Marvel: My Symbiote System

With all eyes in the arena on him, the basketball flew smoothly toward the hoop. After releasing the ball, Ethan didn't even look to see if it went in. He turned and casually walked over to Gwen as if the outcome didn't matter to him at all.

When he reached her side, he grabbed the water bottle from her hand, twisted the cap off, and took a quick sip, never breaking his cool demeanor.

"So, what do you think now? Believe me yet?" Ethan asked, a grin tugging at his lips as he glanced at Gwen, who was still frozen in surprise.

Behind him, the ball swished cleanly through the net.

An eerie silence fell over the entire arena as though someone had hit the mute button.

Ethan handed the water bottle back to Gwen and strolled back toward the court. He turned to the crowd that had been mocking him earlier, his voice loud and clear, "What's with the quiet now? I distinctly remember making the shot, not hearing your voices!"

His words echoed across the hushed arena.

The critics exchanged uneasy glances. One of them, his face turning bright red, yelled, "That was just luck!"

Ethan recognized him as one of Flash's sidekicks from earlier.

He offered a small, knowing smile, shook his head, but said nothing as he made his way over to Flash to resume the game.

"Hey, come on, smile a little. What? Did I block your lips with that shot, or is your attitude just stuck?" Ethan teased, eyeing Flash's sour expression.

"You won't always be this lucky, kid," Flash muttered, tossing the ball at Ethan.

Gwen and the others, still processing the shock, finally snapped out of it and started cheering wildly for Ethan.

Hearing their support, Ethan flashed an "OK" sign back at them and gave them a bright, confident smile.

"Same spot, I'll sink another logo three-pointer. Get ready," Ethan said, dribbling the ball as he looked over at Flash.

Before Flash could fire back with more insults, Ethan had already stepped back to the logo and launched another three-pointer.

As soon as the ball left his hands, Ethan turned around with his arms outstretched in celebration, already knowing the familiar sound of the ball swishing cleanly through the net.

This time, the silence didn't last long. The crowd, led by Gwen and her friends, erupted into cheers, dousing the few remaining doubters in the stands with their noise.

"Ethan! Ethan! Ethan!"

Flash, standing still on the court, looked like he had just swallowed something rotten.

For the next few minutes, Ethan put on a show, sinking an incredible variety of trick shots—changing up the angles, mixing up the forms—but every single one went in.

Flash, by now, seemed almost numb to it. With a frustrated yell, he called out, "Is that all you've got? You can't even handle a little bit of physical play?"

On the sidelines, Flash's followers had finally stopped being silent. They began chanting once again, "Coward! Coward!"

It was as if they believed that by stopping Ethan's shooting streak, they could somehow claim victory. They were convinced that Ethan was avoiding any kind of physical confrontation because he was too scared.

Flash thought the same. He believed Ethan was hiding some weakness, unwilling to give him a chance to prove himself physically.

Ethan, watching the scene unfold, couldn't help but smirk. Since they were so insistent, he decided it was time to stop with the shooting.

He had been playing it safe before, trying to avoid any physical contact with Flash. He wasn't being overly merciful—he just didn't want to risk his parents getting called to the school because of some accidental injury. But if they were going to misinterpret his restraint as cowardice, then he'd give them exactly what they were asking for.

With a sigh, he spoke up. "I was trying to be careful, thinking I might hurt you, but I don't like to stir up trouble. Since you're so eager for a real fight, I'll stop holding back."

Flash scoffed, thinking Ethan was just making excuses for his own fear. He taunted, "Come on, you wimp! Let me show you how tough I am!"

Ethan snatched the ball, his eyes narrowing with focus. This time, instead of retreating for another shot, he drove toward Flash with an aggressive move.

When Flash finally made contact, he was stunned. What kind of strength was this? It felt like he was up against a brick wall, or maybe even a mountain. He had only seen Ethan's shooting abilities so far—he didn't realize how much physical power Ethan had.

Ethan pushed forward relentlessly, his body charging like a bulldozer. Flash's strength was completely nullified by Ethan's superior force. Once inside the paint, Ethan exploded with his incredible vertical leap, slamming the ball down through the hoop. Flash, who had been trying to guard him, was knocked off his feet in the process.

"That's what toughness looks like? I thought I was being guarded by an old lady," Ethan teased, smiling down at Flash as he lay on the ground.

The arena was momentarily still, and then it erupted with deafening cheers. Gwen and her friends leaped out of their seats, ecstatically cheering for Ethan.

Mary Jane, overwhelmed with excitement, hugged Peter tightly. He, in turn, was grinning ear to ear, thinking to himself, I definitely made the right choice befriending Ethan.

