[Marvel : Spoiling Spider-man] Chapter 276 - 280

Chapter 276: Training Wheels Protocol

"Haha! I bet Flash wanted to strangle Third-Gen Peter Parker right then and there!" Otto chuckled, watching Flash's reaction.

Rose smirked. "Well, if someone showed up at the last second and took my spot, I'd be pissed too."

First-Gen Spider-Man laughed. "Looks like Third-Gen Peter has some solid grades. The teacher immediately bumped Flash down to a substitute."

"Your grades were excellent too," Otto remarked, glancing at First-Gen Spider-Man. "Even after becoming Spider-Man, you always made sure to keep up with your studies."

"Thanks," First-Gen Spider-Man said with a smile. Gwen, beside him, squeezed his arm affectionately.

["Alright, everyone, listen up! Our next topic is the satellites of Jupiter," Liz announced, leading the practice quiz session on the bus.]

[Before she could finish, a girl rang her buzzer. "The Second Law of Thermodynamics!"]

["Frank Sinatra!" Flash blurted out as he hit his buzzer.]

[A classmate behind him immediately shot him down. "Flash, you're wrong!"]

[Seeing no correct answers, Liz sighed. "Okay, focus, guys. Next question!"]

[The teacher chuckled. "Liz, don’t fry their brains before the competition."]

[Peter pressed his buzzer. "Uh… strontium, barium, vibranium?"]

[Liz smiled. "Good job, Peter. Glad to have you back."]

["Glad to be back," Spider-Man responded with a grin.]

[Just then, his phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen—Happy was calling.]

[Before Liz could ask the next question, Peter raised a hand. "Uh, can I take this? I'll be right back!"]

["Yeah, sure," Liz nodded.]

[Peter stepped aside and answered. "Hello?"]

[On the other end, Happy sounded as exasperated as ever. "Hey, kid. My tracker just flagged an alert—have you left New York?"]

[Peter's eyes widened. "Tracker?"]

["Yeah. What’s going on?"]

["Oh, uh... it’s just a school trip! Nothing serious!" Peter said quickly, moving to sit next to Ned, who was still fixated on their own tracker.]

[Peter sighed. "Listen, Happy, you tracking me without permission is a complete invasion of privacy!"]

[Ned pointed at their laptop, raising an eyebrow. Peter leaned in and whispered, "That's different!"]

["How is that different?" Happy asked, clearly suspicious.]

["Ah—nothing! Look, it’s just an academic decathlon, okay? No big deal!"]

["I will decide if it's a big deal or not," Happy shot back.]

[Peter spread his hands helplessly. "Seriously, it's just a field trip!"]

[Happy considered it for a moment before sighing. "Fine. Doesn’t sound like a big deal. But remember, kid—I’m watching you."]

"Oh, man... Tony, this is messed up," Banner said, shaking his head. "You really shouldn't be tracking the kid like that."

He knew all too well what it felt like to be hunted. He had spent years running from the military, hiding in different countries, even going as far as Brazil. No matter where he went, they always found him.

It wasn't until the Sky Curtain revealed his existence and he ended up at Stark Tower that he finally felt safe. Even when he worked with S.H.I.E.L.D., he had always felt uneasy, constantly being monitored.

Now, watching Peter Parker get tracked like this, he couldn't help but sympathize.

Tony leaned back, arms crossed. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. It's not ideal. But let’s be real—if I didn’t have that tracker on him, the kid would've drowned in the Hudson by now."

Banner sighed. "I get the reasoning, but still… there’s gotta be a better way than invading his privacy like this."

Tony shrugged. "Sometimes, protecting people means making tough choices. The kid’s reckless. This way, at least I can keep an eye on him."

Banner didn't argue further. He knew Stark had a point. There were pros and cons to everything.

[Soon, the bus arrived in Washington, D.C., stopping at a grand hotel hosting the Academic Decathlon. Students from elite schools all over the country were checking in.]

["Everyone, stay together," Liz instructed, walking ahead with the teacher.]

["Are you kidding me? This place is huge!" one of the students exclaimed in awe.]

