[Marvel : Spoiling Spider-man] Chapter 166 - 170

Chapter 166: Showdown with Max

[As the surge of electricity raced toward him, Peter instinctively executed a swift backflip, landing atop a police car. Using the vehicle as a makeshift shield, he managed to block part of the current. Sparks sputtered from the web shooter on his left wrist, malfunctioning again, but fortunately, the right-hand launcher remained operational.]

[Peter’s spider sense flared, heightening his awareness. In that suspended moment, he noticed the current snaking along the metal grille, creeping toward the handrail of a nearby staircase. A woman clutching her child was dangerously close, and on the opposite side, a man unknowingly reached out to steady himself on the electrified railing.]

[He could clearly see the steel railings above the stairs, the cluster of people descending in panic, and the police car engulfed in crackling electricity barreling toward them. The situation was dire.]

[In an instant, Peter devised a plan. Using his functional web shooter, he fired webs to both sides, creating a barrier that stopped the police car just in time, bouncing it backward before it could harm anyone.]

[Without missing a beat, he performed another agile backflip, shooting a web from his right hand while gripping the left-hand web tightly. He flung the left-hand web toward the man, yanking him away from the railing just as his fingers grazed it. Simultaneously, he fired another web at the woman, pulling her and her child to safety with all his strength.]

[The two civilians were mere seconds from electrocution. As Peter flipped above the crowd, the woman and the man, now safe, beamed grateful smiles at him before quickly fleeing the chaotic scene.]

[After ensuring their safety, Peter straightened and fixed his gaze on Max, who was now fully consumed by his electric rage. The crowd, witnessing Peter's heroics, erupted into cheers and applause, their fear momentarily replaced by admiration.]

["Today is my birthday!" Max roared, his voice crackling with fury as electricity surged in his hands. "It's time to light the candles!" His eyes burned with hatred as he prepared to unleash his power on Peter.]

[Peter reacted instantly, dodging to the side and launching himself upward with his webbing, narrowly evading Max’s relentless electric blasts. Swinging through the air with practiced agility, he attached his web to a fire hose coiled at the roadside.]

[Landing smoothly, Peter yanked hard on the hose, causing it to burst open with a powerful spray of water. He swung the hose like a weapon, forcing Max to dodge, though the villain retaliated by sending another jolt of electricity at Peter.]

[The electric shock knocked Peter backward, but not before he managed to land a solid hit on Max with the heavy hose. Both were sent flying in opposite directions—Peter crashed into a newsstand, while Max slammed into the ground, rebounding into a large electronic billboard behind him.]

[Peter groaned from where he lay, momentarily stunned. Max, on the other hand, staggered to his feet, his eyes scanning the square with predatory precision. To him, the flow of electricity through the city’s circuits was as clear as a roadmap.]

[With a sinister grin, Max grabbed two exposed power cables, pressing them to his body. He absorbed the energy greedily, his body glowing brighter with each passing second. The surge of power made him let out an inhuman roar.]

[Within moments, the entire square dimmed as Max siphoned the electricity. Then, with a deafening crack, a powerful electromagnetic pulse erupted from his body, sweeping across the surrounding buildings.]

[The giant screens adorning the square’s perimeter flickered violently before crashing down onto the streets below. Debris rained from the buildings, sending the crowd into a frenzy of panic and terror.]

[Max hovered above the chaos, electricity arcing from his fingertips. Gwen, standing amidst the fleeing crowd, felt a surge of helplessness as she watched people scramble for safety.]

[Max gathered another massive charge in his hands, preparing to unleash it on the square below. The citizens screamed and scattered, while a frantic police officer barked into his walkie-talkie, "Has anyone seen Spider-Man? Where is Spider-Man?"]

[Just as Max was about to strike, a powerful jet of water blasted him from the sky, slamming him into the pavement.]

[The scene shifted, revealing Peter perched atop a fire truck, wearing a firefighter’s helmet. He manned the high-pressure fire cannon alongside a group of firefighters. "Okay! That’s enough! Good job, Mike! John! We did it!" Peter cheered, turning off the water and clapping his fellow firefighters on the back.]

[Max lay sprawled on the ground, electricity sputtering from his body as he struggled to move. Peter grinned, twirling the hose in his hands before realizing he had nowhere to holster it. Shrugging, he handed it back to the firefighters.]

