The Spider:AHero’s Awakening.

Oscorp Tower loomed above me like a monolith of nightmares.

Standing outside, I felt a mix of excitement and dread clawing at my insides. The message I received wasn't a coincidence—someone inside knew what I had, and they wanted it. The question was… friend or foe?

"Peter, I strongly advise against this," Karen whispered in my ear. "It's highly likely you're walking into a trap."

"Yeah, well, wouldn't be the first time," I muttered, adjusting my web-shooters. "Let's see what Osborn has up his sleeve."

Taking a deep breath, I slipped into the building through a side entrance, clinging to the walls and avoiding security cameras like a pro.

Inside, the air smelled sterile, a mix of antiseptic and cold metal. The hallways stretched in every direction, sleek and futuristic—but underneath all the gloss, something sinister lurked.

I made my way to the elevator shaft and climbed silently, inching my way up to the 50th floor—Norman Osborn's personal research division.

"Alright, Parker," I whispered. "Find the bad stuff and get out."

The elevator doors opened with a soft ding, and I slipped inside. The lab beyond was massive—filled with rows of containment pods, humming computers, and shadowy figures moving between them.

I crouched low, scanning the room.

And then I saw him.

Dr. Otto Octavius.

He stood in the center, his mechanical arms coiled around him like serpents. He was observing something—a massive glass cylinder filled with a swirling black substance.

The symbiote.

My heart pounded. "Oh great, just what I needed tonight."

"Fascinating, isn't it?"

I jumped, whirling around to find Norman Osborn standing behind me, his signature smug grin plastered on his face.

I tensed. "Yeah, creepy alien goo is totally fascinating. But, uh… shouldn't you be keeping it locked away in Area 51 or something?"

Osborn chuckled. "Why would I waste such potential? Imagine what we could accomplish with this… power."

I swallowed hard. "Yeah, I've seen that movie. Spoiler alert: it doesn't end well for you."

Osborn stepped forward, his eyes gleaming. "I know all about you, Peter."

My blood ran cold. "Uh… what?"

He smirked. "Oh yes, I know exactly who's under that mask. And I'm offering you a choice."

Octavius turned, staring at me with cold curiosity. "You have potential, Spider-Man. Don't squander it by fighting the inevitable."

I clenched my fists. "Not interested in joining your evil science club, thanks."

Osborn sighed dramatically. "Always so stubborn. You have no idea what you're up against, do you? The symbiote… it's not just an experiment. It's evolution."

I fired a web at his hand, but before it could connect, Octavius's mechanical arm intercepted it mid-air, crushing the webbing with ease.

"You're predictable, Parker," Ock said with a sneer.

Crap.

The room exploded into action.

Osborn pressed a button on his wrist, and alarms blared. Scientists fled as automated turrets descended from the ceiling, locking onto me.

I flipped into the air, dodging a hail of bullets. "Okay, cool, guess we're skipping the negotiation part!"

I shot a web at the ceiling, swinging across the lab and kicking a turret offline mid-air. Octavius lunged with his metal arms, barely missing me as I twisted through the air.

"You're wasting your talents, boy," he snarled. "Join us!"

"Hard pass!" I quipped, firing web grenades at the consoles to fry the systems.

Osborn stepped back, watching me with an unsettling grin. "You can't stop us, Peter. Sooner or later, you'll see the truth."

"Yeah, well, I'll stick to my truth," I shot back. "And my truth says you're insane!"

Before I could make a break for it, something struck me from behind—a tendril of black goo.

It slithered around my leg, pulling me toward the symbiote tank. My spider-sense screamed, but I couldn't break free. The liquid pulsed, reaching out like it wanted me—no, like it knew me.

A voice whispered in my head.

"Join us…"

I gritted my teeth. "No thanks!"

Using every ounce of strength, I fired webbing at the floor and yanked myself free, tumbling across the room. I rolled to my feet and bolted toward the exit.

Octavius shouted after me. "You can't run from progress, Spider-Man!"

I didn't stop running until I was out of the building and swinging through the city skyline.

Back at home…

I collapsed onto my bed, drenched in sweat. My hands were shaking.

Osborn knew. He knew who I was.

I groaned, burying my face in my hands. "This is so bad."

Karen's voice chimed in. "Peter, should I alert Mr. Stark?"

I hesitated. Tony had enough on his plate, and I didn't want him breathing down my neck. "No… not yet. Let's keep this between us."

The worst part?

The whispering in my head… it hadn't stopped.

The next morning, Midtown High.

I barely made it through the school day. Every time I closed my eyes, I could feel the symbiote—see it crawling toward me, whispering in the back of my mind.

MJ noticed immediately. "Peter, you look like you haven't slept in a year."

I forced a weak smile. "Yeah, uh… sleep is overrated."

She frowned. "I'm serious. You're scaring me."

I wanted to tell her everything, but how could I? "I… I've just got a lot on my mind."

She touched my arm gently. "You don't have to do everything alone, you know."

I looked at her, and for a moment, I felt like maybe—just maybe—I didn't have to.

That night, on patrol…

I swung through the city, trying to clear my head, but the whispers wouldn't stop.

"Stronger together… unstoppable… embrace it…"

I landed on a rooftop, clutching my head. "No… no way. I'm not letting this thing win."

Suddenly, a shadow landed beside me. I looked up to see Daredevil.

"You alright, kid?" he asked, sensing something was wrong.

I exhaled slowly. "No… not even close."

Daredevil crossed his arms. "Then let's fix that. Together."

I stared out at the city, my mind racing.

Osborn wasn't done with me yet. And if I was going to stop him, I'd need all the help I could get.

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