[Marvel : Spoiling Spider-man] Chapter 251 - 255

Chapter 251: The First Generation Was Bitten

[“They’re really too much!” First Gen Spider-Man grumbled.]

[“Yeah!” Harry nodded, then noticed a spider in a glass case. “Hey, look at that spider!”]

[“Some spiders change color to blend into their environment. It’s a defense mechanism,” First Gen Spider-Man explained.]

[Harry rolled his eyes. “Peter, what makes you think I care?”]

[First Gen Spider-Man blinked, genuinely confused. “Who wouldn’t want to know?”]

[At that moment, a female researcher explained, “After five years of dedicated research, the Columbia University Genetic Research Center has successfully mapped the genetic blueprints of these spiders, making the impossible possible!”]

[Harry smirked, then nudged First Gen Spider-Man, nodding toward Mary Jane. “You want to go talk to her?”]

[Still feeling incredibly self-conscious at this time, First Gen Spider-Man immediately shook his head in panic. “Oh! NO! Come on! You go!”]

Watching the broadcast, Harry Osborn chuckled, turning to Mary Jane. “I remember this. Peter was too nervous to talk to you, so I went instead.”

Mary Jane smiled slightly, recalling the moment. “I remember you telling me about how spiders could change color. That actually surprised me.”

Hearing this, Harry’s expression shifted slightly.

That memory… he suddenly realized something.

That spider fact—he hadn’t researched it himself.

It was something Peter had told him first.

As the realization sank in, Harry covered his face in embarrassment. He had repeated exactly what Peter said back then, thinking it was his own smooth move. And now, thanks to the Sky Screen, the whole world knew about it.

This wasn’t just Peter’s awkward history—this was his awkward history too!

Luckily, First Gen Spider-Man didn’t seem to mind. Their friendship wouldn’t be affected by something so trivial.

[Harry walked up to Mary Jane, just as she muttered, “Ugh, that’s disgusting.”]

[Not wanting to miss a chance to agree, Harry immediately said, “Yeah! That’s disgusting!”]

[But Mary Jane suddenly smiled and changed her tune. “Actually… I like it!”]

[Harry didn’t hesitate. “Yeah! Me too! Did you know spiders can change color? It helps them blend into their environment!”]

[Mary Jane raised an eyebrow, slightly intrigued. “Really?”]

[“Yeah! It’s a defense mechanism!” Harry said confidently, repeating what he had just heard from First Gen Spider-Man.]

[“How cool!” Mary Jane said, impressed—both by the spider fact and the fact that Harry knew it.]

[Behind them, First Gen Spider-Man stared blankly at Harry and Mary Jane. Harry turned his head slightly, shooting him a look that clearly said: “See? Learn from me!”]

George Stacy laughed as he watched the broadcast. “That’s a solid move. Harry knows how to use what he’s learned to his advantage. No wonder Mary Jane dated him after graduation.”

His wife, Helen, emerged from the kitchen carrying plates of food. She nodded, glancing at First Gen Spider-Man.

Noticing her gaze, First Gen Spider-Man rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.

Now that he was with Gwen, it was best for him to stay out of Mary Jane’s affairs.

Helen, however, knew very well that he had harbored feelings for Mary Jane for years. But Gwen didn’t seem to mind, and since Gwen didn’t care, neither did they.

In fact, they all believed that losing First Gen Spider-Man had been Mary Jane’s loss, not his.

Even so, they wished Mary Jane and Harry a happy future together.

[“We used synthetic RNA to create an entirely new genome, combining it with three different spider species. Through gene design, we successfully created 15 super spiders!”]

[Mary Jane, curiously counting the spiders in the display case, suddenly frowned. “Wait… there’s only fourteen.”]

[The female researcher turned to her, puzzled. “What did you say?”]

[“One is missing,” Mary Jane repeated.]

[Harry glanced at the glass case and nodded. “Yeah, she’s right.”]

The researcher briefly checked, but she didn’t seem too concerned. “A researcher probably took it for an experiment.”

