Chereads / A Hero's Journey / Chapter 17 - Foolish

Chapter 17 - Foolish

She didn't understand but continued her punch, while mine was heading toward her. I moved slightly, dodging hers, and she tried to dodge mine, still calm. But as she was about to do so I released my conqueror's haki.

It wasn't enough to knock her out, but she still got stunned and stopped moving. This allowed me to punch her for the first time. She had no armor like normal, so one punch was enough to send her flying, still conscious but dazed.

I ignored Norman and jumped in he direction, and landed on her stomach. Air left her lungs and I punched her again, this time leaving her barely conscious. I grabbed her leg and threw her as hard as I could toward the police that had arrived and were watching the fight in fear.

They were quite far but I was strong enough. Jessica, barely conscious, landed hardly on the ground in front of the leading officer, George Stacy, this time falling unconscious because of the throw.

But to do this I had left myself unguarded and Norman punched my back hardly. We had around the same strength because of the Oz formula, so even if I used some haki the punch sent me flying.

I tried to get up, but saw Norman rushing at me. I webbed his legs together, making him fall head first into the ground. I got up slowly, having trouble to stand because I was feeling pain in my entire body. I was heavily injured, and needed medical assistance.

I looked at Norman who had broken the webs and got up too, and asked" Why are you doing this?" Norman laughed and said" I already did what I came here for, but killing New York's hero is a plus for my plans. A pity that girl got defeated so easily."

I grunted and said" You know you lost, right?" Norman laughed and said" No I haven't!" He tried to kill me using his glider, I don't now how it can still fly by the way, but he was getting nowhere.

Instead of avoiding it like Spider Man because it wouldn't kill Norman even if I did, I coated my fist and punched it, destroying it completely. Norman looked at me stunned and said" You bastard!"

He rushed at me bare handed, and punched at my chest first. From there on I easily beat him, but in the middle of the fight my haki has gotten exhausted.

Norman was now on the ground, me on top of him, punching his helmet again and again. Even without haki I was making some damage. After a minute of continued punching, and three joints on my fingers broken, his mask had been destroyed.

He was looking at me in hatred, but I ignored him and punched him hard, leaving him dizzy. I got up and looked around, and saw that everyone was cheering my name. I grabbed Norman and threw him one last time against a building, and webbed him against it.

The cameras turned to him, and I could hear the reporters gasp. They had recognized him as Norman Osborn. After a few seconds they turned toward e again, and everyone rushed toward me. I avoided them and help the ones in need, several people had had some pieces of building on top of them, or just blocking them.

I helped as much as I could even though my body was hurting me the more I was using my strength. Mid way Peter came back and helped me. In the end it took one hour to the two of us to help every one in need.

Once we had checked everyone we could help was saved, I jumped out of the scene. I jumped from roof to roof and crawled on top of Oscorp's tower. Once there I said" You can come out you know."

I was resting against a wall, sitting and enduring the pain. Spider Man came toward me and said" Sorry for not helping, I…" I held my hand and said" You don't have to. Saving those people was more important than helping me."

Peter refuted" But they hurt you badly." I laughed and said" Yes they did, even more than the abomination. They were quite good, it was a good fight."

Peter froze and said" You enjoyed?" I nodded and said" Although I prefer saving people, fighting can be funny too." Peter sat in front of me and said" If you think so. I wouldn't say I like that however."

I smiled and said" As long as no one is in danger I enjoy the thrill. But tell me, why are you here?" Peter laughed awkwardly and said" Well, I am one of your fans, and I just wanted to talk." I nodded and said" Then you can go, I need to go do some stuff."

Peter asked curiously" What is it? Has I anything to do with Oscorp?" I laughed and replied" Such perspicacity! But yes, that green madman was Norman Osborn, and I need to search for proves."

Peter asked me again" Why would you need that? Everyone already saw his face?" I shook my head and said" Not against him. I need to prove that he was doing this alone. What do you think people will think of his son?"

Peter titled his head and said" They will think he was implicated and he will get sentenced too… We can't let that happen!" I nodded and continued" That's why I need to find something proving his son had nothing to do with this and can take over his father's enterprise without anyone opposing him."

Peter said worriedly" But you can't move in your state!" I shrugged, sending a wave of pain, and said" Then help me please." I took out a USB drive and asked" Can you infiltrate his office and connect this to his computer. Wait until it says it is finished and bring it back here."

