[Marvel : Spoiling Spider-man] Chapter 266 - 270

Chapter 266: A Dinner Conversation

"He’s just a kid, after all. He’s not careful enough," Tony sighed. "If he had hidden his backpack somewhere more secure, this wouldn’t have happened!"

Rhodey nodded in agreement. "I guess he thought no one would go into that alley, but he ignored the fact that there are always exceptions. Now that he’s with you, Tony, you have to take responsibility!"

"Yeah, that’s true," Tony admitted, tilting his head as he considered how to train young Peter Parker.

Although Peter’s identity had now been completely exposed, removing that particular worry, there were plenty of other issues that needed addressing. Tony didn’t want Peter making the same mistakes he had in the past—especially not ones that could have been avoided.

Maybe, besides sending him to school, Tony should also teach him more advanced knowledge and provide him with better support. After all, Howard had never stopped him from tinkering with machines as a kid.

Even though their father-son relationship wasn’t great, Howard had never discouraged Tony’s passions. Instead, he had high expectations for him.

Now, Tony found himself extending that same mindset toward Peter. If there was anyone who could inherit his legacy, Peter Parker seemed like a worthy candidate.

[At the restaurant, Aunt May watched as Peter picked at his food, barely eating. Concerned, she asked, "What’s wrong? I thought you loved minced meat salad rice!“]

[Aunt May had no idea what was bothering Peter. She assumed the restaurant wasn’t to his liking and tried to joke with him to lighten the mood.]

[Peter twirled his chopsticks and sighed, "I’m just really stressed out lately. The internship is exhausting. I’ve got so much to do."]

[Aunt May nodded knowingly. "The Stark Industries internship... I have to say, I’m not a fan of Tony Stark."]

["You’re always distracted, and your head is constantly filled with him!" Aunt May frowned, believing Peter cared too much about Tony Stark.]

[At that moment, a news report on the nearby TV screen caught Peter’s attention. "Breaking news: the highly praised Delmar’s Deli in Queens was destroyed in an explosion earlier tonight!"]

["What is he making you do? Remember, you have to trust your instincts!" Aunt May continued, unaware of the TV broadcast behind her.]

[Peter’s focus remained glued to the screen as the anchor continued, "Before the explosion, Queens' brightly colored crime fighter, Spider-Man, had just stopped an ATM robbery!"]

[Aunt May noticed Peter’s odd reaction and turned to look behind her. "What?"]

["While Spider-Man was stopping the robbery, a powerful blast swept through the shops across the street!" The news played surveillance footage from the bank.]

["Fortunately, no one was injured in the accident!"]

[Aunt May turned back to Peter, her expression serious. "If you ever see something like that happening, turn around and run!"]

[Having seen too much danger in her lifetime, Aunt May didn’t want her nephew taking risks. In her eyes, Peter was just a normal teenager—not someone who should be involved in such incidents.]

[Peter forced a nod, repeating quickly, "Yeah, yeah, yeah! Definitely!"]

[Aunt May sighed, glancing at the screen again. "That was only six blocks away from us!"]

"In a way, she’s right. Ordinary people should stay as far away from danger as possible," Aunt May II said while doing laundry.

"But someone has to do something," Uncle Ben II countered. "Like Peter said, if you have the power to stop something bad from happening, and you don’t, then whatever happens next is on you!"

Aunt May put down the half-washed clothing in her hands and glanced at Uncle Ben. "Then why not leave it to the professionals? You’re just an ordinary man. You step in, and then what? You die and leave me behind..."

Uncle Ben fell silent. What she said was true—he had tried to intervene once before in the screen, and it had cost him his life.

He didn’t want to continue this conversation. There would always be people in the world too afraid to act, and that was understandable. But if everyone thought like that, then the world would truly be hopeless.

It was an age-old debate between self-preservation and selflessness. There was no single right answer—what you believed depended on your perspective.

Aunt May’s words also sparked heated debates online. People had always argued over whether heroes should step in or if it was best to leave things to the authorities. This was exactly why true heroes were so precious—they acted when others hesitated.

[Peter didn’t want to continue discussing whether he should be a hero, so he changed the subject. "I need a new backpack."]

