Led by the radical Peter Porker, tension filled the pre-battle air.
Gwen surveyed the assembled group in their battle gear when something caught her eye.
"Hey, Johnson, where's your suit?" She circled him with nimble steps, "You're not planning to fight in that trench coat, are you?"
As all eyes turned to him, Johnson gestured toward the crowd, "I'm not the only one wearing a trench coat, am I?"
"My world isn't as colorful as this one — black and darkness are the main themes. A black coat makes it easier to hide." Noir Spider-Man explained with a shrug, "So this is my suit."
MCU Peter, who'd first encountered Johnson, rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen your actual suit."
"No way, don't tell me you don't have one?"
"Heh..." Johnson narrowed his eyes and snapped his fingers, "Who are you looking down on?"
✱ AT Field! ✱
Spider-Mark LXXXV, come to life, baby!
In a dazzling display, a gold and red spider suit materialized from his feet, spreading upward to envelop his entire body. The thrusters on his back, feet, and palms erupted with brilliant jets of flame, sending waves of heat washing over the onlookers.
"Nanotechnology?" At this spectacular yet familiar sight, MCU Peter's eyes widened as the painful memory hit him — truly understanding what it meant to not know what you had until it was gone.
The pain! It hurt so much!
While the others didn't share his particular anguish, they stood stunned. Everyone else wore hand-sewn budget suits, yet here he was, casually revealing high-tech armor. Apart from Peni Parker with her mech, they all shot disapproving looks at his flashy transformation.
Despite the theatrics, no one had lost sight of their true mission.
Under the cover of night, one figure shot into the sky, with seven agile forms following close behind, all heading toward Brooklyn on the distant shore.
✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱
Fisk Tower, underground.
Kingpin stood before the control room's glass wall, an inexplicable unease in his heart. He glanced instinctively at the chamber's ceiling as a sense of foreboding crept into his mind. New York's crime lord issued his command with an expressionless face.
"Start the machine. Now. Immediately."
The researchers all looked up at once, seeing only their boss's imposingly broad back.
"But Dr. Octavius hasn't arrived yet, should we...?"
"I won't repeat myself."
His cold words and grave stare cut like daggers. The researcher who had bravely raised his hand immediately ducked his head, "Yes, boss!"
Boom, Boom, Boom...
Amid the engine noise, the massive particle collider slowly awakened like a slumbering beast.
The enormous barrel began accumulating energy, multicolored particle streams reflecting off Kingpin's face, betraying a hint of urgency.
"Sorry, am I late?" Olivia's voice rang out as she swiftly grabbed a white lab coat from the door closet. Putting it on while striding forward, she called out, "Increase the alpha particle energy parameters, raise the rotation speed... never mind, step aside, I'll take control from here."
Seeing the woman professionally entering work mode, Kingpin withdrew his sidelong glance and continued waiting.
✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱
"I have good news and bad news. Which do you want to hear first?"
Gwen narrowed her eyes at Johnson, who had descended to fly alongside the group. She shot out a web to swing forward, "At a time like this, why be mysterious? Just tell us!"
The other Spider-People nodded in agreement, grumbling that he had it easy flying while they had to keep shooting webs and swinging.
"Alright then." Johnson opened his faceplate and shrugged, "The bad news is that Kingpin has started the collider early — the experiment is about to begin."
Peni Parker, chewing bubble gum in her round spider mech, blew a bubble, "So what's the good news?"
"The good news is I can take one person and speed ahead — we should be able to stop them before the experiment starts."
"Take me!" ×7
MCU Peter frowned, "Hey, why only one? Shouldn't your suit be capable of carrying more people?"
"It would violate New York's personal flight vehicle passenger regulations." Johnson improvised, grabbing Gwen who was closest, "Ladies first — we'll go on ahead."
BOOM—
An intense sonic boom erupted, leaving the other Spider-People windswept and dusty. Once they steadied themselves in the air, they hurled curses at the rapidly disappearing figure.
"Wait…" MCU Peter was still hung up on one detail, "Is there really such a regulation?"
✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱
In the sky.
Held in Johnson's arms, Gwen anticipated the sudden acceleration and instinctively closed her eyes while gripping his shoulders. Despite the howling wind around them, the air flow remained as stable as a street-side stroll.
She opened her eyes to find a polygonal force field barrier enveloping them both, completely blocking the high-speed air currents from affecting them.
"Peter was right actually." Gwen said, feeling more at ease as she removed her mask, "Why not take more people? Kingpin has more than one superhuman enforcer!"
"Don't worry, the two of us are enough." Johnson assured her, watching as Fisk Tower came into view, "We'll charge straight into the basement and totally wreck them."
"You sure about that?"
"Of course — you handle the wrecking, I'll handle the totally part."
Gwen was speechless, then frowned, "What are you talking about? How are we getting in? Don't we need to infiltrate?"
"Infiltrate? Sure thing!" Johnson glanced at the ground, adjusting his trajectory, "This flight is now preparing for landing. Hold on tight!"
Gwen watched the approaching ground, her mouth agape.
On the ground.
A Kingpin gang member working security stared puzzled at the falling meteor above, even taking off his security cap. "What is tha— RUN!"
BOOM—
A corner of the building exploded on impact, sending debris, glass, and steel alloy raining down!
Piercing screams were drowned out by the massive explosion as they punched through the third floor's glass facade, drilling through five floors straight into the basement!
The building above ground was empty except for the unfortunate Kingpin gang security guards on duty, now buried under the falling debris.
The AT Field-formed drill possessed incredible strength, and the supersonic flight carried tremendous kinetic energy. Johnson cut through the building like an armor-piercing round — no obstacle could withstand him.
Once he struck, penetration was instant!
✱✱✱
T/N: Favorite, comment and save to your library of best reads in the world, thank you for reading this far!
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