As the Oscorp trip neared its end, Max kept a close eye on the group, noticing that the five of them—Peter, Gwen, Harry, MJ, and Gwen—were becoming visibly uncomfortable. They frequently rubbed their necks, beads of sweat forming on their brows. Whatever had bitten them, likely the enhanced spider, was clearly taking its toll.
Concerned, Max approached Gwen, who was panting slightly and hugging herself for comfort. She seemed disoriented and was rubbing her head.
"Hey, are you alright?" Max asked gently, reaching out to her.
"I...I don't know how to describe it," Gwen replied, her voice shaky as she leaned into his support. "Everything feels...off."
"You should sit down," Max suggested, helping her to a nearby bench, and she gratefully collapsed onto it.
"Thanks," she murmured, still clearly struggling.
Max gave her a reassuring smile. "It's okay. You're strong, Gwen. You'll get through this sooner than you think."
Gwen managed a faint smile in return, though her energy was clearly drained. "Idiot, I'm not that easily going to let you win me over with sweet talk," she teased weakly.
"I know," Max said, his tone light but sincere. He leaned in and kissed her forehead softly, more out of concern than romance, trying to comfort her.
She frowned, still looking flustered. "Do you want to get sick too?"
Max chuckled. "Nope, I won't get sick. I'm built different." He shrugged, confident in his resistance to whatever was affecting her, thanks to his own unique abilities.
Gwen let out a small laugh despite her discomfort. "Yeah, you always seem to be." She closed her eyes and rested her head on the back of the bench, her breathing slowly stabilizing.
"Just wait a little longer, soon we'll head home," Max said gently as he patted Gwen's shoulder, trying to comfort her. She nodded weakly, still struggling with the strange sensations she was experiencing.
As the trip officially ended, Max noticed that everyone seemed even more uncomfortable than before. They were all fidgety and clearly out of sorts. He took charge, ordering a cab before turning to the group. "You all look uncomfortable. Why not stay at my place for the night? I've got space, and you can rest up," he offered casually.
MJ, looking pale and rubbing her temples, shook her head. "I think we should go to the hospital and get checked out. This doesn't feel normal." The others nodded in agreement, looking anxious about whatever was happening to them.
Max gave a knowing smile. "Believe me, you don't want to go to a hospital to figure out what's happening to you all," he said cryptically.
Peter, who was also clearly struggling, widened his eyes as something clicked in his mind. He turned to Max excitedly. "Wait... is this why you didn't seem worried earlier?" he asked, his voice filled with sudden realization. The others looked puzzled by Peter's outburst, confused by the sudden shift in his demeanor.
"What is it, Peter?" MJ asked, growing more concerned as she watched Peter's reaction.
Peter grinned despite the discomfort. "Just come with me, and you'll all find out soon enough."
With that, Peter hopped into the cab, his excitement barely contained. The others exchanged uncertain glances, but with a collective shrug, they hesitantly got into the cab as well, following Max and Peter, curious about what they were about to discover.
Max smirked to himself. He knew they were about to take their first steps into something far beyond anything they could have imagined.
"huh? why a beauty like you is driving a cab?" Harry suddenly asked, trying to flirt with Rize, while flashing his smile.
As Rize, the cab driver, commented nonchalantly about how "idiots these days could get superpowers," Flash had instinctively tensed up, his usual hot-headedness kicking in. "Huh? What did you just say?" he barked, glaring at Rize.
Rize didn't even bother looking at him, her focus on the road as she muttered, "Another brain-dead musclehead." Her words hit Flash like a slap, and in typical Flash fashion, he tried to raise his fist in frustration, aiming for a punch.
But just as he was about to act, a chilling sensation shot through his body. He froze in place, eyes widening as sweat dripped down his face. There, mere inches from his face, was the edge of a sharp red blade that had appeared out of nowhere, its ominous glow inches from his eyes.
"Just sit calmly," Rize said flatly, her voice devoid of emotion but filled with authority.
The entire cab fell into a stunned silence.
MJ's eyes darted from Flash to Rize, fear creeping in. "Uh..." she stammered, looking lost for words. Gwen was equally shocked, and even Flash, who had always been quick to speak, was left speechless. Max sat quietly, smirking as he watched the scene unfold.
Peter, trying to ease the tension, let out a nervous chuckle. "Haha, Rize, it's all good. I'm getting superpowers too. Just don't be offended by them, they don't know any better." He tried to sound casual, but the situation was far from it.
Peter's comment only caused more confusion, and everyone turned to look at him.
"Peter... what do you mean by 'superpowers'?" MJ asked, her voice quiet and uncertain. Her eyes then shifted to Rize, clearly unsettled by the strange happenings in the cab.
As the cab continued its journey, Gwen turned toward Max with a sharp look. "Max, what is this all about? You seem like you know something we don't," she said, her voice slightly shaking, a mix of curiosity and apprehension.
Max smiled calmly and gave her a reassuring look. "Don't worry, Gwen. You'll all understand when we get there. Just know this—your lives are about to change today."
The others in the cab exchanged worried glances. The tension was thick, but Peter's excitement and Max's collected demeanor seemed to anchor them from spiraling into panic. Gwen looked uncertain but nodded, deciding to trust Max for now. MJ, still rubbing her forehead, leaned against the seat, feeling a strange unease that only deepened as they moved closer to whatever was waiting for them.
Flash, for once, stayed silent, glaring out the window as if trying to make sense of everything while recovering from his encounter with Rize's red blade. The fact that Max and Peter seemed so at ease, even excited, was the only thing keeping him in his seat. That, and the fear of Rize, whose sharp, unwavering focus on the road hinted that crossing her was not an option.
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Do check out my original : Strongest Extra Survival, while waiting for New chap
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It's 22 chaps ahead