Marvel: The Awakened One

Five days later.

Midtown School of Science and Technology.

The physics teacher was lecturing at the front of the classroom.

Down below, Hawk sat in his usual seat by the window, jotting down a few words in his notebook.

Orichalcum.

Gammanium.

And Stardust Sand.

Individually, these names meant nothing to most people. But together, they meant only one thing.

Saint Armor.

The combat gear of the Saints. When worn, it allowed a Saint to connect with their guardian constellation, dramatically amplifying their power.

And to forge a Saint Armor, these three materials were essential.

The good news:

Since he was the only person in this universe with a Cosmo, he wouldn’t have to literally forge the armor himself. He just needed to find the three materials, and his guardian constellation would automatically refine them into his own unique Saint Armor.

The bad news:

Who the hell was going to tell him how to find materials from the Saint Seiya universe inside the Marvel Universe?

Hawk felt a headache coming on.

Fortunately, he still had time. He hadn’t even ignited a single guardian constellation yet, so the need for an armor wasn’t urgent.

But...

It was always better to be prepared.

Rather than waiting until he’d awakened a constellation to start searching, he might as well start planning now.

So.

Hawk looked at the word ’Orichalcum’ in his notebook. After a moment of thought, he wrote another word next to it.

Vibranium?

Orichalcum, one of the three core components of a Saint Armor, was a legendary alloy from ancient Greek mythology, said to be capable of resisting any normal impact.

Coincidentally.

Vibranium was a legendary alloy in the Marvel Universe—in fact, it was the top-tier alloy.

And Vibranium also possessed the property of absorbing and negating kinetic energy indefinitely.

Captain America’s shield was forged from it.

One of a kind.

Unparalleled in the world.

As a metal that existed only in whispers and legends, Vibranium was something money couldn’t buy.

But...

Hawk knew of a place in the world where Vibranium was abundant. A place with reserves so vast, it would probably be enough to forge all forty-eight Bronze, twenty-four Silver, and twelve Gold Armors, with plenty left over.

That’s right.

He was talking about Wakanda—the nation that was still isolationist in the 21st century, all while pretending to be a starving third-world country to get relief aid from the UN.

If Vibranium really could be a substitute for Orichalcum...

Then—

Hawk had to have it.

What’s that? Wakanda won’t give it to him?

Heh.

My need for Vibranium has nothing to do with you.

He wasn’t a warmonger, but if anyone stood in the way of him getting stronger, that was a fundamental conflict.

And in a conflict like that...

There was no backing down.

With that thought, Hawk’s eyes moved to ’Stardust Sand’ in his notebook. He paused, then wrote the word ’Meteorite’ next to it.

Stardust Sand.

The name was self-explanatory: sand ground from the stars of the galaxy.

Meteorites were, quite literally, fallen stars.

If he could find a meteorite, he could use the energy from his burning Cosmo to crush it into Stardust Sand.

But...

Gammanium.

What the hell was this stuff?

If Orichalcum provided the armor’s metallic properties and Stardust Sand granted it the ability to self-repair, then Gammanium was the catalyst—the agent that fused the other two materials and, most importantly, imbued the armor with a life of its own.

In a word.

Orichalcum and Stardust Sand weren’t the true key to forging a Saint Armor.

Gammanium was.

Without it, an armor made from the other two would be nothing more than an inert, lifeless shell. Only with Gammanium could it become a true, living battle suit for a Saint.

But.

Hawk’s brow furrowed. After a moment of deep thought, he wrote ’Gamma Radiation’ next to the word, then drew a small question mark.

Based on its ability to grant life to the armor, and the obvious ’Gamma’ in its name, it seemed almost certain to be related to the mother of the Hulk—gamma radiation.

The Hulk was born when Bruce Banner was exposed to a massive dose of gamma rays.

From a biological standpoint, gamma radiation was the Hulk’s mother.

Of course.

If Bruce Banner had been a woman, then it could have been the Hulk’s father.

The point was, even if gamma radiation wasn’t Gammanium itself, there was almost certainly a crucial connection between the two.

Hawk closed his eyes, the tip of his pen tapping unconsciously on the notebook as he thought.

Just then.

He felt a nudge.

Hawk opened his eyes and looked at Gwen, who had just nudged him with her elbow.

”Mr. Anderson is calling on you.”

”...”

Hawk blinked, then looked up toward the front of the class.

Mr. Anderson, his hair starting to gray at the temples, smiled as Hawk met his gaze. ”Hawk, would you care to answer the question for us?”

Great. Busted for daydreaming.

But—

Hawk stood up from his seat, and after only a moment of thought, he gave a perfect answer to Mr. Anderson’s question.

Now it was Mr. Anderson’s turn to be stunned.

However, since Hawk’s answer was correct, the teacher just gave him a look that said, ’You got lucky this time,’ and told him to sit down.

Hawk said a quick ”thank you” and took his seat.

Just as he was about to dive back into the puzzle of ’Gammanium’ and ’Gamma Radiation,’ a small, folded piece of paper was slid onto his desk.

Hawk unfolded it and read the note.

In neat, cursive handwriting, it said:

”Is your court hearing for your emancipation petition confirmed?”

”...It is. This afternoon.”

Hawk thought for a second, then wrote his reply below her question and slid the note back.

Since his apartment had been demolished by aliens, a new placement in the foster care system had yet to be arranged.

But Hawk figured he’d never get one anyway.

The New York City bureaucracy was notoriously slow, and he wasn’t the only orphan who had been displaced. He estimated that by the time his name came up, it would be next year.

And next year, he’d be eighteen.

So.

Hawk had been spending his time looking for a cheap apartment to rent.

He couldn’t keep living like a refugee, crammed into a smelly hangar with hundreds of other people. Not to mention, he was constantly worried that one of the people who’d lost everything would snap.

He had to move out next year anyway. He might as well just do it now.

But since he was still a minor, legally, no one would rent to him.

That was why he had been taking the afternoons off to go to the Queens Family Court and file a petition for early emancipation.

And since he’d been leaving early, Gwen knew why.

It wasn’t that Hawk had told her.

He wasn’t that sociable.

Simply put:

Hawk was a student.

Gwen was the student aide.

And she was the student aide for his grade.

--

Inside the old gymnasium.

Even though Hawk had already awakened his Cosmo, the habit of throwing ten thousand punches a day for a thousand straight days wasn’t something he could just drop overnight.

So, he’d kept up the routine.

Besides, he had nothing better to do.

More importantly, he could feel that with each day of training, another star within his Cosmo had begun to glow faintly.

It hadn’t fully ignited yet, but he estimated that if he kept this up for another month, it would.

Clearly, combat wasn’t the only way to awaken his constellations.

It was just the fastest. Compared to the slow grind of a month of training to ignite a single star, fighting was a shortcut.

But that didn’t matter.

Hawk wasn’t in a hurry.

First, he didn’t see himself as some kind of violence-addicted maniac. He certainly wasn’t going to be one of those guys who gets powers and the very next day decides he’s too good for humanity.

A thousand days of ten thousand punches had forged more than just his strength; it had forged his character.

He controlled his power. The power did not control him.

Second, he hadn’t even gathered the materials to forge a Saint Armor yet. There was no rush to light up his constellations.

Everyone knows the score.

A Saint without their armor and a Saint with their armor are two completely different species.

Well—

For the most part, anyway.

...

A little while later.

After a quick shower, Hawk changed into a new t-shirt and jeans. He slung his backpack over his shoulder, walked out of the old gym, and headed for the main school gate.

His emancipation hearing was scheduled for 3:30 this afternoon.

If he caught the bus from the school gate now and made a couple of transfers, he could probably get to the courthouse by three.

Hawk sat at the bus stop outside the school, eating a sandwich and waiting.

He watched the various cars coming and going from the school entrance and started to wonder if he should get a car himself.

Of course, before he could do that, he’d need to get his driver’s license.

That’s right.

Unlike most of the kids in his grade, who all seemed to have their licenses, he didn’t.