[Two SWAT officers cautiously approached Max, who glared at them with simmering hostility. His voice was hoarse but filled with venom as he spat, "Spider-Man!!!"]

[Peter swung down from his webbing, landing softly beside Gwen. She stood alone now, everyone else having fled the scene. He glanced at her and teased, "England? Really?"]

[Before Gwen could respond, a chunk of debris crashed behind her, flattening a burning police car into a heap of twisted metal. She stared at the wreckage, then back at Peter, silent and contemplative.]

[Seeing her hesitation, Peter sighed and turned to leave. He knew better than to push for a deeper connection right now.]

[As he disappeared into the distance, Gwen whispered to herself, "Well said."]

"He's incredible! Gwen, did you see that? His spider sense is off the charts! It was like time froze for him, and he figured out exactly how to save everyone in a split second!"

The first-generation Spider-Man watched in awe, marveling at Peter's quick thinking and flawless execution. No wonder The Screen had praised his spider sense.

He had to admit, in this area, the second-generation Spider-Man surpassed him.

Gwen nodded in agreement. She had faced the first-generation Spider-Man numerous times while under the influence of Venom, and it was clear—while he was formidable, he couldn’t rescue civilians as effortlessly as the second-generation Spider-Man.

The first-generation Spider-Man could endure numerous direct attacks, relying on his resilience. In contrast, the second-generation Spider-Man moved like a nimble assassin, relying on speed and agility. But when Peter took longer to get up after Max’s attack, the first-generation Spider-Man shook his head slightly. It was evident that Peter’s physical endurance wasn’t on par with his own.

Max, meanwhile, was gripped with fear. He hadn’t expected to see his future self wreak such havoc. He glanced nervously at Harry, who was approaching from the crowd. Harry’s expression darkened as he processed the events unfolding on The Screen.

Harry narrowed his eyes, quickly understanding Max’s thoughts. "Max, you have to realize, Peter doesn’t want to hurt you. You’ve already achieved your wish—everyone knows who you are now."

"Yeah," Max muttered, staring at the defeated version of himself on the screen. "Everyone knows me." His heart was a tangle of emotions. He had always wanted recognition, but not at the cost of becoming a villain.

Harry pondered whether Max could avoid becoming this monstrosity if he chose a different path. But the thought was fleeting. Harry wasn’t the type to manipulate someone’s fate like that.

Meanwhile, many viewers were furious with the sniper who had fired the shot that originally enraged Max. Spider-Man had clearly been on the verge of calming him down, but the sniper’s reckless decision had escalated the situation.

Outraged New Yorkers demanded accountability from the police department. The NYPD headquarters was once again surrounded by protesters, and Captain George Stacy sighed heavily, the weight of the city's frustration pressing down on him.

Chapter 167: Harry Uncovers Oscorp's Dark Secret

[Peter returned home, peeled off his Spider-Man suit, and tossed it into the closet, revealing his toned, muscular frame. After slipping into more comfortable clothes, he flopped onto his bed, the events of the night still buzzing in his mind.]

["Jessica Abbott, a New York TV reporter at the scene of the incident, will now bring us this breaking news!" the TV host announced, drawing Peter's attention momentarily.]

[The screen switched to a live broadcast from the chaotic scene. "We have two witnesses here who will describe what they saw during the attack. Can you tell us, how did Spider-Man manage to defeat that monster?" Jessica asked, thrusting the microphone toward them.]

[One witness eagerly chimed in, "Spider-Man's suit must be rubberized! That’s how he avoided being electrocuted! Probably some kind of neoprene—yeah, that’s what I’d use if it were me!"]

[Peter sighed, shaking his head at the wild speculation. He sat up, grabbed his phone, and stared at a photo of him and Gwen from happier days. The looming reality of Gwen leaving for England gnawed at him. Frustrated, he tossed the phone onto the bed and rubbed his forehead, trying to shake the unease.]

"You must be pretty upset knowing I’m leaving," Gwen’s voice echoed in his mind, a memory tinged with bittersweetness.

"No! I won’t let you leave me! I’ll follow you wherever you go," Peter had replied, his voice filled with determination as they leaned closer to each other, the world around them fading away...

"Alright, enough of that! Gwen, your mom needs your help!" George's gruff voice cut through the memory. He had been standing at the doorway, watching them for who knows how long before finally interrupting.

