Spider-Man Mayhem

[Third Person's PoV] 

"Well, when I say it's Vibranium, it's not. It is and it isn't," Aria began, speaking slowly as though trying to find the right words.

"What?" Nightwing asked, his curiosity piqued. He hesitated, unsure if he should feel excited or concerned—particularly if this meant his underwater adventure might be at risk.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but I have so many questions right now," Shanna interjected, holding up a hand. "One, what is that thing? Two, did it just call you 'daddy'? And three, what is Vibranium?"

Spider-Kat answered quickly, raising a finger with each response. "One, a spider-bot controlled by an AI. Two, the AI was created by Spider-Man, so she calls him 'daddy.' Three, Vibranium is a rare metal that absorbs vibrations—hence the name. There. Now you're caught up."

Shanna nodded, impressed by Spider-Kat's efficiency. "You may proceed," she said with a small wave of her hand.

Spider-Man turned back to Aria. "You were saying?"

"So, I found this thing—it's Vibranium, but it's not," Aria explained, her tone measured. Meanwhile, the spider-bot accompanying her waved its front legs side to side in sync with her words.

"What do you mean, 'it's Vibranium, but it's not'?" Ghost-Spider asked, tilting her head.

"Well," Aria began, "when I was flying around and exploring the Savage Lands, this Ankylosaurus suddenly came flying out of the sky and nearly crushed this spider-bot. As I dodged, it slammed into a nearby wall. The impact created deep cracks in the surface, and I detected both familiar and unfamiliar radiation seeping through them.

I squeezed through the cracks and discovered a mine filled with a glowing, silvery-blue metal. For comparison, Wakandan Vibranium has a dark purple glow. My scans identified it as Vibranium, but it was completely different from what we know. It's the complete opposite. It can absorb vibrations like the Vibranium from Wakanda but it also has this special property, it releases its own."

Aria paused, her tone serious. "As I explored further, I noticed my systems were malfunctioning. The vibrations released by this 'Vibranium' seemed to weaken and melt metal—like some sort of anti-metal. It's incredible but extremely dangerous."

As Aria first spoke, everyone's attention gradually shifted to Scarlet-Spider, who was conspicuously avoiding eye contact. She placed a hand over her forehead and whistled nonchalantly. "Oh, look, what a pretty bird…" she muttered, watching birds fly off in the distance.

By the time Aria finished, the group was both intrigued and alarmed.

Ghost-Spider raised an eyebrow. "Isn't it dangerous to even be near that stuff? You know we have iron in our blood, right?"

"It's relatively safe," Aria reassured them. "I was exposed to it for hours while exploring, and it only started affecting me toward the end. It seems to only become hazardous with prolonged exposure."

Spider-Man glanced at Ka-Zar. "You up for one more journey before we call it a day?"

Ka-Zar, surprisingly, didn't hesitate. He nodded. "This sounds dangerous, but if it could affect the Savage Land, I need to see it for myself."

Before Ka-Zar could continue, Aria interrupted. "Hey, may I see that pendant on your neck?"

Ka-Zar froze, his hand instinctively moving to the pendant hanging around his neck. The small piece of metal looked deliberately cut in half. His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why?"

"I just want to scan it real quick," Aria replied, her spider-bot body swaying slightly in midair.

Shanna noticed how protective Ka-Zar seemed and asked softly, "Is it important to you?"

Ka-Zar nodded. "It was my father's… one of the last things he gave me."

He hesitated, glancing at Aria and then at Spider-Man and the others. After a moment of consideration, Ka-Zar held out the pendant.

Aria floated closer and began scanning it with her sensors. The spider-bot's eyes lit up as she exclaimed, "It is! It's a match!"

"Aria, honey, mind filling us in?" Spider-Kat asked, tilting her head curiously.

"The pendant on Ka-Zar's neck—it's Anti-metal! It's made from the same material I found in that mine!"

"What?!" Ka-Zar's surprise was evident.

Shanna's eyes widened as a realization hit her. "Wait... didn't you say your father discovered something in these lands and was hunted down for it? You don't think…"

Ka-Zar's expression shifted as the pieces clicked together. "The Anti-metal... That's what my father was researching."

Determination filled his voice as he turned to Spider-Man and the others. "Please, take me to this mine. I have to see it. This might be my only connection to my father."

Spider-Man nodded. "Aria, lead the way."

The spider-bot gave a quick salute with one of her legs. "Aye aye, Daddy! Follow me!" she chirped before darting off through the forest.