He’d never even considered buying a car before.

But now, the thought had taken root.

Before he awakened his Cosmo, he couldn’t afford to. He had to plan for his future. Once he turned eighteen, the federal aid would stop. He’d have to cover rent on his own, and eventually, student loans for college.

The pressure of his future was suffocating. Buying a car?

Was he worthy?

No. He probably wouldn’t even be able to afford the insurance premiums.

But things were different now.

If there was one thing Hawk felt after awakening his Cosmo, it was an immense sense of relief.

The weight of his uncertain future had been completely lifted.

After all...

Barring any unforeseen accidents, his future now had only two possibilities:

Living comfortably, or living very comfortably.

In fact, if he were a little darker, a little more ruthless, he could use his power and a Saint Armor to live like an emperor—where those who followed him prospered, and those who opposed him perished.

Power is strength.

Strength is in the fist.

And his fists were already sonic. Soon, they would be faster than light.

But he didn’t have that kind of ambition. He certainly had no desire to become some kind of detached God-king.

At least, not right now.

But with the pressure of the future gone, Hawk figured he could afford to upgrade his quality of life a bit.

For starters, he still had five Chitauri weapons stashed away, waiting for the right opportunity to be sold.

Even if he sold them cheap, say, twenty thousand dollars a pop, that was still a hundred thousand dollars.

So...

Buying a car to make his life a little easier didn’t seem so out of reach anymore.

As Hawk was lost in thought, he started to wonder why the bus was taking so long. Just then, a yellow Toyota Corolla with the custom license plate ’GW521’ pulled up in front of him.

The window rolled down.

Gwen Stacy, her blonde hair tied back casually, her face framed by sharp, intelligent features and a pair of blue eyes that seemed to see right through you, looked out at him.

”Get in.”

”...”

Hawk looked at Gwen, who was now waving him over. After a moment’s silence, he said, ”It’s okay, I can just wait for the bus. Thanks, though.”

Gwen smiled.

”You sure? The buses aren’t running today.”

”They’re not?”

Hawk blinked, confused.

”When? Why?”

”Since noon.”

Gwen’s smile widened. ”The MTA is on strike. Haven’t you noticed you’re the only one at the bus stop?”

Hawk instinctively looked around.

She was right. The entire bus stop was empty, except for him.

Damn it.

Hawk took a deep breath. He looked at Gwen, who was still smiling at him from the driver’s seat. After a moment, he stood up, grabbed his backpack from the bench, walked to the car, and opened the passenger door.

”I owe you one. Thanks.”

”Don’t mention it.”

Gwen said. Once Hawk was inside, she hit the gas, and the car sped off, heading toward the Queens County Courthouse.

”Oh, by the way.”

As she was driving, Gwen remembered something. She glanced at Hawk in the passenger seat. ”They changed the judge for your hearing. It’s Judge Burroughs now. They also moved the time up to three o’clock.”

”?”

A question mark slowly formed over Hawk’s head. He looked at Gwen, confused.

Gwen smiled slightly. ”The contact number you listed was the school’s. The guidance counselor couldn’t find you. I saw you heading to the old gym at lunch, so I figured you’d probably be waiting here for the bus.”

It clicked. Hawk nodded in understanding.

A moment later.

It hit him again. He looked at Gwen, who was focused on the road, and said another thank you.

”Thanks. Seriously.”

”Again, don’t mention it.”

Gwen replied with another smile. ”I’m the grade’s student aide. It’s my job to help students.”

And that was the truth.

At Midtown Tech, Gwen Stacy was universally known for being smart, kind, and beautiful.

She would patiently help any student who came to her with a question.

Like Jessica.

She would even help Flash Thompson when he occasionally, and reluctantly, asked for it.

Gwen would also stand up for students who were being bullied.

Like Peter.

She had even stepped in to defend another girl, Maria, from the head cheerleader.

And on top of all that.

Gwen was at the top of her class.

So—

Smart.

Kind.

And Drop-Dead Gorgeous.

That was Gwen Stacy in a nutshell.

--

If you were to rank the most popular girls at Midtown Tech, Gwen might not have the most rabid fanbase, but she would absolutely be number one.

In fact, she’d probably be in a league of her own.

The silent majority of the student body would cast their vote for Gwen.

That included Hawk.

He still remembered when he first started at Midtown. He was quiet, a bit of a loner, and Gwen had mistaken his solitude for him being ostracized by other students. She had even tried to help him fit in.

But that was just Gwen being kind.

Hawk never misinterpreted her concern as anything more.

She would have done the same for any other student. She was just a genuinely good person.

Besides, what was that famous saying?

Right.

Life’s three biggest delusions.

And chief among them, the undisputed champion, is the delusion: ”She’s into me.”

So—

Hawk was under no such illusions.

...

Soon.

They arrived at the Queens County Courthouse.

Hawk looked at the building, then turned to Gwen and thanked her again for the ride before getting out of the car.

And then.

He heard footsteps behind him. He turned to see Gwen getting out of the car and following him. A question mark appeared over his head once again.

”?”

”How are you planning on getting back?” Gwen asked. ”You’re not going to walk, are you? The airport is miles from here.”

”The sub—”

”The transit union is on strike. Subway operators are still transit workers.”

”...”

Hawk fell silent.

Gwen just smiled and started walking toward the courthouse. ”Come on, it’s almost three. You don’t want Judge Burroughs to cancel your hearing, do you?”

Hawk watched her walk ahead of him, opened his mouth to say something, then thought better of it. He shook his head and followed.

...

Family Court, Courtroom 3.

Judge Burroughs, presiding from the bench, tapped his gavel lightly.

”Next, the emancipation petition of Hawk.”

”Your Honor.”

Hawk rose from his seat and gave a respectful nod to the judge.

”Your Honor.”

The social worker from the Administration for Children’s Services assigned to Hawk’s case also stood.

Judge Burroughs reviewed the documents Hawk had submitted with his petition. After a moment, he looked up at the social worker. ”I see here he’s never been adopted, nor placed with a foster family?”

The social worker gave a weary smile.

”That’s correct, Your Honor.”

”May I ask why?”

”Hawk was different from the other children. Even when he was young, he was quiet and didn’t socialize much. As a result, prospective parents never considered him. That’s why he’s remained in the system for so long.”

”Hawk.”

Judge Burroughs nodded after hearing the social worker’s explanation. He then looked at Hawk, who, despite his quiet nature, didn’t seem aloof or withdrawn. ”I see in your petition that you’re seeking emancipation in order to rent an apartment?”

Hawk nodded.

”Yes, Your Honor.”

”May I ask how you plan to pay for this rent, should you be granted independence?”

”I have thirty thousand dollars saved in my bank account. If I’m just renting a cheap apartment, that’s more than enough to cover my expenses until I can find a job.”

”THIRTY THOUSAND??”

”...” Judge Burroughs’s eyes widened slightly. He flipped through the file until he found the bank statement Hawk had submitted, then cross-referenced it with the other documents. A look of disbelief crossed his face.

No phone.

No computer.

No car, not even a driver’s license.

Judge Burroughs was genuinely surprised.

It wasn’t unheard of for minors in the system to petition for early emancipation. But he had never seen a case like Hawk’s, where a kid had cut out every single non-essential expense.

More than that, he had never seen an un-adopted, un-fostered orphan with a savings account containing a sum as substantial as thirty thousand dollars.

Judge Burroughs looked at Hawk, his tone shifting.

”You have a remarkable amount of self-control, Mr. Hawk.”

”Thank you, Your Honor.”

Hawk’s heart skipped a beat when he heard the judge use the honorific.

”Mister” was a title reserved for independent, adult men.

Just as he thought.

Judge Burroughs smiled, then brought a stamp down on Hawk’s petition with a satisfying thump. He handed the document to the bailiff next to him. ”Normally, I’m hesitant to grant early emancipation. The adult world can be a cruel place. But you, Mr. Hawk, I believe you are more than prepared. So, congratulations.”

