On the rooftop, Erik raised his hand, commanding steel rebar from the building to shoot forth.
Whoosh~
ROAR!!
As the rebar flew, Sergei let out a beastly roar, sonic waves rippling outward, halting the metal midair.
The next moment, with Sergei's brute strength, the steel cage shattered.
"DIE!!"
Sergei smashed the incoming rebar with his fist, his lion-head vest quivering as green toxic mist spread.
"Poison fog!"
In the corner, Charles' face shifted, and he quickly retreated.
Erik morphed nearby metal into a giant fan, its spinning blades whipping up a gale to disperse the mist.
"Oh~ That's intense."
Charlie inhaled a wisp of the fog, purple veins spreading across his skin. Rubbing his temples, he grinned at Sergei. "Got more? Hit me again."
Sergei gritted his teeth, warily eyeing Erik and Charles. "Your backup?"
Before he could finish, Charles shouted, "Sergei, we won't let you hurt Spider-Man!"
Charlie clutched his face. "So touching."
Sergei snorted. "I just want to tame him."
"If you could tame Spider-Man, we wouldn't need to step in."
As rebar peeled from the building, Erik floated down on a metal platform. "Two choices: die or leave," he said, voice dripping with menace.
Sergei sneered. "You know nothing of a beast's power."
He downed another vial of mysterious potion, a surge of feral energy coursing through him.
ROAR!
Like a cheetah, he darted across the fountain, closing in on Erik.
"What?"
Erik flinched, frantically commanding rebar to block the charge, but Sergei's claws sliced through like tofu.
"Erik!"
As Sergei lunged, Charles gasped, eyes closing. A psychic blast staggered Sergei, giving Erik time to retreat.
"You okay, Erik?" Charles exhaled.
"It's Eric."
Erik's gaze darkened, shaping nearby metal into a shield, bracing for Sergei's next move.
Meanwhile, Charlie, stroking the lion's belly, watched the show. "These two are too green. Perfect duo, yet this is their teamwork? Your master's holding up for now." He patted the lion's head.
Purr…
The lion nuzzled Charlie's chest.
"What? You're switching sides?"
Charlie laughed at the lion's lack of loyalty. "Smart move, kitty. If your master bites it, I'll take you in."
Lion: "…"
"Wait."
Charlie paused. If Kraven died, wouldn't that add another Resurrection Match loser?
No way. This guy traps protected animals—he belongs in jail.
Instantly, Charlie swung into the fray, glowing with holy light. "Stop! I won't let you kill Uncle Sergei!"
Sergei: "???"
Erik: "???"
Charles: "???"
"Uncle, touched?" Charlie glanced at a baffled Sergei. "If you are, tell me what that potion is. I'll pay a hundred bucks for a bottle."
Sergei snapped back, grinning cruelly. "Magic potion from Africa. Want a taste? I'll help you try it."
He chugged another vial, his eyes glowing eerie green.
Whoosh~
His body coiled like a serpent, lunging. Charlie kicked up a piece of rebar.
"Off you go!"
Bang!!
With a golf-swing motion, Sergei's cheek exploded in pain.
Three bloody teeth spun in the air as he crashed to the ground.
"How?!" Sergei, clutching his swollen face, gasped. "Plain metal can't beat me!"
Charlie tossed the bent rebar, dusting his hands. "Beast powers from a potion, huh? This version of Kraven's interesting."
He charged, his fist looming large in Sergei's eyes.
"NO!!"
Bang!!
A punch buried Sergei's head in the dirt. Charlie turned to Charles and Erik. "Sorry for the trouble. You can go now," he waved.
As he spoke, a helicopter roared in, Carter and the Avengers descending.
Seeing them, Erik and Charles exchanged glances and slipped away.
"Told you Spider-Man can handle it."
"I thought he'd be weaker without the metal suit. My bad."
"Don't do that again. I've got dinner to cook."
"Wait up…"
They vanished into the night.
Alexei leapt from the chopper, fierce. "Charlie's friend is my friend, so Spider-Man's my friend. Hurt my friend, I'll crush your friends. So, friend, how's your friend Charlie doing?" he asked Charlie.
Charlie: "…"
"What've you been learning lately?"
"Stand-up comedy."
"Great performance. Don't do it again."
Charlie pointed at Sergei. "Watch him. Don't let him escape."
"Got it."
Alexei grinned menacingly at Sergei, then paused. "Oh no, I'm a Thunderbolt now, not a villain. This smile's too much." He sulked.
Carter scanned the scene, eyeing the scattered rebar. "Metal-controlling superhuman?"
"Technically, mutant," Charlie clarified.
"What's the difference?" Carter asked.
Charlie thought. "Mutants are born with powers. Superhumans aren't always."
"Got it. Basically no difference."
Carter waved, and Coulson's team cleaned up.
"Amazon tribesman?" She eyed the unconscious Sergei, frowning.
"African hunter."
Charlie watched Sergei being loaded onto the chopper, pocketing a blue potion vial from him. "Drinking this gives beast powers. Wanna try?" he asked.
Carter considered. "Pass. I'm just a regular beauty, not into turning beastly."
"I'll do it."
Charlie downed the potion. Blue rings spread across his skin, muscles softening. With a thought, his arm sprouted dense suckers.
"Octopus?" Carter's lip twitched.
Charlie patted Coulson's shoulder, the suckers ripping his suit.
Coulson: "…"
"What're you doing?"
