Chapter #3

"**You also have access to all of Tony's protocols. EDITH stands for 'Even Dead I'm The Hero.' Tony liked acronyms," replied EDITH with her calm and precise tone.

I smiled slightly, remembering that both JARVIS and FRIDAY were also acronyms. Tony always had that creative spark, even in the smallest details.

"EDITH, access Stark Industries' database and look up information on Quentin Beck," I requested, recalling that Beck had been a former employee of Stark.

"Understood, Peter. Accessing Stark Industries' database," EDITH responded. Several holographic windows began to unfold before my eyes, filled with detailed information about Beck.

"Quentin Beck," EDITH continued, "was a former engineer specializing in holographic illusions in the Research and Development department of Stark Industries. He was fired due to his mental instability and unpredictable behavior, which posed a danger to his colleagues. The technology he uses as Mysterio is based on the BARF (Binary Augmented Retro-Framing), a system capable of creating highly realistic holograms." I watched the images of Beck along with his personal data.

I thought about what it meant to have access to everything Tony had left me. The excitement and weight of responsibility intertwined. I could do many things with EDITH, but I couldn't let that power define me. The words Tony once said echoed in my mind: "If you're nothing without the suit, then you shouldn't have it."

I remembered how I had failed on the ferry, the ship split in two, and how Tony had saved me from the consequences. I needed to be better.

"Thank you, EDITH," I said, feeling the fatigue in my muscles as I stretched and yawned. "Investigate the people who are helping him. I'll deal with it tomorrow."

I took off the glasses, lay down on the bed, and fell asleep within minutes.

---

The next morning, I woke up with a sore neck from sleeping in an uncomfortable position. I struggled to get up as Ned began to stir.

"Dude, I had the craziest dream," Ned said, still half-asleep. "We were fighting Darth Vader with lightsabers and..."

I threw a pillow at his face, cutting him off before he could continue his story.

"Yeah, Ned, one day I'll build a lightsaber for you," I responded sarcastically. "Come on, we have to continue the trip."

We quickly packed our things and left with the rest of the group. Mr. Harrington was in front, trying to get our attention.

"Great news, kids! We're going to Prague!" he announced enthusiastically.

"What?!" We all exclaimed in unison, thinking we had misheard.

"That's right," he said proudly. "The travel agency upgraded us. I personally handled the negotiations. I read all the fine print!"

"I heard you yelling," commented Mr. Dell mockingly.

Ned looked at me, whispering, "What happened to our trip?"

"Nick Fury, that's what happened," I whispered back, a mix of resignation and annoyance in my voice.

Ned nodded, realizing there was little we could do about it. "Prague sounds great!" he said aloud, trying to cheer up the others. "I've always wanted to see… uh… the Prague Castle." His forced enthusiasm earned him some strange looks from our classmates, but at least it lightened the mood a bit.

Mr. Harrington didn't miss the opportunity to seize the moment. "That's the spirit! Let's go to Prague!"

After a short walk, we arrived at our new bus. It was black, luxurious, and looked much safer than the previous transport. Dmitri was there, waiting silently beside the bus.

"Check out our upgraded ride, huh," commented Mr. Harrington proudly, while Mr. Dell seemed impressed by the improvement.

We walked past Dmitri, who didn't even make an effort to greet us, and boarded the bus. The seats were incredibly comfortable, much more than I had expected.

I sat in the back row, seeking a bit of peace. I put on the glasses, feeling the symbolic weight of everything they represented. Tony Stark had left me more than just advanced technology; he had left me a responsibility.

During the trip, I decided to investigate Beck's accomplices further. Using EDITH, I accessed several classified files and traced every detail related to the people involved in Beck's crimes and the stolen Stark Industries technology.

---

"Gas and bathrooms, ten minutes," Dmitri said emotionlessly as we stopped at a rest area.

I got off the bus and looked around. I remembered that in the movie, there was an awkward moment with Brad, but this time, Dmitri didn't say anything. Maybe because I hadn't used the excuse of Spider-Man being in Europe with Fury. Reality always found ways to be different.

After ten minutes, we all got back on the bus. I sat in my usual spot, surrounded by the excitement of my classmates, who couldn't stop talking about our next destination in Prague. I took out my phone and searched for augmented reality games, but none caught my attention.

