While Peter remained at the Spider Base, training and helping his new teammates adjust to their powers, the underworld was already moving.
The crime world never rested, and neither did its ambitions.
Deep in the heart of the city, within a heavily secured research facility, Dr. Curt Connors was on the brink of something groundbreaking—the regeneration serum.
For years, he had been obsessed with the possibility of regrowing limbs. Losing his arm had left him feeling incomplete, crippled in both body and soul. A mechanical prosthetic wasn't good enough—he wanted his real arm back.
This project wasn't just science to him—it was his lifeline, the culmination of all his hopes and dreams.
Now, the serum was nearing completion, and human trials were just on the horizon.
Yet, as always, when something of great value was created, there were those who sought to steal it.
In the dead of night, a shadow moved through the facility, bypassing security as if it didn't exist.
Herman Schultz—The Shocker—was on the job.
Under the direct orders of Kingpin, Shocker had been tasked with stealing the regeneration serum and all research data.
Kingpin had many plans for this discovery. A serum capable of regrowing entire limbs? That was something that could be weaponized, monetized, and controlled.
And so, the best man for the job had been chosen.
Shocker wasn't just some low-level thug anymore.
He had once been a common criminal, an orphan forced into a life of theft just to survive with his younger brother. He was arrested over and over again, never particularly good at being a crook.
But his luck changed when he was placed in a prison workshop, where he designed and built his signature vibro-shock gauntlets—tools that allowed him to crack safes with a single blast.
From that moment on, he became something more.
With his new tech, he rose through the ranks of crime, working under powerful mob bosses like Silvermane. But once Kingpin took over the city's underworld, Shocker fell in line.
Unlike before, this was different.
Kingpin didn't just give him orders—he gave him power.
Shocker had been enhanced.
The crime lord had upgraded his gear, given him super-soldier-level training, and made him strong enough to fight someone like Captain America one-on-one.
In return, Shocker became a loyal soldier.
Now, he was here to deliver for his boss.
The lab's security measures were useless against him.
Infrared sensors? He moved past them with precision.
Fingerprint locks? Easily bypassed.
Armed guards? Neutralized before they could even react.
Shocker walked into the main laboratory, his vibro-shock gauntlets humming softly as he approached the prized formula.
The sterile, dimly lit lab buzzed with tension as Shocker continued gathering every last piece of research data. His gauntlets hummed softly, sending small vibrations through the air as he moved with precise efficiency.
Meanwhile, Dr. Curt Connors, stirred awake. His mind, though clouded with exhaustion, immediately processed what was happening—his life's work was being stolen right in front of him.
His hands clenched. He couldn't allow this.
Shocker, despite focusing on the files, felt the shift in the air. His enhanced senses, provided by his advanced gear, immediately detected a heat signature rising. The doctor had woken up.
With an exaggerated sigh, he turned, mocking disappointment.
"Doctor, you should have stayed in bed," Shocker drawled, his tone dripping with condescension. "Now I have to get a little violent. Blame yourself for being too restless, old man."
Connors, despite the fear curling in his gut, stood his ground. "You won't get away with this. Leave now, and I'll pretend this never happened."
Shocker laughed—a short, sharp chuckle.
"You're funnier than I thought, Doc. You should consider stand-up comedy." He cracked his knuckles, his gauntlets flashing with a low-energy pulse. "But unfortunately for you, I'm on a tight schedule. So… go back to sleep."
Before Connors could react, a sudden blast of energy surged from Shocker's gauntlet, striking him square in the abdomen. The force knocked the scientist off his feet, sending him sprawling onto the cold floor.
His vision blurred. His limbs felt sluggish. The vibrations from the attack had rattled his entire nervous system, temporarily disabling him.
Shocker smirked as he watched the scientist collapse.
"Nothing personal, Doc." He turned back to the stolen files, resuming his work as if nothing had happened.
But Connors wasn't finished.
Lying motionless, he felt an overwhelming sense of despair.
He had spent years on this research. If Shocker stole the samples and data, the project would be shut down.
His dream, his purpose—gone.
No. He wouldn't let that happen.
With the last bit of strength in his trembling fingers, he reached into the inner pocket of his lab coat.
His fingers brushed against something cold.
A small vial—a sample of his own serum.
He hadn't meant to keep one on him, but in his excitement earlier, he had taken it to examine later.
His eyes flickered toward Shocker, who was still focused on stealing the research.
He had no choice.
There was no time to inject it properly.
So, he drank it.
The bitter liquid slid down his throat.
His body immediately reacted.
A sudden burning sensation spread through his chest, intense and consuming. His heart pounded erratically, his blood boiled as if igniting with raw energy.
The transformation was happening too fast—far faster than it should have.
Shocker was just about to take the last few samples when he heard something unnatural.
