After the meeting, everyone left with heavy hearts.
In the silent conference room, Wade watched Charlie's back, wanting to speak but holding back.
"Did I… say something I shouldn't have?" he asked, a bit guilt-ridden.
Charlie glanced over his shoulder. "It's fine. No need to hide it from them anyway."
With that, he stood and left, heading toward the cell where Fin Fang Foom was held.
A one-bedroom, one-living-room setup, with a kitchen and bathroom, utilities included.
Fin Fang Foom stepped out of the bathroom and immediately spotted Charlie waiting in the living room.
"Hey, Spider-Man, what can I do for you?"
Fin Fang Foom grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and offered it to Charlie.
Charlie didn't take the water, instead eyeing the young dragon with a peculiar look.
"Is your father Xu Wenwu?" he asked.
Fin Fang Foom shook his head. "No clue. That's what those guys say, though."
Charlie rubbed his forehead. Things were getting messy.
Fin Fang Foom had replaced the original Shang-Chi. While he wasn't hard on the eyes, something felt… off.
After a moment's thought, Charlie asked, "Do you know martial arts?"
"A bit."
Fin Fang Foom flailed his arms dramatically in place.
"Tiger-Crane style, Wing Chun, Tai Chi—I know them all. Ever heard of the gifted double-bone?" He flexed his biceps, winking at Charlie.
Charlie's mouth twitched. That part of the setup hadn't changed.
"Alright, Double-Bone Dragon, interested in joining us?"
"Join you? S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
"No, the Dragon Squad," Charlie said.
Fin Fang Foom's eyes lit up. "A team named after me?"
"Yup, that's your newbie perk. I'll be paying your salaries, and we're not under S.H.I.E.L.D.," Charlie explained.
"We?"
Fin Fang Foom blinked. "I've got teammates?"
"Of course. It's called a squad for a reason."
Charlie grinned. "Jade, Old Man—they're joining too."
Fin Fang Foom was even more confused. "They don't know martial arts," he said bluntly.
Charlie shook his head. "No need for martial arts. Magic will do."
Fin Fang Foom: "…"
Old Man and Jade know magic?
That's what he meant, right?
Scratching his head, he hesitated. "What exactly are you trying to do?"
"Save the world!"
Charlie stood, locking eyes with him. "From the moment I saw you, I knew you weren't just some nobody. You're destined to shine like a star, impossible to ignore. You're going to be a world-class superhero. Get me?"
Flattered, Fin Fang Foom blushed. "Am I that great?"
"Absolutely. So go convince your sister and Old Man."
"Now?"
"Yup."
"But it's late. Time to sleep."
"Sleep or save the world and become a hero—your choice."
"Become a hero!"
Fin Fang Foom hurriedly threw on clothes. "I'm going now. Wait for me."
"Take the stairs."
…
As the sun rose, Fin Fang Foom returned with Jade and Old Man to S.H.I.E.L.D.
"Fin Fang Foom, you're the worst! Kids need sleep to grow!" Jade yawned, eyes bleary.
Old Man, meanwhile, studied Charlie thoughtfully.
"You look familiar."
"We've met," Charlie said with a smile. "I bought something from your antique shop."
"Did you?" Old Man shook his head, not recalling.
Fin Fang Foom, buzzing with excitement, said, "Spider-Man, I brought them. What's next?"
"Unleashing your potential."
Charlie tapped his wrist device, pulling up a holographic interface with his newly crafted plan.
"Fin Fang Foom, I've set up a furniture store for you to train your martial arts."
Fin Fang Foom: "…"
For some reason, the words "furniture store" sent a thrill through him.
Charlie handed Old Man an ancient grimoire. "You're in charge of studying this magic."
"Magic? I don't know magic!" Old Man said, bewildered.
Charlie reassured him. "Don't worry. Just read it, and you'll get it."
"Really?"
"Of course. The invincible Spider-Man doesn't lie to the elderly."
"Alright, I'll try."
Old Man flipped through the grimoire, his cloudy eyes under glasses glinting with newfound sharpness.
Magic didn't seem that hard.
As for Jade, she perked up the moment she heard "Spider-Man."
"What about me? Do I learn magic too?" she asked eagerly.
Charlie rubbed his chin. "No, you're in charge of playing."