"Oh! Okay, Dad!" Gwen quickly snapped out of it, realizing her father had been there the whole time. She hurried out, leaving Peter alone with George, who stepped into the room, his expression stern.

Peter noticed George’s glare and felt a wave of confusion. He and Gwen had shared plenty of intimate moments before, but George had never looked this upset. Something was different.

"What’s with the look?" Peter asked, puzzled by George's unusually harsh demeanor.

"The police station was surrounded by citizens again today," George said bluntly.

"What? Why? Was it because of me?" Peter's eyes widened in shock. It had been a while since the police faced that kind of backlash, and he couldn’t understand how he might be involved this time.

"No," George sighed, then explained the full story about the sniper incident. After an emergency meeting, the sniper had been suspended, sent home to reflect while awaiting further investigation.

Luckily, George had escaped any blame, as he had already been deceased in The Screen's narrative during that time—a death considered both honorable and unavoidable. As for the sniper, his superiors couldn’t be identified based on voice alone, sparing him from immediate consequences.

[Later, Peter picked up his damaged web shooter from the earlier battle, inspecting it carefully. It didn’t take long to identify the issue: the battery had exploded.]

[But fixing it was the last thing on his mind. With a sigh, he tossed it onto the table. Restless, Peter lay back on his bed, slipping on his headphones and blasting music, hoping to drown out his thoughts. But no matter what he did, Gwen's impending departure haunted him every time he closed his eyes.]

[Rolling over, Peter's gaze fell on Richard Parker’s old briefcase, tucked away in the closet. Frustrated, he stood up to shut the closet door, but something made him pause. Yanking off his headphones, he grabbed the briefcase and dumped its contents onto the floor.]

[Among the scattered items, he picked up a remote control and examined it briefly before setting it aside. Then he found a crumpled note with just one word: Roosevelt, followed by 2 p.m.]

[Curious, Peter began searching for anything related to "Roosevelt," but came up empty. Determined, he taped a photo of his parents to the wall, then gathered and printed out every bit of information he could find on Richard Parker, adding it to his growing wall of clues.]

[Finally, he tacked up a photo of him and Gwen, scrawling underneath it: Am I going to lose you too? The weight of everything pressed down on him as he leaned his head against the wall, lost in thought. Eventually, he picked up the damaged web shooter and left the room.]

"Peter..." Gwen's voice was soft, filled with concern as they sat across from each other at the dinner table. Whenever Richard Parker's name came up, she couldn’t help but worry about how it affected Peter.

"I’m fine, Gwen," Peter said calmly, spearing a piece of steak and popping it into his mouth. He was learning to let go, trusting that The Screen would eventually reveal the answers he sought.

Helen, eager to lighten the mood, chimed in, "How’s the steak, Peter?"

"It’s great! Really, really delicious!" Peter responded enthusiastically, offering her a grateful smile.

"It really is delicious," George added, his tone softer now.

"I’m glad you like it! Would you like some soup?" Helen offered, her eyes warm with affection.

"Thank you! It’s all amazing. I really appreciate it," Peter replied, his gratitude genuine.

Helen Stacy couldn’t help but feel satisfied with Peter. In her eyes, he was the perfect future son-in-law—the more she saw him, the more she adored him.

[Meanwhile, a news report blared in the background: "Online polls show a significant surge in public support for Spider-Man. Tonight, it seems all of New York City owes him their gratitude!"]

[Across town, Harry Osborn lounged in his penthouse, absentmindedly fiddling with the mysterious cube Norman had left him. As he toyed with it, his finger brushed against a sensitive spot on his neck, making him wince in pain.]

[Curious, he leaned over the glass table, using the reflective surface to inspect the irritated area. Pressing his fingers harder, he felt a sharp sting shoot through his neck, causing him to yelp in surprise. The cube slipped from his grasp, clattering onto the table.]

[To Harry's astonishment, the cube activated upon impact, projecting a series of holographic files onto the table. Intrigued, he leaned closer, realizing this wasn’t just any device—it was a physical key granting access to Oscorp’s most classified information.]

[Harry’s eyes darted across the floating documents. Clicking on one, he expanded it, revealing a detailed introduction from the system.]

["Next-Generation Military Armor: Enhanced mobility, self-repair capabilities for battlefield damage, integrated neural interface system..."]

