Chapter 85: The End: The Green Goblin and His Son Defeated
Scorching flames surged wildly, turning half the street into an inferno of orange-red fire.
The Ultimate Green Goblin hovered in midair, his massive dark green wings beating furiously and fanning the flames into an even fiercer blaze.
Fire continued pouring from his fang-filled maw.
Layer after layer of flames spread across the entire roadway. The asphalt softened under the extreme heat, releasing thick black smoke.
On the other side of the battlefield, the fierce struggle between Andrew Spider-Man and the Second-Generation Green Goblin had come to a halt without either of them realizing it.
Andrew Spider-Man crouched atop a tilted streetlight, staring at the raging sea of fire. The next second, he launched himself toward the Ultimate Green Goblin.
The Second-Generation Green Goblin hovered in midair on his Green Goblin skateboard, looking down at the fiery hell his father had created. With a sinister cackle, he flew off to intercept Andrew Spider-Man.
Richard Spider-Man released the trigger of his Web-Shooter.
Standing on the rooftop of an apartment building, he faced the Sand Giant formed by Sandman.
But at that moment, both of them stopped fighting as though by mutual agreement.
Sandman's massive body slowly turned toward the battlefield where the Ultimate Green Goblin was fighting.
Everyone knew that if the figure inside that sea of fire went down, this battle would be over.
Then...
A blinding bolt of lightning erupted from the center of the orange-red flames.
The lightning flashed from deep within the sea of fire like a sword of light splitting heaven and earth, violently tearing the surging flames apart from the middle.
The sea of fire split in two. Under the force generated by the lightning, the flames along the edges rolled away to either side, opening a clear path through the inferno.
Of course, it was not actually the lightning itself that split the flames.
When lightning passed through the air, it instantly heated the surrounding atmosphere, causing the gas to expand and producing an effect similar to a shockwave.
So, strictly speaking, it was the resulting air shockwave that forced the flames apart.
Immediately afterward, a thunderous sound like the shrieking of a thousand birds echoed across the entire street!
The noise was sharp and densely layered, as though countless electrical arcs were exploding at the same time.
A human figure covered in crackling arcs of electricity emerged from the gap in the flames.
Electricity danced, coiled, and erupted across his body.
The web patterns on the Iron Spider suit became streams of flowing silver-white beneath the electric glow.
With every step he took, a circle of tiny electrical sparks burst beneath his feet.
The Ultimate Green Goblin remained suspended in midair, his pitch black eyes widening more than ever before.
His wings stopped beating, and his massive body froze in the air for an instant.
The sight before him was far beyond anything he had imagined.
The Ultimate Green Goblin could not believe that Spider-Man was actually capable of unleashing lightning!
Peter raised his head, his gaze piercing through the lightning and flames to lock onto the rigid green figure in the air.
The next moment...
Peter converted half of his remaining stamina into electrical energy through the [Electric Shock] ability.
The crackling arcs around him surged once again, exploding outward into a dazzling blue-white halo of lightning.
Then every arc converged between his palms in an instant and began to compress.
Until finally, they formed a straight pillar of lightning that erupted upward from his hands.
The sound of the lightning pillar ripping through the air was no longer like the cries of a thousand birds. It had become a deeper, more oppressive roar, like a thunderstorm descending from the heavens!
BOOM!!!
The pillar of lightning struck the Ultimate Green Goblin head-on.
The blast scorched his entire body black. His dark green scales curled upward beneath the electrical current before turning to charcoal.
His enormous wings suffered even worse.
The scales covering them fell away like dead leaves, leaving him completely incapable of flight.
His massive body plummeted straight down and crashed into the asphalt, which had been softened almost completely by the flames.
Peter gave the Ultimate Green Goblin no chance to recover.
He rushed forward in an instant.
Just as the Ultimate Green Goblin struggled to raise his head, Peter's right fist shot forward and struck him squarely on the jaw.
Residual electrical arcs exploded at the moment of impact.
The Ultimate Green Goblin's head snapped violently backward, and his jawbone broke with a sickening crack.
His scale-covered face twisted out of shape. The corners of his mouth split open, and more than half of his fangs shattered.
His pitch black eyes closed completely.
His massive body twitched twice before going completely still.
Peter stood before the unconscious Ultimate Green Goblin as the electrical arcs slowly faded from his body.
The Iron Spider suit beneath was revealed, its surface scorching hot from the intense heat.
Fortunately, the Iron Spider suit had excellent thermal insulation. Otherwise, Peter would already have suffered severe burns.
After confirming that the Ultimate Green Goblin would not wake up anytime soon, Peter turned around.
His gaze shifted toward the other two battlefields nearby.
"Anyone else want to keep going?"
Peter did not speak loudly, but on the scorched street, everyone heard him perfectly clearly.
No one answered.
The Second-Generation Green Goblin's pupils had already shrunk to pinpoints.
He was utterly shocked, unable to believe that his father had actually been defeated by a Spider-Man.
According to all their calculations, the Ultimate Green Goblin's combat power should have been far above Spider-Man's.
So why had the outcome been the complete opposite?
The Second-Generation Green Goblin quickly realized something else.
If he did not escape now, that terrifying Spider-Man would soon come after him.
Run!
He had to escape right now!
Urged on by the evil voice inside his mind, the Second-Generation Green Goblin immediately sent the Green Goblin skateboard beneath his feet soaring into the sky.
When it came to escaping, the Second-Generation Green Goblin had a considerable advantage thanks to the Green Goblin skateboard.
Spider-Men could not fly.
As long as he climbed high enough, he could escape without difficulty.
Unfortunately, even now, the Second-Generation Green Goblin had yet to realize that there was a traitor among them.
In an instant, he climbed to an altitude of roughly thirty meters.
With no tall buildings nearby, it was practically impossible for Spider-Man to reach him at that height.
The Second-Generation Green Goblin was overjoyed, convinced that he had successfully escaped.
His mind was already racing through what he would do next. He would go into hiding, slowly rebuild his strength, and wait for another chance to strike back at Spider-Man.
But in the next second, the Green Goblin skateboard beneath his feet began to shake violently.
