Chapter 66 - Struggle

In a church in Queens, New York, the bells tolled with a steady "Dong Dong Dong." From the bell tower came a piercing scream, "Ah!!!" A figure writhed beneath the massive clock, as if being tortured by unseen forces.

Peter Parker was in agony. He had been enthralled by the black spider suit's incredible power and speed. The suit granted him immense strength and agility, but it came with severe side effects. His once noble mission as Spider-Man was being overshadowed by a dark, overpowering arrogance. The suit had turned him into a Spider-Man he barely recognized.

Now, Peter was facing the consequences of his decision. He had nearly killed a petty thief—an act that went against everything he stood for. Desperate to rid himself of the symbiote before it fully consumed him, Peter struggled to remove the suit.

His body, now covered in black, was violently smashing into the clock, his hands clawing and tearing at the symbiote. With each struggle, the dark mass that had once been part of him fell away.

"Call--"

Exhausted and drenched in sweat, Peter finally slumped against a pillar, panting heavily. He thought he was finally free of the suit's influence, back to being the Peter Parker he used to be.

Just as he was about to leave, a muffled noise came from downstairs.

"Uh, hum."

Peter quickly turned his attention downward. The black symbiote, now a living mass, had enveloped someone. Peter's heart sank as he recognized the person's face—it was Flash Thompson, the star of the school football team.

"Peter, help me!!" Thompson's voice was frantic, his eyes wide with fear.

Though Thompson had often bullied Peter at school, Peter couldn't ignore him now. Flash had come to the church hoping to pray for a good outcome in his upcoming graduation exams and to secure a spot on a prestigious rugby team. The last thing he expected was to be attacked by the dark entity that had once been part of Peter.

"Hold on, Thompson!" Peter called out, jumping down to save him. But his exhaustion made him stumble, and he nearly fell.

The black symbiote consumed Thompson rapidly, covering him like a dark wave. Peter watched in horror as the once benign school athlete was transformed into a dark version of Spider-Man.

"Oh, no." Peter berated himself. If it weren't for the people around him, he wouldn't have been possessed, and Thompson wouldn't have been caught in the crossfire.

"Oh, I meet Peter again."

Thompson's voice, now distorted and menacing, came from the darkness. The transformation had granted him the same formidable power that had plagued Peter. The venom within Thompson spoke through him, its voice hoarse and sharp.

"Thompson, wake up!" Peter shouted, hoping against hope that the real Thompson could resurface.

But before Peter could do anything, the venomous symbiote struck out with a black whip, slamming Peter against the stone wall.

"Hahaha, Peter is awesome, I am Thompson!" The symbiote's voice roared with malicious glee. It reveled in its newfound power, enjoying the ability to cause chaos and destruction.

Peter, battered and bleeding, slumped against the wall, struggling to stay conscious. "Thompson, listen to me! This will only hurt you..."

"Ha! Hurt me? You're just envious of my power!" The venomous entity snarled. Thompson's body, now solid and growing, seemed to swell into a monstrous figure, his form growing larger and more imposing.

"Let's see if you can survive this, Spider-Man!" The creature roared, its voice echoing through the church.

With a violent lunge, the symbiote lifted its massive fists and brought them crashing down on Peter with the force of a storm.

Bang bang bang!

Peter tried to protect his head initially, but after a few blows, he collapsed. The pain was overwhelming, and he could hear the sound of bones cracking.

The symbiote-possessed Thompson grabbed Peter by the neck, lifting him into the air. With a menacing grin, the symbiote continued to pummel Peter with brutal fists.

"Goodbye, Peter," it taunted.

The creature threw Peter upwards, and as gravity pulled him down, the symbiote's fists were ready to strike again, its mouth widening with sharp teeth and a long, mucus-covered tongue.

Just then, a flash of purple and black streaked across the room.

"Om!!"

The sound of rapid footsteps approached. Emerging from the shadows was a teenager with pale hair, wearing a striped short-sleeved jacket and black shorts. What startled the venomous entity were the four tail-like crimson limbs extending from the sides of the teenager's waist.

The newcomer eyed the scene with a calm, detached demeanor. He regarded Peter and the transformed Thompson with an unsettling sense of curiosity.

He asked blankly, "How much is 1000 minus 7?"