DAREDEVIL WAS ON A rooftop, the sun beaming down on the crimson-colored vigilante. Soon, he sensed someone arrive, and he honed in on their heartbeat. Immediately, he knew who they were, and he smirked.

"Y/N."

In his suit that MJ took the time to fix up the last few days while he was in a coma, Spider-Man walked up to Daredevil. Matt turned and faced him.

"Matt."

"Glad you're up and able. Again." He replied, thinking back at how badly he was hurt just a couple of weeks ago after their first fight with LaMuerto. "But I'm pretty sure the hospital will find it weird that you're gone."

"Claire said she'd handle it." Y/N replied.

"And that she does."

Y/N walked up to the edge where Matt was. They looked out into the skyline, seeing the fire-orange color of the afternoon sky.

"So, how are things with Arsenic Candy?" Y/N asked.

"We've hit most of Detective Davis's locations."

"Tell me about that."

"During his investigation with Carter on the Undertaker, they took into account places his operations were connected to. Turns out they were right. We've dwindled their numbers and have gotten back 60% of the hostages."

"There's still a good chunk left." Y/N replied.

"We've pinpointed where the rest likely could be. The NYPD, Hawkeye, and Patriot are on their way there now. Hardy and Belova are with another squad, raiding another base. Castle's at work, too."

"Hawkeye?" Y/N asked, surprised to hear the name. "Kate Bishop's here?"

"Yeah, she was there with Hardy when those thugs tried to kill you in the hospital."

"Uh...what?"

Matt chuckled. "Welcome back, Spider-Man."

The young man let out a breathy laugh and shook his head. He couldn't believe all that he missed during his slumber. Daredevil turned his head back toward the ledge.

"There's one final location. A warehouse in Harding Park. We think that's where Mary and Richard are, along with the rest of their backup."

"And LaMuerto?" Y/N asked.

"He's likely there, too. The three of them are there either preparing their escape...or plotting one final move."

"Their endgame."

Daredevil nodded. With everyone else occupied either saving the hostages or taking out other bases with stragglers, it was up to Daredevil and Spider-Man to face Typhoid Mary, the Undertaker, and Black Tarantula head-on...and take them down once and for all.

"Then let's finish this."

THE POLICE CRUISERS and SWAT cars pulled up to the factory. Out on the lot, four Arsenic Candy members were on watch but overwhelmed by the vast police force. They immediately surrendered.

Detective Jefferson Davis got out of his car, led the unit through the lot, and walked up to the garage's shutter doors. He spoke to them.

"Team A stays outside in case more of them show up or if any stragglers try to flee. Hawkeye and Patriot should be on the way and assist. Team B, we go in."

A couple of SWAT officers unlocked the doors and lifted it halfway. Jefferson rolled underneath and reached the other side, followed by the rest of the squad.

Upon getting inside, they stood in the quiet industrial laundry room. The peace was short-lived though, as shots rang out and the squad was fired upon. Jeff quickly went behind cover.

"Nine o'clock!" One officer shouted.

Both sides exchanged gunfire. Jeff ran out of cover and fired at the henchmen, shooting him in the thigh. He fell to the floor, and Jeff slid behind a machine.

One cop shot at the bad guys who were hiding behind cover. Suddenly, one of them flanked and got the jump on him, where he hit the officer in the side.

"Argh!"

He fell to the floor. Before the henchman can deliver a final shot, Jeff raised his gun and shot the henchman twice in the chest. He fell to the floor, dead.

Jeff let out a breath. He had never killed someone in the line of duty before. But, he had to do it now to save his colleague from being killed on his watch.

He ran up to the injured cop and helped him, getting him behind cover.

"Murphy? Where were you shot?"

He could only groan as he shifted a bit and showed his abdomen. The bullet had missed his body armor, but luckily, it went straight through.

"I got him!" A medic said and came over to assist.

Jeff nodded. Before he could leave, Officer Murphy grabbed his M1014 shotgun and slid it to Jeff. He looked at it for a moment before ultimately taking it.

The firefight between Arsenic Candy continued. Another officer was behind a machine, taking cover from a barrage of bullets that was coming at her. The shooter stepped out and kept firing their rifle, but a shotgun blast immediately blasted him away.

Jeff moved along the laundry room, holding the semi-auto shotgun. Another henchman came out and shot at him, but he quickly took cover. Before Jeff can peek out, the shooter was immediately taken down by the female cop Jeff had saved moments ago.

Only a few gang members were left alive in the room, and they understood the circumstances. The four of them dropped their guns and surrendered, where they were quickly arrested.

While they were inside, reinforcements had arrived and were fighting the NYPD team outside. Luckily, Hawkeye and Patriot arrived moments later and backed up the officers.

Jeff moved to a stairwell and kicked the door open. One henchman appeared on the steps but was immediately shot down before he could shoot Jeff. He walked up the stairs, all while having the shotgun raised and aimed ahead.

He made it to the second floor. Arsenic Candy henchmen were there, but Jeff and the officers who joined him on the floor quickly dispatched them. His colleagues then checked the closed rooms in the hallways and were surprised by what they saw.

"I got a group of people in here."

Another officer checked a room.

"I got 10 in here."

Another room was unlocked.

"I got more here."

They had found a good amount of the remaining hostages. Jeff moved along the second floor and entered a room at the other end of the hall, where he saw one henchman trying to communicate on a radio.

"Hey!" Jeff shouted.

Immediately, the man ran out of the room through another door. Jeff called out to his colleagues that he had it covered and chased after him, dropping the extra weight of the shotgun.

Jeff ran after the henchman. He made a sharp left into another room and immediately threw a chair at the window, breaking it. He quickly climbed out. Jeff came in seconds later and saw the man jump out, landing on the bed of a truck before getting out.

This didn't phase Jeff, who climbed out the same window and landed on the truck bed as well. He vaulted out and kept chasing after the bad guy, who was too slow for the fit and experienced detective.

Jeff jumped off a crate and dove at the man, tackling him and bringing him to the floor.

"Argh!" The henchman groaned as the detective drove a knee into his back and started to cuff him.

"What? Too tight?"

Jeff got up and forcefully brought the henchman to his feet, the last one they needed to deal with at the factory. With the immediate threat dealt with and the hostages there saved, the raid was successful.

He brought the cuffed henchman to a police cruiser. Eli Bradley, who had just finished helping the squad outside with the reinforcements, witnessed Jeff jump out the second-floor window and still take down the bad guy. He was impressed.

"Dude..." Eli spoke to Jeff as he passed him by. "You're a frickin' badass."

Jeff chuckled and looked back at Patriot.

"Try telling my son that."

Meanwhile, the group of Arsenic Candy workers at one of the last standing bases was frantic. They had heard about the factory by Staten Island being raided, and they knew they were next.

They planned on leaving, not caring about what Typhoid Mary or the Undertaker had to say. They wanted to get out while they could.

"What about the hostages?" One henchman asked their leader, Hank.

He looked at him with a stern look.

"Kill them. They were dead once Mary laid their hands on them anyway."

Suddenly, the lights in the warehouse shut off. The henchmen looked around in confusion.

"Go check the breaker." He told the man.

"Hell nah, I ain't doing that."

"What are you? Scared?"

"This that shit that happens in those movies! You check what the hell happened to the power, and you end up dead. I ain't trying to die."

The leader grumbled and took out his radio, communicating with another henchman.

"Franz, check out the breaker. Lou is too much of a pussy."

He waited for a response but didn't get any. He tried again.

"Franz? You in the john?"

Behind him, Lou was scratching his chin when he suddenly was grabbed from behind by platinum blonde female. She covered his mouth and grappled back up to the ceiling with him. The gun he had dropped, and Hank looked back to see his colleague gone.

He started to realize the severity of the situation.

"Shit..."

Hank ran through the dark. As he did, he passed by the bodies of defeated goons within the compound, even tripping over one. He quickly got up and kept running.

He ran through the corridor and into another open room. Hank ran to the nearby exit but saw the lock had been tampered with. He was now stuck there. Hank then heard something behind him and saw a costumed woman ahead. He recognized her as Black Cat.

Hank immediately drew his weapon but didn't aim it at her, instead running over to the door of the storage room and pointing it there. It was where the rest of the hostages were. He shouted at her.

"You get any closer, I'll shoot into the damn room!" He pointed two fingers at the door. "I'll empty the clip, and every one of them will—"

Immediately, a silenced shot ran out. The bullet clipped his fingers and blasted them off.

Hank groaned in pain and dropped his rifle, clutching his maimed hand. The shooter, Yelena, dropped down from a beam on the ceiling while holding her silenced pistol.

"It's rude to point." She quipped with a stern tone.

Hank didn't even both fighting back or picking up his gun, simply falling out his knees and holding his bleeding hand. Felicia went up to him and tied his other hand to a pipe. Soon, the authorities waiting outside came in and joined the costumed women.

Afterward, they went inside the storage room, where they were met with the presence of the remaining hostages. Felicia and Yelena let out a sigh of relief, knowing they had them now.