Hawk took the stamped document from the bailiff, his eyes meeting the judge’s.

”Thank you.”

”You’ve earned it.”

Judge Burroughs gave him a final nod, then tapped his gavel again. ”Next case...”

Hawk and Gwen left the courtroom.

...

Outside the courthouse.

Hawk looked down at the document in his hand, now bearing the official seal of the court, and smiled.

With this, he was legally an independent adult. Even though he wasn’t yet eighteen, he could now legally sign a lease.

He could finally move out of that powder keg of a hangar.

And that was a very good thing.

Feeling a sense of accomplishment, Hawk started walking toward the subway station.

The next second.

A hand grabbed his arm.

Hawk looked up to see Gwen giving him an exasperated look. He blinked, and then it hit him.

Right. The subway isn’t running either.

”Sorry.”

”Come on...”

Gwen shook her head, then a playful smile touched her lips. She looked at Hawk and added, ”...Mr. Hawk.”

Hawk raised an eyebrow at her teasing tone as she turned and walked toward where she had parked her car.

A traffic cop was standing in front of her yellow Corolla.

”Just a second, Officer!”

Gwen, seeing the cop was already writing a ticket, rushed over. She quickly dug through her bag and pulled out a small card.

The officer looked up, a bit surprised, as Gwen handed it to him.

It wasn’t a business card, but a family courtesy card—the kind issued to the families of NYPD officers.

The officer looked at the card, noted the name and number—’19th Precinct: George Stacy’—then looked back at Gwen. He holstered his ticket machine and handed the card back.

”Have a nice day.”

”Thank you, Officer.”

Gwen said with a relieved sigh.

The officer got back on his police motorcycle and rode off with a roar.

Gwen watched him go, then let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. She looked at Hawk, her voice laced with relief.

”That was close!”

”...”

--

Traffic tickets in New York City aren’t outrageously expensive.

But there’s one key difference from how things work in other countries.

Here, a traffic violation is treated like a minor criminal offense. In other places, you might just pay a fine, get some points on your license, and be done with it. Here, you have to waste a day in traffic court.

So...

As Gwen started the car and began the drive back to LaGuardia Airport, she was still feeling relieved that she’d gotten out there in time. Otherwise, she’d have had to take a day off school just to deal with it.

At the same time, she was still a little confused.

”It’s so weird. You can park right in front of the courthouses in Manhattan. Why not in Queens?”

”...”

Sitting in the passenger seat, Hawk listened to Gwen thinking out loud. After a moment, a thought occurred to him. ”Even if you got a ticket, couldn’t you just have Captain Stacy take care of it?”

Gwen snapped out of her thoughts and glanced at Hawk, then shook her head.

”No way.”

”Uh...”

Hawk remembered the courtesy card Gwen had just shown the traffic cop.

Gwen seemed to read his mind and explained with a smile, ”Using the family card is fine. Everyone does it. It’s one of the unofficial perks for police families. But getting an actual ticket is different. My dad would never call in a favor with one of his friends at the courthouse over a parking violation. He’d just give me a very serious look and say, ’Gwen, you need to stand before the court and take responsibility for your actions.’”

As she explained, Gwen perfectly mimicked the stern tone and expression of George Stacy of the NYPD’s 19th Precinct.

Hawk listened to her explanation and nodded in understanding.

He had always pictured George Stacy as one of those old-school, by-the-book cops who didn’t bend the rules for anyone.

But from the way Gwen described him...

That didn’t seem to be the case.

Movies always rely on stereotypes.

...

Forty-five minutes later.

Gwen pulled up to the curb at LaGuardia Airport.

Hawk unbuckled his seatbelt and thanked her one more time as she put the car in park.

Just as he was about to open his door and get out, Gwen spoke up. ”I’m curious about something, Hawk.”

Hawk, who had already pushed the door open, turned back to look at her.

”What?”

”If I didn’t accept your ’thank you,’ what would you do? Just keep saying it?”

”...”

Gwen’s question left Hawk speechless.

After a moment.

He looked at her smiling face, which seemed genuinely curious about his answer, and thought about it.

”Sorry?”

”...”

Now it was Gwen’s turn to be silent.

If I don’t accept your thanks, you apologize?

...Sure, why not.

Gwen’s smile grew wider. She looked at Hawk and said, ”You say ’thank you’ way too much. We’re friends. Friends don’t have to say thank you all the time.”

Friends?

Hawk was taken aback again.

He and Gwen were friendlier than he was with most other students, but that was mainly because they shared a physics class and sat next to each other.

But that was it.

Outside of physics, they barely interacted at school.

To be fair, he barely interacted with any student.

But—

Hawk didn’t argue. She had just given him a ride all the way out here. The last thing he was going to do was tell her they weren’t friends.

He wasn’t a complete social idiot.

Soon.

After he got out, Gwen made a U-turn, hit the gas, and disappeared from view. Hawk watched her car go, then turned and walked toward the temporary shelter.

...

That evening.

Manhattan.

The Goring Building.

Helen Stacy was lounging on the sofa in her pajamas, watching the latest episode of Desperate Housewives. She heard the front door open and turned to look.

Her husband, George Stacy of the 19th Precinct, walked in, dressed in a black suit, his badge clipped to his belt.

”You’re home.”

”Yes.”

George replied, closing the door behind him. He looked at Helen on the sofa. ”Where’s Gwen?”

Helen glanced toward the stairs.

”In her room.”

”Oh.”

George nodded and headed upstairs. He knocked lightly on his daughter’s door. ”Gwen?”

Gwen’s voice came from inside. ”It’s not locked, Dad.”

George pushed the door open.

Inside.

Gwen was already in her pajamas, a cute matching set. Her long, blonde hair was down, and she was sitting cross-legged on her desk chair. She looked up as her father came in. ”What’s up, Dad?”

George didn’t come into the room. He leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossed, a knowing smile on his face. ”So, you skipped your afternoon classes today.”

Gwen froze for a second, then it clicked.

She uncrossed her legs and stood up.

”Did someone call you?”

”What do you think?”

George chuckled. ”They have to call and verify. Make sure it wasn’t someone using a fake family card.”

It was unlikely, but...

There was a saying in the department: You can be an idiot, but you can’t be a boring idiot.

People had tried to fake the cards before. It was rare, but it happened.

Since calling to verify on the spot could be awkward, the protocol was to just jot down the plate number and confirm it back at the precinct.

If the card was legit, no problem.

If it was a fake, well, that was also no problem. They had the plate number. The driver could look forward to a dozen tickets in their mailbox the next day.

The NYPD made sure that anyone who tried to pull a fast one paid the price.

Gwen sighed. ”Dad, I really didn’t mean to park there. You can park right in front of the courthouses in Manhattan.”

George shrugged. ”I’m not interested in your parking violation. That’s what the family card is for.”

He wasn’t that much of a hard-ass.

The card was meant to be used. Just not abused.

Gwen blinked.

”Then why...”

”Why were you at the Queens County Courthouse this afternoon.”

”Oh.”

Gwen sat back down in her chair and picked up the book she had been reading. ”It was nothing. I just gave a classmate a ride to the courthouse for something.”

George’s smile widened.

”A male classmate?”

”...”

Gwen put down her book and looked at her father, her expression serious. ”Dad, Hawk and I are just friends.”

No, that’s not right.

That guy seems to actively resist the idea of being my friend.

Gwen thought to herself.

She remembered the look on Hawk’s face that afternoon when she’d told him they were friends—that fleeting, almost pained expression of stiffness.

--

The next day.

Since it was Saturday, Hawk got an early start and headed over to an apartment building across from Queensbridge Park.

This was his new home.

It hadn’t taken long to find.

A nice, affordable apartment was hard to come by, but a cheap one was easy enough to find.

Even so, no landlord would rent to a minor, especially one who couldn’t provide a guarantor.

But—

When Hawk explained that he had already petitioned the court for emancipation, the landlord had agreed to wait.

And now, here he was.

