I'm on fucking fire right now! FUCK YEAH!
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Chapter 3
The lab was cold, not just in temperature, but in feeling.
Glass enclosures lined the walls, each one sealed, reinforced, and crawling with life.
Spiders.
Dozens of them.
No, hundreds.
Scientists in pristine lab coats moved with practiced efficiency, eyes glued to monitors filled with cascading DNA sequences, cellular readouts, and stress-response graphs.
A massive observation tank sat at the center of the room, its transparent walls housing the latest batch of test subjects.
"Sequence integration confirmed," one researcher reported, fingers flying across a tablet. "Subject Group Epsilon shows a seventy-three percent increase in muscle fiber density."
Another scientist scoffed from across the room.
"Only seventy-three? That's barely an improvement over Delta."
"But the cellular rejection rate dropped to zero," a third voice chimed in. "No necrosis and no systemic collapse. Their bodies accepted the modifications."
The head researcher stared through the glass, watching a spider leap from one surface to another with terrifying speed, far faster than its natural counterpart.
Its legs flexed with unnatural strength as they dragged a dead rat up towards their web, able to lift far more than a spider of their size should have any right to be able to.
"Enhanced strength," he murmured. "Reflexes, adhesion, accelerated healing. Every single metric matches the theoretical projections."
He turned, jaw tightening.
"But despite all that," he continued sharply, "we still can't replicate it in human trials."
A heavy silence followed.
One of the younger scientists swallowed. "The serum we made destabilizes human DNA on a fundamental level. Cellular rejection occurs within minutes… best-case scenario, organ failure. Worst-case, violent mutation."
"In other words," another muttered, "total failure."
The word hung in the air like a verdict.
"Unacceptable," the lead researcher snapped. "The goal was to recreate the Super Soldier Serum. Humans. Soldiers. Not bloody arachnids."
"And yet," a voice said quietly, "that's all we've been able to achieve despite the years and money spent on this project."
The lead researcher's gaze drifted back to the enclosures, anger clear in his eyes.
The spiders were restless now, moving faster, stronger, and smarter.
One of them paused, bigger than the rest; it had a strange coloring of blue and red, unusual for a spider. It turned slightly towards the scientists as if aware it was being watched by them.
"Document everything," he ordered after a moment, rubbing his head as he could feel a migraine coming from the thought of informing his boss of this failure of a project. "And shut everything down, this project is a failure and a waste of valuable resources."
"What do we do with the spiders, sir?"
"Dispose of them, they no longer serve any purpose and are much too dangerous to be let free."
His assistants nodded and began carrying out his orders, taking the enclosures off the walls and putting them on carts to properly dispose of them.
The large spider inside the cage bristled as it began to move around its cage angrily before climbing the glass wall and up to the steel lid of the cage and…
It began to violently rip apart the steel lid of the cage with its fangs.
_______
Plan "Get Peter a harem of bad bitches" was going pretty goddamn good if he had to say so himself.
Taka smirked as he glanced up to see Peter and Gwen getting along swimmingly. His smirk got even wider as he could hear a giggle coming from her as his best bro laid down the charm on her.
It's been a week now, and the relationship between them has gone from awkwardly acquainted to a comfortable friendly as they have spent more time together.
While he knew for a fact that his genius of a best friend had an attraction to the blonde girl, it was too soon to tell if it was the same for her, seeing as it's only been a week and all, but he liked to think she did.
[Daily Chaos Gatcha is now Rolling…]
[Rare Inventory Pet: Enderman Pet]
Huh, he was getting really lucky these days; usually, it would take weeks before he even got something of the rare tier variety. But here he is getting multiple rares in a matter of days!
He idly opened his inventory and scrolled for at least a good couple of minutes before finding the latest item he acquired.
[Enderman Pet]
– Allows the user to teleport instantly to any location within their line of sight if in Inventory. When the user enters a critical condition, the pet will automatically teleport them to the nearest safe location and will continue to do so until fully safe, prioritizing survival above all else.
– Consumes Obsidian Nuggets to remain active.
As if sensing Taka looking at him, the tiny Enderman Pet happily waved its small blocky arms at him, its face in a happy, closed-eyed look.
Holy shit! This thing fucking rocks! If he can get his hands on some obsidian, that is, but other than that, this thing fucking rules!
He hit a fucking jackpot!
Sure, it wasn't the most overpowered thing he's ever gotten, but it was for sure fucking cool! He happily reached toward the inventory screen and petted the inventory pet with his finger.
So deep in his ecstasy at getting something good, the walking weapon of a boy didn't notice the bell ringing, signaling the end of class, or the people who now stood in front of him trying to get his attention.
"Uh, is he ok? Should we get someone?" A feminine voice asked, interrupting his thoughts of all the ways he was going to abuse the Enderman Pet.
He closed the inventory screen, his finger still in the air, and found his best mate and his future girlfriend standing in front of him, one looking at him in concern, while the other looked as if he was too used to it.
"Nah," Peter said, glancing sideways at Taka before leaning a little closer to Gwen, his voice dropping conspiratorially. "This is… pretty normal for him."
Gwen blinked, looking between Peter and the statue-still boy staring intently at absolutely nothing.
"Normal how?"
Peter watched as Taka's finger twitched mid-air, like he was poking an invisible screen, then sighed. "He does that a lot ever since I've known him, just zones out completely and looks at nothing. I timed it once, and he did it for a straight twenty minutes, but other than that, he's almost normal."
