THIRD-PERSON POV:
The Spider-Boys discreetly made their way to the roof, unaware that someone was following them.
Aoi Hinami was currently on Arush Kumar's tail.
The boys all split up one by one, confusing Hinami in the process. She figured that she would still follow Arush but soon lost track of him in the crowd.
...
...
The four Spider-Men split up in the neighbourhood where the warehouse is. Ritvik Anand, taking point, goes inside, his invisibility activated.
"Hurry up! Boss said we're hitting the Downtown bank first! Shocker's waiting for us."
"All these men for the bank? Isn't that overkill?"
"Nah, half of us are going to the Department of Defence. Taskmaster's got something big planned."
Ritvik's eyes narrowed. He needed to gather as much information as possible to brief the others before these thugs could complete their mission.
"Let's go! We're all done here!"
The thugs packed up and got into their trucks. Ritvik contacted the Spider-Boys comms line and informed them of the plan.
"Guys, Shocker and Taskmaster are planning two different heists at the same time. The Downtown Bank and the Defence Department."
"Wait a sec, those two locations are almost at the opposite ends of the city! We'll have to split up..."
"I got dibs on Shocker." Zain said.
"I wanna go teach Taskmaster a lesson for our last encounter..." Ritvik mentioned.
"I'll come with you." Agrim said.
"Alright, that leaves me with Zain. See you at the bank, pal."
...
Arush and Zain landed on a roof near the Downtown Bank.
"God damn, look at thing- it's practically a tank..." Arush mumbled.
"No shit, pal. They're planning a heist."
"There they are. Get ready."
The thugs revved up the armoured truck and started driving straight toward the wall of the Downtown Bank.
"Crap! Let's go!"
Arush and Zain jumped down from the roof and swung over to the truck, webbing it up to slow it down.
Arush landed on the hood and noticed that the car was empty.
"Oi, the truck's empty!" he yelled to Zain.
"Do we... trash it?!" he yelled back.
"WHAT? NO!"
Arush crawled over to the front and shot two web lines in the opposite direction, trying to stop the truck. Zain jumped off the truck and shot two web-lines of his own, trying to stop the truck.
Fortunately, the Spiders stopped the truck right before it hit the wall.
"The Spiders are here! Shoot them!" one of the thugs said, arriving in another car.
Arush started jumping with precise movements, but Zain just hid behind the truck.
Arush produced a talon from his wrist. "Alright, you scallywags! Let's see how you handle this!" He threw the talon at one of the thugs, impaling his shirt to the car door.
"Oi, oi! No guns in the fun-zone! That's cheating!" Zain said as he jumped up and started firing his webs at the guns the thugs were holding.
"No, no, no! That's cheating!" the thug said.
"Fair enough..." He mumbled, before quickly webbing up the thugs, and tying them up.
"We're done here." Arush said.
"You stay here, I'll check what's going on inside." Zain said, scouting the bank.
"Right. Call if you need backup." Arush said, fist bumping Zain.
...
ZAIN ZAFFAR'S POV:
"Hey, Herman! Long-time no see!" I said, hanging upside down from the ceiling.
"Ugh, I had a feeling something was crawling on my skin, so, it was you? I'm gonna kill you by the time I'm done with this!" Shocker yelled, dropping the bags of cash.
"Hey, I'm no lawyer but I'm pretty sure that's a parole violation."
I punched him back into the vault, knocking him down, but he charged his gauntlets and punched me in the jaw, sending me to the ceiling. He tried escaping the vault, but I webbed it and closed the door.
"Oops, looks like we're stuck in here for a while. Wanna play 20 questions?" I asked him sarcastically.
He tried to punch me in the face but I ducked.
"No? How about we thumb wrestle?"
He tried to punch me again but missed once more.
"No? Face punch it is..." I punch him in the face, but it doesn't even faze him. Crap.