After seeing the court-stamped document confirming Hawk’s legal independence, the landlord didn’t waste any time. They signed the lease, Hawk paid six months’ rent upfront, and the keys were handed over. The deal was done.

...

Once the landlord left, Hawk closed the door and took a look around his new place.

It wasn’t any bigger than his last one.

To put it dramatically, it looked like a cardboard box that life had stepped on.

The carpet was old, the walls were stained.

The living room was pathetically small; with a secondhand sofa and a folding dining table, you had to be careful just to turn around.

The bedroom was the same. Once he put a bed in, there would be no extra space.

But...

It was small, but it had everything he needed.

Most importantly.

Just like his old place, this apartment had a fire escape outside the window with direct access to the rooftop.

That was the main reason Hawk had asked the landlord to give him time to sort things out with the court.

Besides.

For seven hundred dollars a month in New York City, what more could you ask for?

Hawk spent the next two days cleaning and setting up his new apartment.

”Setting up” was a generous term. He bought a new mattress and replaced the old, yellowed showerhead in the bathroom.

He also left the windows open for two full days to air the place out, finally getting rid of the lingering smell of stale curry.

Of course.

He didn’t forget his treasure. Under the cover of night, he went to his hiding spot and retrieved his spoils of war—the five Chitauri weapons—and brought them back to his new home.

He wrapped them in the bedsheet that had come with his old apartment’s bed and stashed them underneath his new one.

...

That evening.

Just like he used to, Hawk bought a burger and a Coke from a place downstairs. He then climbed the fire escape to the roof of his new building. After looking around, he found a relatively clean spot and sat down.

He ate his burger while gazing up at the stars.

As a few stars flickered in the night sky, the stars within his own Cosmo mirrored their light.

Hawk had already decided which Bronze constellation he would ignite first.

Not Pegasus.

Not Cygnus.

And not Draco.

It would be—

The Phoenix!

A constellation wasn’t just a container for a Saint’s power; it was a mark of their legacy.

Once a Saint awakened their Cosmo and claimed their guardian constellation, they inherited the core attributes of that constellation.

And in Hawk’s opinion, among all forty-eight Bronze constellations, none had an attribute that could compare to that of the Phoenix.

Because the Phoenix possessed a quality that not even the twelve Gold Zodiacs had.

The Phoenix doesn’t die, it’s reborn.

If the core of the Draco constellation was ’The Might of the Dragon’ and ’The Dragon’s Guard,’ then the core of the Phoenix was ’Immortality’ and ’Rebirth.’

The bad news:

Because the Phoenix’s core attribute was so ridiculously overpowered, the requirements to become the Phoenix Saint were incredibly demanding.

In the old stories, from the very first Holy War, the Phoenix Saint was a position that had remained vacant among Athena’s eighty-eight Saints, only appearing for the first time in the modern era.

The good news:

This wasn’t that universe. The Phoenix constellation here wasn’t nearly as picky.

The second he finished lighting up the star chart for the Phoenix in his Cosmo, he would gain its core attribute.

His life force would reach a terrifying new level. Even if he were killed, he wouldn’t truly die. As long as the Phoenix constellation existed, he would be reborn from the ashes, rising from the flames to return.

So...

He’d have to be insane to choose any other constellation over the Phoenix.

After all, his core mission hadn’t changed.

Survive. And if possible, live comfortably, and live for a very long time.

Having made his choice, Hawk didn’t hesitate. He focused his will, directing the twelve stars he had ignited by killing the Chitauri. He began to arrange them within his Cosmo, forming the pattern of the Phoenix constellation.

The Phoenix constellation is composed of one second-magnitude star, two third-magnitude stars, and six fourth-magnitude stars.

The stars Hawk had ignited by killing the Chitauri were the smallest kind—fourth-magnitude.

It took two fourth-magnitude stars to form a third-magnitude star, and two third-magnitude stars to form a second-magnitude.

So—

”Still need two more.”

”Not bad.”

”This is good.”

Hawk took a sip of his soda, a smile on his face as he looked at the nearly completed Phoenix star chart glowing brightly in his inner universe. Only two stars left to go.

Just then.

The ghostly outlines of the other forty-seven Bronze constellations flickered within his Cosmo.

For some reason.

Hawk felt a wave of resentment from them, a silent protest.

But amidst their complaints, he heard the faint cry of a phoenix. And with that cry, the protests of the other forty-seven constellations vanished.

Hawk blinked, looking at the Phoenix star chart in his Cosmo.

The mostly-completed constellation seemed to radiate a palpable arrogance, like a true Phoenix looking down on the other forty-seven constellations.

Clearly—

As Hawk’s first choice, the proud Phoenix was now even prouder.

”...” A corner of Hawk’s mouth twitched. He decided not to linger on it and withdrew from his Cosmo, climbing back down the fire escape into his new apartment.

...

A little while later.

Lying in bed, not yet asleep, Hawk closed his eyes and once again turned his thoughts to the Saint Armor.

Igniting the Phoenix constellation would grant him the core of the undying Phoenix.

But forging and wearing the Phoenix Armor would unlock the constellation’s exclusive powers and abilities.

For example—

The Phoenix Illusion Demon Fist, a technique that shattered an enemy’s mind, not their body.

A psychic assault that allowed him to directly invade an enemy’s mindscape and tear their psyche to shreds with his own superior mental fortitude.

And there was one more.

The ultimate technique, the exclusive secret art of the Phoenix, where he would become the Phoenix itself, unleashing a powerful, scorching wave of air like the beating of its wings, capable of annihilating all in its path.

The Phoenix’s Winged Ascent!

--

Better to act than to just think about it.

The Phoenix constellation was only two stars away from completion. It was only a matter of time.

Even if he didn’t get into any more fights, at his current training pace of ten thousand punches a day, he could probably ignite the remaining two stars in less than three months.

But Hawk was still completely stumped when it came to the Saint Armor.

More specifically, he had no leads on ’Gammanium.’

The other two materials were manageable.

Theoretically, as long as he had enough money, he could just buy them.

Take the meteorites needed to create Stardust Sand, for example.

There were plenty of wealthy meteorite collectors in New York City alone, not to mention the various trade shows and conventions that happened regularly.

So, if he was willing to spend the money, he could get his hands on one.

And while Vibranium was technically priceless...

That was fine.

He knew where it came from. If Vibranium was the final piece of the puzzle and its owners refused to cooperate, he had no problem seizing it himself.

Again.

My need for Vibranium has nothing to do with you.

So that left only one problem.

Gammanium.

For the past few days, after his classes, Hawk had been camping out in the library, checking out every book he could find on gamma radiation and using the public computers to search for more information online.

As a side benefit, he’d also learned who the biggest meteorite collector in New York City was.

Norman Osborn.

That’s right.

The very same Norman Osborn of Oscorp Industries, the man who becomes a major villain in the Spider-Man story.

Hawk had found a post on a meteorite enthusiast forum from a month ago.

According to the post, Norman Osborn had an entire room in his mansion dedicated to the meteorites he had collected over the years.

He’d even found information on the Wakandan ambassador to the United Nations.

The ambassador was based right here in New York City, since the UN headquarters was here.

So, Hawk had leads on the meteorite and the Vibranium. But the final, and most crucial ingredient, Gammanium, was still a complete mystery.

Right now, Hawk was monopolizing one of the library computers, continuing his search.

If you had to name the one person in the Marvel Universe who knew the most about gamma radiation, it would undoubtedly be the father of the Hulk himself, Dr. Bruce Banner.

Unfortunately...

Even if Hawk wanted to find him, he couldn’t.

After the Battle of New York, Dr. Banner had ridden off on a scooter and disappeared.

S.H.I.E.L.D. probably knew where he was.

But Hawk wanted nothing to do with superheroes, let alone S.H.I.E.L.D, an organization that was practically synonymous with ”trouble.”

It wasn’t a huge problem, though.

Dr. Banner wasn’t the only person who studied gamma radiation. There were others, even if they weren’t as knowledgeable.