Then a distinct grinding, stuttering noise came from the turbo engine.
Click! Click! Click!
It sounded as though large amounts of debris had entered the turbo engine, seriously disrupting its operation.
The Second-Generation Green Goblin looked down at the Green Goblin skateboard and immediately realized something was wrong.
A large amount of sand and gravel had somehow coated its surface.
The grains moved as though they were alive, forcing their way against the airflow and burrowing into every gap and crevice in the Green Goblin skateboard.
That was the true reason the turbo engine was malfunctioning.
At that moment, the Second-Generation Green Goblin finally understood.
Sandman had betrayed him and his father long ago.
From the very beginning, they had been the ones being played.
Chapter 86: The Aftermath, The Return
Just as the Second-Generation Green Goblin finally realized that Sandman had betrayed him, the Sand Giant controlled by Sandman arrived.
Sandman had no intention of letting the Second-Generation Green Goblin, the only one who had managed to slip away, escape successfully.
If he wanted to make sure his family would never have to worry about the Osborns again, then neither father nor son could be allowed to leave. Both of them had to be kept here today.
The Sand Giant raised a massive palm, which burst apart directly in the Second-Generation Green Goblin's escape path.
Dozens of sand tendrils spread through the air, forming an enormous net that suddenly unfurled before him.
The Second-Generation Green Goblin had no time to change course. His Green Goblin skateboard plunged straight into the sand net.
The sand tendrils immediately tightened, wrapping both him and his skateboard into a giant ball of sand.
The Sand Giant drew back his hand and gently placed the struggling sand ball on the street.
Peter walked past the Ultimate Green Goblin's unconscious body and stepped onto the Sand Giant's palm.
The Sand Giant then raised its hand, lifting Peter to where Richard Spider-Man was standing.
"Thanks."
Peter thanked Sandman before turning to Richard Spider-Man.
"Sandman and I worked everything out before you guys started fighting. Good thing his acting was convincing enough to fool the Osborns."
Andrew Spider-Man soon arrived as well. He happened to overhear their conversation and paused in surprise.
Richard Spider-Man looked at Sandman's featureless face, then at the Second-Generation Green Goblin wrapped inside the ball of sand, and slowly nodded.
"No wonder something felt off during the fight. There was nothing behind his punches. He wasn't putting any real force into them. Turns out he was acting the whole time."
"Okay, that was some seriously good acting. I didn't notice a thing."
Even Andrew Spider-Man had to admit it.
Peter turned toward Sandman.
"Take your wife and daughter away from where you're living now. Find somewhere safe and stay there for the time being."
Sandman silently nodded.
His enormous twenty-meter-tall body began to disintegrate, the sand flowing across the street like a receding tide.
It poured back into the sewers through the openings where the manhole covers had been blown away. Before long, there was no trace that the Sand Giant had ever been there.
Andrew Spider-Man watched Sandman disappear.
Then he turned toward the unconscious Green Goblin father and son lying on the ground.
With Sandman gone, the ball of sand had also collapsed. The Second-Generation Green Goblin inside had already passed out from lack of oxygen.
"What do we do with them? A normal prison won't hold them. They could probably punch straight through reinforced concrete."
"Then we find somewhere that can hold them."
Peter turned toward Richard Spider-Man.
"Mr. Parker, can you develop an antidote for the OZ compound?"
Richard Spider-Man looked down at the massive green body on the ground.
"I should be able to. I still have the original formula, the first version of the OZ Formula from fifteen years ago."
"Give me two weeks and a fully equipped laboratory, and I should be able to make an antidote."
"I'll take care of the lab." Peter nodded. "The question now is where we keep them until the antidote is ready."
Peter suddenly glanced toward the sewer opening where Sandman had disappeared.
"Sandman should be able to help us with that. After all, the place where he was held before wasn't some ordinary cell they could just punch their way out of."
Peter had Richard Spider-Man and Andrew Spider-Man move the Green Goblin father and son away before the police arrived.
He did not want the approaching officers to take them into custody.
Peter knew perfectly well that once the Green Goblin father and son regained consciousness and realized they were inside a police station, they would escape at the first opportunity.
Even if the entire New York City police force were assigned to guard them, it would not be enough to stop them.
Afterward, Peter went to Oscorp Tower alone.
Unfortunately, Norman Osborn's office was already deserted.
All the data on the computer had been completely erased.
Peter looked over the cluttered desk, found a roll of tape in one of the drawers, and collected the fingerprints left on its surface.
"Someone else, or maybe an entire team, must have helped Norman Osborn complete the OZ Formula."
"Hopefully I can find that person's fingerprints here."
...
One day later, the Green Goblin father and son had been transferred to a containment cell at Secret Base No. 1.
The cell had once been used to hold Sandman, so when Sandman learned that Peter needed somewhere suitable to imprison the Green Goblin father and son, it was the first place that came to mind.
There was another major advantage to the facility.
It contained the laboratory that had once belonged to Dr. Warren.
It was one of the most advanced biological laboratories in the world, making it the ideal place for Richard Parker to develop an antidote for the OZ compound.
With access to state-of-the-art equipment, Richard Parker was able to shorten the development process considerably.
It took him only five days to successfully create the antidote for the OZ compound.
When the antidote was finally injected into Norman Osborn and Harry Osborn, it proved effective.
Within just a few minutes, Harry Osborn's physical abilities declined dramatically, and he returned to being an ordinary person.
Norman Osborn's reversal was much slower. It took a full three hours before he finally returned to his former state as a frail old man.
However, although both of them had lost their extraordinary powers, their hereditary genetic disease remained cured.
For the Osborn father and son, that could probably be considered good news.
With the Green Goblin crisis completely resolved, Peter's time to leave had nearly arrived.
In New York City, on the clock tower platform where Peter and Andrew Spider-Man had first met, Peter was saying goodbye to the Parker father and son.
"I have to go. Oscorp should be going through bankruptcy and restructuring soon, so it probably won't threaten anyone again."
As Peter spoke, he summoned a spacetime portal.
Golden light appeared as the mysterious and spectacular spacetime portal rapidly took shape before the Parker father and son.
