Soon, elderly Steve held the dragon bone fossil.
Watching Wade lounging playfully on a web hammock, he hesitated.
"Is this really okay?" he asked Charlie.
He barely knew the guy, and borrowing his "lifespan" felt awkward.
Before Charlie could answer, Logan wheeled Professor X toward Wade.
He didn't care about the loudmouth.
"Oh, you guys want a turn first?"
Wade spread his arms on the hammock. "I get it. Be gentle, it's my first time with this weird ritual. I'm a bit scared.
But for you, I'll do it—who can resist my love for you all!
Oh, before we start, I want to finish the takeout Spider-Man's idol ordered for me. It's his love for me.
Why are you looking at me like that?
Did I say something wrong?
No, your eyes are too greedy, full of malice. All I can say is… Fuck you!!"
With a scream, Logan's fist slammed into Wade's face.
"No! Don't do this, be gentle!!!"
Three minutes later, a faint golden glow faded.
Wade curled up on the hammock, hugging his knees, crying pitifully.
"Boo-hoo, you were too rough. I didn't like it, and you owe me money."
Ignoring Wade's nonstop chatter, Carter and the others sipped coffee, wearing earplugs.
"Little spider, I admit I misjudged you before," rejuvenated elderly Steve said, approaching Charlie, his handsome face wry.
"If anyone in the multiverse can match you, it's this guy." He glanced at Wade.
Three lifespan loans, and the guy was still bouncing around.
Steve didn't get it, but it was thrilling.
Charlie shrugged. "In this tense, exciting Revival Race, I'm holding back a lot."
Carter raised her hand. "I can vouch for that."
"You're wearing earplugs?" Charlie asked, surprised.
Carter sipped her coffee, tossed the earplugs, and stood.
"No need anymore. I'm ready to beat that guy senseless."
"Don't be rash."
Steve blocked her, handing her his shield.
"You forgot this."
Carter: "…"
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."
"What are you doing?"
Wade panicked, but before Carter could act, a rejuvenated Logan snapped his neck.
Elderly Steve: "…"
He leaned toward Charlie. "He's young again, and cranky."
"That's called brutal," Charlie said, approaching the wheelchair.
Looking at the still-bald Professor X, he frowned.
"You could be younger."
Professor X stretched, faint wrinkles on his face.
"At this stage, I'm still wheelchair-bound, but my power's at its peak."
With a clear mind, he knew what to do.
He closed his eyes, his vast psychic energy spreading.
"Hydra, Spider-Man, Avengers, Thunderbolts—this world's more vibrant than I thought," he said.
Charlie nodded. "Found Madame Gao?"
"She's left New York. To keep tracking her, I'd need a cerebro amplifier, but this world doesn't have one."
"No problem. Use this."
Charlie placed the last fossil, imbued with Time Tablet energy, on Professor X's bald head.
Professor X: "…"
BOOM~
As psychic energy merged with the fossil, a visible psychic storm erupted.
Furniture trembled, and Charlie, closest, felt dizzy, stumbling back.
"What terrifying power!" Carter clutched her head, horrified.
The storm vanished as Professor X quickly controlled it.
Eyes closed, his psychic energy spread worldwide.
"What's he doing?" elderly Steve asked.
Charlie stepped back. "If I'm right, his brainwaves are covering the globe."
"That extreme?" Carter gasped.
Logan toyed with his protruding claws, calm. "In this state, if he wanted, he could kill 99% of the world's population."
"What?"
The group stared, stunned, at the bald man.
"If he were our enemy, we'd be helpless," Natasha said, shaken.
Barton shook his head. "With that kind of power and still losing means he has a fatal flaw."
"Too naive?" Natasha crossed her arms.
Carter countered, "Not naive. He has ideals and responsibilities, working his whole life for mutant-human harmony."
Professor X spoke up.
"I learned a secret."
"What secret?" Charlie asked, curious.
Professor X said, "Legend has it, in the multiverse, there's a spider that can sense shit."
Charlie: "…"
He glanced at elderly Steve, face darkening.
"Don't look at me, I didn't say it," Steve said, guiltily staring at the ceiling.
Charlie facepalmed. "That's not what I want to know."
"I understand."
Professor X smiled. "Madame Gao took a strange tablet on a plane to an Okinawa airbase. I've controlled the pilot to turn back."
Charlie nodded. "Good. Look for other clues."
"I know what you're aiming for."
Professor X continued, "Hydra's forces are global, massive enough to start a world war.
I'll give you their base locations. Memorize them."
"I'm recording."
Charlie tapped his nano-device, logging each location Professor X listed, revealing Hydra's bases.
Carter and the others listened.
"What? Over half of Europe's bases are theirs?"
"Unbelievable. No wonder they infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. undetected for years."
"Terrifying Hydra."
Elderly Steve was amazed.
This world's Hydra was more extreme than his own.
Without the bald professor, the little spider might've been killed by Hydra multiple times.
Suddenly, Professor X added, "They're planning to bomb New York. I've altered that plan."
Charlie smiled. "Keep going."
"Hm?"
Professor X frowned.
"This world has secrets I can't probe—not just one. It's too much."
Sweat beaded on his forehead, his body trembling.
Logan, worried, said, "Should we stop?"
"No!"
Professor X refused. "If I can uncover these, it'll ease Spider-Man's burden."
