[Ding! Congratulations, Master. The Rock Lee data package has been fully integrated. You may now access his ninjutsu anytime, anywhere! From now on, when any character data reaches full integration, the system will automatically merge it for you.]
"Finally," Ryuuto muttered, smirking. "For once, this system isn't completely useless."
He cracked his neck, excitement bubbling under his calm exterior. "Alright, let's give it a test."
"Ninjutsu — Summoning Technique!"
With a loud pop, smoke billowed across the poolside. Ryuuto leapt out of the water, unrolled a summoning scroll, bit his thumb, and slammed his palm onto the tiles.
A small explosion of chakra later, a brown-furred ninja hound appeared, shaking itself dry.
"Huh? You again?" the dog grumbled, scratching behind its ear with a paw. "Why're you dragging me out every five minutes?"
"Less whining, more sniffing," Ryuuto snapped, glaring down at him. He pulled a metallic shard from his pocket — a broken piece of the Green Goblin's glider — and shoved it under the dog's nose. "Lock onto this scent. Find that psycho for me. Got it?"
The hound recoiled, wrinkling his nose. "Ugh! What is that? Smells like someone fished it out of a sewer!"
"Quit complaining," Ryuuto said, expression flat.
"Hey, I'm a dignified ninja hound, you know! Leader of the entire pack! Even Kakashi treats me with respect! Don't push it, kid, or I'm out!"
"Oh please," Ryuuto said dryly. "You'd run faster from a frisbee."
"Bark! You take that back!" the hound barked, fur standing on end.
Ryuuto raised an eyebrow, then slowly reached into his pouch… and pulled out a big, juicy bone.
The hound froze mid-growl, eyes widening. Drool hit the floor like raindrops.
"Still feeling tough?" Ryuuto asked smugly, dangling the bone. "Or do you want your 'reward'?"
"Reward! Definitely reward!" The hound's tone flipped instantly. "Just kidding earlier, boss! You've got such a great sense of humor, ha-ha! Let's discuss this like professionals!"
Watching him hop and paw uselessly at the air, Ryuuto couldn't help snickering.
Right then, four familiar voices chimed in.
"Whoa, what a cute dog!" Gwen gasped, eyes sparkling.
Katie Dee crouched down beside her. "He can talk! Ryuuto, can I keep him?"
Susan tilted her head. "Is he a mutant? Or just… special?"
Even Natasha Romanoff was smiling faintly. "Admit it, he's adorable."
"W-wait! Hands off, ladies!" the dog yelped, tail wagging frantically. "I'm single! Respect my personal space!"
Ryuuto folded his arms, smirking as the hound was smothered in affection. "Serves you right. Maybe now you'll remember who your master is."
"Oh, come on, Master! I'll behave! Just call them off already!"
Ryuuto finally stepped in, slipping an arm around Gwen's shoulder. "Alright, enough teasing. This isn't just any mutt—he's a ninja hound. His sense of smell is insane, but he can only stay here for a short time before returning to the summoning world."
Katie Dee pouted. "That's too bad. I wanted to feed him bones every day."
At that, the hound froze again, tail wagging so hard it looked like a blur. He snuggled into her arms instantly, eyes gleaming.
"Yeah," Ryuuto said, watching in disbelief. "Thought so. Traitor."
"Don't worry," he added with a grin. "I can always summon him again when you want to play."
"Really?" Gwen said, delighted.
"Promise."
A few minutes later, Ryuuto tucked the hound under his arm, his expression shifting to something sharper. "Alright, Parker. Time to earn your keep."
The dog straightened up instantly, saluting with one paw. "Leave it to me! There's no prey Parker the Great can't track!"
Gwen fell into step beside Ryuuto, her voice soft. "We're going after Green Goblin now, right?"
He smiled and brushed a strand of her hair aside. "You catch on fast."
Then he raised his hand. "Let's move."
"Woof!"
Motivated by the promise of ten more bones, Parker shot forward like a missile, nose to the ground. Ryuuto and Gwen followed close behind, determination blazing in their eyes.
"This time," Ryuuto muttered under his breath, "we end it."
As the trio vanished into the night, the camera panned down to a dark basement somewhere across the city.
Broken furniture and shattered glass littered the floor. In the corner, a hunched figure trembled beside a cracked mirror.
Norman Osborn stared at his reflection — at the green skin, the bloodshot eyes, the fanged grin.
"Why… why did this happen?" he whispered. "My formula was supposed to enhance humanity… not turn me into this…"
His trembling turned to laughter — harsh, broken, unhinged.
And when he finally looked up, the Green Goblin smiled back.