My knuckles cracked as I slammed another villain into the crumbling brick wall. London's petty criminals were hardly a challenge, a far cry from the world-ending threats I used to face. A sigh escaped my lips, the cool night air doing little to soothe the burning in my soul. The first few days of being alone had been manageable. I'd carved out a routine, however bleak, fueled by cheap food and the adrenaline of battle. My burner phone vibrated in my pocket. Dad. And Kenji. The only two who knew I'd left.
"Anything?" I asked, my voice a low growl as I answered.
"Still nothing, Anos. Just stay safe," Dad said, worry lacing his voice. "Japan is... chaotic."
"I saw the news," I replied, picturing the devastation. Ruined hospitals, collapsed buildings... a nation on its knees. Good thing the league was over doing crime things it sort of had some benefits. "Izuku?"
"He's... stubborn," Kenji cut in, his usually jovial tone somber. "He won't tell us anything. He's handling it, supposedly. Diana is trying to reach him somehow."
I hung up, the guilt a familiar ache in my chest. Izuku. My little brother, saddled with One For All, facing a crisis I should be there for. I'd convinced myself that leaving was the only way to protect him, to settle a score that threatened to engulf everyone I cared about. But was I truly protecting him, or just abandoning him to a fate I'd been too afraid to face myself? I should have trained him more, prepared him. But I'd let my past life consume me, the echoes of Superman drowning out the needs of my family.
Pushing the thought away, I grabbed an apple from a nearby fruit stand – the owner wouldn't mind; he was probably asleep anyway. As I chewed, my mind drifted back to the League of Villains. They had moved on, a strange sort of reformation, but something felt off. This widespread destruction felt too calculated, too coordinated. It wasn't their style.
Suddenly, my phone blared, an ear-splitting alarm tearing through the London night. Peter. A cold dread washed over me. Peter never used the emergency ping. Not ever. My heart hammered against my ribs and my skin felt like it was burning as adrenaline pumped through my veins. He was in trouble.
The location pinged: a derelict warehouse on the outskirts of the city. I launched myself into the air, ignoring the ache in my muscles and the gnawing fear in my gut. I had to get to him.
The scene inside the warehouse was a nightmare. Amy and Peter, both bruised and bloodied, were chained to metal chairs. But it was the figure looming over them that sent a wave of pure, unadulterated rage through me. He was massive, easily 6'6", with muscles that strained against his black suit. What caught my attention was a tattoo on his left arm; a stylized serpent coiled around a skull. It was familiar, but I couldn't place it.
Then, a second figure stepped out of the shadows. Lex Luthor. My arch-nemesis from my past life. What was he doing here? And why did he have Peter?
I forced myself to stay hidden, perched on the rafters, listening.
"The blood samples are almost ready," Lex said, his voice smooth and devoid of emotion. "Parker's DNA, combined with the Kryptonian physiology... and a few other 'donations' we've collected…"
"This 'Mega-Nomu' you speak of," the giant grunted. "It will be… effective?"
"More than effective," Lex sneered. "It will be unstoppable. It will be the ultimate weapon. And all thanks to you, Bane, for tracking down our spider and his lovely wife."
My blood ran cold. They were going to use my blood, Peter's blood, and… others? To create a monster? A Mega-Nomu? This wasn't just about revenge anymore; this was about unleashing a cataclysm on the world. As I was about to intervene, I saw more figures step out of the dark corners of the warehouse. Villains, all of them infamous. The Joker, a manic grin stretched across his painted face. Venom, his symbiotic form oozing menace. Doctor Doom, radiating arrogance and power. Carnage, a whirlwind of crimson insanity. Hela, radiating death. Loki, a smirk playing on his thin lips. A league of villains, far more dangerous and powerful than the one Izuku faced. This was orchestrated, planned, and aimed at something far greater than petty crime.
They hadn't noticed me yet. But they would. Soon.
I reached into my pocket, my fingers trembling as I pressed the hidden blue button on my comm. It was a silent alarm, a distress signal sent to a select few: the top ten heroes I used to work alongside. Hulk, Supergirl, Flash, Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Wonder Woman, and Black Widow... I hoped they would get here soon. But Peter didn't have much time.