Chapter 36: Fuck You, Arbiter!
"Well? Pretty punctual, wouldn't you say?"
After defeating the Lizard, Peter turned toward Gwen, his voice lazy and teasing.
Gwen and Green Goblin: '???'
Before Gwen could recover from her astonishment, Green Goblin instinctively checked the time displayed inside his helmet.
A moment later, he drew a sharp breath.
From the instant the man calling himself the Arbiter had begun fighting the Lizard to the moment Dr. Connors collapsed like a dead reptile, the entire battle really had lasted less than a minute!
'What the fuck?!'
The realization sent a violent shudder through Green Goblin.
He nearly fell off his glider.
The madness and amusement in his eyes disappeared, replaced by the instinctive willingness to compromise that came naturally to a businessman facing a far stronger opponent.
'Run!'
'I have to get out of here!'
'There's no way I can beat this monster!'
Green Goblin understood his physical capabilities perfectly well.
The performance-enhancement formula had only increased his physical abilities by a little over tenfold.
Even with those improvements, neither his strength nor his speed could compare with the Lizard's.
In gaming terms, he was a ranged damage dealer!
What kind of idiot playing an ADC would stand face-to-face with a heavily armored fighter and start trading punches?
The Lizard had survived hundreds of blows from the Arbiter only because of his extraordinary regenerative abilities.
But Green Goblin?
If those same punches landed on him, he wouldn't merely be reduced to minced meat.
There probably wouldn't be enough left to make a meatball!
Having reached that conclusion, Green Goblin didn't hesitate.
He immediately activated the machine guns mounted on the front of his glider, spraying bullets across the battlefield.
At the same time, he hurled every remaining pumpkin bomb from his equipment.
Then, without even looking back, he turned and fled!
Unfortunately for him, he'd overlooked one crucial detail.
Gwen possessed Spider-Sense!
Almost the instant Green Goblin made his move, her danger sense warned her.
"GET OUT OF THERE!"
Gwen shouted a warning before vaulting over the third-floor railing.
As she leaped into the open air, she fired a strand of webbing that attached itself to Green Goblin's glider.
Peter reacted just as quickly.
He hoisted the unconscious Dr. Connors onto his shoulder and performed a leap of faith from the school's third floor.
Almost the instant Peter landed with Connors, the school building behind him disappeared in a series of violent explosions.
The entire structure collapsed into rubble!
Meanwhile, realizing she had to do something, Gwen poured every ounce of her strength into the webbing.
With one tremendous pull, she forcibly dragged Green Goblin's glider down from the sky!
Peter and Gwen moved with astonishing coordination.
Just as Gwen hauled the glider downward, Peter noticed that her webbing was about to snap.
He immediately pushed off the ground.
His body shot upward, and a brilliant blue Rasengan formed in his hand!
BOOOOM!
The Rasengan slammed directly into Green Goblin's glider.
A massive hole was instantly torn through the flying machine.
The damaged glider exploded!
Green Goblin crashed to the ground in a thoroughly undignified heap.
His armor had also suffered serious damage from both the Rasengan and the subsequent explosion.
Gwen instinctively moved forward to subdue him.
But Peter raised an arm to stop her.
He quickly approached the fallen villain and crouched beside him.
The moment he did, Green Goblin suddenly sprang into action!
A sharp blade shot out from the armor on his right forearm.
He thrust it viciously toward Peter's throat!
If Green Goblin had used that trick against Gwen, even her Spider-Sense might only have allowed her to avoid a fatal blow. She would probably still have suffered serious injuries.
But there was a reason Peter had stopped Gwen from approaching.
He'd been expecting precisely this kind of hidden attack.
Although he lacked Spider-Sense, he'd successfully anticipated what Green Goblin was planning.
The instant the villain moved, Peter tilted his head and avoided the blade.
Then his hand shot forward with lightning speed.
His fingers closed around Green Goblin's forearm.
CRUNCH!
Peter's terrifying grip crushed the armor plating and the bones beneath it!
"AAAAARGH!"
Green Goblin screamed.
His resistance immediately came to an end.
To make certain the bastard wasn't hiding any other tricks, Peter rapidly pressed and squeezed several points across the remaining armor.
Under his monstrous strength, the entire suit was reduced to useless scrap.
Now, even if Green Goblin wanted to launch another surprise attack, he no longer possessed the means to do so.
The villain hadn't expected someone who was supposedly on the side of justice to be so cautious.
