20 Mr Ouboros

*Drip...drop...drip...dripp...*

Rain cascaded down the windows of a high-end French boutique on Fifth Avenue. Inside the custom tailor shop, one could catch a glimpse from outside of a few garments floating in the air, only to vanish as if they had never existed.

A young child, nestled in his mother's arms, fixated his gaze upon the door of the opulent shop. Suddenly, his ice cream floated into the air, drifting away from him, only to be devoured as if someone were eating it. The sound of crunching filled the air.

As a New York bus rumbled past, a man wearing a heavy black trench coat layered over a stylish cashmere suit and a crisp shirt emerged from the other side. The crowd instinctively parted to make way for him as he confidently strode through their midst, moving in the opposite direction toward a dark part of town.

After making stops at several shops, he emerged from one with an unexpected combination—a formidable M249 firearm in one hand and a refined umbrella in the other.

As he suddenly vanished, a distraught store owner rushed out from behind the glass door with a bill in his hand, looking around in confusion.

*Drip...drop...drip...*

The sound of boots echoed through the air, the heavy steps causing small puddles to ripple and water droplets to splash. The sound ceased as the boots came to a halt right in front of a sewer hole.

*Plop!*

Without hesitation, Peter leaped headfirst into the gaping hole, disappearing from sight.

Leading the way for the handsomely dressed man, a small lizard scurried ahead, almost as if it were guiding him through the dark and winding maze of the sewers.

With a subtle smile adorning his face, Peter trailed behind the helpful guide, trusting its instincts. It didn't take long for them to arrive at the entrance of a dilapidated white laboratory, its walls marred with cracks and signs of decay.

Kneeling down, Peter gently extended his palm, inviting the lizard to climb onto it. He chuckled as he tickled the Lizard.

"Aren't you a cute little guy?"

With a careful motion, he placed the creature in his pocket, ensuring its safety. Moving stealthily, he navigated through the waterlogged papers and shattered chairs.

Bending down, he picked up a specific note that caught his attention. His eyebrow arched in curiosity as he attempted to decipher the erratic scribblings, but his efforts proved almost fruitless.

'Dr. Connors is trying to inject him with more than he can?'

Peter pondered slightly. Even he did not know what the result of doing such a thing would be. The Lizard Genes would definitely be stronger and it was possible that it would be a little too disproportionate.

Connors would be more Lizard than human... possibly losing all shreds of humanity. The latter makes an excellent base for all kinds of foreign DNA to turn itself into a monster.

At that moment, Peter's gaze fixed upon a gripping sight—a one sided battle between two shadows.

With a deliberate motion, Peter lowered his left hand, ethereal wisps materialize in an excited manner and enveloped his umbrella. His right hand firmly gripped the M249 as he calmly walked toward the two figures with slow steps.

~

"So, it's you,"

In response, the creature—a colossal humanoid Lizard with a sinuous neck and a cavernous maw—unleashed a primal snarl.

"GRAHHHHH!!!"

In a swift motion, she unleashed a lethal sphere of sticky webbing aimed straight at the monstrous lizard's eyes, effectively blinding him in a disorienting haze.

Enraged by the sudden loss of vision, the monster unleashed its fury in a berserk frenzy. Its massive form convulsed and thrashed wildly, resembling a chaotic dance of destruction.

The creature's tail, adorned with numerous thorny spikes, swung with ruthless force, pulverizing everything in its path.

The make-do lab was reduced to a heap of debris and rubble, bearing witness to the monster's relentless rampage.

Finally, as vision returned upon somehow stabbing the eye itself, the Lizard glared in the distance. Blood flowed from its eyes before a new pair of eyes started to regenerate.

Spider-Woman swiftly seized the opportunity, capitalizing on the monster's distracted state. With unyielding determination, she launched a fierce attack from below, delivering a powerful punch aimed directly at the creature's vulnerable underbelly.

It was a strike so forceful and precise that, had the monster retained its human form, it would have found its mark in an area as sensitive as the tailbone.

As the Lizard crashed to the ground, Gwen's agility and speed propelled her into a whirlwind of motion.

With seamless finesse, she unleashed her webbing, ensnaring the monstrous creature in a meticulously woven cocoon of sticky strands.

In a matter of mere seconds, the entire body of the Lizard was encased in a pristine white web, tightly secured against the sewer wall. Despite the struggles of the giant creature, the web refused to move.

Simmering anger radiating from her, Spider-Woman advanced toward the immobilized Lizard. Her hand reached up, gripping the edges of her mask to remove it so she could look at it scream in agony eye to eye as she would pummel the replile.

However, as she started to unveil her identity, a strange shift occurred. The reptilian monster, trapped and seemingly defeated, began to exhibit an eerie calmness.

Its eyes underwent a gradual transformation, gradually turning a deep shade of crimson, fixating upon Spider-Woman with an unsettling.

Then it spoke... something the Lizard refused to do before, replying in snarls and animalistic groans.

"Human... whatever you plan on doing will not work... For... I have completely taken over that foolish doctor."

Gwen's brow furrowed with a mixture of curiosity, temporarily setting aside her anger, she allowed her voice to break the silence.

"What do you... mean?"