"Thanks for helping us. Without you, we probably would've had a very hard time dealing with Norman."
Andrew Spider-Man thanked him sincerely.
"No need to thank me. Spider-Man always finds a way to deal with a crisis. I just made this one a little easier."
Peter paused.
"Well... time to say goodbye."
"Goodbye, my friend."
"Goodbye."
Richard Parker and Andrew Spider-Man watched Peter wave before stepping into the spacetime portal.
Both of them sighed at almost the same time.
"I wonder if we'll ever get the chance to meet again."
Andrew Spider-Man felt a trace of reluctance at seeing him leave.
"The Multiverse is theoretically infinite, so the chances of meeting again are probably very slim."
Richard Parker pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, silently committing every detail of the spacetime portal's appearance and disappearance to memory.
Should the opportunity ever arise in the future, those images stored in his memory might prove useful.
Chapter 87: Super-Fast Reflexes, Bullet time
New York City, atop the Empire State Building.
Peter's figure materialized out of thin air and landed on the concrete rooftop.
This Interdimensional Travel had taken him to a universe more similar to his own than any of his previous journeys.
There had been almost no significant differences between the two Multiverses.
So after successfully returning, Peter felt nothing particularly unusual. The only difference was that the two Spider-Men who had been beside him were gone.
He looked down at his hands to make sure everything was normal.
Then he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and unfurled the Web of Life and Destiny.
The enormous web woven from countless strands of spider-silk materialized out of thin air. Peter focused his attention on Destiny Node No. 120703.
Within the Destiny Node, a new green skill icon gradually lit up.
The icon depicted the black silhouette of an upper body, with three tiny lightning bolt symbols around the head.
Through the feedback from the Web of Life and Destiny, Peter learned which special skill he had acquired this time.
[Super-Fast Reflexes].
Andrew Spider-Man's reaction speed had always been his most distinctive trait.
Peter had experienced that firsthand while training Andrew Spider-Man.
Although Andrew Spider-Man was inferior to Peter in both speed and strength, his lightning-fast reflexes always allowed him to come up with clever ways to defend against Peter's attacks.
That very trait was also why Andrew Spider-Man had improved at such an astonishing rate.
After only three days of intensive training, he had already become capable of thoroughly defeating The Lizard.
So Peter was quite pleased with this new ability. It filled in one of the gaps in his own skill set.
Then, as the [Super-Fast Reflexes] skill icon fully lit up, Peter suddenly felt the world around him change.
On the distant clock tower, the interval between each movement of the hands seemed to stretch dozens of times longer.
A mosquito flew past Peter's face. He could clearly see each beat of its wings, moving as slowly as a crawling snail.
Even the shrill horns of the cars on the streets below stretched into strange, deep, drawn-out sounds.
It felt as though someone had put the entire world into slow motion.
Peter tried raising his hand while in this strange state.
His hand moved in slow motion as well.
That made it immediately obvious that his thoughts and physical movements were no longer operating at the same speed.
Peter continued raising his hand toward the mosquito slowly flying in front of him.
He caught it effortlessly, moved it to another position, then released it.
The mosquito seemed completely unaffected. It simply continued flying forward as if nothing had happened.
"This feels... pretty amazing. Is this what Quicksilver feels like when he's saving people?"
Peter blinked beneath his mask.
In fact, he had experienced this sensation once before.
During his last battle with Mephisto, the outside world had seemed to slow down dozens of times while his thought process remained completely unaffected.
It allowed him to perform actions with a level of precision that would normally have been impossible.
Peter called this state [Bullet Time].
The name was inspired by the slow-motion sequence in The Matrix where Neo dodged bullets.
Previously, [Bullet Time] had been a special state that appeared only by chance and was almost impossible to reproduce.
But now Peter could tell that [Bullet Time] was no longer something that activated randomly.
His reaction speed had crossed a fundamental threshold. Enough quantitative improvement had finally produced a qualitative change.
The special state that once only emerged by sheer chance during moments of extreme danger had now become an ability he could activate at will.
Peter deliberately relaxed his attention, no longer maintaining the intense concentration from before.
The next second, the world returned to normal speed.
The car horns on the street became sharp and piercing again. The mosquito had already flown away, and the second hand on the clock resumed its normal pace.
"Whew. That's a pretty incredible feeling. If I ever run into a Speedster like Quicksilver, [Bullet Time] could be extremely useful."
Peter exhaled softly, walked to the edge of the rooftop, and sat down with his legs dangling over the side of the building.
The value of this new skill went far beyond simply allowing him to dodge perfectly.
Combined with the overwhelming strength he already possessed against most Villains, [Bullet Time] would let him plan out every move of an entire battle while it was active.
Then he could end the fight in the shortest possible time, using the fewest movements and the most precise angles.
As for how long [Bullet Time] could last, whether it placed any strain on his body, and whether it could be used together with [Electric Shock] or [Invisibility], those were questions he would have to test gradually in the future.
Peter raised his wrist and checked the time.
It was around one in the morning.
As usual, Peter spent some time swinging across the skies of New York City on his webs.
Then, at exactly three in the morning, he returned home.
Exhausted, he quickly fell into a deep sleep.
Of course, before going to sleep, Peter did not forget to activate the police-frequency monitoring mode on his Web-Shooter and place it on the nightstand.
If anything unexpected happened, Peter would know immediately.
The night outside was pitch black, with only the soft rustling of the wind beyond the window.
Before long, Peter's slow, steady breathing filled the room.
...
Meanwhile, in one of the rooms at Osborn Manor, Harry lay tossing and turning in his hospital bed, unable to fall asleep.
His eyes remained wide open as he stared at the clock hanging on the wall.
His thoughts had stayed perfectly clear the entire time. He had not felt even the slightest hint of drowsiness.
After leaving the hospital and returning to Osborn Manor, Harry had received even better medical care.
Doctors and nurses remained on duty outside his room twenty-four hours a day.
Had Harry not insisted that they leave him alone, they probably would have monitored his every movement around the clock.
By now, Harry had completely recovered.
Aside from becoming extraordinarily strong, he felt no different from before.
Of course, Harry had told no one about the change in his strength.
