Training And Power-ups.

After calming Gwen down emotionally, I quickly made breakfast for us. Gwen sat across from me, her gaze distant, still processing everything—her powers, the changes, the confusion.

"Gwen…" I called out, breaking the silence.

"I know it's a lot to take in, but you've got this," I reassured her with a smile. "We'll figure it out together, so don't worry."

She looked up at me, her blue eyes filled with uncertainty. "I don't even know what any of this means, Peter. I don't know how to control it. What if I hurt someone? What if I hurt my dad?" Her voice wavered, and I could see the fear in her eyes.

I pushed my chair back, standing up, and went behind her, wrapping my arms around her neck, my face resting on her shoulder. "That's why I'm taking you somewhere you can control your strength and power," I said calmly, inhaling her sweet scent.

"Uhm... okay…" Gwen nodded, her cheeks flushing, but she didn't pull away. That was a good sign. I chuckled to myself.

After she calmed down, Gwen looked at me, her voice hesitant. "Peter, where are we going?"

"You remember the old construction site by the river?" I smirked, walking toward the door.

Her face softened with nostalgia. "Yeah, we used to play there when we were kids."

"That's the spot," I said as I stepped outside. "It's perfect for training. Quiet, and we won't have to worry about breaking anything... unless you're aiming to destroy the whole place, which, with your strength, is a real possibility."

She gave me a half-hearted smile. "I don't know, Peter. Everything's so new to me."

I led her out into the busy streets. The city was alive as always, but I could feel the tension around Gwen. She wasn't ready for this. Then again, who could be? Being suddenly thrust into a world of superpowers was a lot to take in.

As we walked, passing the familiar spots we used to hang out at, the construction site came into view. I could sense Gwen hesitating, her eyes taking in the rusted beams and unfinished buildings.

"Ready?" I asked, watching her.

She took a deep breath, her hands gripping the straps of her backpack. "I don't know… but let's just get it over with."

"Good. That's the spirit," I said, walking toward a large slab of concrete. "We'll start simple. I want you to show me what you can do—how fast you react. I'm going to throw something at you, and I want to see if you can catch it before it hits the ground."

She raised an eyebrow. "You're going to throw something at me?"

"Yup. You're Spider-Gwen now. Gotta test those reflexes."

I picked up a small rock from the ground and tossed it toward her. Nothing major—just a test of her reaction speed.

Before I could even finish the motion, Gwen's hands shot out, webs firing toward the rock. She caught it mid-air, perfect aim.

I grinned. "Nice. But we're not done yet. You've got to learn to aim. Hit that wall over there." I pointed to a nearby brick wall.

She nodded, serious now. Her focus sharpened, and as the next rock came toward her, she released a web with precision, slamming it against the wall with a satisfying thud.

"Not bad. You've got fast reflexes and a strong web," I said, nodding. "Now it's time to test your strength!"

"Strength?" She furrowed her brow. "You want me to lift something?"

"Exactly," I said, gesturing to an iron beam nearby. It wasn't the heaviest thing, but it would still be a challenge. "Pick it up. Let's see what you've got."

Gwen hesitated, but I could see the determination in her eyes. She walked over, bent down, and gripped the beam. Her muscles tensed as she tried to lift it.

"C'mon, Gwen. You've got this," I encouraged, watching her struggle. "Don't hold back. You're stronger than you think."

She gritted her teeth and pushed with all her might. To my surprise, she easily lifted the beam—should be around 5 to 7 tons—and with a grunt, she raised it off the ground, her face flushed with effort.

"Woah... strong lady…" I feigned surprise, hiding my unamused expression.

I clapped my hands. "That's it! You're getting it."

She let out a breath, looking at the beam in awe. "I can't believe I just did that."

"You've got more in you. Trust me," I said, walking over to her. "But we've got to train you to control it. You can't just rely on instinct all the time. You need to stay calm and think before you act. You can't be all brute force."

Gwen nodded, but I could tell she was starting to believe it. "I think I'm starting to understand. It's just… a lot to take in."

I placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "You're not alone, Gwen. I'm right here with you. We're in this together. And don't worry about your dad. We'll figure it out."

