Beneath the antenna tower, Charlie's "bug" body jolted, the magical webbing binding him faintly glowing.
He didn't break free.
Sorcerer Spider-Man's magical webbing was tougher than standard Spider-Man webs. Surprised, Charlie unleashed a high-heat web beam, melting the magical strands.
Scanning the area, he saw countless Spider-Men swinging between skyscrapers, all heading toward Central Hospital.
The streets echoed with citizens' gasps.
"Good lord! So many Spider-Men!"
"What's going on?"
"Did Peter Parker split or something?"
Due to the Sokovia Accords, this world's Peter Parker had revealed his identity, making him a target for enemies, one reason Aunt May got shot.
These Spider-Men were also Peter Parkers.
"Peter!"
A male classmate waved from the street, catching the attention of several nearby Spider-Men.
"You calling me?"
"Oh, I'm Peter Parker, you're Peter Parker, so he's probably Peter Parker too."
"Nope, I'm Ben Parker."
"Uncle Ben—"
"Shut it! Don't blow my cover. Let them think I'm Peter Parker."
"Sneaky Uncle Ben."
As more Spider-Men appeared, the scene grew chaotic.
But their goal was unified.
Find Aunt May. Save Aunt May.
"Buzz~"
A magical spark circle appeared in the sky, a red-and-blue figure plummeting onto a skyscraper's glass wall, wrapped in magical webbing.
"Sizzle~"
"Snap"
Charlie's feet sparked against the wall, slicing the magical webbing with a crimson beam.
He stood on the wall as if on flat ground, pale blue light flickering in his eyes.
He'd tried opening another portal, but it failed.
"Buzz~"
Drawing a circle, the red-and-blue portal was blocked by a magical web.
"What kind of magic is this?"
Charlie reached to tear the web, but his hand passed through it, unable to grasp it.
"Hm?"
He stepped into the portal, only to be repelled by a force.
The force wasn't strong; with a bit of effort, he pushed through.
"Crack~"
The moment he entered, the magical sparks collapsed, and Charlie couldn't teleport to Central Hospital.
His face darkened.
Both magical Spider-Men, but Sorcerer Spider-Man knew far more spells.
Was his magic also from a spider totem?
It felt too targeted.
With a thought, Charlie looked toward Central Hospital, summoning an arc spider.
"Sizzle~"
Arcs enveloped him, and he vanished from the skyscraper.
Above the streets, an arc streaked through, kicking up wind, lifting skirts, and sparking screams.
"Beep beep~"
A car alarm blared as a flamboyantly muscled red-and-blue figure lifted a car.
"Stop Charlie Parker, or we've got no shot at winning," Muscle Spider-Man shouted, hurling the car at Charlie.
"Sizzle"
The arc faded. Charlie caught the car single-handedly, setting it down, then zipped past Muscle Spider-Man as an arc, ignoring him.
Moving at high speed, the world blurred into neon colors.
His bad feeling intensified.
These Spider-Men were likely first-time Resurrection Match participants.
But Muscle Spider's words suggested they'd heard of Charlie's exploits.
If more knew, the consequences would be dire.
Sure enough, his fears materialized.
"Swish swish swish~"
Webs rained from above as nearby Spider-Men reacted instantly upon spotting the arc.
"Stop him! It's Charlie Parker!"
"Don't let him get ahead!"
Dense webs sealed the space around Charlie.
"Sizzle~"
A crimson beam flashed, and the arc broke free, soaring upward.
"Stop him!!"
Mid-air, red-and-blue figures glided down on web-wings, webs flooding again.
"Get lost!"
Charlie roared, his crimson beam slicing the sky, melting the webs, red-and-blue magic energy exploding.
"Boom!!"
The blast sent Spider-Men tumbling onto nearby streets.
"Don't let him through! Everyone, together!!"
For some reason, Sorcerer Spider-Man, who'd left via portal, reappeared.
His red cape fluttered as he hovered, hands weaving a spell, conjuring an infinitely large magical web.
"Buzz~"
The web descended, Spider-Men swinging up to grab its edges, trapping Charlie inside.
"Damn it, this is way too targeted!!"
Charlie cursed, ready to fire a web beam.
But his spider-sense blared.
"What?"
Startled, he felt his wrists locked by a force.
"Got him!!"
Two voices rang out as two barely visible figures gripped his wrists.
Invisibility Spider-Men?
Two of them?
Charlie's pale blue eyes flared, immense strength erupting, flinging the invisible Spider-Men away.
As he prepared to break free, the clear sky darkened, thunder rolling.
"Sizzle~"
"Rumble!!"
Lightning struck Charlie, high-voltage current briefly paralyzing him.
"Hm?"
Amid white smoke, Charlie looked up to see a red-and-blue figure wielding Mjolnir diving down.
"No way?"
Charlie's triangular eyes widened as he was engulfed by Mjolnir's violent current.
"Rumble!!!"
Buildings shook, debris flew, and nearby Spider-Men swung to evacuate bystanders.
"Crack crack crack"
In a street crater, dust cleared, revealing Thor Spider-Man in a standard superhero kneel, arcs crackling, exuding power.
"Wow, it's Thor!"
"No, it's Peter Parker, inheriting Thor's power."
"So badass!"
The Spider-Men marveled.
Under their gaze, Thor Spider-Man stood, raising Mjolnir, full of vigor.
"Bring on the Brazilian babes!!"