Like the author of the paper Hawk had just found.

”On the Application of Gamma Radiation in the Field of Bioregeneration.”

”Dr. Curt Connors.”

”Oscorp Industries...”

Hiss.

Isn’t that the Lizard?

The name clicked. Hawk stared at the title of the paper on the screen and blinked.

”Oh, you’re reading Dr. Connors’s paper?”

”...”

A familiar voice pulled Hawk from his thoughts. He turned his head.

Standing right behind him was Gwen. She was holding a book, a few strands of blonde hair falling across her forehead as she leaned in to look at his screen.

”On the Application of Gamma...”

Gwen read the title, then looked at Hawk with a curious expression. ”I thought you wanted to go to NYU for law school. What’s with the sudden interest in gamma radiation?”

No, that was just a way to make money.

Hawk answered in his head.

Before his power awakened, he had set a clear goal for himself.

Study law.

His first choice had actually been medicine.

In some parts of the world, doctors were expected to be humble public servants. If a doctor lived in a mansion and drove a sports car, they were probably corrupt.

But not here. Not in America.

Here, if a doctor didn’t live in a mansion and drive a nice car, people would probably assume they were a bad doctor.

So, a successful doctor, especially a surgeon, could make a fortune.

But Hawk had given up on that idea pretty quickly.

The reason was simple.

He didn’t think he had the aptitude for it. So, he had settled for the next best thing: becoming a lawyer.

Lawyers did just as well as doctors.

And more importantly, after law school, if he didn’t want to work for a firm, he could go into public service, maybe become a prosecutor, or even a judge someday.

But that was the path he had planned for himself before he awakened his Cosmo, a path designed to make his future a little easier.

He didn’t need it anymore.

He still planned on going to college—he wasn’t going to get lazy—but the desperate need to study law was gone.

...

Hawk shook his head with a slight smile and turned to Gwen. ”Just browsing. Stumbled upon it by accident.”

He closed the web page, stood up, and let someone else have the computer. It was time to head to the old gym for his daily ten-thousand-punch routine.

He couldn’t help it.

After more than two years, a day without training just felt... incomplete.

Gwen watched Hawk leave the library, a thoughtful expression on her face. A moment later, one of her friends nudged her, and they went to find a table to study.

Summer break was just around the corner, which meant that starting tomorrow, Midtown Tech would be entering the most dreaded time of the year for slackers: finals week.

Every school had them.

Midtown Tech was no exception. Aside from a few scholarship students, most of the kids here were paying tens of thousands of dollars in tuition each semester.

And that was the demographic where you found most of the slackers.

So, for the past few days, the library had been filled with the sight of normally hyperactive students suddenly cramming, their noses buried in textbooks.

Hawk didn’t need to.

He hadn’t needed to cram before his Cosmo awakened, and he certainly didn’t need to now.

His future was set. His only two options were ”comfortable” and ”more comfortable.”

So...

Hawk stuck to his usual routine.

...

Inside the old gymnasium.

Hawk was focused, throwing punch after punch.

The squeal of the gym door opening cut through the silence, and a familiar, radiant figure walked in.

”The school board said they’re tearing this place down after the break. They’re turning it into a swimming pool.”

”...CRACK!”

Hawk’s fist slammed into the heavy bag in front of him.

The bag didn’t swing. It didn’t even move. It just shuddered violently, and a cloud of dust exploded from its surface.

The midday sun streamed in through the grimy windows of the old gymnasium.

It illuminated the scene perfectly.

--

Gwen’s mouth hung slightly open.

She watched in disbelief as the dust, illuminated by the sunbeam, hung in the air for a moment—still perfectly in the shape of the heavy bag—before slowly dissipating.

Hawk stood his ground, slowly exhaling a breath before turning to face her.

At that moment, Gwen’s gaze shifted back to him.

Their eyes met.

Looking at him—forehead glistening with a light sweat, clad in a white tank top that accentuated his powerful physique, hands wrapped in tape—Gwen felt a strange, indescribable feeling.

Hawk, on the other hand, was just surprised to see her here.

”Can I help you?”

”Nope.”

Gwen shook her head. With her hands behind her back, she started walking toward him, taking in the surroundings of the old gymnasium she hadn’t visited since the new one was built. ”The new gym has air conditioning. Why don’t you train there?”

Hawk thought for a moment.

”It’s quiet here.”

”It is, isn’t it?”

Gwen nodded, accepting his explanation.

Hawk watched as she walked over to the bench where he’d left his backpack and sat down, a look of confusion on his face.

”Are you sure you don’t need something, Gwen?”

”I’m sure.”

Gwen, leaning back on her hands, smiled at him. ”I had some free time, so I thought I’d come and watch my friend train.”

Hawk raised an eyebrow.

He looked at her smiling face and felt like there was something more to it.

But...

Whatever. Training was more important.

He shook his head, pulled his focus away from Gwen, and turned back to the heavy bag, ready to finish his daily ten-thousand-punch routine.

He’d been almost done, after all.

Then Gwen walked in.

And now...

He had to start all over again.

Hawk took a deep breath. He didn’t draw on his Cosmo, relying only on his physical strength to complete the task.

As for Gwen?

If she wanted to watch, let her. This was a public gym. He couldn’t exactly kick her out.

He had no right to.

Soon.

As Hawk began to throw punches again, the rhythmic, impactful sounds of his strikes echoed through the old gym once more.

This time, however, wanting to finish quickly, he subconsciously picked up the pace.

One punch, then another, and another.

And then...

The afterimages appeared.

Sitting on the bench, Gwen felt her vision blur. She stared, dumbfounded, at the storm of phantom fists that had materialized before her.

What’s happening?

I didn’t even blink.

She thought, instinctively pulling her phone from her pocket and aiming it at Hawk.

Hawk, still focused on his training, caught the movement out of the corner of his eye.

”No videos.”

”...Oh.”

Gwen heard his voice—calm and steady, even though he hadn’t stopped or even looked in her direction. She blinked, wondering if she’d imagined it, but lowered her phone anyway.

A little while later.

The storm of fists gradually faded, and Hawk’s movements came to a stop. The old gym fell silent once more.

He unhooked the heavy bag from its chain, swung it with one hand, and tossed it effortlessly back into the corner. Then, with Gwen’s eyes still on him, he walked to the bench, pulled a towel from the side pocket of his backpack, and looked at her.

He hesitated for a second, then asked again, ”Are you sure there’s nothing you need, Gwen?”

Gwen nodded.

”There is.”

”...”

The corner of Hawk’s mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.

But Gwen caught it.

She smiled.

Not wanting to tease him any further, she got straight to the point. ”They’re doing the headcount for this year’s prom. Are you going?”

Midtown Tech might be an elite private school, but it still had all the usual dances and parties—homecoming, masquerades, and of course, prom.

Gwen asked him every year.

And every year, Hawk said no.

He was a lone wolf. He preferred quiet. He hated loud, crowded places.

That was the polite way of putting it.

The real reason was much simpler.

He was broke. He didn’t have money for a tux, he didn’t have a car, and he didn’t even have a license. He couldn’t exactly walk his date home after the dance.

And most importantly.

He didn’t have a date.

Why would he go to prom alone? To watch couples make out and feel miserable?

This year was no different.

...

”No.”

Hawk shook his head without a moment’s hesitation.

He’d rather be on his rooftop, watching the stars, than go to some stupid dance.

It was quiet.

And It was free.

Save where you can, spend where you must. He was legally independent now, which meant no more federal aid. Between renting a new place and buying basic necessities, his savings had taken a serious hit this week.

He was even starting to think that his idea of buying a car had been a bit reckless.

He had already given up on that plan.

It was better to keep some money saved for emergencies.

Besides, the school bus had a stop near Queensbridge Park. Who needed a car?

He didn’t even have a license.

He couldn’t drive it even if he bought it.

...

Maybe I should just rob a bank. I need money to buy that meteorite, after all.

No, wait.

If I’m already planning on stealing something, why not just steal the meteorite directly? Why bother robbing a bank?

