Chapter 35 Opening
Arriving at the door, Arthur presented the formal invitation card that the Student Council sent to every graduating student invited to the prom.
As dance partners, their names were written on the same invitation card.
"Ricardo M. Luo,
Gwen Stacy."
However, Arthur's simple act of handing over the invitation card greatly startled the Student Council cadre. Arthur's reputation had grown quite formidable within a few short weeks; students seemed to associate him with violence whenever they saw him, even though he hadn't bullied many people...
"Please come in, I wish you a wonderful evening," the student cadre said, pushing open the glass door. "Peter, come take a photo of the two of them?"
At this moment, Peter was standing nearby, looking down at his camera screen, and did not respond to the student cadre's greeting, which made the cadre feel a bit annoyed.
This student cadre was also one of Gwen's many admirers. Peter's disregard made him feel like he had lost face in front of Gwen, even though Gwen, arm-in-arm with her dance partner, had never paid him any attention tonight...
"Peter, did you not hear me..."
"Never mind, we don't like taking pictures!" Gweninterrupted him with a smile, then pulled Arthur into the venue.
As Arthur was being led by Gwen, he subconsciously turned his head to glance at Peter, and their eyes met. Peter was looking up at their retreating backs with an exceptionally cold gaze, a gaze that even held a hint of cruelty.
Arthur paused for a moment, then returned Peter's gaze with a brilliant smile... If anything were to happen tonight, that would be even better. A bland prom was uninteresting, and Arthur was all for adding a little surprise and fun.
The venue exuded luxury everywhere; every detail reflected the organizers' meticulousness. Even the floor was polished spotless, gleaming enough to reflect the elegance beneath the young women's dresses.
On both sides were dining tables, and at a glance, they were laden with exquisite dishes: cakes and pastries, as well as Beef Wellington and Australian lobster. Those large, crimson creatures lay on ice, their backs opened to reveal glistening white meat, making them look very appetizing.
However, no one lingered by the dining tables at this moment. Students gathered in small groups, holding champagne flutes, or exchanging pleasantries with familiar faculty members.
At this moment, these future elites clearly treated the school's graduation prom as a social arena. They possessed the demeanor of their elders, capable of exercising their social skills in any setting, making new friends, or handing out a few gilded business cards.
Further back, at the very front of the hall, a live orchestra was performing. Each musician was dressed in formal wear, and soft, beautiful string music flowed from their fingertips and strings.
Despite having performed in various major theaters, these musicians did not underestimate this aristocratic academy's graduation prom. The conductor's every gesture was meticulous, and the musicians' every note was an outpouring of emotion.
In the center of the venue was a large dance floor. The prom hadn't officially begun, but students were already embracing their partners and dancing gracefully in the ballroom.
They warmed up to the beat, then elegantly turned as the music ended, took drinks from a waiter's tray, and left the floor with their partners.
Currently, Harry and his partner, Glori, were twirling in the dance hall. Their dance was fluid and controlled, as if they had practiced for a long time, even though this was their first dance together.
Finally, the music ended, with Glori concluding with a 720-degree spin. Harry bowed slightly, his right hand on his chest in return, and scattered applause erupted from the sidelines, as if in great appreciation of their dance.
Harry was all smiles as he bowed slightly to thank everyone around him, when suddenly he was drawn by a clear, strong round of applause... Harry turned, his gaze not falling on the person clapping, but on Gwen, who was elegantly dressed for the prom and standing beside him.
Harry paused for half a second before he saw Arthur, whom Gwen was arm-in-arm with.
Although Arthur was clapping, a hint of a stern smile played on his lips, making it unclear whether he was expressing admiration or mockery... This was Harry's first meeting with Arthur, but Harry had heard of Arthur's reputation before, and it was certainly not a good one.
He hadn't expected Gwen to refuse his prom invitation, only to become Arthur's dance partner. This annoyed him a bit; could he really not compare to that brute?
However, he wouldn't be foolish enough to initiate a conflict with Arthur in such a setting. Although he looked down on people who only resorted to violence, he couldn't ignore the violence Arthur possessed...
"Harry, what are you looking at?" Glori asked. "It's Gwen. Let's go say hello!"
At this moment, for unknown reasons, the two leaned intimately together, Arthur tilting his head to listen to Gwen's whisper.
"If you want, go say hello yourself," Harry said indifferently, then turned and walked away.
Glori was a little bewildered but could only follow Harry's footsteps with a puzzled expression.
"I've been to many proms: spring proms, autumn proms, freshman proms... but this graduation prom feels a bit different, much more formal... like a social ball my dad organizes for work," Gwen whispered.
"Aren't these things all the same? The theme makes no difference, as long as the dancing is enjoyable, isn't that good enough?" Arthur shrugged, "Although many people's intentions aren't really about the dancing itself..."
"You're absolutely right, as long as the dancing is enjoyable!" Gwen nodded in agreement. "I hope you can perform to your full potential, just like you practiced at my house!"
"That shouldn't be a problem, so can we go to the dining table now?" Arthur leaned in and whispered to Gwen, "In my opinion, chatting with boring people while holding a glass of wine is quite dull. It would be better to take the time to devour a few lobsters..."
As time passed, the venue gradually became more crowded. With the announcement of the orchestra's dance music, the graduation prom officially began.
Boys and girls embraced and twirled to the music. Arthuralso held Gwen, their eyes full of affection as they danced a tango...
The atmosphere on the dance floor intensified. The boys' black formal wear and the girls' white dresses intertwined, and various perfumes wafted through the air.
The boys' gleaming black shoes and the ladies' silver-white high heels gently tapped on the floor. The reflective floor mirrored the luxurious decor and classical crystal chandeliers, and the swirling skirts occasionally obscured the lights.
At this moment, everyone's gaze was incredibly profound, like a deep sea that even sunlight couldn't penetrate. Everyone, except Arthur... he remained as nonchalant as ever.
"Remember not to step on my shoes!" Gwen kindly reminded him.
"Come on, I'm not a rookie!" Arthur said, displeased.
"There was a rookie at my house who stepped on my shoes..."
Thanks to readers "Bookworm x Book Famine", "Alas. Unlucky Ah", "Space Without Dimensions", "Ghost of the Wild", "boypoi1" for their generous donations.
