"Tobey, Garfield, give me thirty seconds!"
Little Peter's voice carried an undeniable resolve. The nanotech armor on his left hand had completely liquefied; the silvery-gray liquid metal crawled and gathered along his fingertips, eventually condensing into an extremely thin silver probe that gleamed coldly in the night. The armor on his entire left arm had vanished completely, leaving his exposed skin pale in the night wind, having lost even the most basic protection.
The total amount of material in the nanosuit is fixed. Losing his left arm means he will lose the full protection of one arm in the upcoming battle. But this is currently the only feasible way to do so without damaging the mechanical arm or harming Otto himself.
"Leave it to us!" Tobey shouted, and was the first to rush out.
He and Garfield, one on the left and one on the right, simultaneously shot out Silk. Tobey's Silk stuck to the joints of the two mechanical arms on the right, while Garfield's Silk wrapped around the two on the left. The two of them exerted their strength at the same time, pulling the four mechanical arms to both sides with all their might.
Doctor Octopus roared, and his four mechanical arms struggled wildly, the metal joints creaking under the strain. Tobey and Garfield's arms trembled, their Silk stretched taut, threatening to snap at any moment. But they gritted their teeth, their feet planted firmly on the ground, refusing to retreat an inch.
" Otto!" Tobey shouted as he strained, "I know you can hear me! Don't give up! Remember who you are! You are Otto Octavius, you are a scientist, not a monster!"
Seizing the fleeting opening, Little Peter shot out like an arrow. Using the pull of the Silk, he flipped in the air and rushed straight towards the mechanical arm base behind Doctor Octopus —where the core control module of the four mechanical arms was located, and where the limiting chip was originally situated.
Doctor Octopus sensed the movement behind him, and a mechanical arm suddenly broke free from Garfield's Silk, its claws slamming down on Little Peter with a whoosh.
"Watch out!" Garfield shouted, immediately shooting out a second Silk to entangle the mechanical arm, using his body weight to pull it down. The claws grazed just centimeters above Little Peter's head, the force of the wind stinging his cheek.
Little Peter didn't dodge. He forcefully twisted his body in mid-air, taking the blow from the mechanical arm head-on with his right shoulder.
Now!
The silver probe in the left hand pierced precisely, embedding itself in the interface gap of the robotic arm's base. The nanomaterials, like living things, surged into the interface, rapidly spreading along the internal circuitry of the robotic arm, attempting to take over the control system.
" Doctor Otto!"
Tobey immediately understood, rushed to Doctor Octopus, grabbed his shoulder, and looked directly into his eyes behind his goggles. " Otto! Did you hear that? Now's your chance! Suppress it! You've done it before, and you can do it again!"
Doctor Octopus's body trembled violently. His four mechanical arms stiffened simultaneously, and the claws snapped shut with a piercing metallic sound. He clutched his head with both hands, letting out a painful roar.
"Get out..." Otto's voice was hoarse but firm. "This is my body... my mind... get out of here!"
The nano-invasion suppressed it from the outside, while Otto's true nature rebelled from within. Under this pincer attack, the robotic arm's AI finally couldn't hold on any longer.
Slowly, all four robotic arms stopped struggling and drooped limply down.
Peter...
Tobey's eyes instantly welled up with tears. He hugged Otto tightly, his voice choked with emotion. "Welcome back, Doctor."
Little Peter pulled out the probe and staggered back two steps. The nanomaterial in his left hand was completely used up, leaving his entire arm empty, without even the most basic suit of armor covering it. He shook his numb left hand, but a smile appeared on his face.
It was a success.
Otto glanced at the four drooping mechanical arms behind him, then at Tobey, a look of guilt on his face. "I'm sorry, Peter. I... I almost hurt you again."
"It's alright, Doctor." Tobey patted him on the shoulder. "It's all over. It's good that you're back."
Otto was silent for a few seconds, seemingly assessing the state of the robotic arm. Then he looked up, his expression turning serious. " Peter..."
"What is it?"
"When I was transported to this universe, my consciousness was hazy. I only remember landing near the Hudson River. Everything else... I know nothing."
Otto's voice was deep, "Where am I? Why am I here?"
