn't need a hair transplant... but he still had missile shrapnel in his body!
Also, he was a bit curious if this masked divine doctor could treat pre... cough cough, ED.
Middle-aged men have no choice... his condition was actually okay; he just needed to gear up in advance and use a bit of assistance to barely satisfy Pepper.
As far as he knew, peers like Obadiah and Justin Hammer performed even worse than him when things got serious... otherwise, why would those people attack him daily about his playboy antics?
Tony was really just a tiny bit away from speaking up.
But meeting Dr. Ethan's curious little gaze, he ultimately swallowed the words back down.
Does he, Tony Stark, not care about his dignity?!
How could he mention this in front of outsiders!
Besides, he didn't believe this bit of shrapnel could really do him in!
With my invincible mind and world-shaking wisdom!
Mere missile shrapnel, mere ED, he would easily handle them with his own strength sooner or later!
...As he led Ethan and Tony out of the cave, Tony looked at the piles of Stark Industries weapons around them and felt his teeth itch with rage.
He had always thought these things were just business, just a string of numbers in a bank account.
It wasn't until this trip to Afghanistan that he realized how terribly wrong he had been.
Now, Tony had made up his mind: once he got back, he would immediately announce the closure of all Stark Industries' weapons production lines!
Noticing Tony's teeth-gritting expression, Peter decided to do him a small favor out of mercy.
Mainly because leaving these weapons here would only allow local militants to continue using them for power struggles and oppression; it was better to destroy them.
After taking the two to a safe distance on the flying skateboard, Peter stepped onto it and chose to activate the Electronic Pulse without hesitation.
As the light beam raged, the surrounding weapons were quickly detonated, setting off a brilliant fireworks show in the Afghan desert.
Looking at the energy beam as thick as a baby's arm, Tony and Ethan were both dumbfounded.
They had previously thought this unknown masked gentleman was from the "magic side," but how did he suddenly transform into the "science side"?
Looking at Peter flying back from a distance on the flying skateboard, Tony found it more and more inexplicable.
Where on earth did such a small skateboard get such high-power energy?
Could it be that he also invented an arc reactor?
With that thought, Tony asked his question directly.
To which Peter's explanation was:
"It's just a tiny bit of magic."
Tony:...So the end of science really is theology, huh?