With every weapon and hidden mechanism disabled, he could only resort to desperate persuasion, repeatedly attempting to convince the Arbiter to release him.
Peter ignored him.
He tucked Green Goblin beneath one arm, then turned and hoisted Dr. Connors onto his shoulder.
"You can't take them away!"
The battered Gwen tried to stop him.
Peter responded in a cold voice.
"Miss Ghost-Spider, you wouldn't want me to remove your mask in front of everyone, would you?"
"You...!"
Gwen's face turned bright red beneath her mask.
"We're both superheroes! You can't just go around doing whatever you want!"
But the threat had genuinely frightened her.
She knew perfectly well that, in her current injured condition, she stood no chance of defeating him.
Therefore, she could only swallow her frustration and hurriedly reassure herself.
'I'm not backing down because I'm scared!'
'I'm just... I'm just...'
'Oh, right!'
'I'm worried about Peter!'
'I don't even know where he went or whether he's safe!'
With that justification firmly established in her mind, Gwen reluctantly left.
Seeing that she'd finally gone, Peter turned his attention toward the surrounding students.
Countless boys and girls were watching him from a distance.
Many were clearly eager to approach and examine him more closely, but his terrifying strength kept them from coming too near.
Instead, they shouted questions and excited comments from afar.
Seeing the unmistakable curiosity written across their faces, Peter couldn't help smiling mischievously beneath his mask.
"Kids, you know what?"
"Being nosy comes with consequences."
The students burst into laughter.
They assumed the Arbiter was merely joking.
But the next moment, they watched him carry the two supervillains toward the ruins of Midtown High School.
"What's he doing?"
Several students suddenly experienced an ominous feeling.
Then...
They witnessed something that would remain etched in their memories for the rest of their lives.
Something utterly devastating.
The Arbiter placed one hand against the wreckage.
A gentle white glow immediately spread across the shattered remains of the school.
Then, under the influence of that mysterious light, the broken walls and debris—some of which were still burning—began floating into the air.
Guided by an invisible force, the fragments rapidly returned to their original positions.
In the blink of an eye, a completely restored Midtown High School stood before everyone.
In fact, the building looked even newer than it had before the explosions!
"NOOOOOOO!"
Countless students released heartbroken screams.
"Have fun studying, kids~!"
Leaving those cheerful words behind, Peter hoisted Green Goblin and the Lizard onto his shoulders.
Then he casually leaped over the school fence and departed in magnificent fashion.
Behind him, the students watched the Arbiter leave without seeking recognition or reward.
Within seconds, their admiration had transformed into bitter hatred.
"FUCK YOU, ARBITER! YOU BETRAYED US!"
"ARBITER! YOU HAVE NO HEART!"
"YOU JERK! I DON'T WANT TO HAVE YOUR BABIES ANYMORE!"
"NEVER AGAIN!"
Chapter 37: Green Goblin: Guys, Is This Even Fair?!
The instant Midtown High School was restored, Green Goblin stopped talking.
He'd been rambling endlessly, trying to persuade the Arbiter to release him, but now every word died in his throat.
Staring at the newly restored school, he felt his mind go completely blank.
Beneath his helmet, Norman Osborn's aging, clouded eyes widened to their limits.
It was as though an invisible thunderbolt had exploded inside his head!
At that moment, he felt much like Yang Dong from The Three-Body Problem.
'Physics... no longer exists!'
What he'd just witnessed couldn't possibly be explained by modern science.
It was a genuine miracle.
Or perhaps...
'Magic?!'
Green Goblin wasn't a scientist in the strictest sense, so the collapse of his understanding of reality wasn't enough to make him consider ending his life.
Quite the opposite.
After the initial shock and disbelief faded, an even more intense emotion overwhelmed his mind.
It wasn't fear.
Nor was it despair.
It was hope!
Overwhelming, almost desperate hope!
Like a drowning man suddenly grasping the final rope that might save his life.
This mysterious Arbiter possessed the extraordinary ability to repair inorganic objects.
Then...
Could that same power repair organic matter?
Could it heal the human body?
Could it restore a genetic structure that was already on the verge of collapse?
The moment this possibility occurred to him, it spread through his mind like wildfire, consuming every other thought.
Norman Osborn knew perfectly well that his performance-enhancement formula was incomplete.
The drug had created the personality known as Green Goblin and granted him tremendous physical power.
But it hadn't cured the hereditary disease that afflicted the Osborn family.
It had merely strengthened his body enough to temporarily delay the progression of his genetic degeneration.
The specter of death still hung over both Norman and Harry.
