"Call out."
"Smack."
Jet-black spider silk tore through the air, cutting across the battlefield with a sharp snap. It rode the edge of a violent gust, the force of it whipping debris into a spiraling current before something massive dropped out of the sky like a falling missile.
A man well over two meters tall slammed down beside Captain America with a heavy crash, cracking the pavement beneath his feet. Dust and fragments burst outward, rolling across the already devastated ground.
"Captain Steve, I was sent by the organization to support you… I'm so sorry… I'm late…" the dark-clad Spider-Man said quickly, giving a brief, almost apologetic introduction as he straightened up.
For a split second, Steve just stared at him. Then something shifted in his expression, and his eyes actually watered, the tension in his chest easing like a knot finally coming undone.
"That's… perfect timing," he said, voice thick as he forced himself back into focus.
The emotion vanished just as fast as it came. His gaze snapped upward, locking onto the crackling figure suspended in the air, and he raised his arm to point.
"Let's take down this mutant trash together."
"And so are we."
"And so are we."
Hawkeye and Black Widow stepped in from behind, closing ranks without hesitation. The four of them stood shoulder to shoulder, forming a tight front against the chaos ahead.
There was something about the moment that hit harder than expected. The city lay in ruins, smoke drifting through broken streets, and yet here they were—heroes regrouped, standing their ground like it actually meant something.
Opposite them, floating amid a halo of flickering electricity, the man they were about to face tilted his head back and laughed.
Electro rubbed arcs of lightning between his palms, blue-white sparks snapping violently with every motion. "Come on," he taunted, voice buzzing with unstable energy. "All of you? You're still too weak."
The words had barely left his mouth.
In the next instant, the sky seemed to crack open.
A surge of lightning erupted outward, violent and blinding, as if divine punishment had decided to descend right there in the middle of the city. The blast tore forward, sweeping across the ground and surging toward the heroes like a tidal wave of pure energy.
——
"That's insane… this is huge."
A van screeched to a stop not far from Times Square, its doors flying open before it had even fully settled. A woman jumped out first, boots hitting the ground as she scanned the devastation with wide, sharp eyes.
April O'Neil took in the broken streets, the scorched buildings, and the figures clashing in the distance. The adrenaline hit her instantly, rushing straight to her chest and making her pulse spike.
Ever since the previous wave of scandals surrounding the Avengers, her name had exploded across New York. Interviews, reports, inside scoops—she'd turned into a recognizable figure almost overnight.
But that wasn't even the part that thrilled her the most.
What really stuck with her was that she'd actually managed to talk with Butcher. Not just talk—she'd even had dinner with him. That memory alone was enough to send a grin tugging at the corners of her lips.
This was another level entirely.
She shaded her eyes and leaned forward slightly, narrowing her focus on the battlefield. "Let's see… Captain Steve, Black Widow, Hawkeye…" she murmured, then paused as her gaze landed on a darker silhouette among them. "That one… looks a lot like Spider-Man, doesn't it?"
A faint frown creased her brow. Something about it didn't sit right, her instincts quietly insisting there was more going on beneath the surface.
Beside her, her cameraman was already moving with practiced speed, unloading equipment and snapping pieces into place like a soldier preparing for combat. Tripod locked, lens adjusted, angle set—he didn't waste a single second.
"Closer," he said, excitement barely contained. "We need a better angle. This is gold."
April didn't hesitate. She rolled her shoulders, then waved her hand forward.
"Alright. We're going into the war zone."
Sunlight caught her as she moved, outlining her figure in a bright glow as she pushed toward the chaos ahead. There was no hesitation in her steps, no fear slowing her down.
It was reckless.
It was dangerous.
And somehow, it looked almost heroic.
…..
"Bang."
"Smack."
Back in the center of the battlefield, the storm had fully erupted.
The man suspended in the air unleashed everything he had, and the result was catastrophic. Bolts of lightning converged and twisted together, branching out into a chaotic web that swallowed the plaza whole. Thousands of square meters turned into a deadly zone no normal person could even approach.