A low, guttural growl rumbled through the lab.
His muscles tensed.
Turning slowly, he froze.
Dr. Connors was no longer just a man.
His body had grown—taller, bulkier, monstrous. Thick, emerald-green scales spread across his skin, his lab coat ripping apart as his muscles expanded. His missing arm had returned, but it wasn't human.
It was clawed, powerful, deadly.
Two slitted yellow eyes locked onto Shocker.
Shocker sighed deeply, shaking his head.
"Oh, man. Not this shit."
He didn't hesitate.
Shocker was a professional criminal, not some honor-bound fighter who waited for transformations to finish.
With a quick step forward, he released a concentrated blast from his gauntlets, aimed directly at Connors' chest.
The force of the impact sent Connors flying. He crashed through metal tables and glass equipment, sending sparks and chemicals spraying into the air.
Shocker rolled his shoulders, already turning away.
"Well, that was—"
A deep, menacing growl made him stop.
He turned back and his stomach dropped.
Connors—or rather, the Lizard—was already getting back up.
The spot where Shocker's attack had struck him was healing—rapidly.
Too rapidly.
The serum's effects were beyond anything Connors had anticipated.
His body burned, his mind clouded, and deep within, he felt something alien stirring. It was primal, aggressive, something not human.
He could still think, still process what was happening, but it was difficult. His rage, his instincts—they were overpowering him.
A deep, guttural growl escaped his throat.
He moved faster than he thought possible, launching himself straight at Shocker, his clawed hands ready to rip through the man who had stolen his life's work.
But Shocker wasn't caught off guard.
With years of experience and enhanced reflexes, he saw the attack coming.
The moment Connors closed in, Shocker lashed out with a brutal kick—but this was no ordinary kick.
His boot was fitted with shock units, just like his gauntlets.
The instant impact sent a surge of energy blasting through Connors' skull, sending him soaring across the lab. He crashed through tables, computers, and glass equipment, shattering everything in his path before hitting the wall with a sickening crack.
For a brief moment, darkness swallowed him whole.
A loud siren blared through the facility.
Shocker cursed under his breath. "Shit, I got distracted."
The security systems had finally caught on, and it was only a matter of time before guards arrived.
He turned, refocusing on his main objective—the serum samples. His orders were clear. The data and samples were half the mission—he could not leave without them.
Shocker moved swiftly, grabbing every vial, every file, stuffing them into his briefcase.
Then he heard it.
A low, reverberating snarl that sent chills down his spine.
Shocker sighed, annoyed. "Not again."
He turned just in time to see Connors' transformation finish.
The doctor was gone.
What stood in his place was something inhuman.
Connors' face had elongated into a reptilian snout, rows of razor-sharp teeth glinting in the dim light. His body was covered in thick, armored scales, his muscles swollen with newfound power. A long, powerful tail whipped behind him, and his eyes—those slit, yellow eyes—locked onto Shocker with predatory intent.
With unnatural speed, the Lizard leapt onto the ceiling, using his claws to grip the surface before pouncing downward.
Shocker dodged just in time, rolling to the side as massive jaws snapped shut inches from where he stood.
"Okay, yeah. Definitely not sticking around for this."
As he jumped to the side, the Lizard's tail whipped toward him.
Shocker barely had time to react, catching the tail with both hands.
But the force behind the strike was insane.
It lifted him off the ground, sending him crashing into the side of the room.
Shocker groaned. "You know, I was having a great night until you woke up."
His gauntlets hummed as he adjusted the power level.
"Alright, you overgrown gecko—get shocked."
A massive surge of energy burst from his gauntlets, hitting the Lizard directly in the chest.
Electricity ripped through his body, making the Lizard spasm violently, his muscles locking up as he collapsed.
Shocker exhaled, stepping forward and kicking Connors' limp form aside.
"I really hate healing factor freaks," he muttered before turning back to gather the last of the samples.
With everything packed away, he headed for the exit, his job complete.
But it wasn't over.
Just as Shocker neared the door, he heard the snarl again.
His stomach dropped.
Impossible.
He turned just in time to see the Lizard pouncing toward him again.
But Shocker had no interest in fighting anymore.
He signaled his men—mercenaries stationed outside.
Immediately, gunfire erupted.
The air filled with the deafening roar of anti-tank rounds, each bullet tearing through the Lizard's body.
He shrieked in pain, his thick scales punctured by the relentless fire.
Shocker took this chance to vanish into the night, slipping into the shadows.
The Lizard, despite his growing animalistic instincts, still had one thing left—
Survival instinct.
Badly wounded, he retreated, disappearing back into the depths of the lab.
His body would heal.
His mind, however…
Was already drowning in rage, hate, and vengeance.
He knew his targets.
And when he emerged again…
They would pay.