Shocker blasts me away with a shockwave, blasting the door open and followed me to the lobby. I quickly take the high ground by sticking to one of the pillar's in the bank.
"Look I gotta be honest with you, I'm really surprised you actually found real cash here! You know- with crypto taking over-"
"You talk too much! Time to shut you up!"
He sends a blast towards me which I dodge. It hits the pillar, damaging the structure. This continues on for a little bit until I find an opening, and quickly move in to disarm him. Unfortunately, he releases a huge shockwave blast which sends me flying into another pillar.
"That hurts, you bastard..." I grunt, getting back up to my feet.
"I see you've made some upgrades to your suit! Too bad it's gonna be stained with your blood by the end of this day-!" he shoots another shockwave but I dodge. It hits the pillar, and completely breaks it apart.
Getting an idea, I quickly web up the pillar, and catapult it to Shocker. He doesn't manage to dodge it, and I get another opening to move in and end this fight. After delivering a series of punches and kicks, I web his leg in place, and shoot one on his face for good measure.
The chandelier up above is hanging by its final threads- time to put it to use.
I web the chandelier and pull it down, trapping Shocker underneath it.
"YOU LITTLE SH-" I webbed up his mouth.
"Uh-uh-uh. Language. Oh, by the way, can we talk design details? Your suit is awesome!" I asked, but he didn't reply. "No? Some other time then." I quickly flee the scene as the cops barge into the bank.
As Arush and I re-group outside the bank, my phone started ringing. I checked the Caller ID and saw that it was Fuutaro.
"Hello?"
"I saw the news! Are you okay?"
"Oh? You're worried about me? That's surprising..."
"Of course! You're my only friend at school..."
"Eh, a few broken ribs, nothing too serious."
"Well, that's a relief..." He sighed. "Oh, right, I called to tell you something- Miku wanted me to tell you to meet her on the roof after school."
"Thanks for the heads up. Any idea why she wanted to meet up?"
"I dunno, maybe she likes you and wants to confess her feelings."
"Oh, ha-ha. Very funny, Mr. Uesugi."
"Well, I guess you'll find out."
"Hey, wait-" Before I could ask him anything else, he hung up.
Meanwhile...
THIRD-PERSON POV:
In the dimly lit corridors of the Defense Department, Taskmaster paced back and forth, surrounded by blueprints and schematics of classified projects. Ritvik and Agrim, concealed in the shadows, observed silently.
"This is it. With the tech stored here, I can replicate the combat skills of any superhero or government agent. The perfect army is within my grasp..."
Ritvik exchanged a concerned glance with Agrim. They knew they had to stop Taskmaster before his ambitions spiraled out of control.
"Once I get my hands on the combat data from this facility, there'll be no stopping me." Taskmaster examined the blueprints for the building schematics.
"We can't let him leave with that data. It's too dangerous." Ritvik murmured to Agrim, who nodded in agreement, his new Concussion Blast gadget ready.
Taskmaster continued his monologue, unaware of the approaching Spider-Boys.
"These heroes and their fancy moves won't know what hit them. And once I've sold my services to the highest bidder..."
Ritvik swung down, landing gracefully in front of Taskmaster, catching the mercenary off guard.
"Alright, pal! Time for round 2!" Ritvik said. "But...! With a twist!" Agrim emerged from the shadows, poised for the impending confrontation.
"Spider-Men, huh? This should be interesting."
The clash of powers and skills echoed through the the dimly lit chambers of the Defense Department. The air crackled with tension as Ritvik and Agrim faced Taskmaster, the master of mimicry.
"You Spider-Boys really think you can stop me?"
"We're about to find out." Ritvik said.
The room erupted into a symphony of acrobatics and clashes as Taskmaster mimicked the moves of various superheroes with uncanny precision.
"Captain America taught me this one." Taskmaster said mockingly.
Taskmaster skillfully deflected Ritvik's strikes, countering with a barrage of moves that left the Spider-Boy momentarily disoriented.
