[Marvel : Spoiling Spider-man] Chapter 176 - 180

Chapter 176: The Truth Revealed

"What a cunning fellow! How shameless!"

"The ends don't justify the means! Someone like him belongs in prison!"

"We strongly demand the arrest of this old man!"

As McCann’s conspiracy was exposed, the citizens erupted in fury. Their outrage was matched only by their sympathy for Harry, who had been framed by this deceitful man.

Walking through the tunnel, Peter could hear the shouts of protest from the square above. Fortunately, George quickly grabbed a loudspeaker and addressed the crowd, reassuring them that McCann had already been taken into custody for investigation.

At the same time, major news outlets were covering the event. The Mayor of New York swiftly scheduled a press conference to explain the city's response, eager to demonstrate that swift action had been taken.

Tony Stark glared at McCann with disgust. The whole situation reminded him too much of Obadiah Stane—the man who had once tried to take Stark Industries from him.

Obadiah had nearly buried him six feet under. If not for the tiny robot, Dum-E, handing him the old reactor in the nick of time, he might have actually died. So seeing another corporate schemer like McCann succeed was infuriating.

[Peter arrived at the abandoned underground station beneath Pershing Park. He could hear two staff members patrolling the old subway route, chatting as they walked.]

[Crawling through the debris-covered station, he maneuvered past a half-lowered roller shutter door and climbed onto the platform. It was clear that this place had been deserted for a long time.]

[Looking around, Peter’s eyes landed on a suspiciously different-looking wall. Curiosity piqued, he walked over, took out a coin, and inserted it into a nearby slot. The railing mechanism turned in response.]

[He stared at the wall expectantly. But when nothing happened, he frowned. Was this just his imagination? He pushed against the wall—nothing. Frustrated, he kicked it hard, then hit it again.]

[Whether it was a delayed reaction or a hidden switch, a sudden noise sounded behind him. Peter spun around just in time to see a crack forming along the middle of the subway track.]

[Slowly, the ground parted, and from the depths below, an old subway carriage began to rise. On its side was a faded but unmistakable number: 6688.]

[The carriage’s lights flickered to life, and with a mechanical hum, the doors slid open. Inside, a long-dormant computer system rebooted, its screen lighting up with a loading prompt—Richard Parker’s files were being retrieved.]

[Peter hesitated only for a moment before stepping inside. The interior was filled with old scientific instruments and research equipment. Moving toward the computer, he saw the completed download notification and took a seat.]

[With a deep breath, he pressed play.]

[A grainy video flickered on the screen. A man appeared—Richard Parker.]

[“My name is Richard Parker. No matter what rumors you’ve heard about me, I hope you’ll listen to the truth.”]

[“Oscorp Industries has led the world in genetic research. But Norman Osborn made a deal with a foreign military organization—they funded my research.”]

[“At first, I thought it was for scientific advancement. But I later discovered their true goal: weaponization. Biological weapons. I couldn’t allow that. So I refused. But because of that, Norman turned against me, fabricating evidence to frame me as a traitor. He wanted my research for himself.”]

[“But there’s something Norman never realized—the genetically modified spiders I created? Their DNA is bonded to my own.”]

[“That means without me or my bloodline, Oscorp will never be able to replicate or continue my work.”]

[“I destroyed as many of my records as I could, but I didn’t have time to eliminate the spiders themselves. As a scientist, I had no choice but to disappear… as far away as possible.”]

[“But as a father, it meant something far worse—I might never see my son again.”]

[“Peter, if you ever see this, know this: nothing is more important to me than you.”]

[“But I also have a responsibility—to protect the world from what I created.”]

[“I know Osborn is powerful. I know that history will paint me as a villain. Maybe they’re right… maybe I was naïve to think I had more time.”]

[Just then, the voice of a young Peter interrupted: "Dad? Dad!!!" At the sound of his son calling for him, Richard hesitated. "I'm sorry," he whispered—then abruptly ended the recording.]

[The video cut out, leaving only the dim glow of the screen.]

