On the sea's surface, a blue wormhole flickered open. The moment Loki appeared, a tiny bug enlarged in a flash of light.
Before Loki could react, Charlie's hand struck the back of his neck.
Ugh~
Loki's eyes rolled back, and he collapsed into the sea.
Charlie clutched the blue Space Stone, pondering briefly before channeling its energy to attempt a magical teleport.
Buzz~
A blue wormhole bloomed slowly. Charlie nodded.
So, controlling the Space Stone required spatial magic.
Loki, a sorcerer, must have studied it, even if he wasn't proficient. Otherwise, S.H.I.E.L.D. wouldn't have spent so long treating the Space Stone like a supercharged battery.
Charlie reached into the wormhole, fishing Loki out of the sea.
On a spatial web, Charlie slapped Loki's face.
Slap!
The crisp sound and stinging pain snapped Loki out of his feigned unconsciousness.
"Damn bug, you—"
He opened his eyes, only to receive another slap.
Slap!
"Bug, the consequences of angering a god—"
Slap!
"Wait, hold on—"
Slap, slap!
"Jerk, why two this time?"
Slap, slap, slap!
"Don't hit my face!"
Slap, slap, slap, slap…
Soon, Loki sat on the web, clutching his swollen cheeks, tears in his eyes, his earlier anger gone.
"Fine! What do you want me to do?"
He shrank back, wary, fearing his words might trigger another slap.
Charlie lowered his raised hand, flashing a kind smile.
"Relax, I'm a benevolent Spider-Man. No bug's got more heart than me. You should feel lucky."
Loki's cheeks throbbed, reminding him this guy was a cunning bug.
"I know," he forced a smile.
Satisfied, Charlie asked, "Where did Thanos get the Infinity Gauntlet?"
"How did you—"
Loki started, but seeing Charlie raise his hand again, he dropped his doubts and answered honestly.
"Picked it up on the road."
"Picked it up?" Charlie's expression turned odd. "Where?"
"A warehouse—technically, a storage room," Loki replied.
Charlie: "…"
"When?" he pressed.
"Not long after you Spider-Men showed up," Loki continued. "The gauntlet burst out of the warehouse, took out some guards, got defeated by Thanos, and submitted to him. Then he sent me to Earth to deal with you… great superhero Spider-Men."
Charlie understood.
As expected, it was a Spider-Man.
Whether it was gauntlet-shaped needed confirmation.
But this thing, sticking with Thanos, likely aimed to use him to "save" Aunt May for a resurrection slot.
That complicated things.
Good thing Charlie had one Infinity Stone. Two more, and he'd match Thanos.
He tossed Loki into a wormhole and vanished.
He wasn't rushing to find Supreme Peter, who could protect Aunt May for now.
Buzz~
Charlie emerged in a primal forest.
A dimly lit cabin stood nearby, next to a stone grave.
Before the tombstone, a red figure knelt, muttering.
"Soon, I'll avenge you. This world isn't worth saving. They all deserve to die."
Vision's eyes burned with hatred.
Sensing something, he spun, his forehead's golden stone unleashing a laser.
Zzzzt~
Crimson web-beams clashed with the golden laser, releasing terrifying heat.
As the beams locked, Vision stood, glaring at the web-slinging Spider-Man, his anger flaring.
"Peter, why didn't you save Wanda? You deserve to die!"
Roaring, Vision's golden beam surged, overpowering the web-beam.
Charlie stayed calm.
"You've got one head. I've got two hands."
His other hand fired a second web-beam, slicing past the laser to hit Vision's chest.
Zzzzt~
Boom!
The crimson beam sent Vision crashing through trees, smashing into the cabin in a blaze of fire.
"Damn you!"
Furious, Vision soared up, his vibranium body glowing red. The web-beam's heat didn't melt him but turned him into a scalding shrimp, charging Charlie.