None of them noticed the spider dangling from a web right above their heads.

[Meanwhile, Harry continued showing off to Mary Jane. “Did you know? This is the largest electron microscope on the East Coast!”]

[Before he could keep bragging, their strict teacher appeared behind them with a frown. “You’ve been talking nonstop while she’s presenting. Let’s discuss how to listen properly.”]

[With that, he dragged Harry aside for a lecture, while Mary Jane covered her mouth to hide her laughter.]

[Noticing that Mary Jane was now alone, First Gen Spider-Man took a deep breath, gathering his courage. He stepped forward, holding up his camera. “Hey! Can I take a picture? For the school magazine?”]

[Mary Jane, pleased that someone wanted to take her picture, smiled. “Sure!”]

[She posed, and First Gen Spider-Man adjusted his lens, carefully framing the shot.]

[But he was so focused on capturing the perfect angle that he failed to notice a super spider slowly descending from its web—landing right on his hand.]

[At that moment, Mary Jane’s classmates called her away. First Gen Spider-Man lowered his camera and smiled at her. “Thanks, Mary Jane.”]

[And just as he spoke—the spider bit down hard.]

[A sharp, burning pain shot through his hand. Instinctively, he flung his arm, sending the spider tumbling to the floor.]

[Dazed, he crouched down, staring at the small creature that had just bitten him. Then, standing up, he examined the wound on his hand.]

[Someone called his name in the distance, so he quickly turned and walked away. Behind him, a digital display flashed—the image showing three different genetic strands, red, green, and blue, successfully merging.]

[As if symbolizing the birth of Spider-Man.]

At Columbia University’s Genetic Research Center, the broadcast only confirmed their suspicions.

When the Sky Screen first revealed that Peter Parker was Spider-Man, they had already suspected that it was linked to the missing spider from their lab.

Back then, after the school visit, they realized a spider was missing. However, when they later found a spider carcass on the roof, they dismissed any further investigation.

The timing had been too coincidental.

Peter Parker had visited that day.

A genetically modified spider had escaped.

And a new superpowered being—Spider-Man—had appeared.

Still, the researchers found it hard to believe. The odds were astronomical.

For that spider to escape, bite Peter Parker specifically, and somehow not kill him despite its highly lethal venom?

It seemed impossible.

And even if some researchers still believed the theory, none of them dared to test it.

Because the truth was…

The venom of these super spiders was terrifying.

Even a tiny dose could kill an elephant.

No one in their right mind would attempt human trials.

No one wanted to take the blame if something went wrong.

So in the end, their suspicions remained just that—suspicions.

There was no direct evidence to confirm that Spider-Man’s powers came from their experiment.

At least…

Not until the Sky Screen revealed the truth.

Chapter 252: The Birth of the First Spider-Man

At the same time, the world was once again in turmoil. No one had expected that as many as fifteen mutant spiders from the first generation spiderman would exist!

The phones at Columbia University's Genetic Research Center were ringing off the hook. Countless people, drawn by rumors, began frantically searching for these super spiders.

The head of the Genetic Research Center found himself in a difficult position but had no choice but to step forward and clarify. He confirmed that their research had involved similar experiments, though not on humans—only on live specimens. However, he emphasized that every single experiment had ended in failure without exception.

Despite this, many remained skeptical. Conspiracy theories ran rampant, with some believing that the research center was secretly trying to create Spider-Man.

As the police chief, George Stacy had a keen political sense. He immediately warned the First Spider-Man to stay out of this matter.

He couldn’t afford to let people believe that Spider-Man was conspiring with others to monopolize his position. He also feared that some individuals might attempt to use these super spiders for their own experiments, causing disasters, and then pinning the blame on Spider-Man.

The First Spider-Man fully understood this but remained puzzled. Why did the Skyscreen repeatedly insist that his transformation into Spider-Man was not an accident, but fate itself?

If Peter Parker was the only one destined to become Spider-Man, why were so many people still obsessed with recreating the experiment?

Would they only give up after hitting a dead end? Or did they need to suffer a catastrophe, like Dr. Lizard, before realizing the consequences?