"Once?"
Charlie's heart stirred. Professor X knew about the restart.
But he likely couldn't resist its power.
Unless he was an illogical hero like Wade.
A frontline hero.
Suddenly, Professor X aged rapidly.
"No, I saw… magic, and a crocodile!!"
He shuddered, his head slumping.
"What happened?" elderly Steve gasped.
Charlie checked him.
"Still breathing, but brain-dead."
Using Otto Octavius's brainwave chip, Charlie got no response—Professor X was gone.
"What?"
Logan knelt before him, staring at his face.
"Brain-dead…"
He took a deep breath, hugging Professor X.
"It'll be okay soon, trust me." Tears welled in his eyes.
Charlie muttered "magic" and "crocodile," puzzled.
Still, the gains were significant.
"Let's find Madame Gao."
As he spoke, the TV flickered.
Doctor Zola's head appeared, smirking sinisterly.
"That power's interesting, but he died too soon to change your fate."
"What?"
Carter and the others paled. Charlie sensed something.
He calmly opened the fridge, grabbing the last juice.
"Only one juice left. Shame."
White light engulfed his world.
Fourth Revival Race.
Kingpin's villa.
"I learned a secret."
"Keep it to yourself," Charlie warned.
Professor X paused. "Okay."
He altered the New York bombing plan, and Charlie stopped him.
"That's enough."
Professor X opened his eyes, puzzled. "Why? I can do more."
Then he nodded thoughtfully. "I understand."
He glanced at Wade. "His teleportation device needs luck to work, so don't dismiss it. It'll succeed eventually."
Charlie nodded. "Got it."
Professor X and Logan visibly aged.
Elderly Steve, about to leave, shrugged.
"Hey, little spider, don't blame me. No reason to make an old guy buy pizza and juice."
"You should've left earlier," Charlie muttered.
He approached Wade. "We can continue the game."
Wade looked up. "Happy to help."
He adjusted the teleportation device.
Buzz~
They vanished in a glow.
Elderly Steve jogged to the spot, picking up two large caterpillars.
"No need to rush like that, right?"
He showed Carter the caterpillars. She stroked her chin, analyzing.
"I bet the left one's Charlie."
"Then I'll take the right."
Meanwhile, atop a snowy mountain.
"No!!"
A piercing wail echoed as Wade knelt, crying.
"No, why, my dear little Wade, why'd you leave me? I can't lose you, you're all I have…"
Charlie touched him, then scoffed.
"A few dozen centimeters? Big deal."
He scanned the area. "Wrong location. Fix it." He kicked Wade's butt.
"Huh? Why'd you touch me there?"
Wade looked up, feigning shyness.
"It's not like it's impossible…"
"Shut up!"
Charlie's fist turned Wade's face into a pig's head.
"Easy, you'll break the device…"
Wade fled, hearing a strange sound.
Charlie froze, spotting a white wave rolling toward them—his face stiffened.
"What are you standing there for? Run!!"
"Wait, I'm almost done. This is faster."
"Really? Don't lie."
"I wouldn't."
Wade raised the device, laughing. "Done."
Charlie grabbed his shoulder. "Then get us out."
Wade kept his arm raised. "Done for. It's broken."
Charlie: "…"
Facing the approaching avalanche, he sighed skyward.
"I told you, never team up with Deadpool."
Fifth Revival Race.
The teleportation device activated. Elderly Steve found two legs.
"Let's barbecue!"
Carter: "…"
Meanwhile, Charlie and Wade landed in an exotic city.
"Pity us!"
On the street, each missing a leg, they hobbled, supporting each other.
Wade begged with a broken bowl, earning plenty.
"Haha, we've got ten bucks."
Wade showed Charlie the coins, giggling.
"Unlocked a new job skill. We won't starve."
Charlie: "…"
He swore he saw a smug grin through Wade's mask.
"Tch, that's no skill."
Charlie smirked, tapping the spider emblem on his chest.
His mask retracted, revealing a youthful face.
"What are you doing?" Wade asked, curious.
Charlie grinned. "Time to show real survival skills."
He pulled Wade to the roadside, making him lie down.
"What now?" Wade was still curious.
"Play dead."
"Got it. I'm great at that." Bleh~
Wade's head lolled, tongue sticking out through his mask.
Charlie's cheek twitched, then he wailed loudly, drawing a crowd.
"Boo-hoo~ Selling my body to bury my son! Don't miss out, I've got thirty centimeters, a great deal."
The women's eyes lit up.
Wade silently retracted his tongue.
Worthy of Spider-Man.
Shameless enough!
Soon, in a secluded alley.
Wade, fulfilling a middle-aged woman's wish for Charlie, hopped out, satisfied.
"Thanks for letting me take it. I'll split it."
Wade generously handed Charlie half the bills.
Charlie nodded, pleased.
"Good. Next time, I'll recommend you."
"Thanks, I'm touched."
Wade pocketed the money, then asked, "What's the point of earning this? Task-related?"
Charlie thought. "Nope, just a hobby."
Wade scratched his head. "Keep going?"
"Nah, business first."
Charlie smiled at an approaching figure.
"As expected of me, shining wherever I go."
"Us," Wade corrected.
The figure stopped before them.
A robed, chubby mage frowned at the two cripples.
These were New York's superheroes?
Sure they weren't comedians?