"Clear," a guard said in his walkie-talkie as he patrolled the side of a warehouse.
It was night as I watched the warehouse of the Green Tooth Gang from a tree hiding in the foliage.
It was a relatively large gang in Yonkers with major ties to gangs in NYC. My target tonight was one of their warehouses.
I had mainly two aims in targeting it. One was obviously the stashed cash and gold or silver, if I might find any. As for the other valuables, I couldn't take any because I still didn't know a fence. The other was obviously practicing my skills and increasing the mission counts.
I checked; there's no one around this side, other than that one guard. I climbed down the tree quietly and followed him from behind. When I was within a few meters of him, I pulled out a small handleless throwing knife and threw it at him.
The knife was stuck in the guard's back. He screamed in pain. I had aimed the knife at the heart, but of course, it didn't hit the target. So, the guard didn't die in a single hit. I pulled out another knife and threw it at him. This one pierced his neck, and he finally died.
I pulled both knives out from the body, wiped them on the dead guard's clothes, and then put them back.
Why was I making my job difficult by using throwing knives instead of just stabbing him myself?
It was all because of that damned main mission. The mission included an optional objective: not using firearms. Because of my own completionist nature and the greed for the reward, I decided to try to complete that objective as long as my life would not be in danger.
But that created a small problem. Without firearms, I had no means for long-range attacks. I had only two options: either use a bow or use throwing weapons. It would be too cumbersome to move around with a bow and quiver, so that option was already out. I could use a crossbow, but I didn't know if the system would consider it a firearm. So, the only option remaining was to use throwing weapons.
After much looking around, I had finally found a good metalworking shop. I had to pay a premium, using the money I'd earned by taking down criminals over the last few weeks, so that the owner would prioritize my order and use the best materials and skills.
I had received the knives three weeks ago. That day, I spent the whole day practicing with them and developed the skill. Finally, yesterday, it had reached the Apprentice stage, so I targeted this big fish.
Throwing (Apprentice)
I looked up and saw my way in. It was an open window roughly three meters above the ground.
I came directly beneath the window and looked up. It was too high.
I took a breath, sprinted, planted a foot against the wall, and pushed upward. Just as my foot slipped, I grabbed onto the ledge below the window and hung from there.
Of course, this stunt was only possible because I had recently started learning another skill.
Parkour (Apprentice)
Pulling myself up, I saw inside the warehouse through the window. There were a bunch of thugs moving boxes around. Only two among them had guns. I climbed through the window and dropped onto a mezzanine walkway.
"Hey, have you heard?" A thug asked his buddy. "A vigilante appeared in NYC."
"Yeah, heard that bastard has killed a bunch of gangsters," the other thug with tattooed arms said. "I think he calls himself 47. What kind of name is that?"
"Don't know, man, maybe a code name?" The first thug guessed. "But what does it mean?"
Of course, it is a code name. As for what it means? You can never understand that.
When I arrived in this world, I was not under my constraints in the main world. So here, I decided to actively promote myself as a vigilante.
And as a vigilante, I needed a code name. That's when I decided on the name, 47. This was inspired by the protagonist, 47, from the Hitman games, who takes a stealthy approach to enemies. Since that was how I usually hunted criminals, I decided to use it as my code name in this world.
The two gangsters walked to the right, talking. I took a left and walked towards another lone one hidden by a stack of boxes from the other side.
I dropped down from the walkway behind the gangster without making much noise.
"Huh?" The gangster turned in surprise. But just as he turned, I stabbed a knife in his throat.
I took out the gang members in the warehouse one by one, carefully keeping out of sight.
Unfortunately, one of the gang members caught sight of me.
"There is an intruder!"
I wasn't much worried. Only two gangsters remained, and neither had a gun.
I threw three knives consecutively at one of them. Two stuck on him, the last one hit with the flat surface, but those two that did pierce were enough to kill him.
The last remaining gangster started running. It looked like he had realized that fighting was futile with only him and decided to bolt.
Even if he ran away, I wasn't much concerned because I had covered my face.
But it looked like he wasn't running away as he ran in a different direction and stopped in front of a door. He did something, and a hidden keyboard appeared.
I could have killed him with the knives, but curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to wait to see what was inside.
However, that turned out to be a foolish decision, as just as the door opened, a roar sounded from inside. Then a hulking figure came out. Before the gangster could back off, the brute clutched his neck and snapped it. Then he looked at me and roared again.
Name: David Thomson
Tier: E2
Description: Failed genetic experiment by Quest Aerospace.
Fuck!
The brute was over two meters tall, with greyish skin, and looked like a mountain of muscle. Dark green veins pulsed visibly beneath the surface. Its red eyes gleamed as it looked at me like a wild animal.
