"Hey, good evening, viewers! I'm J. Jonah Jameson, editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle. You can fondly call me the great Mr. Jonah!"
On the TV, Jonah greeted the audience with enthusiasm.
In front of the screen, Aunt May explained to the Richards, "That's Jonah. He really hates Spider-Man."
"No, he's actually Spider-Man's biggest fan," Uncle Ben chimed in.
"Fan?"
"Hates?"
Richard and Mary exchanged confused glances.
Mary asked, "Which one of you is right?"
Aunt May shot Uncle Ben a look. "Old man, how'd you figure Jonah likes Spider-Man?"
Uncle Ben scratched his head, puzzled. "I don't know. It just hit me for a second."
"Then you're probably getting senile."
Aunt May sent Uncle Ben to grab some fruit, instinctively glancing at the door. "Peter and little Charlie aren't back yet. What're they up to? Anyone know?"
She looked at the Richards, who shook their heads.
"I bet they're off doing something big," Richard mused. "After Peter got bitten by that mutant spider, his body changed."
"Yes, we studied it. It's a positive mutation," Mary added, then asked Aunt May, "What about little Charlie?"
Aunt May blinked. "You mean Peter's Spider-Man?" She looked shocked.
Richard frowned. "Isn't little Charlie?"
"Of course not."
Uncle Ben set a fruit platter on the table. "Little Charlie's just Spider-Man's contact. He's no Spider-Man."
Aunt May nodded firmly. "Exactly. Little Charlie's just a regular kid. This world's Spider-Man is a mysterious guy. No one knows who he is."
Seeing this, the Richards dropped the subject with a tacit understanding.
Soon, everyone headed to their bedrooms.
In their room, Richard sighed. "Ben's really good to little Charlie. He wouldn't mind Charlie keeping this from him."
Mary took Richard's hand. "Of course not. We're family."
"Absolutely."
Then, a breaking news bulletin interrupted the TV, making Uncle Ben and Aunt May's expressions light up.
"Breaking news: Brooklyn's got two Spider-Men fighting evil criminals! Right now, we can see their opponent—a green-skinned, alien-like thing…"
…
Brooklyn's streets.
"Run!"
"There's a monster!"
"My God, a green guy—is that the Hulk?"
In the chaos, a Skrull hoisted a car, hurling it at the annoying bug hanging upside down under a streetlamp.
"Go to hell!!"
Heh-heh-heh~~
Facing the incoming car, Charlie shot webs, weaving a net with super-tough strands to catch it, then turned to Peter Parker on the sidewalk.
"Let's see what you've got," he said.
Peter nodded slightly, swiping his wrist's interface. A high-tech terminal spread black-and-red nanites, enveloping his body.
Click-click~
Buzz~
In an instant, a dark Spider-Suit covered Peter Parker. The red upper half was muted, accentuating the deep black lower half.
His aura grew eerily sinister, a stark contrast to Charlie's nano-suit.
Charlie's eyes flickered at the sight.
"This guy…"
He gently set the car down as Mary Jane leaned in.
"He doesn't look like a good guy," she whispered.
Charlie nodded. "Definitely not. That's why we're testing him."
Mary Jane shook her head, eyeing the rampaging Skrull.
"Using a Skrull to test your dear brother? What if he gets hurt?"
"Relax, he's not a Skrull."
"Skrulls don't let things go easily."
"These are rebel Skrull remnants. No need to worry about retaliation."
Mary Jane's eyes dripped with disdain.
"You were just wracked with guilt, and now you're testing him again."
Charlie clutched his head.
"My God! What am I doing? I'm awful, I shouldn't—haha, whatever! Let's watch the show."
He pulled Mary Jane to the curb, watching the crazed Skrull lift another car to smash Peter Parker.
Bang!!
With one punch, Peter's fist pierced the car's hood, then he flung it back at the Skrull.
Boom!!
The Skrull leaped to dodge, retaliating with a blast of icy energy, determined to freeze the pesky bug.
Facing the sudden ice, Peter was briefly startled but unfazed.
He raised his hand as if shooting webbing, but instead of webs, a blazing fire serpent erupted from his wrist launcher.
Boom!!
The fire serpent clashed with the ice, cold and heat warring. Peter's eyes glowed faintly, his serpent growing fiercer, draining the Skrull's ice energy until it overwhelmed, engulfing the Skrull.
"Ah!!"
As flames consumed the Skrull, its screams chilled the onlookers.
"My God, a fire-shooting Spider-Man!"
"No, a flame-launching Spider-Man."
"So brutal."
"Oh my gosh, this can't be a new Spider-Man skin."
"No way, the real Spider-Man's even more savage!"
Amid the chatter, Peter ignored the crowd's stares.
He looked at Charlie, who snapped his fingers.
"Nice work, Peter. You took down the Skrull. Truly a righteous Spider-Man."
Mary Jane shivered. "Righteous Spider-Man? He didn't even bury the guy. Our Charlie's kinder—he'd at least blow up a building to bury his foe." She clung to Charlie's arm, fawning.
"Is that a compliment?" Charlie side-eyed her. "I can't blow up buildings anymore."
The moment he spoke, a nearby building exploded, and a figure burst out.
"Jerks! We failed, but you won't let us go? I'll take you down!"
As a Skrull remnant charged, hidden Skrulls couldn't hold back, launching an attack on Charlie and the others.
"Kill Spider-Man!"
"Kill that damn bug!"
"Get him!"
Instantly, a dozen shadows crushed cars, rushing Charlie.
Peter didn't hesitate, deploying four metallic spider-legs.
With so many enemies, a brutal fight was inevitable.