[Intrigued, Harry clicked on another file. This time, it was a video of Richard Parker, mid-research on genetically engineered spiders. The screen flickered to life as Richard addressed the camera.]

["Spiders, commonly found in our homes, exhibit cellular structures vastly different from human cells," Richard explained. "Even when severely infected or injured, they possess extraordinary regenerative abilities. By integrating radioactive isotopes into human DNA, we've discovered..."]

Chapter 168: Harry’s Desperate Pursuit of Spider-Man’s Blood

Harry stared at the screen, his eyes wide with shock. He never imagined that the small cube Norman had given him was actually a physical key to Oscorp's darkest secrets. Though he'd had it for a while, he hadn’t stumbled upon its purpose until now.

It was only after seeing the revelations broadcast on The Screen that Harry realized the immense value of the little device.

Without wasting a second, he sprang from his chair and placed the secret key onto the glass table. As expected, numerous classified documents appeared, mirroring what he had seen on The Screen. Eagerly, he began sifting through the files.

He uncovered blueprints for advanced armor, reports on clandestine experiments, and files detailing Richard Parker’s research. The entire Connors incident was laid bare, along with files on Norman Osborn’s degenerative disease, Spider-Man’s genetic experiments, and even a dossier on Dr. Michael Morbius.

Harry browsed through each folder methodically. However, unlike The Screen, there was no file about Max Dillon becoming Electro—since Max hadn’t been electrocuted in this timeline, that particular chain of events hadn’t unfolded.

Meanwhile, McCann—the former Oscorp executive under investigation—also watched the broadcast with growing dread. He prayed that Harry wouldn’t discover that the secret key had the power to restore deleted and modified data. Without concrete evidence, McCann's worst fate would be getting permanently ousted from Oscorp Industries. But if Harry unearthed the tampered files, McCann’s situation would become far graver.

At the same time, Harry realized that The Screen had exposed everything Oscorp had tried to hide. He needed a new strategy to secure his access to these secrets. If the key fell into the wrong hands, it could create catastrophic consequences.

Harry also knew that global powers—including the White House—had likely already recorded the titles of these incriminating documents. Thankfully, mere file names wouldn’t cause much damage, but the information within them could shatter Oscorp’s standing.

[“Welcome to Dr. Jarings’ Science and Education Program! Today, we’re diving into the world of electricity!” The cheerful voice echoed in the garage as Peter fiddled with his damaged web shooter, removing the scorched battery. To better understand what went wrong, he pulled up a popular science video on electricity.]

[“Batteries! Insulators! Electromagnetic currents! Now, remember, batteries can handle a lot of incoming charge. The larger the battery capacity, the more it can store! But,” the host's tone shifted, “if the input charge exceeds what the battery can release… BOOM!”]

[As the video played, Peter conducted his own experiments. He swapped the small button battery with a larger one, secured the transmitter, and fired a line of webbing, attaching it to a voltmeter to measure the current.]

[Wearing protective gear, Peter cautiously powered up the device. The moment the clamp touched the spider silk, the web glowed red-hot, the voltmeter spiked, and—just as the video predicted—the battery exploded. The detonation perfectly synchronized with the blogger’s cheerful voice.]

[“When doing experiments like this, please take proper safety precautions! You’re not invincible!” the blogger quipped. Despite being mentally prepared, Peter still flinched from the blast, but his curiosity wasn’t easily shaken.]

["I need a bigger battery," he muttered, determined. He strapped together several large batteries, wrapped himself in a makeshift cloak of insulating materials, and tried again. But just like before, the batteries exploded the moment power surged through them.]

[Peter sighed, staring at the shattered battery pack. Not ready to give up, he brought out a car battery. This time, the surge of electricity was even more intense. The force sent Peter flying across the garage, and seconds later, the car battery couldn’t handle the load—it erupted in a fiery blast. The spider web caught fire, and the lights in the house flickered wildly.]

[“Ahhh!!!” Peter shouted, scrambling for the fire extinguisher. He doused the burning webbing and sprayed the still-sparking car battery for good measure.]

"Hahahaha!!! Peter! Are you trying to blow up your old garage?" Gwen’s laughter echoed from the doorway, her amusement unstoppable as she watched the chaotic scene. She even pulled out her phone, searching for the exact science video, despite knowing the information was already in their textbooks.