He knew perfectly well that if anyone discovered such an abnormal change in him, they would almost certainly lock him away and subject him to all kinds of research.
Harry pulled his phone out from beneath his pillow, opened the messaging app, and brought up his conversation with Peter.
He hesitated for a long time.
Originally, he had wanted to confide in Peter, his only true friend, about what was happening to him.
But he was worried that the messaging app might also be under surveillance.
In the end, he could only suppress his growing anxiety and decide to wait until he returned to school, where he could explain everything to Peter face-to-face.
After tossing and turning for several more minutes, Harry decided to get up and take a hot shower to help himself fall asleep.
Once inside the bathroom, Harry removed his hospital gown and turned toward the faucet.
But at the very moment he turned around, Harry caught a glimpse of his own back in the mirror from the corner of his eye.
Something strange seemed to have appeared there.
...
Chapter 88: The Black Spider-Man
Harry stood in the bathroom, the bright light revealing every detail of his pale face.
He twisted himself into an awkward position and used the mirror to get a clear look at the strange change on his back.
A thin, jet-black line ran down his spine from top to bottom, dividing his back evenly in two.
The black line seemed to have fused with his skin, without even the slightest raised edge.
Staring at it, Harry almost wondered whether someone had secretly dragged him off to get a tattoo during the period when he had lost his memory.
But Harry clearly remembered that the black line had not been there earlier that day.
It was as though the thing had suddenly emerged from beneath his skin.
It was incredibly unsettling.
Harry's breathing began to quicken.
He pulled open a drawer in the bathroom cabinet and took out a craft knife.
The blade gleamed coldly beneath the light.
Harry held the knife against the thin black line, intending to see whether he could scrape it off with the blade.
But the instant the tip touched the black line, it moved!
It was as though some unknown creature had been awakened by the touch of the blade.
Countless pitch-black tendrils surged out from both sides of his spine and rapidly spread across Harry's skin.
In the blink of an eye, his entire back had turned completely black.
Then came his shoulders, arms, hands, thighs, and calves.
Harry finally remembered.
Wasn't this transformation exactly like the black monster he had encountered at the masquerade ball?
Harry desperately tried to tear the black tendrils from his body, but it was completely useless.
They had already covered him from head to toe.
Finally, Harry felt a suffocating sensation across every inch of his face.
When he raised his head and looked into the mirror again, he realized that his appearance had completely changed.
The figure in the mirror was no longer Harry Osborn.
It was a humanoid figure covered from head to toe in a pure black suit.
A huge white spider emblem stretched across the chest of the black suit.
Two white visor-like shapes covered the area around the eyes.
Harry slowly raised one hand and spread his fingers.
To his surprise, he felt no weight or restriction at all.
The pure black suit felt as though it had become part of his skin. He could even feel the movement of air across its surface.
"Spider-Man?"
Looking at himself in the mirror, Harry instinctively thought of that name.
Although he was not a Spider-Man fan, Harry often saw reports about Spider-Man on YouTube and in newspapers.
Naturally, he clearly remembered what Spider-Man's suit looked like.
The spider emblem on the chest of this pure black suit was identical to the one on Spider-Man's suit.
Harry could not make sense of what was happening.
If these black tendrils had been left behind by the black monster from the masquerade ball, then why was he still conscious this time?
He unconsciously clenched his fist.
A glob of pitch-black, viscous substance suddenly shot from his wrist and hardened in midair into a thin yet incredibly durable strand of black webbing.
The black web stuck to the ceiling.
Harry instinctively gave it a hard pull, and the tension in the web yanked his entire body off the floor.
His feet left the ground, and he flipped once through the air.
Then he landed securely on the ceiling, both hands and feet clinging to its surface.
Hanging upside down, he looked almost like an actual spider.
"Oh my God!"
Harry finally lost his composure and exclaimed in amazement.
"These really are Spider-Man's powers. Did I become Spider-Man too? Even if I'm just the black knockoff..."
"Maybe I could become a Superhero too?"
The thought appeared in his mind and quickly consumed all his attention.
He had the same abilities as Spider-Man.
He could climb walls, swing from webs, and possessed superhuman strength.
He could become a hero instead of remaining Harry Osborn, forever trapped in his father's shadow.
At that moment, Harry felt as though he had finally found a new purpose in life.
Without any further hesitation, he began crawling along the ceiling and left the room through the ventilation shaft.
Looking out over Osborn Manor, illuminated against the night sky, Harry raised his hand and fired another strand of black webbing.
Then he took a deep breath and jumped.
The black web traced an arc through the night as he swung across the lawn.
He released it, flipped once through the air, then fired another strand that attached to a building outside the estate and swung onward.
This time, Harry landed in an open area beyond the manor grounds.
He looked back once at the estate where he had grown up.
There was not the slightest trace of attachment in his gaze.
Then he turned and left.
At four in the morning, Lower Manhattan was almost deserted.
There were no pedestrians, only the occasional garbage truck and a few homeless people huddled against the walls.
Harry swung between the tall buildings on his webs.
His movements were somewhat clumsy at first, but after half an hour, he had completely mastered the technique of continuous web-swinging.
At that moment, Harry felt as though he finally understood what true freedom was.
Unable to contain himself, he shouted in exhilaration as he soared above Manhattan.
...
Early the next morning, Peter was jolted awake by an alert over the police channel.
He rolled over and sat up, planting his feet on the cold floor before reaching over and turning the volume all the way up.
"Attention all officers in Lower Manhattan. Armed robbery of an armored truck. Suspect vehicle is a white Ford van, license plate XXXX, currently heading east at high speed along Canal Street! Requesting backup!"
"Well, looks like New York City's bad guys finally burned through their savings and decided to get back to work."
Peter put on his Iron Spider suit as quickly as possible.
He pushed open his bedroom window and was just about to head out to assist when the voice on the police channel suddenly changed.
The panic and tension from moments earlier were gone, replaced by relief and a hint of excitement.
"Wait! Dispatch! I see Spider-Man! He's chasing the suspect vehicle!"
Peter paused when he heard that.
For a moment, he wondered whether he was still asleep.
