Chapter 52: Ghost Spider Gwen Raids, Shape Witch Raven Climbs the Wall

At that moment, Ethan Hayes heard the sound of a car engine approaching from outside the manor. He had originally planned to have a private moment with Raven, the Shape Witch, but after hearing the sound, his senses heightened, and his expression changed slightly.

"Natasha Romanoff, Gwen's here," Ethan said, quickly standing up.

"You'd better get dressed and leave from the back of the manor," he added, not waiting for Raven's agreement, his tone leaving no room for debate.

The Shape Witch, Raven, laughed softly as she stood up and put on her clothes. She glanced at the messy bedroom, amused. Part of her wanted to stay and see how Ethan would handle the situation. However, she didn't want to risk ruining the relationship she had meticulously built as "Natasha Romanoff." Raven still had goals to achieve, and breaking that facade now would complicate things.

With practiced ease, she climbed down the back wall of the manor, disappearing from sight. Meanwhile, Ethan entered the bedroom and used his water control magic to wash himself clean. Under his precise command, water swept across the room, cleaning every trace of what had transpired. In the blink of an eye, the water disappeared, leaving the room spotless as though nothing had happened.

It had taken only ten seconds. Ethan marveled at how perfectly he had managed to control his magic. Indeed, when a man is in a tight spot, the potential he unleashes can be astonishing.

Now dressed in casual clothes, Ethan descended from the bedroom, still using his magic to clean everything in his path. He wiped away any trace of the time spent with Natasha Romanoff and Julia, even neutralizing the lingering fragrance of perfume in the air. The water currents he controlled surged away, pouring into the Atlantic Ocean, leaving nothing behind.

He took a deep breath. The air now smelled fresh and pure, with no trace of anything suspicious. Ethan settled on the sofa, crossed his legs, and casually opened his laptop, pretending to analyze stocks. He made sure that his transaction records were visible in a small window on the screen. Just as the computer beeped, signaling some notification, he set it down on the coffee table and moved to the front door.

"Gwen? What brings you here?" Ethan asked, opening the door with an expression of feigned surprise.

Without hesitation, Gwen threw herself into his arms. "I missed you," she murmured, before pulling him into a passionate kiss.

After they finally parted for air, Gwen gave him a sharp look. "You've been out of the apartment for three days."

Ethan chuckled sheepishly. "I know, I know. I've been so busy I barely had time to think about anything else."

"Hmph, no calls, no texts. If I didn't know better, I'd have thought you'd been taken by a monster," Gwen said with a hint of worry in her voice, the mention of monsters triggering memories of her recent experiences.

"Monsters? You mean the lizardmen and spider beasts? They should count themselves lucky I didn't have time to deal with them," Ethan said, pulling her close.

As they walked into the living room, Gwen's sharp eyes quickly caught sight of Ethan's laptop screen. Her face remained neutral, but inside, she was reeling. 15 billion USD? She couldn't believe what she was seeing. And those 100 million shares of Stark Industries—her father, George Stacy, had complained endlessly about losing his own investment in Stark Industries, and now, seeing the massive number of shares Ethan had accumulated, her heart raced.

"The stock price will continue to rise, but it'll take some time. I've cleared my futures contracts for now," Ethan explained, pulling her closer.

"And have you missed me?" Gwen asked, raising an eyebrow as she looped her arms around his neck.

"Always, my beautiful Gwen," Ethan replied with enthusiasm, though inwardly relieved. His enhanced control over his body, thanks to both his Phantom Fist and Baji Mizong Fist techniques, had pushed his abilities to near perfection. His fighting prowess wasn't the only thing benefiting from these skills—his physical endurance had become extraordinary.

"Mm, I don't believe you," Gwen teased.

"Are you challenging me, Miss Gwen?" Ethan asked, his voice low.

"Afraid?" Gwen smirked.

"Afraid? Not at all. But I'm curious—how many Ghost Spider suits did you pack in your bag this time?" Ethan's smirk matched hers, knowing full well what she was implying.

Gwen's face turned a light shade of pink, but she shot back confidently, "That depends on your performance, Mr. Hayes."

With that, Ethan swiftly lifted her and tossed her onto the sofa.

Meanwhile, Raven, the Shape Witch, had successfully made her escape from the manor. As she walked away, her appearance quickly shifted. In moments, she had transformed into "Juliet," Ethan's homeroom teacher—a striking and attractive white woman. She tapped her earpiece, listening to the sounds emanating from inside the manor, not surprised by what she heard.

Raven had a newfound respect for Ethan's physical abilities. His strength was beyond ordinary, and every inch of his body seemed like it was forged from steel—like a living statue of David. "If you join the Brotherhood, we'll keep in contact, just like I did as Natasha Romanoff," Raven muttered softly.

While she had initially been caught off guard by Natasha Romanoff's sudden arrival the previous day, forcing her to alter her plans, Raven knew her connection to Ethan could lead him to join Magneto's Brotherhood. After all, the Brotherhood needed strong allies like Ethan to fight against the persecution of mutants by the military.

As Raven left Long Island, her mind drifted back to Ethan. His raw power had left a deep impression on her, and she knew that if anyone could help turn the tide for mutantkind, it would be him.

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