Faced with the fierce and menacing pounce of the Grasshopper Gurongi, Peter simply used one hand to block a punch backed by immense strength.
Seeing his attack countered, the Grasshopper Gurongi was stunned for a brief moment before immediately launching a relentless, continuous assault.
"Sir, what exactly is going on with that grasshopper head of yours? It really is quite hideous. I wonder if you used a Gaia Memory or if you became this half-man, half-grasshopper thing because of a genetic mutation," Peter prattled on incessantly, parrying and dodging the monster's strikes.
Seeing Peter speak with such ease while facing his full-strength attacks, the Grasshopper Gurongi grew increasingly frustrated. He let out an angry roar, putting even more power into his limbs.
"Though, you don't give off the feeling of someone using a Gaia Memory. Does that mean it's likely a genetic mutation? No wonder you can't even speak; your vocal organs probably changed too. Come to think of it, I actually got my powers after being bitten by a spider. I guess I might be luckier than you—I gained extraordinary strength without growing any spider features. If I ended up like you, with a spider head... man, that's unimaginable. I definitely couldn't accept that. Now, don't be mad, I'm absolutely not making fun of you. It's just that even if you find your appearance hard to accept, you shouldn't take it out on others and take lives at will. And don't feel too bad; you might look ugly, but there's probably a way to fix you."
Peter grabbed the Grasshopper Gurongi's fist with one hand, pinning him in place while continuing to ramble to himself.
Although the Grasshopper Gurongi didn't understand what Peter was saying, he found the boy incredibly annoying and desperately wanted to sew his mouth shut. Unfortunately, Peter's strength completely suppressed his own. Now that his arm was caught, the Gurongi couldn't pull away no matter how hard he tried. He threw full-force kicks and punches to drive Peter back, but they were all easily blocked, yielding no results.
This Grasshopper Gurongi belonged to the lowest rank of the tribes participating in the Gegel, similar to the Spider Gurongi killed by Steve. In terms of raw power, he was stronger than an enhanced human like Captain America in his normal state (without the Kuuga belt), but he was no match for a "monster" like Spidey.
Aside from the King (Daguva), the Game Masters, the Judges, and the belt repairmen, the Gurongi tribe is divided into those who are not qualified to play and those who are. The participants are roughly split into three tiers:
The Xu Group: The lowest tier, who generally rely on brute-force physical combat.
The Me Group: A higher tier where members possess unique special abilities depending on their species.
The Go Group: The highest tier, possessing the ability—like Kuuga—to manipulate the molecules and atoms of objects they touch, allowing them to transform their ornaments into weapons. The strongest "Big Three" among them can even change forms like Kuuga.
From their brief clash, the Grasshopper Gurongi realized clearly that he was no match for Peter; he was being outclassed in every category. Continuing the fight would not lead to victory and would waste valuable "game time," potentially hindering his progress and preventing him from completing his quota.
Thus, the Grasshopper Gurongi decided to retreat. He exerted all his strength to break free from Peter's grip.
"You want me to let go?" Peter asked, seeing the monster's agitated state. Noticing that the creature had stopped its frenzied attacks, Peter released his right hand.
The Grasshopper Gurongi backed away several steps and did not strike again.
"Accursed Rinto, I will remember you. Once I complete the game and obtain greater power, I will definitely come looking for you."
The Grasshopper Gurongi slammed his feet into the ground, leaping dozens of meters into the air and disappearing across the skyscrapers.
Peter tried to follow, but even with his web-swinging, he couldn't keep up with the creature's massive leaps. "What incredible jumping power," Peter murmured, watching the direction where the monster had vanished.
New York City Police Department (NYPD)
George Stacy entered the briefing room with a grim expression.
"Gentlemen, yesterday alone, dozens of 'falling' incidents occurred in Queens. This has caused a massive public outcry. The NYPD must bring the perpetrator to justice as quickly as possible," George said, his eyes scanning the high-ranking officials in the room.
"It might not necessarily be murder. Could it be a coincidence? Accidents, suicides..." A fat man started to speak, but he trailed off and went silent under George's piercing glare.
George snorted and continued: "According to the testimony of the sole survivor, the criminal is a monster with grasshopper characteristics. This freak grabs victims, takes them high into the air, and drops them to their deaths."
"A grasshopper monster?" someone asked, puzzled.
"Could it be a bio-engineered human?" another guessed.
"Maybe the perp is just wearing a realistic mask. The victim was probably just too terrified and started seeing monsters," someone else said dismissively.
The room erupted into chatter. George coughed lightly and tapped the table. Once the room quieted down, he spoke: "Our technical team has already captured images of the suspect from surveillance footage near the crime scenes."
He projected several images onto the large screen.
"This entity possesses extreme jumping abilities, capable of leaping dozens of meters in a single bound. The descriptions provided in the witness testimony have been verified by the footage."
"That kind of ability... this is no ordinary criminal!" remarked Crowley, the Manhattan North precinct commander, thoughtfully.
"It looks like a bio-engineered human. Could it be related to a secret military experiment or a project from a major corporation?" the head of Intelligence asked warily.
"Regardless of its origin, if this grasshopper monster is killing people in New York, we are going to take it down," George said, slamming his hand on the table.
"But catching it won't be easy. That jumping ability is too much for standard pursuit," the tactical team leader noted with a frown.
George nodded. "I will authorize helicopter support for the operation. Additionally—"
At that moment, the doors to the briefing room were suddenly pushed open.
"Who are you people?" George Stacy demanded, glaring at the uninvited guests.
"Commissioner, sorry, these FBI agents insisted on seeing you. we couldn't stop them," several young officers explained from the doorway.
Phil Coulson offered a friendly smile and flashed his credentials to George. "Commissioner Stacy, regarding the Queens grasshopper monster case—we will be handling this as a joint operation with the NYPD. We look forward to working with you."
(End of Chapter)