The brute ran towards me like a truck. I threw knife after knife, but they didn't help much as they couldn't penetrate much deeper into its skin.
I had to dodge to the side at the end moment or the brute would have rammed into me. The brute turned to look at me. It roared again, angered that I dodged it.
I understood that the knives were useless against him, so I put the knives in my hand. I looked towards the exit. It was far, and the brute was standing in between. It didn't look like I could leave the place without defeating it.
I readied myself for the most challenging fight of my life.
The brute ran towards me again. I dodged it again.
That's when I used the only skill I had that gave me a chance to get out of this place alive.
Brutal Strike
My arms swelled slightly as the muscles tightened. Just as I dodged, I punched the brute in the kidney, and the second punch was directly to the head.
Just two strikes, and my arms felt like they could fall anytime. I grimaced with the intense pain in my arms.
I didn't immediately finish off the brute due to the pain, but I thought that I had injured it enough for me to take a moment to breathe, but it seemed I had miscalculated.
The brute screamed in pain as blood streamed down from his eye, nose, and mouth. It had gone completely berserk, attacking indiscriminately. I was a beat slower in stepping back, and his punch connected with my chest.
It felt as if a sledgehammer hit me as I flew for several meters. It felt too hard to breathe. I touched my chest, and there was a depression on it. I was sure I had broken multiple ribs. I tried to stand up but tripped.
A metallic taste flooded my mouth. I vomited a mouthful of blood.
The brute saw I was not dead. It roared and walked towards me. But it looked like its earlier outburst was due to adrenaline, as its steps became unsteady and it wobbled as it came towards me.
I stood again with great difficulty, back on my feet. I had already used the Brutal Strike skill two times; any more and it would damage my arms. But I had no choice but to use it.
I took a stance, and my right arm swelled slightly. The brute arrived near me by then and punched me again. I was too hurt to dodge, so I punched with my left arm. Our fists met midair. I smothered my scream and punched its temple with my right fist.
The impact dropped it instantly.
The massive body hit the floor and didn't move again.
The system confirmed the kill.
I stood there for a few seconds, swaying, then turned and limped toward the exit. My left arm hung uselessly at my side. Breathing felt like dragging glass through my chest.
I needed sleep.
I still had to wake up on time tomorrow, as it was finally time for the science trip.
And I couldn't afford to miss it.
…
Next Day:
"Stop the bus!"
"Stop!"
"Hey! Stop the bus!"
Peter ran after the bus, yelling desperately as it drove ahead. The students and the bus driver laughed mockingly at Peter.
"Stop!" Finally, Mary Jane rose from her seat and walked toward the driver. "He's been chasing us since Woodhaven."
The driver relented and stopped the bus.
"Thank you. I'm sorry I'm late," Peter apologized to the bus driver as soon as he boarded the bus.
A paper ball hit Peter in the face, and he looked back at the bus. His fellow students laughed mockingly and jeered at him.
Peter looked at the scene with a resigned expression as if he was used to it. But at the same time, he searched for the new friend he had made over a month ago. With that friend by his side, he was no longer bullied.
But today felt different. Today, that friend wasn't present on the bus.
'Where is he?' Peter thought. 'He was looking forward to the trip so much.'
"Looking for your boyfriend, Parker?" Flash asked with a mocking grin. The other students in the bus started laughing.
Peter didn't reply; instead, he looked for a seat. But everyone sitting alone refused to share their seat with him.
"Don't even think about it."
"You are so lame, Parker."
"What a geek."
He walked towards the back as he looked for a place to sit. His gaze fell upon Mary Jane, sitting with Flash, Flash's arms possessively around her.
Peter started smiling without realizing it when he saw MJ. He was walking forward, but his eyes were locked on her.
'She looks so beautiful.'
That's why Peter fell face-first when one of Flash's cronies put his leg out in Peter's way, causing him to trip. Everyone started laughing again.
Some time later.
At the front of Columbia University, the students listened to the guide. Peter was the last, walking slowly towards the group.
Peter noticed MJ looking back and smiling. An honest, excited smile spread across his face. As MJ waved her hand, still smiling, Peter waved back, still with that lovesick smile.
Unfortunately, Peter's happy moments were short-lived when he noticed two girls pass him, then stop by MJ, and they all started talking animatedly. Feeling embarrassed, he realized she had been smiling and waving at her friends, not at him.
A black luxury car pulled up in front of the entrance, and from it emerged Harry Osborn.
"Pete," Harry called, looking at Peter standing in front.
"Hi, Harry," Peter said, turning and smiling.
"You aren't going inside?" Harry asked as Peter looked in the distance.
"I am waiting for Kevin," Peter answered. "He is getting late."
Before Harry could say anything, Norman stepped out of the car and handed Harry his bag. "Won't you be needing this?"
