After the battle, the dark giant dissolved into nothingness.
In the city's ruins, smoke lingered thick in the air. Anthony, back in his human form, scrambled desperately through the rubble toward where the talisman had fallen.
"Damn you, I'll be back!"
Ka!
Suddenly, a foot stomped down on the Monkey Talisman. Filthy and battered, Anthony gritted his teeth, barely lifting his head to glare at the victor.
"You broke our game's rules," he spat.
Charlie looked down at him, grinning. "You think you're the one making the rules?"
With a shake of his foot, the Monkey Talisman flicked into the air and landed in his hand.
Then, with a slight curl of his fingers, the Dragon Talisman in Anthony's grasp was yanked into Charlie's hand as well.
Talismans +2.
He pocketed the two talismans and casually tossed the Dark Spark to Anthony.
"Keep it as a memento. Y'know, for prison."
With a wave of his hand, Coulson and his team, who had just arrived, swiftly arrested Anthony.
Watching Charlie's confident stride, Anthony exploded in rage. "You bastard! You're a jerk! You don't keep your word! I'll make you pay!!"
Charlie paused, glancing back. "Everyone knows Spider-Man doesn't keep promises."
Anthony: "…"
Hidden in the ruins, Xu Wenwu shuddered slightly, the Malevolent Dragon Ring whispering softly between his fingers. "This guy's a dangerous opponent."
Crouched low, Xu Wenwu clutched the Dog Talisman tightly, doing his best to avoid Spider-Man's notice.
Without the immortality granted by the Dog Talisman, he'd be in no better shape than Anthony right now.
"Defeating three talismans with the power of just one. Worthy of Spider-Man."
He took a deep breath, glancing at the five remaining rings on his arm, his brows furrowing.
Having lost half of the Ten Rings' power, his next moves would be far more difficult.
As Spider-Man departed, Xu Wenwu secretly summoned the Ten Rings' assassins lurking in New York.
On the other side, Charlie had noticed Xu Wenwu but didn't act. The man's goal was also the Twelve Talismans, so Charlie planned to let him gather the others first, swooping in at the critical moment.
With four talismans in his possession, he was in no rush.
With that thought, Charlie prepared to board S.H.I.E.L.D.'s helicopter to leave.
But then, a figure rose from the rubble.
"Spider-Man, look at the city you've destroyed! What exactly are you protecting?!" the figure cried out, voice hoarse with desperation.
Charlie: "…"
He turned to see a bald, soot-covered man who looked vaguely familiar.
This guy's like a stray dog! "Buddy, you wandered onto the wrong set."
"What?" Nick Fury froze.
Before he could process, Spider-Man was already boarding the helicopter.
…
S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters
"Sector C is basically trashed because of you, and you're chilling with a juice?"
Carter stormed into the office, glaring at the relaxed Charlie.
Charlie glanced at her. "Those two wouldn't have stopped fighting anytime soon. If I hadn't stepped in, your damages would've been way worse."
"I'm already bankrupt."
Carter sighed, sitting at her desk. "The Carter family's financial crisis is dire. Tony can't help, and those senators won't approve funding. If we don't find a way to make money, you know what happens."
Charlie raised an eyebrow. "That bad?"
"Worse than you think."
Carter shot him a look. "Every time you fight, you leave me a mess to clean up. Even with regular crooks, your battles rack up at least a billion dollars in damages."
"That's a bit exaggerated, no?" Charlie said, skeptical.
Carter locked eyes with him. "If I wasn't covering your damages, do you think the citizens whose property got wrecked would let you off?"
"I… guess I owe you a thanks."
Charlie had no comeback.
Everyone knows being a superhero in the Marvel Universe is a money pit.
The greater the power, the bigger the debt.
"I'll be more careful next time," he offered.
Carter shook her head. "You need to face reality. You can't."
Charlie: "…"
"You've got a point. So, what's the plan?"
"Get investors."
"Me?" Charlie pointed at himself, eyes wide. "You serious?"
"Absolutely."
Carter tapped her virtual computer, and a map of Africa's corner appeared.