But before he could act, a crimson beam swept the sky, its searing heat piercing one Skrull after another.
"Ah!!"
"No!!"
Bang-bang-bang~
In three seconds, the dozen Skrulls turned to charred husks, crumbling into black ash.
"What?"
Peter's heart jolted.
He recalled a rumor from the multiverse.
Legend had it, there was an invincible Spider-Man who wielded magic, shot high-heat beams, and was immortal…
Could it be…
He turned to Charlie, whose eyes had just dimmed from red, his face stunned.
"You're…"
He trailed off. Charlie, arms crossed, grinned. "That's right. The invincible Spider-Man is me, Charlie Parker."
"Shh! Don't reveal your name here!" Mary Jane whispered.
Charlie quickly covered his mouth, eyes darting.
"Right, right, almost slipped. Damn vanity."
Peter: "..."
The invincible Spider-Man is Charlie Parker?
Damn it, no one ever mentioned that!
Shocked, he felt deep unease.
He was hiding a secret—one the invincible Spider-Man couldn't know.
Because he was Peter Parker's brother.
If it came out, he'd be dead.
Mary Jane's eyes glazed over.
She looked at the wreckage. "Fight's over?"
"Yup."
Charlie waved. "Tell Captain Carter to send a cleanup crew."
"Oh."
After Mary Jane left, under the crowd's gazes, Charlie swung to Peter.
"Nice job, Peter. You passed my test."
Peter thought for a moment. "I'm honored to earn your trust, but maybe you should reel in your webs."
He glanced at his web-bound body, growing nervous.
"I'd like to know why."
Charlie strolled with Peter down the street, not looking back. "You know why, Peter—no, Otto Parker."
"What? You…"
Otto Parker was floored.
"How'd you know?" He stopped dead.
Charlie turned. "Hasn't anyone told you the invincible Spider-Man knows everything?"
A personality unlike Peter's, a high-tech suit, fire-shooting web-launchers, and spider-legs.
Most telling? The guy gave Baby Kingpin a stack of cash as a gift!
That's no Spider-Man!
Definitely not broke Peter Parker!
So Charlie had reason to suspect this wasn't Peter Parker but Doctor Octopus from another universe, inhabiting Peter's body.
Plus, this guy was one of the few Spider-Men who could kill Inheritors—the Ultimate Spider-Man!
Of course, it was just a hunch.
Until Otto admitted it, Charlie was sure.
He stared into Otto's eyes. "Before I decide to take you out, you can choose to give Peter his body back. I'll pretend nothing happened."
Otto lowered his head.
He didn't resist. He knew he was no match for the invincible Spider-Man.
But he didn't know that if he fought now, he'd have a chance.
"I can't. I need time. The soul swap with Peter was an accident," he sighed.
"So you're refusing?"
Charlie crossed his arms. "Fine, I'll give you time."
He pulled out his phone. "Doctor Octopus, I need a favor."
"Who's this?" Doctor Octopus on the other end sounded confused.
"I'm Charlie. Charlie Parker."
"Charlie, my boy, it's you!"
Doctor Octopus lit up.
Ten minutes later.
A villa echoed with Doctor Octopus's furious roars.
"Damn bug, you posed as Charlie to trick me—oh my gosh, Charlie, you're Spider-Man!"
As Charlie "unmasked," Doctor Octopus's demeanor flipped instantly.
Charlie wasn't surprised by Otto's "forgetfulness."
Nearby, Ruth shook her head.
"Dear, you should perform in Eastern theater."
She sat Otto down, smiling at Charlie. "I'll get you boys some coffee."
As she turned, she glanced at Otto Parker behind Charlie.
Otto Parker was stunned by this world's Otto's affection for Charlie Parker.
"Who's this?" Doctor Octopus noticed the web-bound Otto Parker.
Charlie introduced, "This is—"
Three minutes later.
"Damn it, you vile trash, stealing Spider-Man's body!"
Doctor Octopus glared at Otto Parker. "You knew Parker's Spider-Man, so why oppose him? That's not what we'd do!" He grabbed Otto Parker's shoulders, shaking him.
Dizzy, Otto Parker stammered, "Sorry, it wasn't on purpose—"
"You little garbage!"
Doctor Octopus slammed him to the ground, turning to Ruth. "No coffee for this guy."
"Got it."
Ruth replied. Doctor Octopus, calming down after venting, took a deep breath.
"Sorry, I got heated. I mistook Peter for you," he said to Charlie.
Charlie's mouth twitched. "No problem."
Otto Parker: "..."
His eyes darted between them, recalling something.
In his universe, all villains loved Peter Parker but hated Spider-Man.
He'd thought it was a fluke.
Turns out, it's standard.
Ignoring the floored Otto Parker, Charlie said to Doctor Octopus, "Any way to separate their souls?"
Doctor Octopus thought. "Not sure, but I'll need time. Leave him here. I'll figure it out."
"Here?" Charlie hesitated.
Doctor Octopus saw his concern and grinned confidently. "Don't worry, he's not escaping me."
Four metallic arms, sturdier and more advanced than before, extended behind him.
Clearly, he'd spent all his time upgrading them.
Despite Otto's confidence, Charlie wavered.
Per Marvel's rules, leaving Octo-Parker with Otto was bound to go wrong.
So he found a middle ground.
S.H.I.E.L.D.!
Hm, maybe even riskier.
Whatever, let's do it!
He roughly removed Otto Parker's wrist terminal to prevent an escape with the tech suit.
Otto Parker didn't resist.
He knew Charlie and Peter weren't close.
There had to be a way to get the invincible Spider-Man to spare him.
The condition just needed to be tempting enough.
A spark flashed in his mind.
He had an idea.