A sudden realization struck Ben like a bolt of lightning, causing him to pause mid-thought as an entirely new possibility crystallized in his mind. "Wait a minute... could it be that I'm the actual catalyst for the spider-man 'Canon Event' in this universe?"
The development of events had veered so dramatically from his expectations that he found himself questioning his fundamental assumptions about this reality. Perhaps it wasn't his father, Uncle Ben to Spiderman that would be the catalyst to the Canon Event—perhaps the catalyst had always been himself.
To be completely honest, if it weren't for the advanced alien technology strapped to his wrist in the form of the Omnitrix, he would likely be facing imminent death at this very moment. The irony wasn't lost on him.
If his suspicion proved correct, Ben realized he would actually feel considerably more relaxed about their current predicament. Throughout this entire second life, his greatest source of stress had been the constant need to protect his parents—two completely ordinary people who had no means of defending themselves against super-powered threats.
However, if the universe had predetermined that he would be the target of Spider-Man's rogues' gallery, or that he would be Spider-Man Canon Event, then Ben was genuinely curious to discover which of these supposedly formidable villains could withstand even a single punch from Four Arms. The prospect was almost entertaining.
Truthfully, he had been growing somewhat bored lately.
Kraven, of course, had absolutely no idea what thoughts were racing through his captive's mind. With no one present capable of stopping him, the hunter simply reached out with casual confidence, seized Ben by the arm, and began walking away while dozens of terrified students and faculty members watched helplessly.
Witnessing this brazen abduction, both Felicia and Mary Jane abandoned any concern for their personal safety and rushed forward in a desperate attempt to intervene. Unfortunately, Kraven's enhanced physical capabilities allowed him to disappear across the city's rooftops in a series of powerful leaps, leaving the two girls completely unable to pursue.
They could only lean against the shattered window frame, overwhelmed by their own powerlessness as they watched their friend vanish into the urban landscape.
"What exactly happened here?" Gwen asked as she finally ended her phone call with her father. Only now did she have an opportunity to fully assess the chaotic situation that had unfolded around her.
Mary Jane's voice carried urgent anxiety as she explained, "That maniac wants to use Ben and Peter as bait to lure Spider-Man into some kind of trap."
"Lure out Spider-Man?" Gwen repeated, her expression reflecting genuine bewilderment.
But then the full weight of the realization settled in, and her worry slowly began to shift—first into confusion, then into something that bordered on incredulous amusement.
Peter was Spider-Man.
And if Peter was Spider-Man, then Ben was almost certainly the second one—the masked figure who had appeared out of nowhere and taken down the Green Goblin with shocking ease.
Two Spider-Men. Two Parkers.
Honestly, once you knew what to look for, the pattern wasn't all that hard to see.
When Gwen had first deduced Peter's secret identity, she had immediately suspected that the other Spider-Man was probably Ben. The timing, the capabilities, the convenient alibis—everything pointed toward the Parker family harboring not one but two costumed heroes.
"So let me understand this correctly," Gwen said, struggling to keep the disbelief out of her voice. "The villains can't defeat Spider-Man in direct combat, so their brilliant strategy is to capture Peter and Ben in order to lure Spider-Man into a trap?"
The sheer absurdity of the situation was staggering. These criminals couldn't handle one Spider-Man, so they had decided to kidnap both Spider-Men simultaneously? The dramatic irony was almost too ridiculous to believe.
The realization completely dispelled Gwen's initial worry, replacing it with something between amusement and sympathy for the villains' inevitable fate. She quickly moved to comfort her distraught friends.
"Don't worry," she said with barely concealed confidence. "I'm absolutely certain that Spider-Man will rescue them both..."
Her reassuring words seemed to have the desired effect, as both Mary Jane and Felicia visibly relaxed despite their continued concern.
"You're right," Felicia said, taking a deep breath to steady herself. "Ben has invented so many incredible devices and technologies. He probably has multiple safety measures and emergency protocols. What we need to focus on right now is making sure this news doesn't reach Uncle Ben and Aunt May."
Mary Jane immediately understood the wisdom in this approach. "Absolutely. They're old, and if they learned that both Ben and Peter had been kidnapped, the shock could seriously harm their health."
"I just wish I had super powers too," Felicia said, clenching her fists in obvious frustration. "If I had some kind of abilities, I never would have let them take Ben away from us."
In that moment of passionate determination, she found herself seriously considering searching for any remaining samples of Dr. Connors's lizard serum. Even if using it meant transforming into some kind of monster, she would gladly accept that price if it meant gaining the power to rescue Ben.
