Dark Strange, of course, didn't buy Spider-Man's nonsense.
"Show me your sincerity," he said coldly.
Charlie thought for a moment. "I have another friend, Carol. I can hand her over as a hostage."
Carter and the others lowered their heads even further.
If bad deeds had consequences, Spider-Man would be in deep trouble.
Meanwhile, Dark Strange considered the offer.
"Sly bug, I won't trust you easily, but we can try another approach."
With a wave, he opened a dark portal, and Zod and his group emerged.
"Hand Kal to them. After we settle our score, the victor gets the prize."
Charlie: "…"
"Mr. Mage, you think that's fair?" he asked, exasperated.
Dark Strange shook his head. "But with Kal in your hands, it's not fair to me either."
The negotiation stalled, but Charlie pulled a glowing, heavy book from the infant's swaddle.
"The Codex of Life!"
Zod and his group tensed, and Dark Strange felt a sudden unease.
Charlie grinned. "Mr. Mage, though it's unfair, I'll agree to your plan."
He turned to Zod. "Protect this kid. If anyone tries to take him, kill him immediately. If you agree, I'll hand over the Codex afterward."
"What?"
Joe-El's heart lurched. "You can't kill him! He's just a child!" he cried.
Dark Strange sneered at Charlie. "Spider-Man, you're a despicable so-called superhero, threatening us with a child."
"Whoa, I'm the villain now?"
Charlie put his hands on his hips, laughing. "Hahaha, this feels awesome."
Carter and the others exchanged glances.
"Little Spider's lost it."
"No, I think he's wanted to do this for a while."
"Is it really that fun? I wanna try sometime."
"No, we're superheroes. We can't do that."
Carter's face grew serious. "At least not where anyone can see."
Harry: "…"
"Captain, if we go evil, we'll probably lose."
Elderly Steve patted him reassuringly. "No worries, they're evil too. It's a fifty-fifty shot."
"I'm the Captain, not you."
"I'm a Captain too."
They saw nothing wrong with Charlie's plan.
They knew Charlie, and they knew Spider-Man.
To threaten villains, you had to act like one.
But Dark Strange fell uncharacteristically silent, scheming.
Soon, they reached an agreement. Charlie handed Superman to Zod.
Spider-Man cared most about his friends.
Zod cared most about the Codex in Spider-Man's hands.
Dark Strange cared most about the Superman in Zod's arms.
A delicate balance formed among the three.
"So, bug, what's your plan?" Dark Strange asked.
Charlie shrugged. "Simple. I won't make it hard. Just let Zod, Fiora, and Joe-El fight my friends."
Dark Strange's eyes narrowed. "And how do we determine victory?"
"You and I fight last. Simple as that," Charlie said.
Dark Strange frowned. "So our fight decides Superman's fate. What about them…"
He trailed off, realizing.
Spider-Man just wanted his friends to complete their resurrection tasks.
He didn't necessarily care about Superman's fate.
He'd already gathered his friends, or he wouldn't have started this seemingly reckless contest.
Spider-Man was using him to summon Zod's group, then beating them in the simplest way to secure resurrection slots.
He wasn't worried about Spider-Man and Zod teaming up. Without rules, he could kill everyone.
No one would break the balance and risk mutual destruction.
With that, Dark Strange grew confident.
The deciding factor was the duel between Spider-Man and dark magic.
The others' wins or losses meant nothing to him.
He was sure to win.
"Fine, I agree," he said with a smile.
Zod's group didn't see the point, but for the Codex, they wouldn't object.
"No! This isn't fair to Kal. He'll die in any of your hands!" Joe-El protested.
Before he could finish, Dark Strange sent him to a floating warehouse.
"Don't worry, we're not interested in killing a kid. We'll return him when we're done."
He turned to Charlie. "This guy's first. Your friends can start."
He took on the role of referee.
Charlie glanced at elderly Steve. "Old man, you're up."
Dark Strange opened the cage, and Steve stepped out reluctantly.
"He's middle-aged, fighting an old guy like me. That's unfair…"
"Go!"
Charlie kicked Steve forward. "Stop whining. Finish quick, and we're done."
"Got it."
