Nathan looked at the massive digital screen in front of him, his eyes locked on the ever-climbing numbers that tracked his raw physical strength. For a long time, those numbers had been his constant obsession.
At last, the counter froze at the current maximum. He exhaled slowly, his chest rising and falling with restrained excitement.
"Finally," Nathan muttered to himself. "I've reached the limit."
His voice carried both pride and frustration.
He clenched his fist, feeling every fiber of muscle coil with energy. Waves of strength rippled outward from his body, so intense that even the reinforced air inside the training chamber trembled.
The data confirmed what he already knew: the upper limit of his spider-derived powers was 100 tons. When combined with the unbreakable durability and raw resilience of Luke Cage's ability that he had absorbed, the number had climbed further—to 130 tons.
That was where the line had been drawn.
This was the absolute boundary of his current physiology. Unless he shattered the framework of his body entirely, his strength could go no further.
If he wanted to push past this ceiling, he needed something greater—something capable of rewriting the laws of his biology. That something was the Gamma Force.
Nathan's gaze hardened. "If I want to break these shackles, I must embrace the gamma power and force open a new path."
---
Beside him, the small figure of the Little Spider-Man—a demon-infused creature that had become Nathan's loyal subordinate—stared up at him with wide, glittering eyes. The childlike voice carried both awe and excitement.
"Boss, you're amazing! Truly amazing!"
The creature clapped its hands together enthusiastically, its youthful innocence a stark contrast to the destructive energy radiating from Nathan.
Nathan nodded, visibly satisfied with the loyalty shining in the little one's words. "This is only the beginning," he said. "Power at this stage is nothing more than proof of effort."
"Then I'll keep working hard too!" the Little Spider-Man shouted, puffing up its tiny chest. "I'll never embarrass the boss! I'll be strong and brave!"
Nathan chuckled softly. This was exactly the spirit he wanted from his subordinates—unwavering devotion mixed with hunger for growth.
---
Turning back to the screen, Nathan spoke with deliberate calm. "The next step… we test how far my strength has grown under blessing."
He remembered the previous attempt vividly. Last time, his blessed form had reached 240 tons. But now, with his foundation stronger, his expectations soared.
At his signal, the air in the chamber shifted.
A figure standing silently in the shadows suddenly straightened her posture. Her aura sharpened, her entire being focused in anticipation.
Nathan looked at her and spoke a single command: "Sapphire."
The name was the trigger.
At once, a stream of azure light burst forth from her, enveloping Nathan's body in a tidal surge of energy. The radiant glow fused with his form, wrapping him in a cocoon of otherworldly brilliance.
Demonic energy swirled within the blue aura, merging with his essence. His body expanded, muscles tightening with impossible density, and within moments, a towering, monstrous figure of blue radiance manifested in his place.
Nathan inhaled deeply. The sensation was intoxicating—his blood burned like molten steel, his veins carrying an electric river of unstoppable might. A grin spread across his face.
"This power…" he whispered, "…it feels incredible."
---
He raised his fist.
Every strand of energy in his body rushed downward, funneling into the singular point of his knuckles. The ground beneath his feet cracked from the sheer tension of restrained power.
"Let's see what I've become," Nathan said.
Then he struck.
BOOM!
The sound shattered the air itself.
An invisible wave blasted outward, smashing against the reinforced walls of the chamber. Pressure ripped through every corner, tossing stray equipment like leaves in a storm.
The Little Spider-Man, wiser than last time, had already scrambled into the corner. Even so, the violent shockwave slammed its small body against the wall, pinning it there like a rag doll. Its ears flapped wildly in the gale, as though it were a fish tossed helplessly on a raging sea.
At the center of the storm, Nathan's colossal fist slammed into the testing apparatus.
The counter lit up instantly. Numbers raced upward at blinding speed:
100 tons! 200 tons! 230 tons! 250 tons! 270 tons! 300 tons!
The screen flickered from the intensity. The digits climbed slower now, grinding upward under impossible strain.