A deafening, lizardish laughter reverberated through the murky depths of the sewers. the voice boomed, dripping with a malevolent satisfaction. Overjoyed to patiently explain like a true villain.

"That foolish doctor, he dared to concoct a serum, an elixir intended to mend wounds by harnessing the power of reptilian DNA from a Lizard. Little did he know, that the darkness inside him and the chilling essence of cold-blooded creatures would serve as the catalyst for my emergence. I whispered into his vulnerable mind, manipulating his deepest thoughts, driving him with motivations and aspirations... until... until he succumbed to temptation and fueled my existence by injecting heavier doses of the serum, a potent concoction. Now, his once formidable ego lies shattered, consumed entirely by his alter ego, his true self... the nefarious darkness that is now me."

Gwen's eyes widened with a mixture of hope, absorbing the sinister tale that unfolded before her.

"You are telling me... that there is a cure to mend wounds?"

Its reptilian eyes gleamed with a sinister satisfaction.

"Indeed... I am a result of it. This human body was once missing an arm and now look... look... it even has a tail."

Sensing an opportunity to exploit her inner musings, it adopted a deceptive tone, akin to that of a cunning trickster.

It whispered softly, its voice laced with a seductive allure.

"Thoughts swirling within your mind, Spider-Woman?"

As Gwen remained silent, the wicked smile on the Lizard's visage widened, reveling in the seductive power of its words.

"Imagine, Spider-Woman," it hissed, its voice dripping with tantalizing allure.

"With your allegiance, I could grant you the power to heal those dear to you. No more suffering, no more pain. Together, we would transcend the limitations of mortals, becoming godlike beings, and rewriting the very fabric of this feeble world. We are destined for greatness, for we possess a unique potential waiting to be unleashed. Join me, and together we shall ascend to heights unimaginable! All you need to do is... loosen the web... all you need to do is... loosen it... all you need to do is loosen it... all you need to do is.... looosen itttt..."

Gwen's eyes drooped under the influence of the Lizard's presence, her once strong will beginning to waver.

A faint, eerie calmness settled upon her countenance as her hand rose almost involuntarily, drawn by an unseen force.

Her gaze remained fixed, wide open yet devoid of consciousness, resembling that of a person trapped in a waking slumber, ensnared by the Lizard's hypnotic spell.

"Yesss, good Girl, Spider-Woman..."

However before Gwen could enact the Lizard's command to remove the webs, the scene abruptly shifted as a barrage of bullets tore through the air. The projectiles found their mark with relentless accuracy, striking the Lizard's skull repeatedly and unrelentingly.

The deafening sound of gunfire echoed through the sewers, disrupting the hypnotic trance that had ensnared Gwen.

Spider-Woman with her alarmed sense immediately took a backflip and pressed her back against the ceiling above

The realization of her vulnerability and a close encounter of succumbing to the Lizard's influence flooded her thoughts, causing a surge of conflicting emotions to wash over her.

'Why were my spider senses not able to detect his hypnosis???'

*Tap...tap...tap...*

Regret etched across her features, Gwen reluctantly shifted her gaze towards the dead Lizard. Frustration simmered within her for being unable to inflict upon it even a fraction of the pain her father had endured.

Releasing a deep, heavy sigh, Gwen turned her attention towards the unexpected intruder who had intervened and freed her from the clutches of the Lizard's influence.

"Who are you?"

A cheerful androgynous voice resounded from the shadows.

"Who am I?... Hmmm, who am I? Well, I am your savior, my dear."

Although Gwen was grateful to the intruder for not letting her make the biggest mistake of her life, her eyes twitched as she spoke annoyed.

"I had it under control. I didn't need your help."

A man in a gentlemanly attired emerged from the shadows, donning a unique Vendetta mask. The sound of his umbrella echoed as he spoke sarcastically.

"Really? I find that difficult to believe."

Gwen looked away, annoyed by the man and annoyed by the Lizard. This day was extremely bad compared to the one before.

"Who are you anyways."

The man stared into the distance, he rested the umbrella on his shoulder.

"Well for starters, you can call me... Mr. Ouboros."

"The snake that eats its own tail? Signifying Infinity? Shouldn't your name have the 'Ro'.

Gwen was clearly curious about the masked man, she wondered if he was a vigilante or a hero similar to her. This made her want to uncover his identity further.

"You will learn to ignore the 'Ro' in time, my dear."

Gwen visibly cringed behind her mask as she spoke.

"Ew... please stop... don't ever call me dear again."

Peter chuckled as he pointed toward the direction of the Lizard with his umbrella.

"Sure, my dear. Maybe you would like to divert your attention to something else?"

Gwen frowned, clicking her tongue in annoyance. Looking in the direction of the Lizard, shock plastered it.

The lizard's body had completely flattened, adhering to the sticky webs with an eerie stillness. It had been stripped of all flesh and blood, leaving behind only a taut and lifeless skin, suspended in the intricate webbing.

Peter by the side mused silently as he spoke aloud in a poetic manner.

"I wonder... I wonder... I wonder if the Lizard shred its ski-

Before he could finish his words, a colossal crocodile-like mouth emerged menacingly from the murky water, swallowing Peter, leaving a deadpan silence in its wake.