Ch: 58-68
Chapter 58: Stay Right Here
After rescuing Tony and Ethan, Peter had no intention of staying behind to eat sand with them.
As for taking them along on the flying skateboard, that was even more out of the question.
Setting aside how bizarre the image of three grown men in a "sandwich stack" on a small flying skateboard would be...
The gale-force winds generated by the flying skateboard at full speed alone were not something their mortal bodies could withstand.
Therefore, after a brief moment of hesitation, Peter decisively pulled out his private line phone from his pocket and called Natasha:
"Tony Stark has been rescued by me. I'm sending you the coordinates now; come pick them up yourselves."
Hearing that Tony had been saved, Natasha couldn't help but breathe a long sigh of relief.
But immediately after, she suddenly remembered something and, after a moment's hesitation, lowered her voice and spoke:
"If things are settled over there, Peter, you'd better come back soon. Things haven't been very peaceful here lately."
"What's the situation?" Peter asked casually.
Natasha then gave a brief account of recent events in New York:
"Simply put, two new supervillains have emerged recently. One calls himself Electro, and the other is known as Sandman. Both possess incomprehensible superpowers, and both have had their criminal plans thwarted by Gwen..."
Upon hearing just that much, Peter had a rough idea of the situation.
This was the downside of transmigrating into a multi-parallel Universe World like Marvel or DC.
In other Worlds, under normal circumstances, one could follow the original plot.
Even if a slight butterfly effect was triggered, the World line would converge due to inertia.
But the Marvel and DC Universes were different.
There were countless anchor points here, as well as things like the Web of Fate.
Interfering with any single element would cause a chain reaction, leading to a series of uncontrollable effects on the future.
Clearly, the current Peter, by tearing up his own script for sacrifice, had completely disrupted the Web of Fate in this Universe.
And it was causing the entire Gwen Spider-Verse to start developing in an uncontrollable direction.
Peter had previously held a slight glimmer of hope that by setting the fates of Connors and Norman back on track, the development of this Universe would return to its original rhythm.
But now it seemed things were far from as simple as he had thought.
The impact brought by the Web of Fate had not subsided; instead, it showed a trend of intensifying.
In the normal plot of Spider-Man 3, Sandman should have teamed up with Eddie's version of Venomand the New Goblin to fight Spider-Man.
But now, Sandman from Spider-Man 3 and Electro from The Amazing Spider-Man 2 were mixed up together.
Just like the previous team-up of the two Goblins, the appearance times of villains from the standalone Spider-Man Worlds had become completely untraceable.
It had even developed a setting similar to "Stand users will attract each other."
He estimated it wouldn't be long before something like the Sinister Six made a grand entrance.
There might even be a situation where he was busy fighting the Battle of New York or some other major event, while the villains from the Spider-Man plot gathered to cause trouble as a group.
While he was swamped, other Spiders from parallel Worlds would restlessly jump out one by one to assert their presence... This really wasn't Peter being overly paranoid.
After all, "trolley problems" like these were a unique specialty of the Spider-Verse, something one simply had to experience.
At this thought, Peter's brow beneath the mask furrowed deeply.
At the same time, he quickly calculated in his mind: Since the development of events was already uncontrollable, his previous assumptions naturally had to be completely overturned.
To solve the classic "trolley problem" of the Spider-Verse, the best solution was undoubtedly to develop one or even multiple superhero factions of his own.
Make as many friends as possible and as few enemies as possible.
That way, when he and Gwen were tied up, even if his "friends" couldn't solve the problem, they could at least help buy some time, right?
Furthermore, the plan to hide his identity and let Gwen develop on her own could not continue.
Knowing the plot's development, it didn't matter much if Gwen encountered more setbacks on her own.
Everything was under his control anyway; even if Gwen messed up, he could appear at the right moment as The Punisher to clean up the mess for the baby in pajamas.
But in a completely unknown situation, letting Gwen fight alone would be pure madness!
So, to ensure the personal safety of Gwen, Uncle Ben, Aunt May, and more people he would cherish in the future...
He had to train Gwen in advance to a level better than her original self, even better than all the other Spider-Men.
Only then could Gwen better hold her own and avoid accidents as much as possible.
After thinking these issues through, Peter let out a long breath and then spoke sincerely to Natasha on the other end of the phone:
"Agent Natasha, thank you for risking punishment from your Director Nick Fury to pass this intelligence to me. As a reward, I can help you solve one trouble for free in the future."
He could guess with his eyes closed what kind of orders Nick Fury would give after noticing these trends, given his nature.
That guy would definitely choose to stand by and watch.
He might even have his subordinates block the news and try every means to keep him in Afghanistan.
Then, when Peter heard the bad news and was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, this guy would descend like a god from the heavens to win people's hearts this way.
As for whether irreparable losses would occur due to a slip-up in the process... it was Peter's loved ones who would die; what did that have to do with Nick Fury?
Quickly shifting the blame to others after causing trouble while hiding himself beautifully—that was the standard operating procedure for Nick Fury, or rather, the entire U.S. high-level leadership.
Under these circumstances, Natasha's willingness to brave the pressure and give him intelligence meant she had undoubtedly chosen to stand on the same side as him.
Since Natasha had already picked a side, Peter naturally had to return the favor.
On the other side, hearing Peter's promise, the Red Room—which could be called her childhood nightmare—immediately surfaced in Natasha's mind.
Thinking about the years spent being hunted by the Red Room, and then thinking about Peter's immense power...
At that moment, Natasha actually felt a long-lost sense of security:
"In that case, I won't be polite~"
After ending the call with Natasha, Peter turned back to look at Tony and Ethan and said:
"Stay right here and don't move. Someone from the Military will send a transport plane to take you back in a while."
Hearing this, Tony couldn't help but be taken aback:
"What about you?"
Ethan also added in a low voice from the side:
"My Lord, we don't even know your name yet. You should at least give us a chance to repay you for saving our lives, right?"
Considering that Tony was a trustworthy superhero, and the more candid he appeared now, the more it would contrast with Nick Fury's hypocrisy in the future.
Peter thus spoke honestly:
"There's a bit of trouble in New York that I need to go and solve, so I have to leave first."
"As for my name..."
After a slight hesitation, he simply took off the Hollow mask from his face:
"My name is Peter, Peter Parker."
Chapter 59 – A Forced Melon Isn't Sweet, but It Quenches Thirst
When the mask came off and revealed the impossibly young face beneath, shock washed over Tony and Ethan.
They'd already noticed how youthful Peter's voice sounded, yet they hadn't imagined he was this young.
The one who had saved their lives and slaughtered the entire Ten Rings Gang was barely a teenager who'd just come of age.
"You're not some centuries-old monster using magic to fake being a kid, are you?"
As Tony spoke he unconsciously rubbed his hands together, fighting the urge to rush up and tug Peter's cheek to see if a whole layer of skin would peel off.
Peter simply tilted his head and flashed him a "nuclear-nice" smile.
Spotting that grin, Tony instantly caved, raising his hands in sheepish surrender.
"Okay, okay, just kidding—don't take it to heart."
This was the freak who'd held the full-power mark i immobile with one hand; pissing him off would land Tony in serious trouble… "Still, why decide to show your face now?"
To Tony, the move made no sense.
If the kid only wanted favors, he could have revealed himself from the start instead of going through all this trouble.
Peter's answer was straightforward.
He knew that with someone like Tony, honesty worked far better than cloak-and-dagger games: "Because I just realized my friends and I might need your help later… You cobbled together that tin can in a cave.
With your money and brain, once you're home you'll build even wilder toys.
I'm curious what they'll look like once I add a little magic to the mix."
Tony might be arrogant and abrasive, but he was loyal and good-hearted.
In the original story, everyone who helped him—apart from the late Dr. Ethan—got repaid, whether it was Colonel Rhodes or the kid from Iron Man 3.
Not to mention Peter had personally saved Tony and Ethan.
So, hearing Peter's reply, Tony broke into a grin: "I like the way you butter me up… Getting a wizard's seal of approval is a new life experience for me."
"So… lucky you, kid—you've earned Tony's respect."
Knowing Tony's personality, Peter wasn't offended by the cocky tone and simply said, "See you back in New York, then."