[Aunt May frowned and cupped a hand around her ear. "What?"]

["I need a new backpack!" Peter repeated louder.]

["That’s the fifth one!" Aunt May shook her head as a waiter arrived, placing a dish in front of them. "Glutinous rice pudding!"]

[Aunt May looked at him in surprise. "We didn’t order this."]

["It’s on the house!" The waiter smiled at her politely.]

["Oh! Well, thank you! That’s very kind," Aunt May replied with a grateful smile. After the waiter left, she turned back to Peter.]

Chapter 267: Ned’s Big Ambition

[At school, Ned walked alongside Peter, still buzzing with excitement. "So, you were bitten by a spider? Can you let it bite me too? A bite shouldn’t hurt that much, right?"]

["No matter what, even if it hurts, I’d still do it! Maybe... how painful was it, really?" Ned kept chattering beside Peter, unable to hide his curiosity.]

[Peter, holding his books, looked at him helplessly. "That spider is dead, Ned." Hearing this, Ned clicked his tongue and pouted.]

[Then, they arrived at the scene of last night’s destruction. "Oh my God!"]

["You were here?!" Ned scanned the wreckage, his face full of shock.]

["Yeah."]

["You could’ve died!" Ned finally realized just how dangerous Peter’s situation had been.]

[Then, out of nowhere, he blurted out, "Wait… do you lay eggs?"]

[Peter frowned, giving him an incredulous look. "What the hell? Screw you!"]

[As they made their way into school, Ned continued his relentless questioning. "Can you spit venom? Can you control an army of spiders?"]

[Peter groaned, shaking his head. "NO! NO! Ned!"]

[During class, as the teacher explained the material, Ned leaned over and whispered into Peter’s ear.]

["How far can your web shoot?"]

["I don’t know! Shut up!" Peter glared at him, exasperated.]

["If I were you, I’d stand on the roof and shoot as far as I could!"]

["Shut up, Ned!" Peter hissed, raising his voice slightly. The girl sitting in front of them frowned and turned around to glare at them.]

"Hahaha! Ned is such a troublemaker! He asks way too many questions!" Otto chuckled, clearly entertained. "Look at how close Peter is to losing it!"

The First Generation Spider-Man, who had come to observe, smiled faintly. He was grateful that Harry hadn’t bombarded him with questions when he found out his identity.

In his case, Harry hadn’t even asked how he became Spider-Man. Instead, he had immediately helped him find a place to hide. After Peter told him the truth, Harry kept the secret to himself, never revealing it to anyone.

It wasn’t until The Sky Screen exposed the truth that the Columbia University Genetic Research Center confirmed it. But because of The Sky Screen's warnings—and the tragic fate of the Second Generation Harry after his poisoning—no one dared to dig any further into the matter.

[Inside the gymnasium, the PE teacher played a video for the students. "Captain America's Health Challenge!"]

["Hi! I’m Captain America. Whether you’re in the classroom or on the battlefield..." The Captain appeared on screen, speaking seriously into the camera.]

[Ned leaned toward Peter. "Do you know him too?" He was so focused on their conversation that he didn’t notice Michelle Jones sitting behind them, absorbed in her book.]

["Yeah! We’ve met before. I stole his shield."]

[Ned’s mouth dropped open. His eyes widened as he processed what Peter had just said.]

["Today, my good friend, your PE teacher, will be leading the Captain America Health Challenge!" Captain America saluted the camera, and the video ended.]

["Thank you, Captain! I’m pretty sure he’s a war criminal now, but I still have to show this video. State regulations, let’s get to it!" The PE teacher blew his whistle, signaling the start of class.]

Steve sighed, covering his face with his hand. Even after all these years, these embarrassing PSA videos were still haunting him.

"Hahahahaha! This reminds me of when Steve used to perform on stage to raise funds for the war effort," Natasha teased, a smirk playing on her lips.

Steve shot her a helpless look. "Hey, can we not bring that up?"

"Alright, alright! I won’t say another word!" Natasha waved her hands in mock surrender.

Wanda and Pietro exchanged amused glances, smiling at Steve’s discomfort. Though they recognized Captain America's unwavering sense of justice, they still found these little moments amusing.

