Chapter Summaries

Dilos discovered that his mutation had given him retractable tiger claws, greatly increased strength and senses, Spider-Sense, and the ability to stick to ceilings. The chapter ended when Dr. Connors called to report that someone had broken into the lab and stolen all the experimental serums.

• Dilos made four pairs of enormous, durable claws emerge from the webbing between his fingers and found that they could gouge an aluminum alloy baseball bat.
• Dilos crushed the baseball bat without trying and broke a syringe needle while attempting to take a blood sample.
• Dilos discovered his heightened senses and a threat-detecting ability he identified as Spider-Sense.
• Dilos found himself stuck to the ceiling, then fell when the suction in his feet disappeared and landed safely.
• Dilos answered his ringing phone, and Dr. Connors told him someone had broken into the lab and stolen all the experimental serums.

After thieves stole three vials of Dr. Connors's serum and wrecked his lab, Dilos discovered his telepathy had grown stronger and realized Dr. Connors was still in danger. He offered to shelter Dr. Connors and discuss the situation at his rental place.

• Dr. Connors told Dilos that the serum had been stolen but the research records were safe because he had kept them out of electronic storage.
• Dilos burned the second-generation Mutant Spiders, discovered he could easily control hundreds and crush their minds, and destroyed the remaining evidence of his serum.
• Dilos arrived at Dr. Connors's lab and found its entrance blasted open and several pieces of equipment smashed.
• Dr. Connors told Dilos that three serum vials were missing and that the thieves had struck while he was away.
• Dilos offered Dr. Connors money to rebuild the lab, then invited him to stay at his rental place because the thieves might target him next.

Dr. Connors refused both Dilos’s offer of a place to stay and S.H.I.E.L.D.’s protection, despite warnings that the people who stole his research would return. After overhearing Coulson’s private instructions with suddenly enhanced hearing, Dilos decided to go home and investigate the changes to his body.

• Dilos offered Dr. Connors a place to stay, but Connors refused because he feared putting Dilos in danger.
• Agent Phil Coulson arrived with four agents, identified S.H.I.E.L.D., and urged Dr. Connors to accept protection.
• Dr. Connors rejected Coulson’s offer, suspecting S.H.I.E.L.D. wanted his research, and Coulson left with his team.
• Dilos heard Coulson’s distant conversation about assigning Teams B and C to watch Dr. Connors, then realized his hearing had temporarily become much stronger.
• Dilos decided not to persuade Dr. Connors again and headed home to investigate his altered body and adjust his penetrating vision.

Dilos examined the mutations in his body and discovered that his nerves had developed enough to let him control the shape and movement of his claws. He tested his enhanced strength and learned he could control his electrostatic adhesion, though his heightened senses still needed practice.

• Dilos used his Super Glasses to inspect his body and found strange, muscle-like structures throughout it that helped make his skin resistant to blades and bullets.
• Dilos transformed his fingers into long claws and discovered he could reshape and move them by controlling the muscles and dense nerves beneath his skin.
• Dilos changed his claws into different forms, including curved blades, a rod, and a dagger, but found they could not detach and had a maximum length of thirty centimeters.
• Dilos tested his strength at a junkyard and estimated that he could exert around one ton of force normally and three tons in a burst.
• Dilos decided he still needed to control his enhanced hearing and smell, then demonstrated that he could easily activate his electrostatic adhesion to lift a keyboard with one finger.

Kingpin ordered Train to bring him a new subject for a job after scientists failed to reproduce Connors's serum. In Dilos, Dilos intervened when a restaurant owner racially abused an Asian girl, earning her thanks while secretly using telepathy to sway the crowd.

• Kingpin questioned the scientists' progress on the green serum, and Train reported that the men responsible for the recent trouble had become test subjects for Tyrannosaurus.
• Kingpin ordered Train to bring him a man for a job, and Train left relieved that Kingpin had spared him.
• Dilos, having gained better control of his enhanced abilities, heard a restaurant owner insult and try to eject an Asian girl who had already ordered food.
• Dilos stood up for the girl, threatened to expose the owner, and rallied the onlookers until the owner apologized and handed over her food.
• The girl thanked Dilos as he prepared to leave, while he secretly reflected that he had used telepathy to influence the crowd.