She smiled up at me, her confidence building. "Thanks, Peter. I… I think I can do this."

"Of course you can. You're Spider-Gwen."

Gwen flinched. "Oh, please don't call me that!"

"But you need a superhero name," I said with a playful smile.

"Superhero? I don't even know where to start…" she mumbled, but I stepped forward, pulling her into a hug. "Don't worry, you've got me."

"Thanks for being here, Peter... I wouldn't have known how to process all of this if you weren't here," she said, her voice strained as she wrapped her arms around me tightly.

"How do you know everything? Are you like me?"she asked, looking up at me with confusion.

"Uh... that's…" I trailed off, unsure of how to respond. "Fine, I'll tell you something…" I looked at her seriously.

"Remember when I worked under Dr. Connors for a while?" I started. "I found out what kind of research they were doing. They were trying to create a super-soldier serum, like Captain America… And radioactive spiders were part of it."

Gwen's eyes widened. "What? Tell me more!" she urged, but I held up a hand to stop her.

"Yes, and I've been experimenting too, even got bitten. But I don't know why I haven't gotten any superpowers like you…" I sighed, looking away to mask the truth.

"Why do you want superpower?" Gwen asked, her voice gentle.

"Why? Isn't it fascinating? Mutants, people who can fly, become heroes… I want to be a hero too. Now you have superpowers… I envy you," I said, with a fake jealousy.

'Damn, I should get an award for lying,' I thought, laughing internally as I maintained a downcast expression.

Gwen, seeing my sad look, hugged me tighter. "Shh… it's okay, Peter. You'll get there too…" she whispered, her voice soothing beside my ear.

'Sorry, Gwen. I can't tell you everything just yet. That'll depend on how much you trust me in the future,' I thought, sighing. I forced a smile. "It's okay. Anyway, you should come here every day. I'll help you control your powers."

---

[10 PM - Parker Residence]

"Peter, are you okay?" May asked suddenly, looking up from her food.

"Hmm? Yeah, I'm fine. Why?" I replied with my usual smile.

"Well, you've been away a lot lately… barely spending time with me," she said, concerned.

"Sorry, May. I've been busy with school stuff," I explained, standing up and walking behind her chair, wrapping my arms around her neck.

"I promise I'll spend more time with you," I added, realizing how much I had been neglecting her lately. I needed to balance my time better, so I didn't end up as the person who never spends time with family.

"Alright, I'll be waiting…" she smiled, already used to the affectionate gesture.

After comforting May and washing the dishes, it was already past 11 PM. She had gone to bed, exhausted from her day's work.

Maybe once I've established myself in this world, I could set up a company for May to work at. That'd be better for her.

I entered my bedroom, locking the door behind me. Excitement bubbled in my chest. "Finally… time for the next power-up." I took a deep breath.

'It's better to leave the house. Who knows if the gene fusion will be painful? May might wake up,' I thought, quickly changing into my costume and mask. I headed to the warehouse where I had merged my genes before—no one was around there, so it was the perfect place.

I jumped into the warehouse, pulled out a glass box, and smiled as I saw the axolotl and the spiders in the other box.

"Let's see which one of you is best for my next power-up," I muttered, rubbing my hands like a typical villain and using my appraisal skill.

[APPRAISAL]

[Darwin's Bark Spider (Caerostridarwinni):-Known for its unbreakable silk, stronger than Kevlar. Ideal for durable webs and weapons. Can spin webs over 25 meters. Highly elastic silk for traps and combat.]

[Tarantula:-Strong, capable of lifting 15-17 times its body weight. Tough exoskeleton, defensive hairs, and immobilizing venom. Slow but resilient.]

[Brazilian-Wandering-Spider:-Powerful venom, capable of instant paralysis. Fast and aggressive, perfect for lethal combat.]

[Jumping Spider:-Exceptional agility, able to jump 50 times its body length. Incredible vision for near 360° awareness. Strong enough to lift 6-8 times its body weight.]

"Damn… which one should I choose?" I cursed, seeing their abilities and limitations.

"I'm envious that I didn't get bitten by the radioactive spider; otherwise, I would've had all these powers," I sighed, calming myself. Time to think carefully about which abilities would help me most in the future.

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