The ground was torn apart. Structures collapsed under the strain. Even the Avengers were forced back under the overwhelming pressure.
But power alone didn't make someone a seasoned fighter.
Electro could control lightning, sure—but controlling it perfectly, covering every angle without leaving a single opening? That was another matter entirely.
"SPLASH!"
A massive chunk of broken concrete suddenly shot upward, hurled from the ground with brute force. It didn't last long—Electro blasted it apart mid-air—but that wasn't the point.
The distraction was enough.
The dark Spider-Man moved the instant the opening appeared. He fired a web line, yanked himself forward, and launched straight into the air, closing the distance in a blur.
He twisted his body mid-flight, drawing in all his strength before snapping his leg out in a brutal arc.
The kick landed like a hammer.
Several tons of force crashed into Electro, driving him straight out of the sky and slamming him into the ground with explosive impact.
Steve didn't waste the chance.
He surged forward immediately, shield already raised, and brought it down hard onto Electro's face.
"Clang."
"Clang."
"Clang."
Each strike rang out like metal smashing against metal, relentless and unforgiving. There was no hesitation, no pause—just a continuous barrage meant to keep the man pinned down.
At the same time, Hawkeye and Black Widow moved in perfect sync. One locked down Electro's legs, preventing any attempt to break free, while the other cut off his upper movement, restricting his throat and shoulders.
The coordination was precise.
Efficient.
Crushing.
Under that kind of pressure, Electro didn't even get the chance to unleash his lightning again.
He was completely locked down.
Was it because he had only just gained his powers? Because he didn't have the time to truly understand them yet? Maybe.
But none of that mattered in the moment.
"Damn mutant bastard…"
Steve's shield came down again, smashing into Electro's cheek hard enough to leave red and white marks blooming across his face. The motion was sharp, almost contemptuous, like he was driving the point home with every hit.
The humiliation burned even more than the pain.
For a split second, a memory flashed through Electro's mind—of being beaten down before, powerless, treated like nothing. The same helpless rage surged back up, twisting inside his chest.
"Why is it always me?" he screamed, voice breaking under the strain. "Why am I always the one getting hurt? Why don't I get to decide anything?!"
The answer came in the form of another strike.
"Clang."
The impact rattled through his body, sharp pain exploding outward from the point of contact. His partially transformed form trembled under the pressure, flesh and tissue reacting like they were about to give out entirely.
It felt like everything inside him was rebelling, like even his own body was starting to collapse under the fight.
…..
[Ding. A random mission has been detected nearby.]
The notification cut cleanly through the chaos, appearing with mechanical clarity.
[Electro's Plea for Help: The supervillain Electro is only trying to protect himself, yet he is constantly bullied and humiliated. Even after gaining power, he receives no respect—only insults, labeled a "mutant bitch" by Captain Steve. He desperately wants someone to help him escape this situation.]
[Ding! After accepting this mission, the host must assist Electro in humiliating Captain America and stripping him of his dignity. The mission reward will scale based on Electro's level of gratitude, with potential for massive amplification!]
"What a pleasant surprise."
Inside an apartment overlooking the battlefield, Liam leaned back slightly, the corners of his mouth lifting as the system prompt settled in. The city below was chaos, but to him, it looked like an opportunity neatly wrapped and delivered.
He almost laughed.
Just moments ago, Captain Steve and the others had been getting crushed. Now they were back on their feet, pushing forward again—and somehow, that turnaround had triggered a mission for him.
It was almost too convenient.
If not for the fact that directly provoking Steve might cause unnecessary trouble, Liam would have seriously considered giving the guy a medal.
The Avengers were working overtime to make him stronger.
"I definitely need to repay them properly."
He narrowed his eyes, the faintest hint of anticipation flickering through his expression. At his fingertips, electromagnetic waves began to dance, subtle but unmistakable.
.....
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