I’m not going to rob a bank just to use the money to buy a stolen meteorite from some rich guy.

That’s just stupid.

Hawk’s thoughts began to drift.

He was now seriously considering the feasibility of just stealing the meteorite.

The Wakandans were never going to give him their Vibranium willingly.

He’d probably have to steal that too.

So if he’s stealing the Vibranium, and he’s stealing the meteorite... what’s one more bank robbery on top of that?

Gwen watched as Hawk, after shaking his head about prom, suddenly seemed to zone out, a distant look in his eyes. She was curious.

”What are you thinking about?”

”Robbing a bank.”

”...”

Gwen’s eyebrow arched.

Hawk snapped back to reality and looked at her.

Their eyes met.

A moment later.

A thoughtful, amused expression crossed Gwen’s face. ”So, which bank are you planning to hit? I’d recommend the Pacific Standard in the 19th Precinct.”

Hawk frowned slightly.

”Is that one an easy target?”

”No.”

Gwen’s smile was radiant. ”But my dad’s the captain of the 19th Precinct.”

Hawk fell silent.

After a long moment.

He looked at Gwen with a dead serious expression. ”I was kidding.”

Okay, new plan. If I ever do rob a bank, I’m staying the hell away from the 19th Precinct.

Gwen’s smile widened. She stood up from the bench, but just as she was about to say something, her phone rang.

”Mrs. Snow...”

”Hawk?”

”Okay.”

”I know where he is.”

A moment later.

Gwen hung up and looked at Hawk. ”Come on. Mrs. Snow is looking for you.”

Hawk: ”...”

--

Mrs. Snow.

Full name: Selena Snow. She was the guidance counselor for the eleventh grade.

Her responsibilities ranged from providing personal, social, and emotional support to guiding students through their academic development and college applications.

Unlike counselors in public high schools, who were often responsible for hundreds of students, Midtown Tech was a private school. Mrs. Snow was in charge of only thirty-five students.

This allowed her to provide more in-depth, personalized support to each of them.

And in another coincidence...

She was the counselor for both Hawk and Gwen.

However—

Hawk, who had been hoping to grab a quick shower and change into some clean clothes, was now being hurried along by Gwen to Mrs. Snow’s office.

On the way, he glanced at her curiously.

”Did Mrs. Snow say what it was about?”

”No, she just asked if I knew where you were. And if I did, to find you and bring you to her office.”

”Really?”

Hawk thought for a moment, then looked at Gwen. ”You think it’s about college? Did your early acceptance and scholarship from Berkeley come through?”

It was the only reason he could think of for Mrs. Snow to want to see them both together.

After this month, when school started up again in September, they would be seniors.

They would graduate next June.

But the top students had usually already locked in their preferred universities long before then, and the universities had locked in their preferred students.

Like Gwen, who had her heart set on UC Berkeley.

Located in California, Berkeley was a public research university, often called a ”Public Ivy.” It had produced over a hundred Nobel laureates, the third most in the world.

Gwen shrugged, then looked at Hawk. ”What about you? Still set on NYU for Law? You’re not even considering Stanford?”

NYU’s law program was good, no doubt.

But everything is relative.

Compared to Stanford, at least in the field of law, NYU was completely outclassed.

So Gwen didn’t quite get it. ”I heard Mrs. Snow say she recommended you prioritize Stanford.”

”There’s no way I’m getting a scholarship from Stanford.” Hawk shrugged back. As they walked, he explained, ”NYU is a different story. I might not get a full ride, but I’ll definitely get some kind of scholarship. And if I have that, I can negotiate a better interest rate when I take out student loans.”

Yep.

It was that simple.

He’d love to go to Stanford for law. He’d even love to go to Yale and see if he could get tapped for a certain secret society.

But—

It wasn’t just a matter of wanting to go. Even if he got in, the tuition at Stanford or Yale would crush him.

Hawk was a realist.

He was going to have to take out loans for college no matter what. So why not choose a school that was more likely to give him a scholarship and reduce the total amount he’d have to borrow?

He had no desire to still be paying off student loans when he was fifty.

Of course, that was his plan from before he awakened his Cosmo.

And now?

He had even less desire to go to Stanford or Yale.

NYU was fine. And besides, he was familiar with New York City. His main goal was to live a comfortable life, so staying in his comfort zone seemed like a pretty good idea.

Gwen frowned slightly at Hawk’s almost flippant explanation. She was about to say something, but then she thought about his situation—seventeen years old, no car, no house, no phone—and decided to let it go.

...

Soon.

They arrived at Mrs. Snow’s office.

Knock, knock.

”Come in.”

Mrs. Snow’s voice came from inside.

Gwen pushed the door open and smiled at the woman sitting behind the desk—Mrs. Snow, a kind-looking woman in her forties with glasses perched on her nose.

”Mrs. Snow.”

”Gwen, have a seat.”

”Hawk.”

Mrs. Snow smiled and gestured to the sofa, then her expression softened into a sigh as Hawk followed Gwen into the room. ”Once again, Hawk, you really should get a cell phone.”

It was just too inconvenient not to have one these days.

When he’d first started at Midtown, Mrs. Snow, knowing his situation, had even offered to give him a spare phone. But Hawk had refused, promising he would get one soon.

And then.

From his first day of ninth grade to now, the end of his junior year, every time Mrs. Snow asked about his phone, Hawk would give the same answer.

Sure enough.

This time was no different. His response wasn’t just similar to his previous ones, it was a perfect copy-and-paste.

”I’ll get on it as soon as I can.”

”You always say that.”

Mrs. Snow looked weary. She was about to press the issue when there was another knock on the door.

A moment later.

Another familiar face walked in.

Hawk, who had just sat down on the sofa, raised an eyebrow as he saw who it was.

Peter Parker.

But for some reason, the Peter Parker standing before him now looked different from the one he had seen in the locker room.

How to put it...

This time, Hawk saw a hint of ”Bully Maguire” in him.

To be more precise, if the Peter he’d seen before was just Peter Parker, the one standing here now felt more like the superhero, Spider-Man.

The Tobey Maguire version.

The original Spider-Man.

Yes.

Even though this was the MCU, and technically Spider-Man should be the Tom Holland version, the Peter Parker he was looking at was a dead ringer for Maguire’s.

It was strange.

He couldn’t figure it out.

”Mrs. Snow.”

”Peter.”

Mrs. Snow’s face lit up as Peter walked in. ”Wow, Peter, it’s only been a few days. You look like you’ve bulked up.”

It was true.

If the old Peter was a beanpole, the new Peter was a young bull.

Peter just scratched the back of his head and gave a shy smile. Then, his eyes fell on Hawk, who was sitting on the sofa. He froze, as if he’d been struck by lightning.

Hawk was looking right back at him.

Their eyes met.

And Hawk saw it, clear as day.

The moment Peter’s gaze landed on him, Peter’s pupils rapidly contracted and then dilated at an insane speed.

Yep.

No doubt about it.

Peter had undergone the change.

The real one. The original Spider-Man, the one who didn’t need tech to shoot webs from his wrists, had successfully come online.

--

Spider-Man...

No.

The Spider has finally come online.

Hawk watched Peter’s pupils rapidly contract and felt a sense of satisfaction.

Truthfully, the reason he had stayed out of the fight in the locker room and ignored Peter on the bus wasn’t just because he wanted to avoid the tragedy that always follows superheroes. It was also because he didn’t want his interference to prevent the original Spider-Man from ever existing.

There were three versions of Spider-Man.

And Hawk’s favorite, by far, was this one—the one with the ”Bully Maguire” face.

Having processed all of this, Hawk looked at Peter Parker, who was still staring at him as if in a daze, and was the first to speak.

”Afternoon, Peter.”

”...Afternoon.”

Bully Maguire snapped out of it, his expression reverting to its usual mild-mannered look. After greeting Hawk, he turned to Gwen. ”Gwen.”

Gwen had seen the intense look that had passed between Hawk and Peter.