[Flash scoffed. "Pfft. I’ve seen bigger."]

[Peter, however, had other concerns. He nudged Ned. "Hey, you brought your laptop, right?"]

["Yeah? Why?"]

[Peter didn’t answer, already forming a plan.]

[In their hotel room, Peter dumped out his backpack, plugged a data cable into the inside of his suit, and got to work.]

["Peter," Ned asked hesitantly, "why exactly are we removing the tracker from your suit?"]

[Peter hesitated, flashlight in hand. "Uh... because I need to follow these guys before they do something crazy. If I wait for Stark to step in, it'll be too late!"]

[He avoided eye contact. "...And I don’t really want Mr. Stark knowing about this."]

["So... you're lying to Iron Man now?" Ned raised an eyebrow.]

[Peter scowled. "No! I’m not lying! He just doesn’t understand what I’m capable of yet!"]

[Soon, he found the tracker hidden in his suit and carefully removed it. "Boom! Done!"]

["Alright, Happy. Have fun tracking this lamp!" Peter smirked, sticking the tracker onto a nearby desk lamp.]

[Ned, meanwhile, was staring at the laptop screen. "Uh… Peter? There are a ton of locked subsystems in here."]

["What?" Peter peered over his shoulder.]

["They’re all blocked under something called the ‘Training Wheels Protocol.’"]

["Training what?!"]

[Ned shrugged. "Looks like Stark put limits on your suit."]

[Peter’s eyes widened. "Turn it off!"]

[Ned frowned. "I don’t think that’s a good idea. I mean… they’re blocked for a reason."]

["Come on, dude! I don’t need training wheels!" Peter huffed, annoyed. Tony was always treating him like a kid!]

[He flopped onto the bed in frustration. "I’m tired of him babying me all the time. Not cool, man. Not cool."]

[Ned raised an eyebrow. "Uh… Peter? You are a kid."]

[Peter spread his hands. "Yeah! But I’m a kid who can stop a bus with his bare hands!"]

[Ned hesitated. "Still… this feels kinda illegal. What if hacking this is, like, super against the law?"]

[Peter just grinned. "Well… guess there’s only one way to find out!"]

Chapter 277: AI

["Please! Please! This is my chance to prove myself! I can handle him! Ned! Please!" Spider-Man begged, desperation evident in his voice.]

[Ned hesitated. "I really don't think this is a good idea..."]

[Spider-Man looked at him expectantly. "Come on, the man in the chair!"]

["Don’t do that!" Despite his reluctance, Ned couldn't resist the temptation.]

["Come on!" Spider-Man urged in a pleading tone.]

[Ned let out a sigh before finally giving in, disabling the training wheels protocol. The suit’s interface flashed twice, confirming the update.]

"Oh, Tony, this is just ridiculous! a kid can disable your restrictions!" Rhodey scoffed, unimpressed with how easily the lockout was bypassed.

Tony rolled his eyes, feeling a twinge of embarrassment. He hadn’t expected the Spider-Suit’s security to be so flimsy. His future self must have thought he had locked it down better than this.

"What the hell was I thinking?" he muttered to himself, baffled.

"This Ned kid is a genius," Banner commented. It was impressive that a teenager—just fourteen or fifteen years old—had managed to crack Stark's restrictions so easily.

"But honestly, they’re pretty reckless. They lifted the restrictions without telling you. Shouldn't you have noticed something like this, Tony?"

Banner frowned, perplexed at how a tech genius like Tony could let this slip past him.

Tony shrugged. "Maybe my future self figured the kid would eventually learn enough to take them off anyway. Sort of like taking off the training wheels for real?"

[With the suit fully operational, Spider-Man covered it with his jacket, pulled up his hood, and prepared to track down Herman and his crew.]

[He peeked outside to ensure no one was watching before turning back to Ned. "That glowing thing is evidence. Keep it safe, okay?"]

["Okay, okay!" Ned quickly grabbed the Chitauri energy core beside him, nodding in agreement.]

[At that moment, Spider-Man’s HUD pinged, showing movement. "They're on the move!"]

["Be careful!" Ned warned.]

