Charlie Parker shrugged and finished the rest of his pizza in a few huge bites.
He instantly felt much better.
But synthesizing spider silk proteins required more than just energy—it also took time.
Ding~
The elevator doors slid open.
Ignoring the strange look from the man waiting inside, Charlie stepped into the elevator.
Silence.
A few awkward seconds passed before the man in the suit cleared his throat.
“Ahem.
My name’s O’Neill.
I study fashion design.”
He smiled politely and handed Charlie a business card.
Charlie instinctively patted himself down.
“Uh…
sorry.
I don’t exactly have any pockets.”
O’Neill froze with the business card halfway out for several seconds.
“…That’s okay.
Your suit is amazing.
Is it made of metal?”
“It is.
Nanotechnology.
Pretty cool, right?”
“Wow…
I didn’t know technology had advanced that far already.”
“Nope.
It was a prize I got for winning a resurrection match.”
“Haha, you’re funny.”
“People always say that, but honestly, I think I’m a very serious Spider-Man.
Of course, if you think I’m funny, I’ll gladly accept the compliment.
After all, who could say no to a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man who’s both hilarious and has impressive arms?
Oh, I can tell jokes too.
Have you ever seen a green Godzilla?
I raced one not too long ago—”
“Alright, Mr.
Spider-Man.”
O’Neill quietly took a step back.
“First floor.”
Charlie paused.
“…Sorry.
Got carried away.”
He hurried out of the elevator and tapped the spider emblem on his chest.
The nanometal instantly flowed back into the emblem.
Outside, he hailed a taxi.
“Queens.
Meter on.”
By the time Charlie returned home on Blake Street, dawn had already arrived.
Before he could even pull out his keys, the window next door slid open.
“Charlie, you’re back!”
A beautiful girl with long wine-red hair leaned out, waving enthusiastically.
Charlie looked up.
His eyes accidentally landed on her lace pajamas.
“Morning, Mary Jane.
You’re up early.”
“I’m always up early.
Anyway…”
She smiled brightly.
“Where’s my gift?”
“…Gift?”
“Of course!
We’ve been chatting so much on the phone lately, and you promised to buy me a lipstick.”
Charlie: “…”
He slowly pulled the phone from his pocket.
The same phone he’d recovered from Norman.
The last time he’d died beneath the antenna tower…
Norman had taken his phone.
Which meant…
What exactly had Norman been doing with it these past few days?!
An ominous feeling rose inside him.
Sure enough…
After awkwardly brushing Mary Jane off, Charlie walked into the house.
Uncle Ben and Aunt May were already eating breakfast.
“My little Charlie!”
Aunt May immediately walked over and pinched his cheeks with a warm smile.
“We missed you so much.”
Then she asked expectantly,
“So…
where’s our gift?”
Charlie: “…”
Rubbing his aching cheeks, he forced out a smile.
“They’re still in my suitcase.
They’ll be shipped here in a couple of days.”
“Oh, wonderful!
I can’t wait to see the scarf you bought me.”
Aunt May looked genuinely excited.
Uncle Ben turned around from the table and said with complete seriousness,
“If you forgot our presents…”
“…don’t bother coming home anymore.”
Charlie’s mouth twitched.
So this is how fragile family love is?
Fortunately, after making up a bunch of fake travel stories to satisfy Aunt May’s curiosity, he somehow managed to survive breakfast.
The moment he got back to his room, he hurriedly opened every messaging app on his phone.
His expression gradually became more colorful with every swipe.
A few minutes later…
Charlie slowly let out a long breath, doing everything he could to suppress the urge to curse.
If nothing unexpected happened…
His social life was officially over.
So this is the Green Goblin’s twisted sense of humor…
Sighing, Charlie reached into his pocket and pulled out a green key.
Norman had thrown it to him moments before dying.
It was probably meant for Harry.
He’d have to find an opportunity to give it to him.
Thinking about his best friend immediately gave Charlie another headache.
Fate had once again made him the Green Goblin’s enemy.
Would Harry still become the next Green Goblin?
