The main screen displayed the aftermath, a faint plume of smoke still rising from the distant mountains. Professor Monster watched it, his glowing yellow eyes unblinking. Amazoness stood before him, her posture rigid.
"The launch platform was destroyed, Professor Monster," Amazoness reported, her voice calm, metallic. "The missiles detonated prematurely."
She detailed the intervention, a new adversary calling himself Spider-Man. She spoke of his unexpected speed, his agility, his unnatural strength. She described his strange vehicle, the GP-7, and its firepower.
"His intervention was… swift," she continued. "He destroyed the platform before I could react. Our forces retreated."
Professor Monster processed the information. A failure. But how?
He turned his head slightly, the motion stiff, mechanical. The name "Spider-Man" echoed in his mind.
Spider-Man.
A low, mechanical growl rumbled from his throat. Garia. It had to be. Only Garia could orchestrate such a sudden, disruptive force. His ancient adversary was still alive. He recognized the pattern, the interference.
"Garia," Professor Monster stated, the name like a curse. "He lives. He moves through this… puppet."
The spider, still weaving his petty webs.
He had thought Garia finally extinguished, his planet reduced to dust. Yet, the warrior's stubborn essence persisted. This Spider-Man was a new challenge, a direct result of Garia's meddling. The universe seemed to conspire against him.
His glowing eyes narrowed, fixing on the smoking mountain range. A new pawn for an old enemy.
"This 'Spider-Man' will be crushed," Professor Monster declared, his voice cold and flat. "And Garia will finally witness true despair."
The thought of Garia watching his last hope shattered filled Professor Monster with a grim satisfaction. This was not just a setback; it was an opportunity. He would lure Garia out, make him pay for centuries of resistance.
No matter the form, the spider will be broken.
A deep chill seeped into Garia's damaged form, despite the protective aura of the Marveller. He watched through the ship's primary viewscreen as Professor Monster, his ancient nemesis, paced within his own command center. The image was distant, flickering, yet clear enough for Garia to read the intent in those burning yellow eyes.
He knows.
The thought settled in Garia's mind, heavy and cold. Professor Monster's attention, previously scattered across the galactic map, now focused on the digital schematic of Spider-Man. Garia's own creation, Takuya, had become a new focal point for his enemy's hatred.
The Professor's voice, distorted but audible through the psychic link, filled the Marveller's silent bay.
"This Spider-Man," Professor Monster said, the words cutting through the void. "Garia's instrument of vengeance."
Garia felt a flicker of grim satisfaction. His choice, his protégé, had struck a blow. Yet, the cost weighed on him. This was not the end. It was only the beginning of a larger conflict.
Professor Monster saw the truth, but twisted it through his own warped lens. He saw Takuya as a mere puppet, a tool. He could not comprehend the human spirit that Garia had chosen to empower.
"A formidable adversary," Professor Monster conceded. "An unexpected challenge."
The words tasted like ash to Garia. He knew the Professor. This was not a moment of weakness, but a shift in strategy. Professor Monster was a predator, always adapting.
He will not underestimate Takuya for long.
The Professor's voice hardened, gaining a metallic edge that vibrated through Garia's very being.
"We underestimated Garia's capacity for interference," Professor Monster stated, his eyes burning. "We now face a new problem."
Garia could feel the energy building, a dark storm gathering across the planet. The Professor's contempt for humanity, for all life not subservient to him, was a palpable force. Tokyo, a vibrant jewel of life, remained unaware of the chess match being played above and around it.
He seeks to destroy, not to understand.
Professor Monster's next words echoed with absolute authority.
"We will prepare for this Spider-Man," he declared. "Not with mere Ninders or crude missiles, but with our true power."
Garia's form tensed, the old scars on his metallic skin glowing faintly. This was the moment he had dreaded, the true escalation.
"Unleash the Machine BEMs," Professor Monster commanded Amazoness. "The true war has only just begun."
