More and more Links began jumping down from the massive hole in the ceiling, forcing the two Spidermen to temporarily halt their assult. The atmosphere became thick with tension, as the once manageable battlefield was suddenly overwhelmed by a growing horde of identical opponents, all brimming with the same malevolent energy.
The newly arrived Links wasted no time. With terrifying speed, they unleashed tentacles from their bodies, trying to overwhelm the two Spidermen. Their monstrous appendages lashed out like vipers, whipping through the air with precision, aiming to bind or impale. However, the Spidermen responded with reflexes honed through countless battles. They moved in sync, gracefully dodging the onslaught of tentacles, each evading the attacks with breathtaking acrobatics. In a fluid motion, they both withdrew from the immediate danger, their bodies flipping backward as they landed gracefully on their feet.
Still, more Links continued to emerge from the gaping hole above, dropping like rain. They hit the ground in front of the transformed Link with the weight of battle-hardened warriors, each one identical to the last, yet each radiating an intimidating, overwhelming power. As they landed, they formed an impenetrable wall of bodies, a human shield separating the two Spidermen from their true target—the original Link, standing ominously behind them all, silently watching the scene unfold.
"Rather than immediately attacking through the human wave tactic, they first make sure the original is behind them... a form of protection?" Charlie Cooper mused, narrowing his eyes at the Transformed Link. His tone was casual, but his mind raced, analyzing the enemy. "Let me guess... Is there some kind of 'connection' between the main body and the avatars?"
"A reasonable guess, sir," Friday's voice responded in his ear. "However, no valid evidence has been found to confirm this theory. Additionally, the sheer number of enemies present significantly reduces the possibility of eliminating them all and taking down the main body."
Charlie waved a hand dismissively, a confident smirk playing on his lips. "All right, all right. It's no big deal." He flexed his fingers, feeling a strange sense of confidence, perhaps gained through defeating said foe multiple times. "We just need to kill them all."
---
The Links were lined up like a human wall, their expressions blank, yet their bodies tensed and ready for combat. It was clear they weren't ordinary enemies; these beings were like an invincible army, an unyielding force that could crush ordinary humans with ease.
A dark, ancient power had used him as a sample, crafting these duplicates, each of them an extension of his will. They were his phantoms, his soldiers, each as dangerous as the next. Together, they represented the strength he had sought for so long, the power to ensure that no one could ever overlook or challenge him again.
Standing behind his army of clones, Link felt a deep, almost tangible sense of safety. These—these beings—were the only things he could trust. They were his power, his weapons, an eternal part of him that would never betray him. This was the only thing that was constant, the only thing that made sense in the fragile, shifting world he inhabited. He had gained what he had longed for: true control.
And now, they would tear apart his enemies.
"Wow, okay," Spider-Man muttered under his breath, watching the Links with widening eyes. "There are… a lot of them." He glanced over at Gwen, who stood beside him, cracking her knuckles in anticipation. "You good?"
"Me? What are you talking about?" Gwen flashed him a grin from under her mask, her eyes gleaming with excitement. She bent her knees slightly, ready to pounce. "As long as you don't slow me down, I'm more than fine."
Spider-Man rolled his eyes, firing back with a grin of his own. "Hey! You stole my line!"
Before they could say more, the army of Links sprang into action, their tentacles flaring like blades, slicing through the air with deadly speed. The appendages shot forward in a relentless barrage, as if intending to wrap around the two Spidermen and crush them like insects.
But for the Spidermen, this was hardly a threat. Their bodies moved in perfect sync—one darting left, the other flipping right—as they expertly dodged the incoming attacks, their banter continuing.
Tentacles lashed out like a deadly net, forming what seemed like an impenetrable barrier of flesh and muscle. For ordinary fighters, it would have been impossible to escape. Yet, for these two, it was simply another challenge to overcome. With a swift motion, Spider-Man launched a web from his wrist, the silk flying through the air and latching onto the chest of a Link. With a mighty tug, he pulled himself forward like a rocket, his foot colliding with the Link's chest, sending him crashing to the ground. As the body fell, Spider-Man fired more webs, trapping the fallen Link in a cocoon of sticky silk.
"One point for me!" Spider-Man grinned, glancing over at Gwen. "Better catch up!"
Not one to be outdone, Gwen flipped backward, narrowly avoiding two tentacles that slashed toward her. She spun midair, flicking her wrists, and two webs shot out, sticking to another Link's face. With a powerful yank, she sent the Link sprawling to the ground, pulling him off balance. She slid beneath his legs, landing a powerful kick to his back, sending him face-first into the dirt.
"You should run while you can, Spidey," Gwen called out with a laugh, "I don't want you crying when you lose!"
Spider-Man didn't miss a beat, knocking down another enemy with a powerful punch. He crouched low, evading a sneak attack from behind without even turning his head. His left palm hit the ground, and with a perfectly timed kick, he sent his attacker flying into the air. Gwen, spotting the airborne foe, fired a web of her own, yanking him back down, and with a powerful toss, sent him crashing into the crowd like a human missile.
The battlefield had become a chaotic dance. As Spider-Man and Gwen continued to weave through the horde, their movements fluid, each punch, each kick, was delivered with deadly accuracy. They moved through the Links as though they were nothing more than a practice drill, their figures blurring with speed as they dismantled the invincible army piece by piece.
All the while, they kept up their chatter, mocking their enemies with taunts. They teased each other too, as if this entire battle was nothing more than a lighthearted game.
Link watched from the back, his expression changing from smug confidence to something much darker. The cruel smile he wore at the beginning of the fight slowly faded as he realized what was happening. His eyes narrowed, his hands clenching into fists. This wasn't supposed to happen. His army, his power, was supposed to be invincible. But these two… these two monsters… they were tearing his forces apart with ridiculous ease.
'No', Link thought, I'm not human… but what are these two?
The Spidermen continued to move like shadows through his army, and every second, more Links were sent flying, crashing to the ground in broken heaps. Occasionally, they would perform a brutal combo—Spider-Man launching a foe into the air with a punch, only for Gwen to intercept mid-flight and slam him back down with a well-timed kick.
Link felt his confidence shatter, piece by piece. The strength he had pursued for so long, the power he had thought made him invincible, was now crumbling before his eyes. What he had believed was true strength, real power, seemed laughable in the presence of these two.
The last of the Links fell. He threw a desperate punch at Gwen, but she easily dodged, knocking him off balance with a graceful sweep of her leg. She delivered a flurry of kicks, sending him flying into Spider-Man's waiting web.
With one last arc, Spider-Man slammed the final clone into the dirt, sticking him down with a webbing that ensured he wouldn't be getting back up.
"That's all of them," Spider-Man said, glancing over at Gwen. "So… ready for the big one?"
"Just to clarify," Friday chimed in, "the main body of Link has much stronger defenses and can repair itself. However, if you maintain constant, high-speed strikes, you can break through his defenses faster than he can regenerate."
Charlie grinned. "No problem."
Link, standing alone now, stared at the two Spidermen. His mind raced, fear gripping his heart. The overwhelming confidence he had once felt had completely vanished. His army—his entire life's pursuit—had been shattered. And now, these two devils were coming for him.
All he could think as they approached, their eyes gleaming with anticipation, was one desperate plea:
—Don't come any closer!
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