Until now, his only remaining hope had rested with Peter Parker and Ghost-Spider.
But he'd just discovered another possibility.
A completely different path!
"That... what you just used..."
Green Goblin's voice no longer contained its previous arrogance or mockery.
Instead, it carried a humility and respect that even he hadn't consciously noticed.
"What was it?"
"Hmm?"
Peter stopped walking.
He lowered his head and studied the villain with an amused expression.
"Oh, just a little restoration magic."
'Magic?!'
That single word struck Green Goblin like a hammer.
'So magic really exists in this world?!'
"Then... can that magic also repair... the human body?"
He forced the question out with great difficulty.
His voice was as dry as that of a traveler dying of thirst in the desert.
Looking down at Green Goblin's masked face, Peter smiled inwardly.
Although recent events had developed far beyond his original expectations, the outcome was turning out remarkably well.
In fact, it was far better than he'd imagined!
According to Peter's original plan, he would have needed to spend considerable effort persuading Norman to invest in his business.
He might even have ended up owing the man a substantial favor.
But now?
The situation had been completely reversed.
The person who would owe a favor was Green Goblin.
Or rather, Norman Osborn.
And this was the sort of favor that couldn't possibly be repaid with a mere few tens of millions of dollars!
With that thought in mind, Peter answered casually.
"The human body, huh..."
He deliberately drew out the words.
Only after Green Goblin's heart had practically leaped into his throat did Peter finally continue.
"Of course it can."
For an instant, Green Goblin felt as though he'd heard a heavenly choir singing.
Norman Osborn's genuine emotions completely overwhelmed the madness of the Green Goblin personality.
He suddenly seized Peter's hand and begged desperately.
"Arbiter! I want to make a deal with you!"
To prove that he was sincere, he immediately revealed his true identity.
"You've probably heard of me. My name is Norman Osborn, and I'm the owner of Oscorp."
"If you can cure me... and cure my son..."
"I'll give you anything you want!"
"Wealth! Power! Women! I'll even give you the entire Oscorp corporation!"
Although the performance-enhancement formula had awakened the evil personality known as Green Goblin, Norman's love for Harry had never changed.
Whether he was Norman Osborn or the Green Goblin, he would willingly sacrifice everything for his son!
Feeling Norman's hands trembling uncontrollably, Peter finally spoke.
"This isn't the place to discuss it."
Norman froze for a moment.
Then he immediately understood.
With shaking fingers, he pressed several controls on the armor covering his forearm.
Vmmmm!
Before long, a dark streak shot across the sky at astonishing speed.
Within seconds, it came to a halt directly in front of Peter.
It was another Green Goblin glider!
A completely new one.
This was Norman's final trump card, an escape vehicle he'd prepared for emergencies.
Originally, Green Goblin had intended to use it for one last desperate attack if the Arbiter proved impossible to negotiate with.
But now, that final contingency had become a means of demonstrating his sincerity.
"Just step onto it. The autopilot will take you directly to my estate."
Peter nodded without expressing any particular opinion.
He immediately boarded the glider, bringing Norman and the unconscious Connors along with him.
The machine rose into the air and accelerated toward the outskirts of New York.
Standing on the glider and looking down at the endless streams of traffic far below, Peter felt a surge of exhilaration.
'Now this is convenient!'
'This thing is way better than swinging around on webs!'
'Maybe I really should ask Norman to give me one.'
With a flying glider combined with Herman's battery technology, wouldn't he be able to go wherever he pleased?
While Peter was considering the possibilities, the glider descended smoothly onto the lawn of the Osborn estate.
Norman had already made the necessary arrangements.
Every servant had been dismissed from the property, ensuring that no fourth person would learn what happened between the three of them.
"Please, follow me..."
After Peter put him down, Norman respectfully guided him into the mansion's study.
He retrieved his medical examination reports and carefully explained the hereditary genetic disease affecting himself and Harry.
Peter listened to the entire explanation while pretending to know nothing about their condition.
Then he suddenly released a seemingly casual sigh.
"Who would've thought you and Harry were suffering from such a strange disease, Uncle Norman..."
Norman had only just removed his Green Goblin helmet.
Hearing those words, he froze.
"Arbiter... what did you just call me?"
For a moment, he wondered whether he'd misheard.
And how did the Arbiter know his son's name?
While Norman was struggling with these questions, Peter raised his hands.
He removed his hood.
Then he pulled away the mask covering his face.
The intimidating Hollow mask disappeared, revealing a youthful face that Norman recognized immediately.
