As he finished speaking, Peter charged at Curt like a fierce tiger. His clenched fist shot forward like a bolt of lightning, slicing through the air with a startling whoosh.
Seeing that Peter was determined to kill him, Curt's face twisted with shock, and a flash of ruthlessness lit his eyes.
"Peter, I just want to be normal again! I don't want to hurt you. Hand over your research—don't force me!"
"Go to hell, you bastard!" Peter snapped, his tightly clenched fist smashing forward like a cannonball.
Curt instinctively raised his arms to block. He sneered, confident that he could parry Peter's punch. But what he didn't expect was the overwhelming force behind it.
It felt like a truck had slammed into him. He was powerless to resist. In a flash, he was hurled backward like a kite with a snapped string, crashing into a nearby truck with a deafening boom. The impact overturned the vehicle easily, a testament to Peter's terrifying power.
"How is this possible?" Curt muttered, stunned as he staggered out of the wreckage. He shook his head to clear the dizziness, eyes full of disbelief.
Even in his mutated form, his strength topped out at 20 tons. Yet Peter clearly surpassed that—by a wide margin. Strength alone made him a formidable foe, but this was something else.
Amid his shock, Curt's heart stirred with excitement. It confirmed his suspicion: Peter had perfected an optimized Lizard Serum. One that not only enhanced power but had no monstrous side effects.
This meant there was hope. By analyzing Peter's serum, Curt might be able to return to human form. To him, Peter's research was salvation.
But to Peter, Curt was a mortal enemy—the source of his suffering. And today, Peter would end him and bring justice for Aunt May.
"Peter, you're a good person. Please, forgive me. I never meant for any of this. Let me atone!" Curt pleaded, changing his tone as he realized brute force wouldn't work. He gambled on Peter's kind heart—his well-known soft spot.
But Peter wasn't the same person anymore. He didn't even bother replying. Without hesitation, he struck again, more ferocious than before.
"Go to hell and repent there. Someone else might listen to your disgusting excuses. I'm just here to send you down!"
Peter launched another punch, this time with even greater power.
Knowing he couldn't block it, Curt rolled aside just in time to avoid the blow. But he underestimated Peter's combat skills. Having absorbed countless techniques from action movies, Peter had become a masterful fighter.
Not even Captain America could intimidate him now.
The missed punch turned into a fluid side flip mid-air. Peter twisted his body and launched a spinning side kick that slammed into Curt's side, sending him flying across the street.
He crashed into another vehicle and tumbled a dozen meters before stopping. The crowd gasped. Spectators began filming the intense battle.
Realizing that he was drawing too much attention, Curt dashed into a dark, wet alleyway, hoping to escape unseen.
But Peter was relentless. He had finally found him—he wasn't letting Curt get away.
Curt ran, Peter gave chase. They tore through the city, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.
When Curt realized he couldn't lose Peter on the ground, he climbed the side of the Empire State Building, scaling the wall rapidly.
Peter followed. His fingernails morphed into razor-sharp claws. He leapt ten meters high and used his claws and leg strength to scale the building effortlessly.
The battle continued on the vertical wall. The higher they climbed, the more Curt panicked. Peter was stronger. Faster. Better. He had all of the Lizard's powers—but none of the grotesque appearance.
Even Curt's prized claws were matched.
Faced with an overwhelming opponent, Curt grew increasingly desperate. But Peter wouldn't let up. He was lost in his rage, unwilling to show mercy.
As they reached the rooftop, Peter's claws slashed across Curt's abdomen, tearing open a deep wound. Blood gushed like a fountain. Weakened, Curt couldn't defend himself.
Peter struck again, landing a crushing blow. Curt collapsed, unable to move. Peter stood over him, his eyes burning with fury.
"Peter, I'm sorry! I didn't mean it. Please, give me a chance—for my children's sake!" Curt whimpered, face twisted in pain and regret.
Peter hesitated for a moment. This man had once been his mentor. But that was before his betrayal. Before Aunt May's death.
Peter's face darkened. The old Peter might have forgiven him. But that weakness had died along with May.
As Peter prepared to strike again, a malicious glint flickered in Curt's eyes. Suddenly, he lashed out with his tail, grabbing a nearby steel pipe and thrusting it at Peter.
But Peter had anticipated this. He grabbed the pipe mid-strike and held it firm.
"!!!"
Curt's eyes widened in fear. Peter yanked the pipe away and, with one swift motion, plunged it into Curt's chest, pinning him to the rooftop.
"Peter... I'm… sorry… be careful…" Curt gasped with his final breath. His expression softened, and for a brief moment, he seemed lucid. His eyes were full of remorse.
He reached a trembling hand toward Peter, as if wanting to reveal something. But his arm fell short. Life slipped away.
Peter stared down at Curt's corpse, not with satisfaction—but with a heavy heart. Curt had tried to say something. Something important.
The bizarre clarity in Curt's final moments made Peter uneasy. Something was wrong.
He recalled that the original Peter had not been chosen by the Fate Spider for a long time. Was someone manipulating events from behind the scenes?
Was Curt just a puppet?
An invisible hand seemed to be pulling the strings. Peter felt a chill crawl down his spine.
He clenched his fists and took a deep breath, calming himself. He had no choice now but to face what was coming.
But unlike before, he had hope. His Golden Finger had awakened.
In his sea of consciousness, a roulette-like object had appeared. It had an energy bar attached, slowly increasing by 0.5% per day.
Yet, after killing Stone, it had jumped by 2%. And now, after killing Curt, it surged another 5%, reaching 10%.
He pondered the pattern.
"Is the energy bar tied to my actions? But it didn't move when I killed those gang members. So, it's not just about killing—maybe it's related to significant characters or events?"
That seemed likely. Both Stone and Curt Connors were well-known figures in the Marvel Universe. Interactions with them had triggered progress.
"Does this mean my Golden Finger wants me to stir up trouble with Marvel's key figures? The more chaos I cause, the faster I progress? And when the bar hits 100%, I'll unlock the next dimensional world?"
Peter furrowed his brows. Unlike other transmigrators, his Golden Finger didn't chime or guide him. It felt dead. If not for that random gang chase, he might never have awakened it.
He sighed. He would have to figure it out alone.
Just as he was deep in thought, a cold voice came from behind him.
"Curt Connors was one of our key leads to bring down Kingpin. You shouldn't have killed him."
Peter didn't need to turn to know who it was—Daredevil. Earlier, he had been beaten unconscious by Curt.
Daredevil's fighting skills were top-tier, on par with Captain America, but against the Lizard, it was no contest. Without Peter's intervention, Daredevil would've died.
Now, instead of gratitude, he came to scold.
Peter replied coldly without turning, "You don't get to say that to me. If I hadn't killed him, you'd be the one dead. If you have a problem, I can send you to join him. Want that?"
As he spoke, Peter's eyes flickered with interest. Perhaps Daredevil could help him figure out how this Golden Finger truly worked.
A mischievous smile crept under his mask.
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