"I'm still at home. How is Spider-Man already at the scene? Pretty sure I don't have a Cloning Ability."
But the next transmission over the police channel immediately cleared up his confusion.
"No, wait! That's not the Spider-Man we know! I've never seen this one before! He's completely black! Oh my God, he's attacking the vehicle! He just ripped the door clean off!"
"He jumped inside! Oh my God, both suspects just got thrown out and webbed to a streetlight! The vehicle's out of control. Wait, the Black Spider-Man just lifted the entire vehicle!"
Black Spider-Man?
Peter's brow immediately furrowed.
Could Venom be causing trouble again?
But that did not seem right.
Why would Venom be out fighting criminals?
Unless...
A particular scene from Ultimate Spider-Man flashed through Peter's mind.
And with it came a familiar face.
Chapter 89: Do You Want to Be Spider-Man's Partner?
Harry was crouched on the fire escape of an apartment building on Broadway.
His hands gripped the rusted iron railing, while his pure black suit reflected none of the sunlight shining down on it.
He had already been there for three full hours.
Since four in the morning, he had stopped three armed robberies, one drive-by theft, and one armored truck robbery.
Each time, he copied Spider-Man's routine. He tied up the suspects with webbing, attached a note, and delivered them to the entrance of the New York Police Department.
Before long, Harry spotted another crime near the entrance to the Union Square subway station.
A burly black man in a dark hoodie had snatched a tourist's camera bag and was sprinting down the street.
Pedestrians screamed and scattered to either side. No one dared to stop him.
Then a black figure dropped from the sky and landed directly in the man's path.
The man only had time to glimpse the two white visor patterns on the black mask.
A strand of jet-black webbing instantly bound his hands and feet, while the camera bag arced through the air and landed safely back in the tourist's hands.
Harry hoisted the man over his shoulder, stuck a note on him, and was about to head for the New York Police Department when a rapid burst of camera shutters sounded from the crowd behind him.
Harry turned around.
More than a dozen people were holding up their phones and taking pictures of him.
"Is that Spider-Man?"
A girl in a Chicago Bulls hoodie whispered to her friend.
"No way. He's completely black. Look, there isn't any blue or red on him."
"It is Spider-Man! Did you see the way he shot those webs? It's exactly the same!"
"I think the black suit looks cool. I'm kind of tired of the red and blue one."
"What are you talking about? Red and blue is the ultimate classic! That black suit looks like his red and blue one is in the wash, so he had to throw this on instead."
Harry smiled beneath his mask.
He said nothing. He simply raised an arm, fired a strand of webbing, and swung away beneath the crowd's admiring gazes.
He was Spider-Man now.
People were recognizing him for who he was, not because of his last name.
That sense of recognition came so suddenly and powerfully that Harry felt happier than he ever had before.
Thinking back on all the times his father had ignored him and treated him with indifference, Harry wished this moment could last forever.
Before long, Harry dropped the burly man off in front of the New York Police Department.
He turned and was about to fire another web when a voice suddenly came from behind him.
"Nice black suit, but I own the copyright to that spider emblem on your chest, and you haven't paid me any royalties."
Harry froze halfway through the motion and spun around.
Only then did he see the [original] Spider-Man in his red and blue suit standing on the sidewalk behind him.
They were less than five meters apart, yet Harry had no idea when Spider-Man had appeared.
"Calling you an impostor feels a little rude, so I came up with something else." Peter gestured toward him. "How does 'Night Monkey' sound?"
Harry said nothing.
He remained in the same position, his entire posture visibly tense.
"But seriously." Peter's tone shifted from teasing to solemn. "This job isn't for you. Maybe you should take off that suit and go back to your old life."
By this point, Peter had already figured out Harry's identity.
In the original Ultimate Spider-Man storyline, Harry had also become the Black Spider-Man and fought criminals around New York several times. Before long, however, the Venom Symbiote turned on him and transformed him into the real Venom.
Combined with Harry's previous experience of being possessed by the Venom Symbiote, Peter could roughly guess what had happened.
A portion of the Venom Symbiote had probably remained inside Harry's body.
After reproducing for some time, the Venom Symbiote had regained its strength and manifested on Harry again.
What Peter had not expected was how well Harry seemed to be controlling the Venom Symbiote.
It was the exact opposite of the last time, when the Venom Symbiote had completely taken control of him.
Could Harry in this universe have developed the same unusual resistance to the Venom Symbiote as Flash Thompson?
The difference was that Flash Thompson had possessed that resistance naturally, while Harry seemed to have acquired it only after being possessed once.
"Who are you to decide that for me?" Harry's voice came from beneath the black mask. He clearly had no intention of following Spider-Man's advice.
"Because I'm the original, and you're the knockoff."
Peter's answer left Harry momentarily speechless.
Harry remained silent for several seconds before suddenly making a suggestion Peter had not expected.
"I don't want to give up the chance to be a Superhero, but I wasn't trying to imitate you either."
"For certain reasons, I ended up with this suit, and I can control its powers just fine."
"So please, give me a chance. I want to become your partner and fight crime with you."
Peter had originally been prepared to take action and show Harry that being a Superhero was nowhere near as easy as he thought.
But with Harry making such a sincere request, Peter found it difficult to simply attack him.
At that moment, two police officers stepped out of the New York Police Department.
Both of them froze when they saw two Spider-Men in different colors standing there.
The officers exchanged a look that clearly meant, Should we call for backup?
In the end, they decided against it.
Peter also knew that staying there any longer was a bad idea, so he could only leave for now.
"Until I give you a definite answer, don't go acting on your own again. Otherwise, you're going to get yourself into serious trouble."
Harry watched Spider-Man leave, disappointment flickering in his eyes.
But a second later, he shook his head and fired a web before swinging away.
Spider-Man was right about one thing.
Harry needed to get home now, or he really would end up causing an enormous amount of trouble.
...
After leaving the New York Police Department, Peter immediately returned home and resumed his identity as high school student Peter Parker.
He greeted Aunt May and Uncle Ben, finished breakfast, then took the bus to Midtown High School as usual.
While riding the bus, Peter felt his phone vibrate.
He pulled it out and saw that the message was from Gwen.
