The Spider:AHero’s Awakening.

It was getting worse.

Every night, every swing through the city, I could feel it creeping deeper into my bones. The symbiote.

It wasn't whispering anymore. It was screaming.

"Let us in, Parker. Let us make you stronger."

I shook my head, perched high above the streets, gripping the edge of a rooftop so tightly that my fingers cracked the concrete. I couldn't fight it forever.

But I had to.

Because if I gave in… there was no coming back.

Earlier that day, Stark Tower.

Tony looked over the latest Oscorp intel, his expression grim. "Osborn's moving fast. Too fast. We're running out of options, kid."

I leaned against the table, exhaustion weighing heavy on me. "I know. We need to shut him down before he—"

Tony interrupted. "Before he does what? Releases an army of symbiote monsters onto the city? Oh wait, he's already doing that."

I rubbed my temples. "We're doing our best."

Daredevil, standing in the shadows, spoke calmly. "Your best won't be enough if you're compromised, Parker."

I looked up at him. "I told you, I'm fine."

"You're not," he said firmly. "And you know it."

Tony sighed. "Look, kid, I've been where you are. Fighting a war inside your own head? It doesn't end well if you keep ignoring it."

I clenched my fists. "I can control it."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? Prove it."

Brooklyn Dockyards – Midnight.

Oscorp had one final shipment of symbiote samples left. If we stopped this one, we could put an end to Osborn's plan once and for all.

Daredevil and I moved silently along the docks, the cold wind biting through my suit.

"Four guards by the container," Daredevil whispered. "You take the left, I'll cover the right."

I nodded and shot out a web, pulling myself up onto a crane above the guards. But before I could act, my vision blurred.

"No more hiding, Parker… take them… break them…"

I shook my head, trying to push it away, but the moment of hesitation cost me.

One of the guards spotted me. "It's Spider-Man!"

"Ah, crap," I muttered, dropping down. I webbed two of them to the ground, but the others opened fire.

Daredevil moved fast, taking them down with precise strikes, but I wasn't so lucky.

A bullet grazed my arm, and I staggered back, pain flaring through me.

That's when it happened.

I felt the symbiote surge through my veins, filling me with strength I didn't ask for. My vision sharpened, my muscles tensed.

And I snapped.

I moved faster than I ever had before, smashing through the guards with brutal efficiency. One grabbed his gun, but I crushed it in his hands. Another tried to run, but I webbed him mid-air and yanked him back, slamming him into the concrete.

Daredevil watched, his expression unreadable. "Parker… stop."

But I wasn't listening anymore.

The last guard swung at me, and I caught his fist mid-strike. My grip tightened. He screamed.

I could feel his bones starting to give.

"Yes… more…"

"Peter!"

MJ's voice rang through my earpiece, snapping me back to reality. I gasped, releasing the guard, who collapsed in a heap, clutching his hand.

I stumbled back, staring down at what I had done. My heart pounded in my chest.

Daredevil stepped forward. "You need to get that thing out of you. Now."

I shook my head, ripping my mask off, feeling like I couldn't breathe. "I… I don't know how."

Later, at the safehouse…

I paced back and forth, my hands trembling. "It's getting stronger. I don't know if I can fight it anymore."

MJ sat on the couch, watching me with concern. "Peter… you don't have to do this alone."

I exhaled. "I don't know what to do, MJ. It's like… it's a part of me now."

Daredevil leaned against the wall. "Then you need to make a choice. Before it makes it for you."

I stared at him. "What if I can't?"

He crossed his arms. "Then we'll stop you."

The worst part? I wasn't sure if I wanted them to.

Meanwhile, at Oscorp…

Osborn watched the footage from the docks, rewinding the part where I nearly crushed that guard's hand.

He smirked. "He's close."

Octavius stood beside him. "Parker is stronger than we anticipated. The symbiote has bonded with him at a molecular level. Removing it won't be easy."

Osborn's grin widened. "Who said anything about removing it? We let him break. And once he does… he'll come to us."

He turned to the containment unit holding the final, perfected symbiote sample.

"Let's give Spider-Man a little… push."

The next night, Hell's Kitchen.

I was on edge, every step feeling heavier. The symbiote wasn't just whispering anymore. It was demanding.

"Let us take control, Parker… we can save them all…"

I shook my head, landing on a rooftop near an abandoned warehouse. I needed to clear my head.

But then I heard it.

A scream.

I jumped into action, swinging down into the alley below—only to come face-to-face with Scorpion.

He grinned. "Hey, Webhead. Osborn sends his regards."

Before I could react, he lunged.

I dodged, but something felt… off. My reactions were slower. My thoughts clouded.

I landed a punch that sent him flying into a dumpster, but the symbiote inside me surged forward, wanting more.

"Finish him."

I hesitated.

And that's when Scorpion's tail hit me square in the chest, sending me crashing into the wall.

I groaned, coughing, feeling the darkness creeping in again.

"No more holding back…"

I gritted my teeth. "No. Not yet."

Scorpion charged, but this time, I was ready. I dodged, webbing his tail to a streetlamp and using all my strength to slam him down into the pavement.

He groaned, unconscious.

I stood there, panting. My hands were shaking.

I had almost let go.

Later, at home…

I stared at my reflection in the mirror. My eyes were darker. The veins in my hands blacker.

I wasn't winning this fight.

Not alone.

I picked up my phone and dialed.

"Tony," I whispered. "I need help."

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[Advance chapter in ko-fi]

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