"What?!" "A bank robbery? For real?" "Let's go, move it!"
The news hit the cafeteria like a grenade. It was as if someone had announced a fight behind the school gates; the students' collective hunger for drama was instantly ignited.
Abandoning their trays without a second thought, a massive swarm of teenagers surged toward the school exit.
Gwen's eyes lit up instantly. A bank robbery! This was big news! More importantly, it was the perfect opportunity for "Ghost-Spider" to finally make a name for herself.
She stood up abruptly, barely managing a hurried "I'm gonna go check it out too" to Peter before disappearing into the crowd.
Watching her retreating back, Peter shook his head. Still too green. In a crowd that size, being the only person pushing through the throng in the opposite direction—toward the gym or a bathroom to change—was a massive red flag.
Anyone paying attention would realize something was up.
Muttering a critique under his breath, Peter leisurely finished the last half of his sandwich before standing up with practiced elegance.
He wasn't about to miss the fun. Besides, the new suit in his bag was overdue for its "debut."
He slipped into a deserted utility closet and swapped his civilian clothes for the black-and-red tactical suit.
The compression material perfectly traced his explosive, streamlined musculature, the black fabric accented by blood-red patterns that gave off a sharp, dangerous aesthetic.
Once geared up, Peter didn't hesitate; he shoved open the window and dropped from the second floor.
The only downside was the lack of web-shooters. He couldn't swing through the skyline like Gwen; he had to run along rooftops and scale walls the old-fashioned way.
I need to redeem some speed items or a movement technique next month, he thought as he leaped over an alleyway. Or maybe I just hijack the Green Goblin's glider. A superhero shouldn't have to commute on foot—it's bad for the brand.
Outside Midtown High, the streets were already in chaos. At the entrance of the Manhattan Bank, a man in a quilted yellow-and-red bodysuit, sporting massive metallic gauntlets, was busy laying waste to the bank's security.
Peter, having quietly scaled a nearby building, tilted his head as he recognized the figure. A name surfaced: Herman Schultz, a.k.a. Shocker.
Schultz was a perennial Spider-Man foe—a guy who used vibration-blast gauntlets to rob banks with stubborn persistence, only to be foiled time and again.
VROOOOM—!
Just as Peter identified him, Shocker raised his hands toward a group of armed guards. An invisible wave of concussive force erupted.
The guards were sent flying, coughing up blood as their weapons clattered uselessly across the pavement.
"Stay back, all of you! Just cooperate, and I promise you won't get hurt!" Shocker barked, swaggering through the crowd. He slammed a duffel bag onto the counter. "Fill it up. Don't get cute, or you know what happens next!"
The bank teller, well-versed in the "Standard American Robbery Protocol," nodded frantically and began stuffing cash into the bag.
Shocker leaned casually against the counter, admiring his gauntlets with narcissistic glee.
Thwip—!
The wind whistled behind him. Gwen, swinging in on a strand of webbing, performed a graceful, ballerina-like landing. Shocker blinked, looking her up and down before grumbling irritably:
"Hey, pal! Can't you see I'm busy here? Ever heard of first-come, first-served? Go find your own bank!"
Gwen: "???"
Did he just... mistake me for a fellow robber?
Underneath the mask, Gwen's face flushed bright red. This was insulting! She, the rising star of the superhero world, was being treated like a common thief?
I really need to work on a catchphrase or an intro, she noted internally. At least something that makes it clear I'm the 'good guy'.
Recording this "Superhero Rule" for later, Gwen let out a cold snort and fired a web line, snagging Shocker's ankle. With a sharp tug, the unsuspecting villain was yanked off his feet.
"Hey! Big guy! The circus is over!"
Gwen lowered her voice to sound more intimidating, but it didn't help much. Shocker, enraged by the fall, thumbed a dial on his gauntlet to increase the frequency. He whirled around and unleashed a massive shockwave.
Gwen felt her Spider-Sense scream a warning. But due to her lack of combat experience and the invisible nature of the blast, she failed to react in time.
The wave slammed into her, sending her hurtling into the bank's marble wall with a sickening crack.
If she hadn't been genetically enhanced, she would have spent the rest of her life in a wheelchair. But as it was...
"Ow... my back..." she groaned. A second later, she sprang back to her feet. "When you're at the police station, you'd better tell them where you bought those toys!"
"Bought?!" Shocker shrieked like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "I built these! They are the culmination of my life's work!"
Offended by the suggestion that he was a mere consumer, Shocker unleashed a barrage of blasts. Gwen's Spider-Sense was firing non-stop, but she was still a rookie.
Taking down muggers was one thing; Shocker, while not top-tier, was a genuine supervillain.
She spent several minutes flipping, jumping, and swinging wildly. Eventually, her lack of coordination and her hesitation to fully trust her "tingle" led to a mistake.
She was caught mid-air by a vibration blast, slammed into a ceiling rafter, and began plummeting toward the floor.
Swoosh—!
Just as Gwen prepared for a hard impact, a black-and-red blur intercepted her. She felt herself caught in a precise, firm bridal carry.
It was Peter.
Looking down at the startled girl in his arms, Peter pitched his voice low and teased:
"For a superhero, you're... kind of a disaster, aren't you?"
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