Harry introduced his father and Peter. Norman had already heard of Peter and was even more impressed when Peter told him he had read about his research and even written a paper on it.
Their conversation was interrupted by the guide, who urged them to enter the university. Norman left, but Peter stayed, waiting for Kevin. Beside him, Harry also waited.
"Hurry up, you too," the guide urged again.
Peter was getting anxious. "Two minutes. My friend should be coming soon."
The guide was about to force them inside when they noticed a taxi pull up at the entrance—from the back, Kevin emerged. He handed a few bills to the driver and turned to Peter and Harry, smiling.
"You're late," Peter said with a smile.
"I know," Kevin replied with a smile, draping an arm around Peter and Harry. "Rough night. Slept through my alarm."
The guide glared at the three as they finally entered the university.
— Kevin —
Fuck, barely made it.
Who knew this was how I would kill my first superhuman?
It was totally unexpected. It was so sudden, I didn't even have the chance to panic.
At that moment, the only thought in my brain was to survive
Though half-crippled by the end, I had somehow killed that brute. That was the first time I'd been injured so badly.
With my First Aid skills, I patched myself up enough to go back home. I had arranged for a ride. But in my state, the only reason I was even able to drive back safely was my high level of driving skill.
After reaching home, I fell asleep the moment I touched the bed. By the time I woke up, my Gamer's Body skill had fully repaired my body, and I was as good as new.
I returned to the science tour. The researcher had begun explaining spiders, and Peter was gushing to Harry about how awesome the university's electron microscope was.
I slowed my steps and let the group pass. I looked around the lab, checking points for a stealthy infiltration and the locations of the cameras.
Of course, from the corner of my eye, I was also looking at Peter and the group. I saw how Flash subtly pushed Peter as Peter tried to take a photo of the spider the researcher was explaining, ruining the shot.
Flash's fixation on Peter was almost pathological; he started bullying Peter again when I was not around. I was even sure that they had bullied Peter on the school bus.
I was sure they still hadn't noticed that I had arrived, so they started bullying Peter again.
Shaking my head, I decided to rejoin the group, but noticed an ID belonging to one of the researchers lying unattended on a side table. I stopped in my tracks, looked around to make sure no one was watching, and put the ID in my pocket. Then, looking nonchalant, I walked towards the group.
When Peter was about to click the picture of the second spider, the researcher was explaining, and Flash's blonde lackey subtly pushed him again, once again ruining the shot.
Flash and his lackeys laughed in a slow voice, looking at the upset Peter.
"Leave him alone," Harry said with anger in a low voice.
"Or what?" The lackey who pushed Peter asked in a mocking voice.
"Or his father will fire your father," Flash mockingly answered for Harry. His lackeys laughed and high-fived, hearing that.
Flash held Harry's jacket and said with a mocking smirk, "What's Daddy gonna do? Sue me?"
Before things could escalate, the guide appeared and threatened the group with their grades, finally quieting them.
I looked at Harry. Why did all the Harrys I met seem so pathetic despite being so rich?
The group moved on to the third spider, and I quietly joined them, catching up with Peter and Harry as Peter explained a fun fact about spiders to Harry.
"You gonna talk to her now?" Harry asked, gesturing towards MJ, who was looking at the spiders inside the glass cases.
"Oh no, come on," Peter said quickly, smiling awkwardly. "You talk to her."
Harry studied him for a second, then shrugged and walked over, casually repeating some of the spider trivia Peter had just told him.
Peter's face dropped when he heard that.
"You are an idiot," I said, walking and standing beside Peter. "You know that, right?"
"What?" Peter sputtered.
"If you like her, then why are you letting Harry seduce her?" I asked with disdain. "Hell, you are even indirectly being his wingman."
"I'm not," Peter said immediately. "Harry's not—he's just talking."
"Is he?" I asked with an amused expression.
Peter hesitated—a hint of doubt on his face.
"Hmm," I nodded. "Ok, tell me this."
Peter gave a subtle nod as we both continued looking forward, listening to the researcher's explanation.
"Between you and Harry, who is a better catch?"
Peter looked stunned at the question. "What do you mean by that?"
I laughed lightly.
"When thinking long-term, you are the best catch. With your brains, you can easily build a company that rivals Oscorp. Maybe even better than it. Brain. Money. Power. With all three, you will be one of the best catches in the country," I said in a plain voice.
It might sound like flattery, but it was the truth. He had the potential for that. Of course, whether Peter would use his potential to the fullest was up to him.
Peter looked shy at the unfiltered praise, his face completely red. "N-no, that—"
I cut him off.
"But to see that far, someone needs long-term vision, which most people lack. So they will look at the situation with their short-term vision, to fulfill their short-term goals."