Unlike Tony Stark, Steve had always prioritized people over politics, which made Wanda and Pietro naturally gravitate toward him.

Steve had originally rented his own apartment, but considering Wanda and Pietro’s safety, he had agreed to move into a residence provided by Tony within Stark Tower.

Tony had insisted, saying he needed to atone for his past mistakes. Wanda and Pietro knew he was sincere, so they accepted his offer.

Meanwhile, Tony had bigger plans—he intended to build a new facility modeled after the Avengers Tower to serve as the team’s headquarters. But first, he needed to establish a clear separation between the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D.

Tony strongly believed that the Avengers shouldn’t be subordinate to S.H.I.E.L.D.; they had to operate independently while cooperating as equals. That was why Stark Tower was temporarily serving as their base.

["Do the Avengers have to pay taxes too? What does the Hulk smell like? I bet he smells great!" Ned fired off questions while helping Peter stretch his legs.]

["Shut up, Ned!" Peter groaned, looking at him in disbelief.]

["Is Captain America as cool as people say? Or is he just a grumpy old man?"]

["Ned, shush!"]

["Hey! Can I be your guy in the chair?" Ned asked eagerly.]

["What?" Peter blinked, confused as he continued his sit-ups.]

[Ned’s eyes sparkled with excitement as he explained, "You know, the guy sitting in front of the screens with a headset, guiding you on missions!"]

["Like, let’s say you’re trapped in a burning building, and I can tell you exactly where to go! I’d have multiple screens in front of me, switching between them as I track your movements. I’d be the guy in your chair!"]

[Ned, inspired by scenes from action movies, was eager to take on the role of Peter’s backup.]

["Ned! I don’t need a guy in the chair!" Peter rejected the idea without hesitation.]

[The PE teacher happened to walk by, noticing Peter’s form during sit-ups. "Nice work, Parker!"]

"Good thinking, kid, but do you actually have what it takes?" Tony mused as he watched Ned’s enthusiasm.

He had seen plenty of action movies and spy thrillers, but he wasn’t convinced that human assistants could outperform artificial intelligence.

Unlike people, AI could instantly access and process vast amounts of information, providing answers and solutions without the risk of human error.

Tony planned to eventually integrate AI into the Avengers' operations, ensuring they had access to real-time data and rapid decision-making capabilities.

Providing all Avengers with AI assistance would streamline their missions and help prevent mistakes.

Ned’s dream was ambitious, but Tony knew the future of superhero operations lay in technology—not in someone sitting in a swivel chair yelling directions.

Chapter 268: The Pressure of Expectations

[Peter was still doing sit-ups when he overheard Liz and Betty chatting behind him. Betty, with a dreamy look on her face, declared, "As for me, I’d sleep with Thor, marry Iron Man, and kill the Hulk!"]

[A male student nearby overheard and smirked. "Well! What about Spider-Man?"]

[Upon hearing his name, Peter instantly sat up, turning his head toward them.]

["Have you seen the bank surveillance footage on YouTube? He fought off four guys all by himself!"]

[Liz spoke passionately about her admiration for Spider-Man.]

[Betty, however, gasped and pointed at Liz dramatically. "Oh my god! You have a crush on Spider-Man!"]

["That’s impossible!" A male classmate looked at Betty in disbelief.]

[Liz, unbothered, admitted without hesitation, "A little bit."]

[Betty made a disgusted face. "Ugh! That’s so gross! He could be, like, thirty years old!"]

["You don’t even know what he looks like! What if he’s horribly burned?" The male student beside her added, trying to stir things up.]

["I don’t care! I love his heart!" Liz responded seriously.]

[At that moment, Ned suddenly blurted out, "Peter knows Spider-Man!"]

[Peter’s jaw dropped. His entire world shattered in an instant.]

[The whole gym went silent. Every pair of eyes turned toward Peter. Panicking, he scrambled to explain, "NO! I don’t! What I mean is—"]

[But it was too late. Ned had already committed. Doubling down, he added, "They’re friends!"]

[Flash, who had been hanging from the gym ropes, jumped down with a smug grin. "Yeah! Just like how Coach Wilson and Captain America are ‘friends’!"]