"Our people have pinpointed Wakanda's approximate location. Go negotiate with them. Their wealth could fund anything you want."
At the mention of Wakanda, Charlie pictured a tribe of high-tech, close-combat black panthers.
"Negotiating with them might lower my IQ," he said, deadpan.
Carter frowned. "Why?"
"If you knew them, you wouldn't ask."
Charlie stood. "Alright, what's the plan?"
As expected, Carter had a strategy. She tapped the desk, saying slowly, "We found Wakanda because of internal issues. Some mysterious force caused mutated sea creatures to attack their city, damaging the energy shield protecting it. That's how we detected them.
The breaches still aren't fixed, so I'm guessing they can't handle those creatures."
She looked at Charlie, a smirk forming. "But you, the invincible Spider-Man, can solve their problem. In exchange, they'll cover S.H.I.E.L.D.'s funding gap. It's a win-win."
Charlie nodded, understanding.
"Mysterious force… could be the Twelve Talismans. Alright, I'm on it. Any travel allowance?"
"Allowance? You'll get a cut of the funds you bring in."
"Whoa, now that's nice."
Charlie's eyes lit up, but he quickly calmed. "Hold onto my share. Spider-Man with money is a recipe for trouble, you know."
"I know."
"When do I leave?"
"Hold off."
"For what?"
"For them to come to us."
Carter explained, "As long as the invincible Spider-Man is with us, they'll have to ask S.H.I.E.L.D. for help."
Charlie nodded thoughtfully. "Got it. So we can name our price."
"No, it's called a fair deal."
"Right. Well, it's getting late. Time to head home for dinner."
Leaving the office, Charlie returned to Queens.
Under the night sky, Bleecker Street was quiet.
Charlie arrived home to a lively scene.
"Welcome home!"
Mary Jane enthusiastically placed slippers at Charlie's feet, making him feel like he'd seen a ghost.
"What're you doing?" he asked.
Mary Jane looked up, blinking. "Just a little trick I picked up on the island."
"What a mess."
Charlie rolled his eyes, then scanned the room.
Aunt May, Uncle Ben, Richard, Mary, Doctor Octopus, Otto Parker, and a stranger.
"Hey, Charlie, meet Peter's good friend, Ock," Doctor Octopus introduced.
Charlie glanced at the shifty-eyed Ock, then at the confused Otto Parker, piecing it together.
Otto Parker had returned his body to Peter. Ock was Otto Parker, his soul housed in an artificial body.
Charlie smirked. "Nice to meet you, Ock."
Relieved Charlie showed no hostility, Otto Parker nodded. "Yeah, me too."
Peter, meanwhile, curiously studied his "brother."
"You're…"
"I'm the invincible Spider-Man!"
Charlie struck a pose, hands on hips, startling Aunt May and the others.
"Dear little Charlie, what are you talking about?"
"You're Spider-Man?"
"Oh my gosh~~"
The group was stunned, and Charlie's grin froze.
He'd forgotten—Aunt May and the others might not know yet.
Or did they?
No, maybe not.
Argh! His brain was a mess—did they know or not?!
Charlie rubbed his temples, his memories a jumbled haze.
Thankfully, no one pressed the issue.
Normal people could guess, after all.
So, the family moved on to dinner.
After dinner, Charlie went to the rooftop to clear his head and enjoy the night sky.
"Hey, thanks."
Otto Parker approached, taking a deep breath. "I challenged you, but you didn't expose me. Thank you."
Charlie waved it off without turning. "No big deal."
"I owe you one too."
Peter joined them, sitting beside Charlie to gaze at the stars.
"I thought I'd lost all my family, that Spider-Man was doomed to be alone. But here, I see Spider-Man's fate doesn't have to be tragic."
He looked at Charlie, smiling faintly. "Especially you, Charlie Parker. You're different from us."
Charlie shrugged. "Don't get too excited. Fate's gears are still turning. Until we break it, Spider-Man could slip back onto its track."
Peter's smile faded. "What can I do to help?"
"Protect them."