Frustrated by the lack of innovation in that field, I decided to design my own portable augmented and virtual reality device, inspired by the Augma from Sword Art Online. Using EDITH's holographic design function, I projected a 3D design panel in front of me. The holograms displayed components and technical diagrams floating in the air, adjusting as I modified them.

I meticulously worked on the design, adapting technologies from Stark Industries and other cutting-edge companies. The result was a compact, durable, and highly functional device. I even managed to integrate an advanced full immersion feature using neural link data and fragments of Mind Stone technology that Stark had left in the database.

An hour flew by. I looked out the window and saw a herd of goats crossing a field. I felt satisfied with my design; this device could change the gaming world, making full-immersion virtual reality and augmented reality accessible to everyone.

My spider-sense tingled faintly, alerting me to something nearby. A hand reached toward my face, trying to snatch my glasses. I looked up and saw Flash, with an anxious expression.

Instinctively, I swatted his hand away with a quick motion. Flash recoiled, surprised and somewhat hurt.

"Ouch! What's your problem, Parker? I just wanted to check out those fine glasses you've got there," he complained, rubbing his hand.

"I don't like people touching my stuff without permission," I replied, trying to stay calm but with a very threatening tone.

"Sure, whatever you say," Flash muttered, walking away. "But don't be surprised if you see me with something cooler soon."

I ignored his comment and refocused on the holographic design. I felt excited about the possibilities this device could offer, and I had managed to make it affordable so that anyone could afford it.

As night fell, we arrived in Prague. The city shone with an almost unreal beauty; the colorful lights illuminated the streets, while the festive energy of the carnival filled the air. The atmosphere was charged with excitement, and the cheerful music in the background made it hard to remember the impending threat. The hotel we were staying at was luxurious, with each of us having our own room. As I settled in, I received an encrypted message from Nick Fury with clear instructions: I had to meet him at a nearby facility immediately.

With my heart racing, I changed into my Spider-Man suit. I slipped out the window of my room and launched myself toward the rooftops, moving quickly and stealthily above the crowded streets of Prague.

When I reached the meeting place, I made sure not to be seen. It was an old abandoned military facility, now used as a temporary base. Inside, I found Nick Fury, Maria Hill, and Quentin Beck, who were deeply engaged in a discussion. The atmosphere was tense.

"We've got a serious problem," Fury said, his voice as grave and authoritative as ever. Beck stood by his side, looking serious with his arms crossed.

"The Fire Elemental is different from the others," Beck added. "If it touches metal, especially in a city like this, it will absorb the energy from the Earth's core and become practically unstoppable. It won't just set the city on fire; it could trigger a chain reaction that would endanger the entire continent and the planet."

I nodded as I adjusted my mask. Fury gave me that look that always made me nervous. "We've got one shot to stop it before the worst happens. Mysterio will contain it, but he'll need your help to distract it long enough to attack its energy core."

Hill approached, displaying a holographic map of Prague. "We've identified areas where the Elemental is most likely to appear. Here, near the plaza where the carnival is now, there are several sources of metal that could attract it. We need to keep it away from those key points while coordinating an attack."

"I'll distract it as much as I can, and I'll handle getting civilians away," I replied confidently.

"Good attitude," Fury said, though with a dry tone that made it clear there was no room for error. "Get ready, Spider-Man. Tonight could determine the fate of more than you realize."

Beck turned toward me, and for a second, his expression softened. "I trust we'll get through this. Together, we can do this." I looked at him and nodded.

---

At the carnival, lights and music filled the air as people enjoyed the festive atmosphere. From the heights, I watched everything, staying out of sight. "EDITH, trigger alarms in the area to clear the people," I whispered.

The sounds of alarms echoed through the plaza, and chaos erupted as people began to flee. Among the crowd, I saw my classmates and teachers running toward the hotel. Ned looked at me and gave me a thumbs-up before running off.

Suddenly, the ground beneath my feet began to tremble, followed by a distant roar that echoed through the streets. The vibration spread quickly, causing the stragglers to run with more urgency and panic. The Fire Elemental had emerged from the statue in the center of the plaza, its fury evident in every spark it emitted. I knew I couldn't wait any longer.

From my position, I watched as the Elemental voraciously consumed the statue from which it had emerged. Its searing heat made the stones melt as if they were wax. Without much thought and with all my strength, I kicked the wall next to me. The structure, weakened by time, instantly gave way, collapsing into a pile of rubble.

