Peter Parker has been having a great time recently. Ever since he was bitten by that spider, he has gained unparalleled superpowers. Now, he is no longer the weak nerd, but instead has become incredibly strong and agile, which for a high school student, is the best thing that could happen.
However, he is not without worries. The doctor he has been chatting with online has arranged a full examination for his family. But this revealed a lot of issues.
Peter himself is fine; he is extremely healthy and the hospital's machines haven't detected anything unusual about him.
The problem lies with his Uncle Ben and Aunt May. They are getting on in age and have their fair share of health problems, but that's not the end of the world. What is concerning is that the doctor told Peter there was a shadow on his uncle's lung, which is not good news.
Anyone with common sense knows that the follow-up to such a statement is likely either cancer or a tumor.
The doctor suggests a comprehensive lung examination for Ben Parker. However, it is not cheap, especially considering the possible need for a biopsy later on; the Parkers can't afford the expenses.
Even though some medical costs are reimbursed, the cost of such an examination isn't covered by insurance, and no insurance company would take responsibility for it.
If the doctor that Peter knows online still works in Presbyterian, perhaps Peter could ask him for help. Even if it's not possible at this prestigious hospital, they can go to the less expensive hospitals that might be cheaper.
The Parkers have always lived frugally. Peter often doesn't have a new piece of clothing all year. But he also knows that his uncle and aunt have done their best to provide for him. They earn so little, and Uncle Ben is not willing to make dirty money. Living on a slender income and supporting Peter's education leaves them with no savings.
Uncle Ben is quite optimistic. The shadow on his lung does not necessarily mean cancer or a tumor; it might just be an irrelevant inflammation that could heal on its own. He reassures Peter that it might just be an overreaction from the big hospital, but Peter is truly very upset.
He can't help feeling resentful. Thompson, who always bullies him at school, wears sneakers worth hundreds or thousands of dollars, while his family can't even afford a few hundred dollars for a medical examination.
However, Peter thinks things will be different now. With his superpowers, what else should he do if not use them to make money?
Peter is, of course, very clever. He has come up with the quickest way to make money: participating in underground boxing matches.
Sure, playing card in a casino might be faster, but Peter knows his sensing abilities are erratic. If unstable, he could not only fail to make money but even lose money.
But underground boxing is different. His strength is enough to defeat any ordinary person. Regardless of how fierce and cruel his opponents might be, his absolute dominance in strength would surely make him invincible.
Where is the underground boxing industry most flourishing in New York? Of course, it's the infernal Hell's Kitchen.
However, as a good student who had behaved well from childhood, Peter did not approach such a chaotic place. So, perhaps out of fear or caution, Peter loiters around Hell's Kitchen for several days, but still did not actively enter.
Then one day, after school, Peter learns that his Aunt May has strained her back and cannot afford to buy medication, having to rest in bed. He cannot bear it any longer; his pent-up frustration turns into anger, and he really wants to beat some people up.
He puts on his homemade masked suit, which looks somewhat funny, but after acquiring spider ability, his built has become slightly more robust, no longer as skinny, so it looks passable.
He darts aimlessly around Hell's Kitchen like a headless fly, but no one can beat him anyway, and with his spider sense to dodge bullets, he eventually finds the entrance.
On Bill Street, about two streets away from Hell's Kitchen and Mary Street, there is an underground boxing ring run by a gang. After Peter knocks out their strongest fighter with one punch, the person in charge there takes notice and recommends him to the biggest one at the end of the street.
Here, Peter takes on the codename "Spider Man."
Everything goes smoothly, and Peter wins consecutive victories. Hardly any fighter can withstand his flurry of punches. The strength that comes with his spider mutation is too much, allowing Peter to earn tens of thousands of dollars in just a few days.
On the other hand, Daredevil spends a few days resting at Schiller's. He has no superpowers, and his wounds heal at the same speed as a mortal. Fortunately, the assassin who attacked him held back, and the bullet did not damage any vital organs. After resting for a few days, Matt is much better.
So, that night, Matt bids farewell to Schiller; he has to continue his crusade for justice. If he stops because of the Kingpin's assassination attempt, that would be playing right into his hands. So, not only does Matt not stop his quest for justice, he intends to give Kingpin a hard blow.