Unable to comprehend, and frankly uninterested in figuring it out, the First Spider-Man turned his attention elsewhere. He was content with his life—his uncle and aunt were safe, Gwen was protected by Venom, and George’s family was also well-guarded. As police chief, George had enough power to ensure their security.

Meanwhile, Tony and the others were unaware of the turmoil in the original universe. They were more amused by the way Harry was using his knowledge of the First Spider-Man’s past to impress Mary Jane.

Tony had to admit—Harry certainly knew how to win a girl’s heart.

As for the spider that had bitten Tobey’s Spider-Man, Tony lacked the biological expertise to investigate further. Even if he wanted to, he had no way of figuring it out.

Bruce Banner, on the other hand, was well-versed in biology, but he was extremely busy. Between helping Tony develop new armor, dealing with the Cosmic Cube, and trying to control the Hulk, his schedule was packed. Now, he had an additional task—researching nanomaterials.

Nick Fury, ever the strategist, thought of another potential expert—Hank Pym, a scientist renowned for his work in genetics.

When Fury had previously watched Civil War, he had felt a sense of familiarity with Scott Lang’s Ant-Man suit. It took some digging through records to realize that it was originally the creation of the first Ant-Man, Hank Pym. However, the suit had somehow ended up with Scott in the future.

Determined, Fury decided to reach out to Dr. Pym, hoping to recruit him into S.H.I.E.L.D.

[At the same time that 1st gen Peter was bitten by the spider, the same scene previously shown on the Skyscreen was unfolding at Oscorp. General Slocum from the Department of Defense was forcing Norman Osborn to complete the human enhancement serum within two weeks.]

[In the First Spider-Man’s old home, a familiar voice rang out, “God said, ‘Let there be light!’ And there was light—40 watts of soft light!”]

[Uncle Ben chuckled to himself as he installed a new light bulb.]

[“Be careful, dear! God may be happy, but I’d rather you not fall,” Aunt May teased with a smile.]

[“Heh! I already fell, May! I was a senior technician for 35 years, and now I’m unemployed. What does that tell you? I’ve hit rock bottom!”]

[Ben grumbled as he stepped down from the chair. But Aunt May, ignoring his complaints, pointed to the cupboard and instructed, “Pass me the green plate!”]

[“Companies these days are all about profit margins, laying off workers left and right,” Uncle Ben continued grumbling.]

[“You’ll find another job, Ben,” Aunt May comforted him.]

[Uncle Ben sighed, flipping open a newspaper. “Let’s see what’s available… Computer salesman, computer engineer, computer analyst—my God! Even computers need analysts now?”]

[Shaking his head, he muttered, “I’m 68 years old, May. How am I supposed to learn computers now? And I still have a family to support.”]

[“I love you, Ben. Peter loves you too. You are the most responsible man I’ve ever met. We’ve been through tough times, but we always pulled through,” Aunt May said, kissing his forehead.]

[Just then, the First Spider-Man walked in. Aunt May beamed. “Oh, Peter! Just in time for dinner!”]

[Uncle Ben looked up and asked, “How was your class trip?”]

[But Peter felt strange. His body was reacting to something. “I don’t feel well… I’m going to bed early.”]

[“Are you sure you don’t want to eat something?” Aunt May asked, concerned.]

[“I already ate,” Peter replied hurriedly, rushing upstairs.]

[Uncle Ben frowned in concern. “Did you take any pictures today, Peter?”]

[“I’m fine! Just tired!” Peter called back before disappearing into his room.]

[Uncle Ben exchanged a worried glance with Aunt May. “What’s gotten into him?”]

Seated at the dinner table, the First Spider-Man glanced at the sky and reminisced. “I remember… The Skyscreen appeared not long after that day. My whole life changed from then on.”

Gwen smiled. “Yeah, you told me about this. Harry came over so quickly and then had to lent you a new place because reporters swarmed your old home, right?”

George twirled his pasta around his fork. “That’s right. At the time, I even had to dispatch officers to prevent your house from being trampled by the press.”

