"Spider-Man!"
Reporters hiding in the corner frantically snapped photos of the scene.
"Spider-Man's facing Vulture again. Can he win this time?" Reporter Eddie's eyes gleamed with anticipation.
Tony frowned. "Wasn't he dead?"
Carter smirked. "Dead, then alive again."
Harry limped over to Carter. "Cap, you knew he'd show up, didn't you?"
"No."
Carter's smile faded. "I didn't."
Gwen sighed in relief. "He came back fast this time. Perfect timing."
Dr. Octavius gently patted Ruth's shoulder. "It's okay now, it's okay."
Ruth, still shaken, whispered, "Let's go. Spider-Man's no match for him. I saw it on the news."
"Hahaha, exactly! This bug's no match for me."
Adrian quickly regained his composure.
He glared down at Charlie, his grin feral.
"Pathetic insect. Your speed's a mess. You can't beat me."
"Can't beat you? I don't speak loser."
Charlie raised his hand, a spark of arc energy shooting upward.
Chitter chitter chitter
A tiny spider, cloaked in arcs, crawled into his palm, its glowing circular core catching Tony's eye.
"It's magic. His magic!"
Tony recalled the mission to rescue the spider-mutant.
Carter pieced it together too.
Using the near-exploding giant reactor as material to summon a spider pet.
That's how it happened.
She nodded thoughtfully.
Gwen's eyes sparkled. "Spider-Man's got a new pet, and it's given him new powers. That's gotta be it."
As she spoke, Charlie gripped the Arc Spider tightly.
"Baldy, time to tally your sins!"
Zzzzt~
In an instant, the Arc Spider landed on his chest. Mechanical sounds erupted as the spider's legs spread terrifying arcs, replacing the usual spider emblem.
Buzz~
The suit's web patterns surged with arc energy, the blue spider on his chest glowing brilliantly.
Arc, Speed!
Zzzzt…
Arcs flashed, and Charlie's body vanished.
The next moment, the ceiling shook violently. Green feathers drifted down as Adrian, wrapped in arcs, was blasted through the ceiling, disappearing from sight.
"So fast!"
"No way to capture that on camera."
Eddie's eyes widened in shock. "Spider-Man came prepared this time."
Carter stood. "Shut off the power first. We can't let the artificial sun go critical."
Before she finished, the ceiling cracked again, and blinding arcs shot downward, slamming Vulture into the ground.
Bang!!
Debris flew as Adrian roared, "Impossible! How do you have that kind of speed?!"
Before he could flap his wings to escape, blue arcs flashed toward him.
Zzzzt…
Boom!!
A blue figure crashed down, forcing Adrian to soar skyward.
"You're not getting away."
Arcs spread as Charlie smirked. The Arc Spider's circular reactor on his chest spun rapidly, arcs surging across his body.
Zzzzt…
Crouching slightly, Charlie transformed into a bolt of arc energy, chasing the green figure in the sky.
As the arcs faded, Tony called out, "Jarvis, got anything?"
"Yes, sir. Scans confirm Spider-Man's energy comes from an arc reactor."
"I knew it."
Tony understood. Last night's explosion didn't kill Spider-Man—it was the chaos of him summoning a magical spider using the giant reactor.
"Spider-Man's using the arc reactor's high rotation speed to boost his own speed. That kind of energy puts immense strain on the body, but his physique can handle it," Tony explained.
"Using reactor speed to enhance his own?"
Carter raised an eyebrow. "But from what we saw, Spider-Man hit Adrian, yet he doesn't seem injured. With Spider-Man's strength, one punch should've crushed him."
Dr. Octavius chimed in, "I heard you say it's Spider-Man's magic. I'm no expert in that, but I know matching Vulture's speed comes at a cost. If a reactor alone could boost speed, Mr. Stark would've caught that guy already."
Gwen nodded thoughtfully. "So Spider-Man's magic converts the reactor's high rotation into speed, but the cost is reduced strength. If he used his full power, his body wouldn't hold up."
Carter agreed. "That's probably it. Adrian's using the Time Tablet's power for side-effect-free speed. Spider-Man's magic can't match a divine artifact, so the side effects are obvious."
Meanwhile, Harry limped to the power switch.
"What are you guys even talking about? Isn't stopping the artificial sun from going critical the priority?"
He yanked the switch with a grimace, cutting the sun's energy supply. Its glow dimmed rapidly.
Without the sun's energy, the Time Tablet floated to the ground, reverting to its ancient state.
Carter moved to inspect it, but Dr. Octavius stopped her.
