Charlie sat back down beside Gwen. "Even without mutants, they'd target any threatening group."
Gwen's expression shifted. "How so?"
Charlie smiled. "Ever thought about why mutants are seen as monsters? Their powers are uncontrollable, and they're a tiny minority compared to normal people."
Gwen pondered. "Normals outnumber mutants, so mutants are the monsters."
"Exactly. If mutants outnumbered normals, normals would be the monsters."
"How's that related to what you said?"
"It is."
Charlie gazed at the sky. "It's tied to Thanos' talk of balance."
"If all mutants could be turned back into normals, we wouldn't have these issues.
But if that's not possible, balance is key. Captain Carter can explain it better.
For us, though, our powers differ from mutants', and going back to normal is tough."
He paused.
"That's just for me. If you're willing to give up the symbiote, you might have a shot at being normal."
"No way! I'm not abandoning Gwen!"
Aby popped out, shrieking. "Charlie Parker, you're trying to trick Gwen into ditching me so you can have me, aren't you? You jerk!"
Charlie: "."
"As a symbiote, your ideas are truly constructive."
He chuckled, brushing off Aby's outburst.
"Anyway, I've got a plan for mutants. The real problem isn't Apocalypse—it's someone worse."
Charlie hinted but didn't elaborate.
Gwen didn't ask.
After all, with great power comes great responsibility.
That was Charlie's burden, not hers.
She fully grasped the phrase now.
"Done."
Infinite Tony approached them.
"Your date's over. Good news—we can go back."
"Good news for you."
Charlie stood, facing him. "Congrats, Mr. Iron Man. You get to see Pepper and Morgan again."
Infinite Tony looked at Charlie, his eyes carrying a different emotion.
"Thanks. I know this is all because of you." He gave Charlie a hug.
Charlie laughed, pushing him away. "Stop it, that's super cheesy."
Infinite Tony chuckled. "You have no idea what you missed."
"What?"
"Ten percent of Stark Industries' shares. I was gonna give them to you."
"No, now I'm really heartbroken. We're not from the same world."
"True, but Steve can summon you. You'd get an hour of fun daily."
"He's almost dead. I can't get through."
Infinite Tony blinked. "Should I be happy for him?"
Charlie shrugged. "Be happy if you want."
"Where are the others?" Infinite Tony glanced at the empty tech hall, curious.
Charlie said, "Unlike you, who'll continue your resurrection in reality, they're in trouble. Souls exposed to air don't last long. Best case, they return to Hell."
Infinite Tony scratched his brow. "So how do we help them?"
"We really only need to help one."
Charlie looked at an approaching aircraft. "They're back."
He continued, "Scott's Pym Particles helped us a lot. We need to send him back first and ensure he survives as a normal person."
Infinite Tony nodded. "Yeah, thanks to him, we got here.
I found some goodies in Kang's database. If Scott's okay living as a bionic robot, I can make it happen.
Assuming his soul can survive in reality."
"I've got a plan."
Charlie turned as the aircraft docked at the platform.
"We found it."
Old Steve and the others returned, bringing a group of Quantum Realm natives.
These natives were short, with skeletal bodies and limbs. Their standout feature? Gem-like heads.
Yes, literal highlights.
Their heads were irregularly gem-shaped, glowing variably.
The moment Infinite Tony saw them, his heart skipped.
Thanos, entering the hall, froze upon seeing their heads.
They shouted in unison, "Infinity Stones!!"
The group was stunned.
"What?"
"Infinity Stones?"
"No way!"
"The Quantum Realm has Infinity Stones?"
Shock rippled through them.
Thanos calmed down and explained.
"After I used the Infinity Stones to fulfill my wish, I broke them into atoms.
That way, the Avengers couldn't use them to revive the dead."
Old Steve realized, "The stones were atomized, so the Quantum Realm has their atomic remnants."
Peter Parker's eyes widened. "No wonder they felt familiar."
Infinite Tony frowned, looking at Charlie.
"You're planning to use the Infinity Stones' power to stabilize their souls?"
Before Charlie could answer, Thanos shook his head.
"Won't work. Atomized, the stones' power is a fraction of a billionth of their original strength. It can't do that."
Charlie disagreed.
"Using their power directly? No. But they're still Infinity Stones. They can encase souls."
"Encase?"
"Souls?"
The group was baffled, but Infinite Tony got it.
"If we put their souls in the gems and use them as an energy core, Scott could live as a bionic robot."
Scott blinked. "So I'm becoming a robot?"
"An ant robot," Charlie corrected.
Scott looked conflicted.
"Uh… I have a wife. I don't want her relying on tools when I'm so young."
"Relax, Kang's bionic tech is super realistic," Infinite Tony reassured.
"How realistic?"
"Super super super realistic."
"Alright, I'm in!" Charlie slammed his fist.
Scott: "."
"What about us?" Peter Parker raised a hand timidly.
"Do we become robots too?"
Charlie waved him off. "No, you're different. After your soul's in a gem, Tony'll send you to the Sorcerer Supreme. He'll handle it."
"But atoms are tiny. How do we carry them?" Peter asked.