Dilos met Qin Jiayin and suspected she might be a Mutant after noticing her reaction to the word, though he chose not to question her. Back at his rental house, he disguised himself as Bruce to receive a package, then used its 3D printer to make a sinister skull mask for his plans.

• Dilos introduced himself to Qin Jiayin, spoke with her in Chinese, and exchanged contact information with her.
• Dilos recalled that Qin Jiayin's heartbeat and breathing had changed when a man nearly called her a Mutant, but decided not to ask about her abilities.
• Dilos altered his appearance and wore a black wig to receive a large package under the name Bruce.
• Dilos opened the package, set up its 3D printer, and produced a white, demonic skull mask to conceal his identity.

Dilos watched reports of Batman’s growing impact in Gotham and anticipated a major upheaval, so he hurried his preparations. Meanwhile, Kingpin angrily blamed Batman for the loss of twenty bases and ordered Train to carry out a plan in three days.

• Dilos saw news reports that Batman had helped lower Gotham City’s crime rate, while the police commissioner vowed to hunt him down.
• Dilos condemned Gotham’s corrupt law enforcement and sensed the city would soon erupt into conflict, prompting him to speed up his gadget work and future plans.
• Kingpin raged over Batman’s destruction of twenty of his bases while Train stayed silent beside him.
• Kingpin told Train he had changed his mind and ordered him to carry out their plan in three days, and Train agreed.

Dilos ran into Qin Jiayin at a mall, teased her about desserts, and amazed her with his rapid mental arithmetic before they shared an awkwardly flirtatious conversation at a coffee shop. A sudden sense of danger made Dilos tackle Qin Jiayin to the floor just before a black car smashed through the coffee shop window and crushed a server.

• Dilos found Qin Jiayin looking at desserts and teased her until she angrily walked away.
• Dilos caught up with Qin Jiayin, and she challenged him with difficult arithmetic questions that he answered correctly within seconds.
• Dilos continued teasing Qin Jiayin until she shouted at him, then tried to make peace by offering to pay for her meals.
• Dilos accidentally suggested that he spoke sweetly only to Qin Jiayin, leaving them both embarrassed.
• Dilos sensed danger and tackled Qin Jiayin to the floor as a black car burst through the coffee shop window and crushed a server.

After a catastrophic traffic shutdown and the collapse of communications across the United States, Dilos suspected Kingpin was behind the crisis. He and Qin Jiayin sheltered from a panicked crowd and discovered two enormous lizard-like monsters crushing cars in the street.

• Dilos saved Qin Jiayin from a sedan that flew through the intersection, then saw that a massive traffic collision had killed and injured people.
• Dilos learned that traffic across the United States had stopped and failed to reach Chloe, Gabe, or anyone else by phone or internet.
• Dilos considered who could have caused the crisis and identified Wilson Fisk, also known as Kingpin, as his prime suspect.
• Dilos pulled Qin Jiayin into a supermarket as hundreds of terrified people fled down the street.
• Dilos saw two five-meter-tall, half-human, half-lizard monsters crush a car beneath their feet.

Dilos and Qin Jiayin hid from two enormous Lizard Monsters, but after the monsters devoured a man and began hunting the fleeing crowd, Dilos used his ability to carry Qin Jiayin up a wall and escape.

• Dilos hid with Qin Jiayin behind cargo and watched the two Lizard Monsters approach.
• The Lizard Monsters sensed a middle-aged man beneath a truck, flipped the vehicle, and ate him.
• Dilos decided they had to leave because the monsters could detect their scent.
• People fled from their hiding places, and the Lizard Monsters chased them down and killed them.
• Dilos scooped up Qin Jiayin and climbed a wall using static electricity to escape while the monsters pursued the crowd.

Dilos and Qin Jiayin took refuge on a rooftop, but the two Lizard Monsters climbed the building and cut off their escape. Dilos chose to confront them, launching himself down the wall to attack the smaller monster.