[Gwen: Did you see the news this morning? J. Jonah Jameson says there's a Black Spider-Man in New York City. Don't tell me you changed suits again?]
Peter raised a hand to his forehead.
The thing he had been most worried about had happened.
Gwen knew about the Black Spider-Man too.
Now Peter had no idea how he was supposed to explain this.
With no better option, he could only stall her for the moment.
[Peter: It's a little complicated. I'll explain everything when we have lunch later.]
The moment he sent the message, Peter's phone vibrated again.
But this time, the message was not from Gwen.
It was from Harry!
Chapter 90: The Idea of Forming a Superhero Team
When Peter opened his phone again, Harry's message popped up.
[Harry: Bro, don't rush off after class at noon. We need to talk.]
After reading the message, Peter's first thought was that he probably wouldn't be getting a peaceful lunch today.
...
Classes always seemed to fly by.
Before long, the clock struck noon, and the dismissal bell rang throughout the classrooms and hallways of Midtown High School.
Peter and Gwen happened to share the same European History elective.
So the two of them left the classroom together and headed toward the cafeteria for lunch. Peter was also supposed to explain the whole Black Spider-Man situation to her.
Gwen had been holding back her curiosity all morning. If her morning schedule hadn't been so packed, she would have come looking for Peter much sooner.
But just as they rounded a corner in the hallway, Harry, who had clearly been waiting there for some time, reached out and placed a hand on Peter's shoulder.
"Sorry, Gwen. Can I borrow Peter for a minute? I need to talk to him about something urgent."
The sudden hand startled Gwen, but she relaxed when she saw that it was Harry.
Still, when she realized she probably wouldn't be having lunch with Peter after all, she frowned.
Seeing the urgency on Harry's face, Gwen could only sigh and wave goodbye to them.
"All right. See you later."
As soon as Gwen left, Harry lowered his voice and spoke to Peter beside him.
"Come with me."
He cautiously glanced in both directions, then pulled Peter into the rarely used restroom at the end of the hallway.
The smell of disinfectant hung in the air. Harry casually placed a cleaning sign outside the door to keep anyone from accidentally walking in.
Then he stood in the middle of the restroom, looking slightly nervous.
"Peter, you'll never guess what happened to me last night."
Peter's expression froze for half a second.
"Okay, I give up. What happened?"
Harry glanced toward the door once more. Then, as though finally making up his mind, he spoke in a serious voice.
"Last night, something strange came out of my body, and then... I turned into this."
The moment Harry finished speaking, countless black tendrils emerged from beneath his clothes.
They rapidly wove together into an intricate, seamless covering that engulfed Harry's entire body in an instant.
The Black Spider-Man appeared before Peter once again.
The fluorescent light above his head buzzed softly, yet the light it cast produced no reflection whatsoever on the Black Spider-Man's body.
Harry maintained the transformation for only a few seconds.
The black suit soon dissolved back into countless pitch-black tendrils and retreated into his body.
Peter's pupils contracted slightly.
He realized that Harry had indeed been telling the truth.
Harry really could control the Venom Symbiote freely.
A Symbiote from almost any other Multiverse would never have been tamed this easily.
Only the incomplete version of the Symbiote from this universe seemed to be an exception.
"Well? Surprised, right?"
Harry looked at Peter excitedly, like a kid showing off a new toy.
"Uh... a little. Harry, are you feeling anything unusual right now?" Peter asked cautiously. "Dizziness, nausea, evil thoughts suddenly popping into your head, anything like that?"
Harry immediately shook his head.
"I know what you're worried about, but I can promise you I'm never going to turn into that monster."
"And you'll never guess who I ran into this morning... Spider-Man!"
Harry then excitedly told Peter everything that had happened.
He even shared what he truly felt inside. His genuine desire to become a Superhero and earn the recognition of both the people of New York and Spider-Man himself.
Peter remained silent throughout the entire story.
Several times, he nearly blurted out, "I'm Spider-Man," but he still couldn't bring himself to say it.
Finally, Harry's excitement faded, replaced by a serious expression.
"Peter, you're the only person in the world who knows what I just told you. Not even my father knows."
"Don't worry. I won't tell anyone unless you give me permission."
Peter patted Harry on the shoulder.
Harry immediately smiled, the relief on his face obvious.
...
After parting ways with Harry, Peter left Midtown High School alone and sat on the railing of a residential building's rooftop.
Harry's honesty had actually left Peter feeling deeply conflicted.
Harry had shown him absolute trust.
Yet Peter was still hiding something from Harry.
That wasn't fair to him.
Peter found himself thinking back to Harry's request from earlier.
Maybe... he could talk to Nick Fury and see whether Harry could be recruited into S.H.I.E.L.D. as well.
Then, with Spider-Man and Black Spider-Man at its core, they could form a small Superhero team.
After all, Harry's current condition could not yet be considered completely under control.
If something went wrong and he lost control, having S.H.I.E.L.D. involved would allow them to intervene quickly and keep the danger to a minimum.
For now, that seemed like the best solution.
"Let's go with that for now. I'll find a chance to discuss it with Nick Fury."
After making up his mind, Peter finally felt a little better.
He raised his Web-Shooter, intending to send Nick Fury a message.
But just as he was about to do so, Nick Fury's name appeared first as a projection.
It was an incoming communication request from Nick Fury.
Peter tapped the projected answer button.
Nick Fury's familiar voice immediately came through, accompanied by a holographic projection of his upper body in his trademark black trench coat.
"Spider-Man, the new generation of Spider-Cycle has completed its final adjustments. Dr. Connors wants you aboard the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier for a field test. A Quinjet will pick you up in ten minutes."
The good news immediately lifted Peter's spirits, sweeping away the frustration he had been feeling moments earlier.
"Perfect. I've got something I need to talk to you about too."
"What is it?"
"Did you see the news this morning? The story about the Black Spider-Man."
Black Spider-Man?
At the mention of that name, a meaningful glint flashed deep within Nick Fury's single eye.
"The Quinjet is leaving now. It'll be overhead in five minutes."
...