Peter nodded and took it, and jumped into the vent. I only had to wait for ten minutes before he came back. My pain had lessened right now, and I could move a little. He handed it to me and said" It was so cool, a voice came out of the drive!"

I smiled and said" You were quite good today, take this." I handed him a phone and added" This is an untraceable phone, there is my number on it. If you ever need any help call me. If I need some I will call you too. Now go."

Spider Man took the phone, excited to no end, and after nodding at me he jumped from the building. Once I made sure he was gone I went into the vent too and went to my lab. I couldn't enter it directly, so I jumped near it instead, and changed myself because there was a camera surveying the door of my lab.

I entered my lab with my Night Walker clothes in hand, and threw them in a corner. I really needed something that I could wear at all time, it was getting annoying to do this everytime. I sat in a comfortable couch I slept in a few times, and took out my phone.

I called Martha, and after checking everything was okay I hung up. I also told her that I wouldn't be able to leave my lab for the next few days because I was doing something very important.

She was a bit unhappy but still accepted it. After that I began working on the Oz formula only. This time I had injuries that were even more serious than the fight against the Abomination, and I couldn't wait more than a week being injured.

So I would focus on the Oz formula that would make me stronger, but more importantly get my regenerative capacity better. I first slept because I was too exhausted to begin working, and after 12 hours of sleep I finally started to work.

For the next 2 days I worked day and night on it, and I had finally finished it. My body was still hurting like hell, but it had lessened a little. I looked at the serum in my hands, and grinned at it.

I changed it so that I wouldn't need to absorb it as a gas, but by injection. I sat on the couch in case this would have the same narcotic effect as the spider enhancing, and put the syringe in my arm. I breathed in, and injected the serum.

I had not made any test on human being, only on animals, and was not sure whether something bad would happen but I still did it confidently.

I felt the serum moved inside by body along with my blood, and it had soon spread to my entire body. I suddenly felt an intense pain course through my body, and began trembling. After what felt to be an eternity the pain vanished as fast as it arrived, and I felt power.

Yes, power. I got up, and walked to the device I created for measuring extreme strength. I punched it, and analyzed my body. I did other tests and I was astonished by the results. I had gotten even better than I thought I would.

First my strength went from 30 tons to 60, also there is my speed, I can now move at a speed of 100 km/hour, but more importantly something even more important got upgraded, my brain.

I could now think even faster, I could feel I got more intelligent, and my will became even better. That means my haki got enhanced. I tested and I could punch with a strength of 90 tons with it. It was only an improvement of ten tons compared to before, but I still will take it.

Before with a strength of 30 tons I could improve almost by two my strength and get twenty tons from my haki, and ignore a little defense, but now haki would add 30 tons, and I would get past defense even better.

My observation haki got enhanced too, it uses way less energy to keep up, and thus can activate it more often. Lastly there is my conqueror's haki, but I can't really test it.

If I got this before my fight it wouldn't have been so hard. But it isn't really bad because this fight made me realize the importance of getting a suit that would protect me instead of the thing I am wearing right now that only hides my identity but offers no protection.

But I didn't only get good things. I had gotten more muscular, and that lowers my dexterity. It would be even harder than before to dodge. Fortunately I have the haki and spider sense to predict attacks, but I fear I will never use webs like Peter because of the lack of agility.

It seems I was too arrogant and thought I would be invincible, but getting nearly defeated here made me realize my weakness. With my enhanced intelligence I thought about how strong I really was, and thinking about it I found myself pitiful.

Before I arrogantly thought I was very strong because I defeated the Abomination who was beating the Hulk, but now I realize I was foolish. The hulk wasn't even that angry and it was one of the first time he fought, so he wasn't very strong.

But in the future he would get stronger and stronger until he gains unquantifiable strength. Moreover today was a hard fight but I only fought two opponents, where in the future Peter, who was essentially weaker would defeat the sinister six by himself.

It seems I still lack something other than power. I lack experience, and I rely too much on my strength. I should also use my environment. I know for a fact that heroes are almost always weaker than their enemies, but they still win in the end.

They either team up with others, or think and use their enemies weakness. For example Tony Stark should come back soon, and he would fight the Iron Monger, or Obadiah Stane. Stane is stronger than Tony in his first armor, but Tony still wins in he end.