[As Spider-Man closed the door behind him, ready to leave, he suddenly saw Liz approaching in a swimsuit. "Hey! Liz!"]

[Liz smiled upon seeing him. "Perfect timing! We're going swimming! Come on!"]

[Behind her, other students approached. "Hey, Peter!"]

[Flash ran up and playfully smacked Spider-Man on the back, startling him. "Hey!"]

["I—uh—I'm going to the business center to study!" Spider-Man blurted out the first excuse he could think of.]

[Liz raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Peter, you don’t need to study. You’re probably the smartest person I’ve ever met. Besides, organizing a little rebellious group activity the night before a competition boosts morale!"]

["Huh?" Spider-Man blinked in confusion.]

["I saw it in a TED Talk. Or, uh... I think I read it in a book," Liz explained awkwardly, forcing a small smile.]

["Is this really that important to you?" Spider-Man asked, hesitating.]

["Yeah! It's about our future! I can’t mess this up!" Liz nodded firmly.]

[Then she grinned. "Plus, we raided the mini-fridge, and those candies cost like eleven bucks. So put on your swim trunks and let’s go!"]

[She tossed him a piece of candy. "Come on!"]

[As the other students called for her, Liz laughed and ran off to join them. "Coming! Coming!"]

[Meanwhile, Spider-Man, now suited up, stood atop the hotel roof, watching them. Despite the temptation to join in, he forced himself to turn away, leaving the hotel with renewed determination.]

"They really are just kids in their rebellious phase," the first-generation Uncle Ben remarked, shaking his head.

It was clear that Peter—this young Spider-Man—was desperate to prove himself to Tony Stark, even at the cost of breaking rules. It was something every teenager went through, but when superpowers were involved, the consequences could be much greater.

Aunt May sighed, nodding. "Kids always have to go through this. It doesn’t matter how much you warn them. Sometimes, they just have to learn the hard way."

"Yeah, just like our Peter," Uncle Ben said, a somber look crossing his face. He recalled his own Peter’s regret after his death and could only hope this young Spider-Man wouldn’t have to experience the same pain.

[Spider-Man tightened the straps of his backpack, ensuring it wouldn't fall off. Then, he pulled his mask over his face.]

[A soft female voice suddenly echoed in his ear, "Good evening, Peter."]

[Startled, Spider-Man looked around. "Hello? Hello?"]

["Congratulations! You have successfully bypassed the strict training wheel protocol and now have full access to all suit functions!" the voice—Female AI—announced cheerfully.]

["Oh! Uh... thanks!" Spider-Man stammered, feeling a little guilty.]

["So," AI continued, "where are we going tonight?"]

["I put a tracker on someone. He’s a bad guy!" Spider-Man quickly explained, eager to get back on task.]

[AI immediately activated the tracking system. "Generating route to intercept target."]

[A set of directions appeared in Spider-Man’s HUD. "Okay! As long as I get back before the competition, it’s all good!"]

[With that, he fired a web onto a passing truck and hitched a ride.]

Peter Parker grinned as he pointed at the screen. "Whoa! My suit has built-in AI! That’s so cool!"

"That’s not cool, Peter," a girl from his class interjected, frowning. "You didn’t pass the protocols. You just cheated and removed the restrictions."

"Oh..." Peter's excitement dimmed as he lowered his gaze, feeling a bit guilty.

After a pause, he looked back up at her. "I promise I won’t do it again. I’ll study hard and pass the protocols properly next time!"

"That would be for the best," the girl said, turning her attention back to the lesson.

Around them, other students—who had been eavesdropping—also shifted back to focus on the screen, eager to see what would happen next.

Chapter 278: Planting Spider Silk

["Target is one hundred meters away and approaching," AI reminded. "Jump down now!"]

[Without hesitation, Spider-Man leaped from his vantage point, landing in the grass beside the road.]

["Three hostiles detected," AI continued.]

[Spider-Man squinted toward Herman and the others. "Why is their secret hideout a gas station? That's so lame."]

[He perched himself on a road sign and asked, "Hey, lady in the suit, what are they up to?"]

