I Became Spider-Man's Cousin in Anime Crossover

Chapter 445 [Two chapters combined into one] Flash: Do I understand Spider-Man better, or do you?

When Riley and the others escorted Xiaoyu to school and turned to walk through the gates of Midtown High School, it was as if they had stepped into a different public opinion arena.

Compared to the cacophony of interests, conspiracy theories, and complex debates on the street, the sounds in the school corridors seemed direct, even somewhat naive, yet exceptionally clear.

"It must have been a hacker!"

Wearing a Spider-Man themed baseball cap, Flas loudly announced in front of the lockers, attracting a few classmates.

"A friend of mine's dad works at a cybersecurity company. He said that for a system of Stark Industries' scale, a normal malfunction couldn't possibly send such a huge robot out into the street! It must be a top-tier hacker attack, or... a state-sponsored espionage attack!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the guy he was talking about, a student with a laptop tucked under his arm, nodded repeatedly.

"That's right! You saw Mr. Stark's previous press conference. Experts analyzed that the firewall system built by the artificial intelligence he developed, called 'Jarvis,' is virtually impenetrable! This further proves that the attackers are no ordinary people. They might be one of those mysterious organizations from the movies, trying to steal Stark Industries' confidential technology or deliberately smear Stark Industries to make us distrust them!"

Thanks to Frazier's previous risky filming of Spider-Man and Hulk teaming up to fight Super Abomination, providing strong evidence to clear the names of these two superheroes, he himself became a hot internet celebrity. Therefore, Frazier and his good friend's words immediately garnered the approval and agreement of many students.

"That's right! And there are already plenty of videos and photos proving that although it was chasing someone and did indeed fire shots in public, it still prioritized the safety of innocent civilians after arriving at Times Square!"

A girl with pigtails interrupted, holding up her phone.

The screen was playing a video of Iron Monger using his body to block a falling sign.

Although the footage was shaky, it was enough to make Iron Monger's goodwill clear.

"If it's really like what the newspapers and media are saying, a killing machine deliberately released by Mr. Stark, then why would it save people? Wouldn't it have just caused destruction? This logic just doesn't make sense!"

“I agree,” another girl, who was rummaging through her history textbook in her locker, said without looking up. “The logic is simple. Just like you can’t blame the inventor of guns because bad guys use them to commit crimes.”

"Hey! Look! Someone's already filmed a blurry image of Spider-Man and a red robot that arrived later, standing over this big metal lump, questioning a strange man!"

[Note: Tony Stark had only recently created the Mark II, and with Obadiah's redemption, there was no reason for the two to go to war. Therefore, Tony hadn't yet had a chance to enter the public eye as "Iron Man."]

Meanwhile, Flaherty, who was occasionally swiping his phone screen, excitedly shouted again as the image that appeared before his eyes. His tone was full of admiration and trust for "Spider-Man".

"Although we don't know who made this red robot, think about it, who is Spider-Man? He's the strongest superhero in New York... no, in the whole world! Remember the giant mechanical spider that appeared in New York City before—the Spider-Slayer who ambushed Riley? That was much bigger than this metal lump! If Spider-Man really thought that big metal lump was a bad guy, he would have smashed it to pieces long ago! He wouldn't be speaking up for it!"

The debate continued, but Peter noticed a subtle shift in the discussion among students as more and more videos and photos from the scene surfaced on social media, especially after information about Spider-Man's involvement spread.

This atmosphere, so different from the complex public opinion outside the school, and imbued with the unique innocence and kindness of teenagers, did indeed make Riley and the others feel relaxed.

Riley, in particular, found a smile gradually appearing on his face as the heated discussions around him continued to resonate. The tension that had been building since last night allowed him to relax for a while, allowing him to return to his identity as "Riley Parker" from "Spider-Man".

"Ahem... Actually, Frass, you might have a bit too high expectations for me... I mean, for 'Spider-Man'."

Of course, Peter also enjoys the unconditional trust that his peers have in Spider-Man.

But as Peter grew older and became more aware of the weight of his responsibilities, he worried that if this atmosphere continued to develop, one day Spider-Man might make a mistake—for example, when he first became Spider-Man, Peter mistook Hulk for one of the Lizards because of their similar colors and staged a scene of "attacking an ally"—it would disappoint everyone and could even lead to a backlash from public opinion.

So Peter deliberately coughed twice to attract everyone's attention.

Then, in a tone as if he were a passerby who had nothing to do with it, he spoke eloquently.

"I heard from a 'friend' that Spider-Man didn't tie up the metal thing because his judgment was slightly off. Based on the clues gathered at the scene, he judged that the big guy who was killing people in public was probably preventing greater destruction and protecting the safety of more people. So he hesitated and didn't disable the machine directly."

"But what happened? The machine really went out of control. Although the intention was good, in retrospect, we have to admit that this time, his momentary leniency almost triggered a terrible disaster!"

As he spoke, he shrugged, sighed, and earnestly advised his overly enthusiastic classmates.

"So you know, even Spider-Man doesn't always make the right decisions. This time he almost..."

Well, what Peter didn't realize was...

In Midtown High School, where almost everyone is a Spider-Man fan, do you talk bad about Spider-Man?

Even if Peter were Spider-Man, he was merely objectively pointing out the shortcomings in his actions last night...

This is enough to make Peter's image, in the eyes of everyone, instantly become just as despicable as J. Jonah Jameson, who used to blame Spider-Man for every little thing that happened!

"What nonsense are you talking about!"

That's why, before Peter could finish speaking, a roar, like a thunderclap from a clear sky, interrupted Peter's pretentious "analysis".

Fraz stormed through the crowd, his face flushed, and stood right in front of Peter, his finger almost touching Peter's nose.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

Fraz's furious roar instantly echoed throughout the corridor.