In the floating warehouse, Steve eyed the pitiful man, not underestimating him despite appearances.
Little Spider had said this scientist, enhanced by a serum, was stronger than Zod, Krypton's greatest warrior.
He couldn't be careless.
With a roar, his uniform burst from exaggerated muscles, his eyes glowing blue.
A pair of "Hawkeye" senses locked onto his opponent's movements.
Multiple Resurrection Matches had given him more than just this.
Joe-El, seeing this, grew grave.
A terrifying Earthling.
He assumed a fighting stance.
As they moved, Charlie shouted.
"Wait! Fair fights mean no weapons, no suits, no armor. Yes, you, hiding that Kryptonian pistol. Don't think I didn't see it."
Under Charlie's gaze, Joe-El, face dark, removed his armor and set aside his weapon.
Steve tossed his shield.
Now, the fight was even less fair.
Krypton's gravity made Kryptonians stronger than Earthlings, but far weaker than superheroes.
Even an enhanced scientist couldn't beat an Earth superhero without tech.
Unless on Earth, where a yellow sun would grant Kryptonians immense powers.
Then, ten elderly Steves wouldn't stand a chance.
But without gravity shields, Steve would've been crushed by Krypton's gravity.
Now, without powers, the Kryptonian lasted thirty seconds against Steve before losing.
"Haha, I win!"
Steve, seeing the prompt, returned to Charlie smugly.
"Kryptonians without armor or weapons are too weak," he said, feigning helplessness.
Charlie glanced at him. "Someday, I'll show you a real Kryptonian."
"Really? I'm looking forward to it."
Steve didn't take it seriously.
Next was Tony versus Zod.
"No armor? I'm doomed," Tony muttered.
Charlie patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, you'll win."
"But you said he's Krypton's greatest warrior."
"Greatest doesn't mean unbeatable."
Before Tony could argue, Charlie pushed him forward, then looked at Zod.
"General Zod, winning or losing doesn't matter to you, right?" He toyed with the Codex.
Zod took a deep breath.
Despicable Spider-Man. Once I conquer Krypton, I'll crush this bug on Earth.
"Fine, it doesn't matter," he said through gritted teeth.
Tony relaxed. "Haha, one punch, watch this."
"Come on!"
"Iron Man Supreme Fist!"
Bang!
A weak punch landed on Zod's chest. Zod, clenching his jaw, fell.
"You win," he growled at Charlie.
"Great job, Tony!"
Charlie cheered.
Carter: "…"
"Rigged fights in broad daylight. Shameless," she muttered.
Steve grinned. "As long as we win."
Harry, excited, stepped forward. "My turn!"
Charlie stopped him. "No, you have another task."
He looked at Carter. "A fight between two women will be a sight."
Carter's mouth twitched. "No rigged fight?"
"Nope, you deserve a fair stage."
"Typical."
As Carter stepped up, Fiora removed her heavy armor.
"Ready, go!" Charlie shouted.
The two women charged.
"Whoa, over-the-shoulder throw! Yes, like that, hit her!"
"Hahaha, awesome, so awesome."
"Go for it!!"
Soon, the fight ended.
Fiora, hair disheveled, stood and glared at Spider-Man.
"I'll remember you. Next time, I'll crush you."
Charlie shrugged. "Talk later!"
As long as he didn't face Fiora on Earth, she was no threat.
If they met on Earth…
Winning this Resurrection Match would give Charlie stellar energy absorption.
Who'd fear who?
Dark Strange had had enough.
"Childish superheroes, start the next round. I'm done waiting," he urged.
Charlie nodded. "Alright."
He handed the Codex to Harry, whispered something, and stepped forward.
"Now it's you and me. Surprised?" he said to Dark Strange.
Dark Strange frowned.
Something's off. One person hasn't earned a slot yet, so his goal is—
Suddenly, it hit him.
"Damn bug!"
His face changed, and he lunged at Zod, targeting the Superman in his arms.
At the same time, Harry's pumpkin bomb shattered the Codex, unleashing light. Kryptonian genetic data surged into Harry and the others.
"No!!"
Zod and his group, eyes wide, charged at Harry.
