"Spider-Man?" Captain George Stacy opened his eyes in disbelief to find the red and blue costumed figure standing protectively in front of him.
Peter had caught the Prowler's mechanical arm mid-strike, his enhanced strength easily restraining the criminal despite the man's desperate struggles to break free.
"Captain Stacy," Peter said with genuine emotion in his voice, "I had no idea you thought so highly of me!"
He was referring to the positive testimony Stacy had provided during the trial proceedings—words that had been spoken reluctantly but had ultimately defended Spider-Man's reputation in court.
Stacy's face immediately twisted as if he had swallowed something particularly unpleasant. It was bad enough that he'd been forced to publicly praise a vigilante he disapproved of, but having the actual person hear those words made the situation infinitely more embarrassing.
Fortunately, the tactical situation didn't allow for extended conversation. When the Prowler realized he couldn't break Spider-Man's grip, he immediately shifted tactics, bringing his free hand up in a spear-thrust aimed directly at Peter's eyes.
Peter's other hand shot out to catch the second mechanical arm, leaving the Prowler completely restrained.
"Hey, double metal arms!" Peter exclaimed with his usual mid-fight enthusiasm. "And that cape—what are you going for here? Techno Dracula? Robo Phantom?"
"Release me, Spider-Man!" the Prowler snarled, throwing a desperate kick at Peter's midsection.
But Peter was faster than expected, easily twisting out of the way.
"I mean, I could let you go..." Peter said brightly, then abruptly spun like a gymnast, using the Prowler's momentum to flip him over and send him flying across the courtroom.
"Hope you brought a landing plan, Caped Chrome Dome!"
The Prowler flared his reinforced cloak mid-flight. The stiff fabric acted like glider wings, letting him steer and land without breaking anything vital.
Peter tilted his head, intrigued. "Huh. Glider cape. Do you come with matching gadgets, or is it just fashion-forward villain chic?"
His spider-sense suddenly screamed a warning, causing him to duck instinctively just as a massive figure pounced through the space his head had occupied moments before.
Kraven the Hunter missed his target and landed on the judge's bench with feline grace, his powerful frame coiled like a predatory cat preparing for another strike. His wild mane of hair rippled as he assessed his new quarry with obvious excitement.
This was exactly what Kraven had been hoping for. One glance was sufficient to recognize that Spider-Man possessed extraordinary capabilities—the kind of challenging prey that made hunting worthwhile.
"Who let the jungle gym mascot out?"Peter asked, though his mask's expressive eye-lenses conveyed puzzlement rather than mockery—one lens large, the other small, creating an almost cartoonish confused expression.
Kraven carried minimal equipment compared to other villains, but Peter's spider-sense was already warning him that this seemingly primitive opponent represented a far greater threat than the technologically enhanced Prowler.
This intuition was entirely accurate. Kraven's abilities came from a mystical traditions—specifically the sacred Ceremony and various herbal compounds that granted superhuman capabilities to worthy recipients.
Like Wakanda, Kraven drew power from ancient beast totems, making him surprisingly similar to Peter in terms of supernatural enhancement sources.
"Spider-Man, you are my prize!" Kraven declared with predatory enthusiasm, extending one hand toward his target with fingers curved like claws.
Peter immediately shuddered and backed away, crossing his arms protectively over his chest.
"Okay, you're definitely giving off stronger creepy vibes than Purple Guy over there," he said while continuing to retreat. "But I'm not interested in being anyone's prize, man."
Rather than taking offense, Kraven's mouth twisted into a cruel smile. "I only require you as a trophy for my collection!"
He launched himself forward with bestial intensity, his attack carrying the primal power of wilderness predators.
"Personal space, dude," Peter quipped while backpedaling rapidly and raising his web-shooters toward his opponent. "Ever heard of it?"
Pressurized webbing shot toward Kraven, but the hunter demonstrated remarkable agility by leaping over the attack and rebounding off a wall to continue his assault.
Peter ducked under Kraven's aerial strike while glancing between his legs to see the Prowler flying toward the restrained Green Goblin.
"Stay away from him!" Peter immediately fired a web-line through the air to intercept the rescue attempt.
But Kraven tackled him from behind before the web could reach its target, driving Peter to the courtroom floor with crushing weight.
The Green Goblin's maniacal laughter echoed through the chamber as victory seemed within reach.
However, two connected billy clubs suddenly flew through the air from a dark corner of the courtroom, their connecting cable wrapping around the Prowler and sending him crashing to the floor in a tangle of mechanical limbs and purple fabric.
"Yes!" Peter shouted with relief and genuine happiness.
