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Chapter - 7: Way of Spider
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I walked along the crowded sidewalk, following the address of Colleen Wing's dojo printed on the flyer. In the end, I had decided this was the most important thing for me right now—gaining maximum control over my new powers.
The streets were full of life and sound, typical of the city that never sleeps. There were voices of people, the noise of cars, and the calls of street vendors, all blending into one chaotic symphony.
Despite all of this, it had become mere background noise to me. I kept walking calmly, my mind elsewhere, trying to tune out the distractions around me and focus on more important thoughts.
It was fortunate that I was slowly getting used to my enhanced body, and thankfully, I wasn't having any "Superman problems." The last thing I wanted was to accidentally reveal my identity because of some careless mistake.
With every step I took, I got closer to my destination, and with it came the growing realization that I was about to make my first real decision since ending up in this world.
I wondered what I would do, not just with the Hand but with Colleen as well. She had been Iron Fist's love interest, a friend of Peter Parker—at least in some versions of the comics.
But for now, she was part of the Hand, the organization that manipulated and transformed kids into ruthless killing machines, sending them to eliminate targets without a second thought.
The choice remained risky. Going to Chikara dojo meant learning what I could from Colleen and being careful not to let the Hand notice I was using their training and techniques to become a better Spider-Man.
It was definitely a dangerous gamble. The Hand was a league of assassins in this universe—unmatched ninjas. It was crazy to think I could learn from them, but at the same time…
Good old Bruce Wayne, in another universe, had learned from Ra's al Ghul himself, so why couldn't I do the same?
It was too good of an opportunity. Not only could I lay the groundwork for my future fighting style, the one I had imagined, inspired by Spider-Man in the comics—capable of anticipating and countering enemies, subduing them with ease and precision.
Like most martial arts in comics, there aren't many details, but I was fairly certain it involved a lot of counterattacks, blocks, pressure points, and was designed to bring him back to his peak since he was missing a fundamental power—his spider-sense.
Wall-crawling is definitely the most important element, as it's the foundation for the Way of the Spider, designed to counter other Spider-People in preparation for Spider-Island.
He was able to overpower his clone Kaine and even match Madam Web, despite her ability to see the future, which said a lot about the full potential of the style. Though, naturally, it wasn't utilized properly by the editors, like many things.
Excluding that, I was pretty sure that by analyzing several aspects, the style incorporated targeting of nerve clusters and pressure points, which is endemic to many Asian martial arts.
Fast strikes could be applied to many things, but I'd say that part corresponds to Wing Chun, which includes a lot of elbow strikes and other non-punching moves (in Wing Chun, force is generated through pure body movement, as opposed to "setting" like in most martial arts).
This is what generates speed. It's like the difference between "pulling the arm back" in a haymaker and throwing a straight right cross without moving the shoulders. One is much faster, but you have to generate power from the hips and core to get the right balance.
However, given the inherent speed of comic Spider-Man, it's hard to say. He could generate quick, efficient power in a wide haymaker, so he could likely do much more.
There was also Steve Rogers' influence in his style, though I don't remember seeing any real boxing movements in the comics. Still, it was predictable. They would never give full credit to good old Spider-Man.
Then, of course, there's the actual comic interpretation. From what I know, it's heavily based on kicks and acrobatics, which places it firmly within the realm of Taekwondo (for the kicks) and Capoeira (for the acrobatics).
Again, it's hard to say for sure, given Spidey's natural agility could make even Taekwondo seem heavily acrobatic. The defensive maneuvers are tight, which can suggest multiple styles, including street fighting, but it seemed to convey Wing Chun to me.
My final verdict was clear: no matter how talented I was, it would take at least a few years to fully master that martial art style. The Way of the Spider was created by Peter, step by step, overcoming obstacles along his path, adapting and growing throughout his life.
Striking: Wing Chun
Kicks: Taekwondo (most likely) or Kung Fu (could also work)
Grappling: No panels have shown grappling, but Spidey can always throw people by sticking to them.
It was a long road ahead, but at least I had something to start with, and that made things much easier. If in the future another Spider-Totem ever stood against me, I'd be able to face them much more effectively.
After all, as the old saying goes, your greatest enemy is yourself, and I firmly believed that. After all, I was a fundamental part of this universe, connected to the Web of Life and Destiny...
When the dojo finally appeared in front of me—a small, simple, yet welcoming building—I paused for a moment to take a deep breath. I was ready to see what awaited me.
I pushed the door open and stepped inside, leaving my doubts behind. At least for the moment, they weren't important, as I couldn't afford to be nervous or make a mistake that would reveal more about myself than I wanted to.
It had taken me a while to find this place. I entered the building and found a staircase leading to the first floor, where a sign for the dojo was posted. I located the door, which was open, and stepped inside. The place looked exactly like I remembered from the Netflix series, with those yellow-tinted corridors and everything.
It seemed like a standard dojo, with open windows positioned diagonally from the entrance and four rectangular wooden beams running along the center of the room, giving the building an older appearance than it probably was.
Japanese kanji were engraved on wooden panels hung decoratively around the room, while several shinais were resting on racks against the walls and in the corners, where I couldn't help but glance.
In the center, there was a traditional katana with a white hilt and scabbard. On the other side of the room was a row of shoe racks, coat hooks, and bag holders, which immediately made me realize there were fewer students here than I had initially expected.
A mature, attractive Asian woman, probably in her early twenties, was sweeping the floor with a broom. She had a delicate face and her black hair was pulled back in a ponytail.
She was wearing a light grey sweatshirt, a white sports bra and grey jogging bottoms that matched the sweatshirt and didn't hide her big ass, which I couldn't help but take a good look at.
