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One night—in usual terms, just the span between closing and reopening one's eyes—can fly by quickly. But for many people driven by curiosity, it felt endless.

They stayed up all night, refreshing their phone screens under the covers, fueled by the steady stream of leaked information on the Internet. 

They eagerly awaited the next morning, when The Daily Bugle would reveal the truth behind Batman's actions the previous night.

Among them was Peter Parker, who hadn't slept a wink, completely absorbed in the gossip.

"Why?"

Peter lay sprawled on his bed in a starfish-like position, his phone glowing next to him. He stared at the ceiling, his expression conflicted.

"Why didn't Batman call me for last night's mission? Spider-Man hasn't been around for a while now..."

He sighed and muttered to himself. "I mean, I've been under a lot of pressure lately—studying, interning at Oscorp after school and on weekends, and spending hours in the sewers with Dr. Connors and Dr. Banner trying to refine the green detox serum... But still! That's no reason for Batman to forget about me! Did he actually forget me?"

Peter's mind raced, filled with spiraling thoughts.

"Peter!" a voice called out from outside his room. "It's time for breakfast. Don't be late for school."

"Got it!" Peter replied, rolling out of bed.

Despite the sleepless night, his enhanced spider abilities ensured he wasn't fazed by the lack of energy.

"The official Daily Bugle site usually updates at 8:30 a.m.," Peter mused, checking the time. He tucked his phone into his school bag, quickly ate breakfast, said goodbye to Uncle Ben and Aunt May, and hopped on his bike to head to school.

At the school gates, he bumped into his girlfriend, Gwen Stacy.

"Hi, Gwen," Peter greeted her with a bright smile.

"Hi, Peter," Gwen replied with a warm smile of her own.

Walking side by side, their conversation naturally turned to the hottest topic of the day.

"Earlier this morning, my dad came home to rest after a long shift. He said the situation last night was really complex," Gwen began. "Batman was up against some very dangerous people. Without him, New York could've been completely destroyed."

"What kind of organization is that powerful?" Peter asked, his curiosity piqued.

"I don't know," Gwen admitted. "It's classified. But my dad mentioned that before dawn, the army came and took the prisoners away. Not even the NYPD knows the full story. If we want the details, we'll have to wait for The Daily Bugle's update."

Hearing this, Peter's astonishment grew. Whatever had happened last night, it was far from ordinary. At the same time, frustration welled up inside him.

In such a dangerous situation, why hadn't Batman thought to call him? Did this mean Batman really didn't need Spider-Man anymore?

"Hey, the Daily bugle just updated!"

"Look at this!"

Excited murmurs spread across the schoolyard, drawing Peter and Gwen's attention. They both pulled out their phones, navigating to the newspaper's official site to read the latest headline.

[The Darkness Hidden in the World: Hydra!]

Washington, Military Base

Far from the bustling streets of New York, an older group of men sat together in relative leisure. Apart from being restricted in movement, their routines hadn't changed much.

They had already seen snippets of last night's events circulating online, but they knew the real story. Only those directly involved understood the full truth.

Still, out of respect for Anton, they had kept quiet all night, waiting for the morning's revelations.

"It's out!"

"Open it already!"

"I want to see who dared to stir up this mess!"

They quickly turned on their computers, eager to read The Daily Bugle's take on the night's events.

In another corner of the military base, the Secretary of Defense, John Keller, and his colleagues gathered around a computer. 

Although they were privy to more information than the average person, even they didn't know everything.

Earlier, Anton had warned them that Batman was going to confront a powerful enemy. To avoid any mishaps, Anton had sent the old man and others to the military base, instructing them to remain there for a couple of days.

Shortly after that, a terrorist attack erupted in New York. The military learned that MARS, the organization responsible for developing the nanoworm warhead, had both guarded and stolen it.

 Together with the Cobra organization, they had activated the stolen weapon with the intent of attacking New York, aiming to plunge the city into chaos.

Without Batman's intervention, New York City would likely be in ruins today.

This revelation left the military enraged—none more so than John Keller, who was visibly trembling with anger.

A terrorist attack of this magnitude was nothing short of a slap in the face.

Though the military acted quickly, transferring the prisoners from the New York Police Department to their custody, numerous unanswered questions remained. 

John Keller and the rest of the military, like everyone else, turned to The Daily Bugle for answers.

"S.H.I.E.L.D.? Hydra?"

John Keller's expression darkened as he skimmed through the article.

"Damn it!" he shouted, his eyes blazing with fury. He slammed the table hard. "Shit! I knew something was off with those bastards at S.H.I.E.L.D.! Hydra—it's actually Hydra!"

S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters

"Hydra..."

Nick Fury wasn't surprised when he read the Daily bugle's exposé.

He had already surmised that Batman's anger was tied to Hydra. If Batman wasn't afraid to face them, Fury wasn't shocked that he'd lift the lid on everything.

However, the level of exposure was unprecedented.

This wasn't just revealing Hydra—it was a full-blown exposé, dragging S.H.I.E.L.D. into the mix.

And it didn't stop there. The article named specific individuals, including one name that sent a chill down Nick Fury's spine.

"Alexander Pierce."

Nick Fury's eyes narrowed with a mix of confusion and sadness.

"Is it really you?" he muttered under his breath.

If the evidence was genuine, it was hard to reconcile. Pierce had been Fury's trusted ally, a man who helped him rise to the directorship of S.H.I.E.L.D. 

Now, as the Secretary-General of S.H.I.E.L.D., Pierce was among the most powerful figures in the organization. Could it really be true that he was a Hydra operative, intent on subverting the world?

Boom!

The door to Fury's office flew open, slamming against the wall.

"Nick!"

Alexander Pierce strode in, his face cold and his demeanor tense. His eyes locked onto Fury's as they silently assessed one another.

"You're not seriously believing the nonsense in that report, are you?"

Pierce's gaze flicked to the computer monitor on Fury's desk. He leaned over, reading the Daily bugle's article that had set the world ablaze. His face twisted with anger.

"Nick, there's no problem within S.H.I.E.L.D.!" Pierce insisted vehemently. "And even if there were, it's not me! For all these years, I've been nothing but loyal to you. Have I ever done anything to betray your trust?"

"Pierce, calm down," Fury said, waving his hand. "I believe you."

"No!" Pierce snapped, his tone resolute. "Your stance is critical! If I'm innocent, then the problem is with Batman. Don't you see? He's trying to divide S.H.I.E.L.D.!"

"I don't think it's that serious yet," Fury replied with a weary smile.

Pierce didn't seem convinced.

"In any case, I've already called for a meeting with the World Security Council," Pierce declared. "At this meeting, your Avengers Initiative will be discussed. And we'll also address how to handle Batman's attacks on S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Attacks?" Fury's eyes widened in surprise.

"Yes, attacks!" Pierce said through gritted teeth. "This is nothing short of an assault—not just on me, but on S.H.I.E.L.D. itself!"

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