Also, some readers said that Peter shouldn't like Gwennow, but in The Amazing Spider-Man, Peter was secretly in love with Gwen from the start. His computer desktop even had a photo of Gwen from the debate team.
Chapter 36: The End of the Song
The students spun and moved to the rhythm of the dance music, their steps synchronized as if taught by the same instructor.
The style of music suddenly shifted, the elegant waltz smoothly transitioning into "Por una Cabeza" by the Argentine tango king, Carlos Gardel.
Suddenly, the dancers' expressions and postures became more spirited; their gazes at their partners were either sharp or focused, and dancing to this noble piece made even the people themselves proud.
As the tango drew to a close, during the deep, low piano solo of the finale, the other girls stood still, but Gwen did not.
Arthur tacitly extended his hand high, and Gwen drew strength from Arthur's hand, using him as a pivot for her spin. If either of them made a mistake, Gwen would spin like a top that had lost its balance... The 3600-degree spin at the end of the song was something they often fumbled while practicing at Gwen's house, but in the end, Arthuralways managed to catch Gwen as she fell into his arms.
But Gwen never lacked courage; even after falling many times, she would still perform this move, spectacular enough to stun the entire audience, at a formal ball.
As Gwen spun, her golden hair fanned out, and Arthur's dark figure seemed unyielding; they looked as if they had practiced together for years. Her silver dance dress flew up, reflecting a dazzling array of light and shadow, and her shoes spun with a silvery glow, the continuous tapping of her heels on the ground forming a rapid allegro.
At this moment, everyone's gaze was drawn to Gwen, performing her final dance in the center of the dance floor—whether it was the dancers who had already stopped nearby, or the waiters and musicians at the edges... As the last note of the piano solo faded, Arthur, the focus of everyone's attention, calmly grasped Gwen's warm hand. Gwen had completed her move perfectly, not a beat off.
She slowly knelt before Arthur, her dance dress gracefully spreading out, like a blooming flower.
Suddenly, someone started to applaud, and then applause came overwhelmingly, everyone clapping, seemingly to engulf their figures.
On a curved staircase leading to the second floor, a student, unconcerned with his image, sat on the stairs, coldly observing the scene and clutching the camera in his arms.
Before the formal ball had even begun, irrelevant personnel had already discreetly retreated to various corners, and he was one of them.
The huge crystal chandelier cast a soft light, and under its glow, his stern face suddenly turned sinister again. The veins on his neck slowly became clearer, as if something was trying to break through his skin... In the most brilliant light, Arthur remained calm, even though the most beautiful and captivating figure in the entire hall had just spun, stopped, and bowed before him under everyone's gaze... It seemed that in this proud dance, he was the one who looked down on everything the most... Arthur calmly extended his hand and helped Gwen up.
Amidst the thunderous applause, he led Gwen out of the dance floor, passing by elegantly dressed dancers.
"Bang!" The lights in the venue instantly dimmed.
The orchestra's music style suddenly changed; the piano became lively and fervent, instantly transitioning from an elegant dance piece to rock music. The high-society ball instantly became a nightclub, and students nodded to the rhythm, more people joining the dance floor to start the revelry... But the lively atmosphere ended as soon as it began.
Suddenly, those near the window saw several tennis-ball-sized objects streak across the night sky. The next moment, a roaring explosion sounded from outside the window; Impact carried glass shards, and countless people screamed as glass shards embedded themselves in their bodies.
The rock music abruptly stopped, and after the explosion subsided, there was the sound of countless glass shards falling to the ground. Screams rose and fell in the dance floor.
Several more bombs were thrown into the venue from the window, instantly tearing apart students who were caught off guard and hadn't had time to hide; blood splattered.
Panic and fear spread through the crowd; the students finally reacted, scrambling and crawling to escape in all directions.
"What happened? Arthur!" Gwen cried out.
"I don't know either." A second of astonishment flashed across Arthur's face, but he quickly regained his composure, pulling Gwen to continue walking along the wall.
"It looks like an accident happened at the ball. Someone wants to carry out a terrorist attack at a prestigious academy? It should be, after all, school shootings are frequent in New York, but no matter what, we should leave here as soon as possible." Arthur said, and then he kicked away a student who was in a panic and about to run into him.
Gwen was pulled along, her brows tightly furrowed as she looked back out the window.
Suddenly, amidst a chaotic chorus of screams and cries, she heard a maniacal laugh, a laugh that exuded arrogance and was eerily familiar to her.
In the light of a streetlamp, she saw a bat-winged glider, and on the glider, a green figure slowly descended along the top of the floor-to-ceiling window.
It was Green Goblin! Gwen's eyes widened.
She didn't have time to ponder why Green Goblin would launch a terrorist attack on Midtown School of Science and Technology, but as she looked at her classmates lying in pools of blood in the venue, and at the panicked figures surging towards the emergency exits, she knew she had to do something.
Suddenly, Gwen broke free from Arthur's hand. Arthurturned back and looked at her calmly, showing no surprise.
"Arthur, you go with them to a safe place first. I'll go out through another exit..." Gwen quickly hugged him, "Okay, this is really strange, but I don't have time to explain now. For now, just listen to me, and you can ask any questions later..."
Gwen pushed Arthur away, "See you later."
Arthur didn't say a word throughout the entire process.
Gwen turned and moved against the flow of people. The moment she rounded the corner, she turned to look, and Arthur was still standing in place, calmly watching her.
Gwen paused, then without hesitation, she turned and left... This seemed to be just a simple terrorist attack; Green Goblin was wantonly causing destruction, he wanted to destroy everything, and that was his biggest goal!
This time, Green Goblin learned his lesson and brought enough ammunition, which allowed him to throw bombs at the crowd without any worries.
One Green Goblin bomb after another rolled onto the ground, ripping up the floor when they exploded, turning the luxurious venue into a ruin.
Wine and blood mixed on the floor, and people's footsteps left prints on it, the cries filled with desolation.
Unlucky students who fell behind were blown away, the panicked crowd scattered, and then a stampede occurred at the exit, further delaying the evacuation.
"What a delightful ball!" Green Goblin cackled, throwing several bombs at the crowd.
Two webs shot out from the side, accurately grabbing the bombs, which arced through the air and flew back towards Green Goblin.
Green Goblin easily dodged by controlling his glider; Spider-Woman arriving on the scene within a minute didn't surprise him, and he even showed a meaningful expression.