With that, Peter stomped on the flying skateboard; the sudden blast of exhaust and dust as it rocketed upward left Tony and Dr. Ethan coughing and filthy.
"Pfft—" Tony spat grit, cursing, "Shit, the punk did that on purpose."
Yet he couldn't hide the grin tugging at his lips… Just as Peter sped off toward New York, bidding farewell to Tony and Ethan.
In a derelict New York station, Electro—Max—tracked down the hiding Sandman, William Baker.
Sensing the danger crackling off Max, William spun, his arms morphing into weapons.
"Don't bare your fangs at me, you mangy mutt!"
Max sneered.
Unlike William, who stayed true to himself even after becoming Sandman, Max had turned dark the moment he gained power.
Craving attention and adoration, his dream had been simple: he was finally somebody.
He pictured himself fighting side-by-side with Ghost-Spider, becoming the city's heroes, maybe even starting a family with her—the perfect power couple.
Reality, however, shredded that script.
When he tried to join Ghost-Spider, his wild electricity injured her and killed several innocents.
The NYPD opened fire, citizens cursed him, demanding Ghost-Spider put the "madman" down.
Seeing his idol hesitate broke Max's heart.
He left, planning to master his powers before facing her again.
But when he got home, his mother's latest cruelty snapped the last straw.
The bedridden whale who'd drained him for years—supported solely by his paycheck—still called him worthless.
All his life she'd hammered that his birth was a mistake.
She blamed him for her single-mother misery and the accident that paralyzed her, insisting she'd have been a success without him.
Yet when Max returned glowing with electricity, her first idea was to send him to rob a bank so she could live in luxury.
When he refused, she sold him out for a measly ten-grand "tip."
As she shrieked "Money! Money!" Max exploded.
Lightning tore through the room, turning everyone present into charcoal.
Max knew he'd crossed the line; from then on he let himself go.
He hunted down every childhood bully and made them pay.
He forced big shots who once looked down on him to kneel.
Becoming the very thing he'd hated didn't feel empty—he felt fuller than ever.
Better than anything else… So when his former idol came for him and admitted she already had someone special, Max made his craziest decision: if he couldn't fight beside her, he'd make her his trophy!
A forced melon isn't sweet, but it quenches the thirst!
He tried to cage Ghost-Spider, and after that plan imploded he sought out Sandman: "Listen up, mutt—we can team!
We'll rake in cash and grab Ghost-Spider.
When it's done, the money's yours; I only want her!"
Chapter 60: Sand and Electricity Join Forces, Gwen in Danger
Noticing the sleazy and arrogant posture Electro displayed while speaking,
William Baker's face was filled with disgust.
He could clearly feel that he and the other man were not the same kind of people.
He was here because he had no choice, while this guy was pure evil born to satisfy selfish desires.
"Get lost!" Sandman tried to drive the other away in a low voice. "Don't bother me."
Seeing that Sandman actually dared to refuse him, Max's expression couldn't help but twist. The electric arcs around his body crackled loudly due to his agitation:
"Idiot, you think you have a choice? The trailer home six hundred meters to the left of the west gate of Island Park..."
Boom!
Before he could finish, a giant fist covered in sand smashed toward him.
Unfortunately, in his fully charged state, Electro's speed was extremely fast, and he easily dodged the fist.
"If you dare touch them, I'll take your life!" Sandman roared frantically.
"You think you're worthy? You can't even keep up with Ghost-Spider. What can you do to me?" Electro's face was full of sarcasm:
"Idiot, you have no choice. If you don't help, I'll kill your daughter tonight."
William stared at Electro with bloodshot eyes. If he could, he truly wanted to tear the guy in front of him limb from limb.
But logic told him that the other was telling the truth; he really couldn't catch him.
So, facing the threat, he seemed to have no choice but to compromise.
Thinking of his daughter lying in the hospital bed, Sandman's fists clenched and loosened repeatedly. Finally, he could only squeeze out a few words through his teeth:
"Fine, I promise you."
Seeing an existence as powerful as Sandman forced to agree to his demands, Electro couldn't help but laugh triumphantly.
In his mind, he was already fantasizing about the wonderful sight of that being who swung on webs and scaled walls among the skyscrapers becoming his personal collection... With the two major villains joining forces, a massive net targeting Ghost-Spider silently unfurled across New York City.
"Requesting backup at Seventh Avenue, repeat, requesting backup at Seventh Avenue!"
"It's Sandman! That freak has appeared again! He's bigger than ever. Damn it, we can't stop him at all!"
Listening to the urgent reports from the police channel, Gwen's delicate brows furrowed slightly, her mood very irritable.
Can't I just be allowed to miss Peter in peace for a while and chat with him?
Peter had been out of the country for nearly a week. This was the first time in eighteen years that Gwenhad been without Peter's company for such a long period.
Her intense longing almost felt tangible, overflowing.
Yet, she didn't even have time to have a long phone call with him.
This made Gwen feel quite unhappy:
"This guy again. Why won't he just give up?"
Gwen's brows furrowed slightly; besides her confusion, she was also somewhat dissatisfied.
However, there was no time for further thought. To prevent her father's colleagues from being injured and to avoid harm to innocent citizens, Gwen could only shake her head, quickly change into her suit, and swing toward Seventh Avenue on her webs.
When Gwen arrived at the scene, she saw Sandman transformed into a seven- or eight-meter-tall sand giant. With one punch of his massive sand fist, he smashed the already heavily damaged bank vault.
Countless green Franklins flew through the air because of his actions.
"Stop!"
Gwen shouted. The web pellets she had specifically developed to deal with Sandman were fired in succession, the dense barrage landing on Sandman's arm,
completely severing the arm he was using to grab the money.
"You again!"
Sandman let out an angry roar, repeatedly swiping at Gwen as if swatting a fly.
"Still the same old tricks~" Gwen tried to provoke Sandman with words:
"Seriously, you really don't know how to innovate. Just the same few moves over and over... can't you show me something new?"
While Gwen was complaining like this, Sandman suddenly let out a roar.
The sand scattered on the ground from his previous movements converged toward Sandman's body like rivers flowing into the sea.
Gwen, who had just landed, was momentarily caught off guard and actually had her feet entangled by the rapidly converging sand.
She hurriedly shot out a web, trying to swing away, but at that moment, Sandman swung his hand violently toward the projected web.
The moment he struck, he voluntarily dissolved his quicksand arm.
Tons of yellow sand were flung toward the web in the air by inertia, easily blocking the web aimed at the streetlight.
With this sudden change of tactics, the caught-off-guard Gwen was swallowed by yellow sand and, after Sandman reassembled his body, was held tightly in his hand:
"You're finished, little bug!"
Sandman restrained Gwen, who was trying to stop him from stealing the money.
But seeing herself about to be defeated, Gwen's spirit surged. She struggled with all her might, erupting with immense power, and actually managed to break free from Sandman's restraint through sheer monstrous strength, snapping his fingers in the process.
Having mocked her opponent for being uncreative one second and then being bested by his sudden change of tactics the next, Gwen felt a bit embarrassed.
So she used a web to stick to a manhole cover, swung it, and smashed it into Sandman again and again, forcing his massive body to retreat step by step.
Just as she was in the thick of her confrontation with Sandman... Buzz~
The brightly lit New York night scene suddenly turned pitch black.
This sudden change caught Gwen by surprise.
This certainly wasn't because she was afraid of the dark or for any other reason.
But rather because such a large-scale power outage was often accompanied by the appearance of another annoying fellow!
Mmm~!
After draining the electricity of half of Manhattan in one breath, Electro couldn't help but shiver with pleasure.
Looking at his blue body completely filled with electric light, Electro couldn't help but show an intoxicated expression:
"It's time... my little spider... I'm coming for you!"
As he spoke, Electro's body turned into a blinding bolt of blue lightning, rushing toward the direction of Seventh Avenue at a speed beyond the limits of ordinary human vision... Gulf of Maine.
Peter, standing on his flying skateboard, streaked past at high speed, kicking up a surge of waves.
Although he was still some distance from New York, with his vision enhanced by the Byakugan and the lizard serum, he still saw the sight of the brightly lit Manhattan instantly turning pitch black.
Obviously, Electro was making his move again!