Gwen found herself genuinely impressed by this display of fierce loyalty. She had originally assumed that Felicia possessed a quiet, reserved personality, but this crisis had revealed hidden depths of courage and determination.
"Try not to worry too much," Gwen offered gently. "My father and his officers are already responding to the emergency."
Of course, everyone present understood that police intervention represented little more than a symbolic gesture in situations involving super-powered criminals. It wasn't really fair to blame law enforcement for their apparent ineffectiveness—their training and equipment simply weren't designed to handle threats that could demolish buildings with their bare hands.
For adversaries like Kraven, the entire criminal operation could be completed in a matter of minutes, long before any conventional response team could arrive on the scene.
"We're going to have to rely on ourselves and our resources," Mary Jane declared, her voice carrying renewed determination. "Felicia, can you contact Primus and request assistance?"
Both Mary Jane and Felicia had learned about the advanced AI system during their previous interactions with Ben's technological innovations, though Mary Jane had not yet visited the company's facilities personally.
"I think they should deploy those security robots," Mary Jane continued. "They might be able to track down the kidnappers and provide support until Spider-Man arrives."
"That won't be necessary," a new voice interrupted their planning session.
Harry Osborn emerged from the corridor leading to the administrative offices, his face flushed with anger and his entire demeanor radiating barely controlled fury.
Originally, Harry had been in the middle of completing his transfer paperwork to officially enroll at Midtown High School. Norman had specifically requested this move because he wanted his son to maintain closer relationships with both Ben and Peter.
However, Harry's first day at his new school had been catastrophically disrupted by this crisis. He had rushed from the principal's office the moment alarms began sounding throughout the building, but he had arrived just moments too late to prevent the abductions.
The failure to protect his friends filled him with an almost overwhelming rage.
Setting aside his relationship with Ben for a moment—though that friendship had become incredibly important to him, especially since it had finally earned him a measure of respect from his demanding father—Peter Parker represented something even more significant. He had been Harry's closest friend since childhood, and Harry had always felt a protective, almost brotherly responsibility toward him.
Peter's vulnerable appearance and genuine kindness had always triggered Harry's natural protective instincts. The thought of his friend in danger at the hands of violent criminals was absolutely intolerable.
Now that both Peter and Ben faced immediate threats, Harry refused to remain passive. He immediately pulled out his phone and dialed Primus's main number. "Eunice, I need you to locate Ben's position immediately and transmit the coordinates to me."
Simultaneously, Harry placed a compact metallic case on the nearest desk and pressed a concealed activation button. The container opened with a soft hiss as pressurized coolant escaped, revealing sophisticated mechanical components nestled within protective foam.
When the case fully opened, a wave of frigid air washed over everyone nearby, carrying the distinctive smell of advanced engineering and cutting-edge technology.
Contained within the specialized storage compartment was a complete set of lightweight Green Goblin armor, its surface gleaming with an almost organic sheen.
"Wait, isn't that Green Goblin equipment?" Gwen asked, her voice filled with shock and confusion.
"What's the problem with that?" Harry replied matter-of-factly as he began extracting components from the case. "Mandel Stormm's equipment was originally stolen from Osborn Industries in the first place. We're simply reclaiming our own intellectual property."
Ever since Green Goblin's capture, Osborn Industries had been systematically recovering and analyzing every piece of technology they could locate. The engineering team had then worked to modify and improve the designs based on the original specifications.
The previous iteration of Green Goblin armor had been specifically calibrated for Mandel Stormm's enhanced physical capabilities, making it somewhat difficult for ordinary individuals to operate safely. This new version incorporated numerous improvements and safety features that made it accessible to users without superhuman strength.
Harry had originally intended the Green Goblin armor to serve as a surprise gift for both Peter and Ben. He had convinced Norman to authorize the construction of three complete sets, with the goal of forming a superhero team that could operate alongside the two Spider-Men.
That was precisely why he had brought the armor to school today—he had planned to reveal it to his friends after classes ended and gauge their interest in forming an official superhero team.
He had never imagined that the first deployment would occur under such desperate circumstances.
"Mr. Harry," Eunice's voice emanated from his phone's speaker after a brief delay, "I have successfully located Mr. Ben's position and am prepared to transmit the coordinates to your device."
What Harry didn't know was that Eunice had immediately consulted with Ben before revealing his location. The AI had also informed Ben about Harry's current situation and his intention to deploy the Green Goblin armor in a rescue operation.