Most of the comments in the reader circle are negative, which makes me doubt myself, but every reader has different preferences, and I cannot satisfy everyone.
When I see bad or even abusive comments, I reflect on these; perhaps there really is a problem with my settings... I can only learn from experience and slowly correct myself. Fortunately, there are also heartwarming encouragements from fellow readers.
Chapter 37 Identity Leak Crisis
Gwen looked at the ruined venue and the corpses of her former classmates, and she said furiously, "You're a madman! You'll pay for this!"
"Thank you for the compliment!" Green Goblin elegantly placed one hand on his chest and bowed slightly, "Your anger is reasonable, after all, I interrupted your prom, a prom to bid farewell to your high school days... So, what should I call you? Spider-Woman, or Gwen Stacy?"
Gwen's Spider-Woman mask already hid a face full of shock; she reconfirmed that she hadn't mistakenly put on the wrong spider suit in her panic, and her Spider-Womanmask was on. So how did the other party recognize her?
This surprise even made her stop her attack. Spider-Woman was an honor, but it also meant greater trouble, and to have her identity known by such an evil enemy as Green Goblin, she didn't even know how bad things had gotten... The last time she faced an identity leak crisis was when the demon forcibly removed her mask. Gwen spent those few days in a panic, but she was relieved that the demon's eyes didn't seem to recognize her as a street hero... "What are you talking about?" Gwen asked, suppressing her panic.
"Hahahaha..." Green Goblin laughed wildly, "You should go look at yourself in a mirror, you look like a helpless little white rabbit... You're a Superhero, you're an idol in the hearts of many citizens, Miss Gwen!"
Gwen shot a web and grabbed the ceiling, then pulled on the web, flying rapidly towards Green Goblin.
She didn't want to explain anything further; it was all meaningless. She wanted to use action to shut Green Goblin up.
"More than a month ago, at Osborn Tower, you were bitten by a mutated spider in the bio-cable development lab, thereby gaining superhuman strength..."
Green Goblin spoke while controlling his glider to dodge Gwen's attacks. Gwen ignored him, simply grappling with Green Goblin, and after Green Goblin broke free, she swung on her webs, tenaciously chasing him.
"You're truly lucky! Every one of those radioactive spiders contained potent venom. Even after being refined into spider serum and injected into humans, no test subjects survived, yet you remained unharmed..."
"Shut up!" Gwen punched towards Green Goblin's head. Green Goblin dodged sideways and fired a bomb. Gwenagilely caught the bomb, secured it to Green Goblin with a web, then kicked him and used the recoil to retreat.
"Boom!" The bomb exploded, and a sonic boom followed. Green Goblin, riding his glider, flew out of the dust.
After the defeat last time, he had improved his Green Goblin armor. Not only had he increased his ammunition reserves, but he had also greatly enhanced the defensive capabilities of the Green Goblin armor.
"That's far more than just luck; you not only survived but also became the embodiment of justice in the eyes of the citizens!" Green Goblin smiled, "How does it feel to be a hero? How does it feel to swing through skyscrapers on webs?"
Gwen did not answer. She used her web to grab a heavy dining table by the wall and slammed it hard towards Green Goblin... Green Goblin, or Norman Osborn, had a simple reason for wanting to find Spider-Woman: if he could obtain Spider-Woman's genetic sample, there was a high probability of solving the toxin problem in the spider serum.
This way, the spider serum could solve the Osborn family's hereditary disease... although his own disease had already been resolved.
But he still had a son, Harry Osborn... As a father, he had to consider all of this.
Norman combined the data left by his deceased subordinate Reddi with his own investigations, ultimately focusing his suspicions on Gwen.
In fact, he should have launched an attack on Gwen's way to and from school; such a plan would have been safer. But arriving at the noble high school's graduation prom along with the terror brought him even more pleasure!
It should be perfectly reasonable for students' parents to attend the graduation prom, right?
Green Goblin continuously threw bombs, laughing maniacally: "You can't defeat me, you pathetic little spider!"
"Hmph!"
Gwen swung on a web and delivered a flying kick to Green Goblin's head. Green Goblin rapidly retreated, finally stopping when he hit the wall, and his glider lost control and crashed to the side.
Green Goblin slowly got up, a stream of crimson blood flowing down his scalp, instantly enraging him.
"I will kill you, after tonight... Gwen Stacy!"
A fierce battle was raging in the venue, while on the second-floor attic, Peter watched the scene with utter astonishment.
"Gwen? Spider-Woman?" He kept repeating these two names, with increasing force, as if he wanted to bite something to pieces... "Clang!" A sharp spider leg extended from behind him, instantly piercing the iron railing nearby.
Instantly, his cheap suit ripped apart, and eight spider legs extended from his back. His head transformed into a hideous spider head, then rotated 180 degrees.
Those spider legs stepped onto the vertical wall, and his body slowly moved, hanging upside down on the wall... Gwen was entangled in a fight with Green Goblin. She dodged Green Goblin's attack with a somersault, then turned and picked up a chair, smashing it over Green Goblin's head.
Just as she was about to continue her attack, her movements abruptly stopped!
"!!!"
Her spider-sense screamed, and Gwen, without hesitation, rapidly leaped away from her spot.
The instant she jumped away, a figure descended from the ceiling, crashing where she had been standing, its eight spider legs savagely plunging into the floor.
It was Spider-Beastman, the one Gwen had encountered in Queens that night!
Could it be that it had a connection with Green Goblin? But Gwen quickly dismissed that idea.
Green Goblin was also startled by the sudden appearance of Spider-Beastman. He hastily threw two bombs and had his glider carry him away.
Spider-Beastman didn't even look back; the spider legs on his back agilely intercepted the bombs Green Goblin had thrown, batting them away like baseballs.
Spider-Beastman turned and attacked Gwen. His objective was clear, and he would not be interfered with by others.
Instantly, Gwen was overwhelmed. One Green Goblin was already difficult enough, and now a Spider-Beastmanappeared out of nowhere!
She definitely couldn't resist. That night, she knew she couldn't deal with Spider-Beastman alone, let alone with Green Goblin lurking nearby tonight!
While dodging Spider-Beastman's attacks, Gwen looked around the venue. Fortunately, all the surviving classmates had already evacuated. She should retreat too, or she would truly die here tonight!