Agrim swung into action, unleashing strands of organic webbing to entangle Taskmaster. The mimicry expert smoothly adapted, cartwheeling out of the webbing's reach.
"Nice try, Spider."
Ritvik seized the opportunity and lunged at Taskmaster, his hands aiming for a swift takedown. Taskmaster evaded with a sidestep, showcasing the agility of Spider-Man.
"You're good, pal, I gotta admit. But we're better..." Agrim used the concussion blast and knocked Taskmaster off his feet, which also lowered his guard.
Ritvik seized the moment, using his invisibility to reposition and deliver a surprise attack. He struck Taskmaster from behind, momentarily disrupting his mimicry.
"Clever move..."
The battle intensified as the Spider-Boys coordinated their attacks. Agrim's fists clashed with Taskmaster's expertly mimicked martial arts, creating a dazzling display of combat skills.
"Let's wrap this up..." Ritvik mumbled, going invisible yet again.
Agrim released a burst of organic webbing, encasing Taskmaster in a sticky cocoon. Taskmaster struggled against the bonds, his mimicry temporarily halted.
"Now, let's talk..."
Taskmaster: (grinning) You think I'll spill the beans that easily?
"We have ways to make you talk." As Taskmaster remained bound, Ritvik approached with a stern expression.
"Who are you working for, and what's the endgame?" Taskmaster chuckled, seemingly unfazed.
"You might stop me, but the real players in this game have already set their pieces in motion."
"What does Hammerhead have to do with any of this?!"
"Hmm? Lorenzini is just a pawn in this game. I'm not loyal to him, just the highest bidder."
"You're a sick bastard, Taskmaster..."
With Taskmaster captured, the Spider-Boys now faced the challenge of unraveling the larger conspiracy at play, determined to protect their city from the looming threats that lay ahead.
...
ARUSH KUMAR'S POV:
Location: Advanced Nurturing High School
We got back to school right before the last period ended. We should be fine though, since the Chairman knows about us being superheroes, he can cover for us.
I checked my messages and saw that Hinami had called me to Sewing Room 2 after classes ended. Since classes were nearly over, I just decided to head to the location and wait for her.
...
"Remember how I roasted Nakamura earlier? It had to be done for your sake."
"Really? And why is that?"
"Well, he's been holding this huge grudge ever since you kicked his butt in MK. People won't even mention it to him... Since he's a popular member of our class, if people notice he's rude to you, you'd find yourself on shaky ground, which is bad news for a successful real life. It was important to defuse his emotion bomb as soon as we could."
"Defuse?"
"Yeah, by bringing it up in front of everyone, and turning it into a joke."
No shit, pal. What do you think the boys and I have been doing for the past eight years... Actually, remind me why am I here again? Why am I learning things from this girl? Is there a specific reason? Well, the answer to this question goes all the way back to when Hinami and I first met.
I didn't know she was gonna be NONAME. I couldn't have possibly known, but once I met her, I thought I could kill two birds with one stone; get acquainted with Hinami so that my fake persona is a thing of the past and I get popular enough to not get bullied, and the second reason only appeared after I spent some time with her, and figured she isn't all sunshine and rainbows. I want to figure out what her deal is... Call me curious George, but I will not give up on my mission.
"Yeah, I guess that makes sense."
"Plus, I was probably the only one who could pull it off. No one else had the guts~" She boasted.
Oh yeah? You should meet Ritvik and Zain behind closed doors.
"In any case, you really went off, huh?"
"In any case, for a beginner, you did pretty good today."
"Thanks dude."
"...Dude?"
"Yeah. You're my dude. Dude..."
"Shut up. Anyway, are there any other concerns you wanna address?"
"Yeah. What's up with Tama?"
*SIGH* "She can be extremely stubborn, or just sincere. No matter what the mood is, she will refuse to simply go along with it. That's why Mimimi and I like her, and we're a good match. Unlike Nakamura, or anyone else who tries to dominate the flow of the group's conversation. But, I don't think Nakamura means anything bad. He just wants her to relax and go with the flow once in a while."
