Chapter 16: Mutant Rat Crisis! Spider-Gwen is on the move! [Extra Chapter]

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Looking at the people fleeing around, Wanda and Lorien held hands and rushed in the direction the crowd was fleeing. Wanda felt an unusual sense of urgency and hope as she clutched Lorien's hand. It was as if his hand offered her a lifeline, a beacon of hope in the chaos.

As they made their way towards the scene, Wanda's focus wasn't on the danger ahead but on Lorien. The moment he extended his hand to her had been like a warm sun illuminating her heart, filling her with an unexpected sense of comfort and security.

"Rats! Lots of rats!" came the frantic cries from nearby. "Help! Help!!!"

These shouts brought Wanda back to her senses. By then, Lorien had already guided her to the edge of the chaos. Across the street, near a sewer, they could see dozens of rats, each as big as a bucket, crawling out of the underground pipes. Various reptiles and lizards, also enlarged to terrifying sizes, accompanied the rats.

At their normal size, these creatures would have been unsettling enough. Now, with their massive forms, some even as large as children, they were truly horrifying. Wanda gripped Lorien's hand tighter, startled by the sight.

Lorien turned to her and said, "Listen to me, Wanda. These mutant animals are dangerous and need to be stopped. Don't be afraid. Use your magic to catch them, or cover them and squeeze hard. Think of your magic as a pair of pliers—just crush them!"

Still nervous, Wanda held onto Lorien's hand. Suddenly, a child's scream pierced the air. "Ahhhh~~~!" A large rat had pounced on a child, its teeth dangerously close to the child's neck. The child's mother frantically searched for something to fend off the rat.

Lorien's eyes flashed with a red light, and the rat's pupils dilated before it fell to the side, lifeless. He had destroyed the rat's brain with his telekinetic powers. The child pushed the rat away and ran to his mother.

"Ahhhh~~~!" Another person was knocked down by a rat. This time, Lorien didn't intervene. He had only acted because the previous victim was a child.

Meanwhile, Natasha, who was returning to the base, received a notification. "A mutant animal attack was discovered in Elizabeth, New York?"

"I'll be there right away!" she responded, quickly heading to the area where Lorien and Wanda were located.

In Queens, New York, a girl in black spandex leggings and a white outer sweatshirt with a pink inner layer was perched on a building. Gwen, feeling a sense of urgency, looked towards Elizabeth. "I feel like there's a crisis going on there," she murmured to herself. After a moment's thought, she decided to investigate. Pulling on her pink and white spider mask, she used her web-shooters to swing swiftly towards the scene.

Back in Elizabeth, as the crowd was being attacked by the mutant rats, Wanda gathered her courage. Lorien stroked her cheek and looked into her eyes, encouraging her softly, "You can do this. Believe in yourself. Just catch those rats and crush them. It's much easier than saving people. Trust me."

With renewed resolve, Wanda nodded and stepped forward. Her actions stood out amidst the crowd retreating in panic. As she moved, she raised her hands, her unique magic gestures forming, and scarlet magical energy gathered in her palms.

"It's the Scarlet Witch!" someone shouted, recognizing Wanda's distinctive gestures and magic. The crowd murmured in a mix of fear and awe. "Is it her?! Should we keep running?" one person asked. "Run! She might hurt us by mistake!" another cried out.

Hearing the anxious voices around her, Wanda's confidence wavered. She turned to look at Lorien, seeking reassurance. He stood firm, nodding encouragingly, signaling her to keep going.

With her hair fluttering in the magical energy surrounding her, Wanda drove the chaos magic in her hands. She waved her hands, and the scarlet energy swiftly ensnared a group of rats, lifting several into the air at once. But then she hesitated, unsure of what to do next.

Once more, Wanda glanced back at Lorien. He didn't say a word but simply raised one hand and mimed a squeezing motion in the air. Understanding his cue, Wanda turned back to the rats and imitated Lorien's motion, squeezing hard.

"Puff~~~!" In an instant, the rats in her grasp exploded into a mist of blood, disintegrating under the force of her magic. The power of chaos proved overwhelming for the mutated creatures, reducing them to nothing more than a bloody mist.

Excitedly, Wanda turned back to Lorien, her eyes wide with surprise. "Lorien! I did it!" she exclaimed.

Lorien gave her a thumbs-up, smiling but also slightly exasperated. "Wanda, can you please focus on dealing with these 'little monsters' first?" he said, urging her to continue.

Blushing shyly, Wanda nodded. "I understand~" she replied, turning her attention back to the task at hand.

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