[His words sent the whole gym into laughter. Faced with Flash’s taunting, Peter had no choice but to play along. "I’ve... seen him before. Yeah! A few times!"]

["But, uh… we met through the Stark Industries internship program! Uh-huh, uh… I probably shouldn’t have mentioned that!"]

[Peter turned to Ned, gritting his teeth, his glare sharp enough to cut through steel. Ned instantly realized he had messed up and clamped his mouth shut.]

[Fresh, always eager to stir the pot, chimed in. "Well! That’s great! Hey, I mean, maybe you could invite him to Liz’s party! Right?"]

["Yeah! Uh, I invited some people tonight. You’re welcome to come too!" Liz said, glancing at Peter shyly.]

["You’re having a party?" Peter asked, surprised he hadn’t heard about it before.]

["Yeah! It’ll be awesome. And you should totally bring your personal friend Spider-Man!" Flash smirked, pointing at Peter mockingly.]

[Peter opened his mouth to protest, but Liz stepped in. "It’s okay! I know Peter is super busy, so he probably won’t have time to come to the party! So—"]

[But Flash interrupted, challenging Peter. "Come on! You’ll come! Right, Parker?"]

[The bell rang, signaling the end of gym class. As everyone filed out, Peter clenched his fists in frustration and turned to Ned. "What are you doing?!"]

["Helping you! Did you hear what she said? Liz has a crush on you!" Ned beamed triumphantly.]

[Peter’s eyes widened slightly as realization dawned on him.]

["Bro, you’re an Avenger! If anyone can score a date with a senior girl, it’s gotta be you!" Ned grinned. Peter left the gym deep in thought.]

"Hahaha! I don’t know whether to call Ned a terrible wingman or an MVP!" The Second Generation Gwen covered her mouth, laughing.

"Peter clearly doesn’t want to risk exposing his identity," Second Gen Peter rationalized, "but what Ned did undeniably makes him stand out. It puts him right in Liz’s orbit."

If Peter played it right and made it seem like he actually could call Spider-Man, his status at school would change dramatically. But knowing Peter’s personality, he would never take the initiative.

Ned had simply pushed him toward the opportunity.

"Is this really okay, though? Little Peter Parker, using your superhero identity for personal gain…" The First Uncle Ben muttered to himself, uneasy.

He feared that Peter might become addicted to the thrill of impressing people with his powers.

[That night, Aunt May drove Peter and Ned to Liz’s house.]

[Aunt May glanced at the vibrant party scene, nostalgia flashing in her eyes. "A party in the suburbs. Oh, I remember those days. I’m a little jealous!"]

["Tonight’s gonna be legendary!" Ned beamed.]

[Aunt May turned her head to look at him and smirked. "Ned, some people look good in hats, but your hat looks good on you!"]

["Exactly! That’s why I wear it with confidence!"] Ned grinned.

[Peter, meanwhile, eyed the party nervously. "This is a mistake. Let’s just go home!"]

[Aunt May shot him a disapproving look. "Oh, Peter! I know, I know, it’s hard to adjust to all this! Your body is going through a lot of changes, you’re blossoming now!"]

[Then she turned to Ned and said, "He’s been under a lot of stress lately!"]

[Ned nodded in agreement. "And what better way to de-stress than going to a party?! We should totally go in!"]

["Yeah! Go ahead! I’m getting out of the car!" Peter sighed in resignation, finally making up his mind.]

[Aunt May called after him, "Peter! Have fun, okay?"]

["I will!" Peter nodded.]

[Ned waved goodbye. "Goodbye, May!"]

[The two entered the party together. Ned excitedly patted Peter on the back and asked, "Bro, did you bring the suit?"]

[Peter pulled up his sleeve slightly, revealing the Spider-suit underneath.]

["Tonight is gonna change everything!" Ned said, barely containing his excitement.]

"I just know they’re gonna mess this up. Every time Peter makes a plan, something always goes sideways!" Rhodey frowned slightly. He had a bad feeling about this.

Tony leaned back in his chair, watching intently. "History repeats itself. Even the Second Generation Peter Parker got the nickname ‘The Late Man’ because of how many times he missed things."

