Early the next morning.
When Mark opened his eyes, the cobwebs on the ceiling swayed in the breeze.
Sunlight streamed through the window and fell beside his bed.
It was another beautiful day.
Mark got out of bed and stretched.
"An entire night passed that quickly? Looks like time moves differently in the game than in reality."
While washing up in the bathroom, he noticed something different about his body.
He took off his shirt in front of the mirror, and the sharply defined muscles sent a thrill through him.
His whole body brimmed with strength.
"Just as I thought! The stats from the game carry over into reality!"
He hurriedly took his equipment out of his backpack.
The Defense Helmet, the sword, and the cloth robe.
In the mirror, a down-and-out Demon Hunter appeared before Mark.
[Demon Hunter: Mark] [Rank: Apprentice] [Talent: None] [Attributes: Overall strength 2, overall speed 2, overall defense 2, spirit 1, stamina 50, health 50.] [Skills: Quick Movement (level 1), Jumping (level 1)] [Equipment: Common Helmet, Common Longsword, Common Cloth Robe.] [Demon Hound: Bruce (Elite)]
"Hahaha! I've gotten stronger!"
He put his equipment back into his backpack.
At this rate, even if he couldn't beat that green guy in three days, he should at least be able to protect himself.
In high spirits, he walked out of his room whistling.
In the living room, Peter Parker had already prepared breakfast.
When he saw Mark come out, he explained:
"Uncle Ben and Aunt May are back. They worked the night shift, so they're asleep."
Mark nodded. "They work hard. Don't worry, I'll look for a job."
He and Peter Parker were about the same age, but he had spent the past three years in a mental hospital and hadn't gone to college at all.
He already suspected that finding a job would be difficult.
Peter Parker was surprised by how emotionally stable Mark seemed.
Apparently, last night's medication had worked well.
He gave a relieved smile. "Mark, there's no need to rush. The most important thing for you is your illness..."
Halfway through, he suddenly realized he had said the wrong thing.
In movies, you weren't supposed to tell mentally ill people that they were ill.
"Sorry, I didn't mean that," Peter quickly apologized.
Mark waved it off. "It's fine. I'm not sick anyway."
"Right, you're not sick."
Peter Parker had predicted Mark's response.
In movies, mentally ill people always answered that way.
And so the two finished breakfast in silence.
"Want to watch TV?"
Without waiting for Mark to answer, Peter Parker thoughtfully switched on the television for him.
Strange figures appeared on the screen.
"Breaking news: At 11:05 last night, citizens witnessed Spider-Man and a green lizard appearing in the city..."
Spider-Man!
Mark was startled.
He instinctively looked at Peter Parker.
This guy had finally become Spider-Man.
Peter Parker was startled too.
Lizard Man!
He instinctively looked at Mark.
Why was this guy with Professor Connors?
The Motorcycle Helmet, bedsheet, and broom-wasn't that exactly what Mark had worn last night?
He'd gone out last night.
Before he could think any further, the scene on the television changed.
A middle-aged man in a sharp suit brushed a finger over his little mustache and grinned broadly.
"Dear viewers, the great Mr. Jameson is back!"
After laughing, his expression turned serious.
"I've already told you about the Lizard Man shown in that footage.
But as for this newly emerged Spider-Man, I can tell you with absolute certainty that this guy is evil!
I have nothing but contempt for anyone who hides behind a helmet or a mask. Nobody understands Spider-Man better than I do!"
J. Jonah Jameson grew more animated as he spoke. "Here and now, I declare that, since we cannot determine how dangerous Spider-Man is, I will provisionally classify him as an unidentified evil life-form. In other words-an Unknown Evil Entity!"
The moment that designation appeared, the corner of Mark's mouth twitched.
Sure enough, this guy was Spider-Man's number-one hater.
He glanced at Peter Parker without betraying anything.
The Motorcycle Helmet, the threadbare broom, and the bedsheet were all things from this house. He couldn't be mistaken.
It had to be him.
Apparently, Peter hadn't designed his Spider-Suit yet, so he was using those shabby things to hide his identity.
But Peter's right hand...
Mark was puzzled. The other Spider-Man in the footage clearly had two intact hands.
What was going on?
He couldn't figure it out.
Still, he believed he would find the answer soon.
But whatever the explanation, now that Peter had become Spider-Man, Mark couldn't shake the chill running down his back.
Unless something unexpected happened, something terrible was going to happen to him.
Beside him, Peter Parker was also sneaking glances at Mark.
So he'd gone out last night. No wonder there hadn't been a sound from his room.
Unknown Evil Entity? That was outright slander!
Mark was clearly just a patient who needed someone to look after him.
Even if Mark had gained superpowers, he was still a patient.
He needed someone to care for him.
Peter guessed that the accident three years ago might have given Mark superpowers.
He had seen plenty of superhero movies. The protagonist usually gained superpowers after an accident.
Art drew from reality.
In this world, superheroes came into being in just such a simple, unremarkable way.
Nobody found it strange.
Everyone accepted that absurd premise.
As he thought about it, Peter discreetly looked away from Mark.
"Haha, Spider-Man's outfit is really stylish," Peter Parker said with a forced laugh.
He didn't expose Mark. That would only worsen his condition.
Mark was thinking along the same lines.
He didn't reveal the other man's identity.
Peter's terrible acting couldn't fool anyone.
But he chose to respect him.
Yeah, I'm such an understanding Demon Hunter.
And so, in the room, neither of them spoke,
and the atmosphere grew increasingly strange.
Finally, Peter Parker remembered that he still had to go to his part-time job.
"Mark, I've got something to do. Stay home and watch TV. There are books in the room too. Take some time to get used to living here, and I'll take you out for some fresh air in a while."
With that, Peter Parker picked up his Prosthesis and hurried out.
Being home alone wasn't particularly boring for Mark.
He began searching his room.
At last, he found a crude Mechanical Arm hidden in the cabinet.
"So it really was you."
The corners of Mark's mouth lifted slightly, and he examined the Mechanical Arm in the cabinet.
The Mechanical Arm was crudely made and completely impractical. It was probably a failed prototype.
To look like an ordinary person, Peter always wore a Prosthesis when he went out, hiding his disability as best he could.
But behind the scenes, he had already used his ingenuity and excellent knowledge of biomechanical theory to develop a more practical Mechanical Prosthesis!
Yeah, that had to be it.
That was why Spider-Man looked able-bodied on television.
Mark chuckled. "That's Peter Parker for you. He's great at building things."
Then his smile faded.
In three days, he would face a life-or-death showdown.
He needed greater strength.