Gwen is in danger!
Forcing himself to calm down quickly, Peter began to think about how to deal with this alliance between Electro and Sandman.
These two guys weren't that strong in combat power, but they were very troublesome; one couldn't be killed, and the other was fast.
However, these two weren't completely without weaknesses.
On the contrary, both their weaknesses were obvious and even shared—they were both afraid of water!
As long as he could get a large amount of water, dealing with these two wouldn't be difficult!
Thinking of this, Peter's mind couldn't help but wander... Speaking of which, there just happened to be an item related to water in his system...
Chapter 61: True Dragon Certified: A Purely Good Woman~
Looking at the 9,000 sacrifice points in the system.
After a moment's hesitation, Peter decided to give the system an order:
"System, purchase the cold jade bed and the emerald dragon scale."
The emerald dragon scale could control waves, and naturally, it could also control ordinary water. Without a doubt, it was a great tool for quickly restricting Sandman and Electro in the city.
As for the cold jade bed, it was entirely an incidental purchase. After all, the price wasn't high, and that tenfold acceleration effect was decent.
Perhaps it would come in handy if he drew internal strength techniques in the future.
Even if he couldn't get internal strength, Peter could always lend it to "Doctor Strange" Stephen Strange or give it to "Scarlet Witch" Wanda to boost their favorability, right?
As 1,300 sacrifice points were deducted, a dim green scale instantly appeared in Peter's hand.
As for the cold jade bed... because it was too large, it was temporarily stored in the system space, to be taken out whenever Peter wanted to use it.
This was an additional feature of the system: all purchased physical items could be temporarily stored in the system space.
Placing the emerald dragon scale on his head, Peter was just about to test its effects when a stream of information suddenly flowed into his mind.
The general meaning was:
Sorry, because the True Dragon does not recognize you, you can only use at most half of the emerald dragon scale's power.
Peter:...No wonder this thing is only worth 800 sacrifice points; it actually has usage requirements.
But it didn't seem like the system's fault; after all, that was how it was set in the original work.
Only someone with a corresponding personality could gain the dragon scale's recognition and use its power through a chant.
For example, the emerald dragon scale corresponded to someone like Xiao Meimei—kind and compassionate. Additionally, there was a hidden condition: they had to be a good singer.
Thinking about it this way, Peter instantly understood why the dragon scale didn't recognize him... While Peter wasn't some villainous person, he certainly couldn't be called compassionate when he was killing people... and his singing was truly nothing to write home about.
Being able to use half its power was likely the system forcing the dragon scale to work.
A kind-hearted "good woman" who could sing... The first figure that flashed through Peter's mind was, naturally, his wife, Gwen.
But on second thought, Gwen was the drummer for "The Mary Janes" band at Midtown High. Although she was great at the drums, her singing level was hard to say.
At least, he had never heard his "pajama baby" sing before.
Moreover, Gwen was quite proud; she probably wouldn't be able to accept a setting where she had to fight by singing.
As he was thinking this, another figure emerged in Peter's mind—Felicia Hardy.
Felicia was not only in the same study group as Gwen and Peter.
She and Mary Jane were also the two lead singers of Gwen's band; she was quite skilled at singing.
The three of them had been fairly good friends at school. When Norman and Connors attacked the school, she had even risked running over to warn him to escape.
It was just that because Felicia wasn't in the same class as Peter and the others, plus the fact that both he and Gwen now had dual identities, they had grown a bit distant recently.
The last time Peter met Felicia at school, she had even complained about it.
Should he... let her try?
In other parallel Universes, Felicia was Black Cat, who had a deep connection with Spider-Man. If she could gain the dragon scale's recognition, she could become a specialized hero with impressive combat power.
He could bring her under his wing and make her a member of the superhero organization he envisioned... Coincidentally, Peter had already arrived over New York.
Using the Byakugan to confirm that although Gwen was in a bad situation, she could still barely deal with the two major villains.
He immediately made up his mind and flew rapidly toward the Hardy house in Queens... In the bedroom, Felicia Hardy was clutching a slightly swollen palm print, huddled on her large bed and weeping alone.
She had a huge argument with her mother today because of her father.
At the thought of her mother wanting to take the inheritance her father left them and remarry, Felicia's body couldn't stop trembling.
Suddenly, she heard an exclamation from her mother outside the door, followed by a knock.
At the same time, a strange but gentle voice drifted in:
"Felicia Hardy, right? Can you do me a small favor?"
Teary-eyed, Felicia cautiously opened the door.
The man standing outside made her subconsciously cover her mouth in surprise:
"You, you're... The Punisher?"
Felicia was a bit dazed. Because The Punisher had previously subdued the Lizardman and Green Goblinat Midtown High, she was naturally not a stranger to him.
She had even fantasized more than once about becoming The Punisher's girlfriend... Now, her idol was actually standing right in front of her, making her feel incredulous and a bit embarrassed.
After all, her current appearance didn't look very glamorous; it could even be described as a mess.
After glancing at the nervous Felicia, Peter looked down at his palm.
In his palm, the emerald dragon scale was emitting a soft glow and even letting out bursts of clear humming like a dragon's roar!
One could say the Dragon Soul was delighted... Seeing this scene, Peter's expression under the mask couldn't help but turn a bit strange.
It really lit up?
What does this count as? A peerless good woman certified by the True Dragon?
He seemed to have suddenly discovered another incredible use for the emerald dragon scale.
Shaking his head to dispel the messy thoughts, Peter turned to Felicia and asked straightforwardly:
"Time is short, and I can't explain too much for now. Anyway... Miss Hardy, are you willing to become a superhero with your singing?"
Felicia:???
What kind of strange script development is this?
Felicia even subconsciously looked behind Peter, seriously doubting if there was a camera hidden back there.
Maybe this was some TV prank show?
As she was thinking this, the emerald dragon scale had spontaneously floated up and landed on her forehead.
At that moment, Felicia gradually understood everything.
He wasn't joking; she had gained the recognition of this dragon scale!
"I'm willing!"
Without any hesitation, Felicia immediately nodded excitedly.
Seeing that Felicia had agreed, Peter didn't hesitate and pulled Felicia away from her home.
Before leaving, he didn't forget to bring the mask from her room and thoughtfully helped her put it on.
It was quite a coincidence; because Halloween was approaching, Felicia had actually prepared a Halloween costume.
And the costume she prepared this year was "Mera" from the DC Universe.
Taking Felicia onto the flying skateboard, because the skateboard wasn't very large and he needed to shield Felicia from the night wind, Peter could only let her stand behind him.
When the skateboard took off, the sudden weightlessness startled Felicia, and she subconsciously hugged Peter's waist.
Such close contact made her blush with shyness.
Although shy, she didn't let go. On one hand, she was truly afraid of falling, and on the other... she was somewhat reluctant to let go.
This full sense of security was incredibly attractive to a girl like her, whose father was in prison and who had lacked fatherly love growing up.
Unfortunately, before Felicia could savor the feeling.
The two of them had already arrived at Seventh Avenue.
Seeing Gwen being forced into a retreat by the combined efforts of Sandman and Electro, Peterbrushed off Felicia's hand without a second thought and instantly charged forward using the Moonwalk...
Chapter 62: How Can They Be So Similar?
"Zzzzt!"
The ear-piercing crackle of electricity tore through the night sky!
Blinding bolts of lightning blasted toward Gwen at extreme speed!
In the nick of time, Gwen's Spider-Sense screamed a warning, and she rolled to the side almost instinctively to dodge.
Boom!
The lightning missed her by a hair's breadth and slammed into the ground, instantly melting the asphalt and releasing a pungent stench.
Before Gwen could even stand up, Sandman's fist came crashing down right after.
Again!
This was already the countless time Gwen had been forced to clumsily defend against their combined assault.
If she were fighting either of them one-on-one, Gwen was confident she could easily handle them using her modified Web-shooters.
At the very least, she could hold her own and stall until the police arrived, forcing them to retreat.
But now that they were launching an "evil two-on-one" against her, she felt somewhat out of her element.
To make matters worse, the blackout had caused crime rates in Manhattan to soar; the NYPD was currently busy dealing with common muggers and had no time to come to her aid.
What a massive headache!
