"Hey, did you hear about what happened a few days ago?" a student whispered as they gathered around their lockers. "Two men were seriously injured—one broke his leg, and the other... well, let's just say he got beaten badly."
"Yeah, I heard it was a guy named Sentinel who did it. The guy with the broken leg apparently suffered a compound fracture," another replied, shaking his head in disbelief.
"That's so brutal! I hope they catch whoever did this soon," a girl chimed in, her eyes wide.
"Seriously, people like that are dangerous," a boy added, glancing around as if the perpetrator might be lurking nearby.
Gwen, overhearing the conversation, decided to interject. "You guys do know that Huihuo was trying to save people, right? The men who were attacked were traffickers. If it weren't for Sentinel, they would have succeeded."
"You can't trust that," a boy countered. "My dad treated one of the victims."
Gwen's father, George Stacey, was the sheriff of District 19, lending credibility to her words.
James felt a chill run down his spine. He recalled Gwen's father and the stern look he often carried. It looked like he would need to keep his distance from Gwen—having her father hovering around like a ghost was the last thing he wanted when it came to relationships.
The setting shifted to the school gymnasium, where James and Peter faced each other in the vast space. The echo of their footsteps filled the otherwise quiet room.
"Are you really sure about this?" Peter asked, uncertainty flickering in his eyes.
James clapped his hands together, a grin spreading across his face. "Come on, let's do this."
Peter raised his fist, hesitating for a moment before lowering it. "I mean, I know I'm strong, but what if I accidentally hurt you?"
James casually tossed a basketball at Peter, the ball whizzing through the air and slamming into his arm, causing him to stagger.
"How about that?" James smirked. "Is this strength enough to challenge you, Spidey?"
"Spidey? I like it," Peter chuckled, shaking off the surprise.
"Then can we hurry? We don't have all day and class is coming up," James urged, impatience creeping into his voice.
With a determined nod, Peter clenched his fists. "Alright, I won't hold back."
"Bring it on!"
The two lunged at each other, fists colliding in a cacophony of sound. They quickly drew back, shaking their hands and grinning through the pain.
"How are you stronger than last time? When you fought Thompson, you seemed... weaker," Peter said, astonished.
James flexed his knuckles. "I guess I'm just a martial arts prodigy in the making. You finally starting to believe me?"
Peter sighed, straightening up. "I was worried about hurting you, but now it seems I was overthinking it. Let's do this like men."
"Where did you pick up that phrase? It's making me cringe," James laughed, shaking his head.
With no more hesitation, they charged at each other again, fists flying.
**BAM!** James felt the impact but staggered back, realizing he was still outmatched by Peter's strength.
Peter, quick to capitalize on the moment, rushed forward before James could regain his footing. All James could do was raise his arm defensively as Peter's fist connected.
James slid back nearly ten feet, his soles leaving black scuff marks on the polished wooden floor.
"Hey, are you alright?" Peter asked, concern etched on his face. "That was my full force. Looks like I'm faster and stronger than you."
James rubbed his sore arm, nodding. "True. But remember, strength and speed don't always guarantee victory."
Peter shrugged, unconvinced. "Is that so?"
"Let me show you," James said, determination in his eyes. He charged at Peter again, who stood his ground, confidence radiating from him.
As James threw a punch, Peter dodged effortlessly, anticipating the attack. But just when Peter thought he had it figured out, James changed his strategy mid-strike, elbowing to the side.
Caught off guard, Peter barely avoided the hit, recovering just in time to see James launching another punch. This time, however, James's speed seemed slower.
Feeling confident, Peter reached out, aiming to grab James's arm and restrain him. But just as he lunged, James retracted his arm, using the momentum to strike Peter in the chest.
The match quickly turned into a showcase of James's skills as he evaded Peter's attempts to counterattack. Despite Peter's physical advantages, James's technique proved superior.
After a flurry of exchanges, Peter finally stepped back, breathless. "Okay, okay! You win! I give up!"
"You were like a fish trying to catch water—impossible!" James teased, his grin wide.
Peter shook his head, still reeling from the experience. "What kind of skills do you have? Did some old master sell you their secrets or something?"