Peter's words were stuck in his throat as he heard that. The red was gone from his face. A somber expression replaced the shyness. He was a smart guy; he understood where I was going.
"When thinking short-term, who is objectively a better catch according to our current social dynamics? The heir to one of the richest corporations in the country or a poor nerd?"
I let the question hang in the air. None of us answered it, but both of us knew the answer.
We returned to the researcher's explanation. The researcher explained about the 15 genetically designed super-spiders. MJ interrupted in between, saying there were only 14. The researcher was confused but thought it might be taken for testing and moved on.
The guide came in and reprimanded Harry for talking throughout the researcher's explanation. He took Harry away for a private lecture. On his way, he looked at me with a warning glare because I was also talking. I just gave him a calm smile. He left after another glare.
The researcher and the students continued the lecture to another part of the lab.
MJ was still near the glass cases, watching the spiders. Peter thought it was an opportunity to talk to MJ.
"Hey," Peter called MJ. He gestured towards the glass cases, "Can I take a picture? I need one with a student in it."
"Sure," MJ agreed with a smile.
"Great," Peter said with a happy smile.
I looked at them from the side. I saw the angle Peter was holding his camera at. All his shots were focused on MJ.
While Peter clicked the photos, I looked up at the spider hanging from its web in the ceiling, making its way down towards Peter.
From the beginning, I was skeptical about getting spider powers from a spider bite. I could also try to get this spider to bite me, but whether I would gain spider powers was uncertain.
It was essentially a scientific accident. Peter lucked out in the genetic lottery that gave him genes capable of accepting spider genes. For others, it can range from having just a slight bite pain to transforming into an irrational monster, with a minute chance of getting spider powers.
That chance was too low for me to turn myself into a guinea pig. Unless the chance was 100%, I ain't trying shit. In case of the worst, my Gamer's Mind skill might protect me from the irrational part, but my Gamer's Body won't protect me from the monster part.
Of course, that was just the science part. If you included the mystical part as well, the equation would become even more complex.
That mystical part was the reason that even if there were a 100% chance of getting spider powers, I wouldn't try getting them. I had no interest in being hunted by Morlun and the Inheritors.
As I read the spider's explanation using my Observe skill, my decision not to take any chances only strengthened.
Genetically Modified Spider
Artificially created through the genetic splicing of multiple spider species.
Special Note:
This organism is a designated carrier of the will of the Web of Life and Destiny.
Its predetermined fate is to bite Peter Parker, catalyzing his transformation into a Spider Totem.
Deviation Warning:
If this organism bites an individual other than its destined target, outcomes become highly unstable.
Possible results include:
No effect
Minor injury or localized infection
Severe illness or fatal biological rejection
Uncontrolled mutation, resulting in turning into an irrational monster
Rare Outcome: Successful adaptation and ascension into a Spider Totem, contingent upon extreme biological compatibility and rare alignment with the Web of Life and Destiny
Yeah, no. Not happening.
Even if successful. Even if I ignored the Inheritors. Even if I were lucky enough to win the rare prize.
I had no interest in being marked by the Web of Life and Destiny.
If marked by it, I would be forced to participate in all its events. They were useless to me or my goals.
I had no interest in being chained to fate.
I checked the other 14 spiders just out of curiosity. As expected, none were marked by the Web. None had the potential to turn someone into a Spider Totem.
I watched as the spider dropped on Peter's hand, who was too busy clicking MJ's photos to notice that. He had the perfect expression of a simp.
MJ was called by her friend, so she left to join the rest of the group. Peter looked at her retreating figure like a lost puppy.
Peter's attention was immediately diverted as he felt a sharp pain in his hand. He jerked his hand reflexively, and the spider dropped from it.
Peter watched the spider fall on the ground. Before it could run away, I immediately arrived near him. In my hand was a small glass container. I put the container over the spider and trapped it in.
"Cover me," I told Peter, and took out a notebook from my bag.
"What, but," Peter stuttered.
"Cover me," I repeated, this time more forceful.
He didn't argue this time and stood in front of me. I had already checked that there was no one near us and I wasn't in direct line of sight of any camera, but I wasn't taking chances.
I slid a notebook beneath the container, flipped it, sealed the lid, and pocketed it.
I stood up calmly.
Peter looked at me, confused, but I just said, "Let's go."
We rejoined the group as if nothing had happened.
*********************
[Author's Notes]
I'm planning to attempt two chapters per week from now on.
This is not a fixed schedule and not a guarantee. Until I officially confirm a permanent change, the standard release remains one chapter per week.
If a second chapter comes out in a week, consider it a bonus.
I'm clarifying this now to avoid confusion later.
If anyone comments in the future asking why there was only one chapter in a week when there had previously been two, those comments will be ignored.