Splash!
Peter plunged into the foul-smelling sewage with a heavy splash.
Above him, the lizard modified Dr. Connors lunged, his immense body as forceful as a truck, forcing Peter down into the current. The stench-filled water seeped into his mask, nearly entering his mouth. He struggled against Connors' vice-like grip but quickly realized the creature's strength was overwhelming.
Dr. Connors, transformed into a lizardman, possessed immense physical power. Unfortunately, Peter, newly minted as Spider-Man, was still far from mastering his abilities. In this battle of raw strength, he was clearly outmatched.
The pair were swept along the turbulent water, directionless.
To Connors, Peter's attempts to escape felt like a child's futile struggles against an adult's firm grasp. Yet, to his surprise, the seemingly fragile Spider-Man wasn't as brittle as expected. His bones and muscles were tougher than steel, indicating he was no ordinary human.
A superhuman? Connors' eyes narrowed as he assessed his opponent more seriously.
Although they'd encountered each other before, this was their first real clash.
Meanwhile, Peter was beginning to suffocate. He knew he needed to act fast. Planting his feet firmly against Connors' chest, he kicked with all his might, launching the lizardman backward. Without hesitation, Peter turned and swam with the current, his escape as fluid and nimble as a fish.
What began as Peter hunting his foe had now reversed, he was the prey.
Connors, however, wasn't giving up. He surged after Peter with terrifying speed. His large, clawed hands pushed through the water efficiently, and his thick tail propelled him like a living turbine.
Though he looked like a lizard, his movements were more akin to a crocodile or a torpedo, tearing through obstacles in his path. Steel pipes and wire mesh shattered under his forceful advance, reducing the distance between him and Peter.
Connors' razor-sharp claws sliced through everything in his way, creating a deadly storm of destruction.
Peter dodged attack after attack, his Spider-Sense guiding him like an expert gymnast through increasingly narrow escapes. But he knew all too well that a single mistake could cost him his life.
Luckily, Peter had one clear advantage, his flexibility. The tight confines of the sewer played to his strengths, while Connors' massive form struggled to fit through smaller passages.
"Had I known the lizard was this tough, I'd have swapped jobs with Bren," Peter muttered wryly, his wit never failing him even in dire situations.
Unbeknownst to him, Bren might have gladly taken that trade.
…
Elsewhere, in Oscorp Tower, Bren stood surrounded by mutated lizard creatures.
In his hand was a vial containing the antidote serum.
The serum wasn't for these creatures; it was intended for Connors himself. Besides, these mutants had been altered using Dr. Animo's mutation device, rendering the antidote useless on them.
"The watch hasn't cooled down yet… I just need to stall for time," Bren muttered, glancing at the glowing red face of his device. He couldn't transform just yet.
The mutated lizards closed in, and Bren's Spider-Sense screamed like a blaring alarm.
In an instant, the creatures attacked in unison, their sheer numbers creating a wave of darkness that crashed toward him.
Bren rolled the serum vial along the ground for safety, then grabbed the edge of a nearby lab table. With immense force, he swung the heavy table like a giant fly swatter.
BANG!
The lizards were sent flying, their pained screeches echoing through the lab.
The desk, however, was destroyed in the process.
Bren surveyed the creatures cautiously. Their wounds, inflicted just moments ago, were already healing, a testament to their lizard-like regenerative abilities.
Realizing prolonged combat was futile, Ben bolted from the lab.
The mutants followed, bulldozing through walls and debris as if they were paper. The once-pristine lab was reduced to rubble in seconds.
"This time, I'm definitely bringing web-shooters," Bren grumbled.
He leapt several meters, clinging to the vertical wall of the Oscorp Tower's central atrium.
But the lizards weren't deterred. Though they lacked Bren's bioelectric grip, their claws dug into the walls like iron hooks, allowing them to pursue him like relentless predators.
Their speed was astonishing, forcing Bren to reassess his plan.
"I need to lure them to the rooftop," he decided. Letting them escape into the city wasn't an option. Just one of these creatures could wreak havoc in the sewers, spreading chaos and contamination.
Bren delivered a powerful kick to one lizard, sending it flying. Another attacked from his blind spot, but he ducked instinctively, grabbing its tail mid-swing.
Channeling all his strength, Bren began swinging the lizard like a makeshift flail.
"Lizard meteor hammer!"
The airborne creature smashed into others, scattering them like bowling pins.
"Strike!" Bren cheered briefly, but his celebration was short-lived.
A surge of danger tingled through his senses, a threat more potent than the rest.
WHOOSH!
A razor-sharp limb sliced through the air, missing him by mere inches.
Bren rolled to safety, turning to face the new menace.
A colossal spider, towering like a skyscraper, loomed over him. Its armored body glistened like polished steel, and its eight legs pierced the walls like spears.
Bren instinctively stepped back.
"Did Animo mutate Oscorp's spiders too?" he muttered.
The spider lunged, its massive pincers poised to snap him in half. Behind him, the lizards closed in, leaving him trapped.
The spider's pincer struck, but instead of slicing through him, it halted abruptly, sparking against an unyielding surface.
The beast recoiled, its armored body trembling.
In the reflection of its multifaceted eyes, Bren's human form was gone.
Standing in his place was a gleaming warrior of crystalline brilliance, a towering figure of pure diamond.
The Diamondhead!
Bren seized the spider's pincers, snapping them with ease.
"Sorry, but I'm not adding another limb today," he quipped.
Armed with his new form's incredible strength, Bren prepared to take the fight to the monsters.
**********
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