Each of them had their hands wrapped in zip-ties. They were freed individually and escorted out to the rest of the police and paramedics.

As the civilians were being tended to and Yelena and Felicia conversed, they heard someone call out. Felicia turned around and was met with a surprising sight. He called out again.

"Felicia?"

It was Randy, who was with Harry. The young black man was in awe at seeing the platinum-blonde woman again, and the same went for Felicia. She was relieved to see him all right.

"Randy?"

He walked up to her, looking her up and down and letting out a breathy chuckle. Randy really couldn't get out any words.

"You...you look good."

Felicia chuckled, taking off her goggles.

"It's been a while." He added.

"It has." She replied.

Randy looked back at the warehouse he had just been in for the last few days. He turned back around.

"You helped us?"

Felicia just shrugged, not wanting to get the credit. Randy smiled.

"You're a hero." He said.

"That's not me. No." She responded. "I'm not."

Randy remembered her letter to him and how she doubted her intentions and feared people near her would always get hurt.

"No matter what you think. No matter what other people say." He reached out and held her wrist. "To me, you are."

Hearing that from Randy made her heart swell. She nodded and let out a breathy chuckle, to which the young man smiled. Seconds later, Felicia leaned in and kissed Randy.

Harry and Yelena just stood there, with the former smiling at the sight. He turned to the blonde assassin, who did a double-take before gazing back at him.

"What?" Yelena asked. "You want a kiss from your other savior?"

His eyes lit up. "Uh...really?"

She chuckled, patting the young man's cheek and stepping away.

"Ah. Kidding."

Wilson Fisk was being held in Arsenic Candy's last remaining compound. The hostages had just been saved, and every other base they had been raided.

Their plan fell apart due to the unexpected: the costumed vigilantes and the police department working together. To add further insult, Spider-Man was out of commission for most of it.

Mary and Richard wanted to move, and they were going to take their father with them. They'll decide what to do with him later.

Henchmen were loading up their transports. Fisk was standing by a column, tied up and handcuffed. Mary was shouting at her people and commanding them.

"Daughter." Fisk called out.

She gave him a side-eye and rested her hand on her hip. He kept calling to her.

"Mary, listen to me."

"No!" She blew up and stomped toward him. "You don't get to say anything. Not now!"

Richard stood beside a silent, masked Black Tarantula on the catwalk and looked down at the row below. He placed his hand on LaMuerto's shoulder and gripped it.

"I've had a lot planned for you. For us." Wilson said. "But what you're doing...what you've done. It's too far."

"Too far?" Mary scoffed, getting closer to her estranged father. "I'll tell you what's too far."

She slammed her fist into the column he was beside. Mary seethed her teeth as she spoke.

"Being left in the system. Being taken in by not-so-nice people who don't even deserve to be parents. Having an adopted father who molests you as a toddler. Growing up and thinking you're a freak because of what you can do."

Wilson was stunned to hear her story. He stammered and shook his head.

"I—I'm so sorry, Mary. If—If I knew you existed, I would've—"

"Save it!" She shouted. "Soon, you'll see how far I can go."

Mary walked off and spoke into a radio she had.

"Bring in the next truck."

She waited for a response, but there wasn't any. Mary tried again.

"Don't make me repeat myself. Bring in—"

Suddenly, they heard tires screeching outside. A truck then crashed through the shutter doors, and henchmen nearby dove out of the way. The truck then plowed into the one inside and totaled it.

Mary looked on and seethed her teeth. Moments later, two costumed men arrived through the broken doors. It was Spider-Man and Daredevil.

"Sorry, folks!" Y/N called out. "Doorbell wasn't working."

Mary, Richard, and Fisk all looked on and spoke simultaneously, each in their own tone of either anger, shock, or awe.

"Spider-Man!"

"Hey, don't forget the guy with the horns right beside me." Spider-Man replied.

Daredevil ignored his comment and called out to the criminals, specifically Typhoid Mary.

"It's over, Walker!"

"No...it's not." She droned. "Not until I say it is."

With a motion of her fingers, the Arsenic Candy henchmen nearby engaged the heroes.

One man attacked Daredevil, who brought out his club and landed two quick strikes to his stomach and chest. He then hit him in the back of the neck and threw him to the ground.

A woman came in and tried to hit Matt with a roundhouse kick, but the man weaved away from the hit. She threw a punch, but Daredevil dodged the attack and hit her in the throat with the club. He then flipped her over his back and slammed her onto the floor.

He took her down with a final blow to the face. Another henchman ran up to Matt, quickly taking him down with a hard strike to the stomach and leg and then one uppercut to his face with the club. The momentum sent the henchman flying onto a nearby crate, breaking it.

Spider-Man engaged a henchman who tried to hit him with a right hook but was parried. Y/N karate-chopped him in the chest and then put his arm in a lock, where he proceeded to elbow him in the side. He then clotheslined the man and dropped him.

Daredevil was fighting two more men. He struck them with his batons and parried their hits, dispatching them rather quickly.

One larger goon suddenly ran in and tackled Matt, and they both crashed into a crate. Meanwhile, Spider-Man engaged a couple more of Arsenic Candy.

He dodged a hit from a woman and leaped over her, landing a kick that sent her flying against a column. Another man swung his metal pipe, but the hero quickly weaved away for it and punched him twice in the stomach. Y/N then connected with a backflip kick to his jaw that sent him in the air and crashed onto the hood of the nearby truck.

The large henchman was choking Daredevil and was losing air fast. Spider-Man suddenly flew in and kicked him off, sending the henchman rolling across the floor. Y/N helped Matt to his feet, the latter catching his breath.

"Get that breather in, DD," Y/N said before turning to the recovering henchman. "We're not done."

Daredevil nodded and turned to the goon, who got up and faced them with a snarl before bellowing and charging them.

The two heroes attacked as well. Daredevil hit the man's leg, bringing him on his knee. He tried to punch the incoming Spider-Man, but the hero blocked his hit and delivered his own to the goon's face. Daredevil followed suit with his own punch. The goon tried to block his next attack, but Matt moved his forearm away and hit him again.

The large man was being met with a barrage of punches from both Spider-Man and Daredevil and struggled to hold them off. Their tandem was too great.

Y/N landed a karate chop at the man's collar, and Matt followed with a knee to his face, putting the henchman in a daze. The two vigilantes stepped back before landing a kick simultaneously at his face, knocking the brute out cold.

There was a minor pause in the fight before a crate was suddenly flung at them. They looked to their left, seeing Mary standing with some more henchmen. Her eyes were glowing red, and they noticed more crates floating around her. They looked on in shock.

"She's telekinetic? Y/N reacted. "Shit!"

She threw the crates at them, which the heroes dodged. Mary kept sending other things in the room at them, varying from more boxes to the weapons the previous goons dropped.

Daredevil dodged the objects as he ran at Mary, also dealing with the henchmen that she sent after him. He dodged one of their attacks before moving out of the way of an incoming crate, which hit the goon instead. Matt tossed his billy club at Mary, but the baton stopped inches from her face.

"Pathetic." She said, her voice echoing.

Seconds later, Spider-Man swung in and kicked her, where she flew and rolled across the floor. Y/N landed and clenched his fists.

"Nah, I'd say that was pretty smart."

Daredevil looked back and saw several more henchmen arrive. He let out a breath, annoyed at the amount that kept coming. He ran to fight them next, leaving Spider-Man with the downed Mary. Before he can get up, Spider-Man enveloped her in webbing and stuck her to the floor.

"That's enough, Mary." He said.

She panted within the webbing cocoon. Suddenly, there was a thud behind Y/N, and the woman smirked.

The hero looked back and saw Black Tarantula, who stood between two large henchmen. Y/N sighed and faced the trio.

"All right, LaMuerto..." Y/N got in a fighting stance. "I figured we'd have to do this again."

The man didn't say anything and stood there for a few seconds. Suddenly, Carlos reached for the two burly henchmen beside him and grabbed their necks, where he snapped them. Both Y/N and Mary were shocked.

"No..." Carlos said and pointed at the redhead behind Spider-Man. "I want her."

Mary's eyes widened, confused at what was going on. For some reason, Black Tarantula was out of her control. Carlos continued.

"Richard told me everything. He told me what you did. What you made Carter do. You're the reason Jean is dead. You're the reason for all of this."

She wasn't sure what to say. Mary looked up at the catwalk, where he saw Richard with a smirk. She glared up at him.

"You!"

Richard threw up his hands.

"Sorry, sis! I got loose lips!"

He vaulted over the railing and landed on his feet with no issue, which was surprising to both Mary and Y/N as the fall from the great height didn't seem to hurt him. The man adjusted his sleeves and walked up to the tied-up Fisk.

Y/N quickly webbed Richard's foot to the floor. The man simply looked back, unfazed and with a grin. Spider-Man stepped up to him.

"You're not going anywhere, Paul." He scolded.

