"My God, that's just... just..." Tobey-Spidey was so excited he couldn't find the right words to describe his feelings.
Peter continued: "I also met a female Doctor Octopus."
"Doctor Octopus? You mean Dr. Otto? I didn't know there was a female version?" Tobey-Spidey's expression turned complex.
"Of course! It's a big world, and anything can happen," Peter said. "There are female Spider-Men too!"
"Wow?" Tobey-Spidey was completely captivated.
Peter sat down. The two sat on the edge of the multi-story building, looking up at the sky, and Peter recounted his experiences in the Ultimate Universe.
"That's amazing! What a bizarre adventure! Why didn't the Particle Collider pull me over?" After Peter finished his account, Tobey-Spidey was filled with both yearning and regret. Although he was Spider-Man, he was still just a 17-year-old kid. The longing for extraordinary adventure was normal at his age.
"Haha, you'll get your chance," Peter patted Tobey-Spidey's shoulder. He had seen Spider-Man: No Way Home. In that film, Tobey-Spidey was indeed pulled into the MCU world, experiencing a similar miraculous journey. In truth, going to the MCU was the fastest way to meet both Tobey-Spidey and Andrew-Spidey. However, that universe was too complex, involving too many variables, and Peter wasn't ready to venture there yet.
Tobey-Spidey didn't understand Peter's true meaning, but his eyes lit up: "You mean you can take me there?"
"Uh..." Peter hadn't expected Tobey-Spidey to misunderstand. He hedged: "Not right now, but I should be able to in the future."
"That's still awesome!" Tobey-Spidey smiled.
"Alright, how is your recovery coming along?" Peter asked. Their conversation had served its purpose: Peter had wanted Tobey-Spidey to rest and recover from the severe trauma of stopping the train.
Tobey-Spidey leaped to his feet, agile and quick. He clenched his fists, the muscles in his arms bulging. "I feel completely recovered!"
Peter nodded, putting his Nanometal Suit back on. "Then let's go. Lead the way."
The two leaped off the skyscraper, one following the other.
... While Peter and Tobey-Spidey were having their friendly reunion, Doctor Octopus was having a much worse time. The AI in the mechanical tentacles had dragged the unconscious Doctor Octopus all the way back to his lab in the abandoned church before finally setting him down.
After a long while, Doctor Octopus slowly regained consciousness.
In a corner of the church, Mary Jane Watson, who was chained up with thick metal links, saw Doctor Octopus's miserable state and openly mocked him: "Didn't you go to find Spider-Man? How did you get beaten up like that?"
"Hmph!" Doctor Octopus rubbed his head, annoyed by Mary Jane's taunts. But he didn't harm her.
Doctor Octopus did not know that Peter Parker was Spider-Man. Harry Osborn had only told him Peter Parker was Spider-Man's friend—because Peter always took photos of the hero. Thus, Mary Jane was a hostage. With her in his grasp, Peter Parker would surely ask Spider-Man to rescue her, giving him a chance to capture the hero! It was a flawed but functional plan.
Turning his gaze to the fusion reactor behind him, Doctor Octopus was confused. He was certain the Spider-Man who defeated him was not the one currently operating in the city. The two had different equipment and completely different combat styles. The old Spider-Man was fast but fought haphazardly. He was often flustered by the four mechanical tentacles.
The newly appeared one was clearly stronger and faster than the previous Spider-Man. And most crucially, his attacks were brutal! He aimed directly for vulnerable points. Simple and effective. This was terrifying.
"Where did that Spider-Man come from?" Doctor Octopus was at a loss.
"Hey! If you don't let me go, Spider-Man is going to smash you!" Mary Jane, however, was undeterred, shouting loudly.
"Silence!" Doctor Octopus roared, and one mechanical tentacle quickly slammed into the ground right in front of Mary Jane. The floor trembled.
Mary Jane fell silent, instantly intimidated. She had hoped Doctor Octopus would give up on her after his beating, but the mad scientist was clearly unbowed! She didn't dare provoke him further.
However, while she stopped provoking Doctor Octopus, he wasn't finished with her. He suddenly remembered that his employer, Harry Osborn, had some kind of history with this girl!
"What is your relationship with Harry Osborn?" A mechanical tentacle hovered menacingly before Mary Jane. Mary Jane's face paled with fear, and she stammered: "We... we're just friends."
"Oh, just friends..." Doctor Octopus smiled faintly. The next moment...
SWISH! A mechanical tentacle reached out, unlocked the chain binding Mary Jane, and seized her. "Then let's go pay your 'friend' a visit. I hope you matter to him!" Because of the appearance of the second Spider-Man, Doctor Octopus decided to abandon the plan to capture a Spider-Man for the Tritium. A human hostage might be a better choice!
... At the Osborn family mansion.
Harry Osborn sat silently by the window, a glass of red wine at hand, but he had no intention of drinking it. He didn't know if what he did was right or wrong. To satisfy his desire for revenge against Spider-Man, he had revealed the confidential information that Peter Parker was Spider-Man's friend.
This action would put his best friend Peter Parker in grave danger. On one side was vengeance for his father: on the other, his closest friend. Harry's heart was filled with agony and confusion. But the die was cast; he could only continue down this path.
CRACK— A sharp sound. The door suddenly opened.
"Who's there?" Harry stood up, quickly grabbing a nearby dagger and slowly walking toward the door.
WHOOSH— A gust of wind blew in from the window, swirling through the furnishings. The sound resonated in Harry's mind like maniacal laughter.
"Who is it! Show yourself!" Harry shouted, the dagger drawn, as he turned toward a corner. A full-length mirror stood there. In a brief moment of disorientation, the reflection in the mirror was not his own, but his deceased father—Norman Osborn!
"Father?" Harry froze. "I thought you were..."
"No, I have always lived in your heart, Harry," the reflected father said. "Now, it is your turn to act!"