Gwen had already spotted the elevator when suddenly a black shadow leaped past them, smashing it to pieces with a thunderous crash. The shadow slammed violently into the elevator doors, producing the earsplitting sound of twisting metal and shattering glass as the intact elevator was instantly reduced to wreckage.
Crunch... crunch...
The nauseating sound of bones being chewed came from behind them. Only then did the trio realize the black shadow was the headless corpse of the Decapitation Demon.
"Where do you think you're going, little snacks?" The Carnage Demon's voice rang out, his footsteps like hammer blows against their hearts.
"Ms. Octopus, take Damian. There must be another exit—get her out of here. I'll hold him off," Gwen said decisively, shoving Damian into Ms. Octopus's arms.
"Mommy Gwen, no—"
"GO!"
Ms. Octopus gave her one firm look. "I'll take care of him from now on." With that, she clutched Damian and bolted in the opposite direction.
The Carnage Demon licked his lips with an elongated tongue, baring his jagged fangs like a demon straight from hell. "Not running away?" he taunted.
This isn't the place to fight. I need to lure him back to the basement, Gwen thought, not answering. Instead, she fired two webs straight at his face to obscure his vision, then dashed past him toward the basement.
"That's right—run! Fear makes your brains so much tastier. Hahahaha!" His nightmarish laughter chased after her as Gwen gritted her teeth and pushed herself faster.
He's way faster than me in movement... but his attack speed isn't as quick. And he's arrogant. That's how I'll beat him. Gwen strategized while the Carnage Demon roared behind her, "You can't escape, little spider!"
Ignoring him, Gwen focused solely on reaching the basement where the familiar terrain might give her an edge. Her breathing grew ragged, her heart pounded, but her resolve hardened.
Arriving at the basement's center, Gwen whirled around to face him. "Done running?" he mocked.
"I'm not running anymore. I'll defeat you here."
"With what? That cannon from earlier? It's a one-time use, isn't it?" When Gwen stayed silent, she shot a web, yanked herself forward like a spring, and launched a kick.
"Too slow!" With a sneer, he swung his blade horizontally to bisect her. Just before impact, a sudden gust of wind blasted upward, allowing Gwen to narrowly evade. "Wind?!" Before he could finish, Gwen's foot slammed into him, sending him flying. She immediately dashed behind him for another strike.
A crimson blur flashed. THWACK! Gwen was sent sprawling. "Lucky hit. That's all you get," the Carnage Demon said as he raised his twin blades and vanished into a streak of red.
Blades flashed like a storm. Gwen's unprotected skin split open in countless places. Though her Ghost Suit tried to regenerate, it couldn't keep up. "What's wrong? Weren't you going to defeat me?" His mocking voice echoed around her as her white suit slowly turned crimson.
"SHUT UP! I'll kill you—for everyone you've hurt!" Blind with rage, Gwen lashed out at the red streaks around her, only striking empty air or shattered floor. BAM! BAM! BAM!
"Hahaha! Pathetic little Spider. Are you crying now?" He toyed with her, slicing only her flesh—never vital spots. After smashing the last floor tile, Gwen collapsed, exhausted.
The Carnage Demon revealed himself, nudging her with his foot. "Oh? Giving up already? You were this close to beating me." When she didn't react, he kicked her away. "Get up! Didn't you say you'd win?"
Gwen staggered up from the rubble, coughing. "There we go. That's the Spider I know—always getting back up. Even in my world, the last one standing was a Spider. You know what? I love Spiders. Their flavor? The best. Hahaha!" He laughed wildly.
"Yeah? Too bad you won't get a taste."
"What?!" A sudden gale erupted beneath him, hurling him into a tornado. Tendrils shot from his back to anchor himself but only shattered rock before being sucked in. "You planned this from the start?! So what? I'll break free in seconds! You're dead! I'll devour you piece by piece!" he roared furiously.
