Another torrent of fire was shot in his direction, Peter quickly ripping the webbed-up criminal from the ground and diving behind a pillar for cover.
Even though he was behind the stone column, the heat was becoming unbearable.
Fire took up oxygen and used it as fuel, but he should be fine given how the windows were blown up, giving him air to breathe.
Either way, breathing wouldn't be easy if he got burnt or started to dehydrate.
This was not happening.
"Oh, and now you're protecting a criminal from me? More proof as to why I must arrest you, boy !"
Wait, he knew he was a kid? And he was still doing this?
Oh, this was just so messed up.
Endeavor.
Japan's number 2 ranked hero for the past 20-something years.
And the top-ranked hero when it came to both civilian and villain casualties in cases he's involved in.
And he was currently trying to fight Peter.
Oh man, he was gonna be a statistic!
Now, Peter's opinion on Endeavor was pretty split.
As a person? The guy sucked, he was a walking PR disaster that seemed to want to be a hero just to surpass All Might instead of actually helping people.
As a hero, though? That part was a bit more complicated.
Even if Peter didn't like his personality that much, he couldn't ignore the fact that he got results 90% of the time even if he didn't act heroic, catching villains and saving people from things like attacks and disasters.
That is when he isn't burning villains alive or getting random civilians caught in accidental collateral damage along with causing property destruction that caused millions to repair.
And that same guy was trying to fight Peter.
This wasn't even Parker luck at this point, you know?
There had to be some dark magic at work for him to be getting into this whole debacle.
Man, the dehydration was probably starting to kick in, he just used the word debacle.
Crap.
Alright… relax!
Flames kept coming in waves, the pillar he had his back to starting getting hotter as it diverted the fire as if it was some rock in a lake.
Hold up, that was a really good analogy.
Wait, focus!
Oh, he was so screwed.
Reaching into his belt while dropping the man he was holding to the ground, Peter started to search through his pouches for something that could help him.
Some sort of identification or something.
All it was all just web cartridges, gadgets, and first aid supplies.
Crap.
Switching to his backpack, he frantically dug through the bag as his panic began to increase.
Peter was smart, people told him that all the time and he was decently confident in his brain.
And it told him that there was no reality out there in which he wins against Endeavor in a straight-up fight.
He's seen reports of him accidentally burning people to a crisp, along with the type of damage that those flames could do to structures.
Structures like the pillar he was behind.
He was so screwed.
Finding nothing useful in his bag, the boy threw it back over his shoulder and took a deep breath to try and calm down, ignoring Endeavor's enraged yells telling him to turn himself in or how his sweat was starting to make his mask stick to his face.
He just…
He just needs to think.
Maybe even talk things out.
Worth a shot.
"Wait, stop for a sec!" Peter called from behind his cover, hearing how the flames stopped hitting the pillar but still crackled at Endeavor's hands. "Can we please talk this out?"
"What is there to talk about, Spider-Man? I always knew you'd come back even after disappearing for months, criminals like you always do!"
Okay, that was just hurtful.
"I am telling you I'm not a vigilante anymore, man! I am here on a UA field trip, why won't you just listen to me?!"
Suddenly, fire started to crash into the column again, making Peter's spider-sense ring.
"I do not need to listen to you! I am a hero, apprehending villains like you is what I do!"
Was it just him or was he hamming it up?
Given how the fire wasn't stopping, he guessed talking it out was out of the question.
The sounds of stone slowly cracking reached his ears, he was running out of time fast.
What does he even do?!
Fighting was out of the picture, that would most likely be a death sentence or a near-death experience at best .
And even if he won, then what? Just walk outside after beating him? If anything, the guy would probably make his life horrible and blacklist him from any hero school.
Wait, what if he called for help?
Not his friends or May, they wouldn't be able to help…
Aizawa!
Fishing his phone out of a pouch on his belt, Peter found Aizawa's name on speed dial and called.
Oh, please pick up!
Not even waiting for the first ring, Aizawa immediately picked up the phone, making Peter thank whatever deity there was above.
"Parker! Where the hell are you?! You ran back in there without my permission, you better have a damn explanation as to why you're not out here and why I shouldn't expel you!" The man barked over on his end of the call, sounding absolutely furious.
Alright, Peter would have to worry about all of that later.
"Aizawa! Dude, I'm sorry for just going in here but there was this guy that we missed holding a girl hostage, but I got her." Stone kept cracking behind him, Peter's breathing beginning to become more and more frantic.
"What the hell is that sound? Are there still villains? Endeavor should be in there, now why aren't you out yet?"
A part of Peter told him Aizawa's response wasn't gonna be pretty.
"Uh, it kinda is Endeavor, all the villains are knocked out."
Peter was met with silence on the other line, the only sound being fire being shot at him and Endeavor cursing him out.
"… Excuse me?"
"He showed up after I got the last guy, recognized I'm Spider-Man, started to attack me after assuming I was working with the guys doing the best and now I'm hiding behind a pillar trying not to get burned to death."
"What?! Tell him you're a UA student caught in the attack!" Aizawa ordered from his end, Peter could faintly hear his friends asking him what was going on.
"I did! He called me a liar and kept trying to attack me! Man, please tell me you got a plan cause I'm freaking out over here and really don't wanna die."
There was a pause, Aizawa cursing out loud before he finally responded.
"If he is still unjustly attacking you… Fuck, just stay put and keep trying to convince him. There are 15 of his sidekicks guarding all entries into the building but I'll try to go in there."
Stay put? That was the plan?
He was so gonna die today.
Even if he does die… what a lame way to go out.
Unjustly killed by the number 2 hero? Some random kid that had the consequences of his past catch up to him?
"Hey, if I die here, can you please take care of my aunt for me? Also, Aizawa just… tells her I love her and… thanks, for giving me a second shot at the hero gig and for just being there." Peter said quietly into the phone, not waiting for a response before hanging up.
Backed into a corner, Peter had run out of any safe option.
He had to fight Endeavor.
Even if he really does bite it in here, he gets to see Ben again.
Now, was he scared right now? Of the high possibility of the number 2 hero killing him?
Absolutely, Peter was fucking terrified.
This wasn't a thing where he'd go down fighting to save a city or even one person.
This was just for him.
The only incentive Peter had for winning was his own life, not even the motivation of trying to protect a civilian.
But was he still gonna go ahead with it? Give it his all?
Yeah.
He was.
Taking a deep breath, Peter's lenses narrowed on the weird gauntlet that he had taken off the criminal before he shot a web that connected to it and pulled it into his hand.
He looked down, sending an apologetic look to the webbed-up man at his feet that had been freaking out the entire time, with Peter not hearing him given how his mouth was webbed up and all.
"I'll need to borrow this for a sec, hope you have spares," Peter said, watching the guy think about what he said and nod.
Huh, now that he thought about it, this guy was probably rooting for him.
"Also, I know you're a bad guy and all but… I'll keep you safe from number 2 over there." He tried to reassure the man, watching him send a thankful look his way.
Even though this guy did take part in the heist that got Peter in this situation, he'd do his best to keep him safe from whatever was gonna happen.
After all, even criminals need protecting sometimes, you know?
Alright… let's get this show on the road.
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