["Would you like to listen in on their conversation?" AI’s voice chimed in.]

["Wait... I can hear what they're saying? Uh… yeah!"] He was still unfamiliar with the suit’s advanced functions, having never completed the training wheels protocol.

["Activating enhanced reconnaissance mode."]

[As AI's voice fell, the conversation between Mason, Herman, and the others came through clearly.]

["I got this glove from the Lagos cleanup! The rest? All designed by me!"]

[Three humanoid heat signatures lit up in his mask’s interface.]

["Whoa! That's so cool!" Spider-Man whispered in awe.]

["I can't believe they're still cleaning up wreckage from the Delta Wing building!"]

["I like it!"]

["They keep making a mess, and we keep making money."]

"What? Wait—did they just say the wreckage of the Delta Wing building?"

Nick Fury's eyes narrowed. That name was all too familiar.

Beside him, Maria Hill's expression stiffened in disbelief. The Delta Wing building was no ordinary structure—it was S.H.I.E.L.D.'s headquarters. If it was destroyed, it meant something catastrophic had happened.

Pierce’s eyes darkened, his fingers steepled together. The Delta Wing was Hydra's most critical infiltration point. If it had been reduced to rubble… then Hydra itself had taken a major hit.

"What the hell happened?" Pierce muttered, but as always, the information was drip-fed to them like toothpaste being squeezed out bit by bit. They were left grasping at half-truths.

The room of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents exchanged uneasy glances. Whatever had happened in the future, it wasn’t good.

[Back at the gas station, Herman suddenly said, "The target is entering the country!"]

["Whoa! They're about to pull off a robbery! I can catch them in the act! This is perfect!" Spider-Man whispered excitedly. "Okay, I’m getting closer so I can see what’s going on!"]

["Would you like me to switch to enhanced combat mode?"] AI asked.

["Enhanced combat mode? Yeah, sure!"] Spider-Man agreed eagerly.

["Activating 'Instant Kill' mode."]

[As soon as AI spoke, the white lenses of Spider-Man’s mask shrunk into sharp, glowing red slits. The eerie crimson gleam pulsed with intensity, as if igniting his fighting spirit.]

["NONONONONONO! I don't want to kill anyone!"] Spider-Man panicked.

["Canceling 'Instant Kill' mode."]

[The mask's eyes returned to their normal white color.]

[Spider-Man exhaled in relief, standing atop the road sign. As he prepared to swing forward, he instinctively pressed his web-shooter—only for a strange projectile to fire out, striking a gas pump with a loud thwack!]

[Before he could react, gravity took hold, and he plummeted straight to the ground.]

["Ohhhhhh!!!" he groaned in pain.]

[Herman snapped his head up. "Did you hear that?"]

[Spider-Man scrambled to his feet, dazed. "What the hell just happened? What was that?"]

["You jumped off the signpost and landed on your face," AI replied matter-of-factly.]

[Frustrated, Spider-Man fired his web-shooter again. This time, a barrage of web bullets shot out, splattering all over the gas station sign.]

["Ms. Battlesuit, what’s wrong with my web-shooters?! he hissed, ducking behind a tanker.]

["Rapid-fire is the default setting in enhanced combat mode."]

["Why would I even need to shoot that fast?!"he complained. His lack of proper training was coming back to haunt him. He had no idea what half of the suit’s features even did.]

["Would you like to see more web-shooting options? You have 576 possible combinations."]

[Spider-Man gawked at his web-shooter. "Mr. Stark really went overboard. This is ridiculous!"]

"Whoa! Did you see that? His mask changed!"

The second-generation Peter Parker’s eyes widened in amazement. Not only did this suit have artificial intelligence, but it also had a whole arsenal of hidden features. He had been impressed by the micro spider tracker before, but now that he was seeing the suit in its full glory, he couldn’t help but be a little jealous.

The enhanced reconnaissance mode allowed him to eavesdrop on conversations, and the combat mode—despite its extreme setting—was clearly built for high-intensity fights. Even his web-shooters had an insane number of functionalities!