Peter sat frozen, his eyes burning with emotion. His father… was never a traitor.

"Father..."

Harry Osborn stood in silence, his emotions tangled in a storm of conflicting thoughts. He had just uncovered McCann’s guilt, but the satisfaction of that victory was already fading.

He poured himself a glass of whiskey, staring at it with vacant eyes.

He knew Norman Osborn had only ever wanted to cure himself. He had done terrible things, yes, but he had done them for Harry. How could he hate him for that?

Yet, there was something else—something he hadn’t expected. The reason their genetic experiments had always failed... it was because the spiders were bonded to Richard Parker’s DNA. Without him or his lineage, their research was doomed to fail from the start.

Peter and Gwen had finished watching the video at the same time. Peter’s eyes were red-rimmed, mirroring his younger self in the footage. Gwen’s heart ached at the sight. She immediately wrapped her arms around him.

"Peter, are you okay?" she asked softly.

Taking a deep breath, Peter steadied himself and gave a small nod. "Yeah... I just… need to see if there’s any more information in here."

While the two of them searched the carriage for additional clues, an uproar erupted outside. News of Richard Parker’s innocence was spreading like wildfire.

People who had once branded Peter Parker’s parents as traitors were now scrambling to backtrack.

Uncle Ben and Aunt May were equally stunned. They had always harbored doubts about the accusations, but without evidence, they had been forced to accept the government's version of events. Now, the truth was finally out.

And they weren’t going to let it go unanswered.

Countless Spider-Man supporters demanded justice. Harry, still lost in thought, barely registered the chaos outside until Felicia Hardy nudged him. Snapping out of his daze, he quickly ordered the removal of all slanderous reports about Richard Parker.

Meanwhile, another controversy emerged. The revelation that the FBI had falsely informed Ben Parker that Richard was a criminal stirred immense public outrage. Fans of Spider-Man were furious, and the FBI director—already under scrutiny after the Rajit case—found himself besieged once more.

The Mayor of New York, desperate to ease tensions, ordered the investigation team working on Ravencroft to also look into Oscorp’s connections with foreign military organizations.

Oscorp Industries was in complete turmoil. Its stock price was plummeting. If Norman Osborn were still alive, the backlash would have been even worse. The only thing keeping the company from collapsing entirely was the fact that its current CEO, Harry Osborn, was Peter Parker’s best friend.

J. Jonah Jameson wasted no time seizing the moment. His latest editorial tore into those who had once defamed Richard Parker, making it clear that he had always opposed their baseless accusations.

For years, Spider-Man’s enemies had whispered and spread lies. Even when the CIA had cleared his parents, the truth had been ignored. But now, with irrefutable proof displayed for the whole world to see, there was no denying it.

The debate was over.

Richard Parker had been innocent all along.

And the world finally knew the truth.

Chapter 177: Harry and Electro

[Outside Ravencroft Mental Hospital, Harry pulled up to the entrance. He needed to break Max out before McCann could spread the news of his removal from Oscorp Industries.]

[A security guard approached the car as usual. "How can I help you?"]

[Harry rolled down the window and gave him a sharp look. "Yeah! You can open the door for me! I'm Harry Osborn! I need to see a quarantined patient!"]

[The guard, recognizing him, hesitated before turning to another security officer. He called out, "Joe! This is Mr. Osborn from Oscorp Industries!"]

[Joe glanced at Harry before shaking his head. "Sorry, sir. I can't let you in without your ID."]

[Before Joe could say another word, Harry pulled out a stun gun and zapped him. The guard collapsed instantly. Seeing this, the other guard reached for his weapon, but Harry moved first, grabbing his hand and pressing the stun gun against his torso. The second guard dropped unconscious.]

[Harry quickly snatched their yellow ID badges and moved inside.]

[Inside the hospital, Dr. Kafka was walking through the halls, giving instructions to the staff. "Continue injecting 400 mg of sodium thiopental and phenobarbital into subject Electro!"]