His target is Bill Street. The two nightclubs, a casino, an underground fighting ring, and an illegal car mod shop on that street are all Kingpin's properties. This street is effectively under Kingpin's control, bringing in millions of dollars in profit each year.
Matt's first target is the underground boxing ring.
He never forgets how his father died. There is no need for such underground boxing rings. They only aim to make money from gambling addicts, without any regard for human life. Matt's father was brutally killed by the mob because he refused to throw a fixed fight, causing the bookies to lose money.
This is the catalyst for the birth of Daredevil. Therefore, Matt will never let any underground fighting ring thrive. In fact, Matt has already caused significant damage to Kingpin's underground boxing gambling business.
That is also why Kingpin sent an assassin after him. As long as Matt is alive, Kingpin can never earn money from boxing.
Of course, Matt is an expert. He does not rush headlong into it. His most common method of dismantling these underground organizations is to observe for a few days. Then he will find a drunk, digging all the information he needs from their drunken lips. After targeting a few of the management for disruption a few times, the gamblers will look elsewhere.
After observing for several days, Matt gathers the name "Spider Man" from many people's conversations, hearing about his recent limelight in the boxing ring. Matt has also seen Spider-Man once, though it was just in passing. But he knows that this kid won't have good days for long.
One day, the owner of the underground fighting ring approached Peter, wanting him to fix a fight. Anyone who understands the gambling rules knows that with Peter's continuous winning streak, his odds become very low, and everybody bets on him to win, with hardly anyone betting on his opponent.
At this point, if Peter loses, then the bookies only need to pay a few people who bet on his opponent, taking all the money from those who bet on Peter, amounting to a fortune.
The underground fighting ring is just such a business; there is no such thing as fair competition here. Everything is manipulated by the house to trap the money of gamblers.
The underground gambling ring's boss promise Peter a cut, but Peter is not very willing. First, he feels he has already earned enough money, and tens thousand dollars will cover the fee for his uncle's full set of exams. Even if Aunt May needs surgery for her back as well, this money will be adequate.
Moreover, Peter is only a high school student, not yet mature. The thrill of consecutive victories makes him want more. For a teenager, being asked to lose on purpose to their opponent is an almost impossible proposition. Peter has finally had his moment. He wouldn't want to give that up.
The owner of the underground fighting ring says nothing, and Peter naively thinks he has no way to deal with him. After all, with such formidable strength, who among ordinary people could beat him?
All of this is witnessed by the Daredevil, Matt Murdock.
He sneaks in under the guise of a drunk, pretending to be passed out in the spectator seats. His enhanced hearing allows him to catch every word of the conversation between the underground fight club's boss and Peter backstage.
The next day, during the match, Matt is also there.
When Peter makes his entrance, there are still countless cheers. Peter raises his hands to greet the crowd, ready for his next opponent to be defeated.
A strong black boxer comes forward, and Peter sees a sly smile on his face, but does not understand what is going on.
At the start of the fight, Peter feels fine. He almost sends the boxer flying with one punch, but the boxer doesn't engage directly and keeps dodging, as if he is biding time.
Soon, Peter senses something is wrong. He starts feeling pain in his stomach, his legs give way, and his vision darkens.
As his mind begins to fog, the black boxer punches him in the face. Peter stumbles backward, dizzy and disoriented.
The opponent presses the attack. Just as Peter is struck, his spider sense alerts him to a heavy lead hidden inside the boxer's gloves. If he gets hit with that, his brains might be turned to mush.
Peter ducks, barely avoiding the punch. Boos come from the crowd; Spider Man never dodges in previous matches.
But Peter can't care about it now. He is in terrible pain, almost unable to breathe. Another punch comes from the opponent, and Peter is knocked to the ground. This isn't a regular boxing match with proper referees. After Peter falls, the boxer's fists keep pouring down like rain, and no one intervenes.
Peter can only clutch his head tightly, but the lead-weighted gloves feel like they are shuffling his internal organs. Eventually, he can't hold back and "hurls" onto the mat, prompting a wave of curses from the audience.
As it seems their bets are going to lose, the crowd's swearing gets even louder.
Peter has never heard such filthy language thrown at him, covering Spider Man in verbal filth.
Before passing out, Peter catches a glimpse of a figure leaping from the spectator seats, a cane whistling through the air, thwacking the opposing boxer's neck. The vicious beating finally stops, but it is too late for Peter; he faints.