Marvel's Strongest Mage

Daniel didn't return to Empire State University that night. Instead, he remained at the small clinic, choosing to stay immersed in quiet reflection.

As dusk settled over the city, Daniel silently slipped into Central Park. Nestled cross-legged in a secluded strawberry garden—surrounded by flora from all corners of the globe—he closed his eyes and began a deep communion with the vegetation. Long gone were the days when Daniel only relied on trunks, branches, and roots that brushed the surface. His spiritual and magical energy now flowed far beneath the earth, threading itself into the vast underground root systems, nourishing them with magic while synchronizing his consciousness with theirs.

Within moments, Daniel became one with the ecosystem, his senses extending across every inch of Central Park. Though the sun had set, the park remained lively—night-shift workers, patrol officers, homeless wanderers, secretive lovers, and shady figures carrying out unlawful deals all roamed the area.

Central Park had become his personal domain. With a mere thought, a branch might gently nudge a couple toward modesty or disrupt a criminal act, drawing patrol officers to investigate. Whispers of a 'haunted' Central Park were sure to spread soon.

As midnight drew near and the park quieted, Daniel considered using the empty hours to perform underground enchantments. But upon probing deeper, he sensed ancient, hidden secrets beneath the park—powerful, dangerous things he dared not disturb. The idea of building a Mage Tower here died instantly.

Even his meditative calm couldn't shield him from distraction—namely, the flash of red and blue zipping past distant rooftops. Spider-Man.

Daniel knew that even after the Doctor Spencer ordeal, trouble lingered. Spencer's son, Alister, with the backing of the Kingpin, had resumed his father's vendetta against Spider-Man. In Daniel's absence from New York, Alister had constructed several upgraded Spider-Slayers. The Black Widow was just one of them. These newer machines had advanced long-range capabilities—some equipped with small missiles. The last battle nearly ended in civilian tragedy.

Now, the FBI and S.H.I.E.L.D. were sniffing around, suspicious and watchful.

Peter Parker wasn't idle either. After narrowly escaping death, he'd planted a tracker on one of the Spider-Slayers. The signal unexpectedly led to the home of J. Jonah Jameson—the most unlikely suspect.

Peter's first reaction was panic—was his identity compromised? But he quickly ruled it out. Jameson hated Peter Parker. If anything, Parker was more useful to them than Jameson.

Still, someone had captured Jameson, and it was clearly to lure Spider-Man into a trap. When Daniel noticed Spidey heading toward the portside industrial zone, he silently followed.

Spider-Man's origin was widely known, yet filled with conflicting stories: a spider bite, super-soldier serum, S.H.I.E.L.D. experimentation—each theory tangled deeper than the last. If S.H.I.E.L.D. truly had ties to his parents, then perhaps super-soldier serum was once again at the root of a Marvel-born power.

Daniel considered his own growth. Even with Thor's Hammer in hand, he needed more. He had mastered the 24 basic magic runes and advanced in thunder-based power. Yet those runes only improved combat efficiency, not foundational progress. He now sought new runes in the living world itself—because the universe, as described in the Asgardian worldview, was made entirely of runes.

More runes meant more magical combinations. He would ascend not as a god in someone else's image—but through his own path. Thor's Hammer might serve him, but it would never define him.

At the Queens port, Daniel saw Spider-Man charge into an abandoned factory. Daniel followed, only to find Peter chained to a console alongside Jameson. Both had bombs strapped to them.

Alister Spencer stood before them.

Backed by Kingpin's resources, Alister—crippled and vengeful—used his intellect and obsession to strike. But instead of killing Spider-Man outright, he announced a plan to publicly execute them in front of Flash Thompson, Eddie Brock, and Norman Osborn.

It seemed irrational. Alister even used hypnotic gas on Spider-Man and Jameson. Why not eliminate them all in one stroke? Was there something deeper at play—Kingpin's grand design?

The Spider-Slayer carried its captives to the University. Coincidentally—or not—Flash Thompson, Felicia Hardy, and Harry Osborn had just exited the library.

Under the eerie glow of campus lights, Flash tried to make small talk with Felicia. She remained politely distant.

Suddenly, the massive spider mech dropped Spider-Man and Jameson before them—still shackled and bomb-laden.

Murder on campus? Bombs? Did Alister intend to brand Empire State University as a terror target?

Daniel didn't hesitate. With a flick of his fingers, a hidden arc of lightning lanced into the Spider-Slayer. The mech stuttered. Peter felt it immediately. Using the delay, he pounced—leaping onto the Slayer, severing his bonds with its own chainsaw.

He quickly disarmed the bomb, then used a nearby crane to crush the mechanical spider into the walls again and again, until it sputtered and died.

But they weren't alone.

In the shadows, watching everything unfold, was one more deadly figure—Kingpin's most precise and remorseless assassin: Bullseye.

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