Three days later, Peter and I were in the library reading a few books. We had a school assignment that required us to propose sustainable alternatives to reduce city pollution.
Our group consisted of Peter, Harry, Ned, Mary Jane, and me. At the moment, it was just Peter and me, as my boyfriend was reviewing some biological and environmental studies. Specifically, he was reading material from a scientist named Henry Pym, which also piqued my curiosity.
Pym, a man who disappeared years ago, proposed an intriguing theory about particles. There were even rumors that he managed to create a suit that allowed him to shrink and grow in size. While most dismissed this as mere gossip, given the world we live in, I couldn't help but suspect there might be some truth to it.
Peter was particularly focused on Pym's studies on ants, potentially looking to incorporate ants or spiders into a recycling proposal for another future project. As for me, I was engrossed in some new books I'd received about witchcraft and spellcasting.
Occasionally, I practiced subtle tricks with my hands, refining my sorcery and testing combinations of my various abilities. At the same time, my mind lingered on a few missions I'd received earlier.
....
Mission: Criminal Organization and Martial Arts
Type: Long-term and segmented.
Completed Objectives:
Final Objective: Most of the Hand has been pushed out of New York and other significant parts of the U.S. Now, assist Danny with a request he will make in a few days. If done successfully, your final reward will be powerful and extremely useful. Good luck, warrior!
Reward: High-level sword art/technique/skill pack.
Description: A special mission with evolving objectives that ultimately offers "one" major reward.
.....
Mission: Helping the Friendly Neighborhood Hero I
Objective
- Help Spider-Man defeat two of his enemies.
Reward: Djin Phoenix Equipment.
Description: To maintain a safe neighborhood, it's vital to eliminate some of the more dangerous villains. Assist your friend and boyfriend in defeating them. Be cautious of unusual tactics...
....
The first mission's outcome seemed to depend more on Danny than me, but I didn't have anything to do until it progressed further. The second mission intrigued me, as it promised a powerful and reusable healing item. It also meant I'd spend more time with Peter, which was always a plus.
I already had an idea of the enemies we might face, given Peter's recent encounters and investigations.
As I pondered, the library's TV suddenly increased in volume, drawing our attention. The screen displayed a man with mechanical arms climbing the Daily Bugle building.
"Apparently, this unusual individual is scaling the building, claiming he wants revenge and plans to capture Spider-Man, as the hero supposedly has something useful to him. Will Spider-Man or Iron Man intervene?"
Peter and I exchanged a knowing glance and moved in unison. We found a secluded corner of the library, and when I ensured no one was nearby, I whispered, "Apparate."
With a single movement, we teleported away.
---
We appeared near the building under attack. I donned my combat gear, and Peter did the same.
As I moved through the air, I spotted the enemy. Using my senses, I detected drones scattered around the area, each influenced by a subtle mental connection. Peter acted first while I followed carefully from behind.
"Doctor Octopus, I thought we had enough fun the other day. What brings you here?" Peter called out.
Doc Ock responded by lunging at him with a mechanical arm, aiming to impale him. Peter used his web to leap away and avoid the attack.
"I was planning to threaten the editor of this building—a supposed photographer who's been snapping pictures of Spider-Man. But you made it easy by showing up. So, why don't you cooperate and hand over some of your blood? It yielded some fascinating results and could be crucial to my current project."
My calm demeanor almost cracked. Not only had he threatened Peter's secret identity, but now he was after my boyfriend's blood. Still, I employed Jedi techniques to maintain my composure.
"Sorry, but I'm not a blood bank. Maybe try a vampire elsewhere."
Ignoring my retort, Doc Ock targeted Peter again, only to pause and glance in my direction, intrigued by my presence in midair.
"And who's this?"
Peter introduced me before I could reply. "He's a friend of mine—someone very important to me—who decided to tag along."
I gave Peter an affectionate smile, hidden behind my mask. Doc Ock, however, seemed to interpret "important" as "vulnerable" and immediately targeted me.
Big mistake.
As one of his mechanical arms approached, I lazily raised my left arm. A burst of wind deflected the attack and disrupted his movements. Following that, I conjured three wind arrows above my head and launched them.
He deftly destroyed the arrows with his mechanical arms.
"Mutant?" he asked.
"Not exactly," I replied with a smirk. Technically, I do have mutant DNA, so why not let him think that?
Aggravated, he activated something on his arm, summoning drones toward Peter and me. Ten drones approached me alone.
"A little army?"
Peter looked worried, but I gestured for him to focus on his fight while I dealt with the drones.
I ascended quickly, luring the drones to their maximum altitude. They unleashed energy blasts, bombs, and bullets, but I used the opportunity to hone my aerial combat skills.
I moved with the wind, dodging and creating shields. Occasionally, I activated my borg shield to block and redirect attacks. A few buildings sustained minor damage, but I ensured no civilians were harmed.
With my mind and Haki tracking the drones, I learned their attack patterns. Summoning my lightsaber in one hand and casting spells with the other.
