Marvel : Web Of Evolution-Chapter 57: Crash Course

After a gap of seven days, the sun was rising again over the Kamar-Taj. Despite being so early, the training yard was already alive with movement. Our hero, Peter stood among the other disciples, rolling his shoulders in preparation for another tiresome session.

Alrighty! You got portals down. Shields, astral projection and magic kungfu too. What's next? A nastily exhausting wizard test¹?

["Sir, Although your high adaptation rate has helped you master everything, I advise caution. Overconfidence leads to hubris."]

Peter smirked. "Noted. But also, confidence leads to style points."

The Ancient One stepped forward, her presence silencing the murmurs of the students. "Today, we move beyond the fundamentals. We shall move forward to the realms of advanced mysticism."

"But since you have transcended those realms already.." She turned towards Peter as the class dispersed. "..you will spar and you will defend. After these tests, if you are deemed worthy, you may earn the right to wield an artifact."

Peter's eyebrows lifted. Artifact? Now that sounded interesting.

---

Peter found himself facing Karl Mordo in the sparring ring. The man stood rigid, his grip tight around the Staff of the Living Tribunal. His gaze was sharp, unreadable.

"You rely too much on your natural talent," Mordo stated. "Magic requires discipline."

Peter rolled his shoulders. "So does web-slinging."

Mordo didn't dignify that with a response. Instead, he moved. Fast. The staff cut through the air, glowing with stored energy.

Peter's spider-sense flared, except it wasn't the usual danger warning. It was... something new. A sensation like feeling Mordo's intent before he acted.

Peter ducked, flipping backward as the staff narrowly missed his ribs. Before he even thought about it, his hands moved, forming a sigil. A portal opened behind Mordo, leading straight to the courtyard fountain.

Mordo twisted just in time, planting his foot firmly to halt his momentum. "Impressive," he admitted. "But predictable."

Peter barely had time to dodge as the Vaulting Boots of Valtorr activated, sending Mordo hurtling toward him. He raised a shield at the last moment, absorbing the impact before dispersing the force outward, sending Mordo skidding back.

Wong, watching from the side, let out a quiet "Hmph."

Peter's mind raced. I can feel the spells before they're even cast. He smirked. Experience.. other than that, these sparring sessions with Mordo have grown stale.

The duel intensified. Mordo was relentless, but Peter's ability to anticipate grew sharper. Each attack was countered with a mix of agility and newfound magical precision. By the time Wong called the match, Peter stood unscathed, breathing steadily.

Mordo lowered his staff, eyes calculating. "You are holding back."

Peter grinned. "If I still rely on brute strength and speed to defeat you, what meaning does these spars have?"

Mordo, ground his teeth and slowly left the ring. Making way to the next sparring partner,Wong.

---

Wong stood with his arms crossed. "You attacks have been polished well. Now, we refine your defense. The world does not need reckless sorcerers."

Peter held up his hands. "I promise, I'm like... mostly responsible."

Wong almost burst out laughing². "Shields first."

Peter raised a glowing golden shield just as Wong sent a barrage of energy blasts. Each impact vibrated through his arms, but the shield held. Then, Wong flicked his fingers, changing the spell's frequency. The shield wavered.

Looks like Wong have improving too. Peter's eyes narrowed.

And then he grinned. Sadly, he is too 'predictable'.

["Incoming energy shift detected. Adjusting resonance is recommended."]

Before Wong's spell could break through, Peter instinctively reinforced the shield, matching the altered frequency. The magic stabilized.

Wong exhaled sharply. "Sparring with you is bad for my confidence."

Peter shrugged. "Your value doesn't decrease just because there is some one better than you."

Wong stopped for a moment before continuing . "Crimson Bands next."

Peter focused, weaving the correct sigil. Thick, red bands shot forward, wrapping around a training dummy. He tightened his grip, reinforcing them further.

Wong nodded. "Good. Again."

Peter crushed the dummy with ease. Wong gave a rare approving nod. "You will do well."

Peter blinked. "Was that... a compliment?"

"Get lost. The ancient one is awaiting you." Wong turned away. "Oh, and tell Felicia, it's her turn to spar now. She should be in the library."

