Ryuuto's calm smile stood out against the chaos, a quiet beacon in the storm. His eyes flicked toward the young hero at his side. "Gwen, how's it going?"
"I'm ready! I won't lose, don't worry!" she said, her voice fierce with conviction.
Hands tight, stance solid—she glared at the armored man across from her. "Remember this, Whiplash! I am Spider-Woman—and I'm here to make you pay for every life you've wrecked!"
"Haha, amusing little bug," Whiplash sneered, raising his twin lashes, arcs of blue energy dancing between them. The air crackled, tension humming like live wire.
Tony leaned in close to Ryuuto. "You sure about this, kid? Whiplash isn't one to hold back."
"Relax," Ryuuto said, voice light but confident. "His armor's flashier than it is effective. Gwen's got this."
That effortless assurance settled even Wolverine's restless frown.
"Alright," Tony murmured, "I trust you."
Whiplash snapped his arms, twin coils slicing through the air with a deafening crack. "Let's see how long you last, spider-girl!"
Webs shot forward before he could blink—thick, silver threads weaving into a net that wrapped around him mid-motion.
"What—?!" Whiplash barely managed before Gwen blurred out of sight, reappearing like silver lightning.
"Boom!"
Her kick connected clean with his chin, sending him hurtling backward like a ragdoll. He hit the concrete with a grunt.
"Looks like you got bullied," Gwen teased, flipping through the air as more webs lashed out. They coiled around his legs like living serpents, tossing him high before slamming him back down with bone-rattling force.
Wolverine whistled low. "Not bad. That's Spider-Woman for you."
Tony, Bobby, and Steel exchanged surprised looks, silent respect brewing for Ryuuto's call.
"Damn it! I'll tear you apart!" Whiplash roared. Energy pulsed violently across his armor as the ground around him cracked under the pressure.
Tony tensed, ready to step in—but Ryuuto lifted a hand. "Easy. If things go south, I'll handle it."
"Confident, aren't you?" Wolverine grunted, smirking.
"Confidence is free," Ryuuto replied under his breath. "Winning's the expensive part."
Gwen didn't need saving. She darted low, weaving webs and strikes seamlessly, her rhythm almost musical. Whiplash struck back, his whips carving into the air with predator precision.
"You can't run forever!" he roared.
"You talk too much," she snapped back. "Let your aim do the talking!"
Her sarcasm hit like a counterpunch, but Whiplash wasn't done. "Then try surviving this!"
The core on his chest glowed with deadly light, radiating unstable energy.
Tony blanched. "Oh no… that blast—!"
The beam fired like a cannon, shaking the earth. Gwen didn't blink. She shifted her weight, spinning through the air in one graceful arc—dodging by inches.
"Gotcha," Whiplash hissed, lunging mid-air, whip sparking with lightning, aiming straight for her head.
Gwen smiled—barely there, defiant. "Already fell for it."
Her heel cracked against the glowing orb on his armor.
The explosion that followed swallowed the battlefield in white light.