On the open-air balcony, Peter had just confessed his identity as Spider-Man to Gwen, and their relationship had taken a significant step forward. However, before he could fully enjoy the moment after their long-awaited kiss, the blaring sirens from the street below shattered the peace.
He glanced back at Gwen, who had returned to the room, feeling conflicted but ultimately climbed up to the edge of the balcony, ready to leap into action.
"I think you should wait for me; we're a team," Barry, now dressed and ready, appeared beside him. The wind whipped his coat around, revealing hints of a golden dragon pattern that shimmered under the neon lights, adding to his mystique.
"Let's go. Hopefully, our simultaneous disappearance doesn't make Mrs. Stacy suspicious," Peter said with a shrug, leaping off the edge. By now, he was accustomed to Barry's presence during their adventures.
Instead of using his web, Barry leaped gracefully, landing on the balcony of a nearby high-rise.
"Gwen will cover for us, don't worry. My outings with you are all thanks to her," Barry casually mentioned to Peter, who was sprinting along the neighboring balconies.
"But at dinner tonight, you really put your foot in it. I thought you two might end up brawling at the table," Barry teased.
"Yeah, I got a bit riled up when I heard her dad's comments. In hindsight, while our intentions are good, our methods could use some refinement," Peter admitted, recalling the awkward dinner scene, especially with Gwen in mind.
"When I become a police officer, gathering intel for you won't conflict with police duties," Barry said, taking another leap, landing on the suspension bridge that stretched into the distance.
They had arrived at the Williamsburg Bridge, the scene of the current chaos.
The Williamsburg Bridge connects Manhattan's Lower East Side to Williamsburg in Brooklyn, and today it was teeming with vehicles.
Now, chaos reigned on the bridge, with people screaming and cars honking as they fled.
Barry approached a taxi at the bridge's entrance, now nearly reduced to a hunk of scrap metal. The vehicle's rear was mangled, with long scratches suggesting it had been torn open by a massive claw.
"Barry, stop gawking! The monster's up ahead. Go save people!" Peter, now suited up, shouted from atop the Williamsburg Bridge after stashing his clothes in his backpack.
"Bang!" Just then, a noise echoed from the bridge as vehicles began rolling off, plummeting towards the East River below.
As soon as Barry heard this, he leaped over a truck, his eyes scanning the traffic. He soon spotted a tall, green-skinned lizard man rampaging through the vehicles.
Seeing the situation, Barry began leaping across the tops of vehicles, chasing after the creature. He moved with such lightness that his paws barely left a trace on the roofs.
In less than a minute, Barry had caught up with the towering green-skinned lizard monster.
"Hey, green lizard! What are you up to?" Barry intercepted the creature, eyeing it warily.
"Roar!!" The lizard monster roared at Barry, its claws lashing out.
Barry didn't retreat; instead, he advanced, using his small stature to duck under the lizard man's legs. A swift sweep followed, sending the lizard man crashing to the ground.
"Roar!! Can you understand me?" When the creature didn't respond, Barry switched to the language of animal communication.
But the lizard man only roared again, swinging its thick tail at Barry.
Barry had no time to dodge the sudden attack, so he quickly clasped his palms together, pulling out a thick whip made of spider silk to block the incoming tail.
However, the creature's strength was immense. Despite the spider silk's tenacity, Barry was still knocked off the bridge.
Dr. Lizard, seeing that the obstacle was gone, continued forward, landing atop a black SUV wedged between other vehicles.
"Pop!" Suddenly, the lizard man was struck on the head by a white whip, causing him to stagger back and fall off the car's roof.
"Prefer bamboo sticks, but this will have to do," Barry commented, brandishing the spider silk whip, which crackled like firecrackers.
"Roar!!" Furious, Dr. Lizard roared and lifted the black SUV, hurling it toward Barry.
Barry leaped over the flying car, heading straight for Dr. Lizard.
"Hope they have insurance; they might need it!" Barry quipped, twirling his whip, now with a tire attached to the end.
But as the tire hurtled toward him, Dr. Lizard deftly swatted it away with his talon, severing the spider silk.
Seeing this, Barry abandoned his initial plan. He landed, coiled his legs, and launched himself like a cannonball. He struck Dr. Lizard's abdomen, bending the creature's body into a bow with the force of his impact.
"Bang!"
Dr. Lizard flew through the air, crashing into a car. The windshield shattered, and the frame crumpled, yet he seemed unscathed and quickly rose.
As he prepared to charge again, a sharp pain in his right arm stopped him. Looking down, he saw his left arm beginning to dissolve into powder.
EXTRA CHAPTER IS AVAILABLE IN PATREON
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