It was a face he would never have expected to see beneath that disguise, even in his wildest dreams.
"I heard you went to Midtown High School looking for me?"
Peter smiled faintly.
Norman Osborn stared at him.
He was utterly speechless.
Then an incredulous cry escaped his mouth.
"P-Peter?!"
Chapter 38: Peter Parker, the Magical Boy
BOOM!
For the second time that day, Norman Osborn's brain seemed to shut down completely.
Seeing Midtown High School restored before his eyes had already shattered his understanding of reality.
But now, looking at Peter's familiar face, he genuinely began wondering whether he was still asleep.
'What kind of ridiculous dream am I having?!'
'The Arbiter... is Peter Parker?!'
'My son's best friend? That brilliant but somewhat introverted boy?'
'The same teenage genius who helped Dr. Connors complete the decay-rate algorithm?!'
Countless pieces of information suddenly connected inside Norman's mind.
Before he could stop himself, he blurted out another realization.
"If the Arbiter is Peter, then doesn't that mean Ghost-Spider is..."
Norman suddenly remembered something Harry had once mentioned.
Peter had a childhood friend named Gwen.
And if Norman recalled correctly, that girl worked as Dr. Connors's assistant!
"Gwen Stacy?!"
'Is the world really that small?'
The conclusion seemed so absurd that Norman could hardly believe it.
He was just about to dismiss his guess as a joke when he noticed something disturbing.
The smile had disappeared from Peter's face.
The young man Norman had always regarded almost like a nephew was now staring at him coldly.
An almost imperceptible killing intent filled the study.
"Green Goblin, you know too much."
Peter approached him step by step.
His voice was icy.
"For Harry's sake, and for Gwen's..."
"It looks like I'll have to kill you to keep you quiet."
The moment Norman heard those words, an icy chill raced from the soles of his feet to the top of his head!
'Damn this mouth of mine!'
At that instant, Norman desperately wanted to slap himself several times.
'Even if I figured it out, why the hell did I have to say it aloud?!'
Overwhelmed with regret, he instinctively opened his mouth to beg for mercy.
But before he could speak, Peter's hand shot forward like lightning and pressed against his chest.
'It's over!'
'I'm going to die!'
Norman closed his eyes in despair.
However...
One second passed.
Then two.
Then ten.
He never felt the terrible pain he'd been expecting.
Instead, a warm, peaceful energy filled with vitality suddenly flowed through his body.
Vmmmm!
Norman felt as though he'd been immersed in a soothing hot spring.
His body, which had previously seemed ready to fall apart at any moment, was slowly being put back together.
At the same time, the mad, violent personality inside his mind—the one calling itself Green Goblin—began roaring in furious protest.
But before the mysterious power flowing through Norman's body, that personality was as helpless as snow beneath the warm morning sun.
It gradually melted away.
Then it vanished without a trace.
A few seconds later, the light faded.
Peter withdrew his hand.
Norman trembled slightly before slowly opening his eyes.
He stared at his own hands in disbelief.
He felt as though he'd been completely reborn.
His body was more comfortable than it had ever been before.
And it wasn't just his physical condition.
Even his mind had become extraordinarily calm and peaceful.
It was almost as though he'd undergone a sacred purification, both inside and out.
Only then did Norman finally understand what Peter had meant by killing someone to keep them quiet.
The boy hadn't been threatening to kill Norman.
He'd intended to eliminate the Green Goblin personality!
An overwhelming mixture of gratitude and guilt flooded Norman's heart.
This young man hadn't merely saved his life.
He'd also helped him abandon the evil path he'd been walking.
"Peter... I..."
Norman's voice caught in his throat.
This was a man who controlled a business empire worth hundreds of billions of dollars.
A man whose slightest movement could send shock waves through Wall Street.
Yet now, he felt so overwhelmed that he could barely keep himself from crying.
His heart was filled with gratitude toward the boy standing before him.
"Don't get so emotional, Uncle Norman."
Peter's voice remained calm, as though he'd done something completely ordinary.
"It's the least I could do. Harry's one of my best friends, after all."
Then he turned toward the unconscious Dr. Connors.
Using the same technique, Peter placed his hand against the scientist's body.
A gentle white light appeared.
The horrifying scales and other reptilian mutations covering Connors rapidly disappeared.
His injuries healed at an astonishing speed.
Even his missing right arm began regenerating before their eyes!
Norman watched the entire process in utter amazement.
"Peter, what kind of power is this?"