It piqued her curiosity, but she pushed the thought aside and smiled. ”Hey, Peter. I heard you gave Flash a run for his money yesterday.”

The previous day at lunch, Peter and Flash Thompson had caused a scene in the cafeteria.

Gwen hadn’t been there, but she’d heard from others that Peter had been like a completely different person, leaving the jock utterly humiliated.

Peter didn’t say anything, just scratched his head and smiled.

Gwen took the hint and didn’t press. She just gave him an encouraging thumbs-up. ”It’s about time you fought back. Good for you, Peter.”

Peter’s shy smile grew wider.

Seeing that everyone had arrived, Mrs. Snow clapped her hands together. ”Peter, have a seat.” Once Peter had taken a seat on the sofa opposite Hawk and Gwen, she walked back to her desk and picked up three folders.

After a moment.

She handed one of the folders to Gwen. ”A summer internship offer. Lab assistant in Dr. Connors’s lab at Oscorp Industries.”

Gwen’s eyes lit up as she took the folder. ”Thanks, Mrs. Snow. Dr. Connors just told me yesterday that he’d be in touch with the school. I didn’t expect it to be this fast.”

She could have gotten the internship without the official paperwork, of course.

But having this on file would look great on her college applications.

Mrs. Snow then looked at Hawk and Peter. ”I have two other summer job offers, but I wasn’t sure which one you’d prefer, so I figured I’d just call you both in and let you choose.”

As she was about to continue, Hawk raised his hand, interrupting her.

”Wait, Mrs. Snow.”

”What is it, Hawk?”

”I’m still not sure why I’m here.”

”...”

Mrs. Snow blinked, then looked at Hawk’s genuinely confused expression. ”Did you forget our conversation in my office last month?”

Hawk’s eyes widened slightly as he tried to recall their last one-on-one counseling session.

It had been a routine meeting.

Except...

Right as he was about to leave, Mrs. Snow had asked him about his plans for the summer, if he was looking for a job.

Hawk had told her he hadn’t found anything yet, and Mrs. Snow had offered to help him look.

He hadn’t thought much of it at the time, but had agreed.

After all, he really hadn’t found a summer job yet.

As the memory returned, Hawk drew in a sharp breath.

Mrs. Snow chuckled at his expression.

”Remember now?”

”Yeah.”

Hawk nodded.

Mrs. Snow smiled, then got back to business, holding up the two remaining folders. ”One is also from Oscorp, a summer position in their Bio-Electricity Department. They need someone to help with filing and data entry. The other is from the Daily Bugle. They’re also looking for a summer intern.”

Neither job sounded particularly glamorous.

And they weren’t.

But if you were to just walk in off the street, both Oscorp and the Daily Bugle would tell you they weren’t hiring.

These weren’t just two job openings, they were favors for Mrs. Snow.

In other words:

The only way to get these jobs was with the official paperwork she was holding.

Peter Parker instinctively looked at Hawk.

”Hawk, you want to choose first?”

”I...”

Hawk was about to tell Mrs. Snow that he wasn’t planning on working this summer, but then a thought struck him. He changed his mind mid-sentence. ”I’ll take the one at Oscorp.”

He had just remembered the paper by Dr. Connors on gamma radiation.

This was perfect.

He had been trying to figure out a way to meet with Dr. Connors, and now, an opportunity had just fallen into his lap.

Peter, seeing that Hawk had made his choice, looked at Mrs. Snow. ”Then I’ll take the Daily Bugle. I like taking pictures.”

You sure do.

Hawk thought to himself, hearing Peter’s words.

Mrs. Snow didn’t care about their internal thoughts. Seeing that they had both made their choices, she handed them their respective folders and gave them their instructions.

”Peter.”

”Yeah?”

”When you go to the Daily Bugle, ask for Mr. J. Jonah Jameson. Just give him this folder, and he’ll get you set up.”

”Okay.”

”Hawk.”

”Mrs. Snow.”

”When you get to Oscorp, go to the Bio-Electricity Engineering department and ask for an engineer named Max Dillon. I’ll call his supervisor ahead of time to let them know you’re coming.”

”Got it.”

Hawk nodded, his expression unchanging, though the name registered.

Max Dillon?

Isn’t that the guy from The Amazing Spider-Man 2? The nobody engineer who thinks the whole world ignores him, falls into a tank of electric eels, and becomes Electro?

Hawk shook the thought from his head.

He was far more interested in Dr. Connors’s gamma radiation research than some future villain.

After all—

He had a feeling that the ’Gammanium’ he was looking for was directly connected to whatever Dr. Connors was working on.

--

Soon.

With their business concluded, the three of them stood up, said their goodbyes to Mrs. Snow, and left the office.

Gwen immediately turned to Hawk.

”Do you want me to show you where the bio-electricity department is when we start?”

”No, I can find it myself.”

Hawk replied, then immediately started walking away, his backpack slung over one shoulder.

He didn’t have much time.

His afternoon classes were about to start, and he needed to hit the gym for a quick shower first.

Peter, who had followed them out of the office, watched Hawk’s retreating back.

He stared.

Intently.

Gwen, who had been watching them both, suddenly spoke up.

”Peter!”

”...Huh?”

Peter looked at Gwen, his eyes a little unfocused. His pupils quickly adjusted, and he snapped back to the present. ”Gwen?”

Gwen smiled. ”It’s nothing. Hey, are you going to prom this year?”

Peter gave an embarrassed smile. ”Sorry, I probably can’t make it.”

If Hawk wasn’t going to prom because he was broke and didn’t have a date, Peter was skipping it simply because he didn’t have a date.

But the reason Hawk didn’t have a date was because he couldn’t be bothered to find one.

If he wanted to, with his looks, his physique, and the quiet confidence forged from years of training, he could easily find a girl willing to go with him.

Peter, on the other hand, just couldn’t find a date.

To be more specific, it was because he was hopelessly hung up on Mary Jane Watson.

Mary Jane, Peter’s next-door neighbor, was also in their grade.

Peter probably thought his crush on her was a secret, but pretty much everyone knew.

And since everyone knew, no girl was going to agree to be his date just to be Mary Jane’s stand-in.

And the real Mary Jane wasn’t going to say yes.

Peter had no desire to go to prom alone and watch the girl of his dreams dance with someone else.

Gwen wasn’t surprised by his answer.

She was friends with Mary Jane. The moment prom was announced, Mary Jane had come to her and put her and her date’s names on the list.

Harry Osborn.

Yep.

He fit Mary Jane’s usual type.

Gwen thought to herself but didn’t say anything more. She just nodded and turned to leave.

But—

As she walked away, a thought occurred to her. She glanced back over her shoulder.

Peter was still standing there, staring in the direction Hawk had gone, a lost look on his face.

...

A few days later.

A roar of celebration erupted from Midtown Tech.

Summer vacation was finally here.

”Liz, you got your summer plans locked in?”

”Yep. Hawaii, here I come.”

”Tom and I are going to Slovakia.”

”Slovakia? Dude, did you not see the news?”

”What?”

”Last week? A bunch of tourists went missing there.”

As the final bell rang, students poured out of the school in groups of twos and threes, excitedly chattering about their vacation plans as they headed for the parking lot.

Cars started up, and one by one, they pulled away. In no time at all, the entire campus felt deserted.

The usual cacophony of the school day was gone.

The only sound that remained was the rhythmic thudding coming from the old gymnasium.

About ten minutes later.

The sound stopped.

Hawk stood in the center of the gym, steadying his breath as he began to unwrap the tape from his hands.

Even though he could now punch a steel plate without so much as reddening his knuckles, the habit of a thousand days was hard to break. He still taped his hands before every session.

Just as he was finishing, his eyebrows shot up.

A moment later.

A voice came from behind him.

”I heard they’re turning this place into a swimming pool next semester.”

”...Peter.”

Hawk turned to see him standing there—the face of Tobey Maguire. ”It’s not a rumor. It’s true.”

Peter just smiled and said nothing.

