Crunch! Crunch!
The Ultimate Green Goblin's fangs scraped against the titanium-alloy shell of the G-1 Korona robot. Sparks showered his face, but the metal held firm.
"I forged that casing out of high-grade titanium," Peter said, his voice echoing coldly from behind his mask. "You really think you can bite through it? Careful, you might break a tooth."
Staring into the demon-like eyes of the giant creature, Peter didn't hesitate. He triggered the G-1 Korona's primary core. The metallic cylinder began to hum, and a blinding white light gathered at the tip.
Buzz!
A white energy beam, thick as a man's wrist, erupted at point-blank range. It shot directly down the Green Goblin's open throat.
"Roar—"
The Goblin's scream was cut short. A violent explosion thundered deep within his chest, muffled by his own massive body. No matter how tough his skin was, his internal organs were soft and vulnerable. Thick, acrid smoke billowed from his mouth as his eyes rolled back into his head. He plummeted to the ground like a bird with its wings clipped.
Thud!
Peter landed a split second later, his metal boots cracking the pavement in a perfect three-point landing.
Kingpin gnashed his teeth, staring at the sleek, red-and-blue suit. It was a masterpiece of technology and design—something that looked like it belonged to Tony Stark, yet it carried the symbol of the spider.
"This is Spider-Man?" Kingpin growled. "Are you kidding me?"
Nearby, Dr. Octopus pushed up her round glasses, her eyes gleaming with a manic hunger for knowledge. "A Spider-Man who uses high-level mechanics? This sample is even more valuable than the others!"
The Third Party
The two sides faced each other, forming a tense line in the center of the valley. The Spiders gathered around Peter, their eyes locked on the villains. Prowler hovered next to Kingpin, his purple thrusters hissing, while Gwen landed beside Peter, her chest heaving from her duel with the assassin.
Peter B. Parker leaned in, whispering to Peter, "Did you get it? The data?"
"I've got it," Peter replied confidently. "Everything we need."
"Then let's finish this!" Peter B. said, ready to lung forward.
But before the second round could begin, a high-pitched hum filled the air. Several S.W.A.T. helicopters rounded the mountainside, their spotlights cutting through the morning mist. Someone at the industrial park must have called the authorities.
With the police arriving, the battle was over. The villains couldn't risk a public massacre with so many cameras around, and the Spiders weren't ready for a war with the city's special forces.
Peter squinted at Kingpin, his mask's lenses narrowing. "Every one of you will pay for what you did to this world's Spider-Man. You won't find peace. Not until the nightmare catches up to you."
With a sharp signal, Peter led the Spider-team away. They vanished into the tree line, swinging on webs and using thrusters to disappear before the S.W.A.T. teams could land.
The King's Motivation
Back inside the Alchemax building, Kingpin was in a foul mood. His face was a mask of cold brutality. He had never been embarrassed like this before.
"Spider-Man isn't dead?" Kingpin turned on Dr. Octopus, his voice a low, dangerous rumble. "Otto, I paid you to confirm his death. What was that out there?"
Dr. Octavius remained perfectly calm. She used one of her mechanical arms to fix her hair, removing her glasses to clean them. "The local Spider-Man is dead, Kingpin. Those things out there... they aren't from this world. You were right. Other universes have their own versions of us."
Kingpin's fists tightened. A look of desperate hope flickered in his cunning eyes. "Are you sure?"
"Absolutely."
"Excellent," Kingpin whispered. "Open the portal, Otto. I want it done in three days. I am going to see my wife and my son again."
This was the dark heart of the crisis. Kingpin wasn't trying to conquer the multiverse; he was a grieving man trying to replace the family he had lost in a tragic accident. He was willing to tear the city apart just to see Vanessa and Richard again.
"With the markers I collected from the battle," Dr. Octopus said, holding up a test tube containing a scrap of web and a metal shell casing, "three days is more than enough to lock onto their coordinates."
Kingpin looked at the Green Goblin and Prowler, who were slowly waking up from the fight. "You failed me today. In three days, you need to be stronger. I will give you whatever resources you need. Because in three days, no one—not even God—is going to stop me from opening that door."
The Trump Card
Back at Aunt May's underground base, the Spiders were silent. They were listening to a recording played by Deep Blue.
Peter had hidden a micro-bug on the Green Goblin during their struggle. They had heard everything: the three-day deadline, the coordinates, and Kingpin's plan.
The atmosphere was heavy. Facing four super-villains at once was a daunting task. They were outmatched in raw power, and time was running out.
But Peter wasn't panicked. He was looking at his blueprints and his points. If the plot was moving faster, he had to move faster, too. He turned to Peni Parker, a serious look in his eyes.
"Peni," Peter said, holding up the USB drive Aunt May had given him. "It's time for us to work together. I have some designs that your robot is going to love."