Do You Have to Climb Out Through a Toilet? (Please Keep Reading)

In the sewers.

Connors crawled through the darkness.

The effects of the Lizard Serum had faded again.

After experiencing that kind of power, Connors simply could not bear his current weak self—maimed, frail, unable to fight back. Any random germ or tiny fragment of a corpse could destroy his life and kill him.

Above his head, in New York City, the lives of millions were just as fragile and pathetic.

"I can save them!"

Connors leaned weakly against a filthy wall, his face filled with fanaticism.

Boiling blood coursed through his frail body!

He felt a tremendous responsibility resting on his shoulders: to lead humanity, which had already reached the end of its evolutionary path, toward a broader world and onto an entirely new road.

Only by shedding their current fragile human bodies could humanity gain the strength and future to keep moving forward!

He thought.

"I will become that savior!"

"My inventions will benefit the entire world!"

Even though Connors had returned to human form, his mind had already been altered by the Lizard Serum. He believed humans were weak and inferior creatures, and that he could change all of this—spreading blessings to everyone and freeing them from the torment of illness forever.

Of course, Connors also knew that not everyone could accept the terrifying appearance of becoming a Lizard Man. But in his eyes, their resistance was merely because they had yet to experience the power that came with becoming one.

Once they tried it, they would immediately become addicted to that feeling. As for changes in appearance, who would care?

As Connors pondered this, a shrill voice suddenly came from behind him.

"A magnificent vision, Doctor!"

"Who are you?!" Connors immediately became wary.

He turned around and peered vigilantly into the darkness. Deep within the pitch-black pipes, an elderly man with bluish skin walked out, gazing at him with admiration.

"You may call me Doctor Animo!" Animo grinned with shriveled, vampire-like lips and spoke excitedly.

He did not care about the filthy sewer environment in the slightest. With passionate fervor, he said:

"Doctor Connors, I am someone who shares your ambitions. We both want to change this world and make it a better place!"

Naturally, Connors would not be so easily fooled by a few words from Animo. He stared at Animo coldly, like a cold-blooded animal watching its prey, ready to attack at any moment.

"Don't be nervous, Doctor Connors. I mean you no harm," Animo said softly. "On the contrary, I have come to offer you a precious gift."

Animo clapped his hands. Behind him, terrifying echoes immediately rang through the empty sewers, deafening like continuous, muffled thunder.

Connors's instincts instantly filled him with a powerful sense of danger.

He looked into the darkness. There, four scarlet eyes glowed!

Then, the monster in the darkness approached like a mountain.

Connors stared in shock.

"Allow me to formally introduce it!" Though Animo's clothes were shabby, he put on the grandest display of ceremony, raising both hands as though presenting a priceless treasure to an audience at an exhibition.

"My masterpiece!"

"A Mutant Creature!"

Connors froze in place.

What stood before him was a gigantic frog-like creature three or four meters tall, as huge as a mountain. It could swallow a person whole in a single bite!

"How did you do it?" Connors was an expert in reptilian research. Though frogs were not lizards, he had studied them as well. But given a frog's physical structure, it was simply impossible for one to grow this large!

Its skeleton could not support its current weight. Gravity would crush it into a pile of pulp!

"This is the greatness of my invention, the Gene Variator!" Animo proudly pointed at the device on his head, though he cunningly concealed the fact that he could control Mutant Creatures.

He continued, "This world is not so simple, Doctor Connors."

As a genius scientist capable of building fifth-level technology by hand with parts bought from a supermarket, Doctor Animo had immediately conducted some research into this world after arriving here.

He had not only found information on Iron Man, but also uncovered an organization called "S.H.I.E.L.D."

That was why Animo had remained extremely cautious in his actions so far.

He took a step forward. Connors, however, remained rooted to the spot at the sight of the enormous mutant bullfrog. Animo continued, "Don't you think that, in order to realize our great vision, we need to obtain greater power and eliminate those who stand in our way?!"

He said it viciously, with all his strength!

"Biological evolution is survival of the fittest! The strong survive!"

"Your Lizard Serum and my mutant genes—if we join forces, we can create greater species, greater power, even more—"

Animo took a deep breath. His voice echoed through the pipes like the whisper of a god.

He was so excited that he nearly erupted, nearly threw back his head and roared, but he did not.

Instead, he walked to Connors's side and whispered into his ear:

"...a more glorious civilization."

Connors turned his head, seemingly stunned by Animo's grand ambition. He remained silent for a long time.

After a while, he finally said blankly, "You..."

A smile appeared on Animo's face as he waited for Connors's response and praise.

"Your breath stinks a little."

"What did you say?"

Animo nearly collapsed.

I told you all that, and all you care about is whether my breath stinks? I've hacked my way through more than a dozen streets with a blade, killing without blinking, and you're asking whether my eyes are dry?

Besides, you're so down-and-out that you live in a stinking sewer, and you still care whether I have bad breath?

"I said your breath stinks a little. Stay away from me." Connors pushed Animo away, then nodded and said:

"Your plan is quite good, but first, we need to get rid of someone in our way!"

Connors was naturally referring to Spider-Man.

However, Doctor Animo shook his head and mysteriously pulled out a tiny orange crystal. "We have more than one enemy. How could the power of a lizard alone be enough?"

"This is... amber?"

Midtown High School.

As usual, Ben was preparing to use the restroom.

But just then, his Spider-Sense suddenly exploded, and every hair on his body stood on end.

The next moment, the restroom shook as though a localized earthquake had struck. Before his astonished eyes, a section of the floor suddenly collapsed, and a green head burst out from underground while pushing up a toilet.

Ben: ...

Doctor Connors?

Do you really have to climb out through a toilet?

Ben did not understand it, but he was deeply shaken.