The First Spider-Man laughed awkwardly. “Really? I had no idea…”

George swallowed his food and replied, “It’s our job to maintain order.”

[Back in his room, Peter removed his shirt, revealing his still-slim frame. He looked at himself in the mirror.]

[His eyelids grew heavy, his skin turned pale, and his breathing quickened. His vision blurred before he collapsed onto the bed.]

[Moments later, his body convulsed, and he tumbled onto the floor. With his last ounce of strength, he pulled a blanket over himself.]

[A cold sweat drenched his body as he shivered uncontrollably. Unbeknownst to him, a large swelling had formed on his hand where the spider had bitten him.]

[His mind echoed with the words of his teacher from earlier—the explanation of genetic mutation.]

[A new gene had fused with Peter Parker’s DNA, rewriting his very being from the inside out.]

[And in that moment, Spider-Man was born.]

Chapter 253: The First Spider-Man’s Confession

“This… seems very similar to what happened to me,” the second-generation Gwen murmured as she watched the First Spider-Man’s mutation unfold on the Skyscreen. She could empathize with the transformation, having experienced something similar herself.

“Yeah! I went through it too, though yours was way more intense.”

The Second-Gen Spider-Man nodded, recalling the fear he had felt when Gwen mutated. Back then, after catching Lizard, he had been so anxious that he had rushed straight to Gwen’s house.

Luckily, she had awakened successfully and become Spider-Woman.

“You nearly scared your mother to death, not to mention breaking half the things in the house,” George Stacy chimed in, shaking his head.

“Dad!” Gwen stomped her foot lightly, throwing him a look of protest. “Do you really have to bring that up?”

[1st Gen Spidermanlay on the ground. Slowly, he opened his eyes. Out of habit, he reached for his glasses, but as soon as he put them on, he realized something shocking—his myopia was gone!]

[“Weird…” The 1st gen Spider-Man murmured as he took off his glasses. Then, his gaze shifted to the mirror, and what he saw stunned him.]

[His body—once frail and scrawny—had changed overnight! He now had lean, defined muscles, unlike anything he had before falling asleep the previous day.]

[He could hardly believe what he was seeing.]

[At that moment, Aunt May’s voice came from outside his door. “Peter! Are you alright?”]

[“Yeah! I’m fine!” he responded quickly, still staring at his reflection.]

[“Are you feeling better? Any… changes?” Aunt May asked, concern lacing her voice.]

[The First Spider-Man glanced down at his transformed body and muttered, “Changes? Yeah… A lot of changes.”]

[Hearing this, Aunt May sighed in relief. “Alright then! Hurry up and get ready! You’ll be late for school!”]

[“Oh, right—school!” The First Spider-Man suddenly remembered and scrambled to get dressed. Just as he did, his eyes wandered outside the window—right at Mary Jane’s house. She was getting ready for school as well, changing in front of her window. He raised an eyebrow. “Okay…”]

[Downstairs, Uncle Ben sat at the kitchen table, drinking his morning coffee. As the First Spider-Man hurried down, he took the stairs in two jumps, flipping off the handrail with surprising ease, landing lightly on the opposite wall.]

[Aunt May, witnessing his stunt, clicked her tongue. “Really, Peter?”]

[Uncle Ben chuckled. “Haha… And here I thought you were sick!” He put down his coffee cup and let out a relieved sigh. “You sure seem energetic now.”]

[The First Spider-Man grinned. He still didn’t understand what had happened to him, but it certainly wasn’t dampening his mood.]

[As he made his way toward the door, Aunt May called after him. “Do you have everything? Lunch money?”]

[Uncle Ben chimed in as well. “Hey, little genius! Don’t forget—you promised to help paint the kitchen after school! Got it?”]

[The First Spider-Man laughed, pointing at Uncle Ben. “Yeah, yeah! Don’t start without me!”]

[Uncle Ben grinned back and pointed at him in return. “Don’t flake on me!”]

Looking back, Uncle Ben chuckled. “You know… we never did paint that kitchen.”