[Harry, now disguised in a white lab coat, passed by unnoticed. Hearing Kafka’s words, he pulled down his mask slightly, watching the doctor disappear down the hallway. Then, he took a detour, pressing the emergency alarm button on the wall as he passed.]

[The sudden blaring alarm threw the entire hospital into chaos. Panicked staff scrambled to evacuate, and the security team assigned to monitor Max left their post to check the disturbance.]

—

Nick Fury frowned as he watched Harry’s actions. "Are their security measures really this bad? A guy just waltzes in and knocks out two guards, and no one notices?"

Natasha scoffed, crossing her arms. "I wish it was this easy for me to sneak into places."

Hill and Barton exchanged amused looks. As a spy, Natasha was constantly infiltrating high-security locations, but rarely did she get a break this easy.

Tony, watching silently, sighed. He had already told Pepper to tighten security at Stark Industries. There was no point in repeating himself now.

Meanwhile, the real Harry Osborn stared at the broadcast with regret. Seeing his past self, so consumed by hatred for Spider-Man, made him feel ashamed.

Peter had warned him—told him he needed more time. But Harry had refused to listen. He had convinced himself that Peter’s blood was the key to his survival. Instead, the truth was far worse: if he had injected Peter’s blood, he would have either mutated into a monster or died almost instantly.

In his desperation, he had made a deal with The Screen, hoping to force Spider-Man to surrender his blood. But in the end, he had been wrong about everything.

Dr. Connors had run countless simulations, and none had led to success. The best-case scenario was death; the worst was prolonged agony.

And now, he knew Richard Parker had been right all along. The modified spiders were bonded to Parker DNA. Even if Harry shared some genetic similarity, it wouldn’t be enough. He was doomed from the start.

—

[Inside the facility, Harry discarded his white coat and approached Max Dillon’s cell. A quick glance at the computer screen confirmed it—Max’s sedatives were still being administered.]

[Harry reached out and stopped the dosage. Then, he called out softly, "Hey."]

[Max's eyes fluttered open, dull and unfocused from the drugs. Harry crouched down and met his gaze. "I can get you out of here, understand? But we don’t have much time."]

[He turned his head slightly, scanning the hallway for any approaching guards.]

[Max blinked slowly, trying to process his words. "Who… are you?"]

[“I’m Harry Osborn. And I want to make a deal.”]

[At that, Max’s dazed expression shifted. His voice was calm, but laced with menace. "I should kill you."]

[Harry smirked. "Oh, come on! Aim higher, Max! You don’t want me—you want to kill Spider-Man!"]

[The moment he said the name, Max's entire demeanor changed. His tired eyes sparked with excitement, his muscles tensing in anticipation. Harry knew he had him. Now, he just needed to push further.]

["I can help you catch him. But first, I need you to do something for me. I need you to help me break into Oscorp."]

[Max scoffed, sitting up slightly. "Help you get in? That’s your company."]

[Harry let out a bitter laugh. "Not anymore. McCann betrayed both of us. So without you, I can’t get in. And without me, you can’t get out."]

[Before Max could respond, Dr. Kafka’s voice echoed through the halls. "What’s going on?"]

[A guard quickly answered, "Someone triggered the quarantine alarm!"]

[Kafka frowned, his eyes sweeping the room. Then, they landed on Harry. Something wasn’t right. "Send the guards immediately!" he ordered.]

[Meanwhile, Harry remained unaware of the impending trouble, still focused on Max.]

[Max tilted his head, eyes narrowing. "You don’t know what I want."]

[Harry didn’t hesitate. "You submitted the design for the power grid, and they stole it. You want it back. You just want what’s yours."]

[That made Max pause. "...How?"]

["That’s the electricity of the whole city, Max. And you can reach it."]

[Max’s fingers twitched at the idea. Harry pressed on, his voice lowering to a tempting whisper.]

["If you shut down the grid, Spider-Man will come straight to you. And then—you can make him pay."]

[At that moment, the sound of shattering glass rang out as security forces stormed the lower levels.]

