"No! This is outrageous!"
Thor was the first to step forward.
He strode up to Peter and held out his large hand.
"Kid, give me the lot. You can't go into this match."
Peter took a step back and instinctively hid the bamboo lot behind his back.
"But, Mr. Thor, those are the rules. I drew it..."
"To hell with the rules!" Thor said without room for argument. "This is a fight to the death, and you're still just a kid!"
"That damn purple egghead's underlings are all monsters who kill without blinking. Going out there would be suicide! Homelander's miracle beans are all gone!"
"And Earth has already lost two matches! What we need now is a clean, decisive victory to raise morale!"
Though Thor's words were blunt, he only wanted to protect Peter.
"Thor is right, kid. This isn't a school test where you can start over if you mess up. This is a death match."
Steve also stepped forward and patted Peter on the shoulder, speaking earnestly.
"Give the lot to Thor. You're still too young. You shouldn't have to bear this kind of pressure."
Tony had just gone through wild swings of grief and joy, and he spoke wearily as well. "Listen, pajama boy. Hand over the lot. Adults should clean up the messes adults made."
Everyone's eyes focused on Peter.
The pressure weighed down on him like a mountain.
In the past, that friendly neighborhood kid who only caught car thieves and muggers in Queens would have taken the easy way out and handed over the lot after being persuaded by so many top heroes.
But Peter was different now.
He remembered every word Homelander had said to him.
"No."
Peter shook his head.
"I won't hand it over."
"Mr. Thor, Captain, Mr. Stark."
"You