This was another reason why Hawk preferred the original Spider-Man.

Compared to the slight motormouth of the Andrew Garfield version and the hyper-talkative tech-bro of the Tom Holland one, he preferred the original’s quiet intensity.

Just like him.

All substance, no flash.

Not one for small talk.

Hawk tucked the used tape into his pocket. ”You didn’t come all the way here just to tell me they’re renovating the gym, did you?”

Peter quickly shook his head. ”No.”

”Then what is it?”

”Uh...”

Peter looked like he was about to say something, but the words caught in his throat. He just stood there, hesitating.

Hawk smirked.

He looked at Peter’s conflicted face, then turned and walked toward his backpack. He slung it over his shoulder and started for the exit.

”Have a good summer, Peter.”

”Thwip!”

Hawk, who had almost reached the door, heard the telltale sound of a web-shooter. He spun around, his right fist already lashing out.

Peter, whose Spider-Sense had screamed a warning, instinctively dodged to the side.

The next second.

CRACK!

One of the wooden benches in the middle of the gym exploded into splinters.

Peter’s eyes went wide as he stared at the shattered bench.

Hawk, meanwhile, was peeling the web off his backpack.

It was sticky.

He had to flick his wrist a few times to finally get the wad of webbing off.

Peter had already recovered from his shock. He looked back at Hawk.

”Hawk, are you...”

”I’m not.”

Hawk cut him off, his gaze sharp.

He had gotten this strong through his own relentless, day-in-and-day-out effort.

Of course.

His ’cheat’ might have played a small role in it.

But not much.

Hawk was convinced that even without it, he would have awakened his Cosmo eventually.

Now that his power system was gone and couldn’t argue, he was sticking to that story.

But that wasn’t the real reason he had cut Peter off.

Hawk gave a subtle glance toward the gym entrance.

With his Spider-Sense, Peter understood instantly.

Hawk smiled.

”Have a great summer, Peter. See you next semester.”

”...Yeah. See you next semester.”

Peter swallowed the words he had been about to say and nodded.

Hawk said nothing more. He turned and walked out of the gym.

And then—

He saw Gwen standing right outside the door. A look of genuine surprise crossed his face. ”Gwen?”

Gwen: ”...”

--

Hawk looked surprised.

Gwen looked back at him, her expression deadpan.

Fake... So fake.

She couldn’t help but offer a sincere critique.

”You’re a terrible actor.”

”Sorry.”

Hawk shrugged. ”I’m not a professional.”

It was true.

Gwen had been outside for a while.

To be more precise, she had arrived just as Peter was about to confront Hawk. She’d stopped when she heard the commotion inside.

Gwen thought she had gone unnoticed.

But—

After awakening his Cosmo, Hawk’s five senses were heightened to a superhuman degree. He could hear a leaf fall from a tree behind the gym if he wanted to, let alone Gwen’s footsteps.

The same went for Peter and his Spider-Sense, especially this version of Peter, who was the genuine, mutated article.

Though Peter had probably just gotten his powers and wasn’t used to them yet. Plus, Hawk’s punch had left him in a state of shock.

But with Hawk’s subtle signal, Peter had quickly caught on, his senses picking up Gwen’s breathing just outside the door.

So, they had both, in a moment of unspoken agreement, shut up.

This was yet another reason why Hawk preferred the original Spider-Man.

He had no comment on the Andrew Garfield version.

But the tech-based Spider-Man?

Heh.

Hawk had no doubt that if it had been the Tom Holland version in there, the kid wouldn’t have understood his signal at all. He probably would have just kept babbling on and on.

No, not probably. Definitely.

Hawk thought to himself.

Just then.

Peter emerged from the gym. He saw Gwen standing there and put on a look of mild surprise. ”Gwen, you’re still here?”

Gwen looked at the stiff, unconvincing surprise on Peter’s face and finally lost it.

”Peter, your acting is even worse than Hawk’s.”

”Hahaha...”

Peter’s expression froze. He just scratched the back of his head and laughed awkwardly. He mumbled a quick goodbye to Hawk and then hurried off toward the school gate.

Seeing his cue, Hawk prepared to leave as well.

He had to be at Oscorp early tomorrow for his first day of work. He planned on getting to bed early tonight.

Gwen stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

”Something’s different about you, Hawk.”

”Huh?”

Hawk blinked.

Gwen’s brow was furrowed, her eyes searching his. ”Since when are you and Peter so chummy? I’ve never even seen you talk to him before.”

To be more accurate, she had never seen Hawk make small talk with anyone.

Even when other students tried to talk to him, he would just give a few short answers and go back to doing his own thing.

And then there was the prom situation. At first, some girls had actually worked up the courage to ask him to be their date.

The result—

As the rumor among the girls went:

”Hawk?”

”He’s a mountain of ice. A ten-thousand-year-old mountain of ice.”

That was how the other girls saw him.

And Gwen was no exception.

She thought about the times she had tried to talk to him. Even though he never said it, she could always feel this invisible wall, this resistance to their conversation.

But today?

Her intuition was telling her that the wall was gone. The resistance she always felt when talking to him had vanished.

She was curious.

Hawk listened to Gwen’s assessment and explained with a relaxed tone, ”Peter and I aren’t friends. He just came to thank me. I was there when Flash cornered him in the locker room.”

Gwen fell silent again, listening to his explanation.

After a moment.

She looked him straight in the eye, a slight smile playing on her lips. ”If you don’t want to tell me, you don’t have to. There’s no need to lie.”

Hawk thought for a second, then met her gaze. He gave a slight nod.

”Okay. I don’t want to tell you.”

”I’ll figure it out on my own.”

”Go for it.”

Hawk nodded, ready to leave. But just before he turned, he paused and looked back at her. ”Just be careful. You know what they say. When a woman gets curious about a man, that’s the beginning of the end.”

Gwen was now certain that the wall between them was gone. But she just scoffed playfully.

”I don’t think I’m in any danger of falling for a guy who can barely admit that we’re friends.”

She remembered the look on his face a few days ago when she’d given him a ride home and told him they were friends.

No, wait.

Even then, the wall had already started to come down.

Gwen replayed the scene in her mind, and a thought struck her.

Hawk didn’t argue. He just shrugged and started walking down the stairs.

”See you around, Gwen.”

Gwen called after his retreating back, ”I’m going to find out your secret!”

”Good luck!”

Hawk waved over his shoulder without looking back.

He didn’t give it another thought.

That line about a woman’s curiosity was just something he’d said on the fly.

But—

He probably wouldn’t have said something like that before he’d awakened his Cosmo.

...

Sitting in the back of the school bus on the way to his new apartment, Hawk stared out the window at the passing scenery, lost in thought.

Before he had his power, love was a luxury.

A luxury he could never afford.

But now?

Courage comes from confidence.

Hawk still didn’t have any money, but he had his fists.

Strength is power.

Power is currency.

By that logic...

To have strength is to have wealth.

So—

Then was then.

This is now.

With his awakened Cosmo, he had finally earned the right, from a position of strength, to believe that love was something he could have.

Hawk thought to himself.

Just then.

The image of Gwen looking him in the eye flashed in his mind. He felt a sudden, sharp pang in his chest.

Hiss!

Hawk snapped out of it, shaking his head to clear the sudden thought.

It was nothing.

Just the ”Three Biggest Delusions” warning system kicking in again.

He wasn’t Peter.

Peter would see Mary Jane smile at him once and convince himself she was in love with him.

Hawk wouldn’t make that mistake.

So—

Forget it.

Time to focus on what’s important.

Tomorrow was his first day at Oscorp. He would finally find out if Dr. Connors’s lab held the key to the Gammanium he was looking for.

If it did, that would be perfect.

Hawk already had a plan.

Once he had confirmed the location of the Gammanium, his next target would be the source of all Vibranium: Wakanda.

And the plan was simple.

If Wakanda was willing to hand over the Vibranium he needed, then everyone would be happy. But if they refused, and if they chose to fight back?

Then too bad for them.