Not So Friendly Anymore

Chapter 30: Final Test

The golden rays of the sun bathed the imposing towers of Latveria in a warm glow, casting long shadows over the fortress where Peter Parker stood, clad in a dark, regal cloak that fluttered slightly in the morning breeze. The air was crisp, charged with arcane energy, today was the culmination of months of grueling training under Victor von Doom.

Peter exhaled, rolling his shoulders before turning his head slightly. Then, with an exasperated sigh, he faced the readers directly, breaking the fourth wall with the same ease he would break an enemy's jaw.

"Alright, I know what you're thinking, 'Wait a minute, how the hell is it suddenly several months later? Last chapter, you were just learning the basics!'" He waved a hand dismissively. "Well, allow me to explain... or, rather, allow me to not explain because, frankly, the guy writing this is lazy, and thanks to a bullshit test he had to take for school, he forgot his train of thought. And, let's be real, he doesn't feel like writing a series of tedious training chapters."

Peter folded his arms and shook his head. "So, let's just all collectively agree that during the time you weren't reading, I was training. Like, really intense, hardcore, borderline traumatizing training. Okay? Okay. Don't overthink it."

He smirked. "Alright, back to the actual story."

He turned away from the imaginary camera, cracking his knuckles as he faced the towering, armored figure of Doctor Doom, who stood at the center of an ancient summoning circle, waiting for his pupil's final test.

The room rumbled with ancient energy, engraved runes glowing red-hot beneath Peter's feet. Doom stood opposite him, his green cloak billowing as if the air itself dared not touch him. The chamber was circular, a vast arena where magic warped space and gravity obeyed no law. This was where gods would dare not tread. And now, a student would challenge his master.

Doom raised one gauntlet, the metal fingers curling inward. "No more lessons. No more theory. Today, we see if you are ready."

Peter narrowed his eyes, his fingers pulsing with violet-red energy. "Hope you stretched, old man."

Then—

The world exploded into magic.

Doom struck first, thrusting his arm forward. A beam of hellfire and reality-warping chaos erupted from his palm, tearing across the chamber like a god's whip. Peter twirled his fingers in a rapid sigil, "Invisibilia et Umbra." He vanished in a puff of shadow, reappearing behind Doom mid-air.

"Boo."

He flung a chain of binding wards, glowing like molten steel. Doom spun with inhuman speed, his cloak whipping around to deflect the wards as if it had a will of its own. Sparks flew. The bindings shattered like glass.

"You'll have to be smarter than that, Parker."

Peter's grin was feral. "You taught me to be."

He slammed his palms into the ground, and a forest of spectral webs burst from beneath him, glowing blue and ethereal, like spider silk spun from pure mana. The webs lunged at Doom from every angle, hissing with contained spells: freezing curses, entropy curses, even an embarrassment jinx for good measure.

Doom snarled. He lifted his arms skyward, chanting in a deep, guttural tone that shook the bones. A protective dome erupted around him, solid obsidian layered with reflective runes. The webs struck, and each one exploded with arcane fury, sending shockwaves through the room.

Peter leaped forward through the debris, already hurling a barrage of enchanted orbs, miniature singularities he'd learned to compress, taught by Doom himself under threat of instant implosion.