"Sounds like a pain."
"I wish Mimimi or I could be there to take care of her always, but that's not real life, and it's tough." she sighed. "Alright, that's enough for today. We'll discuss new things tomorrow."
"Right, see ya." I got up from the seat and made my way towards the door.
"On second thought..." Hinami called out to me.
"Hm? What's up?"
"Where were you after lunch?"
Crap... "Uh... the Chairman called us in for a meeting. Some trouble with our... application forms..."
"Is that so...?" Hinami asked, narrowing her eyes.
"Yep? That's right..."
"Alright, I guess that's reasonable."
Hah! Dumb bitch!
The next day...
[Today's task: Posture]
"Your mind and body are linked, so changing your posture will change the way you act and feel."
"But my posture's fine."
"It's not. Your shoulders are a bit slouched."
"Ugh, fine." I straightened myself up. "Like this?"
"Mhm. Now hold it." Hinami carefully approached me and grabbed... my butt?
"Wow, Hinami, I didn't expect you to be this bold. It's only been a few days since we've started talking, and you're already feeling me up? I didn't know you were so touchy."
"Shut up, you idiot! I'm checking your butt muscles to assess their strength, not being a pervert!"
"Uh-huh, uh-huh. Sure, dude. Whatever you say." I said.
"Ugh! Step away from the wall..."
"Right, what next?"
"You can take off the mask for now, as long as you don't slouch. And I'm also giving you an additional task for today: Talk to me and someone else from my friend group, like Mimimi or Hanabi. You'll perform this task several times each day. Every day for the rest of the week."
Oh, great... I sighed, slouching yet again.
"Keep those cheeks clenched!"
Fuck off, that just sounds weird.
"Getting back to the medium goal..."
"Ah, getting a girlfriend before our third year, you mean?" I don't want that, though.
"Yes. This will help lay the groundwork for that. Before you get that far, you'll continue talking to different girls. While I evaluate their reactions to your conversations. That should narrow down who you should get close to and what skills you should be practicing."
"Wow, you've thought of everything." I remarked sarcastically.
"Of course, I have. Before you enter a boss battle, it's common sense to check if your level's high enough to handle the fight ahead."
"True enough..." If you're strictly speaking about games, of course.
Yeah, in an ideal world, you'd have the luxury of checking your stats, ensuring your gear is top-notch, and maybe grinding a few side quests for experience points before facing a formidable opponent. But being Spider-Man... well, it's a different game. There are no save points, no respawns, and definitely no level caps.
Every swing through the city feels like navigating through a perpetual boss fight. You don't get the luxury of preparing, strategizing, or choosing your battles. It's a relentless cycle of responsibilities and threats. Your enemies don't wait for you to power up; they strike when they see an opening.
There's no HUD showing your health bar or indicating when danger is approaching. It's a constant test, and the stakes are real. You jump into the fray, day in and day out, relying on instincts, agility, and the web shooters at your disposal. No high-level gear, no stat boosts-just the weight of power and responsibility.
So, while I agree with your analogy, the truth is... in the life of a Spider-Man, every swing is a leap of faith, every confrontation a boss battle. You don't check your level; you face the challenge head-on, hoping that your strength and determination are enough.
"I'm walking home with Shibata-kun, Kanzaki-kun, and Mimimi after school. You're coming, and chatting with us."
...
"Are you still doing strength training, Shibata?" Kanzaki asked.
"Sure am."
"And not during the football club sessions either, right?" Mimimi asked.
"What muscles are you working on?" Hinami asked.
"Pretty much everything!"
"Yeah? Does that include your butt muscles?"
"Huh? Butt muscles?"
"I mean, yeah!" Hinami interfered. "You gotta work out those glutes, you know?"
"Like... at home or something?"