Little Peter was about to answer, JARVIS's voice suddenly came through the earpiece.
" Mr. Parker, multiple aberrant life forms have been detected. Besides the confirmed Sandman, Vulture, and Doctor Octopus, there are three unknown signals. One is located in the Times Square area, and the other two are moving towards SSC headquarters."
Little Peter and Garfield exchanged a glance, their expressions changing.
"Can you confirm my identity?" Little Peter asked quickly.
"Based on surveillance video analysis, matching the characteristics of Otto and Garfield, the signal in Times Square has been confirmed as Electro Max Dillon, currently absorbing power from the city's grid. The two signals from the direction of SSC headquarters are Norman Osborn ( Green Goblin) and Eddie Brock ( Venom )."
" Norman?" Otto's face changed drastically upon hearing the name. "Norman Osborne is here too?"
" Norman, that guy, his second personality was extremely ambitious and incredibly insane."
Otto's tone was grave. "If he's been summoned here too, he'll definitely cause trouble everywhere. We must find him before he causes any more damage."
Little Peter's heart sank.
Electro was likely drawn to the city center by its electricity; his powers require a large amount of power to sustain them.
Little Peter quickly analyzed, "But Green Goblin and Venom are heading towards SSC headquarters... They probably found out about SSC headquarters and are trying to find a way back. In any case, the headquarters is currently guarded by Sandman and Vulture; their defenses are simply insufficient."
"We need to score." Little Peter quickly made a decision. " Garfield, you come with me to Times Square to deal with Electro. Tobey, you and Doctor Otto go back to SSC headquarters to defend. Whatever their purpose is at headquarters, there are Sandman and Vulture there now, so we must strengthen the defense. I will notify Master Strange to come and provide support."
"I'm fine."
Otto moved the four robotic arms around his neck. " Norman is an old friend of mine."
" The Sandman over there..." Tobey hesitated for a moment.
" The Sandman has agreed to cooperate with us; he should be able to help."
Little Peter said, " The Vulture are the same. They all want to go home and won't let the Green Goblin mess everything up."
"Okay." Tobey nodded. "Then let's split up."
Otto walked to Tobey's side, and a mechanical arm gently wrapped around his waist. "Hold on tight, I'll take you back faster."
Tobey paused for a moment, then smiled, "Okay."
With a sudden burst of power, Otto lifted Tobey into the air and sped towards the SSC headquarters. Little Peter. and Garfield also simultaneously shot out Silk and raced towards Times Square.
Meanwhile, in Times Square.
This is the most bustling area of New York, brightly lit and teeming with people even at night. Huge electronic screens display advertisements, and neon lights illuminate the entire sky in vibrant colors.
But at this moment, all the lights are flashing.
Electro, Max Dillon, hovered in mid-air, his body wreathed in blinding blue arcs of electricity. His body was no longer entirely solid, but rather existed in a state between energy and matter, with current flowing beneath his skin, emitting a crackling sound. He spread his arms, greedily absorbing electricity from the city's power grid, and one by one, the surrounding streetlights, billboards, and electronic screens went out, plunging the entire Times Square into darkness.
Panic gripped the streets, screams filled the air. People scattered and fled, vehicles collided, and traffic was completely paralyzed.
"Look at me!" Electro's voice, crackling with static, echoed across the entire square. "Look at me! You like superheroes, don't you? Now look at me! I'm the strongest!"
Max Dillon was once an unknown electrical engineer, introverted, insecure, and yearning for attention. An accident gave him the ability to manipulate electricity, which also amplified his inner desire for attention.
No one in this universe knows him. No one knows his name. This feeling makes him angrier than ever before.
He wanted the city to remember him.
Two figures in red and blue emerged from between the tall buildings and landed on top of the billboards in Times Square.
Little Peter watched the Electro below absorbing electricity. "It's absorbing the entire area's power, and its energy level is still rising. At this rate, it'll become increasingly powerful."
"Physical attacks are ineffective against him," Garfield quickly analyzed. "He can transform into pure energy; fists and Silk will simply pass right through his body."
"But your Silk is insulating."
