"Dong!" Utilizing the momentum from Professor Lizard's enraged charge, Peter's strike sent him sprawling to the ground.
"I learned kung fu from Barry!" Peter boasted, wiping his nose with his thumb and gazing proudly at the fallen Professor Lizard.
"Bang bang bang..." Sheriff George continued firing his pistol, but the bullets barely fazed Professor Lizard, who quickly regenerated thanks to his lizard genes.
Professor Lizard rose again, shaking his head to clear it, his anger now tempered.
His cold, violent eyes flickered between Peter and George, who was reloading his magazine.
"I'm just here for the fun," George admitted, feeling out of his depth against the lizard monster. He knew going head-to-head would be futile.
Cautiously, George backed away, acknowledging the danger and choosing to find a strategic retreat.
"Roar!!" With a bellow, Professor Lizard redirected his attention toward George.
"Watch out!" Peter shouted, instinctively reaching to shoot webs, forgetting his web shooters were damaged.
George emptied his pistol at the charging beast, but when that proved ineffective, he turned and ran, only to find himself at the edge of a rooftop. He faced the dizzying drop below, the wind whipping his clothes.
Swallowing hard, George turned to face the approaching threat, resignation mixed with resolve. He never imagined he'd meet his end by a lizard monster.
His only regret was his daughter's relationship with Peter. As Spider-Man, Peter's life was fraught with danger.
Peter pursued desperately, but a moment's pause cost him precious time. Despite his agility, he couldn't close the gap in time.
George lifted his pistol in a futile attempt to fend off the monster, but Professor Lizard lunged with a vicious grin.
"No!!" Peter roared, wishing he could bridge the distance in an instant.
Just as George braced for impact, Professor Lizard abruptly spun and swatted Peter away with a powerful claw.
Then, without missing a beat, Professor Lizard charged toward the tower's transmitter.
From the beginning, his objective was the Ganali device atop the tower. As long as he inserted the virus before it launched, his plan could still succeed.
George, teetering on the rooftop edge, watched the lizard's sudden departure in shock, quickly grasping his true intent.
"Peter!" He turned to warn, finding Peter wounded and curled on the ground, deep claw marks oozing blood across his back.
George rushed to Peter's side, hoping Barry could stop the lizard.
---
Professor Lizard reached the tower unopposed. As he began his ascent, a round shadow descended from above.
"Dong!" Professor Lizard's vision went dark as he was slammed to the ground.
Before he could recover, a powerful force yanked his tail, sending him crashing down again, the tower trembling from the impact.
"You're heavy," Barry grumbled, discarding the severed tail with a grimace.
Professor Lizard staggered upright, shaking his head to clear it. He glared at the panda before him.
But something had changed. The panda exuded a calm yet ethereal aura.
"Who are you?" he growled, perplexed.
"Forty-five seconds left!" Barry announced, ignoring the question.
Professor Lizard snapped back to the present.
"Let me pass! Don't block my way!"
"Not so fast. You'll have to pass my test first," Barry replied lazily, leaning against the tower.
With a roar, Professor Lizard leaped, attempting to vault over Barry.
"Persistent, aren't you?" Barry mused, bending his legs and springing forward like a missile, intercepting the lizard mid-air.
"Thirty seconds left!" Barry quipped, striking the lizard's paw before delivering a swift blow to his eye.
"Roar!" Professor Lizard howled, clutching his face as he tumbled to the ground.
"Twenty-five seconds!" Barry announced, landing softly and crossing his arms.
Professor Lizard rose, realizing he must deal with the panda first. Eyeing Barry, he approached.
"Twenty seconds!" Barry taunted, readying himself.
"Roar!!"
Professor Lizard lunged, sweeping his tail in a wide arc.
Barry caught the tail, absorbing its force, and with a rooted stance, spun the lizard around before hurling him away.
"If only I had a mantis's strength," Barry mused, watching the lizard land, reminiscing about martial arts heroes.
"Ten seconds! Last chance."
Professor Lizard eyed the tower's growing blue light, the device on the brink of activation.
He needed only five seconds to reach the top—less to defeat the panda.
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