I Became Spider-Man's Cousin in Anime Crossover

Chapter 517 [3 Chapters Combined] A Scheme Within a Scheme

"Neuroparalytic toxin, this is another of my partners, top-quality stuff from the Amazon rainforest."

Seeing that Spider-Man had been completely hit, the man wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, revealing a sinister smile of triumph. Like most villains, he popped champagne halfway through the scene and began explaining to Peter and the others the true conspiracy behind the bank robbery.

"I admit, you Spider-Men are indeed very powerful. But you are still human after all... As long as you need to breathe, you will inevitably be easily taken down by the toxin we have pre-added to your breathing system. Of course, it takes a certain amount of time for it to take effect in order for superpowered individuals like you to be affected. So just now, I had to play along with you and let you fight for a little longer."

"Smart people always have a backup plan," the man grinned. "Your suits can protect against poison gas, but not against this kind of toxin that comes into direct contact. Of course, it takes time for it to take effect—which is why I had to play along with you in this charade just now, to let you fight a little longer."

As he spoke, he stretched his shoulder, which was still sore from the beating, and his smile grew even more smug.

"Just this little injury, and you've taken down three Spider-Men? Worth it! Now, it's your turn to beg for mercy, Spider-Men~"

"Alright, stop wasting your breath. Since they've been poisoned by me, they're already unconscious and can't hear what you're saying."

Before he finished speaking, a tall figure easily broke free from the spider webs and slowly walked out from among the hostages.

The next second, as the holographic projection effect covering his entire body disappeared, the man, who seemed to be just an ordinary hostage, quickly revealed his true identity.

He wore a sleeveless coat made of animal hide, with lion-mane-like decorations on his shoulders, terrifying battle markings painted on his face, and his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, fixed on the three people on the ground.

This attire, along with the toxins from the Amazon rainforest that the man mentioned earlier, made his identity immediately clear.

Kraven the Hunter, a classic villain in the Spider-Man series.

"Is this the Spider-Man who's become so famous lately? Hunting him isn't that difficult, not as challenging as taking on a pride of lions one-on-one."

Craven glanced at Peter, who was lying motionless on the ground, and after a brief look, revealed a contemptuous smile.

As he spoke, he drew a gleaming short blade from his waist, preparing to cut off Peter's head as if hunting any other wild beast, to keep it as his trophy.

"I advise you to give up that idea. The key is a living Spider-Man."

But just then, a figure dressed in a strange green uniform and wearing a huge glass helmet appeared out of thin air beside Craven. Reaching out, the figure grabbed Craven's restless wrist and calmly warned him.

"Besides, we only caught an insignificant pawn. The real black devil didn't fall into our trap... If he finds out that you killed his brother, none of us can withstand his insane revenge."

That was another enemy of the strange man—Chameleon—who had been hiding in the shadows creating illusions to help him blend into the crowd not long ago, drawing Peter and the others' attention.

Mystery Guest.

Craven's wrist was grabbed, and his eyes narrowed slightly. After staring at Mysterio for two seconds, he suddenly jerked his wrist, breaking free from Mysterio's grasp. He then performed a graceful sword flourish, sheathing his short blade back at his waist.

"I didn't intend to kill him. I just wanted to see for myself whether Spider-Man's mask really belonged to a fourteen or fifteen-year-old kid, just as the intelligence said."

As he spoke, Craven squatted down and reached out to pinch Peter's chin.

But his movements suddenly froze.

The chameleon and the mysterious man also noticed his unusual behavior and subconsciously followed his gaze.

Then, the victorious smiles on the faces of the three of them froze instantly.

Because they saw it at the same time...

The Spider-Man lying on the ground, who should have been unconscious, had somehow raised his head and was blinking innocently at them.

"Ahem... You don't actually have to worry about me, just keep talking, I'm listening."

"you--!"

The chameleon cried out in alarm, instinctively raising his gun to aim at Peter and pull the trigger.

Without hesitation, Craven threw a heavy punch straight at Peter's face!

But the next second, a spider web bullet fired from the side knocked the gun out of the chameleon's hand and stuck it to a high, inaccessible wall!

When he turned around in shock and disbelief, following the direction of the attack, he saw that Felicia had stood up at some point and raised her hand as if to launch a web-like projectile!