“Ouch!” Peter groaned, covering his face in embarrassment. He couldn’t believe he’d forgotten the basic lessons from eighth grade. Gwen would never let him live this down—so much for being the top of the class.

Seeing her future son-in-law humbled, Helen Stacy chimed in, "Well, it’s still better than the mess you made at home, Gwen! You ruined your father’s and Peter’s clothes, broke the door, wrecked the table, destroyed a pair of shoes, and let’s not forget the hole in the wall that still hasn’t been fixed!"

"Oh, Mom! I’m your daughter!" Gwen protested, shooting her mother a look of mock betrayal for exposing her embarrassing history.

Peter stifled a laugh, trying not to aggravate Gwen further. But seeing his shoulders tremble with suppressed amusement, Gwen huffed, turning away from him in mock irritation.

Peter quickly stopped laughing, leaning in to coax Gwen back into a better mood.

[The next morning, Peter was still fast asleep when his phone rang. Without opening his eyes, he instinctively fired a web shot—intending to pull the phone to him—but instead yanked a crowbar off a nearby shelf. It flew through the air and smacked him squarely in the head.]

["Ah!" Peter yelped, dropping the crowbar with a thud. Rubbing his forehead, he shot another web, this time successfully snagging the phone.]

["Hello?" he mumbled, still half-asleep.]

[Harry’s voice came through the line, tense and urgent. "Peter! It’s me."]

["Hey, Harry… What’s up? What time is it?" Peter asked, groggy and disoriented.]

["Uh… evening? Morning? I don’t even know anymore—I haven’t slept all night. I need to see you, Peter. Now."]

[Peter instantly snapped to full attention. There was something wrong with Harry’s tone. "Are you okay?" he asked, concerned.]

["No, Peter… I’m dying. But I think you can save me."]

[Peter’s heart skipped a beat. He sat up in bed, his mind racing as Harry’s desperate words echoed in his ears.]

[Later that day, inside Oscorp Industries, Peter and Harry sat side by side, watching a video of Richard Parker and Norman Osborn presenting their groundbreaking experiment.]

["What you’re looking at now is the world’s first hybrid of a human and a spider," Norman explained, his voice calm and authoritative. "Our original goal was to extract venom from their glands and develop medicine capable of healing diseased cells."]

[Richard Parker added, "If we can cure genetic disorders, think about the possibilities. Diseases like Alzheimer’s, even cancer, could become relics of the past."]

[The video ended abruptly. Harry closed the file and turned to Peter, his expression grim.]

["They never made it to human trials," Harry muttered. "Fourteen years of research, and nothing to show for it. Except for this."]

[Harry stood up and slammed a stack of newspapers onto the table, each featuring headlines about Spider-Man.]

["Spider-Man?" Peter asked, feigning confusion, though his heart pounded in his chest.]

["He was bitten by one of those spiders and successfully mutated," Harry said, his eyes gleaming with a mix of desperation and hope. "I don’t know how or why, but he’s got all the abilities of a spider—including self-healing. I need to find him, Peter. I need his blood."]

[Harry’s pleading gaze bore into Peter, who struggled to maintain his composure. The weight of Harry’s words settled heavily between them, leaving Peter speechless.]

Chapter 169: Gwen Digs into Max’s Mysterious Disappearance

"Harry!" Peter called out, his voice laced with concern. He remembered the last time they’d discussed Harry’s condition—how Harry had rejected Peter’s offer to help after witnessing the grim outcomes of Spider-Man’s human experiments. Sky’s warnings had only solidified Harry’s decision to abandon any hope that Spider-Man could cure him.

Turning to Gwen, Peter’s expression grew more serious. "Gwen, I want to help Harry. Can you help me figure this out?"

Gwen nodded without hesitation. "Of course, but... how do we even start?" She trusted Peter completely but was unsure of how they could approach such a complicated problem.

"Dr. Connors," Peter said thoughtfully. "Maybe he knows a way." Peter realized they couldn't tackle this alone. Dr. Curt Connors, the brilliant biologist who had previously worked on regenerative formulas, might hold the key. Connors had been laying low at home recently, his regenerative research at a complete standstill.

Thanks to massive public outcry after the events exposed on The Screen, Harry had been trying—and failing—to persuade the public to allow Oscorp to resume genetic research. The people of New York, still haunted by what they'd seen, refused to let history repeat itself.