"What?" Richard chuckled. "You're not going to take me in."

"The hell I'm not." Y/N shot back. "It's over, buddy."

Richard continued grinning, gesturing his head in front of him. Y/N looked back, seeing Black Tarantula stepping menacingly toward the downed Mary.

"Looks like you got some saving to do." Richard said.

At that moment, Y/N's spider sense blared. He knew that Carlos intended to murder Mary, and despite the atrocities she committed and the crimes she's done, he couldn't let that happen. Not on his watch.

Spider-Man ended up leaving Richard where he was and zipped toward Black Tarantula. Surprisingly, Richard was able to pull his leg out from the tough webbing and continued toward his father.

Black Tarantula was kicked in the back. He grunted and looked back, facing Spider-Man. He seethed his teeth.

"What are you doing?" Carlos asked.

"You can't do this, Carlos."

"You know what she's done? What she made me do?"

"And she's going to pay for those crimes. We have to allow the right justice to be served."

"No..."

"You can't play judge, jury, and executioner. Not again." Y/N butted. "I know you regret what you did."

"Regret?" Carlos asked with a scoff. "What? For what I did to Carter?"

Y/N stayed silent. Carlos then laughed.

"I don't. Not a single day goes by where I don't relive that with glee. I'm proud that I got rid of that scum. I'd do it all over again...and I'd do it to any other sinner in this city."

"Come on, Carlos, you can't think that way," Y/N said. "What would your son think? You must do right by him and not let vengeance consume you."

"What are you offering me? Absolution?"

"I'm just telling you to do the right thing."

They stood there in silence. Carlos looked back, seeing the webbed-up Mary on the floor. He then looked ahead, seeing a hazy figure by the door.

It was Jean again. But this time, she didn't look as he did before. She seemed darker. Paler. Her eyes were darkened, and she looked...undead. It filled him with dread and guilt. It made him feel heavy in his heart.

Jean's figure soon dissipated, but he was left with one echoing sentence.

"Do what you have to do."

Then and there, Carlos made up his mind.

"The right thing...is to kill this bitch once and for all."

Carlos immediately faced Mary and charged up his optic blast. Before he could fire, Spider-Man dove in and tackled Carlos, forcing him to miss and burn into the wall nearby.

Black Tarantula kicked Spider-Man off of him. The hero landed on his back but quickly kipped up onto his feet. Carlos did the same and faced the web-slinger with his fists clenched.

"Move aside, Spider-Man!" He shouted.

"You're not killing her, LaMuerto!" Y/N yelled back. "That's enough! No more people have to die!"

Black Tarantula bellowed as he engaged Spider-Man. Carlos tried to deliver strikes, but Spider-Man was able to block them. Y/N successfully landed a right hook, one that surprisingly hurt Carlos. He stumbled back and rubbed his jaw, chuckling.

"Not holding back anymore, huh? Stopped being a little bitch?"

"I just realized I have to kick your ass a smidge harder."

The two fought again, dealing kung-fu-like blows that both connected and blocked. Y/N was able to parry his next strikes and countered with a knee to his chest. He then kicked him away and made some distance.

Carlos attacked him again, but Y/N was able to dodge his punches and kicks.

He blocked his next punch and kicked him into a pillar, which was followed by a roundhouse kick to his face. Carlos grunted and seethed his teeth. Y/N still held a fight pose and faced Carlos.

Y/N was surprised at himself for holding his own against LaMuerto, who was fighting him in a style he wasn't an expert in. Even Carlos was a bit taken aback. But Y/N had one thing to thank for his sudden success...

"Good thing I binged Cobra Kai last week."

Black Tarantula attacked Spider-Man again. Meanwhile, Richard approached Wilson. The older man breathed out and spoke to his son.

"Let's get out of here, Richard. LaMuerto has them occupied."

Richard pat his tied up father on the shoulder. He grinned.

"Actually, Pops, change of plans..."

Wilson was confused. Richard rubbed the man's bald head.

"I'm getting out of here. I'm taking your money. And I'm moving. Gotta recollect myself and figure out how I'm going to keep this going."

"What?!"

Richard took a remote from his front pocket and showed it to Fisk.

"This place is going to blow up. You'll be gone. Mary will be gone. LaMuerto and the costumes will be out of my hair. And I can start fresh. The kingdom is gonna need a new king, right?"

Wilson was furious. The original plan was to have LaMuerto kill Mary and have him deal with Daredevil and Spider-Man while the two of them fled. But Richard ended up backstabbing both of them and planned on being the only one out of there.

"You son of a bitch!" Wilson seethed.

Richard chuckled. "Hey, don't call yourself that."

The young man pressed the button, and the countdown on the explosive hidden in the compound started. He stuffed the remote into Wilson's front pocket and patted it.

"I gotta deal with a few things before I resume the Undertaker duties," Richard said. "Goodbye, Pops."

Richard walked away. Wilson Fisk shouted at the man in anger.

"Get back here! You can't do this to me! You can't! Richard! RICHARD!"

Meanwhile, Spider-Man and Black Tarantula continued fighting. Amidst the battle, Y/N's spider-sense blared, and for a split second, he saw visions of a large explosive device. He immediately realized the compound was rigged to explode.

Y/N landed a few more hits on Carlos's enraged face before kicking him away. He called out to Matt, who had just dealt the final henchman and was going to assist Spider-Man.

"The place is rigged to blow!" Y/N shouted at him.

Daredevil quickly honed in on his senses and he quickly realized too. He took it upon himself to find the bomb and figure out how to defuse it.

Black Tarantula ran at Spider-Man again and jumped at him. He punched down, but the hero moved out of the way. Spider-Man webbed Carlos's fist while it was touching the cracked ground and stuck him to it. Y/N then delivered an axe kick to his head.

"Argh!"

Y/N landed several more punches before Carlos ripped his hand free and hit Y/N in the stomach hard. He followed with an elbow to his face and then grabbed him by the neck, who here RKO'd the web-slinger and slammed him into the floor.

LaMuerto immediately grabbed the downed Spider-Man by the foot and flung him into the nearby pillar. Y/N impacted it and landed on the floor with a groan. Before he could get up. Black Tarantula picked him up by the throat.

"No matter how hard you fight...no matter how fast you try to be...no matter how well you match me...you won't be able to stop me. You have to be better. And even then...you'll have to kill me."

As he struggled, he looked to his right and was shocked at what he saw. He let out a grunt and spoke.

"If you're not gonna stop for me...then do it...for him."

Carlos arched a brow and looked back, where he saw the boy. His eyes widened.

"Papa?" Fabian called out by the stairs.

The man was shocked. Fabian was there the entire time but his mind control by Mary didn't let him realize it.

"Why are you fighting Spider-Man?" He asked. "Isn't he your friend?"

Immediately, Carlos's grip on Y/N loosened until he let go. Spider-Man landed on his knees, coughing and catching his breath. LaMuerto slowly walked up to Fabian, not even sure if what he saw was real.

"Mijo?" He called out softly. "Fabian?"

He crouched down and touched the boy's hair and face before palming his chin. What he was feeling was real, and his son was there.

"Did you take down the mean lady?" Fabian asked.

He knew he was talking about Mary. LaMuerto looked back at her, who was still wrapped up in webbing and unable to go anywhere. He turned back around.

"No...it wasn't me." Carlos gestured toward Spider-Man. "He did. And his friend."

"But you helped?"

Carlos took a breath in through his nose. He decided to be honest.

"I wish I did. But no...they did all the work. They're the heroes."

He closed his eyes and looked down in shame, thinking back at how he killed Carter in cold blood and how he was forced to kill those cops in the precinct. Those memories replayed vividly in his head. He regretted it and felt shame...since a part of him was content with the wrath he ensued. With the blood he shed. He liked it, and he hated that he did.

Fabian touched his face, and the man looked back up at him, opening his eyes. Behind the boy was the apparition of Jean, who didn't look ghoulish anymore but was back to her beautiful self along with a lighter aura. She touched the shoulders of their son and smiled as the boy spoke.

"It's okay, Papa," Fabian said. "You're always going to be my hero."

Carlos immediately teared up, closing his eyes again and hugging his son. He opened them again and saw that Jean's apparition was gone, but he still felt the warmth within him.

Finally, reuniting with Fabian made everything feel better. The void in his heart was filled, and a light finally replaced the darkness that enveloped him.

Suddenly, Daredevil shouted and got the attention of Spider-Man, Black Tarantula, and Fabian. He had found where the bomb was, but there was a problem. They joined him in the middle of the large room.

"The bomb is in the floor! And from what I could sense...it's big."

Carlos's brow furrowed, and he stepped up to the spot, where he slammed his fists onto the concrete. He was the strongest of the heroes, even stronger than Spider-Man, so breaking apart the hard floor was easy. Ultimately, Carlos was able to remove the layer of concrete covering the bomb.

They saw it, and Daredevil was right; it was enormous. The timer was at 1 minute and 30 seconds and was counting down. Daredevil touched it and honed in on his senses again.