Dealing with two supervillains alone was already irritating enough.
Yet that Electro guy kept incessantly babbling things that were hard to stomach.
Stuff like, "As long as you marry me, I'll make you the happiest woman in the World."
And, "You have no choice, you can only submit to me!"
Even, "Only I am the person who loves you most in this World. Look at yourself now! You're in danger, isolated and without help. Where's your lover? Where is he? That coward doesn't deserve you."
What is this nonsense!
Gwen wasn't a racist.
But at this moment, she couldn't help but feel a surge of impulse to immediately snap back at him.
She really wanted to shout:
"Compared to Peter, what kind of farm tool do you think you are?"
But she couldn't do that, because if she exposed Peter's name, this freak would definitely find a way to cause trouble for him.
She couldn't let Peter fall into danger.
Feeling more and more irritable the more she thought about it, Gwen wanted to turn around and shoot a web in Electro's face.
But when she pressed her Web-shooters, nothing came out.
When it rains, it pours!
Because the previous battle with Sandman had consumed too much, this cartridge of webbing was empty.
She had to find a moment to swap in a spare web cartridge.
But currently, she was struggling just to dodge these two guys' attacks; how was she supposed to find time to change her webbing?
Worse yet, Electro and Sandman had clearly noticed Gwen's predicament.
Sandman immediately turned back to try and gather the cash in the bank; he only wanted to rob the money to raise funds for his daughter's surgery and didn't want to take lives.
But Electro, this guy, closed in with a sinister grin:
"Little baby, looks like you need my hel—"
Boom!
Before Electro could finish his sentence, a heavy, powerful kick slammed into him from behind.
If it weren't for the fact that he was currently fully charged with electrical energy and in a "semi-elemental" state, this single kick might have folded him like a screen on the spot.
Gwen looked in disbelief at the familiar back that had descended from the sky and slowly landed in front of her.
She subconsciously murmured:
"Pe..."
As soon as she uttered one syllable, Gwen snapped back to her senses and hurriedly covered her mouth.
At the same time, she thought to herself, was she going crazy from missing Peter?
This familiar black and red suit, this matchless powerful aura.
It was clearly The Punisher, who had been missing for a long time!
But this back... how could it be so similar?
Also, just now when he heard her start to speak, did his body stiffen slightly?
...After kicking Electro away, Peter didn't stop there.
Instead, he stepped into the air, twisting his body in a posture that completely defied gravity, and zipped back toward Sandman.
"Get lost!"
Sandman instinctively tried to swat away Peter, who was obstructing him from picking up the money.
But facing Sandman's swinging arm, Peter didn't dodge. Instead, he clenched both fists and aimed them one above the other at the incoming arm.
Six Powers Esoteric: Six King Gun!
This was the most suitable move in Peter's current arsenal for dealing with Sandman.
The effect of this technique was to transmit compressed power into the opponent's body, erupting into a terrifying, penetrating shockwave.
The shockwave exploded instantly after entering Sandman's body, and the powerful Impact caused Sandman's massive seven-to-eight-meter-tall body to be completely blown to pieces!
The visual Impact of this scene was simply too strong; both Gwen and Felicia's mouths dropped open into "O" shapes on the spot.
Never mind the two girls, even Electro was startled by this move.
He even felt a bit of lingering fear in his heart.
If that move had hit him just now, he wondered if he would have been blown apart on the spot... Taking advantage of the gap while Sandman needed time to reform his body, Peter looked at Gwen and spoke:
"Hurry up and change your webbing. You deal with Sandman in a moment; leave that discharging guy to me."
After saying all this, he looked back at Felicia.
Although Felicia was a bit dazed, her reaction wasn't slow at all. She immediately took a deep breath and slowly began to sing.
There were two incantations to activate the power of the emerald dragon scale: one was to produce seven different musical scales, and the other was to shout, "Let the song give me strength!"
The incantation was so embarrassing that even Felicia couldn't handle it, so she decisively chose to sing.
Suppressing all sorts of strange thoughts in her heart, Gwen took a deep breath and hurried to load the spare webbing.
At the same time, she immediately shot webbing at the ground, trying to segment the re-coalescing grains of sand bit by bit to slow down Sandman's recovery speed.
"Is it you?"
On the other side, Electro climbed up from the ground and stared fixedly at Peter, his eyes filled with the flames of malice and jealousy:
"Is it because of you that Ghost-Spider didn't choose me!"
Hearing this, Gwen's face turned bright red, her heart both anxious and ashamed.
What is this guy talking about!
"Don't talk nonsense!" Gwen hurriedly retorted loudly.
"I have absolutely nothing to do with you; from beginning to end, it's just been you talking to yourself! Furthermore..."
Looking at The Punisher's back, which seemed more and more identical to Peter's the more she looked, Gwen bit her lip and suddenly spoke as if possessed:
"The person I like is actually my neighbor who grew up with me! Other than him, there is no second choice!"
Hearing Gwen's "confession" that could be called a perfect answer, Peter didn't turn around immediately, but under his mask, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl into a thoroughly satisfied arc.
Very good, as expected of my little spider.
As for you... Looking at Electro in front of him, Peter subconsciously cracked his neck, producing a series of bone-popping sounds like frying beans.
You have already found your way to death!
Chapter 63: Just Teasing You~
Gwen's confession was like music to Peter's ears.
But it didn't sound so wonderful to Electro.
Electro's face contorted within the electrical currents, his large cyan face now looking as hideous as a demon.
The electric arcs around him crackled, their brightness suddenly increasing several-fold, illuminating the entire Seventh Avenue like broad daylight.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it! You can only be mine. Watch me kill this nuisance first, then I'll go kill that bastard neighbor of yours!"
Before his voice even faded, Max suddenly threw his arms open, and violent currents of electricity exploded outward with him at the center!
Zzzzt—!
Bolts of electricity transformed into lightning snakes following Electro's movements, striking toward Peter and completely engulfing his figure in the blinding glare.
Gwen and Felicia's hearts leaped into their throats at the sight, terrified that Peter would be struck by the terrifying lightning.
"That's it?"
Fortunately, a nonchalant sneer drifted from the electrical glare, quickly allowing the two women to put their hearts back in their chests.
They instinctively looked over and realized Peter had appeared several meters away at some point, his black and red suit completely unscathed.
Clearly, the previous currents hadn't hit him at all.
"Impossible!" Electro couldn't help but scream, his voice shrill and piercing with shock.
"How did you dodge that?! Even Ghost-Spider couldn't do it!"
"That's how it is for a frog in a well."
Peter shrugged in a very punchable manner.
"You get a little power and think you're invincible, but you don't realize your Daddy once said that at your level, you're just a... lo~li~ in my eyes."
Hearing Peter's dismissive tone, the arrogant, darkened Electro's composure shattered on the spot.
He began to attack Peter frantically and repeatedly.
Arcs of electricity rained down on Peter, but his body was as light as if he were weightless, effortlessly dodging all of Electro's attacks.
After a brief exchange, he had already gauged Electro's power level.
Aside from his troublesome elementalization ability, the guy's other moves were quite ordinary.
He was essentially a giant battery; he could only absorb and release electricity, but his control over the current itself was extremely limited.
This meant that no matter how much power he unleashed, he could only launch straightforward attacks.
He couldn't freely manipulate the shape of the electricity like Thor or Eneru from the Pirate King.
While these direct currents were fast, dodging them wasn't difficult as long as one predicted the landing point from the start.
However... he couldn't just keep dodging forever.
Noticing Electro's face turning from blue to pale, Peter had a thought and quickly allowed himself to "voluntarily" take a hit from a bolt of lightning.
This guy was essentially a coward.
If he realized his attacks were consistently ineffective or if his energy was about to run out, he would most likely turn tail and run.
Given his elemental form, if he only focused on escaping, the current Peter really wouldn't be able to stop him.
So, he had to stall the guy and make him think he wasn't all that; only then would Felicia have the chance to use the water to decide the battle in one fell swoop.
Crack!
The current hit Peter, leaving a scorched mark on his suit.
Feeling the negligible damage Electro had caused him,
Peter couldn't help but curl his lip in disdain.
"That's it?"
