Chapter 8
: The Spider-Men Are Born, Beginner Quest Completed
"Of course, after all, as far as I know, even Captain America isn't as strong as you, Mr. Strongman."
Seeing that her topic had successfully captured Peter's attention, Riley pretended to be nonchalant as she pulled her hands away from Peter's grasp to avoid him noticing anything amiss. At the same time, she put on a stern face and solemnly warned Peter.
"However, times have changed. If you choose to fight evil and become a vigilante, you will encounter a lot of trouble... Not to mention whether the police can understand and support your actions. The criminals you arrest may retaliate against you after their release from prison, or even trace your identity information back to your home."
"By then, even if you can easily deal with the criminals, your parents and I are just ordinary people, and we definitely won't be able to handle it. If we are taken hostage, it will cause you a lot of trouble."
"So, to be on the safe side, if you really want to emulate Captain America and become a hero of justice in New York City, you must make yourself a suit of clothing that can conceal your identity, and in the process of doing good deeds, try your best to avoid being discovered by others."
"Besides, crime doesn't give you any warning beforehand. So, once you choose to embark on this path, you'll often find yourself preparing for, or already doing, something very important, but you have to put it aside and risk being misunderstood by others to punish evil and save innocent people. In the end, the criminals are successfully arrested, but because you can't reveal your identity, you're more likely to face exclusion and skepticism from those around you."
"I know you want to argue with me, saying that you can definitely handle such conflicts and contradictions and take care of both sides."
"But imagine... imagine you're having your wedding ceremony with Gwen, and suddenly you hear screams in the street. Someone has taken a pregnant woman hostage and is driving off in a car. Judging by their agitated state, they might very well drive onto the sidewalk and run over her."
"Because the incident happened so suddenly, the police didn't have time to arrive at the scene. Out of all the people present, only you were able to rescue the pregnant woman safely and arrest the robber while ensuring everyone's safety."
"Tell me, would you abandon Gwen and risk being misunderstood, blamed, and ignored by a complete stranger to save the pregnant woman? Or would you entrust the matter to the arriving police and continue with this once-in-a-lifetime important ceremony with Gwen?"
"...It seems you already have your answer. And you understand how unfair it is for you to make this choice."
"Think about it, Peter. This road is full of thorns, and you can't make a hasty decision on a whim."
"So, even if Dad is right, I still think it should be based on your personal wishes."
"If you'd rather be 'Peter Parker' and not want to shoulder such a heavy responsibility, or if you haven't thought it through yet, you can ignore my suggestion."
"Of course, whatever choice you make, as your brother, I will always stand firmly by your side."
While it's true that extinguishing a child's dream of becoming a hero is incredibly cruel, these words reveal a cruel truth.
However, considering the many disappointments Peter faced in his life after becoming Spider-Man, especially those heart-wrenching regrets, it's understandable.
It can be said that any one of the tragedies Peter Parker experienced in his life would be enough to create a super criminal seeking revenge against society.
Only Peter Parker remained true to his original aspirations, fighting to uphold justice and protect others.
Therefore, as Peter's older brother and a member of the family who grew up with Peter, Riley naturally hoped that his younger brother could continue to live happily.
As for Spider-Man's responsibility...
Riley carrying it is enough.
Unfortunately, this was ultimately just Riley's wishful thinking.
Because, when Peter, who had been silent, looked up at Riley again...
Even though they were face to face, they remained silent.
But when Riley saw those eyes, still full of passion and radiance, he knew...
No matter how hard she had tried to protect Peter over the years, Peter was misunderstood by outsiders as a coward who only hid behind his brother.
But Peter Parker will always be the selfless and fearless true hero recognized by Thor's hammer!
"Looks like all that talk hasn't scared you off, you silly boy... This path is clearly only bad for 'Peter Parker,' and it might even turn your otherwise smooth-sailing life into one full of hardships. Are you really sure about this?"
"Of course, just like you could have stood by and did nothing, but you always stood up for others and eventually changed the atmosphere at Midtown High School... I also hope that I can use this power to make the world a better place."
"...Pfft, you want to end up like me... Good grief, in the end, I dug my own grave..."
After a conversation, Riley saw the message "Newbie mission completed, rewards issued" pop up on the system screen, and he knew that the creation of Spider-Man was a done deal.
He then raised his hand to his forehead, feigning helplessness as he complained for a while, before putting on a bright smile and continuing, seemingly with a hidden meaning, adopting a "what's done is done" attitude.
"Alright, alright, since you insist on choosing this path, then as your older brother, I can only risk my life to accompany you and become this thankless superhero."
"Huh? What do you mean... Ughhhhhh?!"
Just as Peter was wondering how Riley wanted to become a superhero,
Riley, who felt there was no need for him to continue pretending, simply raised one hand and shot out a thin spider silk.
Then, under Peter's increasingly wide, starry-eyed gaze of envy and surprise, Peter watched.
First, it flipped and turned in the air, then precisely passed through narrow gaps, performing fancy spiderweb swings.
Then, he placed his feet firmly on the wall, standing as if walking on flat ground. Meeting Peter's dumbfounded gaze, his smile widened, and he continued, enunciating each word clearly.
"See, that's what I mean... By the way, the spider that bit your neck in Dr. Connors' lab was the one I put there~"
"Ah! No wonder my neck suddenly hurt a bit yesterday, and when I touched it this morning, there was a boil. So it was you... I get it! Riley! You knew all along that being bitten by that spider would make you incredibly strong, but you deliberately didn't tell me, just so I'd embarrass myself this morning, didn't you!"
"Hahaha! How can you blame me? I never imagined you'd be so dense that you'd wake up completely oblivious to what was wrong with you!"
"You...I...this...you bastard...Riley, don't run away! I'm not done with you—!!!"
"Haha, you're getting impatient, come and chase me!"
"Ugh! Why can you shoot webs but I can't! This is so unfair!"
"Hmm, that's what you call the difference between people, bro~"
"Riley—!!!"