"There's about 50 tons of TNT in this."

"Holy hell," Y/N remarked. "Then let's hurry. We gotta get Mary, the goons, and Willie out of here before it blows."

"That won't change a thing," Carlos said. "The amount of explosives in this won't just level this place. It'll take out everything within a five-block radius."

Y/N let out a sigh. What Richard hard planted was like a crude terrorist bomb, one for mass destruction. Its explosion would kill them, along with thousands of others in Harding Park.

"You guys go. I'll find a way to—"

"No," Carlos said, stopping Y/N. "You won't."

There was a beat. Y/N could tell what LaMuerto wanted to do.

"Carlos. We can think of—"

"There is no time." He interjected once more.

Carlos looked out the open door of the warehouse, seeing the East River ahead. He quickly thought of a plan and closed his eyes, exhaling. He turned to Fabian.

"Listen, mijo. You stay with these good men. They'll get you out of here."

"Where are you going, Papa?"

LaMeurto swallowed. He smiled and touched his face.

"I just gotta do my job. I gotta be a hero, remember? I have to do what I have to do."

The naive child nodded and smiled back. His father began tearing up, and he gave a breathy chuckle.

"I'll see you soon, all right? I love you."

He embraced Fabian.

"I love you too, Papa."

Carlos rubbed his back and whispered.

"And I'll always be with you."

Carlos parted and got up, passing Daredevil and Spider-Man toward the bomb. He pulled the buggy-sized machine out of the ground with his immense strength and held it over his head.

"LaMuerto, wait!" Y/N exclaimed.

He just looked back at Spider-Man, the icon he had looked up to growing up, the hero he strived to be—the real beacon of New York.

"Keep being the hero you are, Spider-Man." Carlos said. "Be the idol my son can look up to."

With that, Black Tarantula ran out of the warehouse with the bomb. Spider-Man kept calling out to him.

"Carlos!"

He was going to go after him, but Daredevil grabbed his arm and pulled him back. He wanted Y/N there with him to help escort the people in the warehouse out in case the worst happened, but he also knew what LaMuerto would do and didn't want Spider-Man anywhere near it.

Black Tarantula used all his might to throw the bomb into the middle of the East River. Still, that wasn't enough. He knew the explosion would be big enough that not even the water would have an effect. He needed to get it deeper. He needed to bury it.

Carlos leaped into the water and swam to the bomb at the bottom of the river. He used his optic blast to penetrate the sea floor, making a hole in the dirt. He kept doing it, not caring about the energy he was spending by constantly using his blasts. He kept holding his breath underwater and shooting into the crater.

He looked at the timer, seeing that there were 10 seconds left.

Carlos grabbed the bomb and stuffed it into the deep crater, using his strength to push it further down. It was tough, like stuffing a square peg into a circular hole, but he kept going and going, pushing it further down the crater.

Y/N and Daredevil looked upon the river, where, moments later, a large explosion erupted. It shook the ground, and water from the river shot up ten stories high. It soon rained down on them and their surroundings.

LaMuerto had done it. He saved them. He even saved Wilson Fisk, Mary Walker, and the defeated Arsenic Candy henchmen. He had saved Harding Park.

But most importantly...he saved his son, Fabian.

Y/N looked down, saddened by Carlos's sacrifice. Daredevil turned his head toward Fabian. He just looked out onto the moving water, seemingly oblivious to what had happened. Matt reached out, rubbing the kid's shoulder reassuringly.

Spider-Man looked up at the evening sky, letting out a breath. No more lives had to be lost, he told Carlos that. And in a way...he honored that. Because of LaMuerto, all those lives were saved...but at the cost of his.

• • •

A FEW DAYS passed since the takedown of Typhoid Mary and Arsenic Candy. The city was reeling from its minor takeover but was on the path to recovery. Mayor Norman Osborn was at the front of it all and made it his mission to bring the city and its people back to high spirits.

The hostages were safe as well, but there were a few still missing. Among them were Yelena's friend's child and Frank's neighbor's daughters, who they found out were sold by defectors of Arsenic Candy to human traffickers.

They didn't stay lost for long, as the lethal tandem of the Black Widow and the Punisher yielded terrific results.

Thanks to Belova and Castle, the rest of the kidnapped people were saved.

Yelena returned her friend's child to her as she had promised. She did her good deed.

Frank saved his neighbor's daughters and brought the family back together. He did what he said he would: pay it forward.

Even with Arsenic Candy taken down, Richard Fisk was still at large. The Undertaker was still out there, and the authorities worked hard to find him.

Among those helping were Kate and Eli, who stayed in New York to assist in the fallout of Typhoid Mary's gang's defeat. Crimes were sporadic as criminals took advantage of the situation and how spread thin the NYPD was at the moment.

Because of this, Y/N had his hands full the last few days as Spider-Man. Then there was also the fact that, as Y/N, he was supposed to be recovering from his gunshot injuries and coma.

May called almost every hour to ask if he needed anything, and Y/N would always decline. Y/N was shocked that May hadn't surprised him with a visit to his apartment yet, but he figured that would soon come.

While on his current patrol, Y/N got a text. He stood on a billboard and read his phone, seeing it was from MJ.

Come over

What's up?

I found something
About Richard

MJ had been looking into Richard Fisk and was helping Y/N find any leads on where he could be.

Okay
I'm on my way

With that, Y/N swung over to where MJ lived. He landed on the fire escape and looked inside but saw nobody. He was confused.

Then, he eyed the front door...seeing that it was ajar. His brow furrowed, and he opened the window, stepped into the apartment, and took off his mask.

Y/N looked around and quickly realized that MJ was not home. He found it strange as she was often home at this hour. The fact that she texted him to show up also made things weirder.

As he continued thinking, he became increasingly worried. He let out a breath through his nose and darted his eyes around the living room.

His gaze soon found its way to a note on the table. It was folded white cardboard paper. The front of it had a name addressed to the person who was supposed to find it.

Y/N.

He took it and opened it. The writing was erratic, as if a kid wrote it. The sloppy letters spelled out several bolded words...as well as a drawing of a rose.

ROXXON PLANT

NO COPS

BE THERE OR SHE DIES

🌹

Immediately, he figured out who had written the letter: Richard Fisk. The young man grit his teeth and crumpled the thick paper in his hands before dropping it.

The feeling of dread started to engulf him again. He felt his chest get heavy. The memory of the Hobgoblin calling him, threatening Indira, and her dying not even an hour later filled his head. He started to see red.

But before he could get angrier, he calmed himself and closed his eyes, letting out a breath.

Y/N needed to go into this with a level head. He needed it to ensure MJ's safety. He needed to be in the right mind to take down Richard once and for all.

The young man reopened his eyes, turned his head, and looked out the window. He soon put his mask back on, and Spider-Man dashed out of the apartment.

• • •

SPIDER-MAN ARRIVED AT the Roxxon Chemical Plant near Harlem. He traversed the open interior, passing the industrial machines and vats containing various corrosive and non-corrosive liquids.

He then heard some faint grunting. Y/N kept moving until he saw someone on the walkway above a large vat.

Y/N zipped to the catwalk and saw MJ ahead, who was strapped to a heavy-duty dolly. He ran to her aid and noticed her exhausted state and eyes half-lidded.

"Hold on, MJ." He said softly.

MJ opened her eyes a bit more.

"You...you came." She muttered. "You came for me."

"Of course I did," Y/N replied. "Are—Are you okay? Did he do anything to you?"

"He...he drugged me. I—I...I didn't see it coming."

"Don't worry. I'll get you out of here."

Y/N tried to undo the straps. MJ looked up toward the ceiling, where she spotted something. Her eyes widened.

"Up there! Look out!"

Y/N's spider sense alerted him of the threat, too. He looked up and saw Richard dropping from a beam, a large blade in his right hand.

Spider-Man stepped back and avoided the attack. Richard swung a few more times, and Y/N was able to dodge them, too, where he gained separation with a back handspring.

Y/N was about to run at Richard, but the man had gotten beside the strapped-down MJ and held the tip of the blade at her neck. The hero immediately stopped where he was.

"Don't think you can web me up, Spidey," Richard said. "I'm faster than you think. I see that coming, or I feel any of the sticky shit...I'm driving this knife into her throat."

"What is this, Richard? Why take her? What's your endgame?"

"I told him! I gave a specific order! I wrote it in the fucking note and wrote his name! But where is he? Nowhere to be found. Instead...he sends his moneymaker! To do his job because he's so scared!"

Y/N knew he was talking about himself. Richard continued.

"Because he doesn't take responsibility! They never do! Y/N doesn't...just like his father never did!"

There was a beat. Y/N was surprised to hear his dad, Michael, mentioned.

"What?"

Richard let out a huff and scratched his head before pointing the knife back at MJ. He also shook his head as if he had some tick. He looked insane.

"You—You don't understand. You don't get what he did. What he took from me!"

Richard shook his head again, but he calmed down and glared directly at the hero.

