After discovering that Peter was Spider-Man, the chubby Ned had always dreamed of being his partner, the man behind the scenes. Today, that dream came true.
The two worked together quite smoothly, though Peter, driving a classmate's car for the first time, didn't even know how to turn on the headlights, requiring Ned's assistance to figure it out.
Unfortunately, when Ned called Happy, he couldn't get the important details across before Happy abruptly hung up. All he could do was relay Happy's situation: he was busy, surrounded by boxes, and there was the sound of a plane engine in the background.
Peter immediately realized what was happening—Avengers Tower was being moved. In that critical moment, his quick-thinking led him to deduce Adrian' target: the plane carrying the Avengers' belongings!
Recently, thanks to Spider-Man repeatedly foiling his plans, the Vulture's weapons smuggling and modification business had taken a severe hit. Though Toomes himself hadn't been caught, Spider-Man's interference had undeniably caused him significant trouble, cutting off his supply lines. Enraged and desperate, Adrian set his sights on something far more daring—robbing the Avengers' moving plane!
At the same time, Happy was overseeing the transfer of valuable items, including the Hulkbuster armor, Captain America's shield, and Thor's enchanted belt.
If Adrian managed to get his hands on these, it would be a complete game-changer, amplifying the destruction he could cause. However, on the flip side, such a bold move could be likened to a snake attempting to swallow an elephant—ambitious, but could he handle it?
Regardless, with Ned's help, Peter managed to locate Adrian' hiding spot after some effort.
It was an abandoned industrial park. Sneaking quietly into the empty factory, Peter found Adrian waiting. Surprisingly, the man wasn't caught off guard by Peter's arrival. Instead, he even praised Spider-Man's courage.
"What you're doing—smuggling and selling those weapons to criminals—is illegal!"
At this moment, Peter had no regard for Toomes' status as his "almost father-in-law." He raised his hand and shot a web, binding Toomes' hands.
Unbothered, Adrian shrugged and said persuasively, "You're still young, Peter. You don't understand how the world works. Those rich people—like Stark—those people sitting at the top, with money and power, they do whatever they want. And people like us? They don't care if we live or die. We work for them, build roads for them, risk our lives for them, but they couldn't care less about us."
"We're the ones left to clean up their messes, to eat the scraps they leave behind. That's how the world works… and I know you understand what I'm saying, Peter."
Adrian Toomes' words reflected his true feelings, striking a chord with many people watching from the sidelines.
The world has never been fair. Different classes divide people into different worlds. Though they may live on the same planet, in the same country, even in the same city, breathing the same air, the reality is cruel: those at the bottom will never touch, or even imagine, the kind of life the wealthy and powerful lead. Sometimes, the gap between classes feels wider than the gap between species.
Especially in a pure capitalist nation like America, perhaps the most equal moment was when Thanos snapped his fingers. It didn't matter if you were a politician, a tycoon, or a superhero—if you were chosen, you turned to dust. In this sense, Thanos could be seen as a fair and idealistic figure.
Erik found Adrian's words intriguing. Smirking, he remarked, "Honestly, I find the Vulture more agreeable than Peter."
Logan let out a cold laugh. "Ha, is that some mutual admiration between villains?"
Back in the video, Peter wasn't swayed by Adrian's speech. He was still young and didn't have a mature understanding of how the world worked. While he had a vague sense of the hardships of life, he would never choose Toomes' illegal methods to change his circumstances.
Of course, Adrian's true intent wasn't to lecture Peter—it was simply to buy himself some time.
Taking advantage of Peter's momentary distraction, Adrian pulled out a knife and cut through the webbing binding his hands. At the same time, his Vulture suit flew toward him from a distance, attacking Peter from behind.
But such tricks were no match for Spider-Man. With his spider-sense, Peter flipped backward and avoided the attack.
The Vulture suit's wings were incredibly sharp, slicing through the factory's concrete pillars with ease as it flew back and forth. Despite the chaos, it failed to land a single blow on Peter.
This bolstered Peter's confidence, but he quickly learned the truth behind the saying, "Old age and treachery will always beat youth and skill."
Realizing he couldn't hit the nimble Spider-Man, Adrian changed tactics. Instead of targeting Peter directly, he began destroying the surrounding concrete pillars, causing a controlled collapse of the structure. Peter, caught off guard, was buried under heavy layers of rubble.
As Adrian walked out of the factory, satisfied with his handiwork, he gazed at the distant Avengers Tower. Beneath the rubble, Peter gasped for breath, the weight of the concrete pressing down on him, his entire body aching. In his desperation, he cried out for help. His first instinct was to hope Tony Stark would come to his rescue, as he had before.
But how can someone who always relies on others to save him ever become a true hero?
Peter recalled Tony's words: "If you're nothing without the suit, then you shouldn't have it."
Those words reignited his resolve. Motivating himself, Peter began to push against the heavy rubble, eventually freeing himself with his own strength.
Once out of danger, Peter didn't give up. He continued his pursuit of Adrian, spotting the Vulture heading toward the moving Avengers plane. Peter shot a web, latching onto Adrian and following him closely.
As Adrian reached the plane and entered its cargo hold, Peter followed, and the two clashed once again, this time in mid-air.
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