Unfortunately, I couldn't let my mind linger on those less appropriate thoughts for long. I needed to focus and make a good impression.
[Interlude]
Colleen Wing POV
"Miss Wing?" a voice called. I spun around, surprised that I hadn't heard anyone enter. Standing at the entrance of the dojo was a young man, appearing somewhat confident yet cautious.
The boy was slim, but I could tell he was clearly muscular, with tousled brown hair and eyes that betrayed a certain tension. He seemed a bit stiff, but there was a resoluteness in his movements.
"Yes?" I replied, keeping my voice calm but firm. "Are you here for the support group meeting?" It was a polite question; I knew full well that wasn't why he was here.
But I couldn't just accept every student who showed up at my door without first determining if they had the guts to handle the training. I needed to know if they would stick around when things got tough, not flee at the first sign of difficulty, like so many do.
"No," he answered quickly, with a hint of boldness that caught me off guard. "I'm here for self-defense lessons. My name is Peter Parker." As he spoke, he set down his bag and pulled off his shirt, revealing the training gear he had underneath.
Peter Parker. The name sounded familiar, but probably only because it was fairly common around here. Still, his request wasn't unusual. Plenty of young people came to the dojo wanting to learn how to defend themselves.
I couldn't help but give him a once-over. Honestly, I liked what I saw: despite his youth, he had a physique that would make even top Olympic athletes envious, which was impressive considering his age.
"Can I start right away?" He seemed to be in a bit of a rush, which I understood, considering New York was a dangerous city, after all. But my instincts told me there was something different about him.
"Alright, but first, sign here. Classes are from three to five on weekdays and eight to eleven on Saturdays." I handed him a piece of paper. Honestly, I didn't want any responsibility without everything being in order first.
"The sheet also has the prices listed. You can pay now or after the lesson, and to students, I'm Sensei Wing." I introduced myself, deciding to give him at least a chance. It was up to him to prove he was worth it.
"Okay, Peter. First off, take off your shoes. Then come over here. I want to see what you're made of so I can figure out which group to place you in with my other students." I watched as he removed his shoes and walked toward the center of the dojo with a hesitant step.
His body was tense, maybe a little too rigid, but there was a natural readiness and agility in his movements. He wasn't completely inexperienced, and that struck me; he had the posture of someone who had faced more than what a normal person should at his age.
"So, you want to learn how to defend yourself?" I asked, challenging him with my gaze.
"Exactly," he replied, with growing confidence. "And I'm ready to do whatever it takes." I smiled slightly. He was determined—or maybe too sure of himself—but honestly, I didn't mind.
"Let's see what you've got," I said, stepping back a few paces. "Start with some basic stances."
He obeyed right away, but I noticed he was too stiff. Too focused on what he thought was the correct posture without paying attention to how his body was actually moving.
"No, too rigid," I corrected. I stepped closer and adjusted his arms and feet, showing him how to relax his stance without losing balance. "Your body needs to be more fluid. Defense and attack are two sides of the same coin. You need to be able to shift between them effortlessly."
I stepped back again, assuming a neutral stance. "Now, I want you to try and hit me," I said, ready to see how he reacted under pressure.
He advanced with a straight punch. His speed and strength surprised me slightly, but the strike was still too predictable. It seemed he had some difficulty finding the right balance in his body, which made him easy to take down.
With a fluid movement, I sidestepped, grabbed his wrist, and threw him to the ground. I didn't do it violently, but with precision. I wanted him to understand with his body—or rather, his instinct—how to find the right path.
"Too predictable," I said, helping him back up. "If you want to be effective in combat, you need to be more creative. Your entire body is a weapon that needs to move naturally; you must acquire these fundamentals."
He nodded calmly, but there was still that spark of determination in his eyes. Good, he wasn't giving up easily. I liked that; at least he was willing to think for himself.
"Let's try again," I said.
We spent the next few minutes with him trying to hit me, and I blocked each of his attempts with ease. Every time he failed, he tried to correct himself. I noticed he was making progress much faster than I had expected:
He was starting to understand his mistakes and modify them in his own way, which I had to admit impressed me. This was the sign of someone who not only wanted to learn but also had great potential.
Finally, I stopped him. "That's enough for today," I said. "You still have a lot to learn, Peter, but I see potential. You're relying too much on your strength and speed, but you need to learn to control them better. Also, you tend to overcommit your body in your movements, which makes you vulnerable."
He nodded, not even looking tired, and I could see he was visibly satisfied. "Can you teach me?" he asked, his tone humble yet determined.
"I can teach you, but it depends on how much you're willing to learn," I replied, locking eyes with him. "You need to be ready to commit seriously. It won't be an easy path, and I won't treat you with kid gloves, especially compared to my other students."
He looked at me for a moment, then nodded with conviction. "I know. I'm ready to take everything you throw at me."
I smiled. Not many got to that point. "Good. Come back tomorrow, and we'll start with the basics. You'll need to learn control, discipline, and, above all, how to use your mind as much as your body."
He nodded, and as he left the dojo, a part of me knew this kid had something special. As long as he didn't disappoint me, I would do everything I could to help him, and if he showed further talent...
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Marvel: I'm Spider-Man in this Damn Reincarnation: 3 advanced chapters
Osmosian Sorcerer?: 3 advanced chapters
Son of Li Qiye?: 3 advanced chapters
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Chapter - 8: Spider - Chapter - 9: A Web Yet To Be Spun - Chapter - 10: Baxter Building
Chapter - 15: Bloom - Chapter - 16: Demon Sorcerers - Chapter - 17: Onmyoji
Chapter - 6: Wind Lightning Emperor Inheritance - Chapter - 7: Hobby - Chapter - 8: New Hunt
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