In the air, I raised my left hand.
**"Ice Make: Lance."**
Countless ice lances formed and struck two drones with force, shattering them instantly.
I didn't stop there. Accelerating toward two more, I swung my lightsaber with precision, slicing one drone cleanly in half. With sheer physical strength, I caught another, holding it firmly before cleaving it apart.
Afterward, four boomerangs appeared in my hand. I threw them with precision, enhancing their trajectory using a touch of telepathy from my magic, ensuring two of them hit their marks, causing explosions mid-air.
The remaining drones seemed to recognize the threat I posed and swarmed toward me. Frowning, I anticipated their strategy. I replaced my lightsaber with my energy blaster in my right hand and held my wand in my left.
Drawing on my sharp aim honed through countless battles and the keen vision provided by my enhanced eyes, I quickly fired two shots. Each hit directly at the energy cores of two drones, causing fiery explosions.
For the others, I cast spells:
**"Bombarda."** A powerful blast spell reduced one to scraps.
**"Transfiguration."** Another was transformed into fluttering butterflies that now hovered gently around me.
"Even with its limits, using magic and spells is both thrilling and effective," I murmured to myself as my attention returned to Peter. This mission shouldn't have been too challenging—or so I thought.
Looking down, I saw Peter being forced to the ground by Octavius's mechanical arms. Despite the precarious position, he seemed unharmed. However, what truly caught my attention was something else entirely.
Nearby, a building had suffered severe damage. Emerging from the wreckage was an unusually tall figure with a grotesque appearance. He seemed fused with a living suit encasing his entire body—a being resembling a rhinoceros.
The energy and danger levels radiating from him, as detected by my enhanced vision and Haki, were noticeably high.
The creature, clearly energized, fixed his gaze on Spider-Man, but it wasn't with friendly intentions.
**"Spider-Man!"** he roared, charging forward with brute strength.
Though he seemed slightly dim-witted, his aim was clear: to crush Peter's head under his massive foot. Meanwhile, Octavius attempted to impale him with one of his mechanical arms.
**"Apparate."**
In a blink, I teleported in front of the charging rhino-like man. Bringing both hands together, I summoned a spell:
"Ice Make: Shield."
A large ice shield materialized, blocking his advance. Though it cracked under his overwhelming force within seconds, I infused more energy and followed up with another move:
"Ice Make: Hammer."
A massive hammer of ice struck him hard, throwing him several meters backward.
Glancing behind me, I saw Spider-Man leap away from Octavius's attack. Mid-air, he unleashed waves of electricity that momentarily slowed the tentacled villain. Quickly seizing the opportunity, Peter fired webs at his enemy's eyes to blind him before using another strand to pull himself safely out of range.
Seeing Peter holding his ground in the fight, I smiled and shifted my focus to the other enemy.
The giant rhino-man stood up, clearly furious, and charged at me with even more rage. My hands came together in front of me.
"Ice Make: Gorilla."
A massive magical ice gorilla materialized immediately. Following my command, it threw a punch directly at the rhino-man's face. Unshaken, the rhino countered with a punch of his own, hitting my gorilla's face, then following up with another blow to its chest. Cracks formed in the ice, and the gorilla staggered back slightly.
"Weak!" he laughed.
"Stronger than I expected," I murmured, unfazed by his taunt.
I quickly reformed the magic circle, channeling more mana to reinforce and refine the gorilla's body, making it denser and more powerful. It was a useful opportunity to practice precision with my abilities.
The reinforcement allowed the gorilla to hold its own better, though the rhino-man still had the upper hand.
I didn't let it bother me. Teleporting to his right side just as he delivered another punch to the ice gorilla, he was caught off guard by my sudden appearance. In my right hand, my Wook weapon gleamed with internal energy, radiating an ancient and primal aura.
With a powerful strike to his face, I sent him flying several meters into the air.
"That far, huh..." I said with a smirk.
"Apparate."*
I appeared high in the sky beside him, grabbing him with my **Wook**-wielding hand. With my left hand, I touched my forehead and muttered, **"Kai Kai."**
We teleported out of the area to a deserted, empty road—still high in the air. I then swung him downward with all my strength, slamming him into the ground with devastating force.
**"The fun part of fighting strong enemies is that you can pummel them without holding back,"** I said aloud as I smashed him into the ground—not once, but three times for good measure.
When I finally descended slowly, I saw him stagger to his feet. He looked disoriented, clearly injured, and his gaze at me now held not only resentment but also a hint of fear.
I had already stored my Wook and raised both hands.
"Ice Make: Apes."
Two massive ice gorillas formed before me. This time, I channeled more mana into them, enhancing their resilience, utility, and strength.
"You're a great target. You're not particularly threatening to me, but you're useful for testing my ice magic—its creation, control, and potential strengths."
I didn't mind using him as practice. After all, he'd probably end up captured by S.H.I.E.L.D. or a similar organization once this was over.
"Let's get started,"
I said, creating additional ice constructs, ready to test my limits with enthusiasm.