Gwen shot a web and grabbed the window ledge, but just as she was about to fly out the window, Green Goblinattacked from the side! Gwen instantly sprang onto the ceiling, crawling.
"Is this your enemy too? Should I inform your Police father to come and support you?" Green Goblin said mockingly.
Chapter 38 Pink Battle Suit
Gwen back-flipped, dodging Green Goblin's attack, her body sliding across the smooth floor.
Just then, Spider-Beastman rushed forward, his sharp spider legs constantly stabbing at Gwen from behind. Fortunately, Gwen was very fast and, with the help of her Spider-Sense, managed to narrowly avoid them.
"Gwen... let me eat you!" Spider-Beastman let out a chilling sound. "And Arthur... no one can escape!"
Gwen sprang up and climbed the wall. "Who exactly are you?"
This spider monster in front of her actually knew Arthur? This made Gwen even more nervous.
Spider-Beastman didn't answer. He also climbed the wall, rapidly approaching Gwen.
Under the combined assault of Spider-Beastman and Green Goblin, Gwen, at a disadvantage, could only struggle to hold on.
With the two of them cornering her, Gwen was quickly injured. If this were on the street, Gwen could easily handle it, but a spacious convention hall was too disadvantageous for Gwen to fight in!
Suddenly, Gwen, who was in the middle of a fight, heard a sonic boom from outside the window—the sound of an object tearing through the air at high speed.
Gwen frowned, looking out the window. Her heart tightened. Would a third evil villain appear at Midtown School of Science and Technology tonight? Things couldn't be that bad, could they?
"Clang!" A pink oval-shaped flight pod crashed through another floor-to-ceiling window and entered the hall, flying directly towards Gwen!
"What is that?" Gwen immediately swung on her Web-Shooters, dodging it.
The pink flight pod was equipped with arc pulse thrusters at its tail. As Gwen moved, it surprisingly changed direction, flying precisely towards her.
Gwen looked at the pursuing flight pod, utterly bewildered. This didn't look like a missile or some kind of lethal weapon... And who would paint a bomb pink?
This scene also made Green Goblin freeze. He stood on his glider, watching Gwen frantically run around the room.
Spider-Beastman continued to pursue Gwen. He was like a Beast that wouldn't give up once he had his prey in sight, either biting the prey's throat or chasing until he was exhausted...
"Boom..." Another wave of sound came. Green Goblinturned his head to look out the window. A red and yellow figure slowly appeared outside.
Green Goblin's pupils constricted. He recognized the newcomer.
Ever since being ambushed by the Devil and Spider-Woman, Green Goblin had specifically investigated the existence of Superheroes in New York. This person in the red and yellow Iron Armor also had a considerable reputation.
Although he didn't act as a vigilante on the streets, he had once destroyed several Terrorists' camps. People on the internet gave him a special title—Iron Man.
"Hello, Mr. Green Goblin!"
Iron Man extended his hand, and after a brief charge, a repulsor blast fired from his palm.
The blasted Green Goblin was violently thrown against the wall before stopping. His glider once again lost control, smashing several floor tiles.
Iron Man slowly flew into the hall. He rubbed his forehead, looking at the farce caused by a misunderstanding.
"Excuse me, Miss Spider-Woman! That thing chasing you isn't a weapon, but the flight transport pod for the Iron Spider Suit Generation 1. Just stop and wait for it to confirm your identity, then the suit will automatically equip..." Iron Man explained. "A gift from Mr. Devil, please sign for it!"
Gwen also noticed Iron Man standing in the center of the hall. Iron Man was recognized as a Superhero on the internet, belonging to the side of justice.
Iron Man's popularity was also very high. Professional bloggers analyzed that Iron Man's power came entirely from the Iron Man Suit he wore, meaning ordinary people also had the chance to become Superheroes, as long as they wore a suit custom-made by Iron Man...
Although Gwen and Iron Man had no prior interaction, she chose to trust Iron Man, perhaps because both belonged to the side of justice...
Gwen repelled Spider-Beastman again. She stopped in place, observing the rapidly approaching flight pod. Sure enough, the flight pod hovered in front of her.
"What is the 'Iron Spider Suit Generation 1'?" Gwen asked, puzzled. "Why would the Devil send me this?"
"Sorry, Miss Spider, my job doesn't include answering your questions. I'm only responsible for manufacturing and transporting the suit. For any after-sales issues, please inquire with the Devil." Iron Man shrugged.
The flight pod emitted infrared rays, scanning Gwen's entire body.
"Beep! Spider-Woman, identity confirmed."
The pink flight pod opened, its outer shell retracted, and the suit deployment program was activated. A pink Iron Armor quickly unfolded, conforming to Gwen's body.
"Then why is it pink?"
"The blueprints the Devil gave me didn't include a design for the appearance..." Iron Man said, somewhat strangely, "So I helped you paint the suit pink. Is there any girl in the world who doesn't like pink?"
Before Iron Man could finish speaking, an explosion sent him flying.
It was Green Goblin. Someone was casually chatting after blasting him down, which was an utter insult to Green Goblin!
He controlled his glider, continuously firing Green Goblinbombs, trying to eliminate the person hiding inside the metal shell.
On the other side, the Iron Spider Suit completely enveloped Gwen. The helmet closed, and in just a few seconds, the Iron Armor was fully equipped.
"Not every girl likes pink..."
Gwen stared blankly at the 3D display in front of her. The voice of the built-in intelligent combat voice assistant echoed in her helmet.
"!!!"
Her Spider-Sense gave a warning. Gwen easily dodged Spider-Beastman's attack. She instinctively raised her hand to shoot a Web-Shooters, but what came out was a capture net.
"Default setting: when the multi-functional Web-Shooterstargets a biological entity in combat, it fires a capture net. Default settings can be modified..." The female voice of the voice assistant sounded in her helmet.
"Is it really that high-tech...?" Gwen muttered to herself, a little stunned.
But unfortunately, the Web-Shooters capture net had no effect on Spider-Beastman. After reacting, he easily cut through the web with the sharp spider legs on his back.
Spider-Beastman once again wrestled with Gwen. Gwenstill carefully dodged his attacks. Suddenly, Gwenunexpectedly discovered that the Iron Armor she was wearing could withstand those sharp spider legs. Gweninstantly changed her fighting style.
