Chapter 26: Bonds of Mortality - Part 5

That day, I was out on patrol like always… completely unaware that something so big—at least to me—something huge was about to happen.

“Ma’am, try not to drop it again, okay?”

“Oh my, thank you, Spider-Man.”

I helped an old lady who had dropped her wallet.

“Here you go. Got it back safe.”

“Thank you! I really didn’t think I’d see it again!”

I stopped a purse-snatcher and returned the bag to the woman.

“Thank you!”

I saved a kid who almost got hit by a car.

Caught a bank robber.

Helped a guy painting a billboard.

Rescued a driver from a crashed vehicle.

Before I knew it, the sky had gone dark.

Ah—I must’ve gotten too wrapped up in helping people again.

On my days off, it’s not uncommon for me to spend the whole day doing just that.

That’s why people in New York call me their “Friendly Neighborhood” Spider-Man.

“With great power comes great responsibility.”

…Those were the words of my late uncle.

Anyone with great power has great responsibility.

Not just for themselves, but for the world—for others.

If someone ends up suffering because I chose to “do nothing”… that, I just couldn’t bear.

Besides—

I don’t hate helping people.

Being thanked, praised… that kind of thing feels really good, you know?

Maybe that’s part of it, too.

…Haaah.

I wonder what Michelle’s doing right now.

Lately, there’s been a girl I can’t stop thinking about.

It’s not like I’m constantly out of it or anything, but… when I have a quiet moment, her face just pops into my mind.

She was that charming.

I think the moment it really hit me was last week… when we had cake together, just the two of us.

I showed up late—because of my Spider-Man stuff, of course—but even though she had no idea why, she still forgave me.

“Because I know you’d never break a promise for no reason, Peter.”

That’s what she said.

She knew I was hiding something, but she didn’t try to pry. She didn’t get angry. She accepted it… smiled at me.

She was so understanding… and just…

That was when I realized, without a doubt—as clearly as a black-and-white silhouette—

I was in love with her.

Today, she’s out shopping with her friend—Gwen. Gwen’s a little sharp-tongued, but she’s kind.

Well, I think she was out. By now, they’ve probably wrapped things up.

I wasn’t eavesdropping or anything, but I happened to overhear Michelle saying she wanted to “go buy some girly clothes,” and asked Gwen to come along.

“Girly”…?

Now that I think about it, Michelle usually dresses pretty casually. Shirts and pants… or shorts. That’s kind of her thing.

I always thought it suited her. It felt like her.

But maybe she didn’t think it was “girly.”

She did wear a dress last week, so it’s not like she doesn’t have any “girly” clothes.

…Oh, right. That outfit was really cute.

Maybe I should’ve asked to take a picture.

Anyway, today she was out shopping with Gwen… and honestly, I kinda wanted to tag along.

But come on—going with them while they shop for clothes? That’s a bit much for me…

Haaah. Stuff like this is probably why Gwen keeps calling me a “wimp.”

Even just being the bag carrier would've been fine… I should’ve gone.

“…Guess I’ll call it a day.”

I forced myself to stand up and looked around.

I was on top of a 22-story building. The view from up here was beautiful.

The sky had gone dark, and the lights from buildings and cars lit up the city like holiday decorations.

Just as I was about to head home—

A sound came through my earpiece.

It was a call forwarded from my phone.

The caller… was Gwen.

What could she want?

Oh, right.

I’d asked her to find out what kind of guy Michelle liked.

Did she get the answer today?

Must be that—Gwen would never call me otherwise.

I pressed the button and answered.

“Hello? Gwen? What’s up—”

“Hello, Spidey…”

But the voice I heard wasn’t Gwen’s. In fact, it wasn’t even a woman’s voice.

Still, I recognized it.

And anyone who knows I’m Spider-Man, and casually calls me “Spidey,” could only be—

“Norman…!?”

“Nope. Not quite. I’m the Green Goblin.”

A voice that shouldn’t be possible to hear.

Because he—because I—put him in prison…

“Wh-Why… Why do you have Gwen’s phone…?!”

“Gwen? Ah, Gwen. Gwen Stacy… The little lady’s lying right next to me now, fast asleep.”

“Don’t screw aro—”

“No, no, Spidey. I’m always serious. Now listen closely… unless you want poor sweet Gwen to die…”

I felt like the ground beneath me had fallen away.

“What do you want…!?”

“What do I want? What do I want…? Come on now, is that really important right now? What matters is you want to save her, right? Then you already know what to do, don’t you? Come to me. Simple as that. Haha.”

The Goblin laughed, mocking me.

“W-Where…?”

“It’d be fun to make you figure it out yourself, but that’d be kind of cruel. Plus, I’m not exactly free forever. If I have to wait too long, I might get bored and kill her myself, y’know?”

“Where are you!?”

“Easy now, don’t get so worked up. I was just about to tell you. By the way, Spidey—ever been yelled at by your mom? Like, when you were about to do something, and she yelled at you to do it right then? Nothing kills the mood like—”

“Don’t screw with me…! I’m gonna find you and beat the hell out of you!”

