At the junction where the two Earths "touched," their atmospheres intertwined, painting the barren desert below in vast swathes of gold.
As gravitational forces shifted, molten lava churned beneath the desert's surface, yet under a mysterious power's influence, the two colliding Earths remained intact until the moment of impact.
At this moment, the entire world was a battlefield. Among the combatants were Skyfather-level beings capable of easily shattering planets, yet neither Earth showed signs of destruction.
Atop a towering peak in the desert, Doctor Doom, clad in a green robe, raised both hands, silently using his power to prevent the two Earths from truly colliding.
With his strength, he could manage this.
But now, he appeared unusually strained.
If it were a mere planetary collision, he wouldn't be so haggard.
The interference of the Beyonders' power forced even someone as mighty as Doctor Doom to merely delay the Earths' destruction, unable to decisively intervene.
As he watched the massive planet above break through the atmosphere and slowly descend, Doctor Doom took a deep breath. Magical energy surged around him, blazing fiercely.
At the same time, he sensed the arrival of the Spider Totem and dark energy, turning his head slightly.
"You've finally come."
His voice remained calm, as if he'd expected it.
Though, inwardly, he was puzzled—why were there two of them?
Charlie and Corrupted Charlie, having found Doctor Doom, exchanged a glance.
"Doom, looks like I misjudged you," Charlie said.
Before Doctor Doom could respond, Corrupted Charlie jumped in. "We've found a way to save the universe."
He stepped forward, presenting the Book of Ages. "This is it. Alter the history written in it, and it will make whatever you write reality."
"Rewrite history?"
Doctor Doom's eyes gleamed, his calm tone breaking.
He studied Corrupted Charlie and the Book of Ages, excitement in his voice. "I knew it. Spider-Man could save—wait, who are you?" He suddenly realized this Spider-Man was off.
Corrupted Charlie shrugged. "Spider-Man."
"You're not Spider-Man."
"Dark Spider-Man. Never seen one before?"
"Alright, I think I get it."
Doctor Doom didn't want to waste words. "If this thing really works, it doesn't matter who you are. Get started!"
"Sorry, we meant you should write in the Book of Ages," Corrupted Charlie said.
"Hm?"
Doctor Doom's brows furrowed beneath his mask. He glanced at Charlie, who looked guilty and lowered his head, then at the shady-looking Dark Spider-Man before him. He instantly understood.
"What's the cost?" he asked.
"Irredeemable," Corrupted Charlie replied, not hiding anything.
Doctor Doom frowned. "What does 'Irredeemable' mean?"
"It's bad. Really bad. But we don't know the specifics."
"Great. So that's why you're dumping this on me. You two are shameless."
"We're giving you a chance to save the world."
"And?"
Doctor Doom eyed the brush and ink Corrupted Charlie offered. Without hesitation, he freed one hand and gripped the brush.
Buzz~
Instantly, the brush trembled, then yanked Doctor Doom's hand downward with a BOOM.
It felt heavier than a planet.
Crack crack crack~~
As the brush hit the ground, the peak they stood on quaked, dense cracks spiderwebbing beneath their feet.
Doctor Doom dropped to one knee, straining with all his might but unable to lift the brush.
Charlie and Corrupted Charlie exchanged looks.
"Doom, can you stop pretending?" Charlie groaned, facepalming.
Doctor Doom trembled, stammering, "I-I'm not pretending."
Giving up on the brush, he dipped his fingers in ink and scrawled on a blank page.
Yet, the page remained blank. The ink wouldn't stick.
Unconvinced, Doctor Doom tried forcing his magic to leave a mark.
Still, the Book of Ages remained blank.
"I can't do it."
Doctor Doom's initial disappointment gave way to resolve as he looked at the two Charlies.
"The power beyond the Multiverse doesn't recognize me. So, Spider-Men, it's still up to you to save the world—because you can wield the brush and book."
"No way!"
Charlie's mouth twitched. "It's dead-set on making us pay the Irredeemable price."
He looked at Corrupted Charlie. "Whether he's faking or not, we can't force him to write. What now?"