"Huh?" Jade froze. "That simple?"
"And doing your homework."
"No way!!"
Ignoring Jade's dismay, Charlie waved to Coulson outside. "Keep an eye on Jade."
At that, Fin Fang Foom and Old Man shivered.
Why did that sound so ominous?
Coulson gave Charlie an "OK" gesture. "No problem. I'm great with kids."
Charlie smirked. "Hope you're still that confident later."
Over the next few days, Charlie trained Fin Fang Foom and Old Man with tailored regimens, yielding impressive results.
At the training field, Carter and others watched Fin Fang Foom spar with Charlie, trading blows evenly, their faces full of astonishment.
"This guy's got talent," Carter nodded.
Harry, nearby, shook his head. "Too bad his physical stats are just human-level. He'd struggle against ferocious super-powered foes."
Banner, the honest scientist, approached. "If we equip him with a vibranium suit, that won't be an issue."
"Vibranium suit?" Carter shot Banner a look. "Do you know how much one of those costs?"
She didn't even have one. Why would a rookie get one?
Banner grinned. "Spider-Man's orders. And don't worry about funding—Reed just got a hefty research grant. We can borrow a bit."
"Reed?" Harry frowned. "His experiments never work. Who'd invest in him?"
Banner nodded. "Someone did. You know him."
"Who?"
"Dr. Pym. Tony's dad, Howard's old friend."
"Dr. Pym?"
At the name, Charlie instinctively paused, but Fin Fang Foom's fist kept coming.
"Watch out!!"
Swish!
Charlie shot a web, suspending Fin Fang Foom upside-down from the ceiling, then approached Banner.
He studied the scientist, who seemed… different, eyes narrowing.
"You—"
"Got handsomer, right?"
Banner pulled out his phone, showing off an app. "Stark's latest tech filter. It hides facial flaws, adjusts features with light and shadow tech, making us look better to others."
Charlie: "…"
"That's not what I meant."
Before he could continue, Banner added, "Heard Tony's working on an upgraded version with more features, but it'll cost."
That reminded Charlie of another guy.
The White Suit Tony, tied to Pym in that good-vs-evil event, still locked up by Tony.
Changing the subject, Charlie said, "Sounds cool. Where can I download it?"
"You need Tony's invite code. It's still in testing, not public yet."
"Got it. I'll ask him."
"Me too," Carter chimed in. "I'm skipping makeup lately. This app's perfect."
"Same," Harry grinned, following. "I'm already handsome, but who doesn't want to be insanely handsome? I need a face that slays the cosmos."
Charlie could only quip, "Sounds like you don't want a face at all."
At that moment, Corrupted Charlie's voice whispered in his ear.
"No rush to deal with those two. Use them to find the Eight Demons and the Twelve Talismans."
Charlie nodded. "Got it. But the Ten Rings assassins carry demonic energy too. We could track down Xu Wenwu."
"I've already sent someone to probe him. News soon."
"Sent someone?" Corrupted Charlie sounded surprised. "Who?"
Charlie patted the Spider-Man model at his waist. "Who do you think?"
…
Ten Rings Headquarters
In a shadowy attic.
Buzz~
Portals the size of bowls appeared, and "Spider-Men" slipped silently into the surroundings.
In a sealed chamber, Xu Wenwu stood with hands behind his back, gazing calmly at a massive stone tablet. "Fin Fang Foom was taken by Spider-Man," he said.
At his words, the ferocious dragon head on the tablet opened its blood-red eyes.
"What do you want me to do, great Immortal?"
Xu Wenwu's eyes narrowed, his wrists' Ten Rings glowing faintly purple.
"S.H.I.E.L.D. isn't what it used to be. I need greater power. I want Fin Fang Foom back by my side. His mother needs him too."
"No problem."
The dragon head spat out an ancient compass. "This will help you locate the Twelve Talismans. Find them, and you'll have power beyond imagination."
Xu Wenwu took the compass, frowning slightly. "Twelve Talismans? Never heard of them."