Craven, who was so confident that even a large carnivore like a lion would have to give way with a single punch, was now wide-eyed. He watched as Peter effortlessly caught his powerful punch, rendering it unable to advance an inch!

"What... Ah—!!"

Before Craven could finish speaking, Peter's fingers, as if cast in bronze and iron, gripped his fist.

Then, with just a slight twist, he broke Craven's wrist!

Click.

The crisp sound of bones cracking immediately echoed in everyone's ears, sounding particularly jarring in the quiet bank lobby.

Craven groaned, cold sweat instantly beading on his forehead.

His pride and joy, his muscular physique honed through hunting countless beasts, were effortlessly shattered in this instant by a boy who looked no more than a teenager.

Clearly, Kraven's long-term exposure to the forest has left him with some gaps in his knowledge of Spider-Man.

So much so that he didn't know...

Peter, though still adhering to his "no-killing principle"...

But after all that has happened, Peter's "no-killing principle" has undergone a subtle change under Riley's gradual influence.

In order to render the enemy incapable of resistance, even if you severely injure them, as long as you do not take their life, it does not violate the "no-kill principle," does it?

"You...how could you...!"

Of course, more than the physical pain, Craven was concerned that his carefully laid trap had no effect whatsoever.

After a brief cry of pain, Craven stared intently at Peter and questioned him, word by word.

"How could I not be poisoned? Or how could I possibly catch your fist?"

But Peter spoke first, finishing his sentence for him, a harmless smile on his face as the blindfold angled.

Beneath the blindfold, a stream of golden data was constantly flowing through Peter's eyes.

"Amazonian neurotoxins are certainly a good thing... but have you considered that your adversaries are better prepared than you think?"

He released his grip, letting Craven stagger back two steps, clutching his deformed wrist.

He then stood up, put one hand on his hip, and gently pointed to his battle suit with the other.

"Nanotechnology, kid... The anti-toxic function of this suit was designed by that 'Black Devil' you guys mentioned. Do you think you're the only one who would think of poisoning us, while he wouldn't have thought of it, much less prepare countermeasures in advance?"

Upon hearing this, the chameleon trembled violently.

He recalled his smug explanation, the expression on his face when he said, "Let you fight a little longer," and every word he uttered while popping champagne at halftime. A burning pain shot through his face, and he gritted his teeth as he questioned him.

"So, you...you did this on purpose! That's incredibly despicable!"

"Despicable? Hey, hey, hey, don't get it wrong. You're the ones poisoning us, we were just acting in self-defense."

Peter tilted his head, his tone becoming increasingly innocent, and continued speaking with a self-righteous air.

"As soon as we entered the bank, Justice scanned the air and confirmed the presence of an unknown toxin... If it weren't to determine exactly how many people you've deployed to deal with us, why do you think we'd put on this act for so long?"

As he spoke, Peter turned around and looked at the mysterious figure not far away.

Of course, knowing he didn't have much fighting ability, Mysterio had already abandoned his two teammates the moment he saw Peter look up, and hid himself back into the holographic illusion.

Countless figures instantly appeared in the bank lobby—some were Craven's, some were chameleon's, some were his own, and some were all sorts of menacing monsters. These illusions overwhelmed him, attempting to cover his retreat.

Just when he thought he could evacuate safely, he suddenly felt a weight on his shoulder and almost stumbled and fell to the ground.

He instinctively turned his head and saw Gwen standing beside him. Her eyepatch was bent, and like Peter's, she wore a friendly smile, staring intently at Mysterio.

"Since you're already here, why the rush to leave... Why don't you and your two companions go to the police station for some tea?"

"You...you're not...?!"

Mysterio looked at Gwen who had appeared before him, then turned to look at the "Gwen" still lying on the ground not far away, and was about to question what was going on.

Then they saw the fallen "Gwen" suddenly spring to her feet, smile and wave at the mysterious man, before transforming into a stream of golden data and disappearing from the spot.

Clearly, spending so much time with Riley had corrupted Peter.

So much so that from the moment "Gwen" appeared and beat up the chameleon, it was never the real Gwen who appeared.

Rather, it was a false clone created by Peter using the prince's abilities!