Chapter 91: The Next-Generation Spider-Cycle, The Sanctum Sanctorum
The rear hatch of the Quinjet slowly lowered onto the landing deck of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier.
The moment Peter stepped out of the aircraft, he saw Nick Fury already waiting for him at the edge of the deck.
His black trench coat snapped violently in the wind, while his single eye remained fixed on Peter.
"Follow me."
Nick Fury skipped the small talk and turned toward the interior of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier.
Peter followed him through steel security doors and a maze of connecting corridors until they finally stopped outside Dr. Connors's laboratory.
The laboratory doors slid apart, revealing a spacious, open workspace.
Dr. Connors stood in front of a holographic workbench, adjusting the parameters of a projected precision component.
When he saw Spider-Man enter, a warm smile appeared on his face.
He saved his work on the holographic display, then strode over to Peter.
"The next-generation Spider-Cycle. I guarantee you're going to be surprised."
There was no hiding the pride in Dr. Connors's voice.
He picked up a tablet and tapped it several times.
The next second, the hum of electric motors came from the workshop wall.
A section of the wall rotated open, revealing a brand-new silver-gray motorcycle before Peter.
The entire vehicle had a sleek, spindle-shaped design. Its outer shell was made from a superalloy supplied by Stark Industries, the exact same material used in Iron Man's suit.
Dr. Connors had completely abandoned conventional wheels, replacing them with four small thrusters capable of changing direction freely.
An Arc Reactor was embedded at both the front and rear of the vehicle.
This was the most important upgrade of all. With two Arc Reactors supplying power simultaneously, its output was exactly three times that of the previous generation, while its continuous operating time exceeded six months.
It did not even need to be recharged. Once the power ran out, the Arc Reactors could simply be replaced.
"The weapon systems have also received a complete overhaul."
Dr. Connors swept a finger through the air, and the holographic workbench automatically displayed an exploded view of the weapon modules.
Retractable micro-missile launchers were built into both sides of the chassis, carrying a total of sixteen miniature heat-seeking missiles.
Hidden beneath the chassis was a high-frequency shockwave emitter capable of producing extremely destructive shockwaves.
According to Dr. Connors, both the inspiration and technology behind the high-frequency shockwave emitter had come from Shocker.
In other words, the weapon Shocker had painstakingly built for himself had ended up in Spider-Man's arsenal before the unlucky guy even got the chance to use it.
"There's one more major upgrade."
Dr. Connors switched the holographic display to underwater mode.
In the projection, the Spider-Cycle's thrusters rapidly rotated ninety degrees, while dense rows of miniature turbine blades extended from the sides.
Tempered-glass panels beneath the chassis automatically closed, completely sealing both the reactors and the cockpit.
"It can operate on land, underwater, and in the air. Maximum flight altitude, eight thousand meters. Maximum diving depth, three hundred meters. Top flight speed..."
Dr. Connors paused and turned toward Peter.
"You're probably going to think I'm exaggerating. Two thousand kilometers per hour."
Even Peter was surprised by the number.
That was nearly twice the speed of sound. An ordinary person would never be able to handle a steel beast like this.
With the introduction finished, it was time for a hands-on test.
Peter swung onto the seat and wrapped both hands around the handlebars.
The virtual instrument panel activated automatically the moment he touched them.
Pale blue streams of data flowed across the display before resolving into separate modules for Arc Reactor output, weapon system status, navigation, positioning, and other functions.
Peter gave the handlebar the slightest twist.
Both Arc Reactors lit up simultaneously.
The four small thrusters produced a deep hum as bright blue plasma jets burst from them, making the entire vehicle resemble a silver-gray beast awakening from its sleep.
HUM!
Propelled by the plasma jets, the Spider-Cycle rose into the air and hovered roughly fifty centimeters above the floor.
The sight nearly gave Dr. Connors a heart attack. He hurriedly stopped Peter from twisting the handlebar any further.
"Whatever you do, don't accelerate indoors! You'll cause a disaster! I have no intention of immediately starting work on the next generation of Spider-Cycle."
Peter laughed, making it clear he obviously was not going to be that careless.
This was a steel beast capable of approaching twice the speed of sound. If it slammed into a wall, the entire laboratory would look as though it had been hit by a missile strike.
Peter then activated each weapon module in turn.
Both the missile launchers and the high-frequency shockwave emitter powered up normally.
As for how powerful they actually were, that would have to wait until real combat.
That more or less concluded the test.
The Spider-Cycle had already passed an extensive series of functional tests. Peter had only come aboard for a test drive.
Afterward, Peter and Nick Fury entered the Director's office.
The doors closed behind them, cutting off the footsteps and scattered noises from outside.
Fury walked behind his desk but did not sit down. Instead, he planted both hands on its surface.
"Now you can tell me about this Black Spider-Man."
Peter sat down and spent a few seconds organizing his thoughts.
"I ran into him this morning. His strength is impressive, and his reflexes and agility are excellent. Most importantly, he really wants to become a Superhero. You could even say he's desperate for the chance."
Peter did not reveal that Black Spider-Man was Harry Osborn. He had promised Harry that he would keep his identity secret.
"So here's what I'm thinking. We form a small Superhero team, officially operating as a division of S.H.I.E.L.D."
"For now, it would just be the two Spider-Men. We could gradually recruit more members later."
A thoughtful gleam appeared in Fury's single eye.
Peter had already prepared himself for either a rejection or a lengthy approval process, but Nick Fury responded much faster than he expected.
"I can approve your proposal, but there's one additional condition."
Peter nodded and waited for him to continue.
"That Superhero team you're proposing needs one more member."
Peter frowned slightly and quickly ran through the possible candidates in his head, but none of them seemed to fit.
"Who?"
"You know her. You're the one who brought her back."
Nick Fury pulled a file from his desk drawer and dropped it onto the desktop.
Peter's eyes immediately went to its title.
Investigation Report on the Sanctum Sanctorum Conflict.
The moment Peter saw the words Sanctum Sanctorum, he knew this was no minor incident.
The Sanctum Sanctorum was a magical defensive stronghold established by Agamotto, the first Sorcerer Supreme. Its purpose was to protect Earth against multiple supernatural threats, including the Dark Dimension.