"Checking if you're wearing underwear."
"Then why tear my jacket?"
Coulson's eyes rolled back, and he collapsed, foaming and convulsing.
"Agent Phil!"
Agents shouted.
Charlie eyed his suckers, nodding. "Africa got toxic blue-ringed octopuses?"
Carter's face darkened. "Worry about Coulson's life, not octopuses."
"Sorry, I'll help him rest."
"Don't move. Stay back."
Carter waved, and agents distanced themselves.
"You're isolating me!" Charlie pouted.
He glanced at Sergei in the chopper. "Had this stuff and didn't share sooner? Deserves to be caught."
Carter flew off with Sergei, leaving Charlie behind.
"I didn't get on the chopper!" he yelled.
The propellers whipped up wind. Carter waved. "Find me when you're not toxic."
The helicopter soared away.
Charlie shrugged. "So, no mission funds this time?"
He shook his head, about to web-sling away, but his arm's suckers writhed, covering his web glands.
Charlie: "…"
Thinking of Sergei's state, he cringed. "This isn't permanent, right?"
Before he could figure out his condition, the wall behind him cracked. With a crash, Erik tumbled through, landing at his feet.
Bang
Cough, cough~
Battered, Erik coughed violently, face flushed. Seeing Charlie's inverted-triangle eyes, he looked saved. "Please, Spider-Man, save Charles!"
Charlie: "???"
"Didn't you leave?" he asked.
Erik's face was grim. "We did, but on the way, we met a guy asking for you."
"You thought he was an enemy and attacked first?" Charlie guessed the rest.
Erik gritted his teeth. "Yes, please save Charles. He's dying."
"I see him."
Charlie stared at the hole in the wall. Charles emerged from the shadows.
A pale hand gripped his throat, lifting him.
Crack, crack, crack~~
Under the shadows, an elegant figure stepped on broken bricks, a faint white bat totem glowing menacingly.
Charlie's spider totem flickered faintly, his spider-sense screaming.
It felt like meeting a natural predator!
Click~
Moonlight hit the figure's ghostly skin, as if swallowed by it.
In the distorted light, Charlie saw him clearly.
Golden hair tied back, a pale face with a wicked grin, fangs glinting, a black tuxedo exuding eerie elegance.
The white bat totem on his chest made Charlie uneasy.
"Batman?" he blurted.
The figure's smile froze.
"Blind bug, look closer—this is a vampire!!!" He pointed at his fangs, fuming.
Charlie grimaced. "Ugh, vampires? So last century.
But Morbius, why're you after me? I'm broke, can't fund your research, but I've got a friend…"
Before he finished, the vampire hurled Charles aside, blurring to Charlie's front.
"So fast!!"
Erik gasped, then was flung back by a gust.
Charlie calmly met the vampire's gaze.
Their eyes locked, the vampire's lips curled. "Morbius? Heh.
Sorry, I'm Cullen, from the Morlun family!"
As he spoke, his fanged mouth unleashed a black-hole-like suction, an inescapable force enveloping Charlie. His spider totem flashed wildly, warning him.
Buzz~~
Red-blue light poured from Charlie toward Cullen's mouth. He couldn't resist, like prey to a predator.
Ugh~
As the spider totem's power flooded him, Cullen moaned in pleasure.
Charlie's lip twitched. "Feels good?"
The Morlun family's totem was a leech, but this guy's was a bat—probably a vampire cousin.
"Of course. This world's Spider-Man, you're tastier than any I've met. Your flavor's unmatched."
Cullen's grin turned feral. As he drained the totem, his white bat totem took on red-blue hues.
Finally, as the totem's power neared depletion, Cullen inhaled deeply, savoring the moment.
Erik and Charles watched helplessly, faces grim.
"Damn, he's stealing Spider-Man's power."
"How's he so strong? Another mutant?"
"The lord's plan failed. Mutant hope is gone. How?!" Erik raged, powerless.
This foe was bizarre—self-healing even when pierced by metal, immune to Charles' psychic blasts. A freak!
Vampires shouldn't be like this!
Erik hurled a cross-shaped metal piece to the ground. Useless!
Charles: "…"
"You actually tried that?" he asked.
Erik lowered his head. "Couldn't win, had to try."
Charlie's spider totem dimmed, while Cullen's bat totem blazed with life.
"Heh, nice power. My luck's good. Found this world through the Web of Life and Destiny.
No one to compete for your power. I'm pleased. And you, this world's Spider-Man, can die…"
He opened his eyes, but Spider-Man showed no weakness.
Not what he expected.
Charlie blinked. "Full yet?
If not, I've got more."
His dimmed spider totem flared again.
Buzz~
One, two, three…
Six!
Six spider totems stacked, plus the one Cullen drained—seven total!
Cullen's eyes bulged, nearly popping out. "Impossible! Seven spider totems? That's absurd!!" he screeched.
Charlie shrugged. "You're just not worldly. Looks like you're full. Guess I can hit you now without bullying."
"What?"
In Cullen's horrified gaze, a massive spider totem bloomed beneath Charlie. Red-blue figures materialized.
Clone technique!
"Brothers, we've got work!"
"Beat him down!"
"I'm first—Friendly Neighborhood Flying Kick!"
"Friendly Neighborhood Raven Bomb!"
"Friendly Neighborhood Tornado Parking Lot Wrecker!"
"Damn, you stole my spot again."
"Whoa, you jumped high!"
"Eh, just three or four stories."