That night, Baby Kingpin waited in vain for Charlie at the coffee shop.
Meanwhile, in Hamlet Street's park.
A red-and-blue figure swung through the air on webbing.
"No!"
A blood-curdling scream erupted from the park's bushes. Without hesitation, Charlie dove in.
"Hey, looks like you need a friendly neighborhood—oh, sorry, I didn't see anything. I'll even give you a dollar for props and throw in a free biology lesson.
Okay, I can tell from your shy, terrified looks that you don't need me. See ya—next time, put on underwear first."
The bushes rustled briefly as Charlie swung out, vanishing into the night.
Kids theseadays—zero sense of propriety.
"No!!"
Another panicked scream echoed from an alley near a bar.
Charlie's eyes flickered with faint blue light. He chose not to interfere.
Sometimes, not meddling was his greatest kindness.
"Swoosh~"
Webbing shot out, the red-and-blue figure weaving between buildings. But a green shadow flashed from the alley, streaking past Charlie and disappearing into the night.
"So fast!"
A gust whipped by, making Charlie's body sway.
Something felt off.
He yanked his webbing, diving into the alley.
"Bzzz"
Tapping the spider emblem on his chest, light flooded the dark alley, revealing a curvaceous woman unconscious by a dumpster.
Charlie stepped closer, easily catching the stench of alcohol on her.
Probably got plastered at the bar next door.
Her sultry outfit screamed either paid or unpaid dancer.
Was that thing's goal to rob her… or worse?
Not only fast in flight but quick on the draw, too.
And poorer than Spider-Man.
Still, guided by his boundless love for humanity, Charlie decided not to judge.
First, he'd give her a warm hug, then call an ambulance.
"Hey, lady, need a friendly neighborhood—"
Mid-sentence, Charlie patted her shoulder, helping her up.
But when he saw her face, he jumped back, startled.
"Mother of Mjolnir, ma'am, at your age, don't wear so little to seduce youngsters—and after drinking that much? Did you just get dumped?"
Charlie leaped back as the wrinkled woman collapsed weakly again.
"Save me…"
She raised a hand, but too frail, it fell limp.
Seeing this, Charlie knew things weren't so simple.
"Whoosh"
Before he could act, a breeze stirred, and the green shadow returned from the night sky.
"Hey, you nearly crashed into me. You must be the Spider-Man everyone's talking about?"
Charlie looked up to see a green vulture perched on a high wall, staring down at him.
No, not a vulture.
A strange figure draped in green wings.
Young-faced, bald, with a sharp chin and skull—easy to mistake for an oversized green vulture in dim light.
Adrian Toomes!
Charlie pegged his identity instantly.
"Mr. Green-Feathers, did you do this?" He pointed at the aged woman.
Adrian's lips curled, but instead of answering, he mused, "Perfect. I didn't expect to run into Spider-Man here. If I could drain you dry…"
Greed gleamed in Adrian's eyes, uncontainable.
"Whoosh~"
The air hissed as the green shadow flickered.
Charlie's heart raced, spider-sense blaring. He barely raised his arms in defense.
"BOOM!!"
A massive force hit, sending the red-and-blue figure crashing into a wall, bricks collapsing over him.
Adrian took Charlie's place, smirking.
"Tch, tch, tch. Too slow, Spider-Man. You're a disappointment."
Arms crossed, Adrian mocked, his green wings flapping lightly. His prized speed made him scoff at Spider-Man, who relied on webbing to "fly."
But as he gloated, the wall behind him shimmered. Red-and-blue webbing shot out silently.
"Pfft~"
The faint sound caught Adrian's ear.
He flicked his wings, and the webbing veered off in the turbulent air, missing him and hitting a dumpster.
"Bzzz~"
"BOOM!!"
Magical energy erupted, spraying foul garbage. Adrian's wings wrapped around him, their glowing surface effortlessly deflecting the magic and debris.
"Screech screech screech"
Missed, the little spider scurried up the wall.
But Adrian wasn't letting it go.
"Cute little guy. You can't escape."
He sneered, wings trembling. A gale roared, and he became a green blur, chasing the spider.
"Pfft pfft pfft"
Charlie burst from the rubble, unleashing a storm of webbing to snare the troublesome foe.
"Huh?"
Adrian didn't flinch at the onslaught.
"Screee~"
"BOOM!"
He accelerated, his wings' sharp edges slicing through the webbing like a blade, turning it into "snow" drifting down.
"What?"
Charlie frowned, swinging up the wall with his little spider, shocked.
Even Tony's Mark Armor couldn't match this guy's speed.
Is this really a man-made Vulture suit?
Or has he tapped into the Time Tablet's power?
As he pondered, the little spider bit his hand, magical energy spreading through his suit.
"Wow, trying to beat me like you did Hulk?"
The green vulture circled above, voice dripping with mockery.
"Sorry, I'm not some brute who fights dirty."
With that, he dove like a razor-sharp green arrow, piercing anything in its path.
Spider-sense screamed, but Charlie's eyes narrowed, hands gripping his waist as dazzling blue light flared.
"Friendly Neighborhood Kamehameha!"
"BOOM!!"
