The Spider:AHero’s Awakening.

I thought balancing high school and being Spider-Man was tough. But adding Tony Stark's expectations and a bunch of psychotic supervillains to the mix? Yeah, I was officially in over my head.

The symbiote canister sat on a table in Stark's lab, its dark, swirling contents pulsating like a heartbeat. Watching it made my skin crawl.

"So," I said, breaking the tense silence. "We destroy it, right? Chuck it into the sun or something?"

Tony smirked, tapping away at his holo-screen. "Tempting, but no. We need to figure out what Osborn's planning first. You don't get rid of a weapon before you know who's holding the trigger."

I crossed my arms. "And what if the trigger is, I don't know, crazy corporate psycho with a glider?"

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Then we make sure he never gets his hands on it again."

Simple. Yeah, right.

That night, back on patrol…

The city felt different. Or maybe I was the one who had changed. Ever since that run-in with the Sinister Six, things didn't feel like just "friendly neighborhood Spider-Man" territory anymore.

I perched atop a water tower, scanning the streets below when Karen's voice chimed in.

"Peter, I'm detecting an anomaly in Hell's Kitchen. High levels of electromagnetic interference."

"Great. Just what I needed. Lead the way, Karen."

I swung across the city skyline, my body moving almost on autopilot. The whole time, my thoughts kept drifting to Osborn, the symbiote, and something Tony said earlier:

"You're not just a kid playing superhero anymore, Parker. This is war."

War.

Hell's Kitchen, 11:32 PM.

I landed silently on the rooftop of an old apartment building, peeking down into the alley below. My spider-sense tingled. Something was off.

And then I saw him.

Electro stood in the middle of the alley, his body crackling with barely contained energy. Sparks danced across his fingertips as he eyed a couple of terrified cops pinned behind their squad car.

"Come on out, boys!" Electro taunted, sending a bolt of electricity into the sky. "I'm in a good mood tonight!"

I sighed. "Guess it's time for the power company to step in."

I dropped down, landing behind him. "Hey Sparky, ever think about investing in solar?"

Electro whirled around, grinning. "Spider-Man. You never learn, do you?"

"To be fair, I was homeschooled," I shot back before dodging a blast of electricity.

The fight was on.

I flipped over his next attack, firing webbing at his hands, but he surged with power, frying my webs instantly. "Okay, that's new," I muttered, dodging again.

Karen chimed in, "Caution: enemy power levels are significantly higher than previous encounters."

"Not helping, Karen!"

I webbed a nearby fire hydrant, ripping it open and sending a jet of water toward Electro. The moment the water hit him, he screamed in pain, sparks flying.

"Water and electricity don't mix, huh?" I quipped.

Electro growled, sending a massive surge my way. My spider-sense flared and I barely avoided it, the explosion sending me flying into a brick wall.

"Okay, note to self: think of better one-liners."

Just when I thought things couldn't get worse, a deep voice echoed from the alleyway entrance.

"I expected more from you, Spider."

I groaned. "You've got to be kidding me."

Rhino lumbered forward, cracking his knuckles. "You've been a real pain in the ass lately, bug."

I pushed myself up, wiping the dust off my suit. "Yeah, I get that a lot."

Rhino charged, and I barely had time to web-zip out of the way before he smashed into a parked car, crumpling it like a tin can.

Two-on-one. Perfect.

I shot webs at Rhino's feet, sticking him to the pavement temporarily, then focused on Electro. "Hey, big guy, hold still!"

Electro fired another bolt, and I used it to my advantage—swinging the webbing connected to Rhino's feet like a tether, spinning him into Electro with a satisfying CRASH.

"Ever consider a tag-team career?" I asked.

But they were already recovering. I knew I couldn't win this alone. I had to get out of there.

"Karen, I need an escape route!"

"Nearest exit point: fire escape, 20 meters ahead."

I webbed onto it and pulled myself up, making my way to the rooftops as Rhino roared in frustration behind me.

Electro shot a bolt that missed me by inches. "RUN, Spider-Man! It won't help you!"

I didn't stop until I was halfway across the city.

Back at my apartment, I collapsed onto my bed, staring at the ceiling. My body ached, and my ribs felt like they'd been through a blender.

I could barely move, but I had to. Oscorp, the Sinister Six, the symbiote—everything was piling up, and it felt like I was barely treading water.

My phone buzzed. A text from MJ.

MJ: "You okay? You've been MIA lately."

I smiled faintly, replying:

Me: "I'm fine. Just busy."

A lie.

I sighed, rolling onto my side. "With great power… comes great responsibility," I muttered to myself.

Yeah. No kidding.

The next day, Stark Tower.

Tony paced the lab, looking at me like I'd just told him I failed math class. "You barely got out last night, Parker. What the hell were you thinking?"

"I had it under control!" I shot back.

He gave me a deadpan look. "Sure you did. That's why you ran home like a scared puppy."

I groaned. "I can handle it, Tony."

He leaned forward. "No, you can't. Not alone. You need backup, kid. Maybe it's time to call in reinforcements."

I frowned. "Like who?"

Tony smirked. "Ever hear of a guy named Daredevil?"

My eyes widened. "You know Daredevil?"

"I know everyone," he said smugly. "He operates in Hell's Kitchen. Might be a good idea to reach out."

I hesitated. I wasn't used to asking for help, but maybe Tony was right. Maybe it was time to stop being a solo act.

I nodded. "Alright… I'll find him."

Tony grinned. "That's the spirit. And Parker?"

"Yeah?"

"Try not to die."

As I swung through the city that night, searching for a certain Devil of Hell's Kitchen, I couldn't shake the feeling that things were spiraling out of control.

But hey—no pressure, right?

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