In the struggle, Gwen shot webs to blind Spider-Beastman's head, then reached out and grabbed one of the spider legs on his back. Gwen used all her strength to snap it off.
Spider-Beastman roared furiously. Although he was enraged, it was clear that this injury was nothing to him, not to mention that the broken spider leg was rapidly healing and regrowing.
After donning the Iron Armor, Spider-Beastman could no longer harm Gwen. Although this suit had strong defensive capabilities, it provided very little offensive amplification for Spider-Gwen. Facing Spider-Beastman's powerful healing ability, Gwen also felt it was very tricky.
The battle in the hall had reached a fever pitch. No one knew what the final outcome would be...
Chapter 39 Under the Mask
"Your armor is terrible!"
Iron Man said, blasting Green Goblin away with another repulsor ray. If they weren't fighting indoors, he would have used high-lethality weapons to end the battle.
Green Goblin's armor was also very tough. He flew out of the dust and charged at Iron Man again. Harry stood on the spiral staircase, leaning against the wall. The lighting in the hall was poor, making it barely possible to see the four superhuman individuals fighting.
"Iron Man is here too?" Harry muttered to himself. "It's hard to believe Gwen is Spider-Woman…"
Green Goblin and Iron Man had fierce firepower, and a bomb could be thrown his way at any time. After observing for a long time, Harry was ready to flee.
Harry had just turned and taken a step when he suddenly froze.
At the end of the spiral staircase, a White figure stood in the very center of the attic. The emergency light above the staircase shone down, and Harry saw the face clearly… a chilling demon mask!
Harry instinctively took a step back. His body swayed, and in a daze, he missed a step. If not for the wall behind him, he would have fallen down the stairs. It was a demon! Midtown School of Science and Technology had gathered a fifth superhuman individual. Instantly, Harry found himself in a dilemma: a demon blocked his way forward, while behind him was the battlefield of Green Goblin and Iron Man.
Harry could only continue to observe.
The demon, dressed in a White suit, stood behind the railing in the attic, his body straight, his Black hair seemingly shining. The demon mask fit his face perfectly. Rhinestones were embedded in the lace scarf at his collar. His face was stern, an unreadable mix of anger and indifference.
Suddenly, the demon moved. He turned and walked over to a speaker that had been completely destroyed. Harryremembered that speaker; it was originally downstairs. Spider-Woman had thrown it at Green Goblin in the air, and after Green Goblin dodged, the speaker flew into the attic.
Arthur reached out and tapped the speaker. A faint light glowed, and under the Horse Talisman's restorative power, the damaged speaker slowly returned to its original perfect state.
Harry stared, dumbfounded, at this scene that defied scientific principles. Fortunately, the demon's very existence already defied science, so everything happening before him wasn't as unbelievable as it seemed.
The demon fiddled with the speaker. First, it played an exciting DJ dance track. The demon frowned and changed it. The next was soothing pop music. The demon continued to skip songs until he stopped at "Por una Cabeza."
Harry secretly praised the demon's taste. Perhaps the demon had also seen "Scent of a Woman" or even "Schindler's List."
After selecting the song, the demon went downstairs. Harry cursed his bad luck; the demon was using his side of the spiral staircase.
Arthur walked, observing the battlefield downstairs, his face expressionless.
Suddenly, he moved half a step to the inner side of the staircase, facing Harry directly. Arthur kicked out, his face still devoid of expression, like an unruffled ancient well.
Harry cried out in pain. He lost his balance and tumbled down the stairs, hitting his head on the railing, instantly breaking open his skull and bleeding profusely.
At this moment, Green Goblin was blown away by a bomb. He tumbled several times and fell beside Harry.
Harry saw stars. He had just struggled to open his eyes when he saw Green Goblin's terrifying mask before him.
Harry clutched his head and laboriously rolled to the side, stopping against the wall. In that instant, he remembered Green Goblin throwing bombs at the crowd earlier. Would he also die at the hands of this madman, Green Goblin?
Fortunately, Green Goblin did not attack him, even though Harry clearly saw astonishing anger in Green Goblin's eyes. Green Goblin got up, jumped onto his bat glider, and charged at the demon on the stairs!
Arthur flexed his wrist. His right hand opened, and a Dragon totem lit up.
Three crimson pillars of flame flew out in succession, leaving an arc in the air, striking Green Goblin's chest one after another.
"Boom!"
In these past few days, Arthur had upgraded the Dragon Talisman to Lv7. After the upgrade, the Dragon Talismannot only became more powerful but also offered more diverse attack methods. Arthur had slowly mastered its use after a few days of study.
Green Goblin endured the Dragon Talisman's bombardment, almost losing his ability to move. The armor on his chest was shattered, revealing a bloody and mangled chest.
Harry saw the demon approaching and struggled to get up, leaning against the wall, but this time the demon ignored him.
"Good evening, Mr. Demon!" Tony said admiringly. "Your attire tonight is very tasteful, and this song too. I remember there seems to be a dance party here. Are you also here for the party? If you're attending a dance, remember to bring a female companion. Of course, you can also choose to dance alone."
"I specifically chose an elegant song, but unfortunately, it still couldn't change your garrulous nature," Arthur said faintly.
A piercing siren sounded from outside the window. Tonystretched and said, "It's time to end all this."
He raised his arm and aimed at Spider-Beastman, who was still fighting. A miniature missile rose from his arm.
"Jarvis, activate dynamic tracking and targeting system."
Tony shouted, "Hey! Get out of the way, Miss Spider!"
Gwen's Spider-Sense also blared. She quickly shot out a web and pulled her body to dodge. A miniature missile whizzed past her, flying straight towards Spider-Beastman.
"Boom!" The entire building shook. The crystal chandelier above Spider-Beastman's head, after a violent tremor, broke and fell.
"Whoosh!" At the critical moment, Gwen shot out a web and pulled him out of the rubble. The heavily injured Spider-Beastman was now unconscious. His eight bizarre spider legs retracted back into his back, and he was covered in blood.
"Let me see who you are!" Gwen was still conflicted about Spider-Beastman's identity.
"Oh, I almost forgot to take off your mask!" Iron Manwalked towards Green Goblin, who lay in a pool of blood. "Wearing a knock-off suit, even the name is knock-off…"
"Peter Parker!?" Gwen, nearby, exclaimed in surprise as she approached the blood-soaked Spider-Beastman.