Corrupted Charlie shrugged. "I'm not touching it. My fate's mine, not the heavens'."
"There's always a way." Charlie stowed the Book of Ages.
They locked eyes and said in unison, "Find the next one."
"The next big sucker."
"Exactly."
With their target set, they vanished into a portal together.
As for Doctor Doom, he shook his head helplessly.
"Pretty in sync. But in the future I've seen, Spider-Man must save the world. You can't escape it."
…
Scorching Tokyo.
The city lay in ruins. Helpless citizens wailed as bodies turned to ash under absolute power. Shattered walls crumbled, and primal force scattered the fiery clouds in the sky.
BOOM!!
In the wreckage, several green beasts roared, pummeling an enemy in a crater.
Yet their rage and strength seemed utterly powerless.
White-Haired Hulk swung his fists impenetrably, catching every punch from the other Hulks while remaining perfectly lucid.
But the clearer his mind, the deeper his despair.
"Why? Why can't any of you kill me? Even with the universe collapsing, it's still like this. You're all worthless, worthless!"
His roar shook the heavens, followed by a terrifying force that erupted like a nuclear blast. The shockwave swept through the city, crushing what few survivors remained.
Bang bang bang~
The attacking Hulks were blasted into the churning sea. White-Haired Hulk, standing on one's head, glared at his surroundings.
"Who's next?! Who can kill me?!"
He howled skyward. Then, golden webbing descended from the void. Charlie slid down, upside-down, clutching a massive tome.
"Hey, buddy, don't rush. I've scoured countless Multiverses and finally found a way to kill you in the Ruins of Realms."
"What?"
White-Haired Hulk's eyes lit up. "Thank you, Spider-Man! Tell me what to do!"
"Simple. Write what you want to happen in this book."
"Great, give it to me!"
One minute later.
ROAR!!
Staring at the blank page, White-Haired Hulk pounded his chest, glaring at Charlie on the webbing.
"It's useless! Why doesn't it work? Your plan's garbage! I can't take it—let me die, or I'll kill you!"
Before Charlie could explain, White-Haired Hulk's fist shattered the surrounding space, infinite force threatening to tear the Book of Ages apart.
Charlie hurriedly tossed the book into the air.
"Keep it safe!"
"Got it."
Corrupted Charlie caught the Book of Ages and vanished into a dark portal, leaving a parting shot: "You hold him off. I'll find the next one."
"Alright."
BOOM!!
Before the words settled, a fist bigger than a sandbag came crashing. Charlie crossed his arms, barely blocking it.
Instantly, his body sank, the ruins beneath him quaking with a BOOM. Debris turned to dust in midair, and the shockwave plowed through the wreckage, causing the island city to sink.
Crash crash crash~~
The island collapsed, seawater flooding in. Charlie finally had a moment to finish his thought: "That's some serious strength."
As a towering tsunami rose on the horizon, White-Haired Hulk glared at Charlie, his face twisted.
Panting heavily, his rage gave way to pleading.
"Invincible Spider-Man, it's time to keep your promise. I know you have the power now," he growled.
Charlie shook his wrist casually. "You caught me. Sure you don't want to wait? Maybe in a bit, you'll vanish with the universe's collapse."
"I can't wait!"
White-Haired Hulk snapped, "That's not the death I want. Only a merciless kill will set me free. I need redemption—understand?"
"Not really, but I'll help you this once."
Charlie raised a finger, his expression turning serious.
"Just this once."
"Once is enough!"
White-Haired Hulk grew excited. He didn't need to understand what "once" meant.
He absolutely trusted Spider-Man!
"Let's do this!!"
Instantly, White-Haired Hulk drove his fists into the ground, his muscles swelling. Terrifying force hurled massive boulders at Charlie.
BOOM~
Crash~~
As the boulders flew, a monstrous wave engulfed the city's ruins.
Gurgle…
Seawater scoured the wreckage, but golden webbing spread through the icy water, erupting with terrifying power.
BOOM!!
The churning sea surged again as the invincible Spider-Man shot skyward. Crimson beams fired from his eyes, slicing the ocean in two, kicking up waves of mist.