"Umm... I suppose you could think of it as my magic?"
Norman smacked his lips slightly.
He couldn't help remembering the extraordinary sensation he'd experienced when Peter healed him.
The power was truly incredible.
So incredible, in fact, that it was difficult not to feel a trace of greed.
'If only I could possess something like that myself...'
But the instant Norman realized what he was thinking, guilt washed over him.
'What the hell is wrong with me?'
'The boy just saved my life, and I'm already thinking about taking his power?!'
As Norman silently condemned himself for entertaining such an ungrateful idea, he suddenly noticed someone watching him.
He looked up.
Peter was staring at him with a faint, knowing smile.
"Uncle Norman, what are you thinking about?"
Seeing that expression, Norman felt another chill race up his spine.
Every dangerous thought he'd been entertaining immediately disappeared.
'Forget it!'
'That's not a power I can control.'
'It belongs to Peter, and Peter alone!'
"I-I was just curious..."
Norman hesitated before continuing.
"How did you obtain this ability?"
He genuinely wanted to understand.
After all, he'd watched Peter grow up.
Yet he'd never once suspected that the boy possessed such extraordinary powers.
"Actually, I don't know either. It chose me!"
Peter shrugged.
"You know how it is. Some things can't be explained by ordinary reasoning."
"One day, I simply woke up and discovered I had this ability."
It was an exceptionally vague explanation.
Nevertheless, it worked surprisingly well.
Within moments, Norman abandoned the idea of learning the same magic for himself.
"Oh, and there's something else you should know."
Peter continued, adopting a more serious tone.
"My magic can remove abnormal influences affecting someone's body, but it can't change defects they were born with."
"In other words, I can't permanently cure the hereditary genetic condition affecting you and Harry."
"Your underlying genetic defects haven't actually been repaired."
"However, as long as I'm around, you can continue researching your serums. I can ensure that neither of you suffers from their side effects."
"And even if you never manage to complete the serum research, I can still prevent your disease from developing."
"You and Harry can live long, healthy lives."
Norman felt a slight pang of disappointment upon hearing that the hereditary disease itself couldn't be completely eliminated.
But that disappointment lasted only a moment.
He quickly pushed it aside and looked at Peter with an expression filled with warmth and gratitude.
"That's enough!"
"Peter, that's already more than enough!"
"Truthfully, I don't even know how I could possibly repay you!"
Then Norman suddenly remembered something important.
His expression grew serious.
"By the way, Peter. There's something extremely important I need to warn you about."
"What you did at the school earlier..."
"I'm afraid it may already have attracted the attention of certain... special organizations!"
Chapter 39: I Was Careless on Purpose
"As far as I know, the organization is called S.H.I.E.L.D. Its full name is the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division."
"It's a mysterious government agency that was established after World War II."
"That organization possesses extraordinary authority, and its influence reaches practically everywhere. It's constantly monitoring unusual incidents across the entire world."
"Peter, I'm afraid your actions when you restored the school have already been discovered by S.H.I.E.L.D."
"Even though you were wearing a mask at the time, given their resources and connections, it probably wouldn't be difficult for them to determine your true identity!"
As Norman spoke, his brow became increasingly furrowed.
He was genuinely worried about Peter.
Nobody understood the terrifying value of Peter's healing ability better than Norman did.
If powerful politicians and government officials discovered that such an ability existed, they would undoubtedly do everything in their power to obtain control over its owner.
Whether S.H.I.E.L.D. attempted to forcibly recruit Peter or Peter chose to resist in order to preserve his freedom, the situation could easily become disastrous.
Norman couldn't possibly stand aside and watch the boy who'd saved his life fall into danger.
At the same time, he understood perfectly well that his own resources would be insufficient to oppose the full power of the government.
The more he considered the possibilities, the deeper his frown became.
Eventually, he couldn't help adopting the stern tone of an elder offering advice.
"Peter, you were far too careless earlier."
"You mustn't behave so recklessly in the future."
After all, however much the boy loved studying, there was no reason to expose his extraordinary abilities just to restore a school!
But what Norman hadn't expected was Peter's reaction.
Instead of appearing worried or regretful, Peter smiled as though everything was proceeding exactly as planned.
"Uncle Norman, have you considered another possibility?"
"What if..."
"I was careless on purpose?"
Norman's brain promptly stopped working.
Again.
'What the hell does being careless on purpose even mean?!'
Of course, Peter wasn't merely being stubborn or trying to save face.