"I was born Rychard Lukin. My mother was Alyssa Lukin. My uncle...was Aleksander Lukin."

This came as a shock to Y/N. Still, he kept quiet and let the man talk.

"I grew up like any normal boy. A great family. A loving mother. Sure, my father wasn't in the picture, but I was content with what I was dealt. But...one fateful night...when I was five years old, everything changed. I was in my living room, doing arts and crafts, what kids often did when they were bored. Then...boom...a searing hot flash was all I could remember before I could finally wake up."

He continued.

"My cousins, my aunts, my uncles, they were gone. Their bodies just there in the rubble. Then there was my mother...whose pieces couldn't even be recovered. Then there was me..."

Richard lifted his shirt, revealing a nasty scar across his torso due to the explosion he described. He seethed his teeth.

"My uncle, Aleksander, and I were the only survivors. He made it his goal to find who tried to kill him...who hurt us...who killed my mother. And he did. It was none other than S.H.I.E.L.D's weapon...their golden goose...their Specter...Michael L/N."

Y/N could not believe it. He knew that his father and mother very likely shed blood during their time as agents for the good of the world, but he could've never fathomed the thought of his father bombing the Lukin family.

"But even then, Aleksander had to go into hiding. It got too hot. So he left me with a friend of his, a HYDRA scientist." Richard laughed. "He—He wasn't so nice. With me...he didn't see a kid...he saw flesh and blood. He saw a guinea pig. He saw...an opportunity."

Richard glanced at MJ, a grin on his face as he recalled his past. He continued.

"He experimented on me for years. The lunatic said he was close to perfecting what Erskine created...what the U.S. achieved with Steve Rogers. He was close to finally cracking the code to make another super soldier. You might ask...was he right? Or was he just delirious?"

Richard reached out, grabbed the railing nearby, and crushed the bar. He snickered and looked directly at Spider-Man.

"He was right. But...nothing is perfect. It had its side effects. He said he could make it better, but by that time..." He sputtered his lips. "Pfft...I caved his head in."

The man continued his monologue.

"I was of age and traveled to America. There, I ended up finding out who my father was. When I met Fisk, he was in prison. This was 2017, and you and Daredevil had just busted him on his wedding day. He told me he remembered my mother and was ashamed that she never told him about me. Still, he took me in...said to hold down the fort while he was in there. That soon, we can rule the kingdom together."

He grinned and let out a chuckle.

"Then, like half of the universe, I disappeared. I came back, and my father was free. What's funny is he was the one who held down the fort while I was gone. He built it back up, and we were going to rule together. But then things got messy again. You and Hawkeye meddled in his business, Maya Lopez shot him, and he had to go into hiding as he recovered. That was when I started to get to work and made a name for myself. In the shadows...I became the Undertaker."

Y/N just stood there. As he spoke, he tried to devise a way to save MJ, but anything he could think of seemed like a bad idea. Richard still had a knife to her throat, and as he proved before, he had a variant of the super soldier serum...which made him stronger and faster. He'd likely react to any move Spider-Man did.

"When my father reemerged, we were back in business. But then suddenly, my half-sister came into the picture. She was brought into the world by some fling Wilson had in 2000 or whatever. By now, she was already leading her gang of mindless hoodlums, and when my father found her, he brought her into the fold. But Mary had other intentions. She already hated my father for not being a part of her life and wanted to take everything he had. She asked me for help...and being the kind brother I was...I lent a hand."

Richard began to detail their plan and what had happened.

"Jefferson Davis and Stanley Carter were looking into me by that time. I called Captain DeWolff and told her to take out Davis, cause a stir in the department, and get them spooked. But Mary had another thing in mind. She wanted things a bit crazier. She learned about Stanley Carter's history at S.H.I.E.L.D. and his fragile state of mind. So...she intercepted the S.O.G hitmen and messed with their minds, convincing them to go to the Carter residence instead. She got them to eliminate his whole family and leave him alive. That night, she birthed the Sin-Eater."

It made sense. It explained why the suspects passed out right after killing the Carters and why they couldn't remember committing the crime. Richard continued.

"And with Sin-Eater, she knew he would go after those he felt were responsible. He killed the deputy commissioner, he killed the DA, he killed the judge, and he killed the mayor. Then...he killed DeWolff, which kicked off our next plan: staining in the image of the city's new beacon of light, Carlos LaMuerto. After he killed Carter, he was off to the races, dealing wrath upon sinners just like Stanley did. It was making everyone look bad. Even Wilson, who was one of the main backers of LaMuerto."

Richard chuckled.

"Then, while everyone was dealing with the fallout and questioning their allegiances, Mary and I kicked off the next stage of our plan. We kidnapped the offspring of the elite and the powerful and demanded ransom. But, of course, we weren't going to follow through. They were going to be dead, and the city would be in too much shock to really do anything. Then, add the fact that LaMuerto was under our control and killing the police. It would be a real morale killer."

He continued.

"Then, the most shocking thing happened. Pops decided to give up himself and his fortune for everyone's safety. But you know there's always a catch with him. You see...that was always the plan. It was a plan he and I came up with. Together, after I whispered sweet nothings into LaMuerto's ear and snapped him out of his trance, we were going to get out of there while he dealt with the remaining goons and killed Mary. Then, I would blow that place to hell and take LaMuerto out with it. Then it'd just be us again ruling our kingdom. I would be in the shadows again as the Undertaker, who people think perished in the explosion, and he would be in the limelight again as Wilson Fisk, the courageous philanthropist who is there to bring the city back to glory."

He laughed with glee as he thought back at the plan. Richard let out a breath.

"But...then there's me. I had something else in mind. I noticed things changing rather quickly. Mary didn't account for the costumes, and NYPD worked in tandem and made great progress. She was getting frantic. Sloppy. So, I lent an anonymous tip to Detective Davis at our location, who then passed it to Daredevil, who then told you. I still did the thing with LaMuerto, but I started the bomb earlier, planning to kill you two and everyone there, as well as my father. Then...the entire kingdom was going to be mine. No Typhoid Mary. No Kingpin. Just me in the shadows once more. Just the Undertaker."

Richard smiled again. He nodded as he waved his knife forward at Spider-Man before pointing it back at MJ, grazing her neck with it.

"And now here we are! Me with a knife about to stab my tennis teammate's throat, spilling my guts to a guy in spandex, and monologuing like a Bond villain!" He said, laughing very hard.

"Jesus..." Y/N finally spoke. "You could've been a damn good actor, but you chose to be some level 35 crime boss."

Richard got angry and annoyed at his quip.

"Always trying to be funny! You're not! You're not!" He exclaimed. "Ugh! You weren't even supposed to hear this! Y/N is supposed to be standing right there! But...I guess he doesn't care, does he?"

Richard dug the tip of the knife a bit deeper into the girl's skin. She let out a yelp, and Spider-Man called out.

"MJ!" He shouted. "Stop this, Richard! Let her go!"

The man stopped. He continued looking at the auburn-haired girl, then back at the hero, where he grinned. He recalled how Spider-Man spoke to MJ earlier when he first arrived.

"Interesting how you speak to her. So...familiar." Richard said. "MJ. Such concern...for someone so random. One person amongst thousands you save.

"Release her now," Y/N demanded. "This is just between you and me."

"No...she's involved with Y/N. I've seen it with my own eyes...he loves her. So, that makes her a part of this."

Richard forcefully grabbed MJ's hair and held the knife to her throat. Y/N's heart jumped, and he stepped forward and reached out. MJ spoke to the hero.

"Spider-Man, don't—"

"Shut up!" Richard shouted, still holding the knife to her neck.

Spider-Man stood there, his mind racing. Richard turned to him and menacingly smiled.

"You've seen my true self. You've heard every little secret of mine. Every detail of my burden. Now...it's your turn."

He tightened the grip on his knife.

"Prove that you care, hero. Take off your mask."

Spider-Man didn't say a word, darting his eyes between Richard and MJ. The man continued.

"Let me see the man you really are!"

There was a minor beat, but no moment was wasted before the hero made the choice.

"If that is what it will take to save her."

Spider-Man reached for his mask. MJ's eyes widened, and she called out.

"No!"

Spider-Man took off his mask, dropping it by his feet. Richard looked on, his eyes wide with shock as he saw who was underneath the costume.

Y/N L/N.

"Y/N..." MJ muttered.

Richard was stunned. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. He couldn't fathom it. There was no way the son of Michael L/N, the man who caused him so much pain, was the costumed hero.

The beacon of New York City.

"No...this—this has to be a trick! Y/N L/N would never be the man Spider-Man is! He—He is a of L/N blood! He only looks out for himself! He doesn't care! He's evil!

Richard clenched his teeth. After a moment, he seemed to calm down, and he laughed.

"But of course...I understand now. As Spider-Man, you can prey upon the weak! The defenseless! Anyone who can satisfy your bloodlust! Just like your father! Don't think I don't know about how you beat Hammerhead's men almost to death! How you were about to snuff out LaMuerto before I stepped in! It's in you, Y/N! You can kill, and you will! A true L/N! There is nothing heroic about you!"

