Chapter 5: I Am Spider-Man! Special Rewards!
"Alright, let's see where you are."
Ethan Lee floated up from the rooftop, his battle suit's built-in detection system and enhanced spider-sense quickly pinpointing the Vulture, who was in the middle of robbing a bank.
If he and Gwen weren't enhanced, the earlier battle between Kingpin and this guy would have crushed them both.
He wasn't about to let that slide. He'd settle accounts with Vulture and Kingpin—one at a time.
Following the sound of rushing wind, he swiftly arrived at the scene of the robbery.
But someone had gotten there before him.
Ghost-Spider.
Gwen.
Ethan saw her already engaged in battle with the Vulture.
Gwen was still new to the superhero life, and her inexperience showed. Her movements were cautious, her attacks restrained. Every time she shot her webbing, the Vulture's razor-sharp metal wings sliced through them with ease. Worse, she had to keep breaking away from the fight to protect bystanders.
She was stretched too thin.
And it was only a matter of time before she got hurt.
"Nosy little spider!"
The Vulture's metallic claws swiped at her, missing her arm by mere centimeters.
In that instant, a shadow dropped from above.
A powerful kick struck the Vulture midair, sending him crashing into the pavement with a loud thud. Sparks flew from the device on his suit, the impact causing it to short-circuit.
The crowd gasped.
The sheer force behind that kick was terrifying.
Ethan landed smoothly, his coat billowing behind him.
The knight's enhancements combined with the spider's abilities weren't just added together—they multiplied.
If he hadn't held back, the Vulture would be dead.
"Who is that?"
The bystanders, who had fled to a safe distance, murmured in confusion. They recognized Ghost-Spider, the rising hero, but who was this dark, shadowy figure dressed in an all-black Spider-Man suit?
Was he her partner?
No, clearly not.
Gwen, still catching her breath, was just as baffled.
"Who—?"
She hesitated before stepping forward. "Who are you?"
Her mind was racing with questions. This guy… looked like he was from the same series as her.
Had someone ripped off her whole aesthetic?
Ethan activated his voice modulator, his deep, altered voice ringing through the air.
"You can call me Spider-Man."
Just like that, he shamelessly claimed the title.
Gwen's eye twitched under her mask.
Excuse me?
Not only did this guy blatantly copy her look, but now he was stealing her name too?!
If he hadn't just saved her, she would've had a few choice words for him.
"You bastard!"
The Vulture groaned beneath Ethan's boot.
Ethan remained silent, simply applying more pressure.
The Vulture immediately got the message.
"Ahhh—!" He gasped. "I was wrong! I give up! Have mercy!"
Ethan glanced at Gwen. "I'm taking him."
He hooked his foot under the Vulture's body, flipped him up, and caught him effortlessly.
"Wait! Where are you taking him?" Gwen called out. "You should hand him over to the police!"
"I'm not a vigilante."
With that, Ethan shot a webline and disappeared into the night.
"Hey—!"
Gwen huffed, watching helplessly as he vanished. She had no chance of catching up now.
---
An empty rooftop.
Thud.
Ethan dropped the injured Vulture onto the cold concrete, crossing his arms.
"Where's Kingpin?"
The Vulture—Adrian Toomes—froze.
So that's what this guy was after?
His mind raced. Damn that Kingpin. He's the reason I'm in this mess.
"Answer me."
The cold voice cut through the silence.
Toomes hesitated. "Why are you looking for him?"
Ethan tilted his head slightly. "To teach him a lesson about littering."
What?
For a moment, the Vulture thought he had misheard.
Littering?!
Was this guy some kind of eco-warrior?
What was next? Was he going to start handing out recycling pamphlets?
Toomes had no idea that by "trash," Ethan meant him.
Finally, the Vulture sighed. "If I tell you… will you let me go?"
"My patience is running out."
Ethan cracked his knuckles.
"Alright, alright!" Toomes exhaled sharply. "You're a real hard-ass, you know that?"
He wiped some blood from his mouth. "Look, I've got a grudge against Kingpin too. I can take you to him—but I need time to recover first."
Ethan scoffed. "So you don't know where he is."
A chill ran down the Vulture's spine.
"No! I do! I do!" he blurted out. "I have a few locations. He moves around, but if you act fast, you might catch him."
Ethan committed the locations to memory.
Satisfied, he turned to leave.
Then suddenly—
A notification appeared in his mind.
---
Congratulations!
You have defeated Gwen Stacy's destined enemy. As her [Relationship], you may choose one of the following rewards:
1. Monetary Reward: $1,000,000
2. Random Reward: Captain America Collectible Figure
3. Servant Reward: Transform Adrian Toomes into an absolutely loyal subordinate.
---
That last option caught Ethan's attention.
He glanced back at the Vulture, who was still groaning in pain on the ground.
Turning him into a loyal servant, huh?
Interesting.