["Smash it!!! Smash it!!!"]

[The guards were breaking through. Harry's pulse quickened. He turned back to Max, desperation creeping into his voice. "We don’t have time, Max!"]

[But Max wasn’t convinced. He narrowed his glowing eyes. "Tell me why I should trust you."]

[Harry clenched his jaw, then looked him dead in the eye. "Because I need you."]

[Max froze at those words.]

[His entire life, he had been invisible. Forgotten. Ignored. No one ever needed him.]

["You… need me?" he whispered.]

["Yes," Harry pressed. "You are my only hope to survive."]

[Max’s breathing slowed, his mind racing. For the first time, someone was looking at him—really looking at him.]

[Behind them, the guards began pouring down the stairs.]

[Harry’s voice grew frantic. "Yes! I need you! I need you!!! Please, Max!"]

[The guards rushed in and tackled Harry, pinning him down. He struggled, thrashing against them, but his voice rang out clear and desperate: "Please! I know what it feels like to be abandoned! Please! Max!!! I need you! I need you!!!"]

Chapter 178: Gwen’s Big Decision

[Listening to Harry’s desperate shout, Max let out a furious roar. His entire body crackled with electricity before disappearing in an instant. A nearby security guard struck Harry with the butt of his gun, sending him sprawling to the ground.]

[In the very next second, a flash of lightning streaked across the room. In an instant, the guards and Dr. Kafka collapsed, convulsing from the shock. Harry pushed himself up, looking toward the air above.]

[Max’s form gradually coalesced, his body pulsing with a blue-white glow, while streaks of red lightning flickered within him. For the first time, he had fully transformed into living electricity.]

[He descended onto the floor in front of Harry, staring at his own glowing hands in awe. Harry, still catching his breath, looked at Max and smiled.]

[Dr. Kafka, seeing that Max had been freed from his restraints, immediately turned to flee. But Max hadn’t forgotten the torture he had endured.]

[With an outstretched hand, Max unleashed a powerful electric current. The surge of energy wrapped around Kafka, lifting him into the air as his agonized screams echoed throughout the facility.]

[Slowly, Max carried Kafka over to the same containment device where he himself had once been imprisoned. Without hesitation, he locked Kafka inside.]

[The machine began its descent, submerging Kafka in water—just as he had done to Max before. Kafka struggled in vain as the high-voltage current surged through him. His last words were a tortured scream: “No!!!”]

[Max ignored him and turned back to Harry.]

["You want to be friends with me?"]

["I think we already are," Harry replied with a smirk. He stepped forward, intending to pat Max’s shoulder—only to jerk his hand back instantly as a jolt of electricity shocked him.]

["I had a friend once," Max muttered darkly. "But it didn’t last long."]

[He was talking about Spider-Man. Once, he had admired him—idolized him. But in the end, jealousy consumed him. Spider-Man had remained the center of attention, while he had become a monster.]

["Yeah… me too," Harry admitted, bitterness in his voice. His resentment toward Spider-Man burned deep. He hated him for refusing to give up his blood, for letting him suffer when he could have saved him.]

["Let’s go catch that little spider!" Max declared eagerly. He didn’t want to waste another moment. The sooner he killed Spider-Man, the sooner the world would recognize him. He would no longer be invisible—he would be feared.]

—

Tony Stark let out a frustrated groan, rubbing his temples. "This is exactly what I was afraid of!"

He had always feared that Max could convert entirely into electricity. If that were the case, how could they even contain him?

If Tony ever faced Electro while wearing the Iron Man armor, it would be game over. Max could simply enter the suit as pure electricity, absorb its energy, and fry him from the inside.

Bruce Banner folded his arms, frowning. "I’m not as worried as you are. The Hulk isn’t exactly weak to electricity. But… I still wouldn’t be able to hit him if he’s pure energy."

Tony sighed. "There’s gotta be a way to deal with him. Maybe if we lure him somewhere with no electricity?"