"Give me the Codex!!"
Zod dropped the infant, diving down. Charlie flung a massive web, blocking them.
Dark Strange caught the infant, checking it, but the dark space warped. The Phantom Engine outside shattered it.
Crack crack~
The Engine's light enveloped Dark Strange, and the infant vanished into a black hole.
Boom~
A beetle aircraft soared, and Joe-El, rescuing Kal, vanished into the city.
When Zod's group broke through the web, Charlie and his team were gone.
"Damn it!!" Zod roared.
Dark Strange was livid.
"You tricked me again, bug!!"
…
Cosmic Web.
[You defeated Superman, winning this Resurrection Match!]
[Reward: Resurrection Slots x2]
[Bonus Reward: Superpower—Stellar Energy Absorption.]
[Bonus Reward: Spider-Totem Power x1.]
[Retries Remaining: 55 (carried to next Resurrection Match)]
[Resurrection Slots Remaining: 1 (choose target freely)]
Charlie rubbed his chin, pondering the prompt.
Since the task was on Krypton, avoiding direct clashes with Kryptonian weapons made their unarmored soldiers less threatening.
Gravik's abilities were tricky, but Pym Particles let Charlie detect him early.
The biggest obstacle was Dark Strange.
Pym Particles indirectly lowered the match's difficulty.
Before negotiating with Dark Strange, he'd already "defeated" Superman.
He'd spanked Clark's little butt red.
The negotiation was a ruse to secure slots for his team.
By destroying the Codex, Harry ensured the Genesis Chamber couldn't produce Kryptonian infants without its genetic data.
But whether this counted as destroying the Chamber, Charlie needed one more retry to confirm.
Most importantly, he still hadn't found Gwen!
Spider-Man never abandons a friend.
Except Wade.
That guy getting into the Resurrection Match was suspicious.
Charlie wouldn't help him.
With a thought, he chose to restart.
Sixth Resurrection Match.
He destroyed the Codex, completing the task of ruining the Genesis Chamber.
Still no Gwen.
Seventh Resurrection Match. Charlie skipped tasks, searching for Gwen, but Carnage found him.
Eighth Resurrection Match. Charlie skipped tasks; Dark Strange defeated Superman Kal.
Ninth Resurrection Match. Charlie skipped tasks…
Fifty-Ninth Resurrection Match Ended.
[You were eliminated, no resurrection slot earned. Reward: Web Ray +101°C.]
[1 retry remaining. Restart?]
[Web Ray]
[Duration: 30 seconds.]
[Temperature: 5,001°C.]
In the Cosmic Web, Charlie's eyes were weary.
Repeated retries boosted his Web Ray to a staggering 5,001°C.
The sun's surface was only 5,500°C.
This power, while not matching Superman's heat vision, was close.
Yet he hadn't found Gwen.
She was a contestant, but there was no trace of her.
Was her spawn point not on Krypton?
Could he be that unlucky?
With only one retry left, he could only focus on himself.
He'd have to wait for the next match.
Sighing, he chose to restart.
Sixtieth Resurrection Match!
…
The match ended. Facing the prompt, Charlie hesitated over the resurrection target.
Gwen or Mary Jane?
He fell silent for a long time.
Spider-Man's friends knew he always saved the wrong person.
So.
Charlie's finger hovered between options, muttering, "One, two, three, four, five, up the mountain to hunt a tiger. Tiger's not home, she's the one to revive!"
"Alright, it's her."
Decision made, Charlie stopped overthinking.
In the end, Spider-Man couldn't save everyone.
With a deep sigh, he vanished into the dazzling Cosmic Web.
…
Spider-Man Central Universe.
Underground Base, Ancient Pyramid.
Outside the pyramid's complex passages, Felicia and the others lurked in the shadows.
"Apocalypse is inside," Wanda said, eyeing the pyramid gravely.
"Apocalypse took Spider-Man's body, but the Black Death Sword's power keeps his wounds from healing, so he hasn't fully claimed it," she added.
Felicia sighed in relief. "Then we're fine."
"Do we still rush in to take back Spider-Man's body?" Reed, fresh from confinement, asked.