"If I had that suit back in my day…" Peter trailed off, envious. He and Gwen had spent so much time developing his own webbing, but this? This was beyond anything they had dreamed of.

In the background, the first-generation Harry Osborn smirked and turned to his staff. "Record all the functions of that third-generation suit. When we develop the next-gen Spider-Suit, I want all of these features integrated. Peter's going to love this surprise."

[Back at the gas station, Herman turned to his team. "Wait here."]

["Hold up! Turn on the shock absorbers first! That thing will rip your arm off if you don’t!" Mason warned.]

["Alright, alright! Where's the shock absorber?"] Herman grumbled but ultimately complied. After all, Mason was the one who built the gear in the first place.

Chapter 279: Vulture’s Action

[As Spider-Man scrolled through the web-shooter options, he randomly selected a type of webbing. AI’s voice chimed in, "You have good taste!"]

[She then asked, "Would you like me to make this your new default setting?"]

[Spider-Man didn’t respond immediately. He wanted to test if this was the webbing he usually used. However, as soon as he fired, the web shot out and latched onto the gas station—sparking with electricity.]

[The gas station sign flickered wildly, and Spider-Man panicked. "NONONONONO!"]

[Meanwhile, Herman and Mason remained focused on the robotic arm, oblivious to what was happening behind them. Mason instructed, "Push it in."]

["Here?" Herman hesitated, eyeing a button on the robotic arm.]

["NO! The other one!" Mason corrected immediately.]

["This one?" Herman pointed to another button.]

["Yeah! Push it!" Mason nodded.]

[The two were so engrossed in their task that they failed to notice Spider-Man lurking nearby.]

[Realizing he hadn't been spotted, Spider-Man quickly cut his webbing and darted into the gas station, whispering to himself, "What was that?"]

["Electric shock web," AI answered casually.]

["Electric web? I don’t want electric web!" Spider-Man groaned. With so many options, he couldn’t even remember which type of webbing he normally used.]

[AI, sensing his confusion, asked, "You don't seem very familiar with your web-shooter settings. Would you like a refresher course?"]

["NO! Just—uh—you pick!" Spider-Man quickly decided.]

["Of course!" AI responded, immediately setting up the default webbing for him.]

"Hah! Of course I wouldn’t be familiar with something I unlocked by cheating!" Spider-Man’s confused reaction made some of the spectators chuckle.

"Yeah, and AI didn’t even question it!" Second-generation Gwen smirked. "What kind of AI doesn’t recognize when someone bypasses security measures?"

"She’s an artificial intelligence, not a detective," 2nd Gen Spider-Man defended AI. "As far as she knows, I—I mean, the other me—unlocked the training wheels protocol fair and square."

"It just proves that too many options can be a problem," Banner observed, tilting his head. Seeing Spider-Man struggle with something as simple as picking his usual webbing was almost comical.

"Well, isn’t the point having options when you need them?" Tony countered. "Look at that rapid-fire mode. That would’ve come in handy during fights with Doc Ock or Sandman!"

In his eyes, Spider-Man’s suit should always evolve. The kid couldn’t rely on natural webbing like the first-generation Spider-Man, nor did he have the sheer physical resilience to tank hits.

If he wasn’t as naturally strong, then he needed better tech.

And Tony Stark’s philosophy? Never let equipment stagnate. Always improve, always adapt.

[Meanwhile, Herman and his crew reached their target. A truck driver reported to dispatch that he was on schedule.]

[Using his night-vision telescope, Herman spotted three approaching trucks. "I see them! Move in! Move in!"]

[Vulture received the signal and swooped down from the sky, pursuing the convoy.]

[Through his infrared vision, Spider-Man spotted him. "Oh! That's him!"]

["I see the convoy," AI confirmed. "Stay behind the last truck and get closer."]

[Vulture soared above the rear truck and deployed two mechanical clamps, attaching them to stabilize his flight at the same speed as the vehicle. Then, he tossed out a quantum energy cube—the same one Mason had shown earlier.]

[A massive purple space portal materialized above the truck’s cargo hold. "Drop!" Vulture leapt straight into the portal, disappearing inside the truck. The driver remained completely unaware of the intrusion.]

