Marvel: Quest System

The next day...

Me and Peter, dressed in our usual casual workout clothes, end up in front of a huge abandoned warehouse in the middle of... You guessed it. Hells Kitchen. Of course, out of all places, for someone to host a massive illegal fighting ring, it's here. Where else could it be. 

Ned didn't come with us this time, even though he begged us, because first, he didn't have an invitation, and secondly, even though corrupt and full of weak spots, shield still was a top-secret government agency.

As Peter and I cautiously walked into the unassuming warehouse, were suddenly held at gunpoint by a bunch of what looked like mobsters. Peter started to panic and tried to fight back or run, but I stopped him. If they wanted us dead, we would be already dead. 

As I expected, they seemed to be expecting us, as what seemed to be the boss in the group of mobsters came out and stood them down. He then motions us towards a pile of rubble in the corner of the warehouse and lifts it like a trapdoor. Oh, it is a trapdoor.

I Peer down the hole, and it seems like under that pile of rubble, is a set of well-kept concrete stairs, going down for at least 200 meters underground. Whoever is hosting this fight must have a shit ton of money if they're able to build a secret arena under the god damn Hells Kitchen. 

While slowly making my way down the stairs, I start thinking. Who could run this operation? The Russians and the Irish mobs wouldn't be interested in any hand-to-hand stuff, which leaves two options. And both of them aren't good. Both of them are probably using this whole tournament to recruit for their little gang. Probably forcefully as well.

The only part that doesn't fit into this whole thing is the guy from the poster. How would he fit into all of this? He isn't the type to be under anyone, especially the two candidates that I have in my head right now. Maybe they just can't recruit or get rid of him, afraid of his connections, and letting him do whatever he wants.

We made it to the bottom of the staircase, and the arena was a lot different than I expected. It was a relatively small room, around 50m x 50m, with nothing but the octagon in the middle, filling up most of the room.

Now that I look closer, There's a lot of odd squares poking out of the sides of the rooms and the ceiling, all made of some smooth reflective material. One-way glass potentially? This whole place reeks of rich people.

Now that I've actually seen the interior and the distinct lack of anything ninja-related, I'm sure of who's funding this whole thing. Who's probably in one of those private viewing rooms mounted on the walls.

Me and peter were immediately ushered towards one of the viewing rooms, where it was just us two. 

"Huh? Where are all the other competitors?" Pete wonders aloud.

Just then, a deep resounding voice booms through the intercoms. Unfortunately, I recognized that voice, and it seemed like my guess was right. At least this is better than ending up a brainwashed ninja for the Hand.

"Welcome, contestants, to the 13th annual Hell's Crucible. Each of you was personally scouted by my men, not just for your strength, but because we see something rare in each and every one of you. Potential.

This is a tournament with sixteen brackets, but you are not alone. You were scouted in pairs. That means you and your partner will be allowed to watch each other's fights, but no one else's. We don't want you sizing up the competition. We want you walking into the ring blind, trusting only in your fists.

The rules are simple: fight until one of you is unconscious in whatever way possible. Killing is... discouraged, but if your opponent dies, well, maybe they weren't meant to be here in the first place.

The winner of this tournament will receive either a substantial cash prize or the opportunity of a lifetime, a chance to challenge our four-time reigning champion. And should you manage to win… you will earn a favour from me, Kingpin. That, I assure you, is worth more than any sum of money."

Peter seemed shocked to hear about the rules. I know Spiderman doesn't kill, so I'm guessing he got shocked at the killing part. Me on the other hand, I was expecting this from the second that I learnt this event was happening here at the Hells Kitchen.

Still trying to get over the idea of potentially killing or getting killed, Peter almost misses the first announcement calling down "The Spider" and "Venom" Down to the ring for the first fight.

Wait what the fuck. Venom? This can't be the venom I'm thinking about, right? If this is the regular MCU, Venom should only be introduced into the story during the post-credit scene of Spiderman No Way Home. Venom must only be a nickname then. Who in the MCU could have the alias of venom? There are only a few characters, and the only one that would fit here is... It can't be.

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Peter Parker POV

God fucking damn I was nervous. I thought I got some confidence after getting stronger, but I'm still not sure how I'll stand up against these other people. If they were all scouted, wouldn't that mean that they're similar or stronger than me? I'm actually so cooked... What if they're like, trained killers? And I die in the ring? I didn't even say goodbye to May yet!!!

I thought as I walked back from his and Alex's viewing rooms to the ring in the center of the dimly lit room. I make it closer to the Octagon and notice his opponent already there, standing there menacingly. Fitting to the alias Venom, they were dressed in full black tactical gear, with black military boots, black cargo pants, and judging from the bumps under the clothes, knee, shoulder, and elbow guards, as if they were playing football. 

I couldn't make out their face through the bars of the octagon and the dimly lit atmosphere, but it seemed like they saw my face, visibly flinching. Well, that's a strange reaction. I don't think I look that menacing? At least I don't think so...

I keep monologuing in my head as I leap over the walls of the octagon with practiced ease from all my training, and end up face to face with someone that I've never thought that I would see again. 

"F-Flash?" Gasped Peter, astonished. 

Though he looked a lot different, I could still recognize those eyes anywhere, always looking down on me. He was really muscular now, with no visible fat remaining. He was now fully jacked, looking like he could snap me in half without even trying. I gulp.