"Who said I'm running?" Gwen pressed her hands together at her chest. The spider emblem glowed as her suit reshaped into two massive arm cannons crackling with energy. "Wait, I—" The Carnage Demon froze in terror.
"Thunder Roar Cannon, FIRE!" Twin lightning beams roared forth like dragons, tearing through the air with deafening cracks. The basement trembled as stones fell. When the light faded, a charred, broken figure lay motionless. "...You...had...another...?" he rasped.
Gwen didn't hesitate. Her cannons detached and reformed into chest armor while leg-mounted guns emerged. "Twin Blaze Cannon!" Fire engulfed him before he could finish. "Three...you...bitch..." His form dissolved in the flames.
[Warning: Energy at 5%. Thunder Roar Cannon, Twin Blaze Cannon - recharge time: 2 hours.]
Gwen's mask retracted as she collapsed, panting. She'd won—but felt no joy. Her spider-sense connections were gone. All Spider-People except her had died on the threshold of going home. The collider was destroyed. The Decapitation Demon was dead. So many lives lost—what had she truly protected?
"No, stay strong. Spiders never stay down. Find Damian," she muttered, trying to rise from the rubble.
Clap clap clap "Magnificent! You're the strongest Spider I've ever met," said a well-dressed Norman Osborn.
"You...how?!" Gwen's eyes widened at the man who should be dead.
"That? Just some researcher named Jonathan Ohn—this world's Fisk's lackey," Norman smirked.
"When did you switch?!" Gwen's voice trembled with despair.
"After killing that demon. This tactic works wonders—using Carnage to test heroes' limits. Some don't even last until I appear," he said as red ooze crawled up his legs, reforming the Carnage Demon.
"I answered your questions. Now answer mine: arm cannon, chest cannon, leg cannon—how many shots remain?"
"...Try me," Gwen said bitterly. She had two left, but her body was spent.
"No matter. In your state, even ten cannons wouldn't help. After killing you, I'll study that suit," the Carnage Demon snarled, lunging.
As death approached, Gwen thought: I should've let Chino eat me earlier.
SCREECH—!
The Carnage Demon skidded to a halt, staring at the man who'd appeared between them. "Who are you?"
"Sorry I'm late," Chino said, ignoring him to gaze at battered Gwen.
"No...you're right on time." Tears streamed down Gwen's face as her damaged suit deactivated, revealing horrific wounds.
"Then why cry?" Chino injected her with a regeneration serum, healing her injuries. He hadn't realized time flowed differently here—minutes for him were hours here.
"I failed Damian...the Decapitation Demon...the Spider-People...all dead..." She sobbed into his chest. "If I'd just waited for you...if I'd ignored the spider-sense...it's all my fault..."
"ARROGANT BASTARDS! I'LL CHOP YOU TO PIECES!" The Carnage Demon's rage erupted as he charged.
"Silence." Chino's calm command froze him mid-air like paused footage.
Scanning the area, Chino saw four barely-alive Spider-People, a deceased girl in the control room, and Damian approaching with a hostage.
"Why cry? Forget my title? I'm the Demon King," he reminded gently.
"Then they...?" Gwen looked up hopefully.
"Three male Spiders and a pig survive. The girl's dead but revivable. The Decapitation Demon's reforming in hell."
"Thank you, Chino...truly."
"Here." He handed her regeneration and revival serums. "Hurry, or they'll perish."
Gwen sprinted off with the medicine. Once she left, Chino turned to the Carnage Demon. "Now...your turn." His voice carried the chill of the abyss. Seeing Gwen's condition had ignited volcanic fury.
"Mercy...please," the paralyzed demon begged.
"I hear you're quite the gourmet."
"Y-yes, my lord! I'll prepare anything you desire!"
Chapter Title: "The Genuine Demon King (Two-in-One) - Part 1"
Relevant Quote:
"Why cry? Forget my title? I'm the Demon King."
Chino reminds Gwen that true power lies not in never falling, but in having someone who can rewrite the rules when you do.
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