Even Oscorp's board of directors stood firmly against restarting any experiments. Public pressure had driven Oscorp’s stock prices to plummet, wiping out nearly half of the company's assets. Investors and stakeholders alike were unwilling to take further risks, and even Harry’s influence couldn’t overturn their decision.

As a result, Dr. Connors found himself with nothing to do, confined to his home, his groundbreaking research collecting dust.

[Gwen returned to her workstation, her thoughts consumed by the name Max Dillon. After hearing his name mentioned the night before, she remembered seeing him at Oscorp. He was an electrical engineer here—a detail that suddenly seemed far more significant.]

[Glancing around to ensure no one was watching, Gwen quickly began searching for Max Dillon’s employee records in the company database.]

[Meanwhile, Peter was still grappling with Harry’s request. He stared at his friend, incredulous. "You want Spider-Man’s blood?" Peter asked, sinking into a chair across from Harry’s desk.]

["This could save my life, Peter!" Harry leaned forward, his hands pressing firmly on the table, desperation in his eyes.]

["Maybe... but maybe not, Harry! It’s not that simple," Peter argued, his mind flashing back to Connors' horrific transformation. "Did you see what happened to Kurt Connors?"]

["Connors was weak!" Harry shot back, dismissing the comparison. "But I’m different, Peter!"]

[Peter shook his head. "You can’t just pull up in a blood donation van and expect Spider-Man to give up his blood. I mean, he’s not exactly the type to willingly let someone jab him with a syringe."]

["Then maybe you can tell me where he is?" Harry suggested, his voice suddenly calmer, but his eyes gleamed with intensity. "I’ll ask him myself."]

[Peter's heart raced. "What?" he stammered, trying to mask his alarm.]

[Harry picked up a newspaper from the desk and pointed to the byline at the bottom of a photo. "Photograph by Peter Parker," it read. "You took this picture. You know him."]

["Harry, I took that from a distance, using a telephoto lens," Peter lied smoothly. "I don’t know him personally." It was a weak excuse, but Harry seemed to buy it—for now.]

[Harry sighed, his gaze softening. "I’ve been thinking about what you said by the river. That Spider-Man gives people hope. I just… I can’t give up hope yet."]

[Peter fell silent, guilt gnawing at him.]

[In the security monitoring room of Oscorp, a technician noticed an unusual search query—someone was digging into restricted personnel files. He quickly traced the activity back to Gwen's workstation.]

[Gwen, meanwhile, stared at her screen in frustration. Max Dillon’s file was nowhere to be found. She tried another search, but this time, the system blocked her entirely.]

[Back in the monitoring room, the technician alerted security, and a team of guards immediately left to confront Gwen.]

[Harry continued pleading with Peter, his desperation palpable. Peter felt cornered, unsure of how much longer he could keep up the charade. He stood abruptly, ready to leave, but Harry grabbed his shoulders, forcing him to face him.]

["Don’t ignore me, Peter! I don’t want to die like my father!" Harry’s voice broke, his vulnerability laid bare. "Please, Peter! Please! I can’t… I can’t do this alone."]

[Peter’s heart ached. He couldn’t stand to see his friend like this. "I’ll… I’ll try to find Spider-Man," he finally relented.]

[Harry's expression softened, though his eyes were still clouded with worry. In The Screen, he didn’t know what choice Peter would make—but here, in reality, Peter had told him to reach out whenever he needed help. Yet Harry had refused, terrified of becoming another failed experiment.]

In the real world Harry read all the dark secret of his company.

The spider-human trials had been cruel. None of the subjects survived, and Harry couldn’t shake the fear that he’d meet the same gruesome fate. Worse still, those test subjects hadn’t volunteered. They were homeless people, coerced into the experiments. This fact was precisely why McCann had been under investigation.

But the truth hadn’t gone public—Oscorp couldn’t afford the fallout. The rumors circulated only among certain circles, hidden from the general public to protect the company from further collapse.

Later, Peter and Gwen arrived at Dr. Connors' home. They needed his expertise, hoping he might have insight into Harry's condition

Connors listened to their proposal, his face tense. "I’m not sure it’ll work," he admitted. "I’ve never conducted human trials, especially not with something like this."

Peter, however, was determined. "If there’s even a chance it could save Harry, I’ll try it—with my blood first."

Connors looked into Peter’s eyes and saw the unwavering resolve. With a heavy sigh, he agreed to help.

