Harry leaned close to Charlie. "Stark's taste is really…"
"Really what?" Charlie asked, playing dumb.
"Really heavy."
As Harry finished speaking, his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed to the ground.
Charlie: "…"
Then, Carter and the others' legs buckled, and they slumped to the ground involuntarily.
They gasped for air, cold sweat beading on their foreheads.
"I can't breathe," Carter said, her face pale.
Natasha propped herself up, feeling an unprecedented weakness.
"We've been played," she said grimly.
Barton could no longer grip his bow, kneeling as he locked eyes with Ophelia across from them.
"It's her doing."
"Doing what?"
Tony frowned, then his virtual interface flickered.
"Sir… unknown virus detected. System compromised…"
"What?"
As the suit's system crashed, Tony felt the armor grow unbearably heavy, rendering him immobile.
Without the system's assistance, his mortal body couldn't control the suit.
With the team incapacitated, Charlie clutched his head and sat on the ground.
"Ow~ I'm so dizzy. Can someone get me two glasses of fresh-squeezed juice?"
Seeing this, Ophelia covered her mouth and chuckled.
"Hehehe, what a bunch of fools. Didn't you realize I was stalling to release the toxin? You couldn't even see that coming. Some superheroes you are, Avengers. Pathetic."
Tony gritted his teeth. "What kind of toxin can infiltrate my suit's system? That's not scientific."
"No, it's very scientific," Ophelia said with a smile. "Because the virus infiltrating your suit isn't my toxin."
She tapped her virtual computer, and Red Skull's eyes glowed with eerie green light on the screen, dense code flashing across it.
"She's an AI!" Tony's face darkened.
Ophelia sneered. "Doctor Zola merely lifted a finger, and you ridiculous superheroes are done. When you get to hell, listen to less gossip."
At her words, the team's expressions grew even grimmer.
Pietro instinctively stepped away from Ophelia.
He leaned toward Wanda, whispering, "Hear that? Lay off the gossip news."
Wanda tossed her reddish-brown hair, scoffing, "Mind your own business."
"I'm your brother. I have to mind you."
"You're only half a minute older."
"That still—huh? What's this?"
Pietro looked down, noticing nearly invisible webbing intricately woven around his legs.
"This is…"
Wanda's face changed. "Oh no, quick—"
As she shouted, Charlie, who should've been down, yanked the crystalline webbing.
Zing~
Instantly, the crystalline webs snapped taut, sealing the space around Pietro and the others in a trap.
Pfft pfft pfft~
Argh!!
"No!"
In a split second, screams rang out, blood splattering as scarlet energy erupted, and crimson tendrils surged wildly.
"Sh*t, Spider-Man isn't poisoned at all!" Madame Gao swung her cane-sword, slicing through the crystalline webs. Bloodied and disheveled, she rolled aside, her black robe torn by the cutting webs.
Her telekinesis had slowed the webs' slicing just in time, or she'd be in pieces.
Nearby, Ophelia's head rolled, her face still smug even in death.
On the other side, Wanda supported Pietro, whose right leg was bleeding profusely.
"You okay?"
Her scarlet energy tried to stop the bleeding, but the deep wound kept gushing. Her magic wasn't suited for healing.
As Pietro's face paled rapidly, Wanda, out of options, roughly used her magic to close the wound, ignoring the pain it caused.
Hiss hiss~~ "Easy, easy! I feel like I'm dying," Pietro gasped.
"Losing blood makes you dizzy. That's normal," Wanda said coldly.
Sweat poured down Pietro's forehead. "I'm dying, and you don't even seem worried. No more pink princess dresses for you."
"Shut up. No one can know about that," Wanda hissed.
Pietro clamped his hands over his mouth. "Mmm mmm."
Meanwhile, Otto was unscathed, the crystalline webs ineffective against him.
But Ruth had a scratch on her arm, enraging him.
"You damn bug, you've pissed me off."
Charlie scratched his head. "Your wife was scratched by your tendrils. What's that got to do with me?"
Otto: "…"
He looked at Ruth.
She nodded. "You got too excited."
Otto: "…"
"I don't care. I'm tearing this bug apart."
Embarrassed, his eyes glowed red, and his mechanical tendrils lunged through the crimson mist.
Instantly, the mist surged, the Hydra shadow reappearing, its evil force tearing the ground. The terrifying sight made Charlie's eyes flash.
"Whoa, a mentor's supposed to be reasonable, Doc. You're failing."
Charlie flung webs, tossing Harry and the others onto distant grass, then turned into an electric arc and shot skyward.
Zzzzt…
Buzz~
High above, the arc spun rapidly.
"Friendly Neighborhood Electro-Dragon Drill!!"
Zzzzt~
BOOM!!
The blue electric drill dove, and Otto formed a shield with his tendrils, protecting Ruth.
Zzzzt…
Buzz~
The drill spun, arcs spreading, but it couldn't breach Otto's vibranium tendrils.