Like the most fanatical believer who had heard blasphemous heretical remarks, his eyes quickly turned bloodshot.

Even though Riley was standing not far behind Peter.

Fraz, who used to cower before Riley like a mouse before a cat, behaving more docilely than anyone else, actually overcame his fear. He grabbed Peter by the collar and roared furiously, his eyes blazing with rage.

"Spider-Man is the best! He always knows what to do! The reason he didn't act was because that metal thing was good! It was an ally! How could Spider-Man have 'judgment bias'?! That was a brilliant decision! It was strategic cooperation!"

Peter shrank back, overwhelmed by the overwhelming fervor of the faith [or rather, the inescapable barrage of spittle?].

Seeing Frazier's protective stance towards Spider-Man, Peter wasn't angry at all; in fact, he almost burst out laughing. He quickly tried to keep a straight face, pretending to be both frightened and somewhat unconvinced: "Hey! Calm down, Frazier. It's normal to have different opinions during a discussion... Besides, I... I was just stating a possibility... After all, he's not a god..."

"Possible my foot!"

Seeing that Peter was showing signs of "giving in," Fraz released his grip on Peter's collar, put his hands on his hips, puffed out his chest, and adopted a "truth is mine" stance.

"I've been following the Spider-Men ever since they appeared! Especially their red and blue color scheme!"

"While he may not be as powerful as the Black One, he is clearly kinder and gentler! Was that hesitation? No, it was meticulous observation! He was trying to find a way to resolve this crisis with minimal cost!"

"Do you know how hard he risked his life to save people? Do you know how many times he patrolled at night?"

"How dare you, a hater who only listens to others' nonsense, smear Spider-Man!"

"Who understands Spider-Man better, me or you?!"

"Spider-Man is the pride of Queens! He couldn't be wrong!"

Fras Thompson's voice, like a built-in megaphone, echoed and reverberated between the tiled walls of the corridor.

He stood tall with his strong chest out, his arm muscles taut and defined beneath his tight-fitting sweatshirt, as if he were not arguing, but making some kind of solemn oath.

That resolute and unquestionable demeanor was exactly like that of the self-proclaimed "President of the Queens District of the Spider-Man Global Fan Club," personally refuting "heresy" in a "timeless classic"!

The surrounding classmates reacted in various ways, but because of Riley's presence, and because Flax had long since abandoned his "school bully" persona, he showed no fear whatsoever. Instead, low chuckles spread like ripples on water, mixed with whispers such as "Here we go again," "Flash's daily routine," and "How many times has Spider-Man been vindicated today?"

Several rugby team members who were familiar with Frazier watched the show with their arms crossed, their faces showing a knowing smile.

Several students who had recently transferred to Midtown High School, drawn by its rising reputation, peered curiously, seemingly finding the internet celebrity's intense reaction far more interesting than the debate itself.

The whole scene, far from becoming tense because of Frazier's "momentum," was instead filled with a relaxed and fun atmosphere, like watching a youth campus drama come to life.

Peter Parker stood in the eye of the storm (though he had stirred it up himself), and his expression was priceless.

First came the shock and bewilderment: "Did I really think that way back then?!"

Then comes the absurdity of "just how many details did this guy imagine?"

In the end, it all turned into a helpless feeling that was both laughable and frustrating.

He, Spider-Man himself, was actually severely criticized and educated by his own "number one fan," and the content was about his "mental activities" and "strategic considerations" at the time.

This experience was truly novel.

Riley, who was standing not far behind Peter, had an even more subtle reaction.

Even before Fraz had spoken up against Peter, the "little black man," in his defense of the faith, he had already subtly turned his face toward the window, leaving everyone with only a slightly taut profile.

His shoulders twitched almost imperceptibly, and one hand was clenched into a fist and pressed against his lips, as if he were coughing or forcibly suppressing something.

Only Felicia, who was closest to Riley, could see that Riley's eyes curved into a suspicious arc, his lips were pursed tightly, and the muscles in his cheeks were twitching slightly out of control. He was clearly engaged in a hard-fought "battle of facial expression management."

After all, if Riley laughed out loud, the situation could become even more chaotic, and it would definitely invite Peter's "retribution."

Meanwhile, the pinhole camera worn by Riley clearly captured this rare scene. One can only imagine what kind of interesting expression Peter will have when he reveals his identity to Frazier someday, realizing that the "weak Parker" he knew was actually his idol, Spider-Man, Frazier, as he revisits this "classic" moment.

Hmm, just thinking about it makes me excited!

As Frazier got more and more excited, even going so far as to say that "every action Spider-Man takes has a deeper meaning, including the poses he strikes and every word he rambles on during battle, all of which are meant to distract the enemy!" Peter knew that continuing to persuade him would only further solidify his identity as a "black-hearted villain."

So, after turning his head and giving Riley, who had been watching the whole thing from an OMO perspective, a disgruntled glare, he decisively raised his hands in an exaggerated gesture of surrender, his voice filled with a resigned mockery: "Okay, okay, I was wrong, I was wrong, alright? You're right, Flash. Spider-Man is always right, a brilliant, infallible, insightful, and infallible superhero!"

Throughout his speech, Peter used almost every positive adjective he could think of, his tone dripping with sarcasm. However, towards the end, this self-praise in front of his number one fan finally made the honest Peter blush with embarrassment.

However, Frass's "fan filter" was as thick as a city wall, and he didn't notice the abnormality Peter was showing at all.

He only heard the outward surrender and a string of "praises." Suddenly, as if he had won a major battle, he let out a satisfied snort, raised his chin even higher, and straightened his chest even more. His eyes gleamed as he surveyed his surroundings, like a young lion king surveying his territory.