Frank stared in disbelief at Peter Parker, who had effortlessly blocked his attack.

On the ground nearby, Gwen, covered in dirt, tried to stand up. She couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. Since when was Peter this strong? No, she had seen glimpses of this strength before, like when he shoved Josh into the locker. But how was Peter doing this?

Gwen staggered to her feet, trying to make sense of the situation. Suddenly, a gust of wind whipped past her as Frank, who had been rushing forward, was knocked back in an instant. His body crashed heavily onto the burning stage with a deafening "bang," leaving a massive hole in the platform and sending fiery debris scattering in every direction.

Before Gwen could even catch her breath, a massive explosion shook the playground. The stage's nearby electronic equipment erupted with a thunderous roar, flinging burning pieces into the air like falling meteors, igniting more patches of grass. The shockwave hit like a tidal wave, throwing Gwen off her feet. She screamed and instinctively closed her eyes, bracing for the impact.

But the expected fall never came. When Gwen cautiously opened her eyes, she realized Peter had caught her. He was holding her, leaping to safety, far from the explosion. The warmth of his embrace left Gwen dazed.

Before she could fully process what was happening, Peter carried her to the wire fence at the edge of the playground. Most of the students had already escaped, and only Gloria was waiting anxiously on the other side.

"Thank God, Gwen, you're safe!" Gloria exhaled in relief upon seeing her friend.

Without waiting for Gwen's response, Peter lifted her by the waist, hoisting her up and over the fence. "Climb!" he urged, patting her lightly to hurry her along. Gwen, with a flushed face, climbed over with Gloria's help.

But as she reached the other side and turned back to help Peter, she found that he had disappeared.

"Damn it!" Gwen cursed, her frustration boiling over. She rarely swore, but the situation was pushing her limits. Without a second thought, she started to climb back over the fence.

However, Gloria grabbed her arm, trying to stop her. "Gwen, calm down! You can't go back in there!"

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"Peter's still inside!" Gwen shouted, struggling to break free.

Gloria held on tightly, sadness in her voice. "We're not strong enough, Gwen. We can't change anything."

"I don't believe that!" Gwen's eyes welled up with tears as she spoke with determination. "I refuse to stand by and do nothing. If I have to risk my safety to help Peter, I will."

Gloria looked torn but shook her head again. "I can't lose my best friend. You won't always be this lucky."

"I know that," Gwen replied, her voice breaking. "But I can't lose him, Gloria. I'm sorry."

Breaking free from Gloria's grip, Gwen sprinted towards the nearby laboratory building. She spotted a Mercedes-Benz parked near the entrance and an idea quickly formed in her mind.

"Get out of here, Gloria! It's not safe!" she called out over her shoulder. Her voice was quickly lost in the wind as she ran toward the car.

Meanwhile, back in the playground, Peter and Frank were the only ones left standing amid the flames and the scattered bodies of unconscious students.

Frank wiped the dust from his eyes, the strange red glow in his numerous spider-like eyes intensifying.

"Peter Parker, I know who you are," Frank rasped, his voice hoarse and distorted. "You're just like me—a weakling who was always bullied."

"Weak? That's your problem, not mine," Peter replied coldly, showing no interest in Frank's taunts.

Frank gestured towards the bodies scattered around them. "I'm not weak anymore. They are. And it's only natural for the strong to kill the weak, just like they used to bully us."

"So why are you stopping me, Peter?" Frank demanded.

Peter, however, wasn't interested in talking. He leaped into action, his fist slamming into Frank's chest with the force of a beast. Frank flew backward, crashing into the ground once more.

"You're wrong. I'm not here for revenge. I'm here to kill you," Peter growled, his voice low and menacing.

The alien parasite within Peter had awoken something primal in him. The urge to hunt, to kill, was overwhelming. Frank was no longer just an adversary—he was prey, and Peter could no longer resist the predatory instincts that had taken over.

Frank roared in fury, summoning all his strength to get back on his feet. He lunged at Peter with terrifying speed, his fangs bared, ready to strike.

Peter blocked the attack with one hand, his arm quickly morphing into a black exoskeleton, tough as steel. With a swift kick, Peter knocked Frank off balance, sending him flying into a nearby fire hydrant.

The hydrant exploded on impact, shooting water in all directions. The electrical sparks from the flaming wreckage mixed with the water, creating a series of violent explosions.

Peter stood there, his exoskeleton retracting as he watched Frank rise again. Despite the destruction, Frank remained agile, his movements almost spider-like in their speed and precision. He was strong—just as strong as Peter.

But Peter's eyes glinted with cold calculation. This wasn't just a fight. Frank had become a formidable opponent, a high-level prey. And Peter was ready to hunt.

---