"Don't touch it yet. That tablet survived the artificial sun's heat for so long—it's gotta be scorching."
Mid-sentence, a green figure smashed through the ceiling, followed by a blue arc.
Boom!!
Bang bang~
Green and blue clashed repeatedly, sparks erupting across the lab.
Too fast for the naked eye, Adrian swooped past the Time Tablet, snatching it.
Dr. Octavius: "."
Carter shot him a look. "Not scorching, huh?"
"Maybe he's heat-proof," Dr. Octavius muttered, embarrassed.
Zzzzt…
Blue arcs surged, blocking Adrian's path.
"Where you going?" Charlie grinned.
"Damn bug."
Adrian's face darkened. Holding the Time Tablet slowed him just enough to tip the scales. Before, that slight difference wouldn't have mattered.
But now, Charlie's speed matched his, breaking the delicate balance and giving Charlie the upper hand.
Zzzzt…
Bang!
Arcs flashed, and Adrian was struck hard, crashing into lab equipment in a heap.
"Too slow, too slow. Your speed's a total mess."
Charlie mocked, holding a broken green wing, its severed edge sparking with burnt mechanical parts.
"Damn bug!!"
Buried under equipment, Adrian cursed, struggling to stand.
He tried to fly, but a single wing couldn't match his former speed.
As the Time Tablet flickered, the green glow faded, and Adrian's youthful face rapidly aged.
"No!! My face…"
"Vain old man, your time's up."
Charlie tossed the wing aside and tapped the Arc Spider on his chest.
Terrifying arcs spread across his body, ready to strike.
Crouching, he cracked the stone floor beneath him.
Bang!!
The ground trembled as Charlie became a streak of arc energy, weaving around Adrian in the lab.
Zzzzt…
Bang bang bang
"No!!"
Amid Adrian's screams, arcs tore through his green suit at visible speed.
"Old man, next time wear underwear under your suit."
Three seconds later, the arcs stopped, and Charlie emerged.
Tossing aside tattered green fabric, he kicked the terrified Adrian into a wall.
Bang!
Debris flew as Adrian slumped, spitting blood before passing out.
"Captain Carter, call an ambulance. Don't let him die," Charlie waved.
Carter snapped out of it. "On it."
Eddie and other reporters frantically recorded the scene.
"Spider-Man won!"
"He's still the invincible Spider-Man."
"Boss, tomorrow's front page is set. No, not Dr. Octavius's artificial sun—it's ruined."
"It's Spider-Man. He beat Vulture."
Under everyone's gaze, Charlie picked up the Time Tablet and walked out of the lab.
Out of sight, he leaned against a wall, rubbing his legs.
"Numb…"
[You, as the friendly neighborhood hero, defeated Vulture. Restart Count +15]
Seeing the prompt, Charlie sighed in relief.
Beating a minion with a divine artifact was tough.
[Restart Count: 35]
His restart count hit a new high, but Charlie wasn't thrilled.
At times like this, a formidable enemy usually appeared to take him out, forcing him to burn restarts in the resurrection match.
His spider-sense tingled.
"Here it comes!"
Charlie's eyes narrowed, catching an incoming steel fist.
Boom!!
Downstairs, a gust roared as their fists collided, cracking the nearby walls.
Crash crash crash
Bricks fell, and Charlie looked up to see the familiar Rhino mech glinting in the sunlight.
"Aleksei?" he asked.
"It's me, you damn bug! You're done!!"
The mech's cockpit was kicked open, and a Rhino-man, covered in chemical polymers, charged furiously.
"Oh, if it's you, I'm not worried."
Charlie dodged the massive fist with a backflip.
Boom!!
The punch missed, cratering the ground. Aleksei's fist got stuck, unable to pull free.
"Wait for me, I'll be ready soon, thanks!" he said frantically.
Charlie shrugged. "If you broke out, I'm requesting S.H.I.E.L.D. cancel your late-night snacks."
"No, don't!!"
Aleksei's face paled. "I was just joking!"
"Not funny."
Charlie hurled the Time Tablet and followed with a flying kick.
"Argh!! That hurts!!"
Boom
The courtyard wall collapsed under Aleksei's bulk. Charlie caught the falling Time Tablet.
"Gave me a scare. Later."
He waved, ready to swing away, but Aleksei shouted, "What about Charlie? Is he okay?"
Charlie paused, glancing back. "He's fine."
He shot a web and swung off.
Soon, he reappeared in the wrecked lab.
Reporters were swarming Dr. Octavius with questions.
"Dr. Octavius, why did Vulture target your experiment?"
"Doctor, if Spider-Man hadn't stopped him, would a runaway artificial sun have destroyed New York?"