But the Spider-Men shouted.
"Watch out!"
"What?"
Before Thor Spider-Man could react, a hand landed on his shoulder.
"Hey, you've got Thor's power, but your spider-sense seems off."
"You—"
Thor Spider-Man turned, shocked, facing Charlie.
Before he could act, another voice came from behind.
"Behind you!"
"Crack!"
A heavy blow to his leg forced him to kneel.
"Damn it!"
Thor Spider-Man glared at Charlie, raising Mjolnir, only for Charlie to land a left hook.
"Pfft~"
Spit flew under the force.
He tried to counter, but another Charlie leaped from behind, smacking his head.
"No~"
"Boom!!"
"Bang bang bang"
Under the clones' double-team, Thor Spider-Man fled, clutching his head.
"Magic clones!!"
High above, Sorcerer Spider-Man, watching the battlefield, sounded shocked.
"Buzz~"
He opened a portal.
The other side was empty, leaving him uneasy.
"Where is he?"
He sensed Charlie but couldn't see him.
Was he invisible?
No, not invisible!
There!
Sorcerer Spider-Man's eyes flashed, the portal's view zooming in.
In a rubble crevice, a red-and-blue figure was carried by an ant army into a ground fissure.
"Crack crack crack"
In the micro-world, Ant-Man Spider-Man commanded the ants, battering Charlie.
"Boom!!"
"Bang bang bang"
Magic light erupted, a crimson beam sweeping, slicing "giant" ants.
"Buzz~"
"Rumble!!!"
Charlie enlarged, stomping Ant-Man Spider-Man flat.
"Peter Parkers, the mission is to save Aunt May, not waste time here!" Charlie shouted.
But the Spider-Men exchanged glances, surrounding him.
"Charlie Parker, as long as you're here, we can't win," Sorcerer Spider-Man floated down, pointing.
"Sorry, we have to take out the undefeated champ for fairness."
"Exactly."
The Spider-Men's eyes were resolute.
"You can't keep winning."
"We need Aunt May too."
"Eliminating the biggest wildcard ensures fairness."
"Without you, we've got no shot."
"If you're gone, we have a chance."
"You've won enough!!"
Charlie's heart sank repeatedly.
"How do you know?" he asked.
Sorcerer Spider-Man wove a magical web, "We won't tell you. Every word lowers our odds.
Together, for Aunt May!!"
"Charge!"
Red-and-blue figures swung up as Charlie tapped his wrist device.
"You're right, for Aunt May!"
"Buzz~"
"Boom!!"
Charlie enlarged into a kilometer-tall giant, crushing red-and-blue figures underfoot.
"Rumble!!!"
"Argh~"
"I'm gonna die…"
Amid screams, the giant's foot sank into the street, bursting pipes, water geysers erupting.
"Whoosh~"
Torrential rain fell. Sorcerer Spider-Man wove through, casting endless magical webs to bind the spider giant.
"Creak creak~"
Charlie waved, winds howling, snapping the tight magical webs.
"Buzz~"
Before he could break free, light flickered, and giant ants swarmed him.
Behind them, a hundred-meter spider giant controlled the ants, giving Charlie no respite.
"Sorry, Aunt May's all I have left."
Ant-Man Spider-Man shouted, riding a giant flying ant, charging Charlie.
"Boom!!"
The ant collided. Charlie swatted ants while his other hand prepared a crimson beam, only for fearless ants to clog his wrist glands.
"Boom!"
The crimson heat exploded, Charlie stumbling, then shrinking in a flash.
Enlarging boosted strength but had clear drawbacks.
Against magical foes, raw power wasn't enough.
Shrunk to normal, Charlie swung through the giant ants, dodging their bites.
"Buzz~"
Hands weaving, a massive spider totem enveloped the area.
Summon!
Spider-Man!
A city phantom appeared, a red, graceful figure materializing.
"What?"
Sorcerer Spider-Man's face changed, casting spider magic to stop the strange summon.
"Buzz~"
Another spider totem spread under him, a near-solid figure flickering.
As the city phantom nearly collapsed, the red shadow rushed Charlie.
She reached out, and Charlie grabbed her hand.
In that moment, the web of fate linked them.
They saw each other clearly.
"Charlie?"
"Mary Jane?"
The familiar face close, Charlie paused, pulling her from the phantom.
Finally, Mary Jane in a red suit solidified, throwing herself onto Charlie's shoulder.
"I knew you'd come," she whispered.
Charlie's face darkened, "Look where we are."
"This is—"
Mary Jane saw the giant ants, paling.
"Ah! Giant ants, I'm scared!" She clung to Charlie like an octopus.
Charlie's eye twitched, "Keep this up, and I'll send you back."
"No way."
Mary Jane jumped off, serious.
"Relax, I'm not the old—"
Mid-sentence, a giant ant lunged, forcing them apart.
"Not the old Mary Jane."
Her red suit glowed eerily, spreading across the battlefield.
"Crack crack~"
Where the red aura passed, giant ants stopped, collapsing into deep sleep.
"It's her!"
Charlie shook his head, familiar drowsiness hitting.
He stumbled, about to pass out, seeing Mary Jane equally sleepy, his heart sinking.
Good news: Mary Jane gained dream-control powers.
Bad news: She hadn't mastered them.
If he fell asleep, other Spider-Men would pounce.
So, he'd die by a woman's hand again.