He hadn't expected Daredevil to appear during the courthouse assault, but Matt's presence immediately improved their tactical situation.
When the evacuation had begun, Matt had ducked around a corner to retrieve his costume—a precaution he had taken after anticipating potential violence during such a high-profile trial.
But their momentary advantage evaporated as thick fog suddenly billowed through the chamber.
Dozens of razor-sharp throwing weapons cut through the gray mist, all aimed at Matt's position with lethal precision.
"Hand ninjas," Matt identified grimly, recognizing both the weapons and the tactics from previous encounters.
Peter also recognized their attackers. A month earlier, shortly before the Muse incident, he and Matt had been surrounded by these same ninjas. Matt had been seriously injured during that battle, requiring Peter to carry him to safety.
Matt dodged the incoming projectiles with enhanced reflexes, but several throwing stars suddenly collided in mid-air, their trajectories redirecting toward the Green Goblin's restraints.
Stromm raised his arms expectantly as the blades severed his handcuffs, then used his enhanced strength to snap the remaining bonds entirely.
"Finally free!" the Green Goblin roared with bestial satisfaction.
Meanwhile, the Hand ninjas moved through the courtroom like living shadows, their supernatural stealth making them nearly impossible to track visually.
The Green Goblin had regained his freedom, the Prowler was cutting through his restraints with mechanical claws, Kraven watched from his predatory crouch, and Peter and Matt found themselves heavily outnumbered.
Matt quickly assessed their dire circumstances. "Spider-Man, they're not just trying to rescue the Green Goblin—they're here to eliminate us."
Despite Peter's superhuman abilities, he wasn't the only enhanced individual present. Both the Green Goblin and Kraven possessed capabilities that exceeded normal human limitations.
"I only want Spider-Man," Kraven announced, stepping forward with obvious anticipation.
"How about calling your spider friend for backup?" Matt suggested, hoping the mysterious Prime would respond to a distress call.
Peter nodded and held up one hand toward Kraven like a traffic officer signaling him to stop. Surprisingly, the hunter actually paused and crossed his arms, apparently willing to wait while Peter made his call.
The Prowler, focused entirely on collecting his payment for the Green Goblin's rescue, had no interest in unnecessary combat and was already planning his withdrawal. One million dollars was substantial, but not worth risking his life against multiple superhuman opponents.
With everyone momentarily hesitant to initiate combat, a strange silence fell over the destroyed courtroom.
Peter tapped the communication device integrated into his web-shooter. When Ben had modified his new costume, he had included a hands-free communication system since the tight-fitting suit had no pockets for carrying a conventional phone.
"Hello, Eunice?" Peter said through the nearly invisible earpiece.
Matt's enhanced hearing detected an unfamiliar female voice responding through the communication link.
"I need to reach Prime," Peter continued, shifting his weight from foot to foot with obvious nervous energy. "What? He went shopping! Can he come over later? What do you mean he has a movie date tonight?"
Peter's voice carried increasing frustration with each question. "Now? Really?"
He disconnected the call with visible dejection.
While the overwhelming number of enemies was certainly concerning, he was even more frustrated by his cousin's apparently busy social schedule.
"It appears you have no reinforcements coming," Kraven observed with mild disappointment.
But he quickly dismissed this emotion. After eliminating the Spider-Man in front of him, he could hunt down the other one at his leisure. Tracking prey was, after all, an integral part of the hunting experience.
The temporary ceasefire ended explosively as multiple combatants moved simultaneously.
Kraven and the Green Goblin immediately converged on Peter's position, while the Hand ninjas identified Matt as their primary target and moved to surround him.
The Prowler had started to retreat when Bullseye blocked his path.
"Where exactly are you going, Prowler?" the assassin asked with cold professionalism.
"The mission is complete," the Prowler replied, gesturing toward the freed Green Goblin while ignoring Peter's acrobatic battle against multiple opponents. "One million for the rescue operation, as agreed."
"Kingpin has announced a bonus," Bullseye said without expression. "One hundred million dollars for whoever kills either Daredevil or Spider-Man."
"One hundred million?" The Prowler's mechanical systems practically hummed with sudden interest. "To be completely honest, I've wanted to kill Spider-Man for quite a while now!"
Without further hesitation, he spun around and activated his suit's propulsion systems, launching himself toward Peter at tremendous speed.
Meanwhile, Bullseye drew his sidearm and took careful aim at Matt's position.
"Great, another one," Peter muttered as his spider-sense detected the Prowler's incoming attack while he was already engaged with both the Hunter and the Green Goblin.