Y/N let out a breath. He knew his father and mother had blood in their ledgers. He knew his sister, Teresa, likely did as well...even before she killed Lukin in cold blood. Maybe there was some truth to what Richard was saying.

"You're right about my father. The things he did back then...it's hard to fathom. But he made sacrifices. He changed for the better. He made me the man I am today, one who makes up for the sins he committed. I am his absolution!"

Y/N stepped a bit forward.

"I wear this mask to help people. To save who I can. I do everything in my power to deal with the responsibilities bestowed on me. Responsibilities that I had to shoulder when I first got my powers. It's a mission that I will never stop. It's one that will stick with me until the day I die! I am not only Y/N L/N. I am the beacon that lights this city. I am hope. I am Spider-Man! Forever and always."

Richard just stared at Y/N. He didn't laugh or have an initial reaction to his testimony. There was a beat before he finally spoke.

"Then you will live on as a mere memory."

Richard immediately kicked the dolly MJ was strapped to, and it slid toward the catwalk's edge.

Spider-Man quickly webbed it before it could fall over, allowing Richard to toss the knife at the distracted hero. The knife missed his face but cut the side of his cheek.

"Agh!" Y/N reacted in pain.

Finally, Richard laughed and ran at Y/N. He brought out another knife he had and swung at the hero, who parried and dodged the attacks.

Y/N grabbed his arm and flipped him to the floor, but Richard was able to recover and tried to slash his legs. Y/N avoided it and kicked his arm in, causing Richard to groan. He then kneed him in the face and tossed him down the catwalk.

Richard rolled across the floor. He got up, laughing in the process as if he was enjoying the battle. Y/N ran at him, but Richard displayed his sudden agility and leaped off the catwalk onto another.

Y/N followed. Upon his landing, Richard took out a pistol he had in the small of his back. He shot at Spider-Man, but he was quick and vaulted over the railing, kicking the firearm out of his hand into the vat of chemicals below.

Now unarmed, Richard fought Y/N hand-to-hand. Blows were dealt on both sides, with Richard displaying his enhanced strength due to the serum he had. One hit connected on Y/N's face, which broke his nose, but he kept his focus on fighting back, ignoring the pain.

Richard swung again, but Y/N parried the attack, putting his arm in a lock and punching him square in the face. He then slammed Richard's head into the railing before pushing him against the one behind him, where he delivered another punch.

Y/N threw another hit, but Richard blocked it and countered with an open-palm strike to his broken nose. Richard grabbed him by the collar and pinned him against the railing he was just on, where he struck him on the head with his elbow.

Richard tried to land an overhead punch, but Y/N blocked it and quickly grabbed the man's head, slamming his face into the railing beside him. It dazed Richard a bit and allowed Y/N to pick him up and pin him against the railing in front of him.

Before Y/N could strike him, Richard took out another knife he had on his person. He tried to slash Y/N's neck, but he backed away and avoided it. Richard quickly hit his abdomen and slammed him against the railing, where he then stabbed the Y/N's back

"Argh!" Y/N shouted.

Richard laughed. Y/N immediately elbowed him in the face and pushed him away. He then delivered a kick that sent Richard onto his back.

Y/N groaned, stumbling a bit as he touched the knife handle on his back. He slowly pulled it out and dropped it onto the metal floor, where he then got to a knee.

Richard got back up and saw the bleeding Spider-Man. He chuckled in glee at seeing how he maimed him. The man then took out another knife, one of many he seemed to have on his person.

He stepped toward Spider-Man, ready to deliver another brutal attack. Y/N glanced up and saw a leaking pipe connected to one of the vats. He decided to act on instinct.

Y/N webbed it and pulled the pipe apart, where corrosive chemicals sprayed out and hit Richard's face. He immediately felt the burn and covered his head with his hands, crying out in agony

"ARGH! AAAAAH! AAAAH!"

Y/N quickly got up and ran at Richard, tackling him through a window into a nearby security room. They both laid on the floor amongst the glass, groaning.

Richard recovered, getting up with his hands and not caring about the shards cutting into his palms. He looked at Y/N at the same time he faced him, and the hero could see the fresh burns and bubbling skin all over Richard's face.

He ignored the pain, strangely smiling and ultimately letting out a laugh. At that very moment, Richard was just hell-bent on killing Spider-Man no matter what.

With his knife still in hand, Richard attacked Y/N. The hero weaved away from the swipes and countered with a barrage of jabs to his chest and face. He pinned Richard against a table and was about to deliver his next strike, but the man quickly grabbed the taser on the desk and jabbed it into Y/N's chest, electrocuting him.

"Argh!"

Richard kicked Y/N to the console, where he landed on the floor. He dropped the taser and seethed his teeth, where he then took out another knife, now having one in each hand.

He stabbed down at Y/N, but the young man picked up the taser Richard had just dropped and jabbed it into him, shocking him as well. He then delivered a kick from the floor that sent Richard to the side of a desk.

Y/N quickly got up and engaged Richard, who tried to stab him with his knife. Y/N dodged and tased him again with the taser, using the weapon to his advantage. As he was being shocked, Richard laughed and drove the knife he had in his left hand deep into Y/N's thigh.

"ARGH!"

He loosened his grip on Richard, who took the chance to stab Y/N with his other knife, but Y/N blocked his swing and punched in his elbow, causing Richard to yell out in pain. He then took the knife out of his right hand and pinned his arm against the desk, where Y/N quickly stabbed the knife through his hand, impaling him into it

"AAAAH!"

Richard grunted in pain, dropping to the floor with his hand still impaled to the desk. He looked up at Y/N, who was battered and bleeding and still had one of the knives embedded into his thigh. He ended up taking it out and gripping the handle.

"Do it..." The maimed Richard said with a chuckle. "I know you want to. It's an itch you need to scratch. It's a part of you. You want to kill. You want to finish off those who deserve it—the evil of the world. People like me. You want blood. You need it."

Y/N kept glaring at him, panting as he held the bloody knife in his hand.

He could do it now. He could kill Richard. He should. He should make him pay for the atrocities he committed as the Undertaker. He was essential in creating Sin-Eater, corrupting LaMuerto, and causing so much death. He was about to kill MJ, too, in order to get to Y/N.

Now was the chance to get rid of the evil. To rid the world of yet another sinner. To make sure there was no more chaos. He could do what his parents did: to save lives...save the world...no matter what, even if it meant shedding blood.

Richard just grinned back at him, burnt face and all. Y/N clenched his teeth, gripping the knife as he glared back at the mad villain...

He tossed the knife aside. Richard's smile fell, seemingly perplexed at the young man's choice. His confusion grew, and he was not able to process why he didn't kill him despite everything he had done and all the things he described.

Y/N stepped back, sliding against the wall and landing on his bottom, where he let out a breath. The two sat across from each other and stared at one another in silence.

"I don't get it..." Richard breathed out. "You...don't want to kill me?"

Y/N had one hand on his side and one holding his bleeding thigh. He kept looking directly at the villain and didn't say a word.

"You won't kill me?" He asked again. "You can't kill me?"

Finally, Y/N spoke.

"I'm not a killer. I'm not who you think I am. I'm not...what my father was. No life has to be taken to save another. People don't have to die. And...even when they...you have to move on."

Y/N leaned his head back against the wall, letting out a breath. Richard was quiet as he looked at Y/N, who spoke in a mutter.

"You can't have guilt brew into vengeance. You can't let that consume you. You move forward. You see what's around you. You look at the difference you made...you difference you can keep making."

Richard heard what he said. There was silence for a moment as the man seemingly processed the words from the hero's mouth.

Finally, the maimed villain reacted with a grin...and a laugh.

"Hahahaha...hahahaha! AhahaAHAHAHAHA!"

Y/N just sat there, ignoring the cackling coming from the scarred and burnt crazed man. Richard quieted a bit and looked back at the hero.

"That...now that was funny. You are a funny guy."

He didn't reply. Richard kept smiling wildly at him.

"You are something else, Spidey."

• • •

THE CITY AND ITS PEOPLE seemed to be moving on from the events that had plagued them for the last several weeks.

From the rise of the Arsenic Candy gang, the looming cloud of the Undertaker, the killings by Sin-Eater, the thievery of Turbo Jet, the trouble by Lorina Dodson, the shadowy dealings of Garrison Klum, the attack of the Lizard, the corruption of Black Tarantula, and the chaos ensued by Mary Walker and Richard Fisk.

It was quite a couple of months for the Big Apple.

Mary Walker was put into Ravencroft, where she was put into a straight jacket and a depowering collar that kept her from using her mutant abilities. The same went for Richard Fisk. Although he was easier to control since his powers were basic, he was still on constant watch. You never know with a guy as crazy as him.

