With the Kang Dynasty and the Corrupted Supermen wiped out one after another, Charlie gathered Clark and the others together.
Diana's apartment.
Everyone sat around a table as Charlie scanned them with a scrutinizing gaze.
Uncomfortable under his stare, Clark coughed lightly. "Uh… what's on your mind?" he asked Charlie.
Charlie shook his head. "Nothing. Just wondering which one of you will betray me."
Clark: "???"
Bruce Wayne glanced around, noticing Diana's absence. "Where's Diana?" he asked.
Charlie pointed to a room. "I kidnapped her."
Everyone: "…"
"Why would you do that?" Clark frowned. "You think she's the traitor?"
Charlie nodded, then shook his head.
"There's a traitor among us, but I know she's being controlled."
"What?"
Barry Allen jolted, swallowing hard, and said nervously, "Are we playing Werewolf?"
Bruce Wayne mused, "Evidence?"
"I'm the evidence." Charlie pointed to his side, dead serious. "It hurts a lot."
"You got stabbed." Clark was incredulous. "Diana would actually hurt you? That's definitely not right."
Charlie waved it off. "Not yet, but it's coming."
Clark's face stiffened, while Barry Allen looked awestruck.
"No wonder you're the invincible Spider-Man. You can even predict this stuff."
Bruce Wayne's expression turned grave. "If it were anyone else, I'd call it nonsense, but you're Spider-Man."
"Thanks for the trust, Batman."
Charlie brushed it off and continued, "Whether it's the Parademon army or other threats, I've already dealt with them. The biggest danger now is you guys, so you know what's next."
Golden webbing sparked at his fingertips. "I'm sealing you all for a month until I leave again."
At that, everyone exchanged glances, their expressions turning strange.
"Sealing?" Barry Allen blinked. "Is this magic?"
"Yes."
Charlie said, "Once I'm gone, the seals will lift automatically."
Clark gave Spider-Man a deep look. "While I'm sealed, you can…"
"I'll take care of your girlfriend. Oh, and your mom too," Charlie cut him off.
Clark relaxed at that.
"Alright, I trust you, Spider-Man." Clark didn't resist.
Bruce Wayne, however, flat-out refused. "I respect your skills, but that doesn't mean I trust all your decisions."
"You just said you trusted me," Charlie said, staring at him pitifully.
Bruce Wayne: "…"
"I mean I need my freedom. No one can restrict my movements," he explained.
Charlie shrugged. "Fine, guess I'll have to do it myself."
The atmosphere tensed instantly.
Barry Allen held his breath, his face rigid as he watched the suddenly silent group.
He subtly shifted his chair, hoping to slip out of this terrifying situation.
CREAK~
The next moment, Clark grabbed the chair, staring at Barry. "Do you trust Spider-Man?"
"I…"
Barry gave a forced smile. "I trust him."
His smile was strained, and the next moment, lightning flashed as the speedster bolted out of the apartment.
But Clark calmly opened the window and soared after him into the city streets.
No matter how fast that streak of lightning moved, Clark kept pace with the Flash.
After everything they'd been through, Clark considered Charlie a friend.
Spider-Man sensed he'd be killed this time, and Clark was determined to help.
So the Flash had to be sealed!
As for Charlie, Bruce Wayne felt cold sweat bead on his forehead under an invisible pressure.
Though neither moved, Spider-Man's eyes conveyed he could kill him at any moment.
But he was Batman.
Batman wouldn't put himself in danger easily.
Nor would he trust any dangerous person.
Without hesitation, he released his hand under the table and pressed a remote. A micro-bomb shot in from outside.
BOOM!!
Instantly, the window shattered, and flames surged in.
Green mist laced with Kryptonite spread, trying to invade Charlie's lungs.
PUFF!
The next second, Charlie took a deep breath, sucking all the green gas into his body.
"You said you didn't have Kryptonite," Charlie said, staring at him resentfully.
Bruce Wayne trembled. "You didn't ask."
"I asked last time."