Of course, there was another, more extreme option—overload him with energy until he burst. Tony refused to believe that Max could absorb an infinite amount of power. If they forced too much energy into him all at once, with no way for him to discharge it, they might be able to neutralize him.

But how much power would that take? Would the large reactor at Stark Industries be enough?

Nick Fury narrowed his eyes, thinking. "I wonder… if Thor used Mjolnir on him, would she kill him… or just charge him up even more?"

—

Max, watching himself on The Screen, felt a deep sense of shame.

In reality, he wasn’t a superpowered monster. He wasn’t arrogant, nor did he want to kill Spider-Man. He still admired him. Peter Parker had even agreed to attend his birthday party.

But now, in The Screen’s version of events, he wanted to kill Peter. He was blinded by jealousy and rage. Seeing himself like this made him feel sick.

Public reaction was swift and brutal.

People online tore into him, calling him ungrateful and delusional. Spider-Man had tried to help him, yet he had turned on him, all because Spider-Man was more popular.

Worse, real-life consequences followed. He was doxxed, harassed, and bombarded with hate messages. Some even stood outside the Aus Industries building, chanting insults and threats.

But Max said nothing. He endured it.

When Peter finally heard about it from Harry, it had already been going on for an entire day. At the time, Peter had been working with Gwen and the police to transport Richard Parker’s research from the underground lab.

Hearing about the abuse Max was facing, Peter sighed. He was frustrated but not angry.

The very next day, in front of a crowd of onlookers and cameras, Peter did something that shocked everyone.

He approached Max, wrapped his arms around him, and gave him a hug.

Then, he turned to the crowd and declared, "Max is my friend. And he always will be."

He urged his fans to stop the harassment, calling for understanding instead of hate.

Max, overwhelmed, burst into tears.

For the first time, he realized the kind of person Peter Parker truly was. Even after seeing a version of Max try to kill him, he still came to his defense.

—

[Peter stepped out of the dark tunnel, finally emerging from underground. The moment he got outside, his phone reconnected to the network and immediately began buzzing with notifications.]

[A voice message played:]

["Hey, Peter! It’s me! I got accepted into Oxford University! Wow, I’m so excited! I stopped by your house a few days ago, but you weren’t home!"]

["I’m on my way to the airport now."]

["There are some summer courses I can take, and I think this will make my transition easier! I think it’s time to let go…"]

[Peter stopped in his tracks, his grip tightening on his phone. Deep down, a part of him didn’t want to hear this. But Gwen’s voice continued.]

[Stuck in traffic beneath the bridge, Gwen sat in the back of a taxi, staring at the cityscape she had grown up with. She knew she wouldn’t see these buildings again for a long time.]

["But this doesn’t mean I don’t love you anymore."]

["On the contrary… I love you, Peter. That’s why…"]

["Okay. Goodbye."]

—

At that moment, Peter, who had just finished defending Max, arrived at Gwen’s house. He wasn’t prepared for what he saw on The Screen.

His eyes widened. "Gwen… you’re going to England?"

Beside him, Howard Stacy, Gwen’s younger brother, looked up at her curiously. "Sis, are you really leaving?"

Gwen hesitated, then smiled. "No."

She had already made her decision.

A few days later, university acceptance letters flooded in. Nearly every prestigious university in the world wanted her—offering full scholarships, free tuition, and more.

But after much thought, Gwen had made her choice.

She was staying in New York.

Columbia University wasn’t just an Ivy League school—it had an exceptional academic reputation, and more importantly, it was home.

She didn’t want to leave her family. And she knew that if she left, Peter would follow her. He had told her time and time again.

So she made her choice.

She chose to stay.

Chapter 179: Harry’s Desperate Gamble

[At Oscorp Industries, the security personnel were idly passing the time, unaware of the danger about to unfold. Suddenly, every surveillance monitor in front of them distorted into static. The security director immediately sprang up, his instincts screaming that something was wrong.]

["We have to get out of here—now!" He turned, rushing to find McCann. "We need to leave the Oscorp building immediately!"]