"And now we have the Third Generation Spider-Man walking into a setup?" Rhodey shook his head. "If it happened twice before, it’s bound to happen again."

"I hope things go smoothly for them. But I guess all we can do is watch, right?" Banner sighed.

Chapter 269: The Party

[They pushed open the door and stepped inside. It was the first time either of them had attended a party like this. Flash was at the DJ booth, blasting music.]

[Ned suddenly came up with an idea. "Okay! So here’s the plan—Spider-Man swings in, you introduce him as your best friend, and then I’ll give him either a fist bump or a half-hug!"]

[Michelle Jones, who had been standing off to the side, calmly remarked, "I can’t believe you two actually showed up to this lame party."]

["But you’re here too!" Ned shot back, giving her a pointed look.]

[Michelle Jones narrowed her eyes and took a bite of bread. "Am I really here, though?"]

[Just then, Liz appeared and spotted them. "Oh my gosh! Hi! And Ned, love the hat—very cool!"]

[The two greeted Liz, who smiled warmly. "I’m so glad you guys came! There’s pizza and drinks—help yourselves!"]

["Great party!" Peter said, trying to sound enthusiastic.]

["Thank you!" Liz replied. But just as they were talking, the sound of something breaking came from across the room. Liz frowned, looking over in that direction.]

["Ugh, if anything’s broken, my parents will kill me. I need to go check it out! Have fun!"]

[She gave them a quick wave before heading off. "Bye-bye!"]

[As soon as she left, Ned grabbed Peter by the shoulders, looking at him in exasperation. "Dude! What are you doing?! She’s right here! Hurry up and change into your suit!"]

[But Peter resisted. "NONONO! I can’t—I won’t do it! Spider-Man isn’t some party trick, okay? I just want to be me tonight!"]

[To be fair, Peter didn’t want to cheapen the Spider-Man name. He didn’t want tomorrow’s news headlines reading, ‘Spider-Man Attends High School Party.’]

[Ned groaned in frustration. "Peter, nobody wants to see you being yourself!"]

[Before Peter could respond, Flash spotted him from across the room and immediately grabbed the microphone.]

["Well, well! If it isn’t Parker! How’s it going, buddy?" Flash’s voice echoed through the party, drawing everyone’s attention to Peter.]

["Where’s your bestie Spider-Man? Let me guess—he’s in Canada with your imaginary girlfriend?"]

[Laughter erupted throughout the room. Flash smirked. "That’s not Spider-Man! That’s just Ned wearing a red shirt!"]

[Flash’s constant ridicule finally pushed Peter over the edge. A part of him burned with the urge to prove to everyone that he really did know Spider-Man. Determined, he decided to put on the suit.]

[Up on the rooftop, Peter took off his coat and shirt, going over his plan in his head.]

["Hi! How’s everyone doing? I’m Spider-Man! Just stopping by to say hey to my buddy Peter."]

["Oh, hey, Ned! Where’s Peter? He must be around here somewhere..."]

[He sighed as he rehearsed, rubbing his forehead. "God, this is so stupid. What am I even doing?"]

[Looking down at the party below, Peter saw Ned eagerly scanning the crowd, waiting for him to appear. But then—something in the distance caught Peter’s eye.]

[A burst of energy. A flash of light. Something was wrong.]

[Peter immediately straightened up, his senses on high alert. "What the hell?" Without hesitation, he pulled on his mask and took off, swinging away from Liz’s house.]

"Damn it! I knew something unexpected would happen!" Tony groaned, rubbing his temples. "Now Peter’s name is ruined at school!"

Due to their differences in personality, Tony couldn’t fully understand Peter’s hesitation. After all, he would’ve shown up to the dance in full Iron Man armor.

"Why didn’t he just make a quick appearance before leaving? He promised to bring Spider-Man and then completely bailed!" Rhodey frowned.

All Peter had to do was show up for a second—just enough to be seen—and then disappear. That way, he wouldn’t be ridiculed.

Now that he had left, Flash would definitely use this to drag Peter’s name through the mud, making him the laughingstock of their school. Worse, he might even spread it online, making it harder for Peter to recover socially.

"But on the other hand, it proves that he really doesn’t care about his reputation," Banner pointed out. "Something caught his attention—probably a robbery or something worse."

