Chapter 36

I let out a triumphant chuckle as I felt the familiar tingle of my ghostly powers fading. Mission accomplished! Those precious radioactive spiders were now safely in my possession.

With a flick of my wrist, I opened a shimmering portal back to the Hestia Familia headquarters. "Time to show off my haul," I muttered, stepping through the portal.

"Welcome back David-kun!" Hestia greeted me, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I see you've been busy. What have you got there?"

"I'm back, Hestia." I acted smug, puffing out my chest with pride. "Huhu, these, my dear Hestia, will help me unlock more power!" I opened the small container, revealing the radioactive spiders scurrying around inside.

"David-kun, what are those?" Hestia asked, eyeing the container curiously. "They seem like regular spiders to me."

I grinned, eager to share my discovery. "Regular spiders? Oh, Hestia, these are anything but ordinary!" I paused for dramatic effect. "Have you ever heard of Spider-Man?"

Hestia tilted her head, her brow furrowed in thought. "Spider-Man? I'm afraid I don't know who that is." She peered closer at the scurrying spiders. "Are they special somehow?"

I grinned, eager to share my discovery. "Regular spiders? Oh, Hestia, these are anything but ordinary!" I paused for dramatic effect. "You see, these spiders were genetically engineered and are radioactive!"

Hestia's eyes widened in surprise as she leaned in for a closer look. "Radioactive? How is that possible?" she asked, her voice laced with curiosity. "What does that mean for us?"

I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride at being able to share this incredible find. "It means, my dear Hestia, that with the power of these spiders, I can unlock new abilities beyond even my ghostly powers!" I declared, excitement evident in my tone.

I grinned widely, excitement bubbling within me as I recalled the new skill I had recently acquired.

"Remember the new skill I got?" I asked Hestia, my voice brimming with enthusiasm.

Hestia nodded, her eyes filled with curiosity. "Yes, I do remember."

"When you are bitten by these spiders, you will gain spider-like powers! Just like Spider-Man," I explained, gesturing to the container of radioactive arachnids. "I was afraid a normal person getting bitten by these spiders would most likely kill them or mutate them. But with my new skill, I can safely gain Spider-Man's powers and more!"

Hestia's expression shifted from intrigue to concern as she processed my words. "David-kun, are you sure this is a good idea? Gaining new powers is exciting, but how could you be sure this is going to work?"

I placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, flashing her a confident grin. "Don't worry, Hestia. With my Omni-Conduit skill, I can integrate these spider powers without any negative side effects. Just imagine the possibilities - I'll be able to climb walls and shoot webs."

Hestia's expression softened as she listened to my words. I could see the trust in her eyes, even if a hint of uncertainty remained. "Alright, David-kun. I believe in you. If you think this is the right path, then I'll support you." She smiled back at me, her small hand giving my arm an affectionate squeeze.

Encouraged by her faith in me, I couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. "You won't regret this, Hestia. Just wait until you see what I can do!"

I retreated to my room, Hestia's watchful gaze following me. Carefully, I opened the container and selected one of the spiders - a striking black and white specimen. Even with my Omni-Conduit skill, I knew I needed to test the effects of the bite first.

Steeling my nerves, I held the spider close to my arm, allowing it to crawl onto my skin. The tiny creature scurried about, its eight legs tickling my flesh. I took a deep breath, mentally preparing myself for what was to come.

"David-kun, are you sure about this?" Hestia's voice was laced with concern as she hovered nearby, her blue eyes filled with worry.

"Don't worry, Hestia," I reassured her. "With my skill, I can handle this."

Without further hesitation, I lowered the spider until its fangs pierced my skin. A sharp sting shot through my arm, and I winced slightly. Hestia gasped, her hand covering her mouth, but I held up my hand to signal that I was alright.

I place the spider back in the container, my brow furrowing as I examine my arm for any signs of change. A few minutes pass, and I feel nothing out of the ordinary.

"Huh? Did it even work?" I mutter, glancing over at Hestia with a perplexed expression.

Hestia's delicate features are etched with concern as she moves closer, inspecting my arm. "Maybe you're just resistant to it?" she suggests, her voice laced with uncertainty.

I ponder her words, running a hand through my hair. "Hmm... Do I need to make more spiders bi—"

A sudden wave of dizziness washes over me, causing me to sway on my feet. My vision blurs, and I reach out to steady myself, only to find Hestia's small hands gripping my arm.

"David-kun!" she cries, her eyes widening with alarm. "What's wrong?"

I blink rapidly, trying to clear the fog in my mind, but the dizziness only intensifies. My legs feel weak, and I struggle to maintain my balance.

"I... I don't know," I manage to utter, my voice barely above a whisper. "I think... something's wrong."

Hestia's grip on my arm tightens, her expression a mixture of worry and fear. "Lunamon!" she calls out, her voice trembling. "Lunamon, come quickly!"

As the world around me begins to spin, I feel my consciousness slipping away. The last thing I see is Hestia's concerned face before everything fades to black.

Scene 2

I slowly open my eyes, Hestia's worried face coming into focus. A wave of relief washes over her as she sees me stirring.

"David-kun! Are you okay?" she asks, her voice laced with concern.