[Meanwhile, at Oscorp, Harry felt a flicker of relief after Peter’s promise. But on another floor, security guards had already reached Gwen’s department.]

[A curious colleague noticed the sudden security presence. "Why are they here?" he whispered. Gwen, sensing danger, glanced up and saw the guards scanning the room—for her.]

[Without missing a beat, Gwen locked her computer and stood up casually, pretending to head for a water break.]

["Hey! Miss Stacy!" one of the guards called out.]

[Gwen pretended not to hear, quickening her pace. Luckily, Peter was in the elevator, heading downstairs when he saw Gwen hurrying through the hallway, her eyes darting nervously over her shoulder.]

[Just as Gwen was about to trip over her own feet in her haste, Peter appeared from around the corner and caught her just in time.]

[Gwen's eyes widened in surprise. "Peter!" she whispered, relief washing over her.]

["What are you doing here?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.]

["What are you doing here?" Peter shot back, equally curious.]

[Gwen grabbed Peter's hand, pulling him into a nearby janitor's closet. Peeking through the crack in the door, they watched as the security guards followed Gwen's trail, unaware that she was mere feet away.]

["Are you in trouble?" Peter whispered, his brow furrowed in concern.]

["Yeah," Gwen breathed, her voice low and hurried. "There was an incident in the lab. They’re covering it up. It’s that guy from Times Square last night—Max. He’s an electrical engineer here. I’ve seen him before."]

["And he loved Spider-Man," Gwen added, rolling her eyes. "The guy was a total fanatic."]

["Yeah, well, I don’t think he loves me anymore," Peter muttered. "It felt like he wanted to fry me like a bug last night."]

["When I love you, I just want to electrocute you!" Gwen teased, flashing a mischievous grin. But her smile faded as she added, "I tried searching for his records, but they’re gone. Completely erased. It’s like he never existed."

["Typical Oscorp," Peter sighed, shaking his head. "They always find a way to bury the truth."]

Chapter 170: A Dangerous Deal

["What about you? Why are you here?" Gwen asked, her eyes narrowing with curiosity as she glanced at Peter. His sudden appearance at Oscorp Industries wasn’t just a coincidence.]

["Harry... he’s dying," Peter admitted quietly, his lips pressing into a thin line.]

[“Osborn? What do you mean he’s dying?” Gwen's eyes widened in shock. Harry was only twenty—how could this be possible?]

["He thinks the only thing that can save his life is my blood… Spider-Man’s blood." Peter’s voice was laced with worry. "But from everything I know, if I give him my blood, it might kill him."]

["Maybe it could even make things worse!" Gwen agreed, her mind flashing back to Dr. Connors’ horrifying transformation into the Lizard. The memory was still fresh.]

["I know..." Peter nodded solemnly. That’s exactly why he was hesitating.]

[He glanced around their cramped hiding spot and couldn’t help but chuckle. "Gwen, this is the janitor’s closet. It’s the most cliché hiding place ever. We’re smarter than this."]

["I’m sorry! I didn’t exactly have time to scout out a better spot," Gwen whispered back with a soft smile.]

[Peter's expression turned serious again. "I need to talk to you about England. I think, because I don’t—" Before he could finish, Gwen leaned in and kissed him.]

["You just kissed me!" Peter whispered, his eyes wide with surprise. "I thought we agreed to be friends!"]

["I’m sorry, I couldn’t help myself," Gwen teased, her eyes sparkling. "How did it feel?"]

["A bit sudden!" Peter grinned.]

["I know, I know!" Peter laughed nervously. "So, here’s the plan—you take the elevator, and I’ll distract the guards. Sound good?"]

[Gwen nodded without hesitation. She trusted Peter to pull it off. The two of them quietly exited the closet. Gwen sprinted towards the elevator, while Peter prepared for his diversion.]

[As Gwen pressed the elevator button, Peter spotted a security guard approaching. He ducked around the corner and noticed a food cart being pushed by a distracted waitress who was reading a book. Peter shot a quick web, snagging a cup of coffee from the cart without her noticing.]

[Waiting patiently at the corner with the cup in hand, Peter timed it perfectly. Just as Security Guard A rounded the corner, Peter "accidentally" bumped into him, spilling the hot coffee all over the guard’s uniform.]

["Oh my God!" the guard yelped, flinching from the heat.]