---

Peter approached the Ancient One after a quick stop at the library.

"You have progressed faster than expected, Peter."

Peter wiped sweat from his brow. "That's... a good thing, right?"

She studied him. "Magic does not always seek masters. Sometimes, it seeks the worthy. "

"Wait. Do I actually get an artifact?"

She gestured with a smile, and a golden doorway appeared. "Go in."

Peter walked in without any hesitation.

Peter stood in the dimly lit chamber of relics, his senses buzzing. Artifacts of immense power lined the room, each humming with energy.

The Ancient One stepped in after him. observing him carefully. "You have proven yourself, Peter. An artifact chooses its wielder, not the other way around. Step forward."

As Peter moved, something strange happened. His connection to magic surged. Every artifact he passed reacted, their energy resonating with him.

["Your affinity for magical artifacts is exponentially increasing. Estimated synchronization: 85%... 90%..."]

Peter blinked. "Uh, is it supposed to be this-"

The Staff of One flickered. The Cloak of Levitation trembled. Even the Eye of Agamotto hummed slightly. But two relics that interested him the most.

One was Dragonfang, a legendary sword that was wielded by Brunnhilde, the Valkyrie. The other was the Wand of Watoomb, an artifact of immense mystical power.

Peter reached out instinctively. The moment his fingers brushed them, a rush of energy flowed through him. Whoa... it's like they were waiting for me.

The Ancient One chuckled softly. "Impressive. Now, pick your forever allies."

Peter hesitated, looking at the other artifacts. A part of him felt greedy," Aren't you afraid that I'll take the all away?"

"I choose to trust the Spider-Man ."

With a deep breath, he nodded. "Alright. Dragonfang and the Wand it is."

The Ancient One smiled. "Wise choice."

[" Achievement unlocked: "Artifact Hunter."]

---

Felicia adjusted her stance in the training yard, her black bodysuit clinging to her as she smirked at Wong. The Sorcerer Supreme's right-hand man gave her a measured look, already assessing her weaknesses.

Wong said, "Confidence, should come with the ability to back it up."

Felicia's fingers twitched, recalling Peter's lessons. He had spent nights guiding her, his hands warm as they corrected her form, his breath against her ear as he whispered instructions. The training had sometimes ended with more heated lessons; ones involving tangled sheets and stolen kisses rather than spells.

"Focus, Kitten," Peter had murmured during one session, his lips just grazing her jawline. "It's all about control."

Snapping back to the present, Felicia grinned. "Alright, let's dance."

Wong struck first, sending a concussive blast. Felicia twisted, flipping into the air with with improved ahility As she landed, she muttered a spell under her breath, one Peter had drilled into her head.

A faint shimmer of magic spread over her hands: a modified Sticky Hex. Wong barely had time to raise an eyebrow before she vaulted forward, her palm grazing his sleeve. The spell kicked in, binding his arm to his robe.

Wong gave an approving nod. "Clever." With a flick of his fingers, he countered, but Felicia was already gone, using a slingshot portal trick Peter had taught her to zip across the field.

Her spar with Wong ended in a stalemate. It was impressive, considering her limited magical training.

Next came Mordo.

Unlike Wong, Mordo was ruthless. He didn't hold back, his strikes precise and relentless. Felicia barely dodged the first wave of crimson bands aimed at her. Damn, Peter wasn't kidding about this guy.

Mordo lunged, his staff sweeping toward her. Felicia reacted fast, activating Peter's Displacement Ward; a trick he'd devised just for her. For a split second, she blinked out of existence, reappearing a foot away.

Mordo paused, eyes narrowing. "That's not standard spellwork."

Felicia smirked. "Nope. Custom-made."

Though she ultimately lost to Mordo's overwhelming skill, both he and Wong exchanged glances.

"She learns well," Mordo admitted.

Wong crossed his arms. "Peter teaches well."

Felicia wiped her brow, grinning. "I do have a good teacher."

---

Wong and Mordo stood before the Ancient One, their expressions tight with contemplation.

