In New York, Brooklyn, Peter effortlessly swung between buildings using his Spider Silk, moving with fluid ease.
Within minutes, he landed atop a rooftop several kilometers away and gently set Gwen down.
"Who are you? What exactly do you want?" she asked, a mix of fear and curiosity in her voice.
Being rapidly swung through the air by Peter had nearly made Gwen faint at first. But as she grew used to the sensation, she couldn't help but feel a tinge of envy.
This method of movement—it was incredibly cool. Fast, agile, and smooth. Running on two feet didn't even come close.
This wasn't the first time she'd seen this mysterious man. She remembered the day she fainted inside Osborn Tower—he was there.
Back then, she had even mistaken him for a villain and attacked. Yet, he hadn't retaliated. Instead, he'd left without saying a word.
Later, after checking the company's surveillance footage, she discovered the truth: he had been saving her the whole time. She was only safe thanks to him.
That revelation made her feel deeply grateful.
Still, gratitude didn't erase the fact that he had just abducted her. She couldn't help but feel both cautious and confused about his intentions.
She'd worn a mask today—there was no way he could have recognized her, right?
"Don't worry, I mean you no harm. Otherwise, I wouldn't have saved you back at Osborn Tower, would I?" Peter said with a shrug and a smile.
He wore a mask and used a voice changer. He wasn't worried about Gwen discovering his identity. And even if she did—it wouldn't matter.
The real reason he hadn't taken off his mask was to protect her.
Knowing too much could be dangerous. So as long as he could maintain some mystery, he would.
If Gwen figured it out later... that would be her problem.
The reason he brought her here today was twofold: first, to keep her away from danger; and second, to guide her, just a little, and provide her with some beginner gear.
She had only recently awakened her powers and was clueless about how to use them.
If Daredevil hadn't stepped in earlier, she might've already gotten herself killed.
Just thinking about her hanging upside down from a lamppost, helpless, made Peter chuckle internally.
She always seemed so smart—but in that moment, she had been hilariously clueless. It was… kind of adorable.
Hearing him mention the incident at Osborn Tower, Gwen realized he already knew who she was.
With a grateful look in her eyes, she said, "Thank you for saving me that day. And… I'm sorry for hitting you. I didn't mean to—I thought you were the enemy."
"It's fine," Peter said, brushing it off. "It's in the past. No need to dwell on it."
"I brought you here because I wanted a quiet place to explain a few things.
You've probably noticed the strange changes in your body. You were bitten by a radioactive spider. Fortunately, that gave you some spider-based superpowers. You're now a superhuman."
"A spider's powers?" Gwen echoed. "So that explains the insane grip strength and how my hands stick to everything. That's amazing!"
She paused, then her eyes lit up.
"Wait—you were just shooting Spider Silk! Does that mean you also have spider powers?" she asked, staring at him with intense curiosity.
Peter nodded. "Yes. I have similar powers to yours, though not exactly the same."
"So, you were bitten too?"
"No," he replied, deadpan. "I bit the spider."
"What?"
"Oh, never mind that. Not important. The point is—we both have spider powers. How I got mine doesn't matter."
Peter then pulled out a small package from inside his jacket and tossed it to her.
"Inside, you'll find two Spider Suits I custom-made for you. If you're going to use your powers, it's best to suit up. That way, you won't reveal your identity.
These suits are made of carbon fiber—extremely tough and somewhat resistant to damage. They'll help reduce the risk of injury in combat.
Also, I'm giving you these two Spider Silk shooters."
He handed her the devices.
"They let you swing between buildings, just like I do. They also support different web types for different combat scenarios. Explore their functions at your own pace.
As for how to refill the Spider Silk cartridges, there's a manual inside. With your intelligence, you'll get it on your first read."
"Wait—these let you swing around?" Gwen asked, inspecting the device. "But I didn't see you wearing them!"
"I don't use external web shooters," Peter replied.
"Then how do you shoot Spider Silk?" she asked, more intrigued than ever.
Peter raised his hand. A moment later, a thin strand of clear Spider Silk shot out from a port on his wrist.
Gwen's eyes widened in amazement—but then her expression shifted to confusion.
"All that Silk just came out of your body?"
"Yep. Is that a problem?"
"Uh… it's just a little weird, that's all."
"There's nothing weird about it. Men are naturally good at shooting… it's normal," Peter said with a straight face.
"..." Gwen stared at him, speechless.
"Anyway," Peter continued, "I've told you everything I wanted to. From now on, you'll need to figure things out on your own. I'm heading off."
He turned to leave, but Gwen called out, stopping him.
"Wait. Why are you being so kind to me?" she asked sincerely. "You barely know me."
Peter paused, flustered.
"Didn't I say already? We're kindred spirits. We should look out for each other.
Besides, in this world, it's rare to meet someone who shares the same powers. Don't you think?"
As he scratched his nose, clearly nervous, Gwen's eyes narrowed under her mask. She recognized that gesture.
And then she smiled.
"Is that really the reason? Feels like you're lying to me," she teased.
"I don't have a reason to lie," Peter said quickly. "Okay, no more talking. I really have to go."
Seeing Gwen's eyes narrowing and the amusement playing on her lips, Peter knew that if he stayed a moment longer, she'd probably guess his identity.
Without another word, he leaped off the rooftop and vanished into the shadows, his Spider Silk carrying him away.
Watching him disappear, Gwen smiled softly beneath her mask.
"Peter… it's you, isn't it?"
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