Ethan Hayes returned home quietly, feeling the weight of the recent events. The phone rang, breaking the silence. It was Natasha Romanoff.
"Ice Demon, how does it feel to be kicked by a Ghost Spider?" Natasha's voice carried a hint of amusement.
Ethan chuckled. "My biggest weakness is that I like beautiful women. There's no way around it. Ghost Spider is quite the beauty, and, well, getting 'bullied' by a beautiful woman isn't the worst thing."
Natasha Romanoff's initial disappointment was barely noticeable in her voice. "Have you received your goods?"
Ethan went straight to the point, not one to dwell on banter for too long. "Yeah, I got it. What about my payment?"
Natasha Romanoff, trying to regain control of the conversation, added with a teasing edge, "I've been very obedient. Everything's ready and waiting. Do you want to come over?"
But Ethan simply hung up, leaving Natasha fuming on the other end of the line. She muttered to herself in frustration, wondering why he was seemingly more interested in his "little girlfriend" than her.
He'll regret underestimating me, she thought, her competitive spirit flaring. I'll make him kneel before me one day, calling me queen.
Shape Witch Raven, who had been observing the conversation, couldn't help but laugh. "Devil's deal? This game is more interesting than I thought."
Her ability to shapeshift had granted her a long life and youth, making her an expert at manipulating people. She smirked, considering her next move. "I wonder if I propose a new deal, will Ethan accept it? Men tend to fall for something sweet," she mused.
If only the boy's powers hadn't been discovered, Raven thought darkly. That boy's ability to neutralize the X-gene in mutants could spell disaster. The military, especially, was already developing a serum based on his powers—a serum that could turn mutants into ordinary people.
Back at home, Ethan was deep in thought, sitting in his study and keeping a close eye on Stark Industries' stock. The bullish trend continued, and the bears were in disarray. Next week, I'll clear out my futures contracts, Ethan planned. He knew when to stop pushing his luck.
Just as he was about to relax, the sound of the wind alerted him. A graceful figure, a Ghost Spider, perched on his window.
"Hi, dear student Ethan," Gwen Stacy said, removing her hood and letting her blonde hair spill over her shoulders.
Ethan grinned. "Hey, I saw you on the news today. Kicking the Ice Demon—pretty impressive!"
Gwen smirked. "I'm New York's good neighbor, after all." With a swift motion, she jumped from the window and landed in Ethan's lap, looking at him with a mischievous glint in her eye.
"My dad's working overtime tonight," she whispered, leaning closer. "We've got time."
Ethan, always one to appreciate a good opportunity, pulled her closer. It seems the system wants me to grow stronger quickly, he thought, as the desire points from recent events had flowed in easily.
"I've even got a few new outfits ready," Gwen added, her voice soft in his ear.
Ethan could feel the excitement build. He was grateful that he hadn't promised Natasha Romanoff anything. Who could resist Spider-Gwen in uniform?
Meanwhile, inside a hidden base in New York, Nick Fury stood before a massive iceberg containing the frozen body of Dr. Connor, also known as the Lizardman.
"So, this is the infamous Lizardman," Fury mused, studying the creature trapped in ice. "A mutant of such power, yet the Ice Demon froze him with ease."
Natasha Romanoff approached, her eyes lingering on the frozen figure. "Impressive. Can we capture the Ice Demon, though?"
Fury turned to her, his face unreadable. "Is it possible?"
Natasha shook her head. "It's unlikely. The Ice Demon can atomize. Physical damage doesn't affect him, and he can escape at any moment through his mist form."
Fury considered her words for a moment. "Unseal the Lizardman. I want to inject him with the reduction serum."
"The reduction serum?" Natasha raised an eyebrow, curious.
"It's a serum developed by the military, designed to eliminate the mutant X-gene and turn them into regular humans," Fury explained. "Mutants are becoming too dangerous."
Natasha listened intently as Fury continued. The potential to neutralize the powers of someone like Magneto, who could manipulate the very magnetic fields around them, was too significant to ignore. The government had kept mutant disasters under wraps for years, but the problem was growing.
"You plan to use this serum on the Ice Demon?" Natasha asked, suddenly understanding Fury's plan.
"I've tested it on super-soldiers, and it has no effect on them. But mutants or those with super abilities might be a different story. We need to find out.
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