His decision to restore Midtown High School hadn't been motivated entirely by his desire to play a prank on the students.
He'd actually had two additional objectives in mind.
The first was to attract Green Goblin's attention and lure him into taking the bait.
Judging by the outcome, that objective had been accomplished perfectly.
His second objective was to deliberately attract S.H.I.E.L.D.'s attention!
As for why he wanted to do that...
The answer was obvious.
Sacrifice Points!
To Norman, S.H.I.E.L.D. was a terrifying organization that would swallow people whole without leaving a trace.
Under the noble-sounding excuse of national security, it could easily force powerful individuals into becoming obedient servants or disposable agents.
But to Peter, S.H.I.E.L.D.—or rather, HYDRA-infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D.—was an enormous, fat sheep covered in golden wool!
Nick Fury, that one-eyed schemer!
Captain America!
Iron Man!
Thor!
The Hulk!
Black Widow!
Hawkeye!
And that wasn't even counting the HYDRA operatives hiding in the shadows.
Alexander Pierce.
Crossbones.
Baron Strucker.
Every one of those people possessed items that could potentially provide Peter with valuable Sacrifice Points!
Joining S.H.I.E.L.D. would be like bringing an enormous sheep directly into his own enclosure.
He could shear it whenever and however he pleased!
Of course, Peter had absolutely no intention of sacrificing his principles just to obtain more points.
He certainly wanted to become a hero admired by countless people.
But that didn't mean he was willing to spend his life working for Nick Fury.
He'd already spent his previous life being exploited as an ordinary employee.
If he reincarnated into another world only to spend his second life working himself to death for someone else—especially the government—then what the hell had been the point of transmigrating?!
In this new life, Peter Parker was determined to become the freest man in the world!
As for S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers?
One day, they'd be the ones coming to him, begging for his assistance!
"Don't worry, Uncle Norman. I know exactly what I'm doing!"
"A little organization like S.H.I.E.L.D. isn't going to cause me any trouble."
Seeing Peter's extraordinary confidence, Norman still felt somewhat uneasy.
Nevertheless, he found himself beginning to believe the boy.
After all, he'd personally witnessed just how powerful Peter was.
His raw physical strength alone had been enough to overwhelm the Lizard.
He also possessed a healing ability capable of restoring the dying and regenerating missing limbs.
And there was that mysterious blue magical projectile Norman had briefly witnessed earlier.
With so many extraordinary abilities at his disposal, Peter really might be someone S.H.I.E.L.D. would have to think twice about antagonizing.
"Well, if you've already considered everything, I won't interfere."
After a moment's hesitation, Norman steeled himself and chose to trust Peter.
"But remember, if you ever need anything, you only have to ask!"
"You saved both my life and Harry's."
"As long as it's within my power, I'll do absolutely everything I can to help you!"
Just as Norman finished speaking, a faint groan came from the nearby sofa.
Dr. Connors slowly opened his eyes.
"Peter... Norman...?"
The scientist looked thoroughly bewildered.
For a moment, he wondered whether he'd somehow lost part of his memory.
He distinctly remembered transforming into a monstrous lizard.
Then he'd been defeated by someone calling himself the Arbiter.
He'd already prepared himself for death.
Yet now...
He was alive.
And there didn't seem to be anything wrong with him!
More importantly...
Connors looked down at his completely restored right arm.
His mind went blank.
'What the hell?'
'Is that... my hand?!'
Seeing the scientist's utterly confused expression, Norman kindly explained everything that had happened.
When Connors learned that Peter was actually the Arbiter—and that the boy had used magic to restore his missing arm—he became overwhelmed with emotion.
He immediately bowed deeply.
"Peter, I..."
"I'm so sorry."
"I'm sorry to you, to Gwen, and to everyone else!"
He was consumed with remorse for the destruction he'd caused while transformed.
After a moment, Connors abruptly raised his head.
Looking directly at Peter, he spoke with unwavering determination.
"Since you're the one who saved my life, Peter..."
"From this day forward, my life belongs to you!"
"I, Curt Connors, swear before God that I will do anything you ask of me!"
"I will never betray you!"
Faced with the enormous debt of gratitude both men had voluntarily placed themselves under, Peter showed no embarrassment whatsoever.
He accepted their almost master-and-servant relationship quite naturally.
After all, his status and influence would inevitably continue growing.
There was no reason to maintain the image of a modest gentleman simply for appearances.
Helping these men reach even greater heights while pursuing his own ambitions would be far more valuable than worrying about meaningless formalities!
