Chapter 23: CH-23. Not even Jesus can save Kingpin now!
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"Do you know what this is?"
"An alien creature, a symbiote."
"They eat people."
"When this little bug crawls up your nose and burrows into your brain, it slowly eats away your brain bit by bit."
"I think few people have experienced this feeling. Do you want to try it?"
The gangster was instantly frightened and wet himself in terror, "No, no, I don't want to!"
"Tell me, who sent you?" Jaxon demanded.
The gangster hesitated, too terrified to reveal the person behind the attack.
Jaxon grinned as the mask of the symbiote suit morphed into the appearance of Venom.
"I see."
"Besides me, there's someone else you're more afraid of."
"The underground king of this city, the root of all evil—Kingpin!" Seeing the monster in front of him, the gangster told everything in a breath.
The criminal's face paled in horror, "No! I didn't say anything!"
Jaxon was no longer interested in the thug. Now that he knew who was behind the attack, he knew exactly what to do.
Jaxon stood up, looking out into the night sky.
"It seems something needs to be done."
Jaxon originally had no intention of going after Kingpin, planning to leave him to Daredevil and other heroes.
But Kingpin dared to target Gwen, and Jaxon couldn't let that stand.
'I'll put the matter of dealing with Kingpin aside for now.' He thought.
Turning back to Gwen, Jaxon asked, "Are you okay?"
Gwen, full of excitement, tentatively asked, "Are you really…?"
Jaxon revealed his face, confirming his identity.
"Let someone deal with these guys. They were probably coming for your father. Tell him to be careful."
Gwen, suppressing her emotions, nodded, "I will."
Jaxon knew it wasn't the right time to meet Gwen's father yet, "I'll stick around and watch from nearby. When someone comes, I'll leave. Good night."
Gwen wanted to hold onto Jaxon, but knew that now wasn't the time, "Good night."
Jaxon observed from a high vantage point and left once George arrived at the scene.
After some trouble, Jaxon returned home.
As he ate dinner, his mind turned to why Kingpin had attacked Gwen.
"The only reason Kingpin would go after Gwen is because of George."
"But George hasn't provoked him… why target Gwen?"
Jaxon thought from Kingpin's perspective, speculating about his purpose.
Kingpin's main goal was always to protect his business and remain the king of the underworld. To achieve this, he expanded his influence, posed as a legitimate businessman, and won over many people in positions of power.
Through threats, bribery, and other means, Kingpin ensured his survival. And when necessary, he would destroy anyone who stood in his way.
"Maybe Kingpin targeted Gwen to control George."
Jaxon tapped his fingers on the table, contemplating how to handle Kingpin.
In a one-on-one fight, Kingpin couldn't match Spider-Man, let alone Jaxon with his symbiote powers.
But Kingpin's strength came from his wealth, his connections, and his control over the city.
Superheroes, restrained by their morals, wouldn't kill. But Kingpin had no such reservations and would go to any lengths to achieve his goals.
Even if he were imprisoned, the lack of a death penalty meant Kingpin could continue living comfortably, using his resources and connections to manipulate events from behind bars.
Jaxon recalled that in the comics, Kingpin controlled his empire from prison, and in the "Daredevil" series, even prison couldn't hold him. He manipulated the FBI and continued eliminating his enemies from the inside.
"Kingpin, you can't be left alone, or this will never end."
Jaxon knew he couldn't act recklessly.
"It seems I'll have to ask Tony for help. If all else fails, let Tony build a special prison."
Jaxon's eyes turned cold, "Kingpin, I didn't care about you before."
"But you're asking for death. So don't blame me."
"You're done. Not even Jesus can save you now."
"But I'll wait until Gwen gains her powers and let her have a go at you first."
After dinner, Jaxon continued his own work.
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Meanwhile, Gwen followed George as they dealt with the gangsters.
The criminals, full of resentment, claimed they wanted revenge on George but refused to reveal who had hired them.
While Gwen ate dinner with her family, she shared her encounter with the "Black Spiderman."
But George, who had little fondness for masked vigilantes, got into an argument with Gwen over it.
Upset, Gwen lost her appetite and retreated to her room, claiming she was too shaken to eat.
But her thoughts were elsewhere. Her heart raced as she recalled how Jaxon had saved her.
"It was really him… He saved me."
Picking up her phone, Gwen hesitated for a moment before deciding to contact Jaxon.
As she was about to dial his number, she felt a sudden wave of nervousness, unsure of what to say.
After rehearsing for a bit, Gwen finally mustered up the courage and called.
"Hey, Jaxon."
"Gwen, what's up?"
"I just wanted to say thank you. If it weren't for you, I would've been taken by those guys."
Jaxon could hear the nervousness in her voice and teased her, "Gwen, is that all you wanted to say?"
"Ah? I…"
Before Gwen could come up with an excuse, Jaxon cut in, "Gwen, I like you. Be my girlfriend."
Gwen couldn't stay calm after Jaxon's sudden confession.
The last time, in the coffee shop, she had been able to keep her composure when Jaxon had been honest with her.
Back then, her feelings for him had been mild, just a crush.
But now, Gwen had fallen for Jaxon, and his sudden confession caught her off guard.
"I…"
Just as she was about to respond, there was a knock on the door.
"Gwen, can I come in?"
Hearing her mother's voice, Gwen panicked like a girl caught secretly talking to her boyfriend on the phone, "Mom's here. I'll call you back."
Jaxon smiled but was disappointed that he didn't get an answer. He'd been interrupted by Gwen's mother.
After hanging up, Gwen opened the door, inviting her mother, Helen, into the room.
"Gwen, I know you were frightened. I just wanted to check—are you really okay?"
"I'm fine, Mom. Black Spiderman showed up in time, so I wasn't hurt. I'm just worried about Dad. Those people must've been after him."
"It's okay, trust your dad. He has a lot of experience and knows how to handle things."
"Yeah."
"And about Black Spiderman… you know your father's feelings on vigilantes. Don't be upset if he doesn't like him."
"I'm not mad, but I believe that Black Spiderman is a good person. He's just trying to help, just like Dad is. But Dad can't see that."
Helen smiled, comforting her daughter, "Maybe he just needs some time to understand. Your father's a good man too."
"Yeah."
Helen continued, "Gwen, you didn't eat much. Want me to get you some bread and milk?"
"No, thanks, Mom."
"Alright. But let's chat a bit more… about that phone call just now." Helen said with a smile?
Gwen blushed, her shyness giving her away. Helen, ever the experienced mother, could immediately tell what was going on.
Gwen was in love.
"I'm not prying into your private life, and I don't object to you dating."
"But it'd be nice if you could bring him home one day. Have dinner with us, let your father and I meet him."
Gwen nodded, "I'll talk to him about it."
"Take your time, and let me know when. I'll make a nice dinner."
"Thanks, Mom."
"Can you tell me more about him?"
Gwen's earlier shyness faded as she began to open up.
"Jaxon's from the East, very handsome, and a good student."
"He also knows martial arts. He even beat up Flash, the school bully."
"…"
Gwen went on and on, praising Jaxon, and Helen couldn't help but smile as she listened to her daughter.
"He sounds like a great guy. I trust your judgment and can't wait to meet him."
"Thanks, Mom."
After a bit more mother-daughter bonding, Helen left Gwen's room, satisfied that her daughter was feeling better.
Once she was alone again, Gwen picked up her phone, debating what to do next.
"Should I call Jaxon and give him my answer?"
"Or should I tell him in person?"
"Who confesses their feelings over the phone?"
"It's getting late… Do you think Jaxon's gone to bed yet?"
"Never mind, I'll just wash up and get some sleep."