"Judging by what we know about Spider-Man, he isn’t interested in using his powers for personal gain. The whole idea makes him uncomfortable," Banner continued.

Tony and Rhodey exchanged glances. Banner had a point.

[Spider-Man swung swiftly through the streets, leaping from rooftop to rooftop. As he landed on a building’s edge, he immediately launched another web, soaring forward.]

[But then—he miscalculated. There was nothing to latch onto. His web shot out into the sky, completely missing its mark.]

[For a second, Spider-Man was frozen in realization. Then, as he plummeted downward, he groaned in frustration. "Oh, come on—so weak!"]

[Meanwhile, across town, Vulture’s associate, Brice, fired a modified weapon. The blast hit a car, reducing it to scrap metal instantly. "Wooo!"]

["Hahahaha! This is a repurposed Ultron arm—recovered straight from Sokovia! Take it, give it a try!"]

[He handed the weapon to a nearby buyer, an unimpressed man in a hoodie.]

[The buyer shook his head. "Dude, I said I wanted something low-key. Why do you always try to sell me these insane high-tech weapons?"]

[As the two argued, Spider-Man silently perched on a nearby tree, observing them.]

[Green tried to smooth things over. "Okay! Okay! I hear you. I got what you need, alright? Hold on—I got plenty of good stuff."]

[He turned back to the van, opening it up to reveal an arsenal of stolen alien tech and modified weapons.]

["Alright! I got black hole grenades, Chitauri railguns—take your pick!"]

[Just then, Herman Schultz approached, scowling. "What the hell are you doing? You’re testing weapons outside?! Pack it up—now!"]

[Turning to the buyer, he added coldly, "Listen, times have changed. We’re the only ones selling this kind of tech now. You want firepower? This is it."]

Chapter 270: The Secret Deal

"Is it really that embarrassing? The only thing you can do is run!" The first Gwen burst out laughing at the sight.

1st Gen Spider-Man scratched his head awkwardly. "Yeah! If there's nothing for my web to latch onto, I can't swing. Running is my only option!"

"Then, if I fight you in an open space, wouldn't that put you at a disadvantage?"

"That's right! It really would!" 1st Gen Spider-Man admitted with a shrug. Without his webbing, his combat effectiveness was reduced by at least half.

"Wow! Black hole grenades? Chitauri railguns? These sound seriously impressive!" Rhodes narrowed his eyes as he listened to Green's introduction.

"Yeah, it's really incredible," Banner nodded. Then, noticing that Tony had been silent for a while, he looked over at him in confusion.

"Tony? You're awfully quiet. No comments?"

Tony rubbed his chin, lost in thought. When he finally looked up at Banner, his expression was serious. "Do you remember how I wanted to create a new global defense system?"

"Yeah, I remember. Why?" Banner asked, still puzzled. They had discussed the idea before, but it hadn’t gone beyond the planning stage.

"I was going to name the AI in that system Ultron. Sound familiar?" Tony pointed at the sky screen. "That guy just mentioned the name Ultron."

Banner’s expression darkened. "He said it was recovered from Sokovia… Look at this!"

Tony replayed a clip from the sky screen—one that had been discussed in Spider-Man's class.

"The Sokovia Accords! You caught that too, huh?" Tony leaned forward. "Do you remember what started our civil war? Cap accused me of splitting the Avengers by signing the Accords."

"I've always wondered—what exactly did I sign that led to such serious consequences? I never found an answer. But now, it looks like it might be tied to the Sokovia incident!"

Banner processed Tony's words and nodded grimly. "That makes sense. That guy mentioned that the weapons were modified from Ultron’s minions… which means Ultron had an army! Something must have happened in Sokovia—maybe your Ultron project went wrong? Or maybe something else caused mass casualties?"

Tony sighed and shrugged. "Who knows? We don’t have many details, so we’re left speculating. But one thing’s clear—Cap and I were on opposite sides. He refused to sign, and that made him a war criminal."

"If something went wrong with Ultron—something you created—shouldn’t you take responsibility, Tony?" Rhodes asked, frowning.