Aunt May smiled. “Yeah, but it’s not a big deal. The paint ended up being used elsewhere.”

Because of the Skyscreen incident, they had moved back home once, but the chaos had postponed any painting projects. Now that they had a new place, the thought of going back just to paint the old kitchen felt unnecessary.

Meanwhile, in the present, Tony Stark stared enviously at the First Spider-Man’s physique. “Wow… What I wouldn’t give for muscles like that.”

To be honest, he had always dreamed of having a stronger build, but it was clear that no amount of regular training would give him the kind of enhancement Spider-Man had. Unless, of course, someone developed a similar serum and injected him directly.

Captain America, watching the scene, couldn’t help but reminisce about his past. He had once been just as scrawny—until he underwent the super-soldier serum transformation. But even his enhancement wasn’t as extreme as what Spider-Man had experienced. After all, Spider-Man could stop a full-speed train—something far beyond human limits.

[The First Spider-Man stepped outside, just as Mary Jane exited her house next door. Her father’s angry voice followed after her.]

[“Ignore whatever your mother says! My words are final! You’re useless! You’ll always be useless—just like her!”]

[Mary Jane, her eyes red, held back her tears. “I’m going to school.”]

[“Who said you couldn’t?!” her father snapped.]

[The First Spider-Man watched their familiar daily argument but chose to remain silent, following behind Mary Jane as she walked toward school.]

[As he watched her back, he found himself mumbling under his breath. “Hey, Mary Jane…” Then, as if dissatisfied, he repeated it with more confidence, “Hey, Mary Jane!”]

[He took a deep breath and spoke as if he were confessing. “You probably don’t know this, but I’ve been your neighbor since I was six. I was wondering… could we go on a date? Maybe hang out sometime? I don’t know—I just think it’s about time we got to know each other better. But if you don’t want to, that’s okay too…”]

[Just as he finished, two classmates pulled up beside Mary Jane in a car. One of the girls invited her in, and without hesitation, Mary Jane hopped into the backseat, smiling brightly.]

[The 1st gen Spider-Man blinked, realizing the school bus was already pulling away. Panicked, he started running after it.]

[A classmate on the bus smirked. “Sorry, Parker! Bus is full! Grab a cab!”]

[Chasing the bus was nothing new to him. As he sprinted after it, he slapped the side, yelling, “Hey! Stop the bus! Somebody tell him to stop!”]

[But just as he placed his hand on the bus, something strange happened—his palm stuck to a poster on the side. As he yanked his hand back, the entire poster came off.]

[The bus continued to pull away, leaving the 1st gen Spider-Man standing there, shaking his hand in confusion. He finally used his other hand to peel the paper off, staring at his palm with a bewildered expression.]

Helen watched the scene unfold with a pained expression. “My poor boy… Have you always been treated like this?”

The First Spider-Man waved dismissively, offering a small, reassuring smile. “It’s fine, really. Don’t worry about me. Everything worked out in the end, didn’t it?”

Gwen looked at him, her heart aching. Without a word, she reached out and took his hand, offering him a warm smile. “I’ll always be here for you, Peter.”

The 1st Gen Spiderman tightened his grip around her hand, nodding. “Yeah.”

Meanwhile, many of their former classmates—now adults—squirmed uncomfortably as they watched the scene unfold. Some of them had bullied Peter in the past, and now, with the Skyscreen exposing their behavior, many found themselves suffering cold rejection from society. Some had even lost their jobs.

But none of that mattered to The 1st Gen Spiderman. They had made their choices, and they had to live with the consequences.

Mary Jane lowered her head slightly, letting out a soft sigh. She couldn’t bring herself to look at Harry—not after hearing Peter’s words from back then. Her father’s behavior also made her feel ashamed.

Harry, however, didn’t care. It was all in the past. Besides, in a way, he had been the one who wronged The 1st Gen Spiderman.

Peter had simply let go… and chosen Gwen, the better choice.

As for Mary Jane’s father? Well, now that his daughter was involved with a rich man, he didn’t dare to act out anymore.