The night sky lit up blue, Charlie's web proteins erupting into an impenetrable magical web.
Last time, this took down hundreds of spider mutants.
Now, he had one target.
He'd nullify that speed advantage.
But he underestimated Adrian.
"Bzzz~"
A blue beam shot into the sky, but the green figure dodged effortlessly.
As the beam exploded, blue webbing rained over a kilometer radius. The green vulture wove through, hurricane-like winds scattering the webs, not a single strand touching his feathers.
"Hahaha, too slow, too slow! Faster, just a bit faster, and you might hit me, hahaha…"
Adrian mocked from above. Charlie wasn't wasting time.
His organic webbing was spent, but he had synthetic reserves.
"Bzzz~"
He launched from a web slingshot, a radiant meteor streaking across the sky.
"BOOM!!"
A massive spider totem exploded, magical energy engulfing the green vulture.
But Adrian's speed was unreal, escaping the energy's range in a blink.
"Poor bug. Too slow. Got any more tricks? I don't mind playing longer."
Adrian circled back, hovering above.
Charlie's frown deepened.
Unable to swing through native spatial webbing, he landed, crafting another slingshot.
"BOOM!!"
He shot forward, dark-gold octopus arms lashing out, webbing sealing Adrian's flight paths.
"Clack clack clack"
The arms swept the sky, winds roaring. The green figure wove through the webbing and arms, his sharp wings slicing webs and sparking against the arms before Charlie plummeted in free fall.
"Poor bug. My turn."
Adrian's eyes turned cold. He dove, a green arrow screaming through the air.
"Screee!!"
"Shaaa~"
The air shrieked, the arrow repelling everything, sonic booms erupting.
Spider-sense blared, but Charlie couldn't react.
"BOOM!!"
The green arrow struck, both figures crashing through a bar's roof.
"Crack crack crack"
"BOOM!"
They smashed into the neon-lit chaos, the crowd erupting in panic.
"Run!!"
"Is that a bomb?"
"Oh God, what's that?"
"It's Spider-Man!"
"And a giant green bird."
"This feels familiar."
"Yeah, Spider-Man used this move to beat that green monster."
"Now another green monster's beating him the same way."
"No, Spider-Man's not down yet."
"It's not over."
Amid the rubble, green blades flashed, clashing with metallic rings.
"Clang clang clang…"
"Screee!!"
The red-and-blue figure stood firm, hands sparking against the wings, fearless of their sharpness.
"Bzzz!"
The green blades intensified, sparks flying, yet Charlie remained unscathed.
"Too weak, too weak. Your strength's a total mess."
Charlie taunted, and Adrian screeched, soaring upward.
"How? Your body… I hit you…"
Perched on the ceiling's hole, Adrian stared at the unharmed Charlie, pale with shock.
This guy's body is unreal.
How was a Spider-Man this tough ever killed?
He couldn't fathom it.
"Sorry, my body, my rules."
Charlie patted his chest, nano-metal sealing} writhing to mend the torn suit.
After the second stage of the Titan Body, his durability had soared.
Unless Adrian's Vulture suit was made of vibranium, it couldn't break through.
His speed was insane, but not unbeatable.
Charlie just needed time.
Adrian, no longer underestimating Spider-Man, felt the mysterious power in him fading, his youthful face wrinkling rapidly.
"No!! Why? I gained new vitality—why?!"
Panicked, he clutched his face and fled into the night sky.
Seeing him go, Charlie had a hunch.
Ignoring the crowd, he swung through the ceiling hole, returning to the alley.
The woman rose, touching her smooth skin, overjoyed.
"I'm okay! It was just a nightmare."
As she spoke, the red-and-blue figure swung down.
"Spider-Man!"
She recalled, "It wasn't a dream. You saved me, Spider-Man. I owe you."
Tearing up, she moved to hug him.
"Whoa, lady, calm down. Put your pants on and drop the autograph-hunting vibe. Honestly, I prefer younger."
Her smile froze, and she roared, "Spider-Man, I hate you!"
...
The Next Day.
On TV, J. Jonah Jameson puffed his cigar, ranting.
"Hey, folks, something wild happened last night.
Spider-Man got beat. A green bird took him down the same way he beat that green monster. It's gotta be its ally.
Spider-Man's not invincible. That bird's gonna finish him."
In the living room, Charlie shut off the TV, fuming.
"Are you guys blind? The invincible Spider-Man doesn't lose!" he shouted.
"Hey, little cousin, you look upset."
Aunt May emerged from the bedroom, glancing at the empty crib.
"Where's the baby?" she asked, stunned.
Charlie froze. "Uh…"
Aunt May facepalmed. "You didn't leave him somewhere, did you?"
"No way! A friend borrowed him for fun." Charlie grinned.
Aunt May: "…"
Who borrows a baby for fun?
"Ding-dong~"
The doorbell rang.
Aunt May opened it to two officers.
"We're looking for Charlie Parker."
They flashed badges.
"He's suspected of child abandonment. We have a warrant." The officer's face was cold.
Aunt May: "…"
Charlie: "…"
Three minutes later, Charlie was in a police car.
Carter was waiting inside.