["Why? What’s going on?" McCann asked in confusion.]

[His answer came in the form of a sudden flash of lightning. The next second, the security director gasped as a hole appeared in the center of his chest. His heart was gone. He staggered, staring at the wound in shock before crumpling forward.]

[McCann’s breath hitched. Behind the fallen director, a crackling figure took shape—Max Dillon, reborn as pure electricity. His glowing eyes locked onto McCann, a sinister smile forming on his lips.]

[McCann scrambled backward, his chair scraping against the floor as he stared in disbelief.]

[Max, now clad in a new outfit, tilted his head and sneered. "Do you remember me?"]

[He flicked a finger, sending a bolt of electricity into the table beside McCann. The force shattered it instantly, reducing it to a smoldering heap of debris.]

[McCann’s expression twisted with terror. He looked from the destroyed table to Max—then to Harry Osborn, who strode into the room behind him.]

["Oh my god… what—what is this?!" McCann stammered.]

[Harry smirked as he approached. "Things have changed, huh? I know you’re too proud to admit it, but wouldn’t you say we made a beautiful comeback?" He turned to Max expectantly.]

["Exactly!" Max agreed with a wicked grin.]

["Alright, then! Holy Mary, it’s time to make a wish!" Harry snapped his fingers, looking triumphant. He was about to reveal his purpose when—]

["How dare you come back here, you pathetic, good-for-nothing freak?!"] McCann interrupted, his voice shaking with fury and disbelief.]

[Harry merely chuckled, unfazed by McCann’s outburst. Before he could respond, Max raised a single finger and unleashed another surge of electricity.]

[McCann screamed as he crumpled to the ground.]

["Oh, my bad!" Harry feigned an apologetic smile. "That’s not the response we were hoping for!"]

[With a casual whistle, Harry walked over to the fallen security director, who lay motionless, his eyes frozen in shock. He bent down, plucked the pistol from his holster, and examined it with amusement.]

[Meanwhile, Max crouched next to McCann’s lifeless body. He rubbed his palms together, generating a surge of electricity, and then pressed his fingers to McCann’s chest. The old man’s body convulsed as the shock jolted him back to life, his gasping breaths echoing in the silent room.]

["Alright, welcome back to overtime," Harry quipped, pressing the barrel of the pistol against McCann’s chin. "Now, let’s go for a little walk, shall we?"]

[He yanked McCann up, forcing him forward. As they exited, he turned to Max and grinned. "The power grid is all yours."]

[Max cast a glance toward the main power relay. With a flick of his wrist, the electromagnetic force activated, opening the ground plug’s cover. In an instant, he dissolved into pure electricity, surging into the circuit. Before disappearing completely, he extended a current to politely close the plug’s cover behind him.]

—

"Well, he is oddly polite," the 1st-Gen Spider-Man remarked, watching Max's actions with amusement.

"You wouldn’t guess that he’s trying to kill you," 1st-Gen Gwen added with a smirk.

"Hey! That’s not me!" 1st-Gen Spider-Man turned to her, exasperated.

"But he is Peter Parker," Gwen teased, flashing a grin.

The 1st-Gen Spider-Man groaned, muttering to himself. If he ever met this other Peter, he was definitely going to give him a piece of his mind. That guy had caused him no end of trouble—eating flies, wrecking important labs, and lying all the time.

And 1st-Gen Gwen never let him live it down. Even his Uncle Ben had told him not to be like the other Spider-Man.

—

[With his pistol pressed to McCann’s back, Harry forced him into the elevator.]

["Take me to the special projects division," Harry demanded.]

[Trembling, McCann hesitated before entering a code into the panel. The elevator doors slid shut, descending rapidly.]

[When they reached their destination, Harry shoved McCann forward. "Give me the spider venom."]

[As a sealed compartment hissed open, revealing the vials, Harry’s gaze flickered with anticipation. He muttered to himself, "Is this it?"]

["That," McCann rasped, "is the future."]

