Chapter 16: Testing the Waters

Alex paced back and forth in his small apartment, his thoughts racing. The encounter with the Hand had been close—too close—but it had also been a wake-up call. He needed to be smarter, more strategic. Relying on brute strength and the powers he had gained from Spider-Man wouldn't be enough. The Hand was just the beginning. In this world, with beings like Thor, the Hulk, and the Avengers roaming around, he had to be on a whole different level if he wanted to survive.

The system's notification from the previous night lingered in his mind:

Points earned: 10 Total Points: 40

Only 10 points. After all that effort. Alex clenched his fists in frustration. At this rate, he wouldn't reach the 1,000-point threshold for the Platinum Wheel for years. He needed to find a way to rack up points faster, but without exposing himself. The more he interacted with the major players in this world, the more dangerous things would become. But the risk came with potential rewards.

He needed a plan. A cautious, careful plan.

Slumping into his worn-out couch, Alex stared at the ceiling. "The system rewards interference," he muttered to himself, thinking back to the way his points had increased. "But it doesn't care about me just being in fights. It wants me involved in the story. The plot."

His mind began to churn. Maybe the key wasn't necessarily fighting powerful foes or blowing things up—maybe it was interacting with key figures in this world, disrupting their lives, even indirectly. If he could manipulate things behind the scenes, he could earn points without putting himself in immediate danger. But how?

Characters. He needed to involve himself with the lives of characters who were important to the larger narrative of the Marvel Universe.

"The members of Avengers are too big of a risk," Alex thought, biting his lip. "I can't mess with them. Not yet."

He racked his brain for other options. What about more obscure characters? People connected to the larger heroes but not as directly involved? Or better yet—what if he interacted with their relatives or their organizations? That way, he could stay in the shadows while still influencing events.

A memory popped into his head. A girl—no, a woman—from one of his late-night patrols. She had been cornered by a couple of thugs in an alley, and Alex had taken them out in seconds. She hadn't screamed, hadn't even flinched when he dropped down from above. Instead, she had looked at him with piercing, calculating eyes before thanking him in a calm, almost too-calm voice. She had looked familiar, and it had nagged at him for days afterward.

Suddenly, it clicked. Elektra Natchios.

He shot up from the couch, his heart racing. Elektra! She wasn't a superhero in the traditional sense, but she was connected to Daredevil, who was connected to the Avengers. And she had ties to the Hand. If he could somehow work his way into her world, he might be able to influence the events around her without drawing too much attention to himself.

The idea excited him, but he reminded himself to stay cautious. Elektra was dangerous, and involving himself with her could be a double-edged sword. She wasn't someone he could easily fool or manipulate. Still, it was worth a shot. He didn't have many other options.

Alex leaned back, running a hand through his hair. "Okay, Elektra. What next?"

He knew that tailing her was too risky. She'd probably notice within minutes, and he wasn't ready for that confrontation. Instead, he'd have to find out more about her movements. Maybe he could intercept her during one of her missions for the Hand.

He opened his laptop and began to dig. Luckily, New York City had no shortage of rumors and whispers about the criminal underworld. Elektra's activities weren't always covered by the media, but her involvement with the Hand was well-known among certain circles.

After an hour of searching through underground forums, Alex finally found a lead. It seemed that Elektra had been seen near the docks recently—rumor had it she was negotiating a deal between the Hand and an arms smuggling ring. This could be his chance. If he could find a way to intervene, or better yet, assist her without her knowing it was him, he might gain points without risking exposure.

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Later that night, Alex swung through the city, the familiar rush of the wind against his skin clearing his head. The docks were quieter than usual, but the tension in the air was palpable. He could feel it. Something was about to go down.

He perched on top of a shipping container, using his enhanced vision to scan the area. Sure enough, there she was—Elektra. She stood at the edge of the dock, speaking to a man who looked like the leader of the smuggling crew. Her posture was relaxed, but Alex could tell she was ready to strike at a moment's notice. She was deadly, even when she wasn't in combat.

The deal seemed to be going smoothly, but Alex knew that with people like Elektra, things could go south at any moment. He needed to play this carefully.

Just then, his Spider-Sense tingled—faint, but enough to put him on edge. Alex scanned the area again, noticing a small group of men approaching from the shadows. They weren't part of Elektra's group, and they didn't look like ordinary thugs either. Their movements were too deliberate, too precise.

An ambush.

Alex's heart raced. If he did nothing, Elektra and the smugglers would be caught off guard, and there'd be a bloody fight. But if he intervened, he might be able to tip the scales in her favor, all without revealing his presence.

He had to be smart about this. With a deep breath, Alex moved silently along the rooftops of the shipping containers, positioning himself directly above the ambushers. He could take them out quickly, quietly, and without attracting Elektra's attention.

One by one, he shot webs at the attackers, yanking them into the shadows before they could make a sound. His movements were fast and precise, each strike calculated to avoid detection.

Within minutes, the would-be ambushers were webbed up and unconscious, hidden behind a stack of crates. Alex felt a surge of satisfaction as he surveyed his handiwork. He had just saved Elektra without her ever knowing.

He crouched back down on the container, watching the rest of the deal unfold. It went off without a hitch, and soon enough, Elektra and the smugglers parted ways, disappearing into the night.

As the silence returned to the docks, Alex's system panel appeared before him.

Points earned: 30 Total Points: 70/1,000

A grin spread across his face. Thirty points. That was more than he'd earned from the Hand encounter. His theory had been right—indirect involvement could still yield great rewards.

Alex swung back into the city, his mind buzzing with new possibilities. If he could find more opportunities like this, subtly influencing the lives of key figures in the Marvel world, he might just be able to rack up points faster than he had thought.

But as he swung through the night, he knew one thing for sure: the deeper he got into this world, the more dangerous it would become.

And Elektra? She was only the beginning.