Yuri Watanabe was promoted from Lieutenant to Captain due to her work and leadership during the Arsenic Candy takeover. The NYPD and the city felt she displayed qualities deserving of the title, and she looked forward to making the department better than it once was.

Jefferson Davis was also bestowed the honor of a promotion, transitioning from Detective to Sergeant. He, too, was seen as a firm and levelheaded leader during the events two weeks ago, and they also took into account his many other takedowns and cases before that. Jeff's wife, Rio, was very proud of him, and their son, Miles, felt like he was a hero who deserved the credit.

For Felicia, she and Randy were in the process of rekindling their relationship. It was going to be tough, as Randy was kicking off his acting career, and Felicia was still doing her things as Black Cat. She didn't want to get in the way of his dreams, while Randy really wanted to make things work with her. Due to this, they still had things to figure out.

Fabian was taken in by the DeWolff family, specifically Jean's sister. They were going to move out of New York so that the boy could get a fresh start of sorts. Both Y/N and Matt hoped the best for Fabian and that he would grow up knowing the hero his father redeemed himself to be.

Y/N reunited with Kate, and he thanked her for helping them with Arsenic Candy and saving him from being assassinated back at the hospital, for saving his ass. And like he had told her once before, Kate replied...

It's an ass worth saving.

As much as she would've loved to stay in the city a bit longer, she has to go back to California and regroup with the rest of the Young Avengers. Her partner, Eli Bradley, who was also currently in a relationship with her, had called Kate and reported an incident they needed to deal with.

So, the two said their farewells but promised to see each other again.

From there, Y/N was back to his status quo. The city he protected seemed to be returning to normal and doing well in its recovery.

Y/N was doing well, too, as the guilt he harbored before throughout most of the year wasn't there anymore. The guilt from the people he lost, the doubt in him, the constant reliving of the terrible moments. That seemed to be no more.

He was free from it.

He learned to move on.

He understood that he had a support system around him.

He realized that there's always a difference to be made.

He further comprehended what it meant to have the power he had and the great responsibility that came with it.

Finally, Y/N achieved absolution.

• • •

THE YOUNG MAN sat at their usual spot in the cafe. Y/N was rather cheery, looking at his hands, which weren't bare but had his little friend crawling on him...

His jumping spider, Tobey.

Y/N chuckled as he placed him on the coffee table in front of him and watched him crawl. People nearby looked at him, thinking he was crazy and also creeped out by the sight of the pet spider. Still, Y/N was having a great time.

Moments later, Harry came into the cafe. He had a bag of food in hand that he got from the burger joint a block away. He saw his friend at their spot and called out.

"Yo, yo, yo!"

Y/N turned to him. "What's up, Harry?"

"I got a good deal at that joint." He said as he held up the bag and sat down. "Buy two get one free. I'm thinking you eat one, and I eat one, then we'll figure out—"

He immediately saw Tobey on the table. He was startled and sat back.

"Whoa!" He reacted. "What the hell is he doing here?"

"I just thought Tobey might want some air," Y/N replied. "Some nice outside air—the air we always breathe in here."

"Sure. Then he can officially become one of us."

"You hear that?" Y/N spoke to Tobey and lightly pounded his fists against his knees. "One of us! One of us!"

Harry laughed at his friend's antics as he took out a burger. As he did, he suddenly got into a coughing fit. It got harsher, and Y/N looked at him worriedly.

"Dude, you okay?" He asked.

Harry cleared his throat and waved him off. He held up his burger.

"I'm good, bro. No cough is gonna keep me from devouring the hell outta this."

Harry bit into his burger, and Y/N chuckled. Harry took out the other burger and handed it to his friend. Y/N held it and began to unwrap it.

"You know...I'm usually the one that covers the food."

"Oh, don't worry. You're covering the Friendsgiving feast at our place next week. You better prepare. I'm making it bigger than last year."

"Jesus." Y/N chuckled. "There goes two of my paychecks."

"Gonna need to beg JJ for that raise." Harry replied.

"Yeah...I think he'd rather hug Spider-Man than give me a raise."

"Damn."

The two shared a laugh, with Harry coughing again but quickly stopping and taking another bite. Y/N bit into his and picked up Tobey, letting it perch on his hand as he chewed.

• • •

AT FISK TOWER, Wilson was on his chair looking out of the floor-to-ceiling window. He tapped his fingers on the armrest, seemingly deep in thought.

He recalled the events that transpired, including his dealings with Arsenic Candy, his relationship with Richard, his connection with Mary, and their plans together. The more he thought about it, the more it angered him.

Wilson was a mere pawn. He was just an unimportant piece in the chess game they were playing. In their eyes, he wasn't the king. He wasn't someone of power that was feared. They simply thought they could outsmart him and take everything he rightfully earned.

But even after everything they did...they failed. They were now locked away while he was still up in his tower. He was still looking over the city. He still had an influence on the masses despite the knowledge that his offspring were crazy criminals.

He thought back at what Spider-Man said. About how he didn't understand why people seemed to ignore what he had done before and the connections he had. How he could just walk around, and no one would bat an eye at it, how he was treated like a saint despite him being a murderer.

Wilson chuckled at the thought. There was one answer and one answer only: power.

He had power over people still. There was still fear lingering within those beneath him. In his circle, his was still the king.

In the eyes of many, he was still the Kingpin.

As he looked contentedly out the window, someone came into his office. It was one of his assistants, who had been called in moments ago by Fisk.

"Fisk, sir?"

He spoke, still looking out at the city.

"I have a request to make."

"What is it, sir?"

"The Arsenic Candy folk. The surviving group that is currently incarcerated and awaiting trial. Get them out."

The assistant was perplexed by the order. He questioned it.

"Sir, you want those criminals free?"

"They have not yet been labeled convicts. They are still innocent and have not been proven guilty in a court of law. They all have bonds to be paid...and I have the assets to ensure they are paid."

Fisk was right. He did have enough to bring a vast amount of the jailed henchmen out on bail. From there, he planned on taking them in and using his resources and connections to keep them out of jail. He needed them and their numbers to strengthen his empire further.

"Are you sure, Mr. Fisk?"

"They will work for me."

"Do you think those men and women will welcome the idea?"

Fisk turned his swivel chair, facing his assistant and folding his hands in front of him.

"Once they sense freedom again, all that's left is for the money to speak. And we all know...money talks.

The assistant nodded, ensuring him that he would get to work on it and make calls.

After the man left, Fisk soon got a call on his personal phone. He looked at the contact before answering it and putting it to his ear.

"Mayor Osborn." He greeted.

"Wilson."

"It's a pleasure hearing from you at this hour. What is it you're calling for?"

"I need help."

His request piqued his curiosity.

"Kindly explain."

"Since the 90s, I've been working on a medical treatment. One that can cure ailments like Parkinson's, Hodgkin's disease, and Oshtoran Syndrome. The latter...took my many wife years ago."

Fisk stood quiet and honestly felt empathy, as he had also recently lost Vanessa. Norman continued.

"And now I'm afraid my—" Norman paused, and Fisk could hear him take a deep breath. "I just don't want anyone else to go through that. You understand?"

"I see. So what is it you need?"

"I want a lab, a facility, built in Manhattan, so we can keep producing it. I—I feel like we're about to reach a breakthrough. I need your help with the funding, and I'd appreciate your support."

"Our partnership is a strong one, Norman. I'd say stronger than we had with Kingsley, won't you agree?"

"I do."

"And with this partnership, communication is a two-way street. I'm going to have to know all about this. The ins and outs of this project. All of it. It's only right since I'm the one opening the checkbook."

"I understand, Wilson."

Fisk was content. He trusted Norman and vice versa. Since he would do this for Osborn, he wanted to know everything about what he was doing.

"This treatment of yours...what is it? What do you call it?"

There was a beat. Finally, Norman responded.

"GR-27."

• • •

THE YOUNG MAN was back at the cemetery. He stood before the headstone for a while before finally placing a bundle of purple anemones in front of it. He kissed his two fingers and touched the name engraved on it.

INDIRA SANDUVAL
2006                   2026

He stood back up, stuffing his hands in his pockets and looking down at the headstone. Y/N then smiled.

Unlike a year ago, when he stood in the same exact spot, Y/N was content and filled with warmth. Right now, Y/N was not grieving, he was not filled with sadness, there was no cloud over him, and he was not reeling with guilt. He didn't doubt himself and his mission.

Today, Y/N was happy. He was glad to honor Indira's memory by being who she always thought he was: a hero.

"Thank you for helping me see, Indy," Y/N spoke. "For helping me understand."

Y/N nodded, taking in a breath and looking ahead. He felt the chilly breeze of the November weather hit his face.

"Everybody needs a hero. Everybody needs hope. I don't mind being that to those who need it."

He looked back down at the headstone. Y/N smiled at it again, bidding farewell to Indira before leaving the cemetery.

"I love you. Until next time."

Daredevil stood on a rooftop overlooking the borough of Hell's Kitchen. He had his foot planted on the balustrade and faced the skyline.