[They moved through several rooms, passing by various high-tech weapons and suits—military armor, advanced prosthetics, even Doctor Octopus’s mechanical tentacles.]

[Finally, they arrived at the chamber holding the spider venom. McCann opened the secured container, revealing the syringes filled with the rare substance.]

[Harry’s grin widened. He pointed the gun at McCann. "Take one out."]

[McCann hesitated but, seeing the weapon aimed at his chest, obeyed. He retrieved a syringe, carefully filling it with the venom.]

["It won’t work," he warned as he prepared the injection. "We’ve already run all the tests—except for human trials."]

[Harry scoffed. "You have conducted human trials—you were just too stupid to realize it."]

[McCann ignored him, inserting the venom into the syringe. He stepped forward hesitantly. "Inject now?"]

["Now," Harry ordered, though his hand trembled slightly as he held the gun.]

[McCann obliged, sliding the needle into Harry’s arm and pushing the plunger. The venom entered his bloodstream.]

[Harry let out a small laugh, flexing his fingers. The trembling in his hand stopped. "It was always right in front of you," he murmured, looking at McCann with an eerie smile.]

[But then—]

[A sharp pain ripped through his body. His breath hitched. He staggered, clutching at his neck as dark green veins bulged under his skin. His entire body spasmed, his knees buckling beneath him.]

[The gun clattered to the ground.]

[McCann took the chance and bolted toward the elevator, frantically inputting the security lock. The doors slid shut, trapping Harry inside the lab.]

[Meanwhile, Harry writhed on the floor. His muscles spasmed violently, sweat soaking his clothes as grotesque lumps bulged and rolled beneath his skin. His screams of agony echoed through the chamber, his face contorted in pain.]

Chapter 180: Peter Takes a Stand

"Harry!!!"

Peter’s eyes widened in horror as he watched his friend writhe in unbearable agony. He couldn’t believe Harry had been reckless enough to inject himself with the spider venom without even testing it first.

"Thank God he didn’t do that in real life," Gwen muttered, exhaling shakily as she watched Harry’s face contort in pain. Just the sight of it made her uneasy.

Harry Osborn swallowed nervously as he observed his counterpart’s suffering on The Screen. He felt immensely relieved that Peter had gotten him the serum that cured his illness. Otherwise, this could have been his fate.

"This Harry is completely out of his mind," 1st-Gen Spider-Man murmured, exchanging glances with 1st-Gen Gwen. Neither of them had expected their universe’s Harry to be so desperate—willing to stake everything on the spider venom without hesitation.

The first-generation Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Mary Jane, standing beside him, let out a breath of relief. "Good thing you got that enhancement serum from your father. Otherwise, you could’ve ended up just like him."

"No," first-gen Harry shook his head firmly. "My father told me there was never any genetic disease in our family."

Even now, he struggled to understand why this had happened in another universe. In the end, he could only chalk it up to the differences between parallel worlds.

Meanwhile, Tony Stark was deep in thought, watching Harry’s excruciating transformation play out. He turned to Bruce Banner and asked, "What’s gonna happen to him?"

"He’s going to die," Banner replied without hesitation. He pointed at the dark blue veins bulging across Harry’s body. "That’s a sign that the toxins are spreading. Unless he has access to advanced medical tech that can immediately purify his bloodstream, he won’t make it."

Tony sighed. "Damn. First-gen Harry died. Is second-gen Harry about to bite the dust too? I was hoping he’d make it."

Banner shrugged. "Hard to say. But knowing how The Screen works, it probably isn’t showing us everything yet."

—

[Gwen sat in the back of a taxi, lost in thought. The driver suddenly pointed out the window and exclaimed, "Hey, it’s Spider-Man!"]

[Gwen turned her head, following his gaze. The moment she spotted what Peter had done, her heart skipped a beat, and a smile broke across her face.]

["Stop the car!" she blurted out instinctively, forgetting that they were stuck in traffic.]

["Miss, I haven’t moved at all!" the driver huffed in frustration.]