The group followed, weaving through dense foliage. Spider-Man ran alongside Ka-Zar and Shanna, while Nightwing carried Firestar on his back. The group moved as one, Zabu bounding ahead.

After several minutes, they reached the base of a massive cliff. The wall bore deep cracks and a jagged dent, remnants of the Ankylosaurus's impact. A faint silvery-blue glow emanated from within the cracks.

Spider-Man turned to Nightwing with a grin. "Care to do the honors?"

"Oh, you know I do!" Nightwing replied eagerly. Firestar slid off his back, giving him space.

Nightwing stepped forward, planting his feet in a solid horse stance. He raised his right palm toward the wall, cocked his left fist back, and inhaled deeply.

"HAI!" he shouted, his voice booming as his fist struck the wall with a resounding BANG!

The cracks widened, and the wall crumbled as rocks tumbled down in a miniature landslide. Dust filled the air, causing Nightwing to cover his nose and the others to shield their eyes.

As the dust settled, it revealed a natural passageway leading into the cliff. The walls and ceiling glistened with silvery-blue stones embedded deeply within the rock.

Spider-Man motioned to Ka-Zar. "Stick out your hands."

Ka-Zar hesitated. "Why?"

"Just trust me," Spider-Man said with a faint smile.

Reluctantly, Ka-Zar extended his hands. Spider-Man pressed his web-shooters, wrapping Ka-Zar's hands and fingers securely with webbing.

Then, Spider-Man shot a line at one of the glowing stones, yanking it free. He held it up, its weight evident in his grip. "It's heavy, but it'll do."

He placed the stone carefully into Ka-Zar's web-covered hands.

Ka-Zar dismounted Zabu and stared at the glowing rock, his expression a mix of wonder and sorrow. "So... this is what my father was researching."

He closed his eyes, holding the stone tightly as if trying to find some connection to his father within it.

Inside the mine, Spider-Kat tapped the surrounding rocks with her claws. "Say, what would happen if I coated my little claws with this stuff?" she mused playfully.

Aria's voice, calm and analytical, broke through the air. "After a few days, all the iron within your body would deteriorate, potentially killing you—or maybe not. Your remarkable healing factor might resist the molecular destabilization these stones cause. These stones emit frequencies that weaken the bonds between metal. However, with your healing factor, the damage would likely be repaired almost instantly."

"It can't be that bad, can it?" Firestar chimed in. "I mean, look at Ka-Zar. He's been wearing that pendant for who knows how long, and he's perfectly fine. No melting or anything!"

"You know, for once, Star here has a point," Spider-Kat teased.

"Thanks—Hey! What do you mean for once?!" Firestar shot back indignantly.

Aria, seemingly ignoring the banter, muttered thoughtfully, "Hmm… I see." Her computerized mind raced through calculations. She looked at Ka-Zar. "Your father might truly have been a genius..."

"Eh?" Ka-Zar turned to her, pulled from his thoughts.

"It seems your father discovered a way to process this metal so it's no longer harmful," Aria explained. "The pendant you're wearing contains such a minuscule amount, and it's been refined so thoroughly that it's practically harmless. The refining process would need to be repeated many times for the material to be usable and safe, but it's definitely possible."

"Say, do you mind if we take some of this stuff with us?" Spider-Man asked, his tone polite.

Ka-Zar gave a wry smile. "It's not like I could stop you even if I wanted to," he replied, shaking his head.

"Well, you seem to have a special connection to it, considering it was part of your father's research," Spider-Man said earnestly. "And since you're the Lord of the Savage Lands, it wouldn't feel right to take it without your permission."

Ka-Zar smiled at Spider-Man's sincerity. After a moment, he nodded. "Sure, you can take as much as you need. I only ask that you use it responsibly and not for nefarious purposes. But based on what I've seen of you all, I trust that won't be an issue."

The group smiled, appreciating Ka-Zar's generosity and trust. They had come to enjoy his company—and that of Shanna and Zabu—and were relieved to avoid any conflict. Each of them expressed their thanks.

However, as the moment settled, Ka-Zar looked at Spider-Man with a deadpan expression. "Now... How do I get out of this? My hands appear to be stuck, and no matter how hard I try, I can't unstick them."

Everyone turned to see Ka-Zar's hands firmly attached to the glowing stone, webbing glistening faintly in the light.

Spider-Man scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Uh... sorry about that. I may have gotten a little carried away with the webs..."

Ka-Zar groaned, while the others burst into laughter, the tense atmosphere finally dissipating.

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