He ducked under the Prowler's aerial assault, then performed a backwards flip that allowed him to kick Kraven with both feet while simultaneously firing a web-line that adhered to the Prowler's back.
Using the attached criminal as an improvised projectile, Peter swung the Prowler directly into the Green Goblin's path.
Despite the Prowler's original rescue mission, the Green Goblin showed no gratitude for the assistance, instead grabbing the mechanical villain and hurling him headfirst into the nearest wall.
The Green Goblin then resumed his assault on Peter, throwing devastating punches that could easily shatter bone. The modified lizard serum had granted him enough physical strength to snap a normal person's neck with minimal effort.
Kraven coordinated his attacks with the Green Goblin, creating a two-front assault that pushed Peter's defensive capabilities to their limits.
In truth, if Peter utilized his full strength, neither Kraven nor the Green Goblin would be capable of matching him. His spider-powers exceeded their enhanced capabilities by a significant margin.
But Peter maintained strict control over his strength during every confrontation, constantly moderating his attacks to avoid accidentally killing his opponents. This self-imposed limitation made him appear more vulnerable than he actually was, allowing seemingly any criminal to engage him in sustained combat.
Most of the time, Spider-Man never used his complete power. He even avoided striking enemies directly with punches or kicks whenever possible, preferring to rely on web-based techniques and environmental advantages.
Following this philosophy, Peter simultaneously shot web-lines to both sides, adhering to two heavy tables that he then pulled together like closing doors, attempting to crush both the Green Goblin and Kraven between them.
CRASH!
Wooden splinters filled the air as the fragile furniture disintegrated against superhuman strength.
The Green Goblin and Kraven tore through the improvised trap instantly, then pounced on Peter from opposite sides, each grabbing one of his arms and driving him to the courtroom floor.
"When dealing with venomous spiders, it's best to remove their ability to bite first," Kraven observed with professional satisfaction as his powerful fingers punctured the web-shooter on Peter's left wrist.
Sticky, mist-like webbing sprayed everywhere as the damaged device malfunctioned.
"How pathetic, Spider-Man," the Green Goblin gloated as he wrapped his hands around Peter's throat. "You've finally fallen into my grasp!"
The combined weight and strength of two enhanced opponents made it difficult for Peter to break free immediately. His face began to flush as his breathing became labored under the Green Goblin's chokehold.
"I'll kill you first, then eliminate the other Spider-Man, and finally murder Norman Osborn to reclaim everything that rightfully belongs to me!" Stromm's voice carried the satisfaction of imminent victory as he savored Peter's apparent helplessness.
"But that's not all," he continued, leaning closer and using one hand to lift the edge of Peter's mask, revealing a hideously cruel smile beneath his own damaged helmet. "I also need to discover your true identity so I can kill everyone you care about."
"Don't even think about it!" Peter shouted, struggling desperately against the restraints.
"Don't think about it?" the Green Goblin sneered mockingly. "This is what happens when you interfere with my plans, Spider-Man!"
He had already pulled Peter's mask up to nose level, with his true identity on the verge of being completely exposed.
"Remember—all those people will die because of you!"
At that moment, Peter released a roar of pure rage, and his carefully suppressed power exploded outward.
Both the Green Goblin and Kraven's expressions changed to shock and alarm as they suddenly found themselves confronting strength far beyond what they had anticipated.
The next instant, both criminals were hurled away by tremendous force, sent flying across the courtroom like broken dolls.
Peter leaped to his feet and yanked his mask back into place, his eyes blazing with fury behind the fabric.
"You want to threaten innocent people?" Peter's voice carried a dangerous edge that made even the Hand ninjas pause in their assault on Daredevil. "You want to hurt my family?"
The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees as Peter's friendly neighborhood Spider-Man persona evaporated completely.
"Spider-Man, your true power is incredible!" Kraven exclaimed with genuine delight and growing excitement.
He suddenly realized that such a formidable Spider-Man represented exactly the ultimate prey he had been seeking his entire career. However, attempting to hunt such dangerous quarry without proper preparation would be disrespectful to both predator and prey.
He needed to plan carefully and wait for the perfect opportunity to lure his target into an elaborate trap.
In other words: tactical withdrawal was now the wisest course of action.
"This hunt requires more preparation," Kraven announced, backing toward the hole in the wall. "But I will find you again, Spider-Man. And next time, I will be ready."
The hunter bounded through the opening and disappeared into the city, already planning his next encounter.
Peter didn't care whether Kraven stayed or fled. At this moment, only one enemy mattered to him.
His complete attention focused on the Green Goblin with laser-like intensity.
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