* * *
The cool, recycled air of the Marveller's training room felt good against Takuya's skin. He moved through a series of stretches, his muscles still humming from the earlier fight. A faint smile touched his lips, hidden beneath the Spider-Man mask. Tokyo was safe. The missiles were gone.
It was a good feeling, this victory. A real win. The memory of the Iron Cross Army's transport exploding, a fiery bloom against the dark mountain, replayed in his mind. He had done it. His father's death still hurt, but this felt like a step toward making things right.
Take that, Professor Monster.
He pulled himself up to a high beam, hanging there for a moment, feeling the strength in his fingers. The alien gene Garia gave him felt like pure power. Like he could take on anything.
"Confidence is a quick ride to destruction, Takuya."
Garia's voice, a low rumble with that usual echo, cut through Takuya's thoughts. He dropped to the floor, landing silently. Garia stood by the far wall, silver hair flowing, his silver-blue eyes fixed on Takuya. No expression, just that deep, ancient look.
"You feel the rush of a small victory," Garia continued, his tone calm but firm. "Do not mistake it for the end of the race."
Takuya felt a flicker of annoyance. Always with the warnings.
"It wasn't small," Takuya shot back, his voice a little sharper than he meant it. "I stopped their attack. I saved Tokyo."
Garia's gaze did not waver. "You revealed yourself. You showed them what you can do."
The words hung in the air, heavy.
"Professor Monster now knows you exist," Garia explained, his long fingers making a slow, weaving motion. "He knows I live through you. This will only make him more determined."
Garia stepped closer, his metallic skin catching the faint glow of the Marveller's systems. "This was not a finish line, Takuya. It was merely the first turn. The true challenge begins now."
Takuya stood there, the thrill of victory slowly draining away. The true challenge? What else could they throw at him?
"He will adapt," Garia said, his voice dropping. "He will send more than Ninders. He will send the Machine BEMs."
Confidence is a quick ride to destruction, Takuya.
Garia's words echoed in his head, a cold splash on his high. Takuya felt his jaw tighten under the mask. He wasn't some rookie anymore. He had faced them. He had won.
"I get it, Garia," Takuya said, his voice flat. "But I took down two Ninders and made Amazoness run. The missiles are gone. What else could they possibly throw at me that I can't handle?"
He crossed his arms, waiting for Garia to back off. He just didn't get it. This wasn't some training exercise. This was real.
Garia did not answer with words.
The alien warrior moved.
It happened so fast, Takuya barely saw it. One moment, Garia stood across the room, the next, a blur of silver and tattered robes was right in front of him. Takuya's spider-sense screamed, a sudden, piercing alarm that came too late.
A precise, firm strike landed on his chest.
THWACK!
The air rushed out of Takuya's lungs. He stumbled backward, his feet tangling, and he landed hard on the cold metal floor. A sharp ache spread through his ribs. It felt like hitting the track after a bad jump, but worse. Much worse.
He lay there, gasping, trying to remember how to breathe.
"Training for today is over," Garia's voice cut through the ringing in Takuya's ears. It was sharp, unyielding, nothing like the calm tone he usually used.
Takuya pushed himself up on one elbow, his chest still tight. Garia stood over him, those silver-blue eyes fixed on his mask. There was no anger there, only that deep, knowing look.
"The Iron Cross Army possesses power you cannot yet comprehend, Takuya," Garia said, his voice resonating. "Professor Monster's creations are not mere foot soldiers. They are weapons, forged for destruction."
Garia paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "Your victory today was a single thread severed in a vast, dark web. Do not mistake the web for broken."
Without another word, Garia turned. His tattered robes swirled, and his form disappeared into the deeper shadows of the Marveller's cavernous interior.
Takuya was left alone. His ribs throbbed, a dull, constant pain that reminded him of his bruised pride.
***
Advance Chapters on patreon.com/Najicablitz.
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