I blink a few times, trying to get my bearings. "Hestia? Did I pass out?"

Hestia nods, her brow furrowed. "Yes, you suddenly collapsed and I had to call Lunamon to heal you. You were passed out for the entire day."

I take a moment to process her words, a faint memory of dizziness and darkness creeping back into my mind. "I see," I murmur, pushing myself up into a sitting position.

Hestia places a hand on my shoulder, gently pushing me back down. "Easy there, David-kun. You've been through quite an ordeal. Let's not rush things."

I wave her off with a reassuring smile. "No need to worry, Hestia. I'm actually feeling much better now." I swing my legs over the side of the bed, testing my balance. "See? Good as new."

I stood in front of the mirror, my eyes widening as I took in my transformed physique. Gone was the average, toned body I had grown accustomed to - in its place stood a lean, muscular figure that seemed sculpted by the gods themselves.

Tracing my fingers over the newly defined contours of my abs, I marveled at the power coursing through my body. My muscles, once modest, now bulged with strength, a testament to the changes wrought by the radioactive spider's bite.

Flexing my arms, I watched in awe as the corded sinews shifted beneath my skin. I had always admired the heroic physiques of comic book icons, but to see such a transformation in myself was nothing short of astounding.

I caught Hestia staring at my transformed physique, and a mischievous grin spread across my face.

"Like what you see, Hestia?" I said, flexing my muscles playfully.

Hestia's cheeks flushed a deep shade of crimson, and she averted her gaze, flustered. "I-I, well, um..." she stammered, her eyes darting back to my figure.

I chuckled, enjoying her reaction. "Don't be shy, Hestia. You can take a closer look if you'd like."

Hestia's blush deepened, but she couldn't hide the admiration in her eyes as she studied the contours of my newly enhanced body.

Closing my middle and ring fingers to my palm, I focused intently, and to my amazement, a stream of webbing shot forth from my wrists, adhering to the wall with a satisfying thwip.

"Incredible!" I exclaimed, my eyes wide with wonder. I flexed my fingers, watching as the webbing extended and retracted with ease.

Eager to explore further, I turned my attention to the ceiling, crouching low before springing upwards. To my delight, my fingertips and palms clung effortlessly to the surface, allowing me to defy gravity and scale the ceiling with ease.

I crept along the ceiling, a giddy laugh escaping my lips. "Hahaha! It worked!" I called down to the goddess, who watched in awe from below.

Hestia's expression was a mix of amazement and concern. "David-kun, be careful!"

I paused, hanging upside down to look at her. "Don't worry, Hestia. I've got this under control."

I grinned, feeling the power coursing through my body. "Haha, this is incredible! I can't believe I have these spider-like abilities now." Eager to test the limits of my new powers, I scurried across the ceiling, my fingers and toes clinging effortlessly to the surface.

But in my excitement, I became a bit too careless. I stopped focusing, and suddenly, my grip slipped. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" I cried out as I tumbled head-first towards the floor.

"Oww..." I groaned, rubbing the sore spot on my head where I had landed. "Need to practice that..."

Hestia rushed over, her eyes wide with concern. "David-kun! Are you alright?"

I flashed her a sheepish grin. "Yeah, I'm fine. Guess I still have some things to learn when it comes to this whole 'spider-man' thing."

I stood up, eager to explore the full extent of my newfound spider-like abilities. As I focused, I recalled the Omni-Conduit skill Hestia had unlocked for me - the ability to seamlessly integrate different powers without negative effects.

Concentrating, I felt the familiar tingle of my ghostly transformation. Ethereal energy coursed through my veins, and I watched in fascination as I shot a web from my wrist. But instead of the usual white strands, this web glowed a ghostly green.

"Cool! I have ghost webs!" I exclaimed, marveling as the ethereal webbing phased through the wall, landing on the surface behind it.

I tugged on the web, testing its strength. To my delight, it held firm, defying the laws of physics. Grinning, I pulled myself forward, passing effortlessly through the solid wall as if it were nothing.

"This is incredible!" I said, my voice filled with wonder. I could already imagine the endless possibilities these ghost-infused spider powers presented.

As I marveled at my newfound ghost-infused spider powers, a thought suddenly occurred to me. What would happen if I let all the spiders I obtained bite me?

The idea sent a shiver of excitement down my spine. If one spider's bite could grant me these incredible abilities, imagine the power I could possess if I was bitten by multiple radioactive arachnids!

I turned to the container holding the remaining spiders, my heart racing with anticipation. Hestia watched me with a concerned expression, sensing the shift in my demeanor.

"David-kun, what are you thinking?" she asked cautiously.

I paused, considering my response. "Hestia, what if I let all of these spiders bite me? Wouldn't that make me even stronger?"

Hestia's eyes widened, and she quickly shook her head. "David, I don't think that's a good idea. We don't know what the consequences could be."

I sighed, feeling a twinge of disappointment, but I knew Hestia was right. "Alright, Hestia, I'll hold off on that for now. I still have a lot to learn when it comes to these spider powers."

Glancing back at the container of spiders, I couldn't help but wonder what kind of incredible abilities I might gain if I let them all bite me. But for now, I'd focus on mastering the powers I already had. Who knows what the future might hold?

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