Lucas looked surprised.
Gwen stared at his expression in silence.
Then she sighed.
"That's terrible acting."
Lucas shrugged.
"Sorry. I'm not a professional."
Gwen had already been standing outside the gym.
In fact, she arrived just as Peter was about to reveal something to Lucas. When she heard the strange sounds coming from inside, she stopped before entering.
She had assumed the two boys wouldn't notice.
But Lucas's senses were far sharper than normal.
Since awakening his Cosmo, his control over the five senses had improved dramatically. If he wanted, he could hear far more than ordinary people.
Gwen's footsteps were obvious.
Even the sound of a leaf falling behind the gym wouldn't escape him.
Peter was the same.
His spider-sense made him incredibly aware of his surroundings.
Although Peter had only recently changed and hadn't fully adapted yet, Lucas's earlier punch had shocked him enough to sharpen his attention.
After Lucas signaled him with a glance, Peter quickly realized someone was outside and caught Gwen's breathing near the door.
So both of them had immediately stopped talking.
That was another reason Lucas preferred this version of Spider-Man.
Other versions tended to talk too much.
Lucas wasn't interested in judging them.
But if it had been a more talkative Spider-Man?
Lucas was certain the guy would have completely missed the hint and kept rambling.
Probably non-stop.
Lucas was still thinking about that when Peter stepped out of the gym behind him.
Peter looked at Gwen with a surprised expression.
"Gwen? You're still here?"
Gwen couldn't hold back anymore.
"Peter," she said dryly, "your acting is even worse than Lucas's."
Peter froze.
"Uh… haha… yeah…"
He scratched his head awkwardly, laughed nervously, then quickly said goodbye to Lucas and headed toward the school gate.
Lucas also started to leave.
He had work the next morning at Oscorp and planned to go to bed early.
But Gwen stepped in front of him.
"You're acting strange, Lucas."
Lucas blinked.
"Huh?"
Gwen frowned slightly as she studied him.
"When did you and Peter become so friendly?" she asked. "I've never seen you two talk before."
Actually, Gwen had rarely seen Lucas talk with anyone.
When other students approached him, he usually answered with a few short sentences before returning to whatever he was doing.
He kept to himself.
Even when girls had asked him to the dance in the past…
Well.
Among the girls at school, Lucas had a reputation.
"Him?"
"He's like an iceberg."
"No—an ancient iceberg."
Gwen herself wasn't immune to that feeling.
Sometimes when she spoke with Lucas, she sensed a subtle resistance in him—as if conversation itself required effort.
But today felt different.
That invisible barrier seemed to be gone.
Gwen found that… intriguing.
Lucas listened to her complaint and answered casually.
"Peter and I aren't close. He came to thank me."
"For what?"
"The day Flash cornered him in the locker room. I happened to be there."
Gwen went quiet again.
After a moment, she looked directly into Lucas's eyes and smiled.
"If you don't want to explain, you don't have to," she said. "But you don't need to lie."
Lucas thought about it.
Then he nodded.
"Fair enough."
"I don't want to explain."
Gwen raised an eyebrow.
"I'll figure it out myself."
"That's fine."
Lucas prepared to leave, but before walking away he paused.
Then he added casually,
"You can investigate all you want. Just don't get too involved."
Gwen tilted her head.
"Why?"
Lucas smiled faintly.
"I've heard that when a woman becomes curious about a man…"
"…that's usually how it starts."
Gwen confirmed her suspicion.
The subtle resistance Lucas used to show toward her was definitely gone.
Still, she scoffed.
"I doubt I'd fall for someone who clearly thinks calling me his friend is a stretch."
She remembered the day she drove him home.
When she said they were friends, Lucas had looked… reluctant.
Although, thinking back now—
Even then, that resistance had already started fading.
Gwen's thoughts lingered on that moment.
Lucas didn't argue.
He simply shrugged and started down the stairs.
"See you, Gwen."
Gwen called after him.
"I'll uncover your secret eventually!"
Lucas didn't turn around.
He simply waved his hand.
"Good luck."
He didn't take her threat seriously.
And the comment about curiosity leading to romance?
That had just been a joke.
Still…
As Lucas sat in the back seat of the school bus heading toward his new apartment, he stared out the window and thought about it.
Before awakening his Cosmo, love had been a luxury.
A luxury far outside his reach.
But now?
Things were different.
There was an old saying.
Money gives a man courage.
Lucas didn't have money.
But he had fists.
And in this world—
Power meant influence.
Influence meant wealth.
Which meant strength could replace money.
In other words…
Things had changed.
The Lucas of today might actually have the right to think about love.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, an image appeared in his memory.
Gwen.
Looking directly at him earlier.
Lucas's heart skipped a beat.
"…Wait."
He shook his head quickly and forced the thought away.
One of life's classic illusions had almost caught him.
He wasn't Peter Parker.
Peter might mistake a single smile from Mary Jane as proof she liked him.
Lucas wouldn't fall into that trap.
Better to focus on more important things.
Tomorrow was his first day working at Oscorp Industries.
And soon he would discover whether the material he needed—
Gammanium
—was connected to Dr. Connors' research.
If it was…
That would solve a major problem.
Because once Gammanium was confirmed, Lucas already knew his next destination.
Wakanda.
If Wakanda willingly provided the Vibranium he needed, then everything would remain peaceful.
But if they refused—
Or worse, tried to stop him—
Lucas had a simple response.
He wasn't good with words.
But he was very good with his fists.