Seeing the excessively young face revealed beneath Peter's mask, both Tony and Yinsen wore expressions of pure shock.
They had realized from his voice that he was young, but they hadn't expected him to be this young.
The person who had saved their lives and slaughtered the entire Ten Rings cell appeared to be a teenager who had just reached adulthood.
"You aren't some hundred-year-old monster using magic to masquerade as a kid, are you?"
As Tony spoke, he instinctively rubbed his hands together, looking very much like he wanted to lunge forward and pinch Peter's cheek to see if he could peel off a layer of human skin.
In response, Peter simply tilted his head and gave him a "nuclear" kind of friendly smile. Noticing the look, Tony instantly backed down, sheepishly raising his hands in surrender.
"Alright, alright, I was just joking. Don't take it to heart."
This is a freak who restrained a full-output Mark I with one hand. If I piss him off, I'll be the one drinking through a straw...
"But seriously, why the sudden decision to reveal your identity to us?" To Tony, this behavior was abnormal. If Peter just wanted benefits, he could have shown his face from the start rather than taking this extra step now.
Peter's answer was direct. He knew that with someone like Tony, sincerity was far more effective than being cryptic.
"Because it occurred to me that my friends and I might need your help in the future. You built that iron heap in such a primitive environment.
With your wealth and intellect, you'll undoubtedly build more interesting things once you're back. I'm curious to see what those new creations will look like when enhanced by my magic."
Tony might be arrogant and have an annoying way of speaking, but he was a man of loyalty. In the original timeline, everyone who helped him—aside from the late Dr. Yinsen—received his gratitude, from Colonel Rhodes to the little boy in Iron Man 3. And Peter had personally saved the lives of both Tony and Yinsen.
After hearing Peter's answer, Tony laughed. "I like the way you compliment me. To be recognized by a Mage... that is indeed a life experience I haven't had until now."
"So... you're in luck, kid. You've earned Tony's respect."
Peter knew Tony's personality well, so he wasn't offended by the cocky tone. He simply said, "Then I'll see you back in New York."
With that, Peter abruptly gunned the Glider. The shockwave and dust kicked up as he streaked into the sky left Tony and Yinsen covered in grime.
"Puh! Puh!" Tony spat out sand, grumbling loudly, "Shit, the brat definitely did that on purpose."
But as he spoke, an irrepressible smile played at the corners of his mouth.
While Peter bid farewell to the duo and sped toward New York, in an abandoned train station somewhere in the city...
"Electro" Max Dillon had found the "Sandman" William Baker hiding there. Sensing the dangerous aura radiating from Max, William instinctively turned, his hands shifting into the shape of weapons.
"Don't bare your teeth at me, you pathetic stray dog!" Max shouted at William with disdain.
Unlike William, who remained true to his heart even after becoming the Sandman, Max had darkened rapidly after gaining his powers.
Max's initial desires were simple: he just wanted to be noticed. He hallucinated about fighting alongside Ghost-Spider, becoming the city's heroes together, perhaps even starting a family, becoming a legendary couple that people whispered about.
But he soon discovered that reality didn't follow his script. When he appeared before Ghost-Spider to fight by her side, his violent electrical discharge accidentally injured her. Worse, several innocent bystanders were killed.
This triggered the fury of the NYPD. They shot at him, and the citizens cursed him, demanding that Ghost-Spider kill this "madman."
Seeing his idol's hesitation and conflict pained Electro. He chose to leave temporarily, planning to reappear once he could master his power.
But when he returned home, his mother's behavior became the final straw. That bedridden woman, who had squeezed the life out of him for over a decade and relied entirely on his salary, continued to complain that Max was a loser.
Since he was a child, she had drummed into him that his birth was a mistake. She repeatedly claimed that without him, she wouldn't have been a single mother or ended up paralyzed from odd jobs—that she would have reached the pinnacle of life.
The reality, however, was different. When Max came home glowing with electricity, his mother's first instinct was to urge him to rob a bank so she could live in luxury.
When Max flatly refused, she sold him out for a mere ten-thousand-dollar "tip" on his whereabouts.
When Max heard his mother screaming about "money, money," he completely snapped. Raging electricity swept through everything, turning everyone present into charcoal.
Max knew there was no going back, so he began to let loose. First, he tracked down everyone who had bullied him and got his revenge.
Then, he used his power to force high-and-mighty figures to kneel before him. Living as the version of himself he used to hate didn't feel empty—it felt more fulfilling than ever.
As they say, it felt better than that...
So, when his former idol Ghost-Spider chose to strike at him, and when he heard her admit she already had someone she loved, he made the most insane decision: If he couldn't fight beside his idol, he would make her his permanent collection!
A forced melon might not be sweet, but it quenches thirst!
He attempted to imprison Ghost-Spider, and after that initial plan failed, he sought out the Sandman.
"Listen, stray dog, we can collaborate!" Max proposed. "We team up to get money and take down Ghost-Spider. When it's done, all the money goes to you. I only want the girl!"
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