As Charlie spoke, golden webbing slithered out from his fingertips, binding Bruce.
This time, Bruce didn't struggle.
He sighed. "Invincible Spider-Man, I really can't escape you."
"So you're convinced."
Charlie snapped his fingers, and Batman was fully encased in golden webbing, sealed.
Next up was the tricky Flash.
Charlie closed his eyes, sensing Clark's presence, then drew a circle to open a portal.
HUMM~
He stepped through, instantly arriving in a desert on the other side of the Earth.
Under Clark's pursuit, the Flash tore through the barren desert, sparks and lightning trailing him, yet he couldn't shake the relentless Superman.
"Sh*t, why are you chasing me?!" he shouted back.
"I need you to willingly be sealed. Just for a month."
In the sky, Clark's speed surged, kicking up endless sandstorms.
Barry's heart sank.
Not only was Superman insanely strong, but his speed was this fast too.
Gritting his teeth, he pushed his full power, tapping into the Speed Force to cross time and escape.
His body crackled with electricity, the Speed Force roaring at full throttle.
ZZZT~
WHOOSH~~
In the desert, the lightning vanished in an instant, followed by a massive quake from a distant hill.
In the rubble, a dizzy Barry Allen crawled out.
"Cough, cough—did I make it?"
He waved away the dust, his gaze landing on Clark hovering above, his face falling.
"Sh*t, I failed. How is this possible?"
He couldn't wrap his head around it.
But soon, he understood.
In the oncoming sandstorm, Spider-Man's figure flickered into view.
Feeling the Speed Force faintly suppressed by a mysterious force around Spider-Man, Barry lowered his head in defeat.
Spider-Man had a power that stopped him from crossing time.
What was it? He had no time to think.
Under a tidal wave of golden webbing, the Flash was successfully sealed by Spider-Man.
Elios' void power was indeed handy.
Charlie looked up at Clark, and they shared a smile.
"Come on!"
Clark landed, smiling. "Just a shame you're only sticking around for a month, my friend."
Charlie formed hand seals, golden webbing blooming across the sky.
"No worries, I'll think of you three thousand times a day."
HUMM~
As the golden webbing sank into Clark, the Man of Steel fell into a deep sleep.
Afterward, Charlie neatly arranged everyone's bodies in the apartment.
Yup, the whole family, nice and tidy.
Wait, two were missing.
Charlie first went to Atlantis, sealing both Arthur and Atlanna.
Last was Cyborg.
This guy was tricky.
Charlie had no experience sealing robots.
After the battle, he simply unplugged Cyborg's "wires."
Yup, much safer this way.
When Doctor Doom returned to Earth after defeating the mature Celestial, he found a room full of specimens.
"What's this?" His gaze was laced with scrutiny.
Had Spider-Man lost it?
Charlie didn't explain much.
He just looked at Doom suspiciously. "I need you to do me a favor."
"What?"
"Get sealed nice and quiet."
"What did you say?"
Doctor Doom grew wary, green magic flickering in his palm. "We're partners. You sure you want to do this to me?"
Charlie explained, "Think about it. If I seal you, you'll survive the month and complete the mission easily."
Doctor Doom: "…"
"Do I look like an idiot to you?"
He snorted. "Sealed, I'd have no way to defend myself. No way I'm letting you do that."
"Fine, then we're done."
Doctor Doom: "???"
Seeing Charlie turn to leave, Doom cursed under his breath.
Neurotic.
Hmph! Even without Spider-Man, I can complete the mission and earn a Resurrection Match slot! I don't need you.
With that, they parted ways.
Over the next week, Cyborg stayed in the apartment, his Mother Box showing no abnormalities.
Oddly, the Mother Boxes in Paradise Island and Atlantis remained undisturbed too.
Those places had no strong guardians now, yet they were safer.
This made Charlie think.
The one stealing the Mother Boxes had to be among the sealed.
Who could it be?
The Flash! Only he could steal the Mother Boxes without a trace.