The real Gwen, whose thoughts were guessed by Peter from the very beginning, was comforted over the communication channel, barely managing to suppress her anger and enduring it until the very end. Only when Mysterio appeared did Peter, as the final trump card, completely cut off Mysterio's escape route!

"Surprised?" Peter's voice came from behind, tinged with amusement. "Your illusion magic is indeed quite impressive. But have you forgotten... that you're not the only one in this world who knows how to use high technology?"

With that, Peter snapped his fingers.

Countless tiny points of light suddenly appeared in the air around the mysterious figure.

The points of light quickly coalesced, eventually transforming into the figures of more than a dozen "mysterious guests," who surrounded him.

Every single mystery shopper was laughing out loud, and their laughter was exactly the same, sending chills down your spine just by looking at them.

This made the mystery guest break out in a cold sweat.

But he wasn't frightened by the illusion...

Mysterio could tell that these illusions, unlike the previous "Gwen," were created using devices he had planted beforehand!

In other words, at this moment, Mysterio has become a lone commander, an ordinary person through and through!

"This...this is impossible! My equipment has the most stringent security protocols in the world, how could you...!"

"Ahem, to correct you, these are all Stark Industries equipment. What I'm doing now is simply returning them to their rightful owner on Tony's behalf, Mr. Quentin Baker."

Faced with Mysterio's utterly shocked gasp and complete breakdown, Peter, who was grinning from ear to ear beneath his mask, suddenly understood why his brother always enjoyed playing mind games with villains. On the surface, however, he tilted his head, using the most innocent tone to further provoke Mysterio.

"By the way, these are all old models that Tony has already phased out. In terms of technological level, your old relic may not even be able to compare with the gadgets that my brother and Tony made on the spot."

"You...you...you...!"

When Mysterio saw Peter belittle his hard work to nothing and then suddenly open his own account without warning, he was so angry that his blood pressure soared.

But when he opened his mouth, instinctively wanting to refute, the scene he saw made him feel a deep sense of powerlessness, and he couldn't utter a complete sentence for a long time.

Seeing his two companions easily defeated by Spider-Man, Chameleon decisively abandoned the idea of ​​dismantling the webs and retrieving the gun. After activating the mechanism on his belt and changing his appearance, he prepared to slowly retreat while Peter's attention was drawn to Kraven and Mysterio.

Before he could take more than a few steps, Felicia blocked his path. Her black symbiote suit surged, extending tentacles like sharp blades, ready to tear him to shreds at any moment. Terrified, the chameleon quickly reverted to his original form, kneeling on the ground with a thud and begging for mercy once more.

"Wait...wait! I admit, my voice was a bit loud just now, but I think we can still talk..."

"Talk?" Felicia tilted her head, a hint of mockery in her voice. "Weren't you quite the talker just now? 'With just this little injury, you can take down three Spider-Men's heads'—who said that again?"

"I...I..."

Upon hearing this, the chameleon's face turned even paler. Like the mysterious guest, it stammered, unsure of what to say.

"Interesting... This kind of prey is more worthy of my identity as the hunter Craven!"

Just then, Craven struggled to his feet, clutching his wrist, staring intently at Peter's retreating figure.

There was no fear of Spider-Man's immense power in his eyes. Only the complex emotions that a seasoned hunter experiences when encountering a formidable and challenging prey—shock, resentment… but more than anything, excitement and anticipation for the thrill of challenging a powerful foe and living on the edge!

Then, after a brief movement, he endured the pain and forcefully reattached Peter's broken wrist. A smile played on his lips as he looked at Peter, who had turned around, and continued, enunciating each word clearly.

"I admit, I underestimated you this time... but don't get too excited. A true hunter doesn't die so easily at the hands of his prey!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Craven raised his hand and pressed a mechanism on the inside of his wrist.

The next second, countless red dots of light suddenly appeared on the four walls of the bank lobby.

The points of light moved rapidly, and without exception, they all landed on the heads of the unconscious hostages.

Without a doubt, behind these points of light are highly trained snipers.

Although it posed no threat to Peter and the others who possessed spider-sense...

However, if they were to fire simultaneously, it would be more than enough to kill off less than one-tenth of the hostages who were already bound and secured by spider silk and then knocked unconscious by poison gas!