Matt wasn't honing in on his senses or anything. He just stood there, feeling the cool breeze on his skin beneath his nose, which was exposed by his headpiece. He was comfortable, and it felt nice compared to what he had to endure the last several months.

The man took a breath in. He thought of his friends and family. He thought of his late parents, Jack and Maggie. He thought of his best friend, Foggy, and he thought of Karen, the girl he loved and then lost.

The last memory he had with her played in his head. It was a walk through Central Park, the couple linking arms while talking and enjoying the sights. Well, Karen enjoyed the sights mostly. But Matt still loved that night, as he focused on her voice and could hear her heartbeat change based on how she felt.

Matt let out a breath. He held on to that memory and would keep it with him forever.

Moments later, Spider-Man arrived. He landed on the roof vent behind Matt and perched on it.

"What's up, Matt? Doing some sightseeing?"

The man chuckled. Y/N caught what he said.

"Oh, sorry!" He hopped off the vent. "Poor choice of words."

"I know you mean nothing by it."

Y/N joined him by the ledge, where he also looked out at the skyline. He put his hands on his waist and nodded. Matt soon spoke again.

"It's a rare calm. I'm grateful for it. I don't take these moments for granted."

"I get it," Y/N replied. "I appreciate them too."

There was a beat before Matt talked again.

"There's a reason for all this. Why there's a moment of calm. Why everything in the moment seems right." Matt turned to him. "It's because of you."

Y/N scoffed. The humble young man didn't want to take all the credit.

"Come on, don't do that. There's more to it. Look at you, you've been in this game longer than me. You've done a lot even today."

"When I first started, I was on a mission of vengeance. All I wanted was to make sinners pay. I wanted to hurt them and make sure they never did what they did again. It was only later that I realized there was more to it. But then there's you..."

Y/N stayed quiet and attentively listened. Matt continued.

"You started for all the right reasons. You began as that light-hearted kid who wanted to make a difference. You thought of the people who bigger heroes often never gave a second thought to—the little guy. You started there and even helped on a larger scale. You helped save the world. Not many people your age can say that."

The young man smirked beneath his mask. Matt nodded and finished.

"You've given this city hope. Your it's beacon. No matter how many costumes may be in this city, Spider-Man will always be synonymous with New York.

The hero looked at Daredevil, touched by his words. Matt was a mentor figure and a great friend, so it meant a lot to him. He reached out, and the two clasped hands.

Sometime later, Y/N's phone chimed. He checked it and saw a reminder.

"Right...I'm the one making dinner." He said. "Look, Matt, I'd love to stay and patrol with you, but—"

"No worries," Matt interjected. "I got it covered.

Y/N smiled. He walked toward the edge and did a two-finger salute before falling off the rooftop, where he initiated a swing down the street.

Daredevil smirked. Moments later, he dove off the ledge and used his billy club to swing away.

Y/N was at May's residence. In the kitchen, he was stirring a pot of pasta and assisting in the cooking. He had music playing from the stereo nearby, jamming to Million Dollar Baby by Tommy Richman as he did

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

(A/N: Was literally listening to this while editing lol)

He seemed to be into the music a little too much as he lost himself. As he went to the fridge to get something, May came into the kitchen and checked on the pasta.

"Yes?" He turned around and asked. "Can you not fathom the perfection of pasta before you?"

"Hmmm..." May checked it and smiled. "Sure, if we really love overdone spaghetti."

"What?" Y/N went over and checked it himself. "Ah, man..."

"It's okay, honey. Hey, Ben and Michael messed up the food plenty of times."

Y/N chuckled. He recalled back in the day when Ben was alive and how he couldn't cook to save his life. Michael was the same, and the one time they tried to help each other, it was a disaster. Thankfully, both his mom, Aubrey, and May saved the day the L/N and Parker family got to eat well.

"I guess I'm carrying on the legacy." Y/N joked.

May smirked. "No. We're gonna change that. One day, I'm going to make sure you're able to make perfect al dente pasta."

Y/N smiled as May rubbed his back. Later, the doorbell rang, and the woman went to answer it. Outside was MJ.

"Michelle! You made it! Come in."

"Hey, May." MJ greeted with a smile and entered the house.

Immediately, Anya, who was in the living room, beamed at the sight of the twenty-one-year-old.

"MJ!"

"Hey, baby!"

She embraced the girl and lifted her. The seven-year-old touched her hair, gazing at her current bob-cut style.

"I love your hair!"

"Thank you!"

"You always have cool styles."

"Let me tell you a little secret." She leaned in and whispered, "It's my superpower."

"Really?" Anya replied. "I want my superpower to be to always be pretty like you."

MJ smiled and put her down. She looked over and could see Y/N cooking in the kitchen.

"Wow." MJ put her hands in her pockets. "I'm surprised the house is still standing, May."

"Ha-Ha-Ha." Y/N droned out. "I heard that."

"Kidding."

MJ walked over and took out a jar of sauce from her bag. She tossed it underhand into the kitchen, where Y/N instinctively caught it before it hit the floor.

"How are you always able to catch things so fast?" Anya asked him.

Y/N smirked, and MJ chuckled. He turned to the little girl, tossed the jar in the air, and caught it again.

"That's my superpower." He replied. "I should've played baseball, huh?"

"That would have been cool. You could've played on the team Dad always watched."

Y/N nodded. He chuckled as he thought back at what Michael often said.

"It's all about the Mets, baby."

Later, the four of them ate dinner. Despite Y/N overcooking the pasta, the food was still edible and pretty good. Nobody wanted seconds, though.

After dinner, May sat with Anya in the living room and watched television while Y/N and MJ sat outside on the porch. The two looked out, the glow of the sunset enveloping the street ahead.

"Did you hear about Flash?" MJ asked. "He got the full scholarship from the ROTC program."

"Yeah, I did. We talked about it this morning. I offered to have a celebratory brunch, but he had plans."

Y/N knew about Flash's errand, which was his biweekly visit to Ravencroft, where he would see Lorina. Despite her being somewhat crazy and Y/N still sour about her attempt to take over the city with her music, he was happy for Flash.

The two sat there in silence for a moment. MJ looked down, and since he had shorts on now, she saw the fading scar on his thigh from the stab wound he sustained during his fight with Richard. She thought back on that night.

"You didn't have to do what you did." She spoke.

Y/N turned to her. He noticed her gaze at his scar and knew what she was referring to. She continued.

"You risked a lot. You showed Richard who you are."

"I did it because I had to. It was the only way, or else...he would've hurt you." Y/N replied. "I wasn't going to let that happen."

She let out a sigh and slowly nodded.

"And you left him alive."

Y/N, in fact, did. That was a risk in itself. He wasn't sure what would happen now that Richard knew his identity. But he'd deal with the ramifications when it presented itself. Right now, he was in a cell and under 24/7 surveillance.

"You heard what he said about my father. About my parents. They were agents, and they killed people to complete the mission. My sister did the same. That's...not me."

MJ understood. Y/N was a good and kindhearted man and would never stoop that low. He found lives to be precious and believed in second chances.

"I know, Tiger." She reached out and touched his thigh. "You're better than that. You are the best of us."

Y/N softly smiled. There was a beat before the man spoke again.

"I'm sorry about before. Back when I got angry at you for what I found out about Indy. I get what you were trying to do. You saw me moving on and didn't want to hurt me again..."

The man let out a breath. He looked at her hand on his thigh and took it.

"You looked out for me. You cared about me. You always have." Y/N added. "You're the greatest person I know."

MJ softly smiled, clutching his hand tighter. The young man smiled back, feeling warm as he admired her beauty.

Y/N brought their interlocked hands to his face and kissed the top of hers. The two sat silently as they continued looking off the porch at the passing car and kids riding their bicycles.

• • •

IN RAVENCROFT, RICHARD sat cross-legged in his chamber. The man wore all white, the only color being the stains on his shirt and the makeshift purple mask he made with one of his pillowcases over his nasty, scared face.

Around him were scraps and crumpled balls of white paper. Directly in front of him were paper roses, which he often took time making himself when bored. He remembered doing such arts and crafts when he was a child, like that very night when the bomb went off.

But among the paper roses was a paper figure of a familiar hero. He picked it up and looked at it, grinning ear to ear.

It was of Spider-Man.

Little by little, Richard started to laugh. It got louder and louder until it became a harsh cackle. It was ugly and scratchy, sounding like he was chewing styrofoam.

He guffawed, recalling what the hero told him. His mission, his morals, his goals. How he didn't break and refused to kill him. How he told him he'd never shed blood and would never do what his parents did. He would never be a killer.

Richard found that hilarious.

No man is unbreakable. Everyone has a limit, a boiling point. To go against their morals, all it takes is for that person to have one bad day.

He dropped the paper figure and picked up one of the paper flowers, where he slowly quieted his laughter. The Rose kept grinning as he looked ahead at the wall, an insane and menacing look beneath his mask.

"Oh, Spidey...we're gonna have a blast, you and I."

END OF SEASON NINE