“Ooh, scary scary.”

I slammed my fist into the wall in a rage. The Goblin let out a voice somewhere between surprise and mockery.

"The location... is a building under demolition, 200 meters southeast of Oscorp Tower. Oh, and I’ve got one more rule to add. If you even think about telling anyone else, the moment I find out—I'll slaughter your precious little lady. Come alone... before I change my mind."

Hah.

Hahaha.

Hahahahahaha.

With a maniacal burst of laughter, the call abruptly ended.

My heart darkened—clouded by rage toward him, fear for Gwen, and a mounting sense of panic. I leapt from the rooftop.

I had to save her.

Please... be safe—

For the first time in a long while, I found myself praying to a god I didn’t really believe in.

---

The Oscorp building—near it stood the demolition site.

When I arrived, I noticed lights shining from the upper levels.

Inside, it was mostly hollow. Walls and ceilings stripped away, steel frames left exposed in places.

The lower floors were mostly torn down, but the very top level was still intact and out of view.

He’s up there.

I was sure of it. I fired my webs and scaled the building at full speed.

Seventeenth floor, by count.

Each support beam was a fatal fall waiting to happen. I kicked off them one by one, climbing upward.

And then—I saw him.

The exact same figure from nearly a year ago: Norman Osborn, the Green Goblin.

But Gwen wasn’t in his hands. I didn’t see her anywhere.

Where…?

As I scanned the area, he noticed me and spoke.

“Well, well. Long time no see, Spidey.”

Wearing his signature green armor, he greeted me casually—

Like we were old friends catching up.

“…Goblin. Where’s Gwen?”

Anger surged through me—every fiber of my being wanted to pummel the smirk off his face. But with Gwen still unaccounted for, I couldn’t make a move.

“Oh, come on. First thing you do when we reunite is ask about another girl? At least hear me out a little.”

With that, the Goblin sat down on a folding chair in front of him.

“Take a look outside.”

“Outside…?”

“Yeah. See the crane? Look at the end of it.”

I turned my eyes toward the large crane extending from the rooftop.

It stretched outward from the building like a long metallic arm.

Wait.

There’s something—no, someone—out there.

“Yoink.”

He pressed a switch.

Lights flicked on, illuminating the crane.

And at its tip… I saw her.

“G-Gwen…!”

There she was.

No trace of her usual spirit or brightness. Eyes closed, unconscious. Bound tightly with rope, her body hung from the edge of the crane.

“Yep. Gwen Stacy. Your precious little friend, right?”

I bit my lip.

The Goblin—he’s the only villain who knows the truth. That Spider-Man is Peter.

I gained my powers when I was bitten by a genetically modified spider—at a science exhibit hosted by Oscorp. In other words—

Norman Osborn was there the moment Spider-Man was born.

He saw me pass out after the bite. Saw me being carried away by paramedics.

He had the clues.

And when we faced off as Spider-Man and Goblin—he confirmed his suspicions and uncovered my identity.

He kept that secret to himself. Even after his arrest, during those first few days, I was on edge, constantly waiting for the worst.

But nothing happened.

Why? I still don’t know.

Was it some sliver of humanity deep inside Norman holding him back? Or was it the Goblin’s twisted idea of fun?

Whatever the reason—

“…Let her go.”

I focused entirely on getting Gwen out of there.

“Well, let’s see… Maybe I’ll consider it—if you agree to become my partner.”

“Partner…?”

"That’s right. I like this world. It’s so damn fun I can’t get enough of it. That’s why—I want to enjoy it even more. But hey, I’m not asking you to join me in the fun or anything."

The Goblin laughed gleefully.

"You just have to let me go… You get it, right? Even if I kill someone, all you gotta do is stay quiet and watch… Do that, and the girl gets to live. What do you say?"

He raised a finger.

It pointed first at me, then at Gwen, back and forth.

…Like hell I’m letting him go.

But for now…

"Fine. I’ll let you go. So let Gwen—"

"Liar. Bzzt, wrong answer, Peter Parker. I like lying, but I hate being lied to."

Click—the Goblin pressed a button on the buckle at his waist.

An explosion erupted outside the window.

"What—"

"Goodbyyye, blondie. Too bad Spidey turned his back on ya. You’re gonna die, ain’t that a shame?"

That sound—it was the clamp rigged to the crane exploding.

I caught a glimpse of orange fragments.

It was one of those bombs the Goblin loves—manufactured by Oscorp. Pumpkin-colored. That’s why they call them Pumpkin Bombs.

The crane’s hook shattered. The restraints holding Gwen were released, and she was hurled into the air.

"Gwen!"

I shattered the windowpane and threw myself forward, firing my web.

I aimed for the rope wrapped around Gwen and latched my web onto it.

Lying prone at the window’s edge, I held tight, keeping her from falling...

Ah.

Right now, I’m at the edge of a building.

Gwen’s outside the building, falling.

And now, I’ve connected my web to her.

Which means… Gwen swung like a pendulum—straight into the building’s outer wall.

"……ッ!?"

