In the maple grove, a disheveled Lady Otto, clad in green armor, lunged with four writhing green tentacles.
Rustle, rustle~
Maple leaves rained down, fear spreading in Miles' eyes.
"We're done for."
Peter Parker, half-sitting, his spider-suit barely covering his beer belly, looked nothing like a Spider-Man, utterly disheveled. "How about we surrender?"
"You're Spider-Man, how can you say that?"
"Why not…"
As they bickered, Lady Otto grinned, her tentacles closing in on the two thieves.
Whoosh~
Suddenly, a gust swept through the grove, maple leaves swirling. A dazzling burst of magic energy, wrapped in a torrent of leaves, surged forward.
The spectacle drew everyone's attention.
"What's that?" Peter Parker gaped.
Miles' heart stirred. "I feel Spider-Man's presence!"
"Spider-Man!" In Lady Otto's horrified gaze, a red-blue figure flickered within.
The leaf tornado accelerated, its ferocious magic energy ravaging the grove like a bulldozer, snapping trees with crack sounds, its wild aura stunning all present.
"No!!"
Snapping back, Lady Otto maneuvered her tentacles to flee, but the magic energy outpaced her.
As the tornado closed in, she raised her tentacles to shield herself, hoping for a moment's reprieve.
Rustle, rustle~
BOOM!!
The tornado engulfed her, and her face fell.
The instant she felt its power, she knew its terror.
Against this raging force, she was powerless.
"No!!"
BOOM
The tornado roared past, her four severed tentacles flying skyward.
The devastation left a hundreds-meter-long trench in the forest, shocking Miles and Peter.
Pfft~
Before them, Lady Otto, crushed into the dirt, spat mud. Her armor cracked, her tentacles gone, she reverted to a neurotic scientist.
Peter Parker, stunned, patted his belly and stood.
Sensing something, he spun around, spotting another Spider-Man, arms crossed, eyeing them.
"It is Spider-Man!" Miles beamed.
Charlie glanced at Miles, then at beer-belly Peter.
Their spider-senses confirmed each other's identities.
"I'm Miles."
"I'm Peter Parker."
"Charlie Parker."
"I'm also Peter Parker." Lizard Parker leapt from the treetop, introducing himself.
Miles studied Lizard Parker, puzzled. "You're a Spider-Man too? I don't sense it."
"Nope, not Spider-Man."
Lizard Parker grinned. "I'm Professor Lizard, call me Peter Professor. In my world, I'm a famous superhero and top scientist."
He tugged Charlie's sleeve. "Don't expose me, let me flex," his eyes pleaded.
Charlie rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, top scientist, dreamboat of nine hundred million middle-aged women."
Miles looked awestruck, while Peter Parker sucked in his gut, eyes complex.
Both Peter Parkers, yet one thrived while he… sigh, same name, different fate.
Basking in their envy, Lizard Parker grinned. "Haha, you guys are pretty great too."
Charlie smirked. "Great how?"
Lizard Parker: "…"
"Uh, escaping Doc Ock's chase this far."
Peter Parker: "…"
Miles: "…"
Awkward silence.
But more awkwardness followed—not for them.
Buzz~
Charlie's chest spider totem blazed, seven totems stacking, their pull summoning an old friend.
Whoosh~
Leaves rustled, a petite Spider-Man swinging in, eagerly pouncing on Charlie.
"Crap, not again!"
Charlie's face darkened. He'd meant to summon his tiny spider, but Gwen tackled him.
"No!!!"
Lizard Parker clutched his head, wailing.
"What are you doing?!" He knelt, sobbing.
Charlie glanced at him. "Didn't you see last time?"
"When?"
"Last time?"
"Which last time?"
Lizard Parker clutched his chest. "Pain~ Too much pain~"
In agony, he pulled out Carter's photo, a memory-based composite.
Gazing at the alluring Carter, he exhaled. "Finally, some relief."
Meanwhile, Charlie pinned a frenzied Gwen with one hand, summoning his tiny spider, and critiqued Lizard Parker's photo. "Carter likes red lipstick, her hair's less curly, she skips the battle suit for red skirts, has a thigh mole, wears lace pajamas, looks like a D but is an E, which bugs her since it affects her fighting. From my observation, she's got growth potential—talent trumps effort, you know. That day on her bed, I saw her lashes were long…"
As Charlie rambled, Lizard Parker collapsed, eyes despairing, tears flowing. "No!! Why? Why do you know so much? I'm heartbroken! I'm dumped again!"
He sobbed, while Gwen, calmed by the tiny spider, regained clarity.
"No!"
Seeing Charlie so close, she shrank back, startled, curling up under a tree, hugging her knees, head down. "Y-you, be careful next time," she mumbled.
Charlie brushed off leaves. "Oh, sure, you too. Don't be so impulsive—crowded place."
Gwen flushed deeper.
Peter Parker and Miles exchanged glances.
"What just happened?" Miles asked.
Peter Parker stroked his stubble. "I'm guessing love triangle."
"Square, I'm sure," Charlie muttered.
Ignoring them, he checked the time. "Forty minutes left. What's the situation?"
Gwen composed herself. "A strange force pulled me and Peter into this world. I haven't figured it out—too little time."
Miles raised a hand. "It's Kingpin. He built a particle collider and killed this world's Spider-Man."