Gwen recalled that afternoon when she and Arthur had encountered Peter in the hallway, retaliating against Fletcher. In that moment, she had sensed the aura of a Beast on Peter.
But she still found it hard to imagine all this. In her impression, Peter, though weak, possessed a sense of justice; for instance, he would help Gordon, who was also being bullied.
But now Peter had transformed into Spider-Beastman and attacked her. She found it hard to believe any of it.
"Norman Osborn!?" On the other side, Tony, who had removed Green Goblin's mask, was also dumbfounded.
As a wealthy individual of the same social standing in New York, Tony and Norman were quite familiar with each other. They often met at various banquets and events. Although they didn't have much of a friendship, they were acquainted.
Tony also found it hard to connect the somewhat elderly and frail old man with Green Goblin, who was throwing bombs and causing destruction on the streets of New York.
Chapter 40 The Devil's Move
What would you feel if one day you suddenly discovered that the notorious Terrorist, upon removing his mask, revealed the face of your own father?
Harry had never imagined this dramatic scene, yet it was unfolding right before him... "Dad?" Harry's face was filled with shock.
After the Green Goblin's mask was removed, the most astonished person in the entire venue was Harry, who was sitting by the stairs in the corner. He couldn't believe his eyes as he looked at the utterly disheveled figure... How could his father—Norman Osborn—be the Green Goblin? The criminal who caused destruction and terror, hated and despised by the public, was actually his own father? Harrywas instantly struck by a severe shock and mental blow.
Harry's birth had weakened his mother Emily's constitution, and she passed away after a prolonged illness. A heartbroken Norman became a cold father, either dismissively belittling Harry or angrily lashing out at him.
Therefore, most of Harry's early life was spent desperately trying to gain his father's approval, and he was often sad due to his father's disdain.
In truth, Harry greatly admired his father, but now everything had shattered like a bubble... "This World is too crazy. A super-rich man personally goes down to slaughter citizens and cause destruction?" Tony muttered to himself, "But in some ways, I can understand him. He's probably tired of his abundant material life and desperately wants to pursue spiritual pleasure, but he's clearly gone astray. His happiness is built on the suffering of others..."
Tony suddenly turned to look at the demon: "Under your demon mask, it's not also a super-rich man or the heir to a conglomerate, is it?"
"Who knows? One should resolve their own doubts... You can try to take off my mask." Arthur smiled faintly, "Now that you're wearing the upgraded Iron Armor, you must be full of confidence!"
Tony had indeed thought about it: defeat the demon, take off his mask, expose his true identity to the public, and see if he still dared to act recklessly in New York... Of course, Tony knew the demon was powerful, and his confidence in defeating the demon came from the upgraded Mark5 Armor!
The Mark5 Armor not only incorporated the advantages and manufacturing experience of Mark4 but also absorbed the strengths of the Iron Spider Suit Generation 1, for example, making significant upgrades and improvements to its defense system and energy output system.
Donning the Iron Armor Mark5 and activating Jarvis's combat assistance program custom-made for the demon, Tony was confident he could defeat the demon.
But now that Arthur had seen through him, Tony's heart began to waver. The demon was so fearless; he must have many hidden cards yet to be revealed, right? Moreover, the improvements to his Mark5 Armor were thanks to the demon's blueprints.
Suddenly, Tony thought of the Mark4 that Arthur's "palm cannon" had blasted into scrap metal in the Stark Industries Building. That was a lesson learned, and he couldn't be sure if the Mark5 would meet the same fate if he made a move... "Hahahaha..." With no one to respond, Tony could only laugh awkwardly, "That's a good joke, but I'm not interested in the face under your mask at all. So what if he's handsome? My orientation is beyond doubt!"
Arthur glanced at him twice without speaking, and Tonycould only continue his awkward laughter.
"Alright, I think we should call it a night, shouldn't we?" Tony decided to escape, "Now, what do we do with the high school Spider Monster and the elderly super-rich Green Goblin? The Police are outside. I suggest Miss Spider hand them over to the Police; Miss Spider is quite familiar with the Police anyway!"
The hall was somewhat quiet; no one answered... Although Tony was speaking animatedly, no one was paying attention to him. Gwen looked serious, and Arthur's face was serene as he listened to the waltz music drifting in the air.
The song "Por una Cabeza" coming from the speakers had reached its climax, with the piano intertwining with the soaring, swirling strings.
Suddenly, amidst the surrounding dance music, the demon raised both hands and began to dance. He slowly closed his eyes, his expression solemn and dignified, his steps meticulous, as if he were truly embracing a peerless dance partner.
The demon's White robes swirled, and the sound of his heels tapping on the floor formed a steady rhythm.
His dancing was elegant, but strangely, as Tony watched this scene, he felt a tingling sensation on his scalp for some reason, and he involuntarily took a few steps back.
Even though the demon's dance was exquisite, Tonycouldn't discern any artistic flair; all he felt was eeriness and fear... "Why are you in such a hurry? The climax has just begun." Arthur opened his eyes and said, "I have never paid them any mind, whether it's the Spider Monster, the Green Goblin, or the Police outside, so how can they affect our mood?"
"Sorry, Mr. demon, I seem to have to rush back tonight. My assistant, Miss Potts, is still waiting to brief me on work!" Tony babbled, "You know, as a super-rich man, I'm usually very busy, and Miss Potts has a very bad temper, an incomprehensibly bad temper... like a Pepper. If I'm late, I expect her to chew me out!"
"Then next time we can bring Miss Potts to the dance." The demon merely said faintly, not even looking at Tony, which startled Tony.
"Alright, on second thought, I don't have anything important tonight. What assistant needs to report work? Let her wait until tomorrow morning! I can party with you until dawn!" Tony made a gesture of adjusting his tie, "So what do we do now? Fight the Police or what? Do you want me to call some Hollywood actresses for you?"
"I might need you to shut up." Arthur ignored him and walked towards Peter, glancing at Gwen, who had been on the periphery.
Gwen hadn't spoken since the demon appeared. It wasn't that she hated the demon or didn't want to communicate with him; rather, she had too many questions she wanted to ask the demon, but there were so many that she didn't know where to start... Why did the demon suddenly appear here? Why did the demon give her an Iron Spider Suit? And it fit so perfectly; how did he know her measurements... But now Gwen stood between the demon and Peter, and watching the demon approach, Gwenseemed to understand what he intended to do... The demon must want to kill Peter!