"Hahaha, bug, die!!" Otto's face twisted.
The Hydra shadow raised a hundred-meter-long crimson tendril, its eyeball-like suckers glowing eerily, firing dense crimson beams to turn Charlie into a sieve.
"If looks could kill… you took that literally!!"
Charlie flipped and retreated, the arc dodging the beams, which chased him toward Wanda.
"What?"
Wanda's face changed, her hands releasing thick scarlet energy to block the crimson beams.
Pfft pfft pfft
BOOM!!
A howling wind and massive shockwave sent Wanda and Pietro flying.
Without her Chaos Magic fully awakened, Wanda was no match for Otto.
"Pietro!!"
In the explosion, Wanda couldn't grab Pietro's hand, watching helplessly as he hurtled toward the artificial sun.
"No!!"
Her face filled with terror, she unleashed scarlet magic to reach him, but it was too late.
Zzzzt…
Suddenly, an arc flashed, and Pietro vanished.
"Hey, your brother."
Charlie, holding Pietro, landed in the chaotic battlefield, and Wanda sighed in relief.
"Thanks, Spider-Man—"
Before she finished, Charlie cut her off.
"No need. He's my hostage. You know what to do."
He tossed Pietro to Carter.
Wanda: "…"
Carter took a deep breath, rallying herself, and rested her shield on Pietro's shoulder.
Ophelia's toxin was potent but not meant to kill them.
Her enhanced physique was recovering.
Wanda, helpless, fired scarlet energy at Otto.
"You Hydra brat, betraying us?"
Otto, furious, swatted the scarlet energy away with a single tendril.
Ruth, behind him, whispered, "Finish our mission first. We can't let the Time Tablet keep absorbing the artificial sun's energy."
"Got it."
Otto trusted his wife completely.
His tendrils shot out, ignoring Charlie and Wanda, heading for the artificial sun.
Seeing this, Charlie had to try his last move.
Zzt zzt zzt
The little spider bit his hand, red-and-blue magical energy surging into him, blending with the electric arc.
BOOM!!
The two spiders gave him absolute strength and speed, but the forces seemed to repel each other.
His body felt like it was tearing apart, but Charlie couldn't care less.
Against Otto's Hydra power, he couldn't afford to hold back.
Venom mode!
Slaughter Points 100, 100% critical hit!
"Pretty witch, help me!"
He roared, becoming a magical electric arc charging at Otto.
Wanda didn't hesitate, her hands releasing denser scarlet energy, boosting the arc like a rocket.
BOOM BOOM BOOM!!
The magical arc became a second artificial sun.
Its dazzling red-and-blue light outshone the artificial sun, plowing through the ground, kicking up debris, and charging at Otto.
Otto's vibranium tendrils, enduring the artificial sun's heat, locked onto the Time Tablet.
Facing the oncoming arc, Otto's face grew serious.
"Ruth, get out of here."
The crimson mist shook, sending Ruth to safety.
Otto spread his arms, the Hydra shadow sprouting countless crimson tendrils.
Gaga gaga
An evil laugh echoed from the void, perhaps from hell or another dimension.
"Die!!"
Otto roared, the Hydra shadow's tendrils enveloping the magical arc.
Buzz
BOOM!!!
The ground shook, countless tendrils slamming into the earth, the red-and-blue magic exploding, the arc drowned in crimson mist.
The artificial sun, destabilized by the strike, expanded and contracted wildly.
Its terrifying gravity pulled everything toward it.
"It's completely out of control!!" Carter's face changed.
She pulled a web-shooter from her pocket, firing webs to anchor Harry and the others to a tree.
BOOM~~
Under the massive pull, the villa disintegrated, its fragments swallowed and melted by the artificial sun.
Carter and the others floated under the force.
"What do we do? We don't have the strength to fight it," Natasha shouted.
Barton, pale, said, "Then how do you have the strength to yell so loud?"
"What did you say? I~ can't~ hear~ you~"
In the howling wind, they swayed like leaves, held by a single web.
On the other side, the tendrils' assault carved a hundred-meter trench. The red-and-blue figure's spider totem dimmed.
One, two, three…
The fifth totem faded, and the damaged suit collapsed, leaving only a tattered mask barely hiding Spider-Man's face.
As the sixth totem flared brilliantly, Charlie's body trembled, gasping as he broke free from suffocation.
The sixth totem was fueling him with Spider-Man's power.
By the pit, Otto's crimson mist was thin, but he could still fight.
"Hahaha, damn bug, I won."
Charlie propped up his exhausted body.
He reached for his mask.
"Doc, if Spider-Man can't stop you, then it's up to…"
He took a deep breath.
"If this doesn't work, the final outcome…"
He couldn't defeat Otto's Hydra power, but he could take him down with him.
That would cost him a friend, though.
One who'd share a Nobel Prize with him.
And add an enemy to future revival races.
Unless absolutely necessary, he didn't want to do it.