Little Peter looked at Garfield, "My nanotech armor can also be switched to insulation mode. We need to find a way to materialize him and then subdue him."
How can I make it physical?
"Overload." Little Peter pointed to the substation near Times Square, "That's the power hub for this area. If we can guide him to absorb more power than he can handle, his energy body will overload and temporarily revert to its physical form."
Garfield understood. "You're in charge of operating the substation, I'll guide him there."
"Yes. But be careful, his energy level is very high right now."
"I know." Garfield flexed his wrist, and primal Silk shot from his fingertips, sticking to the tall building across the street. "Let's go."
The two jumped off the billboard at the same time.
Garfield rushed forward first, shooting out several Silk that accurately stuck to Electro's arms and legs. The insulating properties of the native Silk allowed him to make brief contact with Electro. He pulled hard, trying to drag Electro towards the substation.
" Spider-Man again?" Electro swung his arm, and a thick bolt of electricity shot out, heading straight for Garfield.
Garfield dodged to the side, and the electric current struck the billboard behind him, shattering the huge screen instantly, with fragments falling like rain.
Meanwhile, Little Peter had already landed at the substation entrance. He used his remaining right hand, made of nanomaterials, to pry open the substation door, rushed to the control panel, and began operating it.
" JARVIS, connect me to the city grid. I need to adjust the power distribution in this area."
"Connected, Mr. Parker. What do you need me to do?"
"Draw all the electricity from the surrounding three blocks to the Times Square substation, creating an overload circuit. I want to make the output power here three hundred times the normal value."
"Warning: A 300-fold overload could cause the substation to explode, and all electronic equipment within a 50-meter radius would be destroyed."
"I know," Little Peter's fingers flew across the control panel, "But this is the only way to materialize him. Calculate the optimal overload time for me, and try to avoid it."
'Calculation complete.'
"Very good."
Little Peter set up the overload program, then rushed out of the substation, shouting in Garfield's direction, " Garfield! Lead him to the substation! Ready!"
Upon hearing the shouts, Garfield immediately changed tactics. Instead of simply dodging, he approached Electro, wrapped his Silk around Electro's waist, and pulled him forcefully toward the substation.
"What are you trying to do?" Electro sensed something was wrong and suddenly exerted his strength, sending a powerful electric current through the Silk towards Garfield.
Garfield grunted. The Silk's insulation could only withstand part of the current; the remaining current still made his arm numb. But he didn't let go; instead, he gritted his teeth and continued to exert force.
"Come on, didn't you want to prove you're the strongest?" Garfield said breathlessly, "There's more electricity over there, dare you go and absorb it?"
The Electro was enraged. He abruptly broke free of his Silk and flew towards the substation. "Electricity? I can absorb any amount of electricity!"
He landed directly on the main line of the substation, spread his arms, and began to absorb the current frantically. A huge current surged into his body, his body began to expand, the electric arc became brighter and brighter, and his whole body turned into a blue energy ball.
"Now!" Little Peter shouted.
"Overload program activated," JARVIS's voice rang out.
boom--!
The transformer in the substation emitted a deafening roar, and three hundred times the normal power surged into the Electro's body like a flood. His energy body began to flicker violently, the blue light flashing on and off, his body rapidly switching between energy and physical form.
"No... impossible..." Electro looked at his hands in disbelief. "I am the strongest..."
"No one is infinite." Little Peter walked up to him, raised his right hand, and nanomaterials coalesced into an insulating net. "You just want to be seen too much."
The instant he was beneath the insulating net, Electro's energy form completely collapsed, reverting to its physical form. Max Dillon collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Garfield walked over, looked at Max on the ground, and sighed softly, "He's actually quite pitiful."
Little Peter tied Max up with Silk. "We'll help him. When we send him back, we'll see if we can find a way to stabilize his abilities."
"How's it going at SSC headquarters?" Garfield asked.
Little Peter glanced at the monitor data on his headset, his expression changing. "This isn't good. Green Goblin and Venom are here. Tobey and Doctor Otto are on defense, but Green Goblin's firepower is strong. We need to go back and reinforce them."
The two men carried the unconscious Electro and sped towards the SSC headquarters.