The Spider-Grind

Kraven's predatory grin faltered as Ethan smirked back at him, his determination unyielding.

"You'll pay for that, boy," Kraven growled, his voice low and threatening.

Ethan didn't hesitate. "Sure thing. Here's the down payment."

With a sudden burst of power, Ethan delivered a devastating punch, his strength having adapted mid-battle to match the Hunter's enhanced capabilities. The blow connected squarely with Kraven's jaw, sending him staggering back. For the first time, the mighty Hunter looked disoriented, his footing unsteady as he tried to regain his balance.

Ethan stepped forward, his voice cutting through the chaos. "That's the thing about guys like you. You think you're the apex predator, the king of the jungle.. but you're just a cub playing with fire."

Without giving Kraven a chance to respond, Ethan launched a spinning kick, knocking the Hunter unconscious. Kraven's massive form crumpled to the ground, motionless.

Ethan took a deep breath, steadying himself before turning to assess the battlefield. Across the chaos, he spotted Jean and Psylocke locked in a desperate struggle against the Madelyne Pryor clones.

"Time to move," Ethan muttered to himself, sprinting toward the fray.

Jean was surrounded, her telekinetic shield flickering under the relentless assault of the clones. Psylocke fought valiantly, her psychic blade flashing as she cut through the attackers, but even she was starting to falter under the sheer number of enemies.

"Need a hand?" Ethan called out as he joined the fight, landing a perfectly timed strike that sent one of the clones flying.

Psylocke glanced at him, her expression a mix of relief and frustration. "Took you long enough."

Ethan grinned. "Had to deal with a guy who thought he could mount my head on his wall. You know, the usual."

As the two fought side by side, Ethan's presence relieved much of the pressure on Psylocke. His rapid adaptability became evident as he countered the clones' attacks with increasing efficiency, his movements fluid and precise.

At one point, Psylocke's gaze lingered on him for a moment too long. "You... You bite as strong as you bark," she admitted grudgingly.

"Come on, you don't need compliments to charm me" Ethan winked, dodging a telekinetic blast and countering with a webline that disarmed another clone.

The tide of the battle began to shift. Ethan's sharp thinking and adaptability allowed him to neutralize several clones in quick succession. When a group of Purifiers tried to flank them, he seamlessly transitioned to take them down, webbing their weapons and incapacitating them with calculated strikes.

Jean, now less overwhelmed, capitalized on the opening. With a surge of telekinetic power, she unleashed a powerful wave that sent several clones flying.

Ethan felt the force of the wave and braced himself instinctively, his body adapting almost instantly to withstand telekinetic attacks. He blinked in surprise as he watched his wounds slowly heal. It was slow, but still visible. Realizing the extent of his abilities, he couldn't help but exclaim "Huh! That's new."

Psylocke raised an eyebrow. "What is?"

"Let's just say I'm feeling... resistant to certain psychic pushes now," Ethan replied with a smirk, turning his attention back to the clones.

Together, the three of them dismantled the remaining clones. Ethan's newfound resistance to telekinetic attacks allowed him to close the distance and land decisive blows, while Psylocke and Jean worked in perfect harmony to subdue the rest.

The remaining Purifiers and Hand ninjas, seeing their forces decimated, began to retreat. As they dragged Kraven's unconscious body away, the Hunter stirred, blood dripping from his mouth.

He looked directly at Ethan, his eyes filled with an unsettling mix of hatred and grim satisfaction. "The storm is coming... And you won't survive it," he rasped, his voice weak but chilling.

Ethan stepped forward with confidence, movements fluid and calm. "I'll make sure to enjoy it like a breeze."

Before Kraven could retort, his body convulsed violently. His veins bulged, wriggling beneath his skin like worms. A sickly red hue spread across his entire body as he let out a final, guttural scream. Then, with a horrifying crack, his body collapsed in on itself, lifeless.

"What the hell was that?" Peter muttered, arriving with Gwen to see the grotesque scene.

Jean frowned, her expression grim. "Something unnatural. That wasn't a normal death."

"They're taking him back," Psylocke said, watching as the retreating forces carried Kraven's corpse away. "Whatever Kingpin and Sinister are up to, it's far from over."

Ethan's jaw tightened. "Then we'll be ready."

But even as he said the words, a knot of unease settled in his stomach.

---

In a hidden laboratory deep within one of Kingpin's facilities, the air was thick with the hum of advanced machinery. Sinister stood in the center, his unnerving smile stretched across his pale face as he examined Kraven's mutilated corpse on an operating table.

"Such a waste," Sinister mused, his voice devoid of empathy. "But perhaps not entirely. Even in death, you'll serve a purpose."

Around him, chambers lined the walls, each containing grotesque experiments. The torn bodies of the Marauders and Sinister Six floated in stasis, their forms partially reconstructed or enhanced. Mutants, their DNA spliced and altered, writhed in agony within their containment units.

In a separate section, isolated chambers held symbiotes, their writhing black forms pulsating with barely contained energy.

Kingpin entered the room, his expression thunderous. "You promised results, Sinister. And yet, you let them win."

Sinister turned to him, unfazed. "Patience, Wilson. Every setback is an opportunity to improve. Besides, the data we've gathered from this skirmish is invaluable."

Kingpin's glare didn't soften. "I don't care about your data. I want those spiders dead, and I want them dead now."

Sinister chuckled, his gaze returning to Kraven's body. "Oh, they will be. But first, we must perfect our creations. The storm is only beginning, after all."

As he spoke, the lights in the lab flickered, casting ominous shadows across the room. The storm, it seemed, was closer than anyone realized.