The demon acted recklessly, never showing any concern. He walked on the edge of justice and evil, and it seemed that in his heart, there was no definition or restraint of justice or evil; he acted entirely according to his own preferences.
Just like that night at the Park Hyatt Hotel, the demon brutally murdered several heinous criminals, which seemed just, albeit extreme.
But he also killed three employees at Osborn Tower who had no criminal record whatsoever. That was pure murder, yet the demon never cared, even leaving his own mark.
Chapter 41: Death of the Green Devil
Looking at Gwen blocking his path, Arthur stopped. He didn't have the habit of taking detours yet.
"Good evening, Mr. Devil. Long time no see, huh? It seems you haven't encountered any kidnapping cases recently, or any rude drivers..."
Gwen said this because the Devil had been quiet online for a few days, and no citizens had tweeted about encountering him on the streets again, causing a stir... But the truth was, Gwen had been pulling Arthur into dance practice for the past few days, and Arthur would only return home late, reducing his frequency of going out.
Gwen was making small talk, as if to buy time, but it also seemed like a waste of time. No one could stop the Devil, neither Iron Man nor the Police outside.
"Actually, what I wanted to say is, thank you for the suit... But why did you give me a suit, Mr. Devil? This Iron Man Suit is too precious, I can't accept it..."
As she spoke, Gwen deactivated the Iron Man Suit. Although facing the Devil without the suit's protection made her feel very insecure, seeing herself in the White and Black tight-fitting suit made her feel much more at ease.
When Iron Man had just said the suit was a gift from the Devil, Gwen had been a little confused. She and the Devil were never friends; in fact, they were adversaries. Do enemies give each other weapons and ammunition?
Could it be that the Devil wanted to use this as an enticement to persuade her to join his faction? But the Devil had always been a lone wolf.
Or was it a gratuitous gift? Would the Devil be so kind?
Although, if the Devil wanted to harm her, he wouldn't need to resort to such a troublesome method as tampering with the suit. Gwen knew she was no match for the Devil, and moreover, the Devil also knew her true identity beneath the Spider-Woman mask.
"I thought you were coming forward to ask me for a dance," Arthur said indifferently. "If you don't like this suit, you can throw it in the trash can next to the eleventh tree on the left side of the entrance... This isn't moral blackmail; it's simply because this suit was tailor-made for you. Anyone else wearing it would just find it a restrictive shell... Assuming they can even put it on. With my abilities, I don't need external enhancements."
"Emm... Sorry, I have a dance partner tonight, but it's not you." Gwen didn't know what to say for a moment. "You know this school very well? Did you also graduate from Midtown School of Science and Technology?"
"I saw it when I just came in." Arthur raised his right hand, the Dragon Talisman stirring. "Now please move aside, I'm going to purify this ugly spider."
Gwen felt a headache coming on. It was exactly as she had imagined!
"No, Mr. Devil, you can't do that!"
Gwen remained firmly in the middle, her body trembling slightly as she faced the Devil's raised hand. She knew how terrifying the Devil's attacks were... Although she had now taken off her highly defensive Iron Spider Suit, she still did not flinch.
There were many reasons. Peter Parker was still Gwen's classmate; she couldn't watch the Devil kill her classmate.
Even though the current Peter was a monster, and had attacked Gwen twice, even trying to kill her... But Gwenwould always remember the righteous Peter. Although Peter didn't possess the terrifying power of Arthur, capable of easily defeating school bullies, he would still bravely help others.
Gwen didn't know what had happened to Peter to make him fall and become hostile towards her, but Gwenbelieved Peter should be given a chance to reform.
At least Peter hadn't committed unforgivable crimes after turning into a monster. He hadn't attacked innocent citizens, nor had he caused destruction or large-scale casualties. The crimes he had committed were not worthy of a death sentence!
Based on these reasons, Gwen couldn't just stand by and watch the Devil kill Peter! Just as she would help innocent passersby, if that really happened, it would make her feel guilty for a long time.
"Miss Spider, you seem to be a little overconfident?" The Devil stood still. "You seem very confident that I won't kill you?"
"No, I didn't mean to provoke your anger!" Gwen's face was a little pale. "Peter isn't a heinous criminal, nor has he committed major crimes. Perhaps handing him over to the Police is a better option..."
"Uh... shouldn't we calm down now?" Tony cleared his throat and said, "Mr. Devil and Miss Spider! Everyone calm down, how elegant this music is, deep and aloof, as beautiful as Tchaikovsky's Swan Song... I can't help but want to dance, don't you?"
Tony was awkwardly monologuing; he was a bit confused by the situation!
Shouldn't the Devil and Spider-Woman be on the same side? He had even been threatened to build the spider suitand give it to Spider-Woman! Why were the two of them about to fight now?
Arthur gave him a faint glance, and Tony immediately made a zipping-his-mouth gesture.
"Your mercy will only create a bigger villain. When he becomes a deranged criminal, you will only regret that you don't have the ability to kill him," Arthur said calmly. "Of course, none of this concerns me. Even if he destroys the entire New York, I am just stating a fact. Whether it's good or evil, I'm not in the mood to correct anything, as long as he doesn't let me see that ugly face..."
"No, he will find his way back. There is justice in his heart," Gwen said firmly. "And we must uphold the dignity of the law, even if it sounds a little funny!"
"Hahahahaha..."
It was Tony who laughed out loud.
Arthur turned to look at him, and happened to see the extremely miserable Green Goblin.
"You wouldn't be thinking of..." Tony's laughter froze. "No, Mr. Devil, you can't kill him either! His true identity is Norman Osborn, the chairman of the Osborn Group, a super-rich man, and a major taxpayer in New York.
"Of course, I'm not defending him. Rich people who break the law should also pay the price. What I mean is, if he dies here, the entire World will be shaken. I think it's more reasonable to hand him over to the court for trial..."
Tony said sternly: "We must uphold the dignity of the law! Now I think Miss Spider is absolutely right!"
Arthur raised his hand towards the Green Goblin, the Dragon Talisman lit up, and the power of the Talisman was fully unleashed!
"Boom!"