Chapter 254: Chaos in the Cafeteria

[As the school bell rang, The 1st Gen Spiderman made his way to the cafeteria. He was eating French fries with a bit of ketchup when Mary Jane walked past him with a tray full of food.]

[Seeing her lifted his mood, but Mary Jane didn’t seem to notice him at all and simply walked by. Just then, his spider-sense suddenly flared up.]

[Mary Jane stepped onto a small puddle of orange juice, slipped, and fell backward. Instinctively, she flung her tray into the air.]

[Reacting instantly, The 1st Gen Spiderman spun around, grabbed her by the waist, and caught the tray mid-air. Not a single piece of food was dropped.]

[Mary Jane looked at him in astonishment. “Wow! That was fast!”]

[For the first time, she noticed that Peter Parker had such incredible reflexes. Their eyes met, and she smiled. “Thank you!”]

[Suppressing his excitement, The 1st Gen Spiderman kept his composure. “It was nothing.”]

Aunt May gently patted little Peter Parker’s head while watching 1st Gen Spiderman display his skills. She couldn’t help but imagine that, one day, her nephew might also develop such abilities.

She still remembered the heartfelt words Spider-Man had spoken before Civil War—they made her immensely proud.

“Damn! That was smooth!” Banner exclaimed, clearly impressed by the moment.

“Yeah, having spider-sense really pays off,” Tony said with a hint of jealousy. He had to admit, pulling off something like that in front of a secret crush was beyond cool.

Rhodes peeked over at Tony and smirked. “Tony, you sound a little jealous there.”

“Oh, come on! Why would I be jealous?” Tony tried to brush it off but quickly realized it was pointless. He threw up his hands. “Fine! I admit it—I am jealous! Who wouldn’t want to do that, huh? I mean, seriously, is there anyone here who wouldn’t want to pull that off?”

Natasha rolled her eyes and ignored him. Barton simply rubbed his nose, saying nothing.

Meanwhile, Second-Gen Gwen curiously glanced at Second-Gen Spider-Man, wondering how he felt about this. He caught her gaze, smirked, and said nothing. He was confident—he had pulled off plenty of impressive feats with his spider-sense, after all.

[Mary Jane studied The 1st Gen Spiderman again and suddenly said, “Hey! Your eyes… they’re blue! I never noticed before because of your glasses. Did you change your contact lenses?”]

[Hearing Mary Jane acknowledge him for the first time, The 1st Gen Spiderman felt a rush of excitement. He was so caught off guard that he couldn’t even respond—he simply raised an eyebrow and smirked slightly.]

[Mary Jane raised her own eyebrow in amusement. “Well, see you later.” She took her tray and walked away.]

[The 1st Gen Spiderman watched her go, reluctant to look away. A few seconds later, he finally sat down, but he couldn’t help feeling frustrated with himself. “That was terrible…” he muttered under his breath, sighing.]

[Then, he suddenly noticed something strange—his hand felt… stuck to something. When he raised it, he found that a fork was tightly adhered to his palm.]

[He frowned, shaking his hand to free the utensil, but it wouldn’t budge. Glancing around to make sure no one was looking, he tried peeling it off with his other hand. That’s when he noticed thin strands of spider silk sticking out from his wrist.]

[Curious, he pulled at the silk, only for a web to shoot out from his wrist and attach itself to a plate on a nearby table.]

[Panicking, he quickly yanked on the web to get rid of it, but he pulled too hard. The plate flew into the air—straight behind him.]

[His spider-sense kicked in, and he instinctively ducked, avoiding the airborne plate. But behind him, Flash Thompson wasn’t so lucky.]

[The plate crashed right onto Flash’s head, spilling corn, vegetables, and other food all over him. The sudden mishap shocked him and everyone at his table.]

[His friends immediately burst into laughter.]

[Seeing that it was Flash who got hit, The 1st Gen Spiderman quickly turned away, guilt washing over him. He stood up, hoping to leave unnoticed.]