"Actually, now that you mention it, there are two things I could use your help with."
"First, regarding Gwen's identity and mine..."
"I'd like both of you to keep them secret."
"Until we decide to reveal our identities ourselves, you mustn't tell anyone—not even the people closest to you."
Norman and Connors nodded solemnly.
"Second, I don't want either of you telling Gwen what happened today."
"And under no circumstances should you let her know I'm the Arbiter."
This time, the two men looked momentarily stunned.
Then they exchanged glances.
Matching expressions of amused understanding appeared on their faces.
'Young people these days really are getting more adventurous...'
Still, if the young couple enjoyed playing games with their secret identities, who were they to interfere?
As the elders in the situation, it was far better to mind their own business.
And perhaps enjoy watching the drama unfold!
Chapter 40: Nick Fury Wants Him Badly
After reaching an agreement with Norman and Dr. Connors about keeping their identities secret, Peter moved on to another subject.
He told the two men about the battery technology Herman was currently developing and explained his plans to enter the smartphone market.
Norman was extremely interested.
In fact, an unusually bold idea had already begun taking shape in his mind.
He knew perfectly well just how corrupt and dysfunctional Oscorp had become internally.
Previously, however, he'd been so close to death that he hadn't possessed the strength or opportunity to deal with those problems.
But now that his health had been restored, Norman realized there might be a far better way to help Oscorp abandon its unprofitable assets and rise from the ashes.
For example...
He could use Harry's name to provide financial support for Peter's new company.
Once Peter's business grew sufficiently large, Norman could allow the existing Oscorp corporation to go bankrupt.
Then Peter's company could acquire Oscorp's most valuable projects and assets.
Through a carefully arranged transfer of ownership, Norman could effectively rid Oscorp of its incompetent shareholders and enormous burden of unprofitable investments.
After completing that restructuring, they could introduce improved versions of the Lizard Serum and the performance-enhancement formula.
At that point, a new and revitalized Oscorp, controlled entirely by Norman and Harry Osborn, could rise to even greater heights!
Norman didn't hesitate to explain his plan in full.
Peter immediately recognized its potential.
The two quickly reached an agreement and began working out the details of their plan to restructure Oscorp from within.
With that, the foundation of Peter's future business empire had officially been laid!
After finalizing the arrangements with Norman, Peter naturally didn't forget to obtain a little extra profit from his two new allies.
Two familiar system notifications appeared before him.
[Light-Green-Rarity Sacrificial Item Detected: Dr. Connors's Lab Coat]
[Item Description: The favorite lab coat of Dr. Curt Connors, better known as the Lizard. It accompanied him through numerous scientific breakthroughs and witnessed the terrifying power he eventually obtained as the Lizard.]
[Sacrifice Reward: 400 Points]
[Would you like to sacrifice this item?]
[Blue-Rarity Sacrificial Item Detected: First-Generation Green Goblin Armor]
[Item Description: The original combat armor personally designed by Norman Osborn, the Green Goblin. Durable and equipped with numerous built-in weapons, it is both an advanced killing instrument and a crucial piece of equipment associated with the Green Goblin's emergence as a major supervillain in the Spider-Man universe. It possesses tremendous commemorative significance.]
[Sacrifice Reward: 1,000 Points]
[Would you like to sacrifice this item?]
The two items provided Peter with another 1,400 Sacrifice Points.
His balance had now risen to an impressive 5,200 points!
All that remained was to see what remarkable new items would appear when the System Shop refreshed next month.
Feeling extremely satisfied, Peter stepped onto his new flying glider and departed from the Osborn estate.
That's right.
Norman had simply given him the glider!
Now that the evil Green Goblin personality had been completely removed, Norman naturally had no intention of continuing his career as a supervillain.
As for becoming a superhero...
Well, he wasn't exactly a young man anymore.
Such physically demanding activities were probably beyond what he wanted to deal with.
Under those circumstances, the flying glider had become little more than an expensive toy to him.
Giving it to Peter was an easy way to show his gratitude.
...
While Peter was happily soaring through the skies above New York on his newly acquired Green Goblin glider, another conversation was taking place in Washington, D.C.
The Triskelion.
S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters.
Level Eight Agent Phil Coulson hurried into the office of S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury, carrying a laptop.
"Sir! Our satellites have detected a supernatural incident that just occurred in New York!"
"We've obtained video footage from the scene!"
Fury was drinking coffee when Coulson entered.
He casually opened the video and began watching.