A huge pillar of Fire, over a meter in diameter, shot out. The Dragon Talisman was operating at an overload, and all the violent energy poured out. The overflowing energy stirred up aftershocks in the air, knocking over the nearby Iron Man, and Harry let out a painful scream, covering his face.
And the Green Goblin, at the center of the Dragon Talisman's attack, had already disappeared from his spot, with not even a corpse left in the charred ruins... Thus, the first-generation Green Goblin was declared dead!
"Shut up!"
Arthur's face was stern, and he aimed at Iron Man.
After a few stumbles, Iron Man, who barely maintained his balance, immediately raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.
Chapter 42 Survivors
The piercing sound of police sirens echoed through the Midtown Tech campus.
"What's the situation inside? Have those super-powered criminals escaped? Are there any survivors still trapped inside?" Chief George, who had just arrived at the scene, rattled off a series of questions.
"Sorry, Director, all the surveillance equipment inside has been destroyed, so we don't know the exact situation," a sweating police officer said. "When the police sealed off the scene, there was still fighting going on inside. The battle only subsided a few minutes ago. Up until now, we've only monitored Iron Man flying out of the left window. Green Goblin, who launched the terrorist attack, should still be inside..."
"Iron Man? The Superhero who fights Terrorists? When did he get involved in terrorist activities?" George muttered to himself, puzzled.
"Then what are we waiting for? The police aren't cleaners to clear up their battlefields! We need to apprehend these arrogant criminals!" Chief George said, dissatisfied. "Attack! You can fire freely. Search the entire building. Prioritize protecting the surviving students!"
Chief George took a riot shield and was the first to charge into the chaotic venue. Every police officer saw worry and anxiety on his face... Before crossing the police cordon, Chief George passed by the gathering point of the surviving students, but he didn't see Gwen and Arthurthere... Fully armed police officers filed in. The interior of the building had already become a ruin. At the exit, a dozen bodies lay scattered on the ground. They had been killed by the same wave of bombs.
Looking around, there were broken glass and wood debris everywhere. The huge crystal chandelier had smashed to pieces on the ground. Wine and blood mixed together, making it sticky when boots stepped on it.
Police officers entering for the first time could still discern the former luxury of the place from the remnants of the opulent decor, or the occasional Australian lobster found on the ground, before the attack.
If the school wanted to restore it to its original perfection, it would be a considerable expense.
Everyone's expressions became heavier. The venue at this moment was like a living hell... Chief George carefully identified each body he passed, but some people were at the center of the explosion before death, their bodies torn into pieces, naturally making them unrecognizable... "Survivor found!" someone shouted, and Chief Georgequickly ran over.
The survivor lay beneath the spiral staircase, which clearly looked like the center of the battlefield. Half of the staircase was shattered, and flames were still burning at the broken edges.
It seemed to be caused by a powerful explosion, or someone had launched a powerful attack... It was hard to imagine how that student survived in such circumstances.
Chief George came to the survivor's side. Although this student had survived, he had also suffered extreme injuries. His face was covered in blood, and he had severe burns on his face.
It was a male student. Chief George carefully distinguished the clothing of the surviving student. After a moment, he concluded that this was not Arthur. He remembered the clothes Arthur wore when he came to pick up Gwentonight.
But suddenly he widened his eyes. He looked at the bloody, disfigured face, and a name flashed through his mind... Harry Osborn.
Harry was one of his daughter Gwen's good friends. Although his facial burns were severe, he could still be recognized by his face shape and features.
"Harry? Harry!" George called out a few times, but the unconscious Harry remained unresponsive.
"Send him outside for medical rescue!" Chief Georgeordered, saying with determination, "Continue the search! There must be more survivors!"
"Chief George..." a police officer suddenly grabbed his shoulder and called out to him in surprise.
A puzzled Chief George slowly turned around, looking at the area illuminated by the police officer's flashlight.
There, a person was strung up... He was wearing a tattered suit, covered in blood, tightly bound by spider silk, his head hanging limply, appearing to be unconscious as well.
Chief George frowned as he clearly saw the transparent spider silk.
"Spider-Woman? Did she also come here tonight?"
Things were getting worse. A New York aristocratic academy suffered a terrorist attack, and the known attendees included Green Goblin, Iron Man, and now even the "habitual offender" Spider-Woman was involved, while the police knew nothing about the entire incident... Chief George led his men slowly towards the person suspended from the ceiling by spider silk. Throughout the process, they kept their guns aimed at him, to prevent the target from feigning unconsciousness and ambushing the police.
It wasn't that the police were overly cautious. Although Spider-Woman was still a criminal at large in their eyes, past experience showed that those she strung up with spider silk were only criminals... Gwen cautiously avoided the crowd. In a secluded corner, she took off her spider suitand changed into the silver-white gown.
She took out her phone and used the streetlights to fix her makeup and hair.
After opening her phone, Gwen saw several missed calls, all from her father George. She quickly called him back.
"Gwen?"
George's worried and nervous voice came from the other end of the line. He was very afraid that someone else had accidentally found his daughter's phone. Only after Gwen's voice came through did he breathe a sigh of relief.
"Where are you? You haven't answered your phone, I'm very worried about you," George said.
"I'm sorry, Dad, I set my phone to silent mode because I was attending the dance tonight. Now I'm next to the academic building..." Gwen said apologetically.
"Then you should at least call me after you're safe!" Georgesaid, somewhat reproachfully. "Is Arthur with you?"
"Arthur?"
"He's not with you?" George sounded a bit nervous. "When I came in, I passed the sports field where all the surviving students were gathered, but I didn't see you or Arthur..."
Gwen suddenly froze. After a moment, she immediately explained, "He was with me. He's been with me since we came out of there, but now he's gone to get the car. We were about to leave..."
George's hanging heart finally settled after hearing that. His worries tonight had increased with time. Before hearing from Gwen, he was even about to lose his composure and affect his work.
And George never dared to think of the worst outcome; even as a hypothetical, as a father, he found it unbearable... "You two leave the school first, that's the right thing to do. Let Arthur take you home. I still have a lot of things to deal with tonight, the scene is a mess, but rest assured, there's no danger anymore." George said, "Remember not to tell your mom about any of this."
"Okay, Dad, be careful at work." Gwen also breathed a sigh of relief, ready to hang up the phone.
"Gwen," George suddenly called out to her, "I just saw Harry. Your friend survived, but his condition is very bad, and he might be in life-threatening danger..."