With the defensive boost from Iron Body, plus the innate recovery abilities of the horse talisman and the lizard serum,
Peter hadn't even felt any pain before the injury was healed on the spot.
If he hadn't specifically controlled the horse talisman not to repair the damage to his suit, even that scorched mark wouldn't have remained.
As Peter expected, seeing "The Punisher" hit by his current, Electro—who had been considering retreat—instantly perked up and laughed wildly while floating in mid-air:
"Hahaha, I knew it! I am the invincible Electro! A nobody like you can't do anything to me!"
Believing he'd found Peter's weakness, Electro turned into a blinding blue flash of lightning and began spinning frantically around Peter at high speed.
As he spun rapidly around Peter, he raised his hand and fired arcs of electricity at him from various tricky angles.
Back, side, knees, ankles... realizing Peter wasn't invincible, Electro stopped aiming for a one-hit kill and instead constantly looked for vulnerable spots to attack, trying to kill Peter that way.
And Peter demonstrated with his actions what it meant to "do my best to play along with your performance."
Even though he was healing faster than he was losing health, he raised his arms to protect his head, acting as if he were being beaten into submission and could only charge blindly to try and break out of the "encirclement."
Bang!
During this, Peter seized an opportunity and fired a Flying Finger Pistol, blasting open a nearby fire hydrant.
Noticing the water gushing from the hydrant, a look of fear immediately appeared on Electro's face.
He knew all too well what water meant for him—conduction, short-circuiting, energy dissipation... so he immediately stopped his attack and flew far away, putting dozens of meters between himself and the hydrant.
Only after ensuring the water from the hydrant couldn't affect him did he smugly resume his trash-talking:
"Trying to use water against me?" Electro laughed loudly, thinking himself clever:
"Idiot! Did you think I'd be stupid enough to fall for it? Everything you do is just a deathbed struggle!"
Electro mocked Peter triumphantly, but Peter didn't show the frustrated expression Electro expected.
On the contrary, his voice was incredibly relaxed:
"You don't actually think you hurt me just now, do you?"
As he spoke, a hazy white light appeared on Peter's body. Wherever the light passed, the scorched areas immediately returned to their original skin tone.
The skin there... was as good as new!
Following that, even his damaged suit became as clean and new as ever.
Electro's mocking came to a screeching halt.
He looked at Peter in utter bewilderment, even wondering if he was hallucinating.
As he was thinking this, he heard Peter speak in a very relaxed tone:
"I was just teasing you just now, you idiot!"
As he spoke, Peter looked back at Felicia in the distance and snapped his fingers at her with great elegance.
"Time for your debut, baby~!"
The moment Peter snapped his fingers, Felicia Hardy understood and began to speak.
A beautiful singing voice rang out like clear spring water.
The moment the singing began, Sandman, Electro, and Gwen all instinctively widened their eyes.
They saw a scene that they couldn't understand no matter how hard they tried.
"Water!"
The water gushing from the broken hydrant actually began to gather spontaneously toward the singing girl, as if going to pay homage to their queen!
Chapter 64: Electro is Everywhere
The moment Felicia began to sing, the entire battlefield fell into a momentary silence.
Electro and Sandman stared blankly at the scene that completely defied the laws of physics, their minds going completely blank.
While the two major villains were in a state of bewilderment, the singing gradually reached its peak.
The song Felicia was singing was titled "Empire State of Mind" (Heart of New York).
As the singing grew stronger, the water flowing toward Felicia began to swirl, rise, and stretch around her, finally transforming into two crystal-clear ribbons of flowing water that danced gracefully by her side.
There was no accompaniment or reverb, but this simple a cappella, amplified by the emerald dragon scale, held a strange and mysterious power.
Listening to Felicia's singing, Gwen looked down at her hands in astonishment.
What kind of power is this?!
As Felicia's song rang out, Gwen suddenly felt her body become much lighter.
Not only did her speed increase, but even her strength received a slight boost.
On the other side, Sandman and Electro felt the exact opposite.
"Ugh~" Sandman let out a painful groan.
The song drilled into his ears, feeling like countless fine needles stabbing into his brain.
He found that his ability to control sand was becoming sluggish.
The grains of sand that were once as easy to command as his own limbs now felt like disobedient children, requiring nearly twice the energy to barely force them to gather back onto his body.
Electro's situation was even worse.
Because the evil in his heart was far purer than Sandman's, the "anti-evil" effect of the emerald dragon scale was significantly amplified when acting upon him.
Every note Felicia sang felt to him like someone standing right next to him, repeatedly scratching their fingernails against a blackboard.
That sensation was almost enough to drive Electro completely insane.
"Shut up! Shut up!!!" Electro covered his ears in pain, but it didn't help at all.
Felicia's song continued to pour into his mind in a steady stream, making it impossible for him to concentrate on attacking her.
This wasn't even the most ridiculous part; what was even more absurd was that as Felicia reached the chorus...
Even the surrounding residents were encouraged by the song.
The citizens, who had been trembling and praying that the battle below wouldn't affect their homes, now poked their heads out one after another.
When they noticed Felicia singing loudly while surrounded by water, they suddenly felt like they should do something!
"Who is that?"
"Is she a new superhero?"
"Maybe we should help her, and Ghost-Spider and The Punisher too!"
Amidst the whispers, someone was the first to take action.
A child living on the third floor tremblingly carried a basin of water to the window, hesitated for a moment, and then laboriously poured the entire basin out.
The water did not fall to the street; instead, it took a turn in mid-air and, like a bird returning to its nest, merged into the water ribbons around Felicia.
This action seemed to flip a switch.
The second household, the third, the fourth... people one after another turned on their faucets, watching as the water followed Felicia's song to gather by her side... On Seventh Avenue, a never-before-seen miracle of the human world was being staged at this moment.
Countless streams of water gathered around Felicia, and the two water ribbons visibly expanded until they merged into two surging torrents.
As the loudly singing Felicia waved her hand excitedly, the two water dragons charged toward the agonizing Sandman and Electro.
"No!"
The moment he saw the surging torrents rushing toward him, Sandman hurriedly tried to turn and run.
But how could his clumsy body outrun the rushing water dragons?
The water dragons slammed hard into Sandman's massive body, beginning to wash away the grains of sand attached to his surface bit by bit.
Sandman struggled and roared frantically, trying to reform his body, but every time he gathered, he was dispersed by new streams of water.
Under the continuous washing of the water, Sandman's body grew smaller and thinner until only a pile of glittering golden sand remained—this was William Baker's true form.
The water dragon didn't wash his true form into the sewer all at once; instead, it quickly reshaped itself into a large water sphere, imprisoning Sandman's true form within it.
On the other side, seeing the water dragon rushing toward him...
Electro felt his scalp go numb.
He forcibly activated the electrical energy in his body, turning himself back into a bolt of blue lightning, and fled frantically away from Manhattan.
Faster!
Even faster!
As long as he left this area and got away from that damn singing woman, he could make a comeback!
As Electro turned and fled heedlessly, the panic on his face began to fade bit by bit.
The plan was working!
Although that water dragon looked impressive, it couldn't keep up with his speed!
"No one can stop me! I'll definitely be ba—" Just as Electro thought he had escaped and was preparing to look back and throw out some harsh words to maintain his dignity as a supervillain...
Buzz!
A beam of electronic pulse light as thick as a baby's arm shot out from the side, accurately hitting Electro's body.
It was Peter's flying skateboard! Or rather, the wheel of destiny had launched an attack on Electro.
Normally, this would only help charge Electro and make him stronger.
But right now... the electronic pulse beam landed on Electro's body, perfectly forming a new circuit.
As the flying skateboard actively crashed into the water dragon... the circuit formed by Electro's body and the flying skateboard short-circuited instantly.
Zzzzt!
Blinding arcs of electricity flashed frantically.
"Aaaaaagh!!!"
A shrill scream that didn't sound human echoed through the night sky.
Electro's body began to solidify, twist, and twitch in mid-air.
As the water conducted all the electricity in his body into the ground, Electro's charred body was revealed.
Watching Electro fall rapidly from the sky, Peter did not hesitate for a second.
Shave!
His figure flickered and instantly appeared in front of Electro, raising his foot to pin Electro's chest down.
Looking at Electro, whose eyes were bloodshot as he still tried to struggle in his death throes...