[But Flash wasn’t an idiot. He turned around, scanning the room for the culprit, and immediately spotted Peter Parker trying to make a quick exit. What’s more, the dinner plate was still dangling from the web attached to Peter’s wrist.]

[The surrounding students also noticed the bizarre scene and began whispering.]

["What was that?"]

["Did you see that?"]

["That was… weird."]

[Ignoring the growing murmurs, The 1st Gen Spiderman bolted for the cafeteria exit, plate still stuck to his webbing.]

[Flash, watching him go, frowned in confusion. “Parker?”]

[Outside, The 1st Gen Spiderman yanked at the webbing, trying to free himself. As he rushed through the cafeteria doors, the plate got caught in the frame and stuck there.]

[From inside, students erupted in laughter as they watched the plate continuously tugging, as if someone on the other side was desperately trying to pull it free.]

In another part of the multiverse, Dr. Otto Octavius threw his head back and laughed heartily. “Hahaha! This is gold! Peter, your face when you realized you were caught—it’s priceless!”

The 1st Gen Spiderman groaned and buried his face in his hands.

Gwen, still chuckling, reached over and held his hand. “Come on, Peter, don’t be embarrassed. This happens to everyone. If anything, it just makes you more lovable.”

Flash, however, wasn’t laughing. The first-generation Flash’s face darkened. Seeing this scene, he vividly recalled what happened next—the humiliating punch he had received that day. He had never been able to live it down, not in school, not anywhere.

Tony, watching the Skyscreen, suddenly had an idea. “Jarvis, replay the original footage from back then.”

A holographic projection appeared, displaying the exact moment Flash tried to sucker punch Peter, only for Peter to effortlessly dodge and counter with a single devastating blow.

Rhodes, watching, smirked. “Ohhh, so this is where it all connects! Why didn’t they show this before?”

Tony shrugged. “Who knows? Trying to predict the logic of the Skyscreen is a lost cause.”

Banner rubbed his chin. “Maybe it’s about giving Peter some dignity? Y’know, showing that he still had a good heart even after getting his powers?”

Tony snorted. “Oh, please. If anything, this just makes people admire him more. He went from getting bullied to being a superhero while keeping his morals intact. What’s not to admire?”

Banner sighed and shrugged in agreement.

Chapter 255: Aftermath and Opportunity

["After learning about the past of the first generation of Spider spirits, let’s continue with the story of the third-generation Little Spider!"]

[A scene appeared in the sky, showing a simple illustration of Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, Black Widow, Captain America, Hawkeye, and others.]
[Surrounding them were burning buildings, fractured ground beneath their feet, the Stark Tower with its signature 'A' standing in the background, and a swirling wormhole looming overhead.]

["The world is so different now! Look at this drawing! There are aliens and big green monsters smashing buildings!"]
["When I was a kid, I used to draw cowboys and Indians!" Adrian Toomes—who had not yet become the Vulture—sighed as he examined the artwork.]
["The correct term is Native American, but whatever," his companion corrected him.]
["Yeah, yeah! But you know what? This isn’t bad, is it?" Toomes said with a hint of admiration.]
["That’s right! This kid has talent!" His companion agreed.]
["Well! The road ahead is long, but who knows?" Toomes removed his glasses and looked up, taking in the battered remains of Stark Tower standing before them.]

"Oh my! What happened here? Is this the aftermath of the Battle of New York?" Tony Stark frowned as he saw the war-torn remains of his building.

Nick Fury narrowed his eyes at the broadcast. Even though the image was simplistic, the key figures were instantly recognizable.

"That vortex in the sky… is that a space wormhole? Fascinating! I’d love to know how it was created!" Bruce Banner muttered, eyes wide with curiosity.

"It looks bad… but not as bad as I expected," James Rhodes noted as he tilted his head. He had always believed that if New York had suffered a full-scale alien invasion, it would have been reduced to rubble. Yet, based on what the broadcast showed, the destruction—while severe—wasn't as catastrophic as one might assume.

