"Is this your superpower?"
Little Peter stared in awe at the fly stuck to the suction-cup dart. He was completely convinced now that Robert was a real superhero.
"This isn't a superpower," Robert said, turning off his custom reflex enhancement mode with a smirk. "This is skill. Pure talent and effort. No shortcuts."
Peter's eyes lit up. "Then… can I learn how to shoot like that too? Maybe I could become a superhero!"
Robert nearly choked on his soda. You're going to be Spider-Man! Why would you need to learn marksmanship? Planning to snipe villains and clock out early?
He coughed, recomposed himself, and said seriously, "As I said—talent and effort. Honestly, I don't think shooting is your strong suit."
Peter's excitement faded a little.
But Robert continued, "However, I see other abilities in you."
Peter perked up again. "Really? What kind?"
Robert didn't answer immediately. Instead, he leaned in. "Have you finished the exercises I gave you last week?"
Peter looked a bit embarrassed. "No… there were so many! I only finished half."
"Half?" Robert was surprised. He had chosen those questions just to challenge Peter's curiosity—not to actually be finished. That Peter had completed half at all was impressive.
For someone Peter's age, his intelligence was already remarkable. Over the past few days, Robert had quietly observed the kid—his questions, his focus, the shine in his eyes when learning something new. Even if he was being playfully manipulative, Robert couldn't deny that Peter had the potential to be something special.
He saw in Peter what many heroes lacked: wonder.
Although Spider-Man had many versions, every iteration was a genius in their own right. Age was never a barrier for such minds. Shuri, the young princess of Wakanda, was a prime example—designing weapons and gear that rivaled Iron Man's before she could even drive.
Of course, Robert wasn't saying Shuri was smarter than Stark—Wakanda's tech advantage gave her a head start. What might be rocket science to others was just a class project to her.
But if Peter kept learning and pushed himself? He wouldn't just be a sidekick. He could be his own hero. One who didn't live in the shadow of Iron Man.
Inspired by his own enthusiasm, Robert got carried away in his little fantasy.
He made a vow to himself—he would help shape Peter into someone extraordinary.
"Peter," he said with a proud nod, "you already have the foundation of a great superhero."
Robert placed a hand on his shoulder. "You might not be a perfect marksman, but you've got something better—a smart brain. You may not shoot the perfect bullet, but you can build the kind of suit that fires it perfectly for you."
He began hyping Peter up like a motivational coach at a comic convention.
"Tony Stark was building engines at six. You? You'll be designing battle suits by seven. By ten, you'll be piloting spaceships. By fifteen—fighting cosmic threats in a Gundam!"
"You'll make Tony Stark question his own genius!"
Peter's mouth slowly opened as he imagined himself in a massive suit punching a purple alien in the face. He didn't even know who Thanos was—but it sounded awesome.
Robert smirked. Desire drives growth. Even in education, it's the same—people only push themselves when they really want something.
By now, Peter's little brain had equated "superhero" with "super battle suit." And battle suits meant books, questions, and lots of studying.
Eventually, Peter snapped out of his daydream. "But… I don't know how to make a battle suit…"
"That's okay," Robert said. "I'll find a blueprint for you soon."
He leaned forward and patted Peter on the back. "But you'll need to understand the blueprint first. That means physics, chemistry—everything. So, I've prepared something for you."
Robert stood up, went to a corner of the room, and pointed to a towering stack of books.
"These are thirty pounds of textbooks and exercises. All yours."
Peter's eyes bulged. "Th-thirty pounds?!"
He was smart enough to know how much that weighed. That was more than half of his own body weight!
Robert looked serious. "Peter, becoming a superhero isn't easy. You'll need to learn, work hard, and persevere—just like me."
"But… thirty pounds…"
Robert gave him a look. "I'm not saying you have to finish all of it now. These are advanced materials. For now, just start with the basics. Read, solve, and keep going."
Peter still looked overwhelmed.
Robert softened his tone. "Remember—knowledge is power. Every time you understand something new, you're leveling up. Think of this as training. Each book you finish is like unlocking a new superpower."
Peter gulped. "I… I want to be a superhero!"
"Then there's one thing you need to understand," Robert said. "This training is top secret. No one can know. My identity, the lessons, the suit—all of it must stay between us. Got it?"
Peter nodded earnestly. "Got it!"
Robert grinned. "Good. Then Peter… go quietly, work hard, and one day soon… you'll scare—ahem, amaze the world."
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