A cruel smile appeared on Peter's face under the mask. He leaned down and made the gesture toward Electro that had previously made Electro feel incredibly terrified.
Noticing Peter's movement, Electro, who had already lost the power to fight back, changed expression drastically:
"No, don't, I surrender, I surrender! I..."
Without waiting for Electro to finish, Peter coldly pronounced the final sentence:
"Six Powers Esoteric: Six King Gun. Maximum Ring!"
Boom!
A punch force of up to 30 tons exploded instantly, acting on Electro's body in the form of a shockwave.
Under the effect of this terrifying Impact, Electro's body began to shatter along with the asphalt of Seventh Avenue.
A giant crater spanning over a hundred meters and several meters deep suddenly appeared.
At the bottom of the crater, only Peter stood in place. As for Electro... isn't Electro everywhere now?
Chapter 65: Revealing Identities
After blowing up Electro with one punch, Peter reached out and pressed his hand against the large crater he had created.
While quickly restoring the damaged road and surrounding ruined buildings, he collected two items from Electro's remains.
[Detected dark green item available for sacrifice: Electro's Transformer Core]
[The transformer developed by Electro to better control and output his own electricity; it is the most precious thing on Electro's body.]
[Sacrifice to obtain points: 800 points]
[Sacrifice?]
Sacrifice!
After sacrificing Electro's transformer, Peter casually plucked a piece of flesh from Electro's remains and placed it into a test tube in his utility belt.
Although Electro's abilities couldn't compare to Thor's, the genes capable of absorbing and releasing electricity were quite valuable for research.
Getting this ability and pairing it with his "wheel of destiny," which could provide infinite energy, would allow him to display combat power far superior to that of the useless Electro.
Additionally, with this ability, he might be able to try applying it to his own Chakra.
If all went well, he should be able to use this ability to directly develop Lightning Release.
And it would be seal-less Lightning Release that didn't require hand signs!
When the time came, he might be able to activate a Lightning Release Armor and give Thor Odinson a "tiny bit" of lightning shock... After finishing all this, Peter turned back to Gwen and Felicia and said:
"Take that guy with us. Let's find a place to have a good talk."
To this, the two women naturally had no objections.
Thus, Gwen swung on her spider silk while Felicia rode the flying skateboard with Peter, dragging behind them the Sandman, who was still imprisoned in a water prison, as they left Seventh Avenue.
Before long, the four arrived at a place quiet enough where they didn't have to worry about being disturbed by anyone—the spire atop the Empire State Building.
Giving Felicia a look, she immediately canceled the water prison restraint on Sandman, who then fell miserably to the ground, coughing violently.
If he hadn't chosen to condense into a human form, he wouldn't have been choked by the water at all.
But his obsession with fulfilling his promise to his daughter as a father was simply too strong.
This caused him to immediately turn into human form whenever he had the chance.
And this was exactly what Peter appreciated about him.
Sandman was even purer than Herman.
Herman wanted to rob banks while still harboring thoughts of spending the money on a life of debauchery.
But William Baker—this guy truly just wanted to save his daughter and was purely driven to desperation by the cutthroat society of "Merica."
It was a case of the evil capitalist society turning people into monsters... So, for this guy, Peter was willing to give him a chance to turn over a new leaf, just as he had with Herman.
"William Baker, I am willing to give you a chance to reform."
"As long as you're willing to work for me, I'll help treat your daughter and clear your criminal record so you can reunite with your family."
William had originally thought Peter was keeping him around to throw him into a research institute and study his body structure day and night.
He had just been prepared to make a final desperate struggle for his daughter's sake, only to hear these words instead.
This made him tremble with excitement, and without any hesitation, he lunged forward and hugged Peter's leg:
"Is what you're saying true? As long as you're willing to treat my daughter, I'll do anything you ask!"
"Of course," Peter replied with a smile, glancing back at Gwen and Felicia.
"I, Peter Parker, am a man of my word."
"What?!" The moment they heard Peter reveal his identity, Gwen and Felicia cried out in surprise in unison.
Although Gwen had previously guessed that "The Punisher" might be Peter, she hadn't dared to ask, fearing the scene would be very awkward if he wasn't.
As for Felicia, she was completely dumbfounded.
Everything that happened tonight was simply too much of a shock for her.
First, her dream idol, "The Punisher," suddenly appeared, and then she somehow became a superhero, fighting evil alongside two masked heroes.
Just as she was already fantasizing about fighting side-by-side with the two masked heroes in the future and taking the chance to ask if "The Punisher" had a girlfriend...
...she was now being told that "The Punisher," who had been gaining "favorability points" in her heart, was actually her good friend, or rather... her best friend's potential boyfriend?!
At this moment, Felicia's mood could be perfectly described by a song lyric:
"My heart is too confused; I need some blank space."
Just when Felicia felt her heart was already in a mess, Gwen, standing beside her, added fuel to the fire.
"Peter, is it really you?" Gwen couldn't help but exclaim.
But she instinctively covered her mouth after the words slipped out.
Oh no, how is this reaction any different from revealing my own identity?
Speaking of which, has Peter guessed my true identity?
Were those perfectly timed rescues because he knew I was Gwen...? Also, who is this new hero he brought along? Could the two of them be...? As Gwen grew more conflicted and distressed, Felicia's voice came from the side:
"Wait, why do you know Peter? And why do you call him so familiarly?"
A suspicion vaguely formed in Felicia's mind, but she also didn't dare say it, or rather, she hoped it wasn't true.
"Dreading to open my eyes, hoping it's just my hallucination~"
Sandman, looking at Ghost-Spider and then at the unknown singing woman, also had a completely bewildered expression.
What kind of strange development is this?
Isn't this My Lord Peter here to recruit me? Why are you two acting so excited?
Seeing the three of them with question marks all over their faces, Peter cleared his throat and, suppressing a laugh, spoke:
"Well then, let me introduce you two to each other..."
As he spoke, Peter grabbed Gwen's mask with one hand and Felicia's mask with the other. While pulling off both their masks, he said:
"This is Gwen Stacy, and this one is Felicia Hardy... Well? Surprised? Unexpected? Exciting?"
At that moment, Gwen and Felicia's eyes met. Their expressions were priceless, and they even spoke in perfect unison once again:
"Gwen/Felicia, how could it be you?"
"You two talk for a bit. I'll take Mr. William back first and treat his daughter while I'm at it."
Peter decided to give the two women time to slowly digest everything. He then simply grabbed William, taking him along on the flying skateboard.
Under William's guidance, the two soon arrived at the trailer home where his wife and daughter lived.
As Peter reached out and used the horse talisman to quickly heal William's daughter's illness, William immediately knelt to pledge his loyalty to Peter.
Peter gave Sandman the company address for "Parker Tech" and told him to report for work tomorrow, then immediately departed on his flying skateboard.
What was the point of staying here to watch a grown man be all grateful to him?
Going back to tell Gwen and Felicia about his superhero organization plan was the top priority!
Chapter 66: I Really Want to Try It Again Upside Down
When Peter returned to the top of the Empire State Building, Gwen was the only one left.
Evidently, after Felicia explained the situation, she asked Gwen to take her back first.
Peter could roughly guess what Felicia was conflicted about.
However, for him, this was undoubtedly a good thing.
There were some things Felicia didn't want to hear, and it just so happened that Peter didn't really want to say them in front of her... "Peter, you're back."
Even though they already knew each other's identities, Gwen still felt a bit uneasy when she saw Peterwearing the Hollow mask.
However, as Peter took the initiative to remove his mask, revealing a long-lost and familiar smile to Gwen, she felt that sense of unease vanish without a trace in an instant.
A week's worth of longing erupted at this moment, making Gwen almost lose control of her body.
She instinctively rushed forward and hugged Peter, only trying to leave that warm embrace sheepishly after about ten seconds.
But how could Peter let her come and go as she pleased?
So he whispered in her ear:
"Isn't someone going to explain her brilliant speech earlier to me?"
Although Peter didn't explicitly state which speech it was, Gwen immediately remembered her earlier confession, which was half out of testing him and half out of sincerity.
This caused her face to flush instantly, so embarrassed she wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
After being awkward for a while, Gwen tried to activate a woman's innate skill: 'playing dumb.'
