Peter's sudden shift in tone made Raven study him more closely. After a moment, she smiled faintly.
"Then tell me… if it were you, what would you do?"
Peter was already getting a little impatient.
She kept circling the topic, testing, probing—
As if her intentions weren't obvious.
Still…
He understood something important.
If he wanted someone like her—a woman who had spent decades navigating every level of society, mastering politics, intelligence networks, and manipulation—
Then he needed to offer something real.
Someone like Raven was worth the effort.
"Charles is wrong. Magneto is wrong."
Peter spoke calmly, his gaze steady.
"One is too soft."
"The other is too extreme."
"That's what you think, isn't it?"
Raven's smile froze—just slightly.
"But you don't know what to do," Peter continued.
"You want to help mutants, but you can't find the right path. You've thought about it, struggled with it—but you've come up with nothing."
"That's why you came to me."
Raven didn't respond.
But her silence—Was answer enough.
…
She had grown up under Professor Charles Xavier.
Then spent years learning from Magneto.
She was, in many ways, a fusion of their ideologies.
She didn't want war.
Didn't want to see mutants and humans destroy each other.
But at the same time—
She couldn't accept Charles' endless compromise.
Endless tolerance.
Endless retreat.
"I can help you," Peter said lightly.
"But first…"
"You help me with something."
Mystique's appearance had actually made things much easier for him.
Originally, infiltrating the White House would've required a fair bit of effort.
But with her?
Everything changed.
She had spent decades building connections, resources, networks far beyond ordinary imagination.
If she was offering herself up—
Why wouldn't he use her?
If she wanted answers…
If she wanted his help…
Then she'd have to show some sincerity first.
…
A short while later—
"Senator Kelly" left the hotel with his "secretary."
And Peter?
He immediately grabbed Gwen and went out for a stroll, as if nothing had happened.
They wandered around until after nine at night, only returning after dinner.
"Ohhh, my man…"
The moment Peter walked in, his roommate—a chubby Latino kid named Ned—raised his eyebrows suggestively.
"You two were out all afternoon… must've been busy, huh?"
He grinned in a way that made his intentions painfully obvious.
Peter rolled his eyes.
"I'm pretty sure you're implying something—and I'm also pretty sure I have evidence."
Ned chuckled… then flopped onto his bed and started snoring almost instantly.
Peter didn't share a room with Gwen, of course.
Even if they were dating, the teachers would never allow that.
The reason he came back this late—
Was because he had something to do.
After checking the hallway—empty—
Peter quietly opened the window, slipped outside, and used telekinesis to lock it behind him.
Then—
With a sharp whoosh—
He shot into the night sky.
Flying low, avoiding cameras, he accelerated rapidly.
Within moments, he reached the National Mall.
Then—
He stopped.
Hovering in front of a massive monument.
The Lincoln Memorial.
This—
Was his second target.
Landing silently atop the enormous seated statue of Abraham Lincoln, Peter looked down at the figure beneath him.
To be honest—
He didn't feel much personally.
He respected certain figures like Lincoln.
But that didn't matter.
"System."
"I want to sacrifice this statue."
The essence of the entire memorial—
Was concentrated in this statue.
And sure enough—
The altar responded.
Brilliant white light began to peel away from the statue.
Layer by layer.
…
Wish Power.
Dense.
Almost tangible.
Even greater than what the Statue of Liberty had contained.
Because unlike Lady Liberty—
Lincoln was real.
After the Civil War, countless African Americans revered him with genuine gratitude.
That belief—
That reverence—
Had accumulated over generations.
"You… what do you seek?"
A vast, unseen will echoed from beyond the cosmos.
…
This time—
Peter didn't ask for power.
He already had enough.
His telekinesis alone was terrifying—and he hadn't even mastered it yet.
The events of that night proved it.
What he needed now—
Was something else.
"Wisdom."
His voice rang out clearly.
"I want enhanced learning ability… comprehension… creativity."
"And knowledge."
"Scientific knowledge—from across infinite worlds."
Power could make someone strong.
But wisdom—
If used correctly—
Could do the same.
After all—
There were those who stood among gods without any powers at all.
Tony Stark.
And beyond him—
Reed Richards.
The true embodiment of intellect.
A man who had defeated beings that rivaled gods…
Even those who had slain cosmic entities.
And Thanos?
To Reed—
He wasn't even the biggest threat.
Peter smiled faintly.
This time—
He wasn't just becoming stronger.
He was becoming something far more dangerous.
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T/N:
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