Marvel’s Spider-Man: Across the Multiverse

The next day.

In the underground Spider-Lair beneath Aunt May's backyard, Peni and her spider mech sat at a computer desk, fingers flying over the keyboard.

She was attempting to hack into Kingpin's company database to find information about the particle collider.

Unfortunately, this world's late Spider-Man hadn't left much data behind in the lair, which would have made things much easier.

As for Peter, Spider-Noir, and Spider-Ham, since they couldn't help Peni, they decided to focus on something else—training Peter.

This was because, out of the four of them, Peter was currently the weakest.

The others were vastly more experienced:

Spider-Noir, with six years as Spider-Man, was skilled in combat and possessed a wealth of experience, along with a revolver as his weapon.

Spider-Ham, though quiet about his tenure as Spider-Man, was faster than Spider-Noir and likely stronger.

Peni, though only one year into her role as the Spider-Mech pilot, benefited from her father's battle knowledge stored within the mech's systems, making her combat capabilities formidable.

Peter, however, was a complete novice.

Having only recently gained his Spider powers before being thrust into this universe, his understanding of his abilities was limited to what he'd seen in movies and games. So far, the only skill he had confidently mastered was wall-crawling.

If he was to contribute to their mission to stop Kingpin, training was a must.

Peter himself was eager for guidance from these "veteran" Spider-People, hoping to quickly master his abilities.

To show his gratitude and commitment, Peter woke up early to prepare a hearty breakfast using the cooking skills he had developed as a homebody.

The effort paid off.

He earned Peni's sweet and cheerful compliment of "Sugoi, Onii-chan!" and the promise of Spider-Noir and Spider-Ham to train him seriously.

Their training method, however, was anything but delicate—it was simple and brutal.

They went straight to sparring.

The fighting style they taught wasn't any structured martial art but a raw and straightforward approach aimed at taking down an opponent with a single decisive blow.

This was very different from the Spider-Men Peter had seen in movies.

He remembered Tobey-Spidey, Andrew-Spidey, and Tom-Spidey often getting into drawn-out battles with their foes. Sometimes they struggled, but other times it seemed like they were holding back out of mercy.

Spider-Noir and Spider-Ham, on the other hand, didn't have that same hesitance.

When Peter asked about it, Spider-Noir explained:

"If the enemy is truly evil, seize the chance to eliminate their threat completely. That way, more innocent lives can be saved."

"If the enemy is guilty of minor wrongdoings, subdue them and turn them over to the law for justice."

"But if you show mercy to a villain who thrives on hurting the innocent, who will speak up for the oppressed when they suffer under that villain's cruelty?"

Spider-Noir's philosophy seemed to place him firmly in the Neutral Good alignment, according to the D&D nine-alignment system.

Most Spider-Men, by contrast, tended to lean toward Lawful Good, adhering strictly to rules and justice as friendly neighborhood heroes.

Take Tobey-Spidey, for example. When possessed by the Venom symbiote, his idea of "giving in to evil" was asking for a deserved raise, showing off at a bar, and mildly inconveniencing his unfaithful ex—hardly the actions of someone fully succumbing to darkness.

If others embraced their "dark side" and didn't attempt to conquer the world, it would almost feel like a waste of the term "darkening"!

Spider-Noir's approach to handling evil likely stems from the era he inhabits.

During the Great Depression, when oppressive capitalism, corrupt officials, and widespread darkness weighed heavily on ordinary people, Spider-Noir existed as a symbol of resistance.

His battle against exploitative capitalists, corrupt authorities, and criminal organizations naturally required a more ruthless approach.

This difference in era shaped Spider-Noir's upbringing, responsibilities, and beliefs, setting him apart from the Spider-Men Peter was familiar with.

At this stage, Peter had gained powers but hadn't yet developed the personality to match. Much of his mindset remained rooted in the life of an ordinary, small-town citizen.

Spider-Noir's "guidance" was like pouring water onto a tender sapling. While the effects might not be immediately visible, over time, this mentorship could subtly influence Peter's growth.

Meanwhile, Spider-Ham also sparred with Peter while sharing his own philosophy.

Compared to Spider-Noir, Spider-Ham's outlook was much more laid-back—or perhaps carefree.

In his cartoon animal universe, there were plenty of villains, but their behaviors and goals were often bizarre and outlandish.

For Spider-Ham, fighting these villains was more about passing the time and having fun.

"Kids, take a break and come out for some food before continuing!"

Aunt May's voice came through the training room speakers.

"Got it, Aunt May! We're on our way!" Spider-Noir replied, extending a hand to help Peter, who was lying on the ground, catch his breath. "How are you feeling?"

Peter grinned despite himself. "It hurts, but it feels great!"

Spider-Ham snickered as he reached out to pinch Peter's sore calf. "Then let's make you feel even better this afternoon!"

"Ahh! Watch it!" Peter cried out, his body flinching in pain.

Spider-Noir's training was nothing short of grueling. After assessing Peter's physical limits, Noir had tailored his strength to hit hard enough to cause pain without causing injury.

Any lapse in Peter's defense left a mark, and his calves still ached from a low sweep Noir had landed earlier.

But the rewards were undeniable.

Under their meticulous guidance, Peter transformed in just one morning from a combat novice to someone with solid fighting skills.

If an average person's combat ability was a 1, Peter's newly gained Spider abilities put him at a 5. Now, with a basic mastery of combat techniques, his combat prowess had climbed to a solid 10!

Peter estimated that if the current him faced off against yesterday's him, he could easily take on 3 to 5 versions of his past self at once.

With further experience in real combat, that number could likely double!

It was a massive leap forward.

"What's the plan for this afternoon?" Peter asked, rubbing his sore spots as they walked to the break area.

Spider-Noir gave him a brief glance and replied coolly, "This morning, we focused on ground combat techniques. This afternoon, we'll teach you how to incorporate webbing into your fights. That's the core of our true combat style."

"Using webbing!" Peter's mind raced with possibilities.

Swing kicks, web strikes, web slingshots, and web pulls—these were all techniques he'd often seen in games. Given his current abilities, he should be able to replicate them!

With this thought, Peter felt a surge of confidence and excitement for the afternoon session.

(Chapter End)

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