"What speech? I don't remember?"
To this, Peter was well-prepared. He simply snapped his fingers, and a recording began to play from the flying skateboard:
"The person I like is actually the neighbor I grew up with! Other than him, there is no second choice!"
This was also one of the abilities of the 'wheel of destiny.'
The wheel of destiny possesses absolute control over vehicles.
This meant that when he possessed a vehicle, he could manifest any facility that could exist on a vehicle at will.
Peter had the wheel of destiny generate a recorder right when Gwen was confessing, recording her entire confession directly.
Hearing her previous recording, Gwen's pretty face turned even redder.
How did this guy Peter... become so bad? The situation was so tense earlier, yet he still had the mind to record it?
Gwen complained in her heart, so ashamed she didn't dare to lift her head.
She estimated that as soon as she looked up, she would surely meet Peter's mischievous, teasing gaze.
However, the reality was... even if she refused to look up, Peter had plenty of ways to make her comply.
Feeling Peter's hand around her slender waist trending downwards, Gwen couldn't help but shiver.
She hurriedly pressed down on Peter's hand, while instinctively looking up to glare at him.
But as soon as she looked up, she felt something soft press against her lips.
In that instant, Gwen's mind went blank.
Her eyes widened, looking at the person right in front of her.
Gwen's first reaction was to quickly push Peter away, but for some reason, her superpowers seemed to have suddenly failed.
The terrifying strength that was enough to throw a car away became soft and powerless when it landed on Peter's chest.
Then came a wave of dizziness.
Gwen instinctively closed her eyes, carefully feeling that unprecedented, strange sensation.
Until... after pressing down on Peter's large hand again, Gwen asked indistinctly and a bit crossly:
"Can't your hand be a bit more behaved!"
As she spoke, she forcibly pinned Peter's hands behind his back, while her own hands held his firmly.
Only after ensuring Peter could no longer cause trouble did she smile triumphantly and take the initiative.
No wonder the male and female leads on TV want to stick together and kiss 24 hours a day once they fall in love... this feeling is indeed a bit addictive.
It wasn't until even the superhuman Gwen felt a bit out of breath that the two finally separated.
Gwen panted heavily, feeling her whole body go soft and sticky, yet she still spoke stubbornly:
"Just, just this once, don't let it happen again!"
Actually, for some reason, a strange thought had been lingering in her mind:
I really want to try it again with Peter while hanging upside down... but she felt that doing so would be too forward, and she worried Peter might think she was some kind of easy girl because of it.
"You sure, just this once?" Peter whispered in Gwen's ear, deliberately stimulating the already very sensitive Little Spider.
"Just, just this once!" Gwen's body was trembling uncontrollably, yet she remained stubborn. Only after a long while did she realize Peter might be unhappy because of this, so she weakly added:
"I, I think... it's a bit too fast."
Peter:...One can only say that American teenagers are truly open when they are open, and truly conservative when they are conservative... "Alright, I respect your choice." Peter was playing the part of a man whose words are but fleeting ghosts.
But Gwen clearly fell for it.
Hearing this, she smiled until her eyes narrowed into crescent moons.
The two sat down on the top of the tower, and Gwen leaned her head on Peter's shoulder and asked:
"Peter, when exactly did you find out I was Ghost-Spider, and where did your power come from?"
"From the moment you were bitten by that radioactive spider at Osborn, I already expected you might undergo a mutation. Don't forget, the Decay Rate Algorithm was developed by my parents."
"As for where my power came from..."
Peter looked into Gwen's deep blue eyes and whispered in her ear:
"Of course, I obtained it to protect you."
He wasn't exactly lying; he indeed obtained the horse talisman to ensure Gwen wouldn't mutate.
Hearing that Peter knew she was Ghost-Spider from the very beginning, Gwen couldn't help but blush again.
So it turns out Peter had been teasing her since then!
How is this guy so bad!
Even though Gwen's heart was full of sweetness, she still said the opposite of what she felt:
"Stop it! Seriously, how did you get your abilities? Oh, right, and this..."
As Gwen spoke, she took the emerald dragon scale out of her pocket.
Seeing the emerald dragon scale, Peter couldn't help but be a bit stunned:
"Why didn't Felicia take it with her?"
"She said you originally lent it to her to use, and now that the trouble is resolved, it should naturally be returned to its owner," Gwen replied.
Looking at the emerald dragon scale in Gwen's hand, Peter couldn't help but think even more highly of Felicia for a moment.
No wonder she could gain the recognition of the emerald dragon scale; she really is a pure and good woman.
Hmm... speaking of which, what was that saying from the old master again?
Chapter 67: Nightingale and a Broken Obadiah
At the top of the Empire State Building, the night wind gently brushed past the two people snuggling together.
Gwen leaned against Peter's shoulder, playing with the warm emerald dragon scale in her hand:
"So where exactly did this thing come from?" She tilted her head, her deep blue eyes filled with curiosity,
"And that ability you have to restore objects—those aren't things that can be done relying on knowledge of physics or biology."
"Of course, it's not some scientific invention. It's magic!"
He placed his finger on Gwen's brow, using the horse talisman to help her quickly recover from the fatigue after the big battle.
To cover up the existence of the incomprehensible System, Peter had decided to commit fully to his "Magical Boy" persona.
"magic?" Gwen's eyes widened. If she weren't currently experiencing the healing of magic herself, she would definitely suspect Peter was making fun of her again.
"That's right," Peter said, talking nonsense with a straight face.
"There are many different types of magic in this World, but the magic I possess is different from everyone else's."
"The magic I have was bestowed upon me by an Oriental Divine Dragon. This scale is also one of the gifts he gave me..."
In the time that followed, Peter made up a story for Gwen about a "Divine Dragon and the Chosen Child."
Gwen quickly accepted this premise; the facts were right before her eyes, so she had no choice but to believe it.
"You know, when I got this dragon scale, the first person I thought of was you."
Peter reached out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind Gwen's ear. His gentle movements and words made the girl's heart skip a beat.
She had indeed been a little jealous before because Peter gave the dragon scale to Felicia, but hearing Peter say this now, that small knot in her heart vanished instantly:
"Don't. I couldn't handle that style of fighting. Compared to controlling water with singing from the rear, I still prefer solving problems directly with webs and fists!"
"I knew you'd say that." Peter smiled and then teased,
"After all, my Little Spider is quite the chatterbox. If she had to keep singing during a fight, wouldn't she be driven crazy?"
"I am not~" Gwen argued with a red face, but she subconsciously imagined the scene in her mind... Okay, if that really happened, she would indeed go crazy.
"Thinking about it like that, the dragon scale really is more suitable for Felicia. Her singing is great, and she truly needs the power to protect herself."
Speaking of this, Gwen couldn't help but smile:
"The three of us teaming up as superheroes... the thought of it is quite interesting. Oh, right, speaking of which, she doesn't have a proper code name yet!"
Actually, Peter had already thought of a suitable new title for Felicia, but being too proactive now—how would that be different from outing himself?
So he decisively acted as if he had just realized it:
"I would have forgotten if you hadn't mentioned it. If Felicia is going to join us in the future, she definitely needs a suitable title."
Hearing that Peter had never thought about a title for Felicia, and comparing that to how he had thought of a title for her on her very first day as a superhero...
Gwen didn't say it, but in her heart, she couldn't be more satisfied.
"If you ask me..." Gwen said after thinking for a moment.
"How about Mera... uh, but would DC have an issue with that name? Or maybe 'Banshee'? 'Tidecaller Diva'? 'Water Queen'?"
Noticing Peter's strange look and his hesitant expression, Gwen also felt that these names were indeed a bit too cliché, on the same level as "White Widow" or "Spider-Woman."
"No, you do it. I feel like you're better at naming things."
Hearing this, Peter deliberately put on a look of deep thought, and only after a moment did he toss out the name he had long since prepared:
"Emmm... how about 'Nightingale'?"
In other parallel Universes, Felicia Hardy was supposed to become "Black Cat," but now that Feliciahad gained the recognition of the emerald dragon scale, she had taken a completely different path.
Thus, Peter gave her the name "Nightingale."