"Don't move."

Just as Peter and his two companions were tense, preparing to rush to rescue the hostages who were already exposed to gunfire, Craven's voice rang out again, unhurried and with the composure unique to a seasoned hunter.

"I know what you're thinking. With your skills, you could indeed save a few people before my men open fire. But there are only three of you. Even if you fight with all your might, how many can you save? Five? Or ten?"

He paused, as if giving them time to think. Only when he saw Peter and the others stop what they were doing did he nod in satisfaction.

"Furthermore, I might as well tell you that I pre-positioned thirty snipers near the bank, each one a crack shot. Of course, I know very well that even so, they cannot pose any threat to you super freaks. So their orders are—once I give the signal, if you make any movement, immediately open fire and kill all the hostages here."

Upon hearing this, Peter clenched his fists, and his eyes instantly turned cold.

Are you threatening us?

"So what if it is? I always prepare several backup plans before the hunt officially begins."

Craven nodded nonchalantly, a slight smile playing on his lips, and pointed to the group of unconscious hostages.

"Just a friendly reminder, these hostages don't have the special protective suits you're wearing. The neurotoxin doesn't just knock them unconscious; it gradually paralyzes all the muscles in their bodies. Eventually, even breathing will become a luxury... And based on my experience, those ordinary people can only last a maximum of ten minutes. After ten minutes, even if my men don't fire, they'll die of suffocation."

The moment the words were spoken, Justice, with its high level of intelligence, quickly completed a physical scan of the hostages without Peter even having to give an order.

The data obtained also proved that Craven was not lying; those people's breathing was indeed becoming weaker and weaker.

Some people with weaker constitutions—such as children and the elderly—have even started to turn bluish-green.

This caused Peter to clench and unclench his fist repeatedly.

After a brief silence, he gritted his teeth and asked the question, word by word.

What do you want?

Craven smiled.

"What do I want? It's simple, let us go. If you agree, my men will leave with us, and I'll even leave you the antidote for the poison gas. It's a good deal for you."

Peter stared at him without saying a word.

From a rational analysis perspective, Peter's best option would be to use the Prince's immobilization spell to keep them all there, and then work with Gwen and Felicia to rescue as many hostages as possible from the snipers' guns and transfer them to District 13 for treatment.

Although doing so will inevitably result in some people being killed by snipers because Peter and his team won't be able to rescue them in time...

But judging from Kraven and the others' performance just now, they not only know Peter and the others' true identities, but they have also studied in private how to deal with "Spider-Man".

Now that they've suffered such a huge loss, they'll definitely be much better prepared when they reappear, making them much more troublesome to deal with.

It's better to nip it in the bud now and prevent future troubles.

Unfortunately, what Peter knew even more clearly was...

Spider-Man's goal on this trip is to save people, not kill them.

To ensure his own safety, disregard the lives of innocent civilians, and insist on fighting to the death with his opponent is ultimately not Peter's style.

After a brief silence, Peter loosened his clenched fist and responded coldly.

"If I find out that the antidote is fake... you will all die a horrible death."

Upon hearing this, even the seemingly composed Craven quietly breathed a sigh of relief. He then nodded, raised his left hand, and pressed another button.

The next second, a golden halo suddenly appeared behind Craven and the others.

That's a portal, the magic of Kamar-Taj!

Craven took a step back, leading Mysterio and Chameleon into the glow of the portal.

Before leaving, knowing that Peter was not joking, Craven did not forget to take out a small metal bottle from his waist pocket, place it lightly on the ground, and thoughtfully explain how to use it.

"Here is the antidote you requested. Simply unscrew the cap, disperse it into a mist, and add it to the ventilation system. It will neutralize all the toxins within three minutes."

He paused, looked at Peter, and a complex light flashed in his eyes.

"You won this time, Spider-Man. But next time we meet, I'll personally chop off your head."

As soon as they finished speaking, the glow of the portal swallowed them up.

And those red aiming dots went out instantly at that moment.

Clearly, the snipers hiding in the shadows, like Craven and his group, had already been taken away by the portal and evacuated.

In the blink of an eye, only a mess remained in the bank lobby, along with unconscious hostages and three Spider-Men standing still.