• Dilos brought Qin Jiayin to the rooftop and asked her to keep his powers secret; she realized he already knew her own secret and agreed.
• Dilos refused to risk a direct fight, explaining that the Lizard Monsters were stronger than he was and that he hoped armed responders would arrive.
• The two Lizard Monsters spotted Dilos and Qin Jiayin, then climbed the building toward them.
• Qin Jiayin urged Dilos to escape without her, but Dilos told her not to give up and jumped off the rooftop.
• Dilos ran down the wall and launched himself at the smaller Lizard Monster, slashing toward its eye.

Dilos killed one Lizard Monster by tearing out its eye and attacking its brain, then tested Heat Vision on a second monster and discovered it could heal less severe injuries. He drew the second monster’s attention and fled down the building wall, with the monster in pursuit.

• Dilos clung to the first Lizard Monster, pierced its eye, and sent An Jin through its optic nerve to damage its brain.
• Dilos used his psychic power to crush the dying monster’s mental signal, and it fell to its death.
• Dilos fired Heat Vision at the second Lizard Monster’s eye and saw it heal the burn quickly.
• Dilos checked the first monster’s corpse and reasoned that the Lizard Monsters could not heal injuries that were too severe.
• Dilos threw a chunk of wall to provoke the second monster, then sprinted down the building as it chased him.

Dilos escaped the Lizard Monster’s pursuit down a building, but the monster leapt after him and caused extensive destruction in the street. With escape no longer a viable option, Dilos entered Spirit Snake Wild Dance and charged into a direct fight as the Lizard Monster rushed to meet him.

• Dilos outran the Lizard Monster down the building and fled along a street, but the monster leapt from the wall to attack him.
• Dilos dodged the monster’s landing, which cracked the road, sent cars flying, and sparked explosions.
• Dilos realized the monster’s strength and stamina would wear him down if he kept running, so he prepared to fight.
• Dilos entered Spirit Snake Wild Dance, strengthening his body and raising his combat power.
• Dilos charged at the Lizard Monster, which sensed the change and rushed to meet him.

Dilos fought the Lizard Monster while using his enhanced Spirit Snake Wild Dance state, but its fast, agile tail kept him from landing a decisive attack. He rejected the chance to escape and faced the monster, still searching for a way to defeat it.

• Dilos dodged the Lizard Monster’s strike, leaped onto its shoulder, and tried to attack its face, but Spider-Sense warned him to escape its tail.
• The Lizard Monster began fighting more cautiously and used its tail to block Dilos’s repeated attempts to get close.
• Dilos dodged a series of tail strikes, but one grazed his back and left him in pain.
• Dilos considered fleeing because his enhanced state would not last, then saw a figure on a distant building and decided to stay.
• Dilos and the Lizard Monster faced off until Dilos exclaimed that he had an idea.

Dilos used cars to provoke the Lizard Monster into chasing him, then drenched it in gasoline and set the fuel alight. The resulting explosion killed the monster, leaving Dilos safely outside the blast zone.

• Dilos repeatedly threw cars at the Lizard Monster until it grew enraged and charged after him.
• Dilos outran the Lizard Monster through a familiar route for ten minutes, tiring himself as he led it around the same tanker truck twenty-eight times.
• Dilos slashed the tanker's fuel outlet, soaking the pursuing Lizard Monster in gasoline.
• Dilos tossed a lit lighter into the spilled gasoline, setting the tanker and the Lizard Monster ablaze.
• Gasoline vapor exploded around the tanker, and Dilos watched from a safe distance as the Lizard Monster became a lifeless, charred lump.

After using the Spirit Snake Wild Dance, Dilos collapsed from severe physical and mental strain, but Qin Jiayin healed him at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. Once he recovered and learned his family and friends were safe, Ororo asked him for a favor.