Shendu, within the tablet, laughed heartily. "The Talismans' power surpasses anything you can fathom. The Rat Talisman animates the inanimate, the Tiger Talisman balances yin and yang, the Ox Talisman grants immense strength, the Rabbit Talisman bestows super speed, the Dragon Talisman unleashes fiery blasts, the Snake Talisman grants invisibility, the Horse Talisman heals instantly, the Sheep Talisman projects the soul, the Monkey Talisman transforms at will, the Rooster Talisman enables flight, the Pig Talisman fires laser eyes, and the Dog Talisman grants immortality. They're leagues beyond your Ten Rings. Trust me."
"What?"
Xu Wenwu's face shifted. "Can they bring someone back from the dead?" he asked urgently.
Shendu sneered. "One Talisman alone? No. But gather them all, revive me fully, and I've got a hundred ways to bring back the dead."
Xu Wenwu clenched his fists, eyes blazing with determination.
"I understand. Only you can revive my wife. I'll find the Twelve Talismans."
He glanced over his shoulder. "But first, I need to get rid of these pesky bugs."
"No need."
Shendu's eyes glowed red, and the Spider-Man models hidden in the chamber's corners instantly had their life force drained.
Crack~
One by one, the models fell lifeless to the ground.
As a sliver of the Rat Talisman's power returned to him, Shendu savored the long-lost energy, laughing wildly.
"Spider-Man! So the Rat Talisman's with him. Xu Wenwu, you're headed to New York."
"I was planning to."
…
New York
At Stark Tower, Charlie got Tony's invite code and tested the filter app's beauty feature.
He quickly lost interest.
Compared to the Extremis virus, Tony's light-and-shadow tech was lackluster.
He turned to Tony. "Where's White Suit?"
Tony handed him a juice. "I know what you're thinking. That guy's dangerous. I'm not letting him out."
"No, I mean we should let him out."
"Hm?"
Tony frowned. "You sure?"
"Positive. I've got a plan."
"Alright. I'll have Happy prep everything, no slip-ups."
"Good."
Then, Charlie sensed a stir in the Rat Talisman and pulled it from his pocket.
Tony stared, speechless.
No suit, and you're still pulling stuff from there? Habit, huh?
"What's up?" Tony asked casually.
Charlie eyed the Talisman, shaking his head. "Nothing. Keep an eye on White Suit. I've got to go."
"You didn't finish your juice!"
"Next time."
Swinging out of Stark Tower, Charlie landed on a nearby rooftop.
"The Rat Talisman's power faded," he murmured.
Corrupted Charlie spoke up. "Xu Wenwu couldn't beat the little spiders. It was the Eight Demons."
"I've got a feeling Xu Wenwu's coming here."
"Duh. Fin Fang Foom's here, so of course he will."
"Let's deal with the guy in front of us first."
As Corrupted Charlie spoke, Charlie turned to see another figure in a Spider-Man suit waiting.
"Spider-Man, we meet again."
Anthony Masters, Taskmaster, smirked as he approached, the Dragon Talisman in his hand glowing with fiery light.
"Relax, I don't want to fight this time."
"You sure?" Charlie glanced at the Dragon Talisman. "That's a threat, Taskmaster."
Taskmaster froze, realizing Charlie had seen through him.
Damn. Exposed.
He'd hidden in S.H.I.E.L.D. for so long, even Carter hadn't noticed, yet Spider-Man saw right through him.
No wonder Hydra lost to him.
Taking a deep breath, Taskmaster said, "Let's play a game."
"Pass."
Charlie summoned the Ultra Rod, startling Taskmaster.
"Wait! You're no fun. You weren't like this before."
"How was I before?"
Charlie smirked, stowing the rod. "Kidding. Hand over the Talisman, and I'll let you off."
"You think I'm scared of you?"
Taskmaster gritted his teeth. "Even gods are animals!"
Charlie: "…"
This guy's a handful.
If he had the Monkey Talisman, he'd probably turn into a Celestial.
Guess last time's lesson woke him up.
"Fine. What's the game?" Charlie shrugged.
Taskmaster's eyes gleamed. "I know Dr. Pym's plotting something. Whoever saves the world again, the loser vanishes for good."
"Vanish how?"
"Retires."
"Here I thought you meant kill me."
"You think I'm stupid?"
"Who knows?"
Charlie added, "One condition: the loser hands over all their Talismans."
"Deal. You're done for."
Taskmaster leaped off the building, shooting webs and swinging through the city, his moves mirroring Charlie's perfectly, flawless.