"…That's mildly concerning," Gwen said, though there was more amusement than worry in her tone.
"Mildly?" Peter snorted before he could stop himself, then flushed and cleared his throat. "Sorry. Uh, yeah."
She laughed, covering her mouth, eyes flicking back to Taka. "So he's always like this?"
"You have no idea," Peter said, a small smile tugging at his lips despite himself. "He once walked into a pole because he was 'thinking about the future.'"
"That sounds dangerous."
"It is… for infrastructure that is."
Now that got a laugh out of her.
And his best bud said he had no charm? Yeah fucking right! Then what is this, then, huh?! Sure, it was at his expense, but damn if he wasn't so fucking proud! His brother from another mother was putting in game-winning shots after game-winning shots!
And the best part?
Peter didn't even realize he was winning the game.
Taka watched them with a grin full of teeth and satisfaction, chest puffed just a little as he thought, "That's my fucking guy!"
And by god, this was only the beginning.
"Oh, hey!" he said cheerfully as he got up from his chair. "How long were you guys standing there staring at me creepily?"
Peter stared flatly at him while Gwen stared at him in disbelief. The two turned to each other, but no words were said as they wordlessly asked each other if this guy was being for real.
The bell echoed again in the background, students filing past them.
"…Taka," Peter said slowly as he turned back to look at him, "Class has been over for a solid minute."
"Huh," Taka replied, completely unfazed. "Time sure flies when you're winning."
Gwen tilted her head, studying him with open curiosity now. "Winning at what?"
Taka flashed her a grin, wide, confident, and just a little unhinged. "Fucking life."
"What?"
"You fucken heard me."
Peter buried his face in his hands. "I'm so sorry."
Gwen laughed again, brighter this time. "Don't be. He's… interesting."
"Careful," Peter muttered through his fingers. "That's how he gets you. I haven't gotten rid of him for seventeen years because I thought he was… interesting."
Taka slung an arm over Peter's shoulders and began giving him a knoogie, causing Peter to desperately struggle to escape. "You know you love me, bitch!"
Taka finally released him from the noogie with a satisfied huff, giving Peter's head one last ruffle for good measure before stepping back.
Peter immediately set about fixing his hair, shooting his best friend a death glare so potent it could've qualified as a weapon of mass destruction.
"You're dead," Peter muttered, fingers combing frantically through his now thoroughly messed-up hair. "I'm going to wait until you least expect it, and then I'll kill you."
Taka gasped, pressing a hand to his chest in faux surprise. "Violence? From you? Wow. Truly, my training is paying off."
Gwen watched the exchange with wide eyes, then laughed again, shaking her head.
"You two are… something else."
"That's one word for it," Peter said dryly, finally satisfied enough with his hair to drop his hands. He took a breath, clearly steadying himself, then glanced between the two of them. "Alright, anyway, Taka."
"Big D."
"Taka."
"Hm?" Taka hummed, still grinning, clearly unfazed by the lingering glare.
"I wanted to introduce you properly," Peter continued, rubbing the back of his neck. "This is Gwen. Gwen, this menace is Taka. My best friend, unfortunately."
"Hey!" Taka protested, straightening up and offering Gwen a polite, shockingly polite, little nod. "Nice to finally meet ja. I've heard many wonderful things about you from Benji here."
Peter froze. "You have not!"
"Oh, I absolutely have," Taka said smoothly. "Mostly about how smart you are, how cute he found your laugh, and—"
"Taka!" Peter warned, face heating up. "Please shut up!"
Taka laughed like the gremlin he is.
Gwen blinked and turned to Peter, who refused to look at her, then smiled, a faint pink dusting her cheeks. "N-Nice to meet you too."
Taka's grin turned downright smug.
"So," he said, clapping his hands together once. "What's up? You didn't come to me just to introduce your girlfri-"
His mouth was promptly shut by Peter's hand covering it while giving him a glare that promised absolute murder.
His best mate sighed, shoulders slumping just a little. "Right. So. Gwen was telling me about something."
Gwen nodded, stepping in to save him when he started visibly struggling for words.
"I'm having a birthday party this weekend," she said. "Nothing huge, just some friends and their friends at my house."
Peter nodded quickly, finally finding his voice. "Yeah, and for some reason she invited me to come."
Taka waggled his brows suggestively as if to answer the reason why she invited him, which Peter promptly ignored.
"And, uh, you know I'm not really a party person." He hesitated, then glanced at Gwen, who looked at him with understanding eyes. "So I asked if it'd be okay if I brought you along."
Taka's eyebrows shot up, pulling his best bud's hands away from his mouth.
"…You want to bring me to a PARTY!?!" he asked, genuinely surprised.
Peter shrugged, trying to play it off even as his ears turned red. "I figured it'd be less… overwhelming with you there."
There was a brief pause.
Then Taka's expression softened, just for a split second, before the grin came roaring back with a force.
"Oh, hell fucking yeah!" he said immediately, no hesitation at all. "I'm fucking in!"
Taka ran out of the room with a burst of speed, weaving and swerving past fellow students like the wind. He needed to get everything ready so that his best bud would hit goddamn it!
Peter groaned, already starting to regret this as he watched his best friend leave to do god knows what.
"He didn't even wait to hear you say yes or not."
Gwen giggled, shaking her head as she brushed past Peter to the door that Taka left through.
"I was going to say yes anyway, so it's fine. I for one think that he's going to be the life of the party if the things you told me about him are even half true."
"You say that now…"