I Became Spider-Man's Cousin in Anime Crossover

Chapter 399 [3 Chapters Combined] A Huge "Surprise"

Even someone as powerful as Riley admitted after this time travel that he still needed time to grow...

Just how powerful was the enemy he faced?

In this situation, dealing with just one Sandman was already extremely difficult. District 13, which nearly suffered total annihilation, clearly did not have the capacity to guarantee the safety of its rear.

If things continue like this, District 13, which should have been Riley's most reliable support, will sooner or later become a burden that only causes trouble and holds Riley back because it can't keep up with Riley's pace.

After a brief moment of thought, Sheriff Black took a deep breath, forced himself to suppress the grief in his heart, and began to seriously consider how to help District 13 recover and become stronger.

He released his hand from Riley's shoulder, took a half step back, and straightened his slightly disheveled suit and tie. The eyes behind his glasses regained the sharpness and composure characteristic of a commander, although a lingering sadness still lingered deep within.

"I understand, Riley." Sheriff Black's voice regained its composure. "Thank you for your honesty. Not making promises lightly is responsible. Caution is essential when facing forces and rules we cannot fully comprehend."

He patted Riley on the shoulder, a gesture that carried the comfort of an elder and the trust of someone ready to fight alongside him.

Blake straightened his expression and continued, "Regarding your parents, we will arrange for the most professional team to intervene and ensure their safety as much as possible. As for the warriors who have already sacrificed their lives... their names will be engraved on the Hall of Honor of District Thirteen, and their families will receive the organization's highest level of compensation and lifelong protection. Of course, this is not an exchange of benefits, and it can never make up for the pain of losing loved ones, but it is what we must do, and it is the respect they deserve. I have already arranged a special team to handle this matter, and I will personally oversee every detail. Also... wait, I almost forgot..."

He suddenly stopped speaking, and a rare hesitation, which was inconsistent with his usual calm and decisive style, flashed across his face; it could even be described as embarrassment.

After a long silence, Riley felt a sense of foreboding and a sense of unease. Under the gaze of those puzzled people, he lowered his voice, his eyes darting around as he racked his brains to find the right words to say next.

"As you know, in this Sandman attack, the enemy was clearly targeting your parents. And after the battle, the streets where they lived were severely damaged, and it's no longer suitable for them to stay until they're repaired."

"Unfortunately, communication was poor at the time, and I couldn't contact you at all. The regular police force was clearly no match for the invasion of an enemy with supernatural powers. So, in order to further protect their safety, I... I directly ordered the assault team to transfer them to the interior of District 13 at all costs."

"In other words... your parents are currently in the A3 lounge next door, being cared for by the medical and psychological team, and their condition is basically stable. However... they've been very quiet throughout, showing no surprise at our arrival, only occasionally asking us when we'd be back, whether we'd encountered any danger... It sounds like... they've already discovered something...?"

After Blake finished speaking, he looked at Riley with a hint of apology in his eyes, but more so with the composure of a commander making a decision in an emergency, and a subtle unease about the possible reaction of a junior after an elder has acted on his own initiative.

He knew that bringing the Parkers directly to District 13 not only increased the risk of Riley's identity being exposed, but also indirectly bound the Riley family to District 13. At first glance, it seemed somewhat premeditated and deliberate, a hostage situation designed to kill Riley.

So much so that Sheriff Black's biggest worry now is that Riley will misunderstand him and cause a rift with District 13.

But soon, Sheriff Black realized that he had been worrying for nothing.

Putting aside the fact that the body of "Rie Parker" houses the soul of an adult, it's entirely understandable that Sheriff Black had good intentions...

Riley's calm expression shattered instantly when he heard Sheriff Black say that Ben and May were in the next lounge, just a wall away from him.

"They...they...are here? Now?!"

After a deathly silence, Riley's voice suddenly rose, as if he were being choked, and then stopped abruptly, fearing that his loud noise would be heard by his parents next door.

Those eyes, which had just been shining with determination and a heavy sense of responsibility, were now wide open, filled with disbelief, panic, and a touch of the pure panic unique to boys this age when caught red-handed.

