Chapter 53 Eddie – I’m Just the Side Character

Spider-sense is a tremendously powerful ability, allowing Peter to sense danger and preemptively react to incoming attacks.

At this moment, the "spider thread" in Peter's mind was wildly vibrating.

Gulp!

Peter Parker swallowed nervously. He was beginning to think that coming to Hell's Kitchen to train his abilities today was a terrible decision.

The entire Hell's Kitchen felt overwhelmingly dangerous.

Boom!

In the distance, a burst of flames erupted.

A bullet whizzed through the air and came straight toward him.

Peter's instincts kicked in, and he dodged it, though his heart was still pounding in fear.

For a high schooler, scenes like this were far beyond his imagination.

"What the hell is going on in this place?"

Peter Parker looked around, bewildered. Gunshots and the sound of brutal fighting echoed from every direction, leaving a heavy weight on his chest that refused to lift.

It wasn't until he spotted a bat-shaped figure flying across the sky that he understood.

"Batman!"

Peter Parker's heart leaped with excitement—that was his idol!

Without hesitation, he glanced around and shot out his web, swinging in Batman's direction to get a closer look.

After his recent fight at the underground boxing club, Peter had gained a new level of understanding about his powers.

Confidence boosted, the timid and cowardly version of himself seemed like a distant memory.

"Batman, did you think I wouldn't anticipate you showing up here on your own?"

Kingpin sneered at Anton, who was currently in his Batman persona.

With a wave of his hand, a group of henchmen wielding advanced energy weapons emerged from the shadows.

The energy weapons were high-tech devices, the kind typically reserved for major military contractors or elite special forces.

Even most American police departments still used old-fashioned firearms.

There was no doubt that Matt's investigation into Kingpin operations was spot-on.

Someone big was supplying Kingpin with these weapons.

Stark Industries.

Obadiah Stane.

Anton mentally confirmed his suspicions about Obadiah Stane. A faint smile played on his lips, but he showed no sign of panic despite the dozens of energy guns pointed directly at him.

On a rooftop in Hell's Kitchen, Peter Parker clung to the wall in his red mask, observing the scene below.

Even though he was technically an outsider, he couldn't help but feel nervous for Batman.

Peter, being a gifted science student, could easily tell that these weapons weren't ordinary. The advanced energy design could melt half a person's body in one shot.

Batman's suit might withstand a single hit, but dozens at once? That was a different story.

"Kill him!"

Kingpin voice was icy as he gave the order.

The energy guns buzzed ominously, glowing with a ghostly blue light as they unleashed a barrage of energy bullets aimed directly at Batman in the middle of the street.

Whoosh!

Batman dodged to the side, leaped into the air, and suddenly switched his position. His previously bulky armor morphed into a sleeker, simpler version and blended into the shadows.

The henchmen were momentarily stunned, unable to track him.

"What?" Kingpin frowned. Watching Batman's movements, he felt as if he were witnessing a magic trick.

This rapid transformation seemed almost like some kind of dimensional shifting ability. He could summon any equipment he wanted, whenever he wanted.

What Kingpin didn't know was that he was entirely correct.

In the brief moment Batman leaped, Anton switched to a stealth-enhanced basic suit, blending into the shadows.

It was then that he spotted someone.

A figure both familiar and unfamiliar.

"Hey."

Anton grinned at the sight of the young Spider-Man, amused that Marvel's most popular hero, Peter Parker, was finally making his debut.

Though he was still wearing a shabby outfit—a red hoodie with a spider logo and an ugly red mask—his awkwardness cemented Anton mental image of the fledgling Spider-Man.

"Little Spider, enjoying the show?"

Batman's sudden appearance startled Peter Parker, who quickly clung to the building, putting some distance between them.

"B-Batman, I'm not your enemy! I'm your fan!" Peter blurted nervously. He didn't want his idol mistaking him for a foe, nor did he want to get dragged into this deadly conflict. All he wanted was to be a spectator.

"Fan?" Anton raised an eyebrow but secretly felt a sense of pride. It was satisfying, in a way.

Suddenly, a henchman spotted Batman.

"There he is!"

A searchlight beamed down, illuminating Batman. At the same time, it also caught Peter Parker in its glow.

"Who's that?"

"Doesn't matter! Kill them both!"

The henchmen opened fire again.

Batman disappeared back into the shadows, while Peter hesitated for a moment. Seeing the energy bullets flying toward him, he panicked and swung to a distant building with his web.

Unbeknownst to Peter, someone was lurking in another corner, camera in hand, snapping photos of the scene.

"Tsk tsk, as the editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle, I sure am dedicated," Eddie smirked, satisfied with his work.

The photo he had just taken perfectly captured Batman's extraordinary presence.

Especially with the contrast provided by the poor kid in the shabby red hoodie and mask, Batman appeared even more impressive.

It was the classic red flower and green leaf dynamic.

"Too bad Venom's so ugly. Otherwise, I wouldn't keep getting mistaken for a villain," Eddie sighed, thinking about Venom's fight with Riot on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

News outlets had been flooded with reports of Batman defeating two monsters and saving the city.

They didn't realize it was actually Batman teaming up with one monster to take down the other.

"Wait a minute—something's off."

"I'm not a monster!" Venom roared indignantly in Eddie's mind.

"Apologize!"

The chaos in Hell's Kitchen continued, with energy bullets lighting up the night like a nightclub.

Batman dodged left and right, the henchmen hot on his trail.

Anton, in his Batman persona, was getting frustrated.

The energy weapons were no joke. He couldn't afford to take them head-on. But unless he dealt with the henchmen, he wouldn't get to Kingpin.

He needed help.

Anton thought of the young Spider-Man he had just encountered.

"Hey, kid, want to lend a hand?"

He appeared next to the hiding Peter, who was desperately trying to avoid trouble.

"Huh?" Peter looked around, confused, pointing at himself.

"You're talking to me?"

"Yes, you." Anton nodded and pointed toward Kingpin. "Use your web to pull that big guy over here."

Peter hesitated, glancing between Batman and Kingpin. Suddenly, a surge of excitement rushed through him.

With a determined nod, he stood by the window, shot out his web, and yanked hard.

Caught off guard, Kingpin, wrapped in webbing, was suddenly flung into the air.

"F***!"

At that moment, Eddie, now Venom, arrived at Kingpin original location.

He had planned to ambush Kingpin from behind while the henchmen were distracted, but as soon as he showed up, Kingpin was gone.

"What the hell was that?!"

Venom stood there dumbfounded, watching Kingpin fly toward the rooftop, where Spider-Man was tugging at the web, cheered on by Batman.

For a moment, Eddie felt like a complete outsider.

"This story is all about them. I'm just the side story."