Norman Osborn—billionaire CEO of Oscorp and father to Harry Osborn—should have been focused on his business empire.
But the inherited genetic disease that ran through the Osborn bloodline gave him a different priority: survival. That obsession led him down a dark path of experimental science.
The result? The Green Goblin serum and power armor—meant to cure, but instead, it twisted his mind and unleashed something far worse. As if Norman hadn't already been morally bankrupt, the Goblin persona pushed him further into madness.
Lately, the emergence of Ghost-Spider had ignited a new obsession. If he could obtain her blood, he might unlock a breakthrough that could refine the Goblin formula. And that's why he was chasing Gwen Stacy through the streets of Manhattan—riding his glider with a maniacal grin and a belt full of pumpkin bombs.
"The little bug's slippery," Norman sneered, tailing Gwen as she vaulted between buildings. "And that oversized moron Rhino still can't lay a finger on her."
A cruel thought bloomed in the Goblin's mind.
If he couldn't catch Ghost-Spider directly, he'd force her hand another way.
He hurled a cluster of pumpkin bombs—not at Gwen, but toward the crowded street below.
Let's see how many lives you can save, "hero."
"No!" Gwen's pupils widened beneath her mask. She twisted in mid-air and fired off a flurry of webs, snagging each explosive in a controlled rhythm and flinging them skyward.
BOOM!BOOM!
Fiery plumes burst harmlessly above the city. The crowd below scattered in panic—but no one was hurt.
Crisis averted… for them.
But not for Gwen.
In saving those people, she hadn't secured her own footing. She was falling, off balance, no time to recover. She couldn't shoot another web fast enough—and Rhino was barreling toward her, full-speed.
"I got you now!" Alexi Sytsevich, the armored brute known as Rhino, grinned through his helmet. "You're done, bug!"
Gwen's heart pounded. She might've been able to dodge one attacker—but not both. And now, the Green Goblin was diving straight at her from the sky.
From the air above the chaos, Jack Kadere—cloaked by his high-tech disguise—watched the situation unfold. He'd been about to intervene when a blur cut across his vision.
A figure burst from a side alley.
Female, agile, lean. Wearing a black bomber jacket, white tee, and jeans—face hidden behind a chrome-lined mask.
Jack twitched. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me…"
He recognized that posture instantly.
Jessica Kadere.
His little sister.
So much for "Sorry, I can't come to the club today, I've got schoolwork."
With zero hesitation, Jessica launched herself forward and planted a flying kick into Rhino's side.
WHAM!
The oversized villain stumbled, crashing into a parked SUV and knocking it sideways.
"Ugh—owww," Jessica muttered, rubbing her shoulder. "Damn, his armor's tougher than I thought…"
Rhino grunted, shaking off the impact. "Where'd you come from?!"
He was shocked—not just by her strength, but her fearlessness.
Despite her smaller frame, her strike had carried serious weight—more than Spider-Woman's usual jabs.
Jessica smirked beneath her mask. "Big guy, your fight's with me now."
She threw a thumbs-up toward Gwen. "Ghost-Spider! Take the sky—I'll handle Tankzilla over here!"
Though inexperienced, Jessica knew her limits. Jessica wasn't like Jack. Jack had already fully loaded the flight-capable Knightress template and could soar through the air with precision. Jessica, meanwhile, hadn't fully developed her mobility options—yet.
Still, she had heart.
Up above, Gwen flipped past a barrage of pumpkin bombs and called down, "I'm counting on you down there!"
She couldn't get a clear read on who this newcomer was—no official costume, no mask now—but any ally who could send Rhino flying was more than welcome.
"You picked the wrong target, kid," Rhino growled, pounding a fist into his open palm. "Say your name! I want something to carve on your tombstone!"
Jessica vaulted from a nearby streetlamp, launching a side kick midair. "Name's Knightress—and I specialize in riding overgrown rhinos like you!"
THWACK!
She dodged his first swing—a punch so strong it cracked the asphalt—and landed squarely on his helmeted head like she was mounting a rodeo bull.
"Being a superhero isn't that hard!" she chirped, riding proud.
For about five seconds.
CLUNK!
One of Rhino's long forward horns snagged her boot, and Jessica's balance collapsed. "Wait, WAIT—!"
She tumbled off with a yelp, landing in a heap. Worse, her metal mask slid off, skidding to the curb.
From above, Jack let out a groan and facepalmed. "Classic Jess…"
Of course. Her first supervillain fight, and she botched the landing. Predictable.
"Jessica?!" Gwen gasped, recognizing her now-unmasked friend.
But that brief distraction cost her dearly.
WHAM!
Norman Osborn, leering behind his Green Goblin mask, struck from above on his glider. Gwen barely managed to cross her arms in defense, but the spiked edge of the board slashed through her forearm, ripping her suit and drawing blood.
She hit the ground hard, dazed.
Jessica, still groaning on the opposite side, looked up just in time to see Rhino charging again.
From above, Jack Kadere dropped fast, already shifting mid-air.
With a press on his wrist, his Knight Spider armor activated—sleek, crimson-accented tech folding around him.
There was no hesitation, no internal debate.
Who to save first?
That wasn't even a question.
[Template: Vulture — Engaged.]
[Summon Deployed.]
A loud whoosh of air screamed through the sky.
The Green Goblin, just about to deliver a finishing strike, paused—eyes narrowing at the sound above him.
He looked up—
CLANK!
A massive set of mechanical wings descended like a diving bird of prey.
The Vulture's talons snapped shut, seizing Norman Osborn mid-air.
WHOOSH—SLAM!
Wrapped in green-steel wings, the two villains spiraled to the ground in a controlled crash.
Jack landed a second later between Gwen and Rhino, crouched and ready.
"Class is in session," he muttered, eyes locked on Rhino.
"And I didn't assign you."