[Mason’s voice came through the comms. "No distress signal detected. You're clear."]

[Inside the cargo hold, Vulture slowly straightened up, surveying the loot. "Well, well, looks like they’ve got some good stuff here."]

[He yanked an iron cage aside and began stashing valuable tech into his backpack.]

[Above him, Spider-Man crouched silently, staring at the glowing purple portal. He reached out hesitantly, whispering, "Whoa… cool! It's like a matter phaser or something!"]

[Before he could study it further, he noticed Vulture filling his backpack and preparing to leave. Quickly, he ducked behind the portal, staying out of sight.]

[Unaware of the intruder, Vulture signaled through his comms. "Alright, I’m heading back up."]

[He leapt back onto the roof of the truck, intending to retrieve the cube. But just as he reached for it—thwip!]

[A strand of webbing snatched his backpack away.]

["Hey! Big bird! That’s not yours!" Spider-Man taunted from above.]

[Vulture turned, his glowing green eyes narrowing with fury. Spider-Man instantly regretted provoking him. "Oh… God."]

[Without a word, Vulture pushed off, unfolding his wings and launching at Spider-Man with terrifying speed.]

[Spider-Man reacted just in time, flipping sideways to evade. Mid-air, he fired another web—only to realize too late that the shot split into two strands, veering off in different directions.]

["Ms. Battlesuit! What the hell?!" Spider-Man shouted in confusion.]

["You asked me to choose," AI replied calmly.]

[Spider-Man was too stunned to argue.]

[Vulture, meanwhile, wasn’t waiting around. He surged forward again. Spider-Man barely managed to dodge, landing precariously on the edge of the truck. His arms flailed as he struggled to maintain balance. "Whoa—wait! No! Restore everything to normal mode!"]

[Vulture saw his opening. With a powerful tug, he wrenched the backpack from Spider-Man’s grip.]

["Activate all systems!" Vulture commanded his suit.]

[Realizing that Spider-Man wasn’t letting go, Vulture lashed out with a brutal kick. The impact sent the young hero stumbling backward—straight into the purple portal.]

[Spider-Man yelped as he tumbled into the cargo hold, the backpack falling in with him. In the chaos, the quantum cube—previously affixed to the ceiling—dislodged and clattered to the ground.]

[By the time Spider-Man regained his bearings, he failed to notice that the portal had vanished above him. Determined to jump back out, he leapt—smack!]

Chapter 280: Spider’s Conflict

"Whoa! That light gate can pass through solid objects and go directly inside? And it's huge!"

Mason’s earlier demonstration had only shown a small portal, leading many to believe it was only useful for breaking into safes. But now, seeing it scaled up? That changed everything. If they could expand it even further, could it allow someone to walk through an entire car? A tank?

The implications of this technology were terrifying.

Tony rubbed his chin, already considering ways to counteract it. Security measures would need to evolve—fast.

Then, they saw Spider-Man leap—without checking his surroundings—straight into the ceiling of the truck and knock himself out.

A collective groan swept through the room.

Both the first and second-generation Spider-Men cringed, covering their faces in embarrassment.

"Is this seriously the worst Spider-Man among us?" 1st Gen Peter muttered. "Did he just… knock himself out?"

["After an unknown amount of time, the truck jostled, shaking Spider-Man awake. He groaned, clutching his head. "Ohhh… my head…"]

["You seem to have suffered a mild concussion," AI informed him after scanning his vitals.]

[Still dazed, Spider-Man staggered to his feet, leaning against the side of the truck for balance. "Ugh… where am I?"]

["I'm not entirely sure. The container walls are blocking my sensors," AI admitted.]

[Spider-Man glanced at the crates surrounding him, trying to make sense of his situation. "Wait a minute… they must’ve hijacked the truck! This thing is probably taking me straight to their evil lair!"]

["Alright, lady in the suit! We’re fighting our way out! Three… two… one!"]

[With that, Spider-Man kicked open the back doors and leaped outside—only to be greeted by an unexpected sight.]

[Instead of an enemy hideout, he found himself surrounded by massive shipping containers.]