After almost defeating him half a year ago, flash stopped attending school. Alex said that he looked devastated to almost lose to me, and walked out of the gym with with an empty expression. Alex joked that Flash wouldn't be able to see me out of embarrassment for winning out of pure luck like he did, so he ran away. I expected him to have moved schools or something, but no, he was apparently getting ripped.

"Well, well, well. I didn't expect to see you here, Peter Parker." Flash scoffs, "You know, I should thank you, as I'm only here today because of you. Back half a year ago, after only winning against you by pure luck, I couldn't even look at myself. Do you know? How fucking horrible and useless I felt? When I discovered that the person I've been buying for the last 3 years could have easily beat me up any time they wanted? And the only reason why they didn't was why. Because I wasn't even worth enough to beat up?"

"Th-Thats, not w-" Peter tried to stammer out, but Flash kept going.

"When I realized this, I felt like I was fucking nothing. I dropped out of school, stopped training, until I met them. They took me in. The organization. They trained me into what I am today. Every fucking day I trained while wanting to bash your arrogant face in." Flash snarled. 

For him to have been plotting his revenge for half a year, while I never even though about what happened to him, made me feel kinda bad. But before I could reply or say anything, a bell rang, and before I could interpret it as a sign that the match started, Flash was flying at me. It was the same way that he always started his fights, with a flying right straight. Even if he got a lot faster and probably stronger, I guess old habits die hard. 

I quickly weaved his head to the left, trying to make it a little closer to get a few hits on his joints, but abruptly, Flash's fully extended arm swung down towards me from where it was. Beside my head. Oh shit.

I go flying across the room, feeling like my temple got hit by a truck. However, with my newly improved constitution, I'm able to somehow stumble back up on my feet. It felt like the world was spinning. Out of the corner of my vision, I see Flash running at me trying to get me while I'm woozy.

I try to dodge his fist, and again, he tries to swing his extended arm like a jackhammer, right at me. Fuck if he got this strong this fast, even without the growth boost as I did, whoever trained him must be a monster. I need to keep my distance from him, don't I? I'm just gonna keep getting hit with his tree trunk arms if I try to counter his punches. I need to attack first.

I back myself away to the edge of the octagon, out of his range. Flash again runs straight towards me, fists cocked back. 

"Venom? Then should call you the rhino the way you just mindlessly charge!" I quipped, now in the mood, adrenaline rushing through my veins.

"It won't matter what they call me if they're all dead!" Flash roared out as he tried to hit me. 

Instead, I ducked down low toward the ground, so I would be out of range from his fists. Instead of trying to punch me, he simply pulled back one of his legs, to boot me across the ring. Before him though, I made my move.

As he was winding up a kick, he only had one leg on the ground, allowing me to hit him with a simple leg sweep. I could hear the air rush out of his lungs, as he started falling on his face. 

One thing I learnt from fighting against people bigger than me, is that I could use their size against them. As Flash was falling, I quickly released all the power that I stored into my legs when I ducked down, jumping straight up while planting a firm knee right in the center of Flash's falling face. 

What would have been a regular knee instead hit like a mountain thanks to the power of gravity.

I might have hit him a bit too hard... Something like that would have broken the noses of any of the other guys that I've fought before... Still, just in case, while falling from my flying knee, I plant my heel on the back of his fallen head. That should probably do it... Fuck, what?!?!

I lose my balance as the foot I had planted on the back of Flash's head gets grabbed, and I get lifted into the air. Flash gets up, and while holding me upside down in the air, he growls, putting extra malice on the final word. "Looks like I'm not the only one that got stronger, Spider." He spat out and threw me against the opposite wall of the octagon. 

"You haven't learnt anything, have you, flash? You're too arrogant. Right there, you should have broken my legs or beat me to a bloody pulp. But instead, you chose to throw me. You see, after losing to you in our last fight, there's one thing I learnt. You never. Ever. Get too arrogant. You never let your guard down."

As I flew toward the wall of the octagon, I readjusted my balance in midair, so that when I hit the wall, I would be in optimal position to jump right back off of it. I hit the cage hard with my curled-up legs, but before I could feel the pain, I released all the pent-up muscles in my legs and bound right off the wall, straight back at Flash.

Not expecting me to hit back immediately, or even get back up, Flash couldn't react when with all my entire momentum, I flew past him while planting my elbow into the exact location where I kneed earlier. I hit the wall behind him, and bounced off again, hitting the back of his head with a flying knee. 

After losing all my momentum, I fell right on my ass. Flash was still standing. What kind of training did they give him for him to be so goddamn durable?!?! 

I quickly back away, ready for another engagement.

He slowly tips forward. He crumbles onto the ground, fully knocked out.

Well, I guess I won?

"Spider wins round one. Next Contestants, come up please."

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Alex POV

Damn, looks like he won! I never expected for MCU Flash to become goddamn agent venom. I guess almost losing to Peter really hit him hard. He's still arrogant though, which cost him the loss.

Now that I think of it, who the hell could have made Flash into Agent Venom? In the comics, he became Agent Venom for the military, but he doesn't seem to be a soldier right now. I guess I'll figure it out when I fight his partner.

Peter walked back into the viewing room, as the window turned black to prevent us from seeing the next match. I dap him up. "Good fight man."

(a/n sorry no upload on Friday, interms are coming up and I gotta lock tf in yk? anyways, I did something new with changing the povs, not sure if it worked the way I wanted it to. there's gonna be a few cameos in this arc, but remember however strong the characters are in in their respective worlds, in this world, they don't have any special powers. they're all just regular fighters.)