• After the Spirit Snake Wild Dance ended, Dilos suffered intense pain and exhaustion before collapsing near the building where Qin Jiayin caught him and healed him.
• Dilos woke three hours later in Qin Jiayin’s bedroom, recovered from his pain and mental fatigue, and realized her power could heal others.
• Dilos and Qin Jiayin thanked each other for saving one another and laughed together.
• Ororo Munroe introduced herself as a teacher at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters and told Dilos that the communications and internet problems had been resolved.
• Qin Jiayin assured Dilos that Chloe and his other friends and family were safe, and explained that she had told them he was helping injured people.
• Ororo asked Dilos if he would do her a favor.

Dilos met Ororo at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, revealed that he had Mutant powers, and agreed to visit the students as an author. After Ororo left, Qin Jiayin told him about her life at the school and explained that most of its teachers were away responding to unrest.

• Dilos told Ororo that he believed Mutants were like ordinary people and revealed his ivory-white claws, asking her not to blame Qin Jiayin for keeping his powers secret.
• Ororo explained that everyone at the school was a Mutant and invited Dilos to meet the students because they enjoyed his books; Dilos agreed to stay for a few days and visit them.
• Qin Jiayin told Dilos that Professor Charles Xavier had brought her from China and protected her after someone reported her Mutant ability.
• Dilos comforted Qin Jiayin about her healing power and asked where Professor Charles and the other teachers were.
• Qin Jiayin explained that Professor Charles and another teacher were overseas, while several teachers had left to help address unrest, leaving Jean, Ororo, and two others to protect the students.

After recovering from Spirit Snake Wild Dance, Dilos discovered that his strength and senses had improved, then learned about Kingpin’s failed attempt to seize control of the United States and his escape. At Stark Mansion, Obadiah concealed his role in arming Kingpin and began plotting to remove Tony.

• Dilos recovered overnight with increased strength and sharper senses, but decided that forcing his body into Spirit Snake Wild Dance would harm his long-term development.
• Dilos learned that Kingpin had used superviruses and tens of thousands of Lizard Monsters to cripple the United States, causing millions of deaths before a counterattack stopped the disaster.
• Qin Jiayin told Dilos that Kingpin had escaped with several men, and the catastrophe became known as the Day of Purgatory.
• Tony questioned Obadiah about Kingpin’s use of Stark weapons, and Obadiah falsely claimed that none had been sold or gone missing.
• Obadiah privately recalled that he had sold weapons to Kingpin and planned to gain more money and power by overcoming Tony.

After the disaster killed more than ten million people, Dilos watched America’s justice agencies purge officials and crack down on criminal groups as they struggled to restore public trust. At Wayne mansion in Gotham City, Bruce Wayne warned Alfred that the reforms were temporary and excessive, while Alfred teased him about visiting Miss Rachel.

• Dilos reflected on the devastation and resolved to grow stronger while keeping a low profile.
• The American public learned that Kingpin had been a powerful crime boss and that a military figure had sold him weapons, sparking protests and threats against justice agencies.
• The president resigned, senior officials were purged, and justice agencies launched a sweeping crackdown on criminal groups while sending personnel nationwide to help with rescue and relief.
• Dilos watched the news and blamed America’s justice agencies for previously allowing criminal forces to operate through collusion and deals.
• At Wayne mansion, Bruce Wayne told Alfred that the crackdown was temporary and that its harsh measures had gone too far.
• Alfred urged Bruce to see the positive side and teased him about visiting Miss Rachel, leaving Bruce embarrassed.

Dilos comforted the grieving Kitty Pryde at the Xavier Institute, helping her cry and smile again. Ororo thanked him, explained that Kitty’s human friend had been killed during the Day of Purgatory, and arranged for Dilos to meet the students the next day.

• Dilos found Kitty Pryde crying alone with a photograph and invited her to stay and talk.
• Dilos comforted Kitty, encouraged her to cry, and helped her feel better and smile.
• Ororo emerged after Kitty left, praised Dilos for comforting her, and asked him to spend time with the students the next day.
• Ororo told Dilos that Kitty’s human friend had been killed by an ordinary human during the Day of Purgatory.
• Dilos reflected on the advanced weapons, civilian violence, and widespread gun ownership that had contributed to the disaster’s enormous death toll.