Scott tossed him a Pym Disc. "Enlarge them."
Old Steve's eyes lit up. "If we enlarge them, can they work as Infinity Stones?"
Scott's face darkened. "It's just Pym Particles—tech. Infinity Stones are beyond that. You think that's possible?"
"Forget I said anything," Old Steve muttered, disappointed.
"Alright, this is almost done."
With Charlie's call, preparations began.
Before heading to Kang's tech warehouse, Infinite Tony stopped him.
"What do we do with this?" He held up the golden orb.
Charlie grinned. "Mine, obviously. I need it to hop multiverses!"
"You can take it?"
"I can't, but you can."
Charlie nodded toward Old Steve. "Back in reality, have him find me. I'll take it."
Infinite Tony nodded. "Got it. I'll give it to him. But what about that guy?"
He glanced at Venom Parker. "Has he won a Resurrection Match?"
Charlie eyed Venom Parker. Last time, he didn't join any team, likely still dead and due to be pulled back into the match.
He's useless anyway. Next retry, leave him out.
Might as well test if the Resurrection Match can snatch someone from Mephisto.
With that thought, Charlie's plan proceeded smoothly.
Finally, as Scott vanished into the time ring, Tony and the others returned to the movie universe.
A success prompt appeared before Charlie.
"Nice. Keep going!"
In the next retries for rewards, Charlie studied Scott's Pym Particle extraction method and brought Gamora and Nebula's souls to the Quantum Realm.
Fulfilling his promise to Thanos, in a way.
Of course, after a restart, Thanos wouldn't remember the promise.
He kept five retries, with soul strength up 26%.
…
Cosmic Web. Charlie felt his body change from the soul strength boost.
His "awareness" of this world seemed sharper.
But true transformation needed more observation.
He checked the prompt.
[You've won this Resurrection Match!]
[Reward 1: Resurrection Slot x1]
[Reward 2 (Pick One): Spider-Man Exclusive Magic: Summon More Little Spiders, Two-and-a-Half More Clones, Spider-Man's Restless Soul]
[Extra Reward: Spider Totem Power x1]
[Extra Reward (Pick One): Spider-Man Exclusive Magic: Only Summon Little Spiders, Spider-Man's Web That Turns Corners]
Charlie chose Spider-Man's Restless Soul and Only Summon Little Spiders without hesitation.
With boosted soul strength, soul-related magic was the obvious pick.
Turning webs were too abstract. Summoning Little Spiders was safer.
After selecting, Charlie vanished from the Cosmic Web.
…
New York, Night. S.H.I.E.L.D. had sealed off Spider-Man's "death site."
In a van, Agent Hill monitored the surroundings.
Spider-Man's resurrection spot was his death spot—confirmed.
She'd volunteered to guard it, eager to witness Spider-Man's revival.
She'd bought a professional camera.
But nearly a month later, no Spider-Man. She was getting antsy.
Not another forty-day wait, right?
She groaned inwardly but stayed calm.
With the mutant situation escalating, S.H.I.E.L.D. had recruited new agents.
As a senior, she had to maintain her image.
Working with her idol, no bad photos allowed!
Coulson climbed into the van, serious.
"The Brotherhood's still nearby. They're not giving up."
Hill rubbed her temples. "It's a patience game."
Coulson comforted, "Don't stress. That scary guy probably won't show. They just want to test how much stronger Spider-Man's gotten post-resurrection."
"Maybe not."
Hill noticed suspicious figures on the monitor, frowning. "I suspect another group's here, also targeting Spider-Man."
"Another group?" Coulson pondered. "We should report to Commander Carter."
"No need. I'm here."
Carter, disguised as a coffee shop worker, tapped the window. "Heads up, Spider-Man's about to revive."
"What?"
Hill beamed, then looked puzzled. "How'd you know?"
"Gwen told me."
"How'd she know?"
"Ask her."
"Fine. I bet her relationship with Spider-Man's not simple."
Hill gritted her teeth. "Commander, I need next month's salary early."
"Why?" Carter blinked.
Hill touched her face. "I suddenly want to invest in skincare. These young girls are too competitive. I can't lose."
Carter facepalmed. "I'll be honest—Spider-Man's not into your type."
"No way!"
Hill was adamant. "Every time Spider-Man visits S.H.I.E.L.D., he greets me."
"So he can snag your desk snacks," Coulson muttered.
Hill ignored him.
"He always offers to buy me dinner."
"Because he knows you'll pay."
"And why's his autograph to me have a huge heart?"
"Because his handwriting's awful."
Carter paused. "Or he's too lazy to write."
Hill: "."
"But he also—"
Before she finished, agents reported in.
"Look! Spider-Man's reviving!"
Coulson gasped as red-and-blue glimmers flickered above the sealed site.
Buzz~
A breeze swept through, dust particles glowing like stars. They converged into a red-and-blue human outline, illuminating the darkness.
But beneath this dazzling display lurked danger.
Before the outline solidified, shadows burst from nearby shops.
"Stop him now!"
"He's weakest during revival."
"Take him out for fifty million!"
"Fifty? Damn, I was told ten."
"Damn Monica—she pocketed forty million!"