A conflict at a place that important could easily escalate into a global crisis if things went wrong.
Chapter 92: The Sorcerer Supreme's Attention, Harry's Resolve
Nick Fury's expression was unusually grim.
Clearly, the document on the desk was the reason.
"I never should've agreed to take her in. Her Teleportation Ability makes effective surveillance impossible. She can go wherever she wants, whenever she wants."
"Every tracking system we know of is useless against her. Last time, she even wandered into Strange's territory. If Strange hadn't contacted me to confirm what was going on, they nearly would've ended up fighting."
A few beads of cold sweat appeared on Peter's forehead.
Now he knew exactly who Nick Fury was talking about.
Magik, Illyana Rasputin.
Peter really hadn't expected her to cause such a huge problem.
After Magik transferred into Peter's class, he had kept a close eye on her for quite some time.
Only after confirming that she had adapted reasonably well to life in this Multiverse and wasn't behaving unusually had Peter finally relaxed.
But only one weekend had passed before something went wrong, and it was no small incident.
Doctor Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum wasn't some neighbor's house you could casually drop by.
Even Nick Fury had to give advance notice before entering.
If Doctor Strange refused him entry, even Nick Fury wouldn't dare set foot inside.
"So it was just a false alarm in the end, right? Otherwise, you would've contacted me immediately."
Peter didn't bother opening the file on the desk.
By now, he knew Nick Fury well enough to understand that this was simply a warning.
From now on, Peter would have to keep a closer eye on Magik and make sure she understood which places on this planet she could enter and which ones were off-limits.
Nick Fury gave an almost imperceptible nod.
"At least the girl was smart. The moment Strange restrained her with magic, she immediately gave him your name. Strange happened to know about you, so he contacted me directly and cleared up the misunderstanding."
Peter had just begun to relax halfway through Fury's explanation, only to tense up again.
According to Nick Fury, Strange knew about Peter Parker.
Did that mean Peter had already drawn the attention of the Sorcerer Supreme?
That was not good news.
Strange was different from most Superheroes.
As the Sorcerer Supreme, his responsibility wasn't simply maintaining peace in the world. His duty was to protect the reality dimension from invasions by other dimensions.
Which meant Peter's Interdimensional Travel between different Multiverses was essentially the equivalent of dancing across the Sorcerer Supreme's minefield.
At any moment, the Sorcerer Supreme might use a Sling Ring to open a Portal and come looking for Peter.
However, judging by Strange's attitude so far, he didn't seem interested in stopping Peter's Interdimensional Travel.
'Could it be because of the Web of Life and Destiny? Maybe even the Sorcerer Supreme is wary of it?'
That was the only reasonable explanation Peter could think of.
"Are you actually listening to me?"
Nick Fury's voice snapped Peter out of his thoughts.
"Of course. I'm listening."
Peter shook his head and returned to the subject.
"So you want Illyana to join my Superhero team, give her something to do, and stop her from teleporting all over the place every day, right?"
"No problem. I agree."
Peter accepted without hesitation.
A smile returned to Nick Fury's face as he straightened the documents on his desk.
"Your proposal is officially approved. Bring Black Spider-Man here for a comprehensive physical and psychological examination."
"If there are no problems, your Superhero team will be officially established. S.H.I.E.L.D. will register it, and future logistical support will be handled by your existing Spider-Man Support Team."
"As for the team name, come up with one yourself. Just don't make it ridiculous."
He walked toward the office door and paused for a second in front of the security gate.
"Oh, right. There's one more feature on the Spider-Cycle I forgot to mention. We added Invisibility too."
...
The Spider-Cycle slowly descended onto the rooftop of Midtown High School and activated its Invisibility mode.
Peter climbed off, changed back into his regular clothes, and returned to being an ordinary student.
For the rest of the afternoon, Peter was somewhat distracted during class.
At three o'clock, the moment the dismissal bell rang, Peter left the classroom.
Then he became Spider-Man once again and began another round of street patrols.
Everything went smoothly for the first half hour.
He caught a few car thieves and helped a lost little girl get home.
Then, while passing an abandoned pier along the Hudson River, Peter spotted a black figure crouching on the edge of a shipping container.
Black Spider-Man had clearly been waiting for him.
"Good to see you again, Spider-Man. Have you thought about the offer I made last time?"
Harry eagerly asked the question as Spider-Man landed in front of him.
"Follow me."
Peter gestured for Harry to come along.
It was time to put certain things out in the open.
The two Spider-Men passed through rusted freight tracks and long-abandoned cranes.
Eventually, they stopped in the middle of a clearing surrounded by discarded shipping containers.
"You asked me what right I had to make that decision for you."
Peter turned to face Black Spider-Man.
"I thought about it for a long time afterward. You do have the right to choose whether you want to become a Superhero, so I got you an opportunity."
Harry's breathing noticeably quickened.
"I'm going to form a new Superhero team within S.H.I.E.L.D. You can choose to join, but that also means becoming a member of S.H.I.E.L.D."
Peter paused for several seconds, giving Harry enough time to consider it.
"Are you willing?"
Harry felt as though the surprise had come far too suddenly.
Most people might not know what kind of organization S.H.I.E.L.D. was.
Harry was different.
His father often mentioned S.H.I.E.L.D. and had explained the organization to him before.
Harry knew that S.H.I.E.L.D. handled supernatural incidents and global-scale crises.
Joining them would essentially mean becoming an officially recognized Superhero, while also gaining access to extensive logistical and intelligence support.
"I'm willing."
Harry's voice was firm.
Peter nodded.
"Joining S.H.I.E.L.D. means revealing your identity. Are you prepared for that?"
Harry didn't hesitate for even a second.
The pure black suit covering his body began to recede from the top of his head, stopping only when it reached his neck.
The entire process was silent and clean, without the slightest hesitation.
Harry Osborn stood in the middle of the abandoned shipyard with his true face exposed.
The evening breeze off the river ruffled his hair slightly, but his eyes remained fixed steadily on Spider-Man.
His voice was calm.
"From the moment I first appeared before the people of New York as Black Spider-Man, I was already prepared for everything that came with it."