"Of course," Hill snapped. "We can't let our idol's body stay with that damn mutant. He's ours—everyone's."
"Damn mutant…"
Wanda and Pietro exchanged glances, stepping back.
"She's harsh," Pietro whispered.
"No worries, we're not mutants, I think."
"Then what are we?"
"Uh, we'll pretend to be mages."
"Great idea!"
The siblings high-fived discreetly, but Johnny grew impatient.
"Let's move now. I'm done waiting."
"Wait," Alex stopped him. "You're too reckless. What if they destroy Spider-Man's body—wait, maybe not." He reconsidered.
"We should worry about whether we can handle Apocalypse," Natasha said.
Barton shot her a look to stay quiet.
Sure enough, Hill, Felicia, and the others glanced at Barton and Natasha with disdain.
"Cowards. You shouldn't have come," Felicia scoffed.
Natasha and Barton exchanged looks, shaking their heads.
"We didn't make it back that day because we were scared," Barton explained.
Natasha added weakly, "And that fat mage didn't call us."
"Don't blame me," Wong said, stepping through a golden portal, noticeably slimmer. "My powers are limited, or Spider-Man wouldn't have died." Guilt filled his face.
That day, if not for the Supreme Mage's intervention, he'd have been killed by that god-slaying sword.
He'd once asked why she didn't save Spider-Man.
Her answer: Spider-Man needed the power that comes after death.
Wong was helpless but trusted her and Spider-Man.
Yet two months later, Spider-Man hadn't resurrected.
His "cooldown" was growing longer.
Long enough that they doubted he'd ever return.
Half the Avengers were dead, S.H.I.E.L.D. was crushed, and Coulson couldn't stabilize things.
Meanwhile, mutant power grew.
The Skrulls vanished again, but events had diverged from Spider-Man's predictions.
They desperately needed a hero to take charge.
And that hero could only be Spider-Man.
No one else could face the mutants.
In the corner, the group exchanged looks and decided to act.
…
Inside the pyramid.
On a lavish metal platform, a withered corpse lay, connected to countless tubes.
"Can't we dispel this damn black stuff?" Apocalypse paced, increasingly agitated.
The technicians were helpless.
"The black substance has fused with the corpse's cells. That's likely why Spider-Man hasn't resurrected," one said.
Apocalypse took a deep breath.
"What is this stuff? It's so powerful.
Too bad Carol's body has it too, or I'd try hers."
To build a mutant-dominated world, he didn't mind becoming a woman.
But conditions didn't allow it.
A commotion outside the pyramid irritated him further.
"What's happening?" he asked.
Erik at the door said, "S.H.I.E.L.D. They're here to take Spider-Man's body."
Apocalypse snorted. "They can't even guard their allies' bodies. Even if they get Spider-Man's, they'll lose it."
Erik stayed silent.
He knew what happened.
The Avengers' bodies stored at S.H.I.E.L.D. were stolen.
More than one.
Boom~
As the pyramid trembled, Apocalypse snapped, "I've had no time for them. Since they're here, deal with them."
A burly, bearded man appeared at the door. In the dim light, his shadow shifted, blades slicing through his hands.
"Understood."
Young Logan nodded coldly and left.
Erik hesitated, then followed.
They leapt from the pyramid's outer platform.
Boom~
Winds whipped up metal blades. Erik floated, eyeing the agents below.
"Leave, or I can't save you," he urged.
On the ground, Logan roared, baring a ferocious expression to scare off the seemingly weak group.
But scarlet energy surged behind him, swallowing Logan instantly.
A silver phantom flickered, speeding across floating metal toward Erik.
"As we planned, pretend you can't beat us," Pietro whispered.
Erik, controlling the metal, pinned Pietro in the rubble without mercy.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Damn traitor!" Pietro, head exposed, cursed.
"You're the traitors."
Erik clenched his fist. The ground quaked, steel bars erupting to cage the group.
"Go to hell!"
Green flames flashed as Norman, in Green Goblin armor, dropped pumpkin bombs.
But before they detonated, Erik's magnetic field sent Norman and his glider crashing into a stone wall.
"This is all you've got?"