"Well, yeah. Obviously."
"The secret to her sizzling physique... is all in that booty, baby." Nanami said. This girl has no filter whatsoever.
...
"Now, don't freak out, but you should know this- you and Minami are both getting out at Queens."
"Huh?"
"And don't even think about running away."
...
"I didn't know you lived in Queens too, Kumar-kun."
"Um, yep." I said, still tired from yesterday.
"Dude~" Nanami slapped my back. "Why are you so nervous?"
"I'm not. Just tired... You sure have a lot of energy."
"You know it~ I intend to live my life at max speed with a smile on my face!"
"I'm not sure if that mentality's amazing or exhausting to me."
"What do you mean~?" she turned to me with a smile.
"Well, aren't there times when you don't feel like smiling and being bubbly?"
"That's when you need to smile the most, or the hard times will be harder~"
"I see... Hinami did say that the mind and body are linked." But knowing what I've lost, what I've had to sacrifice, what I've left behind... Would you be able to smile?
"The two of you sure are buddy-buddy, huh?"
"Not really..."
"So, anyway~ I've been wondering, so give it to me straight, my dude~ Is there something going on between you and Aoi?"
No chance in hell.
"Why'd you ask that?"
"Don't pretend you two haven't been exchanging looks lately~ Give me the deets, lover boy!" She accusingly pointed a finger at me.
"It's nothing like that. Plus, the Aoi Hinami? Please, as if she'd have anything to do with me."
"Yeah, that's true."
"You agreed a little too quickly there..."
"Hahaha! Good one~ you can be pretty funny sometimes, Kumar-kun."
Not this again.
"Why don't you let out your fun side more often? You're always so glum."
You should see me in the mask. "Ahem... that's none of your business. Besides, I'm fine with not having fun every single second... Especially after being Spider-Man for a decade..." I mumbled the last part to myself, and prayed to god that she didn't hear me.
"Uhh... meaning what?"
"Life's a tricky game, Nanami. Sometimes the masks we wear aren't just for Halloween, and the battles we fight go beyond the visible ones. There are responsibilities I carry, and they often cast a shadow over the lighter side of things. But hey, who knows, maybe someday you'll see a different side of me."
She still looked confused at my cryptic answer, so I decided to dumb it down for her.
"Okay, you know how I like MK, right?"
"Yeah! And I hear you're super good. Continue, please~"
"Well, I don't really play it because it brightens my mood or anything. I just like the game itself, so the fun is more of a bonus."
"Wow, it sounds like you and Tama are somewhat similar."
"Oh, yeah?"
"She won't bend or let others bend her. Iron personified~ For example, even if it will make the situation more fun, her mood won't change unless she's okay with it, that is. What conviction, right~?!" she pumped her fists and turned to me. "You gotta give her props. On the hand, take someone like me~ I bend over backwards so much you can basically hear my spine popping. Do you think that's admirable too~?"
"I guess... but maybe you should try being a little selfish sometime. It'd do wonders for your mental health."
"Truth be told, I'm kind of worrisome. Still though, my worries are small potatoes compared to what Tama can go through."
"Yeah, I picked up on that. She seems to have it rough."
"I know, right~? Which is why I use my powers for good, and do whatever I can to protect that girl." she flexed her muscle and put a hand on her bicep while winking at me.
"What's admirable is how you two support each other." I said. "It takes a different kind of hero to help without a mask."
"That's right~ Mutual support. I suppose you could say that I do most of the heavy lifting, but I'm happy handling the job. Well, I'm done here~ See ya later!"
"Yeah... Later." I said, waving her off.
[All units, level 2 mobilization, Financial District. Please respond.]
Well, time to get to work, I guess...
TO BE CONTINUED...
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
I know the fights can be a little underwhelming, but I really don't see the need to keep repeating long ass paras just to show a fight that would realistically end in under 5 minutes.
Anyway, thanks for reading. :)
- ZZS101