[Gwen didn’t wait. She threw the door open and stepped out onto the street. A crowd had gathered by the river, staring in awe at the bridge where, written in massive webbing, were the words “I LOVE YOU!”]

[Peter Parker’s confession was displayed for all to see.]

[Gwen couldn’t help but laugh, her eyes welling up with tears. And before she could react, Peter swung down, grabbed her, and carried her off into the air.]

[They landed at the top of the bridge, where Peter wrapped her in a tight embrace.]

["Did you see my message?" he asked, smiling.]

["What message?" Gwen teased, playing along.]

["Come on, you didn’t recognize it?" Peter leaned in, feigning disappointment.]

[She grinned. "Maybe you should read it to me?"]

[Peter locked eyes with her and whispered, "It says: I love you. Because I love you, you are wrong."]

[Gwen tilted her head, amused. "What did I do wrong?"]

["You said we were drifting apart," Peter murmured, pressing his forehead against hers. "But you were wrong. We were never drifting apart—I’ve always been following you. And I always will."]

[His voice softened. "I know there are a thousand reasons why we shouldn’t be together. But I hate every single one of them. We have to make a choice, right? Well, I choose you."]

[Gwen’s breath hitched. Peter held her gaze as he continued.]

["So here’s what I’m thinking—England. Let’s go together. From now on, I’ll be by your side. Until the end of the world. Until the seas run dry and the rocks crumble."]

[Gwen’s face lit up with a radiant smile. She had no intention of leaving Peter behind.]

["I mean," Peter smirked, "they have criminals in England too."]

[Gwen nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah!"]

["They have too many criminals," Peter teased. "Too many."]

["Like who?" Gwen asked, raising an eyebrow.]

["Jack the Ripper!" Peter declared dramatically.]

[Gwen burst out laughing.]

["What’s so funny?" Peter grinned. "Jack the Ripper is still at large, you know!"]

[Gwen only laughed harder before pulling him into a deep kiss.]

—

Peter smiled softly as he watched the screen. "I told you I wasn’t going to leave you."

Gwen, leaning against his shoulder, whispered, "I want to stay in New York."

Peter turned to her in surprise. "What? Aren’t you going to Oxford?"

She shook her head. "No. I got into Columbia University. I don’t have to leave."

A rush of relief washed over Peter, and his smile grew even wider. "I should go tell Uncle Ben and Aunt May. I told them I might go to England with you, and they’ve been worrying about how I’d adjust."

Gwen chuckled. "Yeah, we should tell them. It’ll put their minds at ease."

—

[Just as Peter and Gwen were lost in their moment, a sudden flash of sparks erupted in the distance. Then, in an instant, half of New York City went dark.]

[Peter and Gwen’s smiles faded. They turned toward the city skyline, their expressions shifting to concern.]

["What’s happening?" Peter murmured. "Is that Max?"]

[As the entire New York City power grid failed, panic swept through the streets. The blackout spread rapidly, plunging the city into darkness.]

["He must have cut off the entire power grid," Gwen said, her voice tense.]

[At the airport, air traffic controllers scrambled to land flight PNA322, but the power outage left them stunned. The airport manager rushed to the technicians, demanding they restore power.]

["There should be emergency protocols for power failures, right?" Peter asked as he surveyed the darkened city below, where only car headlights illuminated the streets.]

[Gwen’s gaze snapped to the power plant. "There’s an emergency restart system, but if he’s severed the transmission cables, no backup system in the world will fix this."]

["So how do I stop him? Every time I get close, he fries my web-shooters."]

["Ever try grounding electricity?" Gwen suggested.]

["I’ve tried everything—rubber, plastic—"]

["Ever tried magnetizing electricity?"]

["I haven’t—"] Peter stopped, realization dawning on him.

[Gwen smirked. "Remember eighth-grade science class? If you use a battery to magnetize a nail—"]

[Peter’s eyes widened. "It creates an electric charge!" He turned to Gwen, a spark of hope in his voice.]

["Exactly!" Gwen nodded.]