The past is the past; the present is the present.

Hawk wore a look of surprise.

Gwen, meanwhile, fell silent as she studied Hawk’s expression.

Fake.

Too fake.

Gwen couldn’t help but honestly remark, “Your acting is so unconvincing.”

“Sorry,” Hawk shrugged. “I’m not a professional actor.”

Indeed.

Gwen had been outside for some time.

More precisely, she had arrived just as Peter was about to confront Hawk, but stopped when she heard noises from inside the gym.

She thought neither Hawk nor Peter would notice.

But—

Having awakened his small universe and gained control over his five senses, Hawk was not only able to hear Gwen’s footsteps but even the sound of leaves falling behind the gym—if he wanted, he could catch every sound.

Peter, with his spider sense, was the same. Not to mention, this version of Peter was a true, mutated Spider-Man.

Though Peter was likely still adjusting to his recent mutation and was shocked by Hawk’s punch, Hawk’s glance quickly brought him back to focus, and he caught the sound of Gwen’s breathing outside the gym.

So the two tacitly chose to remain silent.

See?

This was another reason Hawk favored the original Spider-Man.

He had no comment on the superior Spider-Man.

But the tech-savvy Spider-Man?

Heh.

Hawk was certain that if it were the Holland tech Spider-Man, he probably wouldn’t understand what Hawk meant and would babble on endlessly.

No, not probably—definitely.

Hawk thought to himself.

Just then,

Peter stepped out from behind and, seeing Gwen outside, looked surprised. “Gwen, you’re still here?”

Seeing Peter’s stiff and surprised expression, Gwen couldn’t hold back.

“Peter, your acting isn’t even as good as Hawk’s.”

“Ah, ha, hahaha…”

Peter’s face stiffened. He scratched his head awkwardly, said goodbye to Hawk, and then walked off toward the school gate on his own.

Seeing this, Hawk also prepared to leave.

He had to start his summer job at Osborn Biotech early tomorrow morning and planned to go to bed early.

But Gwen blocked his path.

“You’re acting strange, Hawk.”

“Ah!”

Hawk paused slightly.

Gwen furrowed her delicate brows, curiosity flickering in her eyes. “Since when did you and Peter get so close? I’ve never seen you talk to him before.”

To be precise, she had never seen Hawk casually chat with anyone.

Even when other classmates approached him, Hawk would brush them off with just a few words and go back to his own business.

And just like at the dance, when some girls initially approached Hawk to ask him to be their date—

The girls’ consensus was:

“Hawk?”

“He’s an iceberg. Not just any iceberg, a millennia-old glacier.”

Others thought so, and Gwen was no exception.

Sometimes when she approached Hawk, although he didn’t show it, Gwen sensed a subtle resistance to talking with her.

But today?

Her intuition told her that this invisible barrier seemed to have vanished while they spoke.

Gwen was deeply curious.

Hawk listened to her teasing and relaxed as he explained, “Peter and I aren’t really close. He came to see me because last time, when lightning trapped him in the bathroom, I happened to be there. He wanted to thank me for that.”

Gwen fell silent again upon hearing his explanation.

After a moment,

She looked into Hawk’s eyes and smiled faintly: “If you don’t want to say, that’s fine. No need to lie.”

Hawk considered her words, looked into her somewhat beautiful eyes, and nodded.

“Alright, I don’t want to say.”

“I’ll find out on my own.”

“Fine.”

Hawk nodded, ready to leave, but before he walked away, he turned to Gwen and said, “You can investigate all you want, but don’t fall for it. I heard that when a woman grows curious about a man, that’s when she starts to fall.”

Gwen, now certain that Hawk’s earlier resistance had vanished, scoffed lightly.

“I don’t think I’d fall for a guy who barely even considers us friends.”

She recalled how, a few days ago, when she had walked Hawk home and mentioned they were friends, Hawk’s expression had been noticeably reluctant.

No, even then, Hawk’s resistance toward her had already weakened.

Thinking of that moment again stirred something in Gwen’s heart.

Hawk said nothing in response, simply shrugged and headed down the stairs.

“Goodbye, Gwen,” he called back.

Watching Hawk’s retreating figure, Gwen shouted after him, “I’ll uncover your secret.”

“Good luck!” Hawk waved without looking back.

He didn’t take it seriously.

What he had said about a woman’s curiosity leading to downfall was just a casual remark.

But…

Before awakening his small universe, he probably wouldn’t have said such a thing.

Sitting in the back row of the school bus heading to his new apartment, Hawk gazed out the window at the passing scenery and couldn’t help but think.

For Hawk before awakening his small universe, love was a luxury—

An unreachable luxury, at that.

But after awakening?

There’s a saying:

Money is the courage of a man.

Though Hawk was still broke, he had his fists!

Power is fists.

Power is money.

Likewise,

Having fists means having money.

So…

The past was the past.

Now was now.

Having awakened his small universe, Hawk felt he was qualified to say that he could have love, based on his strength and status.

He thought to himself.

Just then,

The scene of Gwen locking eyes with him flashed in his mind, and his heart twitched unexpectedly.

“Hiss!”

Hawk gasped and shook his head, dismissing the sudden thought.

No other reason.

The three greatest illusions of life were warning him again.

He was not Peter.

Peter might mistake Mary Jane’s slight smile for affection.

Hawk would never fall into such delusion.

So…

Forget it.

Business was more important.

Tomorrow he would start his summer job at Osborn Biotech, and then he would find out if the gamma-neon in Dr. Connors’s lab was what he wanted.

If it was, that would be perfect.

Hawk had already made up his mind.

Once the key element for forging his sacred armor—the gamma-neon—was confirmed, his next target would be Wakanda, the land abundant in vibranium.

As always,

If Wakanda was willing to give him the vibranium he desired, everyone would be happy.

But if Wakanda refused—and dared to fight back?

Heh.

Sorry about that.

He—

Hawk—

Was not one for many words.

But…

He knew a thing or two about fighting!