"We have an obligation to use our superpowers well and make this world a better place."
Peter walked to Ben's bedside and looked at him seriously:
"Because with great power comes great responsibility."
"So?" Ben propped himself up a bit with a pillow, leaning back. He looked at Peter with a different gaze. Peter felt a little uncomfortable under his stare and instinctively shifted his body. He realized Ben seemed unimpressed by what he had said.
"So we can become heroes, just like Iron Man," Peter said excitedly, gesturing with his hands. He then put his finger to his chin, lost in thought, "We can pick a cool codename, like..."
"...Humanoid Spider or Spider Duo, what do you think?"
"If you want to be a superhero, go ahead by yourself. Don't drag me into it. I can only wish you success." Ben rolled over. He was indeed dismissive of the idea but had no intention of dissuading Peter. Regardless, Peter had the right to choose his own life and become the person he wanted to be.
Besides, even if Ben didn't plan to be a hero, he didn't need to mock someone willing to become one.
Peter's intentions were good; Ben just lacked the same passion.
"Wish me success? Aren't you coming with me?" Peter asked in surprise. He couldn't understand why Ben was so indifferent to becoming a hero.
"Of course not," Ben said. "What's in it for me to be a hero?"
He looked at Peter seriously and shook his head. "Nothing good, only trouble."
"But being a hero is so cool, just like Iron Man! Do you know how many people like him? How many people are crazy about him?" Peter said excitedly. "If we can become heroes, so many people will like us, admire us..."
He thought that if he became a hero, he could become someone else, radiant, dazzling, charming, and famous, instead of being nobody like he was now, just an unknown nobody, just Peter Parker.
"Save it, Peter," Ben initially didn't want to discourage him, but seeing Peter's naivety, he said coldly, "Even then, they like and admire Spider-Man, not Peter Parker."
He didn't mind Peter becoming a superhero at all, but if Peter started with such intentions, the harsh reality would only hurt him when he experienced the stark contrast.
"But, Spider-Man is Peter Parker," Peter didn't quite grasp Ben's meaning, but he readily accepted the name "Spider-Man."
Hearing this, Ben sat up in bed, his gaze becoming serious.
"No, Spider-Man cannot be Peter Parker!"
Ben stared at Peter, an intensity in his eyes that made Peter feel a primal, even a predatory, sense of pressure. It was as if Ben wasn't his cousin but a predator he was prey to.
But he still didn't understand.
"Do you think you can be like Tony Stark, stand in front of a hundred reporters and loudly announce to the world, 'I am Iron Man'?" Ben mimicked Stark's flamboyant tone.
"Why can't I?"
"Come on, Tony Stark dares to admit his identity because he is Tony Stark. He has Stark Industries backing him. Even without his battle armor, no criminal could harm him or his family. But you? What do you have?"
"Have you ever thought about what would happen if you took off your mask and told everyone that Spider-Man is Peter Parker?" Ben stood up and gently pushed Peter away from the edge of the bed. Peter's body felt almost weightless in his hands.
In fact, Peter stood frozen, Ben's words echoing in his mind, and terrifying, bloody images flashed before his eyes.
"Uncle Ben and Aunt May would be in danger. Those criminals you've defeated, when they realize they can't handle you and hate you to the bone, what do you think they'll do?"
"They'll target Uncle Ben and Aunt May..." Peter's face paled at the thought, and his voice became hesitant.
"Glad to see your brain hasn't completely short-circuited," Ben said.
He knew Peter wouldn't overlook this. The kid was just blinded by a beautiful fantasy right now.
He just wanted to give Peter a reminder. In countless universes, there have been instances where Spider-Man's identity was exposed, leading to the injury or even death of his loved ones, Mary Jane and Aunt May.
Spider-Man always struggled in pain and despair. Just when his life seemed to be looking up, fate would play a cruel trick on him.
"Okay," Peter nodded forcefully. He understood Ben was right, but his ideas hadn't changed.
Perhaps Spider-Man couldn't be Peter Parker, but what couldn't be changed was that Peter Parker was Spider-Man.
He could keep his identity a secret, but anyone cheering for Spider-Man was actually cheering for him.
"At least I'm doing good deeds, right? With great power comes great responsibility. I don't need people to thank me face-to-face."
But Peter didn't know that becoming a hero wouldn't only bring praise. He couldn't yet comprehend how painful it was to do good deeds and still be misunderstood.
However, Ben didn't plan to continue the conversation.
He didn't need to crush Peter's confidence. Some things Peter would only truly understand after experiencing them himself. Of course, he also knew these difficulties wouldn't defeat Spider-Man, nor would they defeat Peter Parker.
Moreover, Peter genuinely needed the identity of a superhero.
All his life, he had been the unremarkable Peter Parker, small and inconspicuous, easily overlooked even by his classmates. Since childhood, the girls he liked never paid him much attention.
But now, it was different.
He had the opportunity and the ability to change himself. What reason did Ben have to take that away from him?
Even though Peter had to keep his superpowers a secret, becoming Spider-Man could still fill some of the void in his heart.
At least when he wore that suit, he was the powerful Spider-Man, not Peter Parker.
"So, if you really want to fight criminals, you need a cool suit!" Ben grabbed Peter and pulled him towards the desk, then took out a stack of draft paper and opened it.
Peter was immediately stunned by the contents of the paper.
"Wait, you said you didn't want to be a superhero?"
"I don't."
"But you secretly designed a whole set of battle suits and even thought of the name Spider-Man?!"
Please follow to read. New book reads are really important. Currently, at least 300 reads are needed for recommendations. So please, don't let this book gather dust during its new book period, lest it die from neglect (｀)人(｀)
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