"Um... do I really have to jump from here?" In an abandoned warehouse in the Brooklyn suburbs, Peter stood on a steel beam more than ten meters above the ground, looking down and involuntarily gulping.
At the moment, he was wearing a classic-colored, tight-fitting Spider-Man combat suit. Aunt May had given it to them before they left. Apparently, the Peter Parker of this world had over a dozen different suits tailored for various situations. Knowing Peter's (Earth-616) plight, Aunt May lent him the most classic set, the red-and-blue suit that this world's Peter Parker had used early in his career. Peter (Earth-616) was roughly the same age and size as the deceased Peter Parker (Earth-1610). Since the suit was inherently tight and highly flexible, it fit him perfectly.
"Absolutely!" Spider-Man Noir stood beside him. "Every Spider-Man starts this way!" "As if you know the stories of many Spider-Men," Peter muttered under his breath. "Hmm?" Noir gave Peter a dangerous look, his hand already lifting. "Wait!" Peter quickly stopped him. "What is it?"
Peter explained: "I think there's a flaw in this test." "Oh? How so?" Spider-Ham chimed in. Peter continued: "You need to understand that not every Spider-Man has the ability to organically shoot webs. What if I happen to be the type that can't spin silk? Then I jump down and just SPLAT on the ground?"
"Hmm, that is a problem," Spider-Man Noir looked at Peter, momentarily dumbfounded. He recalled how he had awakened his powers. After being bitten by the spider that crawled out of the ancient idol, he immediately saw the Spider-God, received the knowledge, and instantly knew everything. He hadn't gone through a slow process of familiarizing himself with his powers.
Spider-Ham stated: "But given our superhuman physique, a fall from this height shouldn't really matter, right?" Peter: ??? What are you doing!!! Noir: !!! He makes a valid point!!!
"Hold on!" Peter quickly intervened again. "Now what?" Spider-Ham was practically vibrating with excitement, ready to give Peter a helpful push. "I was bitten barely a day ago! What if my powers haven't even manifested yet?" Peter pleaded.
Noir: ... Spider-Ham: ...
Spider-Man Noir conceded: "Alright, fine. What do you suggest we do instead?" Peter suggested: "Why don't we start with something simpler, like combat techniques, or learning to cling and crawl?"
"Hmm... that works," Noir mused for a moment, realizing he might have been too hasty. Although with two experienced Spider-Men present, Peter wouldn't actually be hurt even if he had no powers, an incorrect training approach would severely limit his effectiveness. In contrast, practicing combat skills was much more practical right now.
Spider-Man Noir grabbed Peter, shot a web, and swung them both down from the beam. Spider-Ham followed suit. On the ground, they began the lesson in combat techniques.
Spider-Man Noir's style was somewhat similar to a Marvel version of Batman, and unlike most other Spider-Men, he was willing to kill. Therefore, his "combat techniques" were not formalized martial arts but simple, highly effective battlefield tactics. They lacked flair but were devastatingly practical. They were also perfect for a versatile fighter like Spider-Man, who relies on high agility, high output, and strong durability. Although Peter hadn't yet shown any physical enhancements, Noir's methods were undoubtedly suitable for him.
Oh, and Noir was proficient with firearms. He carried a small revolver, but Peter, considering his Earth-616 background and general superhero ethics, chose to focus on close combat—at least for now.
In contrast, Spider-Ham didn't have as much to teach Peter. But that wasn't because Spider-Ham was weak. Quite the opposite. This guy was incredibly strong. Peter even suspected his fighting power might rank high among all Multiversal Spider-Men. Because this guy was a gag-comic character! He could casually pull a hammer the size of his own body out of his tiny pocket, then just as easily put it away. The hammer wasn't inflatable; it was a real wooden mallet possessing the magical properties of being unbreakable and freely resizing. It defied all logic.
And so, Peter embarked on the journey to develop his abilities under the guidance of the two Spider-Men.
Meanwhile, Peni and her SP//dr mech were utilizing the high-tech equipment in the basement of this world's Spider-Man's home to search for data related to Kingpin's Particle Collider. However, Kingpin clearly took this project very seriously; the security was extremely tight. Peni's progress was not optimistic, registering close to zero.
...
That evening, after a full day of training sessions from the two Spider-Men, Peter returned to Aunt May's house feeling disappointed. Despite the best efforts of Noir and Spider-Ham, Peter couldn't tell if his aptitude wasn't suited for combat or if his superpowers simply hadn't awakened yet. In short, the training was largely ineffective.
Noir and Spider-Ham didn't comment negatively, instead offering comfort: "None of us were martial arts enthusiasts before becoming Spider-Man. Learning slowly is normal." They left unsaid the other important lesson: "Experience is the best teacher." They had all been novices initially, and their combat skills were acquired through constant fighting. But they also knew not to rush the process. Moreover, they were still puzzled why Peter's other abilities hadn't surfaced, besides the faint Spider-Sense. Or perhaps they had manifested, and they just hadn't found the right way to access them?
They also learned of Peni's zero progress. For a moment, things felt back to square one.
Aunt May kindly encouraged everyone to have dinner first and relax. And just then, the quiet home of Aunt May, now a gathering spot for Spider-People, received three more unexpected visitors...
Ding-dong— The doorbell rang. Everyone tensed up, looking towards the door.
Aunt May stood up: "It's probably just another fan. Stay put, I'll check." As she walked, she casually picked up a baseball bat. Peter: (Thinking) How is she so practiced with that thing?
Clang! The baseball bat clattered to the floor, drawing everyone's attention. Aunt May stood frozen in the doorway, her back to them, her expression hidden. But her slightly trembling body betrayed her shock. "Pe... Peter!"
??? × 5 (Peter, Noir, Spider-Ham, Peni, SP//dr)