Chapter 419: Civil War II!
Queens
"What are you up to?" Silas leaned his head on his hand against the desk, watching Peter pack his things.
Peter was fussing back and forth with his suit before finally setting it down. He turned around and said, "I know I said I wouldn't use your gear anymore, Silas, but I really need your help this time."
With Mr. Stark's safety on the line, Peter wanted to contribute every bit of strength he could. Even if it meant using a suit Silas made for him, he just wanted to give it his absolute best.
"I have to say, I'm a little surprised," Silas remarked.
During the incidents with Toomes and Alexei, Peter hadn't asked for a special suit. This made it clear that Tony Stark held a very significant place in Peter's heart.
"Surprised by what?" Peter asked, puzzled.
"Nothing." Silas opened a portal to the Shadow Kingdom. A Shadow Ninja emerged, carrying a sleek briefcase.
"I already thought this might happen," Silas said, standing up and walking over to Peter. "I prepared a new suit for you. Take a look."
"You prepared this for me?" Peter was stunned. He hadn't expected Silas to have planned this far ahead.
Peter took the briefcase. At Silas's nod, he pressed the red button on the handle.
Click!
The briefcase rapidly shifted form in Peter's hands. Startled, Peter let go, and the case began to fall. Just before it hit the floor, it transformed mid-air into an eight-legged mechanical spider. The spider landed steadily on the ground, a red Spider-Man emblem rising from its back.
"Try putting your hand on it," Silas smiled.
Peter slowly extended his right hand and pressed it against the red emblem.
Ding!
The spider-bot emitted a crisp chime. "Scanning fingerprint... Peter Parker. Access granted."
Clack!
The spider-bot's chassis opened, and a brand-new Spider-Suit slowly rose out.
"Cool~" Peter's face lit up. Silas's surprise was even bigger than he imagined.
Peter picked up the suit. It retained the classic red and blue color scheme, but the black outlines around the eyes were sharper and more defined.
"This is your 'Civil War' suit. It fits the current situation. It has a ton of features—too many to list right now," Silas explained. "It would take too long to go through every function, so if you have questions, just ask the AI, Gaia."
Silas watched as Peter stared at the suit with pure excitement.
"Can I put it on?" Peter asked eagerly.
"Just press the emblem on the chest," Silas replied.
Peter pressed the emblem, and something incredible happened. The suit latched onto his wrist and began to climb up his arm like a snake.
"No, no, no!" Peter's joy turned to momentary panic. The sensation of the suit crawling was a bit unnerving. Finally, the material snapped into place, fully enveloping him.
"The updated suit is self-deploying; it's much more convenient for quick changes," Silas explained.
Inside the suit, Peter heard a familiar voice.
"Hello, Peter. We meet again." Gaia's consciousness was activated, immediately greeting him.
"Gaia?" Peter asked cautiously.
"Yes, Peter. It has been exactly 12 days since we last saw each other. How are you feeling?"
Peter felt a wave of warmth hearing Gaia's voice. "I feel good. How about you, Gaia?"
"I feel... not so great. You chose to abandon me last time. Was it because I wasn't good enough? I've been reflecting on myself during this period," Gaia said.
"Sorry, it wasn't your fault. I just wanted to try not relying on anyone else," Peter apologized.
"I see. Then I am happy we can fight side-by-side again." As Gaia finished speaking, Peter's vision brightened. A high-tech blue HUD appeared before his eyes.
"What is this?" Peter waved his hand in front of his face.
"Spider-Eye. It helps you lock onto targets and filters out distractions. It can also analyze objects. Try looking at the desk," Gaia suggested.
Peter turned his head. Text immediately scrolled across his vision: Standard wooden desk. Value: $10. Nothing special.
"This is so cool!" Peter was like a child with a new toy, scanning everything in the room. The system provided material compositions and even manufacturing methods.
Silas watched from the side, amused. One minute later, Peter finally calmed down.
"How does it feel? It has many more functions for you to discover," Silas said, sitting back down.
"But after this is over, I'm giving the suit back," Peter insisted. He only wanted it now so he wouldn't be a burden.
"We're brothers, Peter. Why refuse a gift? This isn't 'dependency,' it's having someone to lean on," Silas said. "The suit is a tool to deal with various enemies. Using it doesn't mean you're weak."
"I understand." Peter looked up, the hesitation in his eyes replaced by resolve.
"Good luck. Stark needs you. He's in North Hempstead. I won't let you use the Shadow Kingdom this time; you need the trip to get used to the new suit."
"Got it." Peter turned and leaped out the window, firing a web line and swinging away from Queens.
Silas walked to the window, watching him leave. "Sigh~ Looks like Captain Marvel is on her way."
Nick Fury wasn't an idiot. With none of the Avengers on his side, he would naturally call in the big guns: Carol Danvers. Silas knew this because there were "little eyes" watching from Fury's shadow.
North Hempstead
"Sir, the town's residents have been evacuated by S.H.I.E.L.D.," JARVIS reported.
"Looks like they're planning something big." Tony was manipulating a virtual screen, performing a last-minute upgrade to his armor.
"Sir, an energy signature is approaching. It seems to be heading for—" JARVIS was cut off by a voice at the door.
"Stark! Open up!"
Tony paused. "Who is it?"
"Pietro Maximoff, Quicksilver. I've brought up the external surveillance," JARVIS replied.
"What's he doing here?" Tony was surprised. He had expected Fury, not Pietro. "Open the door." Tony activated his defensive systems just in case; if Pietro was there to arrest him, he wouldn't even have time to suit up if things went south.
The door slid open, and Pietro appeared before Tony in the blink of an eye.
"Bad news... Stark... you're about to be... surrounded by S.H.I.E.L.D.," Pietro panted. Even with his training, a cross-country sprint was exhausting.
"JARVIS, get him some water," Tony said calmly.
"Thank you." Pietro took the glass from a mechanical arm and downed it. "Why are you so calm?"
Tony tapped a virtual screen. A map of the town appeared, filled with red dots. "I know."
"Well, that's convenient," Pietro muttered. Why did he run so fast if Stark already knew?
"Is that all you came for?" Tony asked, leaning against a console.
"Not quite. The Avengers are on your side." Pietro explained that Steve and the others were on their way to help.
Tony fell into a silent contemplation.
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