Charlie glanced at Aunt May and the others by the window, smiling. "One hero's enough. And only one Spider-Man needs to face fate."
Peter and Otto Parker fell silent.
They knew fighting fate was nearly impossible.
They'd both given up before.
But in Charlie, they saw hope.
Before they could speak, Charlie stood, brushing off his pants.
"Alright, a friend's here. Gotta swing."
With that, he shot a web and swung into the nearby woods.
Whoosh~~
A gust swept through the treetops, leaves scattering as Charlie landed, locking eyes with a shadowy figure.
"You came," he said, voice low.
"Yeah, I'm here," the figure replied, nodding slightly. "But maybe not the best time."
"No, you're right on time."
Gwen stepped forward, pointing at Mary Jane's house. "Why does she get to join your family gathering?"
Charlie: "…"
"I didn't invite her."
"That's not the point."
"Then what is?"
"Tell me, what happened to us in the future?"
Gwen stared into his eyes. "I already know—everything in the future is destroyed."
Charlie hesitated, then lowered his head.
When he looked up, his eyes glinted with a strange light.
"Nothing happened. We're just friends," Corrupted Charlie answered for him.
Hearing that answer again, Gwen's heart sank, her smile bitter.
"Right. Just friends. You never trust me, never let us face those things together, even though you know I…"
"I've got business. Carter's calling. Gotta go."
Cutting her off, Corrupted Charlie glanced at a blinking communicator and left without hesitation.
As his figure faded, the light in Gwen's eyes dimmed.
She'd had a dream.
In it, they'd become the closest of partners.
But when she woke, it all turned to foam.
…
Zzip~
Under the night sky, Charlie swung onto a quiet rooftop.
"Bro, I just saved you from a single tree. Now you can have the whole forest," Corrupted Charlie said smugly.
Charlie didn't respond. He just gazed over the city, its neon and dazzle unable to light his heart.
Sensing something off, Corrupted Charlie tested, "How about… you go back and try again? I swear I won't interfere."
Charlie shook his head. "No need. Some things are enough to keep to ourselves."
"Ourselves?" Corrupted Charlie sneered. "Don't lump me in. I'm the chosen one, destined to be Marvel's king—a transmigrator."
"Oh, really?"
Charlie chuckled. "We're one and the same. I know what you're thinking."
Corrupted Charlie fell silent.
Yeah, one and the same.
His so-called "dark side" was a joke.
The real Charlie could lie to himself, but his dark side couldn't.
The desires hitting him were stronger, more consuming.
Yet just now, his wants had been suppressed by reason.
He started to doubt.
Was he really Spider-Man's dark side?
Did Spider-Man have to bury all emotions, facing everything alone?
Maybe.
"How about… using the Tiger Talisman to split off an even eviler Spider-Man?" Corrupted Charlie suggested.
Charlie: "…"
"Nutcase. Time to make some cash."
"How?"
"Wakanda just sent people. By now, Carter's probably sealed the deal."
"Wakanda? Seriously?"
"What?"
"No hot girls there. Spider-Man's charm's gonna go to waste."
"Go to hell!"
…
As expected, when Charlie reached S.H.I.E.L.D., Carter and Wakanda's King T'Challa were just leaving the meeting room.
"Pleasure doing business."
"Likewise."
They shook hands, smiling.
Watching this, Charlie's gaze turned resentful.
From the looks of it, Carter had sold him out.
Ahem.
He coughed lightly, and T'Challa finally noticed the unremarkable Charlie Parker.
"Who's this?" T'Challa asked, seeming to guess.
Carter smiled. "Charlie Parker, the invincible Spider-Man who'll solve Wakanda's troubles."
"Oh, that's fantastic!"
T'Challa approached Charlie, bowing deeply, setting aside his kingly pride.
"Mr. Spider-Man, please save Wakanda's people."
His sincerity left Charlie no room for jokes.
"Uh, I'll do my best."
"Then let's go now."
"No problem, but you came all this way—sure you don't want some late-night seafood?"
T'Challa: "…"
Seafood was the last thing he wanted right now.