Even after subconsciously turning his head to glance at the direction of the lounge through the wall, Riley couldn't help but take a half step back.

The gaze of the goddess of death, the threat of the sand people, the planning of future operations...

All these grand and weighty propositions are shattered at this moment by the "surprise" that "the parents are right next door and may have already discovered their true identities."

The Spider-Man who could swing between skyscrapers, crack witty remarks, effortlessly outmaneuver supervillains, and even dare to travel through time repeatedly to deceive death is gone...

Standing before Blake was Riley Parker, a high school freshman who had just realized that his biggest secret might have been exposed to his closest relatives.

Riley subconsciously raised his hand, seemingly to grab his hair, but then put it down.

His lips moved, but no meaningful sound came out.

His eyes darted around, glancing at Blake, then looking in alarm toward the lounge.

His body trembled unconsciously as he paced back and forth in front of Sheriff Black, looking completely helpless.

At this moment, Riley's face was filled with a multitude of inner thoughts: "What should I do?", "How do I explain this?", and "I'm doomed." The composure and experience he displayed when discussing sacrifice and responsibility earlier had completely vanished.

Sheriff Black watched Riley instantly switch from "superhero" to "troublemaker," his previously serious lips twitching almost imperceptibly.

That wasn't meant to mock Riley; it was more like a feeling of relief mixed with understanding, a touch of helplessness, and a hint of "I knew it" when seeing a younger person's genuine, age-appropriate reaction.

After all, Riley, as "Spider-Man," does indeed provide significant assistance and a sense of security to District 13...

From a personal perspective, if given a choice, Sheriff Black would naturally not want children like Riley to take on responsibilities that are not theirs too early.

"Rieley," Blake's voice softened, carrying a reassuring tone, "They're safe now, that's the most important thing. As for the rest... you're their child, I believe you know how to face this, and what to say and what not to say. If you don't want them to get involved any further, we'll provide a reasonable official explanation regarding the background of District 13—for example, an emergency evacuation organization secretly established since the Cold War to guard against a possible nuclear strike threat. The rest... is up to you."

He stepped forward and patted Riley on the shoulder again.

This time the force was very light, like encouragement, or like handing this "sweet trouble" back to Riley himself.

"I have to go and deal with the families of the victims; that's equally urgent."

As he spoke, Blake straightened his coat and turned to leave.

Just as Sheriff Black was heading towards the door, Riley finally snapped out of his daze. Instinctively, he made a gesture like Er Kang's hand to stop Black from leaving, while pleading tearfully, "Wait...wait! Sheriff Black, I'm not ready yet...at least call Peter back to face this with me!!"

Sheriff Black stopped and turned around at the sound.

He saw Riley's gaze, which was no longer that of a warrior or advisor, but rather the instinctive cry for help from a boy facing family problems to a trusted elder.

The almost imperceptible softening on Blake's face finally transformed into a faint but real smile, a smile that carried the tolerance of an elder looking at a younger person's embarrassment, and the implication that "this is a hurdle you have to face yourself."

"Relax, kid."

Blake even used a rare, almost relaxed tone.

"Remember, their love for you surpasses all things in the world. And sometimes, the most honest truth is far more effective than a perfect lie."

He paused, then said meaningfully.

"Besides, what they really want to see right now isn't the all-powerful 'Spider-Man,' but 'Rie Parker.' That's all, isn't it?"

After saying that, Sheriff Black didn't linger. He simply gave Riley a thumbs-up as a silent encouragement, then opened the door and left.

The door closed gently behind Blake with a soft "click," which sounded exceptionally clear in the excessively quiet room and completely extinguished Riley's subconscious urge to rely on external assistance.

Then, as the echoing footsteps in the corridor gradually faded away, a heavy silence descended upon the surroundings once more.

After just a few breaths, Riley was left alone in the large room, standing there dumbfounded under the cold lights, continuing his bewilderment and brainstorming.

Sheriff Black's words were like a gentle yet irresistible push, shoving Riley right into the very situation he wanted to escape.