Lizard Parker wiped tears, voice shaky. "Are those related?"
Charlie patted his shoulder. "Not bad, thinking business despite that state. True superhero, I respect that."
Comforted, Lizard Parker recalled his heartbreak, silently turning to cry.
…
Miles looked at Peter Parker. "Since Spider-Man failed to stop the collider, other Spiders appeared here. I bet it's Kingpin's doing."
Gwen mused, "The collider caused a temporal-spatial glitch, pulling other Spiders in. That's likely it."
Charlie nodded. "Then our mission's clear: take down Kingpin, find a way back to our universes."
He eyed Miles. "I'm short on time. Where's Kingpin? I'll handle him, you figure out the rest."
Miles balked. "No way, Kingpin's too strong. He killed this world's Spider-Man. You alone is too risky."
"Strong?"
Charlie shrugged. "Sorry, any universe's Kingpin is small-time trash to me."
"You said a bad word," Gwen whispered.
Charlie scratched his head. "Did I? Whatever, not important."
He checked the time. "Thirty-five minutes left."
Miles hesitated. "He's probably at Kingpin Tower."
Buzz~
Charlie drew a circle, magic sparks blooming.
"Whoa, magic?" Peter Parker gasped.
"Magic Spider-Man?" he asked, thrilled.
"Not quite."
Charlie stepped through the portal, Miles following after a moment.
Gwen and the others wouldn't let Charlie face danger alone.
Emerging, they saw two massive circular devices pulsing with particle energy.
Below, workers bustled, unaware of their arrival.
Eyeing the collider, Charlie nodded. "The way back likely depends on this, so we won't wreck it."
"Really?"
Footsteps echoed behind. Amid goons, a hulking figure emerged from the shadows.
"Kingpin!"
Miles' eyes widened in terror, hiding behind Peter Parker.
He'd never forget Kingpin killing Spider-Man.
Cruel, terrifying, invincible.
Charlie studied the bald brute in a black suit, his head bizarrely "hanging" on his chest.
This art style was absurd.
Charlie chuckled. "Since you're here, let's get started!"
Kingpin coldly scanned them. "More than one Spider-Man? Good. I'll end you all, and no one will stop me—"
Before he finished, an arc flashed, and Kingpin flew back, crashing into an alloy wall.
Bang!!
A deafening crash. Charlie stood where Kingpin had been.
Kingpin slid down the dented wall, face pale, spitting blood.
His consciousness faded.
Before blacking out, he glanced at the collider.
His hope.
To see his wife and child again.
But this Spider-Man was too strong, leaving him powerless.
Because of him, his family died by enemies' hands.
He swore to find them at any cost.
If Spider-Man stopped him, he'd kill Spider-Man.
He did, but another Spider-Man killed him.
Fair, but his hope shattered. Unwilling, yet helpless.
Would he see them in death?
He hoped not.
A bitter smile crossed his face.
He'd go to hell.
His wife and child…
Better they never meet again.
With endless regret, Kingpin's head drooped.
The group stared, incredulous.
"No way!" Miles gaped. "Kingpin, who killed Spider-Man… taken out in seconds by another?"
Slovenly Peter Parker's blood surged. "Awesome! That's Spider-Man, city hero!!"
But he lowered his head, eyes dim.
He'd once had great power, but so what?
His life was a mess.
No money, divorced from Mary Jane, Uncle Ben and Aunt May gone—he was trash in a dump.
No family left.
He lived aimlessly, without hope.
A tragedy.
In this world, he saw Peter Parker was just a loser.
This world's Spider-Man, killed by Kingpin, identity exposed, his grave lonely.
Spider-Man would be forgotten. That was his fate.
"Thinking what?"
Lizard Parker noticed Peter's mood, patting his shoulder. "Don't worry, it'll get better.
Look at me, so pathetic, still trying to improve."
Peter shook his head. "You're different. You're heartbroken, but a top scientist, a superhero. I'm a failure."
He patted his belly, bitter.
Lizard Parker fell silent.
Best not to clarify.
Out here, you make your own identity.
…
Charlie, now a lightning arc, took out Kingpin's goons.
To Miles, he said, "Kingpin's got one breath left. I didn't finish him. It's up to you to keep him locked up for life. That's my test as your senior."
"Me?" Miles pointed at himself, incredulous. "I can't—"
"Listen, with great power comes great responsibility. You're Spider-Man now. It's your duty."
"With great power comes great responsibility?"
Miles pondered.
Peter Parker recalled something, his expression sadder.
"Charlie Parker, in your world, did Uncle Ben die too?"
Charlie raised a brow. "Uncle Ben's doing great. With some artifacts, he and Aunt May got younger, took over Kingpin's empire, and run Hell's Kitchen. Aunt May doubled my allowance lately."
"What?"
Peter Parker was both happy and jealous. "Double allowance? I never got that!"
Ignoring his envy, Charlie glanced at Gwen and Lizard Parker. "Time's almost up. I'm off. Not sure when we'll meet again…"
"Tomorrow."
Lizard Parker cut in. "Twenty-four hours, reset. I can summon you again."
Charlie frowned. "But that thing randomly summons Spider-Men. Next time might not be me."
"Random? What random?" Lizard Parker blinked.
Charlie: "…"
He got it.
He was the only one randomly summoned.
Others had fixed targets.
So, he really was a summon now?