["I’m so sorry!" Peter crouched down, pretending to help. "I didn’t mean to—I just—"]

[Before he could finish, Peter subtly stretched out his leg, tripping Security Guard B as he rushed over. Guard B stumbled and crashed into the food cart. Seizing the moment, Peter tossed the remaining coffee into the face of Security Guard C.]

["Oops, I did it again! I’m really so clumsy today!" Peter apologized exaggeratedly while pulling off Guard A’s coat.]

[Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Gwen stepping into the elevator. To make it even more convincing, Peter shouted after her, "Hey! Miss! Stop!" as if he were just another security officer.]

[Gwen flashed a knowing smile as the elevator doors closed. Security Guard A tried to give chase, but Peter grabbed his arm, holding him back. Guard B finally disentangled himself from the food cart, while Guard C wiped coffee from his face, fuming.]

["Alright, alright, I’m leaving!" Peter said, backing away with a sheepish grin. But before Guard A could step forward, Peter subtly webbed his shoelaces together. As the guard lunged, he tripped and fell flat on his face.]

[With Gwen safely gone, Peter strolled away, grinning from ear to ear. Halfway down the hall, he couldn’t resist doing a little celebratory hop.]

"Hahahaha, Peter Parker, are you always this mischievous?" Tony Stark chuckled as he watched Peter’s antics on The Screen.

"Yeah! He’s not just a chatterbox; the kid’s got some serious moves!" Rhodes added, laughing along.

"He’s completely different from the first generation Spider-Man," Banner observed, smiling. "The first one was more serious, more introverted. But this Peter? He’s lively, funny… and a lot more playful. Of course, that’s as long as the first-gen Peter doesn’t get possessed by Venom."

"I agree," Rhodes said, raising his hand. "That  dance scene still haunts me."

Natasha, who had just arrived at Tony’s house, overheard the conversation and nodded in agreement.

"Hahaha, Peter!" Gwen laughed, watching the scene unfold on The Screen. She hadn’t expected Peter to help her escape danger with such chaotic finesse. The guards looked utterly humiliated, but honestly, who wouldn’t be in Spider-Man’s hands?

Even the criminals couldn’t feel too bad—they’d faced worse. Some of them had been strung up in webs, dangling from lampposts or buildings. And with two Spider-Men in the city now, crime rates in New York had plummeted.

Peter, however, wasn’t in the mood to celebrate. He scratched his head awkwardly, then refocused on his work with Dr. Connors. But no matter how many simulations they ran, the system kept flashing the same result: failure.

Frustration bubbled inside Peter. He tried again and again, but the simulations didn’t just fail—they often resulted in horrifying mutations, turning the subject into spider-like monsters.

Peter’s heart sank. He didn’t know how to save Harry. Connors sighed, sharing Peter’s frustration. If Peter’s blood had worked, maybe Connors could’ve regenerated his own missing arm.

"Damn it!" Peter finally snapped, slamming his fists onto the table. He began pacing the room, running his hands through his hair. No matter how hard he tried, the outcome never changed.

"Peter..." Gwen whispered, her eyes filled with worry. She knew how much Peter wanted to help Harry, but the results were undeniable. It seemed hopeless.

"What am I supposed to do?!" Peter shouted, his voice cracking with emotion. "How do I save Harry?!" He glared at The Screen, as if it held the answers he so desperately needed.

[“Peter Parker, do you really want to save Harry Osborn?” The narrator’s voice echoed through the room, startling them.]

"Yes! I want to save him!" Peter shouted back. "Tell me what to do! You’ve told people things before—about Tony being a jerk, about Thor—"

Peter stared at The Screen, hoping it would help. Connors’ eyes were wide with anticipation. Maybe, just maybe, The Screen could even help him regrow his arm.

[“Then let’s make a deal.” The narrator's tone shifted, becoming more ominous. “You help me with something, and I’ll help you save Harry Osborn. Deal?”]

"Deal!" Peter agreed instantly, not even asking for details. His logic was simple: if The Screen wanted to hurt him, he wouldn’t stand a chance resisting it anyway.

[“Good. Then this is what you want. As for your task, I’ll tell you later.”]

As the narration ended, a small bottle of glowing, white liquid materialized in Peter’s hands. He stared at it, his heart pounding. Whatever this deal entailed, there was no turning back now.