Gwen, too, was blushing with joy as she yelled her encouragement. Her eyes were sparkling with admiration, practically glowing with excitement. Ethan couldn't help but feel a warm flutter in his chest as he watched her.

Man, she's cute as heck, Ethan thought, his heart racing just a bit. Since his rebirth, Gwen was the only person who made him feel that way—like a real spark had been lit inside him.

His gaze shifted to Peter and Mary Jane, who were still in their embrace. Ethan couldn't help but laugh internally. Damn, this kid sure moves fast. Guess it's no surprise—he is pretty cute.

Peter, noticing Ethan's glance, gave him a grateful look as if saying, 'Bro, thanks for the assist!'

Ethan flashed him a grin in return.

'No need to thank me. Just keep it up, buddy!'

They hadn't exchanged a single word, but the understanding was there—an unspoken language that men just got. After their brief exchange, Ethan turned his attention back to the court.

Flash had finally managed to pick himself up, still reeling from the play. As he saw Ethan's calm, confident gaze, a faint unease crept into him. For the first time, he started feeling a little nervous.

The next few minutes saw a transition from flashy three-pointers to an impressive array of dunks. Ethan showed off his powerful leaping ability, dunking with force and style, each one more dramatic than the last. Flash, unable to keep up, could only watch as Ethan's dominance continued. The trash talk had fizzled out, and Flash—once the center of attention—was quickly fading into the background.

Ever since his first attempt had failed, Flash hadn't made a single move. Over the course of nine plays, aside from passing the ball back to Ethan, he didn't even touch it again.

When it came to the final shot, Ethan couldn't help but smile mischievously.

"Have you ever heard of Basketball Fire?" Ethan asked, turning his attention to Flash.

Flash blinked, caught off guard. "What's Basketball Fire?"

With a cryptic grin, Ethan responded, "It's the basketball Bible. Once you master the moves in it, you'll be unstoppable. You'll win every battle."

Flash's heart skipped a beat. 'Could this be some secret technique I don't know about? he thought. Basketball Fire… I'll remember that name.'

Ethan noticed the curious look on Flash's face and knew the bluff had worked. He decided to press it further. "This move is called the Kobe Bryant Reverse Dunk. It's Kobe Bryant's signature move. Watch closely!"

With that, Ethan swiftly blew past Flash, launching himself from the free-throw line and sending the ball toward the backboard. As his body soared through the air, the ball bounced off the glass and came back down.

In mid-air, Ethan caught the rebound and, without missing a beat, executed a slick under-the-leg dribble. He finished the move by jumping again, slamming the ball through the hoop with all his might.

Bang!

The sound of the dunk echoed through the arena, followed by the cracking noise of the backboard shattering. Pieces of glass tumbled to the floor as the crowd went wild.

The spectators, stunned by the sheer athleticism and power of the dunk, jumped to their feet, erupting into thunderous applause. The noise built in intensity as the cheers rang out, drowning out all other sound.

Today, Ethan had stolen the spotlight. By tomorrow, everyone at Mid-Town High would know his name. Word would spread like wildfire, and he'd become the most talked-about figure in school.

On the sidelines, Mary Jane, once again overcome with excitement, hugged Peter tightly. Peter, watching the spectacle, couldn't help but feel an even deeper sense of gratitude toward Ethan.

Gwen, though still a little flushed with excitement, was less over the top than before. But her cheers, mixed with the contagious enthusiasm of the crowd, made it hard not to get caught up in the atmosphere.

Ethan walked over to Flash, who was still standing there, frozen in disbelief. He looked at him and said, "I didn't mean to humiliate you today, bro. I just wanted to remind you to show respect to others."

Ethan then gave Flash a pat on the shoulder and continued, "I know what you're thinking, but there are many ways to stand out. Bullying others isn't cool. You're good at basketball—keep going, and you've got the potential to become a star. Keep working at it!"

With that, Ethan left Flash deep in thought and made his way over to Gwen and the others on the sidelines.

Gwen's face wasn't as flushed as before, but there was still a faint blush on her cheeks. As she saw Ethan walking toward her, she couldn't help but smile. "I didn't expect it to really end 10-0. A bet's a bet, so I guess I owe you dinner."

Ethan raised an eyebrow and grinned. "Who said you owe me dinner?"

Gwen looked at him, confused.

Ethan smiled and continued, "Well, my dear lady, may I have the honor of inviting you to dinner?"

With a mischievous glint in her eye, Gwen played along, giving a playful curtsy as if she were a noblewoman handing her hand to him.

The two exchanged a smile, both amused by the playful antics. The air between them felt light and full of fun, each enjoying the other's sense of humor.