The interior of the building was a war zone. Broken glass and overturned desks littered the floors. The two remaining lizardmen snarled and roared as they tore through security, clearing the way for Dr. Connors.
"You don't have to do this, Connors!" Spider-Man shouted, flipping into the fray. "We can fix this—fix you! Just stop the madness!"
Dr. Connors sneered. "Fix me? I am not broken! This is the next step in evolution! Humanity is weak, but we can become strong—superior!"
Spider-Man dodged a swipe from one of the lizardmen, countering with a web to its face. "You know, you guys really need to work on your sales pitch. 'Turn into a giant lizard and terrorize the city' isn't exactly appealing."
The lizard roared, breaking free of the webbing and lunging again. Peter spun and kicked it into a pillar. "Stay down, buddy."
Dr. Connors and the other lizardman reached the rooftop access. "We're out of time, Spider-Man!" Connors shouted. "The Ganali Device will usher in a new era!"
Peter's heart sank. If Connors released the chemical compound, the entire city would be transformed into lizard creatures. He fired a webline, pulling himself after them. "Not on my watch, Doc!"
The rooftop was bathed in the glow of Oscorp's towering logo. Dr. Connors positioned the Ganali Device at the center, its mechanisms whirring to life. "This is it," he declared to his two remaining lizardmen. "Soon, all of New York will join us!"
Before he could activate the device, Spider-Man swung onto the roof, landing in a crouch. "Sorry, Doc, but I'm putting a hard pass on your whole 'reptilian revolution' thing."
Connors growled, motioning to the lizardmen. "Kill him!"
As the two lizardmen charged, Spider-Man leaped into action. He ducked under one's claws, webbing its legs together and flipping it over his shoulder. "You guys really need a new strategy. This whole 'attack in pairs' thing isn't working."
The second lizardman grabbed a chunk of debris and hurled it at Peter. He dodged, firing web-shots in rapid succession to pin the creature against a wall. "And stay there!"
Connors snarled, preparing to activate the device. Before he could, a massive explosion of fire erupted from the sky, slamming into the rooftop and knocking him aside. The two lizardmen froze, momentarily stunned.
All eyes turned to the source of the explosion. Floating above the rooftop was Heatblast, his fiery form glowing like a beacon against the night sky. Flames crackled around him as he stood atop a floating platform of molten rock.
"This madness ends here," Heatblast declared, his voice echoing across the city.
The rhythmic thrum of the helicopter blades echoed in the air as the Channel 8 news team hovered above Oscorp Tower. Below, the glittering skyline of New York City was interrupted by chaos. The once-busy streets surrounding the tower were now a battlefield littered with debris, overturned cars, and panicked civilians fleeing from the rampage of monstrous lizard creatures.
Inside the helicopter, reporter Karen Summers gripped the microphone tightly. Her voice trembled as she addressed the live audience tuning in from their homes.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is Karen Summers reporting live from the skies above Oscorp Tower, where an unprecedented scene is unfolding. Mutant creatures—what appear to be lizardmen—are rampaging through the city and have breached the iconic tower. Spider-Man has just been spotted engaging them on the rooftop in what looks like a desperate effort to stop the carnage."
The camera zoomed in, capturing Spider-Man mid-swing as he dodged a lizardman's claws and countered with a series of well-placed web-shots. The rooftop's intensity was palpable, even from the helicopter's vantage point.
"And now," Karen continued, her voice rising with urgency, "wait—what is that?! Something… someone… is descending from above!"
The camera panned upwards, catching a glowing figure cutting through the night sky like a comet. Flames danced around him, illuminating the dark clouds. The heat radiated so intensely that even from this altitude, the team could feel its pulse.
The cameraman gasped, his voice audible over the broadcast. "Is that… a person on fire?!"
Karen's eyes widened as the figure came into focus. "It appears to be a humanoid figure engulfed entirely in flames. Wait—no, not just flames. Look closely! He's standing on what seems to be a floating platform of molten rock. This… this defies all explanation."
The camera tracked Heatblast as he descended, the swirling inferno around him casting eerie, flickering shadows over the rooftop. With a sudden burst, he propelled himself forward, soaring over Oscorp Tower like a fiery phoenix. The molten platform dissolved beneath him as he landed, the impact sending a wave of heat that rippled through the rooftop.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Karen's voice shook, "this fiery figure—who or what it is, we don't yet know—has just entered the battle. The scene is nothing short of extraordinary."
The helicopter's spotlight followed Heatblast as he faced off against the lizard creatures, his every movement exuding power and precision. Flames coiled around his arms like living entities, bursting forward in explosive waves that forced the lizards back.
"He's—he's attacking the lizard creatures with controlled fire! Look at the precision! He's not harming Spider-Man or damaging the tower itself," Karen marveled. "Could this… could this be another hero?"
The camera zoomed in on Heatblast as he raised his hand, a spiral of flame erupting from his palm to cut off Dr. Connors' escape. Heatblast's voice, clear and commanding, carried over the rooftop.
"This madness ends here!"
The fiery declaration sent chills through Karen, despite the heat emanating from below. "There you have it, folks," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Whoever this is, they've just made a powerful statement."
Dr. Connors snarled, clutching the Ganali Device. "You can't stop me! This city belongs to the strong!"
Heatblast stepped forward, flames intensifying. "No, Connors. This city belongs to its people. And I won't let you take it from them."
Connors roared, charging at Heatblast. The two clashed in a flurry of fire and claws, their blows shaking the rooftop. Heatblast launched a series of fireballs, forcing Connors to retreat.
Meanwhile, Spider-Man faced the remaining lizardman. The two exchanged blows, with Peter using his agility to outmaneuver the creature. "You know," he quipped, dodging a swipe, "you'd be a lot scarier if you weren't so predictable."
Peter webbed the creature's legs, yanking it off balance and slamming it into the ground. "And that's a wrap."
Heatblast, still battling Connors, glanced at the device. "Spider-Man! The serum!"
Peter nodded, grabbing the serum from his belt. He dodged past Connors and injected the serum into his arm. The lizardman roared in agony, his body convulsing as the mutation began to reverse.
Heatblast turned to the last lizardman, flames swirling around him. "Your turn." With a swift strike, he subdued the creature and used the serum to restore it to its human form.
The rooftop fell silent, save for the hum of the news helicopter. Dr. Connors lay on the ground, his human form restored but unconscious. The Ganali Device was deactivated, its threat neutralized.
Heatblast looked at Spider-Man, his flames dimming slightly. "Nice work, Webhead."
"You too, Hotshot," Peter replied, grinning under his mask.
Below, the city erupted in cheers as the news broadcast captured the heroes standing victorious. For now, New York was safe.