[As the surge of electricity raced toward him, Peter instinctively executed a swift backflip, landing atop a police car. Using the vehicle as a makeshift shield, he managed to block part of the current. Sparks sputtered from the web shooter on his left wrist, malfunctioning again, but fortunately, the right-hand launcher remained operational.]
[Peter's spider sense flared, heightening his awareness. In that suspended moment, he noticed the current snaking along the metal grille, creeping toward the handrail of a nearby staircase. A woman clutching her child was dangerously close, and on the opposite side, a man unknowingly reached out to steady himself on the electrified railing.]
[He could clearly see the steel railings above the stairs, the cluster of people descending in panic, and the police car engulfed in crackling electricity barreling toward them. The situation was dire.]
[In an instant, Peter devised a plan. Using his functional web shooter, he fired webs to both sides, creating a barrier that stopped the police car just in time, bouncing it backward before it could harm anyone.]
[Without missing a beat, he performed another agile backflip, shooting a web from his right hand while gripping the left-hand web tightly. He flung the left-hand web toward the man, yanking him away from the railing just as his fingers grazed it. Simultaneously, he fired another web at the woman, pulling her and her child to safety with all his strength.]
[The two civilians were mere seconds from electrocution. As Peter flipped above the crowd, the woman and the man, now safe, beamed grateful smiles at him before quickly fleeing the chaotic scene.]
[After ensuring their safety, Peter straightened and fixed his gaze on Max, who was now fully consumed by his electric rage. The crowd, witnessing Peter's heroics, erupted into cheers and applause, their fear momentarily replaced by admiration.]
["Today is my birthday!" Max roared, his voice crackling with fury as electricity surged in his hands. "It's time to light the candles!" His eyes burned with hatred as he prepared to unleash his power on Peter.]
[Peter reacted instantly, dodging to the side and launching himself upward with his webbing, narrowly evading Max's relentless electric blasts. Swinging through the air with practiced agility, he attached his web to a fire hose coiled at the roadside.]
[Landing smoothly, Peter yanked hard on the hose, causing it to burst open with a powerful spray of water. He swung the hose like a weapon, forcing Max to dodge, though the villain retaliated by sending another jolt of electricity at Peter.]
[The electric shock knocked Peter backward, but not before he managed to land a solid hit on Max with the heavy hose. Both were sent flying in opposite directions—Peter crashed into a newsstand, while Max slammed into the ground, rebounding into a large electronic billboard behind him.]
[Peter groaned from where he lay, momentarily stunned. Max, on the other hand, staggered to his feet, his eyes scanning the square with predatory precision. To him, the flow of electricity through the city's circuits was as clear as a roadmap.]
[With a sinister grin, Max grabbed two exposed power cables, pressing them to his body. He absorbed the energy greedily, his body glowing brighter with each passing second. The surge of power made him let out an inhuman roar.]
[Within moments, the entire square dimmed as Max siphoned the electricity. Then, with a deafening crack, a powerful electromagnetic pulse erupted from his body, sweeping across the surrounding buildings.]
[The giant screens adorning the square's perimeter flickered violently before crashing down onto the streets below. Debris rained from the buildings, sending the crowd into a frenzy of panic and terror.]
[Max hovered above the chaos, electricity arcing from his fingertips. Gwen, standing amidst the fleeing crowd, felt a surge of helplessness as she watched people scramble for safety.]
[Max gathered another massive charge in his hands, preparing to unleash it on the square below. The citizens screamed and scattered, while a frantic police officer barked into his walkie-talkie, "Has anyone seen Spider-Man? Where is Spider-Man?"]
[Just as Max was about to strike, a powerful jet of water blasted him from the sky, slamming him into the pavement.]
[The scene shifted, revealing Peter perched atop a fire truck, wearing a firefighter's helmet. He manned the high-pressure fire cannon alongside a group of firefighters. "Okay! That's enough! Good job, Mike! John! We did it!" Peter cheered, turning off the water and clapping his fellow firefighters on the back.]
[Max lay sprawled on the ground, electricity sputtering from his body as he struggled to move. Peter grinned, twirling the hose in his hands before realizing he had nowhere to holster it. Shrugging, he handed it back to the firefighters.]
[Two SWAT officers cautiously approached Max, who glared at them with simmering hostility. His voice was hoarse but filled with venom as he spat, "Spider-Man!!!"]
[Peter swung down from his webbing, landing softly beside Gwen. She stood alone now, everyone else having fled the scene. He glanced at her and teased, "England? Really?"]
[Before Gwen could respond, a chunk of debris crashed behind her, flattening a burning police car into a heap of twisted metal. She stared at the wreckage, then back at Peter, silent and contemplative.]
[Seeing her hesitation, Peter sighed and turned to leave. He knew better than to push for a deeper connection right now.]
[As he disappeared into the distance, Gwen whispered to herself, "Well said."]
"He's incredible! Gwen, did you see that? His spider sense is off the charts! It was like time froze for him, and he figured out exactly how to save everyone in a split second!"
The first-generation Spider-Man watched in awe, marveling at Peter's quick thinking and flawless execution. No wonder The Screen had praised his spider sense.
He had to admit, in this area, the second-generation Spider-Man surpassed him.
Gwen nodded in agreement. She had faced the first-generation Spider-Man numerous times while under the influence of Venom, and it was clear—while he was formidable, he couldn't rescue civilians as effortlessly as the second-generation Spider-Man.
The first-generation Spider-Man could endure numerous direct attacks, relying on his resilience. In contrast, the second-generation Spider-Man moved like a nimble assassin, relying on speed and agility. But when Peter took longer to get up after Max's attack, the first-generation Spider-Man shook his head slightly. It was evident that Peter's physical endurance wasn't on par with his own.
Max, meanwhile, was gripped with fear. He hadn't expected to see his future self wreak such havoc. He glanced nervously at Harry, who was approaching from the crowd. Harry's expression darkened as he processed the events unfolding on The Screen.
Harry narrowed his eyes, quickly understanding Max's thoughts. "Max, you have to realize, Peter doesn't want to hurt you. You've already achieved your wish—everyone knows who you are now."
"Yeah," Max muttered, staring at the defeated version of himself on the screen. "Everyone knows me." His heart was a tangle of emotions. He had always wanted recognition, but not at the cost of becoming a villain.
Harry pondered whether Max could avoid becoming this monstrosity if he chose a different path. But the thought was fleeting. Harry wasn't the type to manipulate someone's fate like that.
Meanwhile, many viewers were furious with the sniper who had fired the shot that originally enraged Max. Spider-Man had clearly been on the verge of calming him down, but the sniper's reckless decision had escalated the situation.
Outraged New Yorkers demanded accountability from the police department. The NYPD headquarters was once again surrounded by protesters, and Captain George Stacy sighed heavily, the weight of the city's frustration pressing down on him.
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