"Uh-oh!"
Seeing the surrounding Spider-Armored vehicles glinting with cold light, their dark muzzles and machine guns trained directly on the group, the "Spiders" couldn't help but let out a collective gasp of alarm.
"With this much firepower, is this guy planning to treat us like Hydra?" a Spider-Man dressed as a Western cowboy remarked dryly.
"Not quite as friendly," another Spider-Man nearby shrugged.
"Damn it, how does he have this much power in New York?" another griped. "If I show up on the street for more than ten minutes, that idiot JJJ claims I'm hatching a grand conspiracy, let alone building a private army!"
"Ha! That's just the way of the world. A bad guy does one good thing, and he's a saint, but a good guy makes one mistake and it's an unforgivable sin!"
The air was thick with complaints and banter, a chaotic wall of sound. There was a reason the Spider-Society didn't make public appearances often in the original stories.
If five hundred women are said to be noisier than five hundred ducks, then five hundred Spider-Men were giving them a run for their money.
While the Spiders were still in their routine "pre-battle banter" phase, the Spider-Police legion across from them acted without a shred of chivalry.
"Fire! Annihilate these imposters!"
No warnings, no negotiation—just immediate engagement.
Rat-tat-tat-tat—!
Piercing gunfire instantly shattered the New York silence. A rain of projectiles poured toward the Spider-Men!
"Holy—! Isn't he a Spider-Man? Where are his manners?!"
"Scatter! Move!"
The Spider-Men cried out, relying on their Spider-Senses to instinctively dodge in every direction.
Although the bullets weren't live rounds—they were specialized web-gel canisters—the impact force was equivalent to small-caliber rounds. One hit could numb half a body and end the fight instantly.
Thump!
One Spider-Man from a high-tech future universe, overconfident in his suit's defense, tried to tank a shot. The moment a web-canister hit his chest, he stood stiff as a board, visible arcs of electricity dancing across his suit.
"Watch out! These rounds are electrified!"
"We get it! But the problem is... these bastards don't care about civilian casualties!"
One Spider-Man swung down in front of a terrified little girl, moving her to safety. But the moment he landed, a shot hit him in the back, high-frequency current causing smoke to curl off his costume.
It was clear that these Spider-Police followed the "Otto-Parker" style of operation: Better to kill a thousand innocents than let one target escape. The web of fire covered the entire block, completely ignoring the fleeing, innocent citizens.
Boom!
A web-cannon blast shattered a coffee shop window, the exploding webs turning the interior into a tangled mess of screams.
Kindness had become the Spider-Men's greatest weakness. They had to dodge a relentless barrage while simultaneously protecting civilians; they couldn't even utilize thirty percent of their skill.
"This isn't working!" Spider-Man Noir melted into the shadows, disabling the power systems of two armored vehicles, but more quickly filled the gap.
He looked back to see most of his companions struggling, many already on the ground.
"There's too many of them! They'll wear us down!"
"That bastard was too prepared. We're outmatched."
"Should we retreat?"
As the scales of victory tipped toward the Spider-Police, some of the younger Spiders began to panic.
"Boss~ what's the plan?" Spider-Punk, Hobie, looked toward Peter, who stood motionless in the center of the chaos.
Hobie's eyes held no fear or anger—only curiosity. He wanted to see how the new leader of the Society would handle this.
"Your team coordination is honestly depressing," Peter muttered, critiquing the scattered Spiders before flickering to the very front of the line. "I'll have to arrange some tactical training for you guys after this."
With that plan in mind, Peter leaped like a cannonball, landing precisely in front of the largest, most menacing command vehicle.
"...But first, let me handle these big toys for you."
Inside the vehicle, the commander watched Peter approach with a cruel sneer. "Heh, another one seeking death. Concentrated fire! Take down the arrogant one first!"
The order was given. A dozen armored vehicles pivoted their muzzles, locking onto Peter. In a second, he was supposed to be hit by a barrage of web-missiles, destined to either be shocked unconscious or suffocate in a cocoon of agony.
However, in that split second, Peter slowly looked up.
Hum—
An indescribable, terrifying pressure erupted from him, sweeping across the battlefield like a tsunami.
Conqueror's Haki—Release!
There was no piercing sound, no flashy light show. But the entire world fell into an eerie, dead silence in that instant.
The lead Spider-Police officer felt his mind go blank, his consciousness instantly crushed by an irresistible, overwhelming will. Then came the second, the third...
Like falling dominoes, one officer after another collapsed over their consoles, losing control of the vehicles.
The out-of-control armored cars veered into one another, their primed missiles becoming the very weapons that tore their own formation apart.
In the blink of an eye, the iron flood that had been threatening to push the Spider-Society into a corner was paralyzed into a pile of junk.
The street became so quiet that only the sound of the "Little Spiders" gasping for air remained.
"Wha... what just happened?" Spider-Ham rubbed his small, bead-like eyes in disbelief.
"I don't know... it felt like some kind of strange energy field..." Peni Parker stammered, her worldview thoroughly shaken.
The gaze of every Spider-Man present converged on the figure standing with his hands in his pockets, looking as unbothered as ever. Envy, fanaticism, , awe—the looks were endless.
This was it! A leader of the Spider-Society should be this powerful!
If there had been any lingering dissatisfaction about Peter being "airdropped" into the leadership role, it had vanished completely. Now, only one thought remained in their minds...
Coach, I want to learn that move too!
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