Were the invaders simply too weak to gain an overwhelming advantage?
Or had the invasion been too short-lived, allowing the Avengers to shut down the wormhole before reinforcements could arrive?
Perhaps the nuclear explosion Tony had carried through the portal had played a significant role?

Most people believed the closure of the wormhole had ended the war. After all, if the enemy could travel across the universe to reach Earth, a single nuclear bomb likely wouldn’t have stopped them completely.

Tony pursed his lips. The urgency of deploying his Iron Legion was growing by the day. He needed to push his work forward—fast.

At the same time, the entire world was in an uproar over Toomes' casual remarks. Speculations were finally confirmed—New York had indeed suffered an alien invasion. It wasn’t some foreign attack as conspiracy theorists had suggested; this was an actual assault by extraterrestrial beings.

Panic spread like wildfire. The realization that Earth was not alone in the universe—and worse, that hostile forces could invade at any moment—sent shockwaves through governments and civilians alike.

Nick Fury's phone buzzed. His superiors demanded an urgent briefing—how did he plan to handle future threats? Alexander Pierce pressed him for a strategy regarding the Avengers, hinting that military collaboration might be necessary.

Meanwhile, discussions within the United Nations turned heated. Some nations considered deploying a joint task force to New York to prepare for future alien incursions.

[Near Stark Tower, a massive, house-sized creature lay motionless on the ground. Workers in safety gear surrounded it, dismantling what they could. Toomes and his men were among them, busy with their tasks.]

[A worker attempted to saw through a piece of alien debris with standard tools, but Toomes immediately stopped him. "NO! Hey!"]
["You can't just cut through this stuff! These alien materials are insanely tough! You have to use their own tools against them!"]

[Demonstrating, Toomes grabbed a piece of Chitauri equipment and used it to pry off a section with ease.]
["See? Got it?"]
["No problem!"]

[Toomes handed the tool to the worker, patting him on the arm in approval. Just then, a new worker arrived late to the site.]
["Oh! Hey! So glad you could join us! Good afternoon!"]
["Yeah… my alarm didn’t go off," the worker muttered sheepishly.]
["Right, right! Always the alarm clock! Listen, just like I told you before—stack those armor plates! This is big business for us!"]

"You see? He said these alien materials are incredibly tough! Regular tools can’t even scratch them!" Rhodes pointed out.

"Yeah, makes sense. If these things were built by a civilization advanced enough to travel between planets, their materials must be leagues beyond what we have," Tony mused.

"Wait a second—none of you noticed that massive thing lying there? It looks alive! I saw huge, razor-sharp teeth!" Banner interjected.

Tony frowned. "Jarvis, enhance that image."

A clearer view of the broadcast confirmed Banner’s suspicion—it was a Leviathan, a massive Chitauri bio-weapon. Its armored hide glistened like metal.

"What the hell is that thing? Some kind of cybernetic creature?" Tony muttered, eyes narrowing.

"Maybe it's a genetically engineered bio-weapon? Or maybe it's an actual living organism! The universe is vast—who knows what kind of monstrous lifeforms exist out there?"

Banner, being the expert in biological sciences, continued theorizing. But without more data, he had to abandon his speculation with a frustrated sigh.

As always, Tony instructed Jarvis to archive all the useful information for future study.

[Just as Toomes was giving instructions, a voice rang out over the worksite: "Attention everyone! Under Executive Order No. 396b, all post-war cleanup operations now fall under our jurisdiction! Thank you for your service—we’ll take over from here!"]

[Toomes turned to see a group of suited officials approaching. Frowning, he asked, "Who the hell are you?"]

[A man in a formal suit, hands on his hips, smirked. "Professionals."]

[Toomes tried to reason with them. "Listen, I have a contract with the city! I'm authorized to salvage this wreckage!"]

[But before he could finish, the official cut him off. "I'm sorry, Mr. Toomes, but all salvage operations now fall under our control. Hand over all alien materials immediately—or face prosecution."]

[Realizing the situation was turning against them, one of Toomes' workers discreetly slipped a piece of Chitauri tech into his pocket.]