The line, "What they want to see most right now isn't the all-powerful 'Spider-Man,' but 'Rie Parker,'" was like a soft sigh, piercing through Riley's panicked and buzzing mind, leaving behind an eerie silence and a clear core truth.

"Railley Parker..."

After a long pause, Riley repeated the name in a low voice, as if confirming his identity.

Yes, in front of May and Ben, he was always just Riley...

They are children who are somewhat clever, somewhat cunning, occasionally take small risks, and always like to stand up for those around them, causing them a lot of worry, but also making them very proud.

Spider-Man is a mask, a responsibility, and a guardian who traverses the city...

But this is definitely not what they want Riley to become.

After all, Riley knew his parents well enough...

Even a father like Ben, who often said, "With great power comes great responsibility," what if he had known beforehand that fulfilling this famous saying would mean dragging his most cherished children's lives into a treacherous vortex?

He would definitely throw that statement far away!

Not to mention the gentle-hearted mother, May. Compared to the all-powerful Spider-Man, she would definitely hope that her child would always be an ordinary person, living a mundane but happy and warm life.

Thinking of this, Riley forced himself to stop the meaningless random thoughts in his mind. He subconsciously took a few steps back, leaning against the cold metal wall, trying to let the coolness dispel some of the chaos in his mind.

"The most honest truth is far more effective than a perfect lie..." Blake's words echoed once again.

Honesty?

Should we tell everyone everything?

Tell them you were bitten by a radioactive spider and gained superpowers, then start playing the role of a masked vigilante in real life, walking the line between life and death every day?

I confess that today's sandstorm attack might be related to me, and that the sacrifices of those police officers were all to protect them...

No, that's absolutely not allowed.

This is not honesty at all; it's like throwing a mountain of fear and guilt directly onto their shoulders.

So, partial honesty?

Like when I was little, when my parents complained that I was too "precocious", I would lie and say that I was just imitating a scene from a TV series?

He acknowledged that he was somewhat "special," and that's why he received attention and assistance from a certain "research institution" in order to prevent himself from abusing this power.

This seems to be a middle path, which can explain the current situation, leave room for the future, and prevent them from being completely kept in the dark, like today, facing the enemy's attack without any defense.

but……

Just thinking about my father's sharp eyes, those eyes that could easily see through the masterful rhetoric of a top salesman...

My mother Mei's terrifying intuition, stemming from a blood connection...

Will they really be satisfied with such vague statements?

Will they press for details? Will they ask what's "special" about it? Will they ask what the "research institution" is actually researching? Will they ask what exactly happened today?

How should he answer then, so that he neither betrays Spider-Man's secrets nor pushes them further away with new lies?

Thinking about this, Riley suddenly felt a headache coming on.

Riley, who usually devises battle plans with ease against powerful villains, now feels as powerless as a student who has just learned addition and subtraction within single digits and is about to take the college entrance exam.

But soon, Riley's attention was drawn to a faint sound coming from the other side of the wall he was leaning against.

There were sounds of chairs being moved and papers being turned...

More often than not, there were the occasional, worried sighs from May and Ben.

These sounds, which should have been all too familiar to Riley, now struck him like drumbeats, making his heart race.

This also made Riley realize that there was no use running away now. Continuing to delay would only cause her parents unnecessary worry.

The next second, without Riley saying a word, the symbiote, which was always connected to Riley, transformed from a black and white Spider-Man suit into a wrinkled set of casual clothes in a liquid wriggling motion.

This appearance perfectly matches the image of a teenager who, after sweating it out with friends on the basketball court at school, returns home covered in dirt.

He hoped that this disguise would convince Ben and May that he had simply been playing around at school and hadn't gotten into any danger. He was trying to reassure them with this self-deceptive approach.

After the symbiote completed its transformation, Riley gave a wry smile, reached out and rubbed his cheeks hard, trying to relax his stiff muscles and make a more "natural" expression.

He then walked to the mirror in the corner of the room and looked at the figure of a boy with messy hair, lingering panic in his eyes, and trying to purse his lips to appear calm.

"...Okay, deep breath, man, you're Riley Parker, you can handle this..."

