Peter and Renzo exchanged a glance, each seeing the gravity in the other's eyes.
Renzo set the monster's corpse down behind him. The three of them stood there, looking at one another, stunned and momentarily speechless.
"Let's head back to the lab first."
...
"The black layer covering this thing contains elements that don't belong to Earth. But the bones inside are from a native lifeform."
"I ran DNA tests on both corpses," Otto said solemnly, removing his glasses as he looked at Renzo. "The bone structure matches that of a coyote. This is a fusion of two organisms."
"Could it be a symbiote?" Renzo frowned, his expression serious.
"No, no, no. This isn't symbiosis," Otto replied flatly. "It's closer to parasitism. One lifeform completely controls another. The most urgent priority is to find the source of this parasite and eliminate it. Otherwise, more and more people will fall victim to it."
Renzo fell silent. After a brief hesitation, he decided to reveal that he had detected traces of magic on the creature.
"Magic? You're saying these things might be created by magic?" Otto let out a small laugh. As a staunch materialist, he had never believed in such things.
"But it exists. I can travel across universes—what's impossible?" Renzo countered. He scanned the monster's body with the gem and gently placed his hand on its head.
"Its thoughts are filled with chaotic, unknown energy. There's no order—only killing and hunger." Renzo could perceive the remnants of its mental state.
"Can you access its memories? If you can, maybe you can trace the source of the infection," Peter asked anxiously. The horrors he had witnessed on the streets that day had shaken him deeply. He was supposed to be the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man—but if he couldn't even protect a few people on one street, what kind of Spider-Man was he?
Peter's thoughts were always simple and sincere. He wanted to save people—to protect everyone. Before Renzo appeared, he had carried the burden of being a lone hero. Even when the authorities rejected him, he still fought for the sake of others.
"No," Renzo shook his head. "It was just an animal before. Its memories are completely scrambled—fragmented and heavily damaged."
"In short, its mind is like a pot of noodles. Once they're thrown in and stirred, you can't separate them again."
Peter fell silent. He was no stranger to science, but compared to the two geniuses in front of him, his knowledge felt insignificant. If even they couldn't figure it out, there was nothing he could do either.
"For now, let's leave it at that, Peter," Renzo said. "We need to increase patrols. More of these things could show up at any time."
"Got it, Renzo!" Peter agreed without hesitation.
...
Over the next six months, Renzo, Peter, and Otto tracked down and eliminated several of these creatures. Fortunately, there were no incidents as devastating as the first.
Otto and Renzo also intensified their research. In terms of science, the two of them were nearly unmatched—but when it came to magic, they were at a complete loss.
"This kind of mutation defies all scientific explanation!" Otto snapped in frustration. Months of relentless work had thinned his hair, and his eyes were bloodshot as he stared at the corpse on the operating table—the last known specimen. There had been no new sightings in the city; most likely, the creatures had already been wiped out.
"These things mutate to different degrees. The one Peter and I encountered back then was probably the strongest," Renzo said as he sat in a chair, absentmindedly touching the gem on his forehead. Lately, it had been flickering more frequently—as if warning him of something.
"The next three villains should be appearing soon…"
Renzo stretched lazily. "Let's call it here for today. Those monsters are almost gone. I'll keep an eye on the city."
He quietly shifted back into human form. As he reached the door, he suddenly turned back to Otto.
"You should get some rest. I didn't go through all that trouble to restore you just so you could work yourself to exhaustion."
With that, Renzo left.
"This kid… really doesn't know how to phrase things," Otto muttered as he watched him go, preparing to resume his research. But as he lowered his head, his gaze fell on a photograph resting on the table.
It was a picture of his wife, her smile warm and radiant, as if she were still standing right in front of him.
A faint smile tugged at Otto's lips as memories flooded back.
"Maybe… I should take a break…"
...
"Hi, Renzo!" Aunt May greeted warmly as he stepped out of the car. "Here—take these apples I just bought."
She pressed them into his hands with a kind smile. "Thanks for looking after us this past year. You have to come over for dinner tonight—I'm making my famous apple pie and a whole roast chicken."
"Thank you, Aunt May." Renzo's usually calm expression softened into a friendly smile. "Where's Peter? Doesn't look like he's home."
"He said he went to watch Mary Jane's performance. Being all mysterious about it," she said with a light sigh. "Young couples always have their little secrets. I can't keep track of Peter anymore—he's grown up. He has his own life now… even keeps things from his Aunt May."
Renzo listened quietly. Older people often had a need to talk—especially when they were lonely.
With no children around, her husband gone, and the nephew she raised like a son now living his own life, her days were filled with small conversations. Neighbors gathering, chatting, comparing lives, sharing complaints—yet somehow, life still went on peacefully.
"Oh dear, I've been rambling again. Don't find me annoying, Renzo. And don't forget—dinner tonight!" she added quickly.
Renzo nodded with a small, helpless smile, said goodbye, and returned home.
He hadn't been back in a while. A thin layer of dust coated the table. Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the floating particles in the air.
He dropped onto the sofa. Aside from a few decorations, the house was sparsely furnished—just the basics.
The blue curtains hadn't been changed since winter. Even though Renzo didn't need to eat, the refrigerator was fully stocked with cheese, bread, soda… all prepared in case neighbors stopped by.
Lowering his head, Renzo sank into thought. They had identified the cause of the animal mutations—but the magical aspect…
Why was this universe connected to magic at all?
"Zzzzt—emergency news, emergency news! Fifth Street has been attacked by an individual with superpowers… repeat—Fifth Street has been attacked by an individual with superpowers…"
Renzo's eyes sharpened.
"Sandman… so he's finally here."
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