310… 311… 312 tons!
And then it stopped.
The air calmed. The machine's beeping slowed to normal.
---
The Little Spider-Man peeled itself off the wall, blinking through the dust and turbulence. Its gaze landed on the glowing red digits frozen on the screen.
"Three… hundred… twelve tons…" it stammered.
Its pink eyes widened in disbelief. Even though it had expected Nathan's strength to rise, the final number was staggering.
It remembered vividly that the last test had ended at 240 tons. To now leap past the 300-ton barrier and land at 312—this was beyond extraordinary.
"As expected of the boss! The strongest of them all!" the Little Spider-Man cried, bowing its head with reverence.
Nathan studied the number with cool satisfaction. "Excellent. Breaking the 300-ton mark proves my progress."
But he was not content. His expression sharpened. "It's not enough. I must keep pushing. I must go further still."
His eyes gleamed with determination. "When I finish perfecting the first level of gamma power, I'll ascend again. My strength will evolve beyond imagination."
---
The anticipation stirred his blood. He snapped his fingers, a sharp command in motion.
Sapphire immediately understood, stepping back and allowing her energy to withdraw. Her aura collapsed into her body, the radiant glow dimming until she once again stood in her normal form.
Meanwhile, the Little Spider-Man eagerly scampered forward and leapt onto Nathan's shoulders, clinging with the boundless enthusiasm of a child.
"Congratulations, boss!" it cheered. "You've gotten even stronger! You're the best, the most powerful of all!"
Its laughter rang like bells. "I'll work harder too! One day, I'll catch up to you, boss!"
Over the past weeks of training, the Little Spider-Man had grown remarkably. It had even mastered the ability to speak, once impossible due to its old physiology. Now, empowered by demon energy, it had found a voice—and it used that voice to shower Nathan with adoration.
Nathan gave it a rare smile. "Good. Now let's return to the laboratory. Today, I will complete the breakthrough into Gamma Ability Level One."
---
The three left the training chamber together and descended into the hidden corridors of the secret laboratory.
---
Meanwhile, far away, events unfolded elsewhere.
On the road to New York, a small group advanced against storm and shadow. The Little Wolf Girl walked at the front, her youthful determination unwavering despite the hardships. Beside her strode Wolverine, silent and watchful, and behind them followed Mystique, her yellow eyes narrowed with constant suspicion.
They had traveled long and far, through endless disputes and conflicts between mutants and humanity. But at every turn, they witnessed more and more mutants standing together against threats larger than themselves.
Mystique's voice cut through the rain. "After this city, we enter New York State. Soon after, New York City itself."
The Little Wolf Girl's eyes lit up with excitement. "Finally… we're going to New York!"
But Mystique was not celebrating. Her thoughts lingered on the reports they had gathered. "We've heard whispers. Nathan—this man escaped HYDRA. They hunted him. He destroyed nearly an entire elite strike force on his own."
She frowned. "Now, HYDRA agents are converging on New York. That can't be coincidence. It means Nathan is there."
A trace of unease crossed her features. "What is so special about him, I wonder?"
Wolverine, his jaw tight, said nothing for a long time. Finally, he muttered, "We'll find out soon. I just hope he's as strong as they say."
---
Back in the laboratory, Nathan stood before a towering console of machinery, his fingers dancing across the keyboard with ruthless precision.
Lines of complex equations scrolled across the screen, each calculation pulling him closer to the final solution. His mind spun at lightning speed, solving puzzle after puzzle, erasing error after error.
Minutes—or hours, he wasn't sure—bled away.
And then, at last, the final piece clicked into place. The vast formula stabilized, converging on a singular value: the safety critical point.
Nathan's lips curved into a rare, genuine smile.
"It's done."
His eyes burned with unrelenting ambition.
"Now begins the Gamma Experiment—Level One. I will seize gamma power itself and shatter every limit that holds me back!"
The laboratory lights flared. The countdown began.
The Gamma Force Experiment had officially begun.
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