"When's the next experiment? Can you give us a timeline?"
"Doctor…"
Outside the crowd, medics were bandaging Harry's wounds.
Seeing Charlie return, Harry realized he hadn't seen him during the fight.
"Where'd you go?" he asked, wincing.
Charlie checked Harry's injuries, confirming he was fine, then smirked. "I was hiding, obviously. I'm not like you superheroes who don't even need a hospital for bandages."
"You jerk," Harry growled, wincing as the nurse hurt him.
Nearby, Carter ripped off her cumbersome dress hem to bandage a wounded businessman's injury.
Seeing the man gaze at her adoringly, Charlie's mouth twitched.
"There's gauze. Why use your dress?" he asked.
Carter glanced at Eddie snapping photos nearby. "Because reporters are watching."
Charlie: "."
Even superheroes fear the press.
Tony, whose portable suit had been useless, was in a corner pondering upgrades.
Charlie approached. "No need to upgrade."
"What?" Tony looked up, confused.
Charlie grinned. "You'll only use it once."
Tony blinked. "You're right. No need to obsess."
He stood, chuckling. "I get why Spider-Man picked you as his liaison."
"You said that already."
"Did I?"
Tony shrugged. "I think there are two different reasons."
A commotion erupted nearby as Nick Fury appeared, drawing the reporters' attention.
The Rhino-man behind him was explosive news.
"Mr. Fury, is that the super-criminal Rhino?"
"Obviously," Nick Fury said coldly.
Eddie pushed through, thrusting a microphone forward.
"Rhino should be in prison, not here. The public deserves an explanation."
Fury didn't flinch. "I'm here to explain.
Before Aleksei showed up, I'd already devised a special plan called the Thunderbolts Initiative. It'll consist of super-criminals working to take down other super-criminals, atoning for their past mistakes."
The reporters were stunned.
"How's this different from the Avengers?"
"Of course there's a difference. The Avengers are justice incarnate. The Thunderbolts are for redemption."
Seizing the moment, Fury announced the Thunderbolts Initiative.
Carter's face darkened. "What's he up to? He's telling super-criminals it's okay to mess up because they'll get a second chance."
Charlie crossed his arms, chuckling at the spectacle. "That's his goal. All super-criminals hate Spider-Man. By leveraging that hatred, he can convince them to work for him."
Aleksei spotted Charlie and grinned, pushing through the crowd.
"I asked Spider-Man. He said you're okay," Aleksei said with a goofy smile.
Charlie nodded, smiling. "Thanks for checking."
Aleksei glanced at Fury. "He said you were here, so I agreed to come."
Charlie raised an eyebrow at Carter. "Told you."
Carter's expression grew serious. "This means Adrian absolutely can't fall into Fury's hands."
She glanced at Aleksei, an idea forming.
"Is Charlie your friend?" she asked.
Aleksei nodded. "Of course. My best friend."
"Good. If you join my Thunderbolts Initiative, you can see him anytime."
Charlie's eyes widened. "You're starting a Thunderbolts too?"
"Of course. Nick has his Thunderbolts; I can have mine."
Carter smirked. "At least my roster will be bigger."
Charlie facepalmed. "This damn rivalry. Poaching isn't cool. Egghead won't agree."
"He will."
Aleksei grinned. "If I resist him a few times, he'll give up on me."
"Wow, you're getting smart," Charlie praised.
"Yep. You all think I'm dumb, but I'm sharp when it counts," Aleksei said proudly.
"Deal." Carter shook Aleksei's hand, a move Fury noticed.
He felt a bad omen.
Charlie, too, had an odd feeling.
Soon, he said goodbye and returned to his apartment.
Felicia was waiting.
"We've got the Time Tablet. The question is how to use it to save my father," she said.
Charlie waved a hand. "We've got Adrian. He'll tell us."
Felicia wasn't optimistic. "No one helps their enemy."
"I'm his enemy, not you."
Charlie patted the Time Tablet. "I'll arrange for you to break Adrian out. Gaining his trust won't be hard.
After all, hardly anyone knows you're with us."
Felicia's eyes lit up. "Alright, let's do it."
She rushed off to prepare, while Charlie stared at the Time Tablet, lost in thought.
If he could unlock the Time Tablet's rejuvenation secret, Old Man Steve wouldn't need to keep fighting in the resurrection match.
The biggest challenge was getting the Time Tablet to elderly Steve.
Through the resurrection match?
No, nearly impossible, unless he gained multiversal travel powers.
Even then, finding Steve wasn't guaranteed.
What a headache.