"He improves at a speed I've never witnessed before," Mordo admitted, his tone laced with jealousy. "Every new technique I pill out, he counters it just before the session is iver . It's unnatural."

Wong, arms crossed, nodded. "His shields are already master-tier. And his Crimson Bands... frighteningly efficient. He's syncing magic with his spider-abilities in a way that's never been seen before."

The Ancient One steepled her fingers, studying them both. "So him learning way too fast is.. strange?"

Mordo hesitated, admitting the truth would leave a bitter taste in his mouth. "You need a word better than strange to describe his abilities."

There was no surprise in the Ancient One's expression, only the faintest glimmer of amusement. "Peter Parker... a spider among sorcerers."

Mordo's frown deepened. "But this uncontrollable speed... this talent... it's dangerous."

Ancient One patiently replied,"He has to grow stronger fast. He has bigger threats to deal with."

Wong's brow furrowed. "Like what?"

The Ancient One's gaze flickered, a knowing look settling over her features. "Like Mephisto."

Mordo stiffened. "Then he's doomed."

A quiet chuckle left the Ancient One's lips. "That won't be necessary. I've quote a big surprise planned for him."

Wong gave her a questioning look. "You have another plan?"

"A surprise," she said cryptically. "One that will help him hold his own against the red demon."

"The book of Vishanti?Nothing short of the Book of Vishanti could help him against something like that.." Mordo shook his head. "Even giving him Dragonfang and the Wand of Watoomb was a mistake. He's not ready."

The Ancient One turned her gaze to him, her tone gentle but firm. "They were not given to him, Karl. He was chosen."

A flicker of something dark passed over Mordo's expression. He bowed slightly but did not respond. The gap between him and his master widened a little more.

---

Peter sat at his workbench, a cup of coffee in one hand and a holographic projection of his new suit schematics in front of him. His eyes scanned over the designs, checking the integration of magic and NanoMimics.

Magic. Artifacts. Nano-tech. Spider-sense on steroids.

Yep... I'm about to break the early game.

Peter smirked. "Alright, let's see what these babies can do."

He picked up the Wand of Watoomb, its cool crystalline surface humming faintly in his grip. With a flick of his wrist, a golden shield materialized in front of him. Shimmering, layered and strong.

Nice. Stronger than the standard Eldritch shields.

Now, time to test the Dragonfang.

He grabbed the ancient blade, feeling a strange connection to it. The weight was perfect, like it was made just for him. With a deep breath, he slashed at the shield.

CRACK!

The shield split open like glass.

Peter blinked. "Well... that's insane."

["Confirmed. Dragonfang negates magical defenses. Caution: Highly effective against wards."]

He whistled. "Looks like I won't have trouble bypassing defenses and deal some true damage."

Next, he tested the Wand's stored energy. Channeling a small amount of magic, he fired a focused blast at the far wall. A pulse of golden energy shot forward, denting the reinforced metal.

Okay, so this thing can attack, defend, and store power.

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Peter twirled the Wand. "Man, I could get used to this."

Then, an idea hit him.

What if he used a similar enchantment to boost Felicia's new gear and give it an upgrade?

He turned to her half-finished upgrades. Her suit already had NanoMimic weave and stealth enhancements, but it was missing something extra. He grabbed her gauntlets, tweaking the circuits while weaving in mystic threads.

"These should let her release mystic energy pulses. Kind of like a mini-repulsor blast."

Next, he focused on her boots. Using enchantments similar to the Vaulting Boots of Valtorr, he infused them with levitation magic. "This should let her step on air, like an invisible platform. No more worrying about rooftop gaps."

Satisfied, he leaned back. He was about to call it a day, when his phone ringed.

He glanced at the screen. Psylocke.

He picked it up. "Hello?"

========

Hello everyone,

I apologize for not updating you sooner about my break. I have to admit, I really enjoyed the time off! Additionally, I have an important exam coming up on June 15th, so I've started preparing for it.

I appreciate your patience and understanding. The update schedule will be two Chapters per week until the end of June.

Thank you for being such wonderful readers and I hope you forgive me for not responding to the reviews and comments.

Once again, I'm grateful for your support!

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