Bang!
A gunshot rang out, momentarily silencing the surroundings.
George's face grew serious as he stared into the smoky haze. He didn't believe that the detective who rushed in could have killed the Green Goblin so easily.
Meanwhile, on a nearby high-rise building, Alan, clad in his Emperor Armor, frowned as he looked in the direction of the NYPD.
Having just arrived, he gazed at the thick green smoke. "How cunning of Norman Osborn," Alan muttered.
While others couldn't see through the green fog, for Alan, it was inconsequential. The detective who had charged in so recklessly had been impaled by the Green Goblin's glider. As for what followed, it was all just Osborn staging the scene himself. The final gunshot? Merely finishing off that poor detective.
In Alan's eyes, Norman, now fully embodying the Green Goblin, was doing this both to humiliate the NYPD officers and to indulge his twisted psyche. After all, Norman's mind was far from the realm of normal thinking anymore.
Alan softly asked, "Red Queen, how long until Gwen arrives?"
"Master, she's two blocks away—almost there," the Red Queen replied.
Alan thought for a moment. "Let's see if Gwen can handle this first."
Meanwhile, inside Tony Stark's workshop...
The new Arc Reactor had completed Jarvis' rigorous tests, and the final experimental data was now on display.
Tony and Yinsen stood before the 3D projection, reviewing the latest results. The power of the newly simulated Mark Armor was astounding.
"It's perfect," Yinsen said. "Compared to the palladium-based Arc Reactor, this new element reactor is..."
"Like a AAA battery," Tony finished the sentence.
Yinsen nodded in agreement. "Exactly. And it contains virtually no harmful elements—Howard was truly a genius."
Tony chuckled. His view of Howard had changed significantly, and he now appreciated the praise. He was about to respond when Jarvis chimed in, "Sir, Emperor has appeared."
Tony immediately perked up. "Where? I want to personally go and thank him."
In an instant, a map projection appeared, showing Alan's current location.
Without hesitation, Tony removed the old Arc Reactor from his chest and replaced it with the new one.
As soon as it was installed, Tony felt an indescribable sense of relief, and the palladium poisoning symptoms around his chest began to recede rapidly. A soft blue glow radiated from Tony, and he let out a contented sigh.
Yinsen, standing nearby, asked anxiously, "How do you feel, Tony?"
Tony grinned. "I've never felt better!"
"Jarvis, prepare Mark VI," Tony commanded.
"Understood, sir."
Mark VI was the latest suit Tony had developed using the new element. Compared to previous versions, its most noticeable feature was the triangular Arc Reactor on the chest.
In no time, Tony was fully suited up in Mark VI and shot into the sky, laughing with sheer joy. Surviving death had put him in an exceptionally good mood.
Yinsen smiled with genuine happiness but, upon turning to look at the mess in Tony's workshop, his face fell again. "Great, looks like it's my job to clean up—again."
Meanwhile, at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters...
Two scenes were displayed on the large screen in front of Nick Fury.
One of the screens showed Alan standing on a rooftop, while the other displayed Tony, who had just flown out of his home in his new armor.
"It seems Tony has figured out what Howard left behind," Nick Fury commented.
Hill, standing behind him, quickly poured cold water on that thought. "Isn't it a bit too fast? It feels more like that golden armor taught him."
Nick Fury's expression darkened as he looked at Hill. He had considered that possibility, but he still trusted his own instincts more.
Hill noticed Fury's reaction and quickly shifted the conversation. "Sir, the golden armor seems to be looking at something in a particular direction."
"I've noticed that too."
"Activate S.H.I.E.L.D.'s satellite feed. Let's see what's happening where he's looking," Fury instructed Hill.
After some quick work, the scene outside the NYPD headquarters appeared as a third image on the screen.
"What... is this?" Hill was bewildered by the sight of the green smoke.
Nick Fury watched the screen with a calm expression, silently contemplating something.
On-screen, George stood gravely staring at the green mist. One of the detectives approached him and asked, "Chief, should we go in and check it out?"
George raised his hand. "No, something's wrong."
"If the Goblin is really dead, why haven't our men come back out?"
Hearing George's analysis, the other detectives quickly became more alert. They were seasoned officers and immediately began piecing together what might have happened in the mist.
Sure enough, a moment later...
The impatient Green Goblin couldn't hold back any longer. "What are you doing out there? Why aren't you coming in?"
"Your brave comrade killed me, so why don't you come in?"
As he spoke, the Goblin stepped out of the mist, clearly irritated by the lack of response from the officers. His body language suggested disappointment with their actions.
Following him, his glider slowly floated out from the mist as well.
At the sight of the glider, every detective's face twisted with rage, for their fallen comrade was hanging from it.
George suppressed his fury and asked once more, "Who are you, and what are you trying to accomplish here?"
After the previous round of shooting, George realized that regular firearms were useless against the Goblin. All he could do now was buy time and think of a plan.
The Goblin looked at George with a playful smirk. "I already told you... I'm here to kill."
"Whether it's one or all of you, killing is killing. So, I've decided... I'll just kill you all!"
With that, the Green Goblin yanked the body from his glider and flipped himself back onto it in one swift motion.
"Lunatic!" George muttered under his breath.
Now airborne, the Green Goblin hovered above the officers, looking down at them like an emperor surveying his subjects.
"Let's enjoy this beautiful night~~," he taunted.
His hands dove into his belt pouches, pulling out fistfuls of pumpkin bombs.
"Alright, let's play a game. Guess which ones are smoke bombs and which ones are the big boom!"
Without another word, the Green Goblin hurled the bombs with great force. The bombs fell like meteors, their beeping alarms signaling their deadly approach as they descended toward the NYPD building.
George's face twisted in panic. He shouted to his men, "Retreat! Everyone, fall back now!"
Seeing the officers scatter in terror, the Goblin erupted in laughter, as if he were watching ants scrambling at his feet.
But before the bombs could reach their targets, a massive web shot through the air, wrapping around every single one of the explosives.
The Goblin's laughter stopped abruptly. He looked in the direction of the web and ground his teeth in frustration. "Spi...der...Woman!"
To him, it was Spider-Woman's interference that had allowed the police to capture his enhanced soldiers in the first place. If it weren't for Spider-Woman, he wouldn't be in this situation at all.
Gwen swung the webbing in her hands and threw the bombs back at him. "You were laughing so hard, so how about I return all your bombs to you?"
...
Like it ? Add to library!
Want more chapters ? Give Power Stones!
Support me ? Join Patreon !