In the parted waters, White-Haired Hulk stood on a reef, thrilled at the scorch marks on his chest. He bent his knees, shattered the reef, and launched into the air.
BOOM!!
"Come on, kill me!!"
White-Haired Hulk roared with excitement. Charlie pressed his hand downward, a vast golden totem spanning the sky. Endless totem power surged like a tide, washing over White-Haired Hulk's body again and again.
Buzz~ Buzz~
The totem's force caused White-Haired Hulk's ears to ring. Enveloped in the air, the crushing pressure from all sides began to break his skin.
But his body's potential remained untapped.
He knew this level of power couldn't kill him.
"Argh!!"
White-Haired Hulk roared, his face contorted. "Not enough! NOT ENOUGH!!!"
BOOM!!
A green burst shattered the golden totem. White-Haired Hulk's face aged further.
And grew stronger.
BOOM!!
The void cracked, and White-Haired Hulk closed in on Charlie instantly.
Pure power stirred a tremor in Spider-Man's heart.
This was god-slaying strength! White-Haired Hulk was right—if Spider-Man couldn't kill him, he'd kill Spider-Man.
BOOM
Finally, green and gold exploded in the sky, followed by a dazzling array of colors.
The Eight Immortals' Artifacts!
Crash crash crash!!
Among the lights, Iron Crutch Li's gourd swelled with the wind, its mouth pointing downward, unleashing boundless suction.
Crash crash
BOOM!!
As White-Haired Hulk stood stunned, waves and seawater roared past him, pouring into the tiny gourd, which showed no signs of breaking despite millions of tons of water.
He froze in place.
The next moment, Charlie raised the gourd, aiming it at White-Haired Hulk.
"I'll ask you once—dare to answer?"
"What?"
White-Haired Hulk was still dazed, but a high-pressure water jet from the gourd engulfed him, slamming him into the seafloor reef.
Crack crack crack
BANG!!
The reef shattered, the water jet relentless. White-Haired Hulk's body was submerged, sinking deeper into the earth.
Until molten lava surged, his descent paused, giving him a moment to breathe.
"Damn it, still not enough! NOT ENOUGH!!"
He roared into the water-filled cavern, but faster than the seawater was a flying sword.
Lü Dongbin's Immortal Sword!
Hum!!
Shunk!!
The sword flashed, piercing the lava. The searing heat burned White-Haired Hulk's body, agony consuming his reason.
He furiously pummeled the surrounding lava and stone, the earth trembling. The sword sliced through the void, piercing him again.
Shunk!!
Green blood spilled into the lava, fueling the flames. White-Haired Hulk seemed full of vigor, but Charlie sensed his power weakening.
With the Eight Immortals' Artifacts circling above, a rotating Bagua bloomed in the void, ancient power awakening.
Charlie looked at the crazed White-Haired Hulk and took a deep breath.
"Farewell, Dr. Banner."
He knew White-Haired Hulk was always Banner.
With a low murmur, the Bagua's divine power erupted in radiant light, enveloping the frenzied White-Haired Hulk.
BOOM!!!
A prismatic beam shot from the sea. In a distant land, Corrupted Charlie glanced at the cosmic-colored energy piercing the universe and nodded slightly.
"Not bad. My turn."
He scanned the surrounding Thanoses, all lying in pools of blood, some already lifeless.
A one-armed Thanos staggered to his feet, blood-stained but unyielding, staring at a purple figure in the distance. Without turning, he addressed Corrupted Charlie: "You're not him. What's your purpose?"
Corrupted Charlie crossed his arms, also eyeing the distant Thanos variant, and replied calmly, "I came for you, but now, I'm more interested in him."
It was another Thanos.
A crown of kings, clad in supreme golden armor! In some universe's future, a Thanos who survived the Infinity War grew infinitely stronger with time.
He no longer needed artifacts to purge all life from the universe.
With the head of a Planet Devourer as his throne, Ghost Riders as his servants, and a soulless Green Hulk as his pet…
He was Emperor Thanos!