He looked at himself in the mirror and said silently.

"No matter what happens next, all you need to know is that you love them, and they love you. That's enough. Now, go knock on the door and give them a big hug, just like you do when you come home from school. It's not hard, right?"

After some encouragement, Riley managed to calm himself down, turned and left the room, walked through the empty corridor, and arrived at the door of the lounge.

At first, their steps were a little hesitant, but as they got closer, they gradually became more determined.

Anxiety still lingered in my heart, but it was overshadowed by a stronger sense of will and responsibility.

As Ben and May's child, he had to reassure them, make sure they were at ease, and let them know that no matter what happened, he was there for them, and... he was fine, nothing was wrong.

He paused again at the door, this time to listen.

Perhaps it was some kind of connection between bloodlines. The lounge, which had been somewhat noisy, became unusually quiet as Riley approached.

The next second, Riley raised his hand and, as he did every day when he came home, rhythmically tapped his knuckles on the cold metal door.

"Thump, thump, thump."

Three knocks, neither too loud nor too soft, yet they seemed to strike his own heart.

A brief silence fell, as if even the air itself had frozen.

Then, Ben Parker's familiar, calm voice, tinged with a barely perceptible urgency, came from inside the door: "Come in."

Riley took a deep breath, trying to compose himself one last time, before turning the doorknob and pushing the door open.

The lighting inside the lounge was much softer than in the outside corridor, a warm beige color.

The room was small and simply furnished, with a few comfortable sofas and a small coffee table on which were placed water glasses and some snacks.

His father, Ben Parker, and mother, May Parker, were sitting side by side on the sofa.

Both of them wore obvious signs of fatigue, and lingering worries and unease remained between their brows.

But the moment Riley walked in, those tense lines softened and relaxed, as if touched by warm sunlight. In their place was an almost overflowing, pure relief and heartfelt care.

There was no scrutiny, no questioning, and certainly no harsh reprimands...

All that Riley could feel was the complete peace of mind that came with finally seeing the fledglings return to their nest.

"Railley!"

Mei stood up almost immediately, took two quick steps forward, and grabbed him in a tight embrace. The speed and strength of her embrace almost made Riley lose his balance.

But soon, Riley clearly felt that his mother's body was trembling.

That's the body's most honest reaction when nerves that have been taut for a long time are suddenly relaxed.

This trembling told Riley more directly than any words...

From the chaos of the Sandman attack to being brought into this strange and heavily guarded place... how long and agonizing those hours must have been for Ben and May, who loved them so much, without seeing Riley and Peter or getting any definite news from them.

Before her brain could process what was happening, Riley, thankful she hadn't run away, subtly regained her balance and accepted her mother's unintentional, super-soldier-level embrace. She even reached out and gently patted her mother's back, silently comforting her.

"Oh, thank God you're alright... Where did you go? We couldn't reach you anywhere! Those... those people just said they'd find you... but they wouldn't tell us where you are..."

An adult's breakdown often happens in an instant.

Before meeting Riley, May and Ben, to avoid burdening or embarrassing their children, were able to speak calmly even with fully armed District 13 agents. This impressed the agents who had interacted with them, who couldn't help but look at this seemingly ordinary couple with newfound respect. They remarked that with such role models, it was no wonder they had raised such wonderful "other people's children," Riley and Peter.

But now, when May truly hugged Riley and, from Riley's somewhat guilty response, confirmed that her beloved child, whom she cherished dearly, had truly returned to her side.

Large, hot tears began to slide uncontrollably down Mei's face.

Her voice choked with sobs, and her calls were slightly incoherent as she involuntarily tightened her arms around Riley, as if afraid that if she loosened her grip even slightly, Riley would disappear from her sight.

At the same time, Ben also stood up and walked to the two of them.

As the pillar of the family, he didn't usually show his emotions like his wife, but his eyes, always full of wisdom and love, were now carefully scrutinizing Riley, inch by inch.

From his slightly messy hair to his dirty clothes, and every subtle expression on his face, he was checking to make sure that this child, who was becoming more and more of a worry but also more and more of a source of pride for him, was not hurt anywhere.