After learning that Harry had decided to use the modified the Green Goblin armor, Ben had given his approval for the mission and authorized Eunice to provide the requested assistance.
Truthfully, Ben felt somewhat surprised by Harry's sudden transformation into a costumed hero, but the more he considered it, the more sense it made. In the new Ultimate Spider-Man, Harry's version of the Green Goblin had indeed served as a heroic figure rather than a villain.
Whether it was the Green Goblin, Hobgoblin or American Son, as long as Harry avoided the descent into madness that had characterized some alternate versions, his involvement could only be beneficial.
This also seemed like an appropriate time to reveal Spider-Man's secret identity to Harry. They were all close friends, and there was really no valid reason to maintain such secrets among trusted allies. Sometimes complete honesty prevented the kind of tragic misunderstandings that had plagued other versions of these relationships.
Harry finished equipping the new Green Goblin armor around his body, and immediately a holographic radar display materialized above his wrist-mounted interface. A pulsing red dot indicated the target's location and movement patterns in real-time.
He stepped onto the armor's signature glider, and flames erupted from the propulsion system as his entire body slowly lifted into the air. The sensation of powered flight filled him with a mixture of exhilaration and grim determination.
"Wait for good news," Harry called down to the assembled students before accelerating through the shattered window and disappearing into the afternoon sky, following the trail left by Kraven's retreat.
Meanwhile, far from the crisis unfolding at Midtown High School, news of the abductions had reached Nick Fury at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters.
Originally, the Nick Fury and his trusted agents had been engaged in strategic discussions about whether to reveal the truth regarding Richard and Mary Parker's deaths in order to secure Peter's cooperation with their initiatives.
However, before they could implement any of their carefully planned recruitment approaches, they received urgent intelligence reports confirming that both Peter and Ben had been captured by unknown hostile forces.
The intel had come in from undercover agents Nick had planted to quietly monitor the Parker family's activities. Not only had they witnessed the abductions firsthand, but they'd also stumbled upon something even more critical—something they hadn't been looking for.
According to their report, Harry Osborn had been seen donning a modified version of the Green Goblin armor, complete with its signature glider.
"Look at this," Nick said, his expression lighting up with the enthusiasm of someone who had just won the lottery. "Another superhero emerges from the situation."
If S.H.I.E.L.D. could successfully recruit all of these young heroes into the Avengers Initiative, they would possess the foundation for an extremely formidable team.
But what made him even more optimistic was the strategic error committed by the criminal organization. He couldn't imagine which genius had conceived the plan to kidnap both Ben and Peter simultaneously.
"According to our analysis, Spider-Man's combat capabilities may actually exceed Captain America's," Nick remarked, a trace of amusement in his voice. "And Ben… well, he doesn't have Peter's soft-hearted nature. I seriously doubt those criminals will walk away in one piece."
Kraven moved swiftly through the city's industrial district, carrying his captives to a predetermined rendezvous point within an abandoned manufacturing facility. Although his targets were merely two high school students, the cautious Wilson Fisk had chosen not to appear personally at the location.
Inside the deteriorating factory building, several other notorious villains emerged from the shadows as soon as Kraven announced his successful return.
In addition to Bullseye and Kraven, who had participated in previous operations, Ben was surprised to discover that the gathering included several other famous adversaries from Spider-Man's rogues' gallery.
Among them was Aleksei Sytsevich, better known as the Rhino, whose massive frame was encased in a heavily modified combat suit that had been upgraded with robotic enhancements.
"It appears that you've been making significantly more enemies during this period," Ben observed quietly to Peter, his tone carrying a note of dry amusement.
Normally he didn't pay particularly close attention to Peter's superhero activities, but it was clear that the number of individuals seeking Spider-Man's destruction had increased dramatically since the Green Goblin's defeat several months earlier.
"Spider-Man always collect enemies," Peter replied with resigned acceptance, as if this was simply an inevitable consequence of the heroic lifestyle.
"What are you two whispering about over there?" Shocker interrupted their quiet conversation, his voice carrying obvious menace. "I strongly advise you to be cooperative and contact Spider-Man immediately, otherwise..."
Herman Schultz raised his gauntleted hands and clenched his fingers toward a massive oil drum located several meters away from their position.
BOOM!!! Invisible sonic waves suddenly erupted from his weaponized equipment.
In an instant, the empty metal container was compressed into a compact sphere by the devastating vibrations, crushed as easily as an aluminum can.
"Otherwise," Shocker concluded with sadistic satisfaction, "you'll both die very unpleasant deaths!"