Otto sneered. "Poor bug, what are you trying to say?"
"I'm trying—"
Before Charlie could finish, Ruth's scream cut through.
"No! Otto, save me!!"
"What?"
Otto turned, shocked, to see Madame Gao gripping Ruth's throat, her aged face cold.
"Hand over the Time Tablet."
"You'll get it. Let Ruth go." Otto's tendrils retrieved the Time Tablet.
Seeing it, greed filled Madame Gao's eyes.
Wasn't the Time Tablet the whole point of working with Hydra?
With Madame Viper dead and Otto weakened, this was her chance.
She wasn't letting it slip.
"Hydra wants the Time Tablet too. You sure about this?" she sneered.
Otto gritted his teeth. "I don't care. I just want Ruth."
"Fine. I'll count to three, and we swap."
"Deal."
"One, two, three!"
Otto tossed the Time Tablet to Madame Gao, who kept her word.
With a sinister smile, she telekinetically flung Ruth toward the artificial sun.
"No!!"
"Ruth!"
Otto's eyes widened.
His tendrils reached for her, but the artificial sun's renewed pull made them miss.
He'd lost his chance to save his wife.
Otto's face turned from shock to terror.
He couldn't imagine life without Ruth.
The surging pull snapped the web holding Carter and the others.
"Pietro!"
Wanda unleashed scarlet magic to stop it, but she could barely save herself, watching helplessly as the artificial sun threatened to swallow her only family.
Yet, one figure didn't retreat, riding the sun's pull to race past everyone toward it.
Webs formed a spatial net, catching the team.
"Spider-Man!"
"Spider-Man!"
They shouted from the web.
"Stop shouting my own name at a time like this!" Carter snapped.
"Sorry, one last bit of fun."
A web tethered Charlie's body. He glanced at the unconscious Harry, then at Carter.
"This time, Spider-Man didn't save the world."
"What?" Carter's expression shifted, sensing his meaning.
Charlie shook his head. "Artificial sun experiments are happening worldwide. Hydra's about to succeed. I have to take a risk."
"That's your plan?" Carter clenched her fists. "I'm with you."
"No, you need to stay and clean up my mess. This time, I'm alone."
Charlie slowly let go. "I've got one shot, one chance to clear this. It's the only way to stop them. If I fail…"
If Hydra succeeded, the world would fall into chaos.
In such a world, no one—superhero or otherwise—could guarantee survival.
Including those he wanted to protect.
He didn't want to be a lonely Spider-Man.
Without intervention, the artificial sun would spiral out of control within twenty-four hours.
This revival race allowed no mistakes, no restarts.
A restart would waste a day in the main world.
Failing and restarting would cost him the chance to stop Hydra in time.
Most importantly, in this revival race, he had to succeed on the first try and find a way to thwart Hydra's plot.
He wasn't confident he could do it.
But he'd give it everything.
In the howling wind, Charlie opened his mouth.
Carter couldn't hear him.
But she knew the stakes of failure.
The next moment, Charlie's spider totem erupted in a final brilliant glow, its shockwave pushing the artificial sun toward the coast. Charlie's figure vanished into it.
Carter and the others were flung from the web by the heatwave, escaping the crisis.
"He sacrificed himself," Wanda said, supporting Pietro, staring at the sun sinking into the sea.
Pietro clutched his bleeding leg. "Is this Spider-Man's spirit? I don't get it. Why save me? I'm his enemy."
Wanda shook her head. "I'm starting to admire him. He's not a bug—he's a true hero."
Nearby, Otto held Ruth tightly.
"Spider-Man saved me," Ruth said, her eyes complex.
Otto sighed. "I misjudged him. I'm sorry."
"Can he come back?" Ruth asked.
Otto thought. "The artificial sun would melt every cell, leaving no trace. I don't know if he can come back. Maybe, maybe not."
The group stood on the coast, watching the boiling sea calm, no longer fighting.
After some time, Carter's communicator buzzed.
She snapped back. "Hello, this is Carter."
"Captain, something bad's happened," Agent Hill said, her expression complicated.
"Spider-Man is Charlie Parker. Did you know?"
"What?" Carter gasped. "How do you know?"
Agent Hill explained, "The Daily Bugle announced it citywide. Charlie Parker is Spider-Man. Everyone knows now."
"What?"
Carter pulled out her phone.
"Public enemy Spider-Man, New York's biggest pest, is Charlie Parker, an Empire State University student, just an ordinary kid!!"
On the screen, J. Jonah Jameson puffed a cigar.
"From now on, everyone Spider-Man's harmed will come for Charlie Parker. He's done for!"
"What?"
"Charlie Parker is Spider-Man, that bug!!"
Otto was stunned.
Everyone was floored.
Then, a familiar voice came from behind Carter.
"Carter, to your left."
"Hm?"
Carter turned to see an elderly Steve sprinting toward them, shield in hand.
"No time! Go save the little spider's family!" he shouted.
Carter blinked.
What just happened?