Half-off!
Peter's heart leaped as he caught that keyword. Without a shred of hesitation, he roared in his mind:
"Purchase Random Talisman—One of Three!"
[Purchase Successful!]
[Drawing Talismans...]
The moment the prompt faded, the system interface before Peter's eyes began to shift and warp. Three ancient, octagonal stone phantoms slowly materialized, hovering in the air like three "Gates of Steins; Gate" leading to unknown destinies.
Peter felt as if an invisible hand were squeezing his heart; every beat was as heavy as a war drum. Using his thoughts, he tremblingly "unveiled" the first phantom.
On the face of the stone, a pale green snake totem flickered to life.
[Snake Talisman: The Power of Invisibility. Allows the user to become invisible, along with anyone or anything they are touching.]
Tsk... Peter's eye twitched. A classic "bad start."
Invisibility? In a Marvel world crawling with powerhouses, this ability was a toy among toys. From the Chameleon to Mysterio, plenty of villains had superior stealth tech or magic. Within the context of the Twelve Talismans, this was strictly NPC-tier.
Taking a deep breath to suppress his annoyance, Peter moved his consciousness to flip the second stone. This time, the face revealed two symmetrical, opposing white tiger patterns.
[Tiger Talisman: The Power of Balance. Harmonizes all conflicting powers within the user. Note: If the talisman splits, it will divide the user into their Yin and Yang (Good and Evil) halves.]
Crap!
Peter nearly blacked out. He seriously contemplated finding a rope to play "hanging rain doll" right then and there.
The Tiger Talisman was a "God-tier" support in the late game, but in the early stages? It was useless! Its function was balance. Without other talismans or power systems to regulate, a standalone Tiger Talisman had zero immediate value.
It could help him balance conflicting energies, but it didn't give him any actual energy to work with. With his current "weakling" physique, finding powers worth balancing would be an uphill battle.
Damn it, are my 5,000 points and the first-order discount going to go down the drain? Please, anything but that!
Peter paused before opening the third. His gaze drifted around the swaying bus cabin, trying to find something to steady his nerves.
His eyes eventually landed on Gwen, still leaning against his shoulder. Her brow, previously knitted in pain, had smoothed out slightly. It was as if she drew a sense of peace just by being near him.
Seeing her pale face matted with cold sweat, Peter's frustration miraculously calmed. He remembered the fate of Spider-Gwen from his past life's memories.
The girl in the comics wasn't happy after getting her powers. She lost her best friend (him), lost her father, and bore the crushing weight of "Great Responsibility" alone, licking her wounds in the dark. Her future was one of pain and sacrifice.
As a transmigrator, Peter didn't want the girl beside him to walk that thorn-filled path.
If I can't be the happiest Spider-Man, I'll at least make sure Gwen becomes the happiest Spider-Woman!
Come on! I don't believe a person can stay unlucky forever! Time to go from 'Bronze' to 'Challenger' in one pull!
He "flipped" the third phantom without looking away. A faint purple glow erupted from the center of the screen. Amidst the light, a magnificent, spirited horse-head totem slowly emerged!
[Horse Talisman: The Noble Horse expels all external forces from the body! The Horse Talisman can heal any injury, cure any illness, and dispel any negative external influence or magical curse. It can even repair inanimate objects!]
It's the Horse Talisman!
A whirlwind of complex emotions flooded Peter's mind—a mix of wild joy and slight regret that left him with a twisted, half-laughing, half-crying expression.
The joy was simple: the Horse Talisman's healing was top-tier. Even if it wasn't a "burst" power, it made him functionally immortal.
In the perilous Marvel Universe, the Horse Talisman was basically a "Guardian Angel" armor with infinite stacks. As long as he had a single breath left, it could drag him back from the brink of death.
The regret? It provided zero offensive boost. Compared to the Dragon's combustion, the Rabbit's speed, or the Ox's strength, the Horse was a ultimate support tool.
For a Peter Parker desperate to escape his "Sacrificial Lamb" script, this felt a bit like going north when he wanted to go south...
"Whatever, a God-tier support is still a God," he rationalized. "Getting one of the most powerful talismans for only 5,000 points is insane luck anyway!"
He made his choice instantly. The Snake's ceiling was too low, and the Tiger was currently a dud. The Horse was the optimal solution.
And... he looked down at Gwen.
As the genetic restructuring progressed, her cheeks took on an abnormal flush. Her breath was hot, and fine beads of sweat dotted her forehead.
She was in immense pain. This process was unpredictable; in some versions of the lore, Peter turned into a Man-Spider monster due to a failed mutation.
No one could guarantee Gwen would cross this threshold safely.
But now, with the Horse Talisman, that worry was gone.
[Congratulations! Host has obtained the 'Horse Talisman'!]
The moment the prompt rang, Peter felt a connection so deep it surpassed even the original demon, Shendu. He had absolute mastery. The power fused directly into his soul; he didn't even need a physical stone.
Testing the power, Peter reached out and pressed his palm against Gwen's forehead.
"Don't be afraid, Gwen," he whispered into her ear, his voice barely audible. "I've got you."
The next second, a soft, hazy white light pulsed from his palm, flowing into Gwen's body. Under the influence of the Horse Talisman, the pain vanished from her face. She let out a soft sigh and fell into a deep, peaceful sleep against his shoulder.
The bus eventually hissed to a stop in front of Peter's house. Peter hesitated, then decided to carry Gwen home so she could rest properly. He wanted to go for a romantic "princess carry," but he had vastly underestimated how frail his current body was.
Gwen barely weighed a hundred pounds, but after carrying her for less than ten meters, he was already gasping for air, his lungs burning.
Defeated, he shifted her onto his back instead. Her soft body pressed against him, but Peter felt no spark of romance—only a growing, burning sense of irritation.
Damn it, I can't stand this weakling body for another second!