Erik waved, collapsing Alex's Rhino armor. The rampaging Rhino was crushed by a metal pillar.
"Iron boy, let my passion melt you!!"
Flames soared as Johnny, Human Torch, spiraled down, illuminating the dim base.
Rubber Man slithered up Erik's body, binding him.
Erik sneered. "In Spider-Man's words, your strength is too low."
His fingers twitched, the ground shook, and icy groundwater doused Johnny's flames.
Metal blades tore through the space, shredding Rubber Man. Sue, cloaked, raised an energy shield but retreated under the onslaught.
Clang clang clang~
Outside the blade storm, Thing trudged forward, his stone skin chipped away.
"I can't hold on!" Ben shouted.
"Keep going!" Hill fired energy pulses, unable to breach Erik's metal shield.
Ben gritted his teeth. "I'm trying, but do we have backup?"
"Nope."
Ben: "…"
"Then what's the point of holding on?!"
"It wears him down."
"No way!!"
Boom!!
The blade storm flung Thing away.
Before it could spread, the pyramid shook violently.
Boom!!
The pyramid's top exploded, a shockwave sweeping the battlefield. A crimson ray sliced through.
Zzz~
Crack crack…
The ray melted the pyramid into red-hot debris, and Erik's metal couldn't withstand the thousands-degree heat, turning to molten iron.
Crack crack~
Even the base's stone walls collapsed under the ray's cut.
On a coastal cliff under the night sky, a small mountain was flattened by the crimson laser.
Zzz~
The ray streaked across the sky, then vanished.
On a nearby island, Nick Fury saw the flash, thrilled.
"Carol's cosmic energy!!"
"She's alive!"
"Talos, let's go! Carol's there!"
He raced to a boat.
…
Carter Family, European Castle.
Carter, wrapped in a bath towel, returned to her room and tapped a virtual computer.
"How's Felicia's group?" she asked.
The old butler bowed. "They're heading to the pyramid to retrieve Spider-Man's body and have already moved."
He tapped a virtual interface, showing the coastal mountain sliced by the crimson ray.
"Looks like a resurrection."
Carter smiled, then sighed. "Once he's back, my vacation's over. Can't do anything about him."
Noticing her growing smile, the butler's eyes crinkled.
"Shall we inform Mr. Harry and the others?"
"Of course. Their vacation's over too. I'm not handling the mess alone."
Carter stood, donning her suit.
"No waiting. I'm going now."
The butler stepped back. "We received new perfumes. Care to try?"
Carter paused. "I never use… fine, let's try."
At the mirror, her expression turned to horror.
"No!!!"
"Oh my God!!"
"Impossible!!"
"Why, why did I gain weight?!"
"I shouldn't have taken a vacation…"
…
Underground Base.
The pyramid's corner was sheared off by the crimson ray, followed by Apocalypse's terrified roar.
"No! How could you resurrect?!"
Boom!!
The pyramid exploded again, a figure launched like a cannonball, smashing through boulders.
Brilliant magical energy dispersed, and a red-and-blue figure swung out, thrilling Felicia's group.
"Spider-Man!"
"Spider-Man!"
Charlie shouted, zipping into a magical portal.
Buzz~
Boom!!
The rubble pile exploded. Under the red-and-blue figure's charge, Apocalypse sped across molten iron, crashing into the pyramid.
As dawn broke, sunlight streamed through the broken ceiling, illuminating the red-and-blue silhouette.
Crack crack~
In the rubble pit, a hand gripped Apocalypse's throat.
Suffocating, he stared at Spider-Man, eyes wide with fear.
"No… how did you… get so strong…"
Charlie's gaze flickered. Warm sunlight flooded his body, converting into energy.
His red-and-blue nano-suit pulsed with cosmic energy, rapidly replenishing the Web Ray's massive drain.
Without stellar energy absorption, he'd need three months to fire a full-power Web Ray again.
But with this power, the cost wasn't so steep.
Feeling the growing surge within, Charlie tightened his grip, crushing Apocalypse's throat.
Before Apocalypse could heal, Charlie raised his other hand.
In the group's stunned gazes, the crimson ray reappeared.
Zzz~
"No!!"