Tony raised his hands in exasperation. "Don’t ask me! I don’t know any of this either. But let's put Ultron aside for now—we can’t afford to take risks with something we don’t fully understand."

Banner nodded. "Fine. But what about those black hole grenades and the Chitauri railgun? There’s no way anyone on Earth could invent such weapons in just a few years! And with the Chitauri name attached, shouldn't we investigate?"

"Agreed. I’ll get Jarvis to look into it right now," Tony replied. He immediately instructed Jarvis to search the web for any leads.

Meanwhile, Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers, contacted Nick Fury, informing him that she had heard the name 'Chitauri' before—out in deep space.

At the same time, Thanos smirked as he looked at the little spider on the screen. Next to him, Gamora stared at the broadcast, lost in thought.

[Spider-Man listened to their conversation and suddenly realized something. "Oh! The guys who robbed the ATM must have bought their weapons from here too!"]

[Aaron Davis turned to Herman and said, "I just wanted to beat them up, not send them through time!"]

[Brice ignored his remark and continued, "I also have an anti-gravity climber!"]

[Aaron Davis raised an eyebrow. "Climber?"]

[Just then, Spider-Man’s phone rang, breaking the tension. The unexpected noise made everyone in the middle of the transaction freeze.]

["Okay! What the hell is that?" Green spun around to glare at them. Spider-Man quickly pulled out his phone—Ned was calling.]

[Herman’s eyes narrowed, and he immediately pulled out his gun, pointing it at Aaron Davis. "Are you setting us up?!!"]

[Aaron raised his hands, his voice rushed. "Hey! Take it easy, man!"]

[Spider-Man hung up and dropped from the tree, shouting at Herman, "Hey! If you're gonna shoot someone, shoot me!"]

[Herman turned his gun towards him without hesitation. "Fine, I’ll shoot you then."]

[Before he could pull the trigger, Spider-Man fired a web, yanking the gun away in an instant.]

[Seeing the situation turn against them, Aaron Davis dashed for his car while Brice quickly strapped on a mechanical fist. He turned and swung, delivering a devastating punch to Spider-Man.]

[The impact sent Spider-Man flying back over ten meters, slamming him into a tree. He collapsed to the ground, motionless. Green burst into laughter at the sight.]

"Wow! That was a hell of a punch! The third gen Peter Parker got knocked away like nothing. Is he going to be okay?" Aunt May stood up, her face full of concern.

"NO! He won’t go down that easily! He’s Spider-Man, after all!" 1st Gen Spider-Man reassured her. "Even if he's not as good as me, he's still tougher than that!"

"But the enemy is clearly no joke. Those weapons sound incredibly powerful! If one of those high-tech weapons actually hits him, I doubt there’d be anything left!" Uncle Ben added, worried.

1st Gen Spider-Man nodded solemnly, but he had faith in his counterpart. This was the confidence that came with being Spider-Man—he knew his other self wouldn’t lose so easily!

[Meanwhile, Herman revved up the car, and Brice leaped into the passenger seat. Spider-Man groaned and tried to pull himself together. "What… just happened?"]

[He quickly realized they were trying to escape and shot a web, latching onto the back of the van. The moment the car sped off, he was yanked along with it.]

[Herman swerved, spinning the car to shake him off. Spider-Man barely had time to scream, "What the hell?!" before slamming into a trash can on the sidewalk.]

[Still refusing to let go, he fired another web, anchoring himself to the van with his other hand.]

[Inside the car, Herman growled, "We have to call him!"]

[Brice panicked, "NONONONONO!" He grabbed a weapon and activated it.]

[Spider-Man was still being dragged along, struggling to adjust his position when Brice fired. A laser blast shot out—]

[The force blew the car door off, snapping Spider-Man’s webbing. He instinctively ducked just in time to avoid the flying door.]

[Herman scowled. "Did you just open fire again?! I told you, we need to call him!" He pulled out his phone and dialed the Vulture.]

[Brice, still shaken, yelled, "Shut up!"]

[Inside the Vulture's secret base, Mason was working on new weapons when his phone rang. He glanced at it before answering. "Toomes, it's a call for you."]

[The Vulture was busy adjusting a flamethrower when Mason approached, shouting, "BOSS!"]