"Oof! Bet that hurt, huh?"

The Goblin jeered from behind, mocking my blunder.

Gwen must’ve taken an impact equal to falling from several meters high.

Blood was trickling from her head.

"Dammit…"

As I sank into despair, a heavy foot stomped down on my back.

"Ugh!?"

"And now the game begins! The name is ‘Life or Death?! Can Spidey Save the Girl?’ Let’s go!"

He stomped again.

My spine groaned under the pressure.

I almost lost my grip on the web.

Almost. But I won’t let go.

Because Gwen is on the other end of it.

He kicked me in the ribs, stomped on the back of my head, crushed my foot.

"D-Dammit!"

"Feels good, doesn’t it, Spidey? Ever since you threw me in jail, I’ve been dreaming of how to get my revenge. Sucks to admit it, but you’re stronger than me. I can’t beat you head-on."

The Goblin pretended to sob.

"So I’ll kill the people you care about. One by one, right in front of your eyes."

"Stop it. Goblin…!"

"Nope. Telling me to stop ain’t gonna make me stop! Next up… let’s see… that little blonde brat. What was her name again…… Ah, right."

The Goblin clapped his hands.

While he was rambling, I slowly tried to reel Gwen up, bit by bit…

"Michelle, wasn’t it? I’ll rip her apart right in front of you next."

Rage boiled over in my brain.

I tried to fire a web with the hand not holding onto Gwen.

"Whoops. Not so fast."

The Goblin kicked that arm, sending the web flying in the wrong direction.

"…You just don’t get it, do you? You still don’t understand the situation you’re in."

With that, the Goblin reached for his belt buckle and pulled out a shuriken shaped like a bat—Razorbat.

“It’s about time for the climax.”

“What are you—?”

The Goblin stepped to the window and raised his weapon-wielding arm.

That’s when I realized what he was about to do.

“S-Stop!”

“I already told you, Spidey! You can shout ‘stop’ all you want—”

He hurled the bat-shaped shuriken.

“—but no one ever actually stops.”

The shuriken flew—aimed not at me, but at the web line connecting Gwen to my hand.

Time slowed to a crawl.

The shuriken sliced clean through the web.

I stood up and aimed my web-shooter to reconnect—

But the Goblin grabbed my arm and twisted it.

Gwen began to fall, in complete free fall now.

No.

No, no, no!

“Gwen!”

“Say your goodbyes, Spidey! When she hits, she’s gonna splatter like a crushed tomato!”

At that moment, a window on the fifth floor of the building across the street shattered.

“Huh?”

The Goblin let out a dumbfounded grunt.

Someone had crashed through the broken glass.

It was… him.

Red mask. Black suit. Redcap.

He dove straight for Gwen, wrapped his arms around her mid-fall, and continued descending.

Then, from his right hand, he fired something like a hook—embedding it into the wall of this very building.

Sparks flew as it scraped along, his feet catching against the wall, halting the fall just in time.

“Gwen…”

I didn’t know why or how, but one thing was clear—he saved her.

“Tch! Damn party crasher!”

The Goblin kicked me in the side again.

My body, battered from being beaten over and over, couldn’t dodge in time.

“Ugh—!”

“This is it for today, but—!”

The Goblin pressed the control panel on his wrist.

Suddenly, something flew in from the back of the room.

A flying platform—his glider.

He jumped onto it and soared upward.

“But Spidey, don’t forget what I said. I’m gonna tear apart everything you care about. So go on, treasure ‘em while you still can! Hahahahahaha!!”

Cackling wildly, the Goblin took off.

He flew away, leaving the building behind.

I… considered chasing after him for just a second—but chose instead to head for Gwen, who was now at street level.

Everything hurt.

I was sure a few bones were broken.

Even so, I used my web to descend—masking the pain as best I could—and landed on the ground.

…Standing right before me was Redcap, holding Gwen in his arms.

Blood was running from Gwen’s head.

Her clothes were torn in several places.

…She was probably injured even worse than I was.

As I thought that, the red mask gazing down at Gwen slowly turned to face me.

“A laceration on the head, spinal fracture, multiple contusions and abrasions… severe trauma.”

The voice was androgynous—flat, mechanical, emotionless. I couldn’t read what he was thinking at all.

“…You saved her?”

“Not for your sake, Spider-Man. This is a deal. I’m offering you a trade.”

With that, he held Gwen out to me.

“I’m going to kill the Green Goblin—Norman Osborn. You take her to a hospital. And stay out of my way.”

His words hit me like a hammer to the skull.

“Kill… him?”

“Yes. His death doesn’t inconvenience you, does it?”

He handed Gwen to me.

…She was lighter than I expected.

“Killing him… isn’t right.”

“There’s no other choice.”

“But still—”

“That girl is critically wounded. If she doesn’t reach a hospital immediately, she may die. You don’t have time to argue.”

“…Fine. But… I don’t agree with this.”

“I don’t need your agreement. Just go.”

I held Gwen close, making sure not to jostle her too much as I moved through the city on my web.

When I looked back—

Redcap was already gone.