Charlie felt like he had to do something.
Putting the key away, he collapsed onto his bed and quickly drifted into a deep sleep.
Three in the afternoon.
Charlie stood beside his bedroom window, basking in the warm sunlight.
He took a deep breath.
His entire body felt refreshed.
His mind was crystal clear.
Thwip!
He casually fired a strand of web, catching a bird flying past outside.
“Perfect.”
“I’m fully recovered.”
He gently straightened the bird’s feathers before glancing at his class schedule.
Today’s laboratory session.
Time to head to university.
I wonder if Norman helped me ask for leave…
Yeah right.
As if he’d ever be that considerate.
Releasing the bird, Charlie picked up his backpack and headed downstairs.
“I’m going to class!
Don’t wait for me for dinner.”
After saying goodbye, he hopped onto his bicycle and rode toward downtown.
He still needed to buy presents for Aunt May and Uncle Ben.
As for Mary Jane…
Forget it.
Money exists for women to admire—not for spending on them.
Thankfully, he’d collected plenty of cash from those thugs last night.
Buying a few gifts wouldn’t be a problem.
At the gift shop, Charlie filled in the delivery address.
Checking the time, he frowned.
Only twenty minutes left.
He was going to be late.
Without hesitation, he slipped into a nearby alley.
Tapping the spider emblem on his chest, the nanometal instantly spread across his body.
He sprinted up a nearby wall, leaped into the air, unfolded the gliding wings beneath his arms, and swung toward Empire State University.
Earlier that year, he’d graduated from Midtown High and had successfully enrolled at Empire State University.
In the Marvel Universe…
Countless heroes and villains had connections to this school.
For example…
Doctor Octopus.
And the Lizard.
Thwip!
Moments later, Charlie landed silently inside the university’s forest park.
His nanotech suit retracted as he straightened his casual clothes and stepped out from behind the trees.
“Hey, Charlie.”
“You’ve got a really nice body.”
“And you’re surprisingly pale.”
Several upperclasswomen sitting beneath the trees openly admired him before huddling together, giggling.
Charlie’s face immediately darkened.
Without saying a word, he walked toward the laboratory building.
There were several selfies stored on his phone.
Photos he’d taken shortly after becoming Spider-Man…
Just to show off his newly earned muscles.
Yes.
Norman had used Charlie’s phone…
To send those pictures to a huge number of upperclasswomen.
After several days…
The entire university had probably heard about it.
As Charlie walked across campus, the bold girls blew kisses at him.
The shy ones lowered their heads and hurried past without saying a word.
Some even turned around and walked the other way.
It was a complete social execution.
Students stared at him as though he were some rare animal in a zoo.
Charlie felt like screaming.
But the worst was still to come.
“Charlie.”
“Please stop bothering me from now on.”
An attractive senior girl who had never lacked confidence looked down at him arrogantly.
“A completely ordinary guy like you doesn’t interest me at all.
Go see more of the world.
Improve yourself first…
then maybe come talk to me.”
She rolled her eyes and walked away.
Charlie: “…”
His fists clenched tightly.
It took every ounce of willpower not to punch someone.
What kind of cursed nightmare is this?!
“Hey, Charlie!”
Hearing a familiar voice, Charlie turned around.
A cheerful young man dressed head-to-toe in designer brands came jogging over, wearing an incredibly suspicious grin.
“So this is your type.”
Harry lightly punched Charlie’s chest and wiggled his eyebrows.
“No wonder you’ve always been so cold toward Mary Jane.”
Charlie’s lips twitched.
Pointing at the departing girl, he calmly replied,
“Your wife.”
Harry instantly exploded.
“Hey!
That’s uncalled for!”
“Your wife.”
“You said it again!
Fight me!”
The two friends laughed and shoved each other as they ran into the laboratory classroom.
Just as expected…
The moment Charlie walked inside, every student looked at him with strange expressions.
Ignoring the whispers surrounding him, Charlie calmly made his way to a workbench in the corner.
As long as he wasn’t embarrassed…
The embarrassed one…
…was still him.
(End of Chapter)