The Nightingale's song is beautiful and moving, and it loves to be active at night, which perfectly matched Felicia's performance of singing loudly on Seventh Avenue tonight.
Hearing this suggestion, Gwen's eyes lit up: "That sounds great! That's the one!"
She immediately took out her phone and sent a message to Felicia:
[Hero title: Nightingale. Peter came up with it for you! How is it, do you like it? From now on, we can continue fighting side by side after school!]
In her bedroom, looking at the message from Gwen, Felicia couldn't help but show a very complex expression.
First, The Punisher's robust and perfect physique appeared before her eyes, but then, that masked face was immediately replaced by Peter's handsome and gentle smiling face.
This caused Felicia to have a bit of a breakdown, burying her beautiful face completely in her pillow.
Why did things turn out like this?
She finally felt her heart flutter for someone, only to find out his true identity was her good friend, and he was already basically in a committed relationship with her best friend.
Felicia wanted to reject all of this, to keep her distance from Peter so her restless heart could calm down.
But... what girl could refuse becoming a superhero admired by thousands? Or refuse the magical abilities she had already experienced once?
So, Felicia ultimately, as if possessed, typed out this reply on her phone:
[I like it very much... see you at school tomorrow]
By the time she realized what she had done, it was too late; phones these days didn't have a recall function.
"How did it come to this..."
Felicia murmured softly, then fell into a deeper level of inner conflict.
Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night for Felicia.
Of course, in the vast city of New York, she was certainly not the only one destined for insomnia... "Tony, thank God you're back!"
Downstairs at Stark Industries, when Pepper saw Tony return alive and in one piece, she couldn't help but hug him excitedly.
Smelling the pleasant scent of perfume on Pepper, Tony only felt a wave of thirst:
"You know what, Pepper? I stayed in that hellhole of Afghanistan for nearly half a month. Now there are only two things on my mind. The first is to eat a cheeseburger immediately, and the second is..."
Pepper quickly covered Tony's mouth. There were paparazzi and reporters staked out all around! Stop saying those embarrassing things!
Meanwhile, on the top floor of Stark Industries.
Looking at Tony being all lovey-dovey with Pepper, Tony's "good uncle," Obadiah Stane, couldn't help but smash the wine glass in his hand in a fit of rage:
"Fuck! What on earth did those useless trash from the Ten Rings Gang grow up eating? They can't even deal with a playboy like him!"
Chapter 68: Eye of Twilight and Fist of Shadow
Obadiah roared in anger, his voice becoming somewhat distorted because of it.
He had paid a massive price to bribe that group of Terrorists entrenched in Afghanistan, all for the sake of making Tony disappear in the desert forever.
However, Tony Stark had still returned alive!
This turned all of his investments and plans into a joke!
More importantly, he knew very well that with Tony's genius mind, he certainly wouldn't view this incident as a mere kidnapping on a whim.
The struggle between him and Tony had already entered a stage where only one could survive!
Realizing this, Obadiah turned around and strode into a secret door within his office.
The secret door led to a massive underground laboratory.
In the lab, a group of scientists was designing the blueprints and various components for a large mecha.
This was a mecha imitation plan he had initiated overnight after seeing the birth of the mark i through the Ten Rings Gang's surveillance footage.
Although he collaborated with the Ten Rings Gang to murder Tony, it didn't mean he actually fully trusted those people.
Thus, he had long ago arranged for someone to secretly hack into the Ten Rings Gang's surveillance system during arms deals with them.
So, even if the mark i was sacrificed by Peter, Obadiah still witnessed the power of the mark i and developed a covetous desire for it.
Looking at the soon-to-be-born iron monger, a look of infatuation couldn't help but surface on Obadiah's face.
"Since the Ten Rings Gang are all a bunch of unreliable trash..."
He muttered to himself, his eyes sinister.
"Then, I'll just take action personally."
Tony, since those trash couldn't kill you... then let me, your 'good uncle', send you to hell personally!
However, before that, he had to first figure out exactly how that kid Tony was powering such a large mecha... Under the same night sky, Obadiah wasn't the only one whose composure had shattered.
Today, due to Electro's actions, all of Hells Kitchen fell into a blackout lasting several hours.
Darkness is the best breeding ground for evil.
The sudden blackout caused the hyenas under Kingpin to let themselves go one by one, abandoning their work.
One by one they rushed onto the streets, taking advantage of the darkness to indulge wantonly in a 'zero-dollar shopping' spree.
Then... Electro died, and Manhattan's power supply was immediately restored.
These idiots under Kingpin were also caught red-handed by the prepared NYPD like pigs being rounded up.
At the top of Fisk Tower, Kingpin looked at his secretary and said coldly:
"Keep talking, how much did we lose tonight?"
At his feet, his personal male secretary trembled in fear but had to steel himself to report:
"According to preliminary statistics, over 200 men were arrested tonight, and... and three Enhancement Agent manufacturing sites and two human trafficking warehouses were busted by the cops."
"Adding up the losses from all aspects... it exceeds two hundred million!"
Crack!
A corner of the coffee table, made entirely of granite, was crushed by the angry Kingpin... stone fragments fell from his palm.
"I understand, you may leave now!"
The secretary didn't dare to hesitate for a moment and immediately fled the office in a panic.
Just after he left the office, sounds of smashing and destruction echoed from within.
Only after completely wrecking the office beyond recognition did Kingpin feel the fury in his chest subside slightly.
Sitting back in his custom sofa, Kingpin unconsciously recalled the calamities of the past month.
First, the dock butcher caused a massacre, ruining his relationships with The Hand and the Russian mob.
Last week, a mysterious person on a flying skateboard used machine guns and incredible laser weapons to wipe out his largest Enhancement Agent manufacturing den.
Tonight, 'Electro' appeared, indirectly causing him to lose a full two hundred million.
Successive events made this king, who had occupied the New York Underworld for many years, sense a storm coming.
Times are changing.
The era where order could be maintained with just guns and money seems to have passed.
Superhumans with extraordinary abilities can easily cause this Underworld emperor to suffer massive losses.
This was not good news for Kingpin.
It meant that if he could not control a Superhuman force belonging solely to him, his criminal empire would soon be swallowed by the tide of the times.
Or even... become a meal for some more powerful existence!
This thought made Kingpin's pupils shrink suddenly.
He turned slowly, the expression on his fat face terrifyingly calm.
"Pass down my order."
Kingpin spoke coldly, and Bullseye's figure emerged from the shadows.
"At all costs, go and kidnap the World's top biologists, geneticists, and mechanical engineers."
"I will use them to build my own legion of super-villains!"
"In addition, contact Obadiah of Stark Industries and ask him if he needs to collaborate with us."
"As long as Stark Industries is willing to provide more powerful weapons, I, Kingpin, don't mind helping him with some of the dirty work that is inconvenient for him to do!"
...Back to the spire of the Empire State Building.
In the time that had passed, Peter had finished telling Gwen about founding Parker Tech and the agreement he had reached with S.H.I.E.L.D.
Gwen was secretly speechless at what she heard.
She had thought that becoming a superhero was already very impressive.
She didn't expect Peter to be even more extraordinary than her.
He had unknowingly prepared a massive tech company and even established a partnership with a secret organization like S.H.I.E.L.D.
"Gwen, I think you've also noticed that our World is becoming more and more dangerous..."
Peter began to gradually reveal some of his inner thoughts to Gwen:
"Sandman, Electro... the appearance of these guys is probably just the beginning, and with S.H.I.E.L.D.'s poor conduct, I don't think they are a reliable existence."
"So, I've decided to make three preparations!"
"I plan to establish two other hero organizations belonging solely to us, in addition to my cooperation with S.H.I.E.L.D."
"The first organization I've named 'Eye of Twilight', specifically to recruit masked heroes like you and Felicia who have already appeared before the media, to continue fighting crime and protecting New York."
"And the second organization will be composed of reformed super-villains like Dr. Connors, Herman, and William."
"They won't expose their identities normally and will only work at Parker Tech."
"Only when the Eye of Twilight's strength is insufficient, or when its actions are blocked by the authorities, will I have them appear as a surprise force to carry out those tasks that are not convenient for the 'Eye of Twilight' to perform."
"This team, I call the 'Fist of Shadow'!"