Stumbling onto the truth, Charlie admired his sealing plan.
But after crossing time, the Flash hadn't reappeared. Why steal the Mother Boxes? Charlie felt he needed to figure this out.
Wait, no need!
He was going to win anyway.
With that, Charlie blindfolded himself with a cloth, threw a dart at a world map, and pulled off the blindfold.
Seeing where the dart landed, he grinned.
"Sanya, nice. Time for a vacation!"
…
Half a month later.
Sunshine, beaches, blue skies, white clouds, and long legs! Charlie lounged on a sun chair, enjoying life.
But whenever a girl got close, he stayed on guard.
Admire from afar, don't play around—that was Spider-Man's integrity!
The invincible Spider-Man would never fall to a woman again.
He'd sworn it.
With everyone around him sealed, he had no weaknesses left.
Simple, brutal.
That's Spider-Man!
"Hey, can I sit here?"
Suddenly, a soft female voice came from behind. Charlie didn't turn. "No, it's taken."
Selina Kyle's smile froze.
"You could at least look at me," she said, swallowing her embarrassment.
Charlie rolled his eyes. "Look at what? What's so great about—whoa~"
Turning, his eyes lit up, stunned by the woman's allure.
Hmm, this feels familiar.
Black Cat Felicia!
Okay, it's Catwoman.
But so what!
Charlie kept a straight face. "Seen it. Now what?"
Selina: "…"
She'd never met such a weird guy.
Hmm, maybe he doesn't like women.
That's what she thought.
Smiling, she said, "Sis, ever heard of Spider-Man?"
Charlie: "…"
What does she take me for?
"Nope."
He turned away. "Three seconds. If you're not gone, I'll make you gone."
Selina didn't take it seriously.
She was here for Spider-Man.
Rumor had it Spider-Man had been here, so she came.
All to steal a precious treasure from him.
Ignoring Charlie's objection, she sat on a nearby chair. "Sis, I know you—"
"Three seconds up."
Charlie cut her off, stood, and grabbed her hand.
Selina: "???"
He's not that? The next moment, with a perfect over-the-shoulder throw, Selina experienced flying through the air.
"No!!"
In broad daylight, Charlie tossed Selina into the sea.
Onlookers gasped, but Charlie looked proud.
"Hmph! I said I wouldn't fall to a woman again. Not even Catwoman can change that!"
He made a peace sign and strutted off the beach.
Leaving his mark, unsung.
PUFF~
But one step out, pain shot through his foot.
Golden blood seeped out. Charlie looked down at the Necrosword piercing his foot, his mouth twitching.
A power targeting Spider-Man surged into him, instantly melting his genetic lock.
Spider-Man's resistance to genetic toxins was nearly 100%.
So this wasn't a toxin—it was the third-stage Leech Totem, mixed with another strange power.
This time, Charlie carefully felt the invading force and finally made a discovery.
The next moment, his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed, foaming at the mouth with a creepy smile.
The sudden change sent onlookers into a frenzy.
Selina, drenched, climbed back onto the beach.
Seeing Charlie's eerie death, she was shocked.
She checked herself and realized the treasure she'd stolen days ago was gone.
The legendary god-slaying weapon, the Necrosword, an ominous blade, a priceless ancient artifact worth billions.
It was her bargaining chip to trade for Spider-Man's treasure.
But now it was gone, and it was all that man's fault! That man… Then she saw the Necrosword beside the body. Selina froze, then guiltily slipped into the crowd.
I didn't mean to kill you.
Well, serves you right!
…
[You have been eliminated and cannot obtain a Resurrection Match slot. Reward: Purification +1.]
[Remaining 179 retries. Would you like to restart?]
Restart!
In Diana's apartment, Charlie sat alone, deep in thought.
He'd sworn he'd never die by a woman's hand again.
And he did it.
He'd stepped on it by accident.
This was no coincidence—it had to be a meticulously planned trap to catch him.
Only one person on Earth had that kind of intellect.
And that was… Batman!