Without losing a second, I shot my webs toward the fallen rocks. My focus locked onto one in particular, an enormous piece of concrete that I estimated weighed around seven tons. I gritted my teeth, feeling my muscles tense as I used the strength I had been holding back since the day the spider bit me. Slowly but surely, I lifted the rock above my head.

I looked at my hands, firmly gripping the webs, and decided to use physics to my advantage. Inspired by the way Mario swings Bowser in video games, I began to spin the rock in a wide circle, increasing its speed and momentum with each rotation. When I felt I had built up enough force, I let out a strained shout and hurled the rock directly at the Elemental.

The impact was brutal. The giant rock hit the monster with devastating force, creating a crater on the ground at the moment of impact. Fragments of pavement flew into the air, and a cloud of dust and debris momentarily obscured the scene. For a brief moment, I thought I had defeated it, but I remembered it wasn't real; it was a highly detailed and realistic, yet fake, hologram. My spider sense could feel the drones moving around it.

As I pondered this, amid the rubble and dust, the figure of the Elemental began to rise once again. The monster slowly emerged from the rocks, its molten body still intact and glowing as if nothing had happened. With a roar of anger, it fixed its fiery gaze on a carousel barely seven meters away. I knew I had to stop it before it caused more destruction and later blamed me for the area's devastation.

I prepared to launch another attack, but before I could move, a green energy beam shot through the air, striking the Elemental directly. The monster reacted instinctively, raising its crossed arms to shield itself from the attack but continued advancing, seemingly unfazed by the beam.

I quickly turned to identify the source of the shot, and there it was: a figure enveloped in an emerald glow, floating safely in the air at a distance. It was Mysterio, in his characteristic suit. Although he had helped momentarily slow down the Elemental, I knew this was just the beginning.

"I'll have to wait until he's done with his show," I thought as I adjusted my webs and prepared for the next move.

I continued observing the situation, analyzing every movement of the Elemental and Mysterio. I knew my next attack had to be precise. The green beam had managed to slow down the monster, but it wasn't enough to stop it entirely. We had to think of something bigger, something more devastating.

The Elemental advanced toward the carousel with slow but steady steps, its mere presence causing the air around it to ripple from the heat. I couldn't let it reach that point, or the consequences would be disastrous. I shot two webs toward the base of a nearby pole and propelled myself forward, flying in a high arc over the plaza. As I descended, I visualized my plan: I had to create a distraction big enough for Mysterio to launch a final attack.

With a somersault in the air, I shot multiple webs toward the ruins of the statue and the surrounding debris. The fragments of stone and metal were still hot enough to use against the Elemental. I put all my energy into moving those objects and launching them at the enemy in a rapid, chaotic attack. The debris flew like projectiles, crashing into the Elemental from different angles.

The monster roared, its molten body bubbling with fury. Some of the fragments managed to embed themselves in its surface but didn't stop it. However, I had achieved what I wanted: its full attention was now on me.

"Mysterio, now!" I shouted, hoping he would seize the opportunity.

From his elevated position, Mysterio extended both hands, and another blast of green energy shot out, this time with greater intensity. The energy waves made the ground beneath my feet vibrate as they struck the Elemental. At first, it seemed to resist, but little by little, the heat from its body began to dissipate. The flames that enveloped its figure shrank into small, flickering embers.

With a final, deafening roar, the Fire Elemental collapsed to the ground, its form disintegrating into ashes and solidified magma fragments that hissed as they cooled on the pavement. I stood there, breathing lightly, as I watched the remains of the monster dissolve into a cloud of black smoke.

I looked toward Mysterio, who landed softly a few meters away. His cape fluttered slightly in the wind, and the green glow surrounding him began to fade. His eyes, hidden behind the glass of his helmet, seemed to take in every detail of the scene.

"Good job, Spider-Man," he said with a firm yet somewhat distant voice. "Without your help, this would have been much worse."

I nodded. "Thanks."

Mysterio remained silent for a moment, as if considering his words. "I'll buy you a drink in an hour; I'll send you the location."

"Sure, though I'm underage, I can't drink, but I can still accompany you," I replied, and the sound of sirens broke the calm as the police arrived on the scene, along with firefighters rushing to contain the remaining hotspots in the plaza. I watched as people began to emerge from their hiding places, nervous but relieved.

"I better disappear before more questions arise," I said, turning as I shot a web toward a nearby building.

"See you," Mysterio responded, his voice fading as I swung through the air.

I glided between the city's skyscrapers, the cool wind on my face, processing everything that had just happened.