The recording showed a four-way confrontation involving Ghost-Spider, the Arbiter, Green Goblin, and the Lizard.
After observing the masked figures fighting one another, Fury curled his lip dismissively.
"That's it?"
He'd expected something far more significant.
Instead, it looked like a bunch of people in costumes playing superhero.
Initially, Fury wasn't particularly impressed.
But as the recording continued, he watched the Arbiter unleash a rapid barrage of attacks that left the Lizard completely defeated.
Fury's hand paused with his coffee cup halfway to his mouth.
'That strength...'
'That speed...'
'Interesting.'
The masked fighter appeared to possess physical capabilities comparable to Captain America's.
Perhaps he was someone S.H.I.E.L.D. should consider recruiting.
While Fury was contemplating that possibility, the recording reached its final moments.
The screen displayed the Arbiter restoring the completely destroyed school.
PFFFFT!
The instant Fury saw the shattered walls and debris floating through the air before rapidly assembling themselves back into a perfectly restored building, he spat out the coffee in his mouth.
Directly into Coulson's face.
Fury couldn't be bothered to apologize.
In fact, the thought didn't even occur to him.
Instead, he began replaying the footage of the school's restoration again and again.
The more he watched, the brighter his remaining eye became.
'What the hell?!'
'That's an actual superpower!'
"What's the name of that man in the black-and-red suit?"
Fury couldn't contain his curiosity.
His single eye gleamed with undisguised greed.
Even if the ability could only repair inorganic materials, it could still save S.H.I.E.L.D. enormous amounts of money on equipment and maintenance.
And if it could also restore the human body?
That would be something else entirely!
A superpowered healer capable of bringing dying people back from the brink of death and regenerating ruined flesh and bones...
Someone like that would be an invaluable strategic asset!
'The military must never learn about this.'
'S.H.I.E.L.D. needs to secure him first!'
Furthermore, the mysterious man might be able to help them revive Captain America.
Not long ago, Fury's agents had discovered Captain America frozen beneath the Arctic ice, where he'd remained for more than seventy years.
They'd already transported the legendary soldier back to S.H.I.E.L.D.
However, they were concerned about the possible consequences of thawing him out immediately.
If they could bring this mysterious healer to their facility, perhaps Captain America could be revived far more safely.
And once Fury had Captain America under his control, his plans to establish the Avengers would advance considerably faster!
There was another benefit, too.
If Fury could secure access to this extraordinary healing power, he'd have an additional guarantee of his own future health and survival.
The more he considered the possibilities, the more certain he became.
He absolutely had to bring this mysterious individual into S.H.I.E.L.D.
Noticing the unmistakable greed in Fury's eye, Coulson immediately began delivering his report.
"Sir, according to the information we've collected so far, he calls himself the Arbiter."
"We currently have two confirmed appearances captured on video."
"One is the incident you just watched."
"The other took place two days ago, when he and the black-and-white-costumed heroine known as Ghost-Spider stopped a bank robbery in Manhattan."
Coulson paused briefly before continuing.
"Additionally, based on the strength and methods of attack he displayed, I strongly suspect that he may also be the person responsible for the Pier Nine massacre that shocked the entire country a few days ago."
"The individual the media has been calling the Dockside Butcher."
"And finally, according to our satellite tracking footage, the last location where the Arbiter was observed was the Osborn family estate."
After listening to Coulson's report, Fury's desire to recruit the Arbiter became even stronger.
At the very least, judging by the incidents in which he'd appeared, the mysterious man didn't seem to be a completely deranged supervillain.
Admittedly, someone who willingly called himself the Arbiter probably possessed an enormous ego.
But Nick Fury had never been particularly concerned about minor personality flaws.
In fact, he rather enjoyed bringing arrogant, self-important individuals under his control.
A certain wealthy playboy he'd been keeping an eye on was a perfect example.
Having made his decision, Fury wasted no time.
"Coulson, I want you to begin an investigation immediately!"
"Use every available resource to gather information about this Arbiter!"
"Contact Norman Osborn and demand that he provide everything he knows about the man."
"Furthermore, both of the Arbiter's confirmed appearances occurred near Midtown High School."
"That suggests he may live somewhere in the surrounding area."
"Send our most capable agents into Midtown High."
"First, I want them to determine whether the Arbiter's abilities pose any potential security risks."
"Second, I want them to do everything possible to bring him here to meet me!"
Fury paused and rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
After considering his options for a moment, he finally reached a decision.
"As for who should handle this assignment..."
"Let's leave it to Agent Natasha."
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