["Huh? Where… is this?" Spider-Man turned in circles, utterly confused. "Lady in the suit, where am I?"]

[AI scanned their surroundings. "You are in the most heavily secured facility on the East Coast—the Department of Damage Control's Deep Storage Vault."]

[Spider-Man froze. Then, spotting the Damage Control logo on a nearby wall, he clutched his head and groaned. "Oh, come on! Are you kidding me?!"]

[He immediately tried to pry open the exit. He pushed, pulled, even yanked at the edges, but the solid metal doors didn’t budge.]

["This door will remain locked until morning," AI informed him.]

[Frustrated, Spider-Man gave it one last futile kick. "Morning?! Ugh!"]

[Realizing there was no way out, he sighed and began webbing together a makeshift hammock to rest in.]

["Okay, lady in the suit, calling you that feels kinda weird. You need a name… How about Liz?"]

[He paused, then cringed at his own suggestion. "NONONONONO! Oh my God, that’s too—too weird! Okay, uh… how about Karen?"]

["You may call me Karen if you’d like," Karen responded without hesitation.]

"Karen! Now that’s a good name," 1st Gen Spider-Man nodded approvingly.

"Yeah, better than your naming skills," 1st Gen Gwen teased.

She was reminded of the time Peter had named Aunt May’s cat something truly awful. Eventually, Aunt May had taken matters into her own hands and named the cat Mei after herself. It had become a long-running joke between her and Peter.

Now, watching another Spider-Man fumble with names, she couldn’t resist teasing him.

Hearing this, 1st Gen Peter sighed. "Sharp Claws was a great name," he muttered. "The cat had sharp claws! It made sense!"

Unfortunately for him, no one else agreed.

[Meanwhile, Spider-Man wandered around the vault, hanging upside down as he flipped through a book. "Hey, Karen! What else can this suit do?"]

[Karen responded by activating the built-in glider system. Small wings extended from the suit, making Spider-Man gasp. "What?! This thing can glide?!"]

[Realizing just how much he didn’t know about his own suit, Spider-Man pulled up a holographic projection of his mask. "Okay… maybe we should run that refresher course."]

[He began experimenting with different web functions. "Ricochet web!" He fired at the wall, only to have it bounce back and nearly hit him in the face.]

["Whoa! Cool!"]

[The camera panned to show multiple web splatters on the walls—evidence that he had been practicing for a while. "Spider trap!"]

[He fired a new kind of web. The strands shot forward but fell harmlessly to the ground. "Huh."]

["Web grenade!" Following Karen’s instructions, he lobbed a small device against the wall. It adhered for a second before exploding into a giant net of webbing.]

[As boredom set in, he started skipping rope with a strand of webbing, the walls now covered in layers of his experiments.]

[After a while, he collapsed onto a crate, staring at the ceiling. "Hey, Karen… should I tell Liz that I'm Spider-Man?"]

["Who is Liz?" Karen asked.]

["Who is Liz? She’s… haha, she’s awesome!" Spider-Man grinned. "She goes to my school, she’s smart, she’s funny, and…"]

["Yeah… I really want to tell her, but it’d be kinda weird, right? Like, ‘Hey! I’m Spider-Man!’"]

[He sighed, conflicted. He wanted to be honest with Liz, but something held him back.]

["Why would that be weird?" Karen asked, not understanding the hesitation.]

["What if she was expecting someone like Tony Stark?" Spider-Man mumbled. "What if she sees me instead and gets… disappointed?"]

[Deep down, Spider-Man had always struggled with self-doubt. Compared to Tony, what was he, really?]

["If I were her, I wouldn’t be disappointed at all," Karen reassured him.]

["Thanks, Karen. It’s nice having someone to talk to." Spider-Man sighed, staring up at the ceiling.]

["Hey, how long have I been here?"]

["Thirty-seven minutes," Karen answered promptly.]

[Spider-Man sat up in shock. "Wha—thirty-seven minutes?! Are you kidding me?!"]

[Groaning, he jumped to his feet. "Nope! Nope, nope, nope! I can’t stay here all night! I have to get out!"]