"Whoa, spicy!" Charlie drew a circle, a blue wormhole swallowing the charging figure.
A distant mountain shook as Vision crashed into it, his Mind Stone flickering wildly.
The Mind Stone hacked nearby military bases, sending missiles skyward toward Charlie.
Charlie leaped into a wormhole, arriving at the missiles' path, redirecting them to Vision via portals.
Rumble!
Explosions rocked the mountain. Vision darted through the fire, locking onto Charlie.
"Useless."
A sigh came from behind. Vision startled.
Before he could react, a powerful fist slammed his neck.
Clang!
Boom!
Vision plummeted like a cannonball, kicking up dust.
A blue wormhole opened. Charlie dragged the twitching Vision to Wanda's grave.
Crack~
Tossing him down, Charlie eyed the sparking Vision and stomped his chest.
Under immense force, Vision's vibranium body couldn't resist.
"You… you're not Peter. Who are you?" Vision's eyes widened in disbelief.
Charlie clapped his hands. "Just a passing Spider-Man. No need to remember me."
He reached for Vision's forehead.
Crack!
His fingers crushed the metal, prying out the Mind Stone.
"You—"
Losing the stone, Vision's gaze dulled, his body fading.
"I'm borrowing this. We'll talk next time," Charlie said, pushing Vision's stiff face.
Thud!
Vision collapsed by Wanda's grave. Charlie sighed.
"A family should stay together. Truly, no Spider-Man's got more heart than me."
Loki, bound in webbing, watched, scalp tingling with dread.
With two Infinity Stones, Charlie opened a wormhole, bringing Loki to Kamar-Taj.
"Who's there?"
"Spider-Man!"
Charlie slapped away a mage, eyeing the magical library.
"Is the Sorcerer Supreme here?"
As he spoke, nano-metal on his hand wriggled, securing the two stones.
Yup, he had his own Infinity Gauntlet.
Mages rushed into the courtyard, on guard.
From the library, a red cloak billowed. Strange flew out.
"Peter, you… you're not Peter."
Strange stared at the two stones on Charlie's hand, wary.
"You're after the Time Stone?"
"Yup, just borrowing it," Charlie shrugged. "I'll give you time to check the future with it. If you refuse, you know what I'll do."
If this world's Ancient One hadn't retired, she'd be reasonable.
But Strange? His brain worked differently.
The mages bristled with anger.
Strange pondered, then, as Charlie predicted, sat cross-legged in midair, hands weaving signs. The Eye of Agamotto floated, its Time Stone glowing green.
Soon, Strange opened his eyes, expression complex.
"Sorry, I can't give it to you. You're doomed to fail."
"Hm?" Charlie frowned. "What's the chance of winning?"
Strange raised one finger.
"One in eighty-nine."
Charlie: "…"
He grinned. "Pretty good odds. I'm relieved."
Strange: "…"
He didn't get it.
"Hand over the Time Stone. I'll return it next time."
Charlie flashed to Strange with the Space Stone.
"No next time," Strange said, soaring, summoning purple chains.
Clank~
Chains erupted, blocking Charlie's paths.
Buzz~
Charlie teleported, and the chains chased him.
Strange wove signs, locking onto Charlie's aura.
Another Charlie appeared behind him.
"Sorcerer Supreme, watch out."
Boom!
Strange's body shattered.
"Clone?" Charlie raised an eyebrow, chuckling.
"Shouldn't have given you time to peek at the future."
Knowing the future, Strange anticipated Charlie's moves.
But even prepared, Strange had no confidence in keeping the Time Stone.
The future was set. The Time Stone would be taken.
He could only try.
Buzz~
Strange's clones filled the sky, casting golden ropes to bind Charlie.
The ropes tore his body. Strange's face fell.
"Impossible, that wasn't a clone—"
"You're right, I'm not a clone either."
A flash, and the Eye of Agamotto was snatched.
Strange summoned a golden blade.
The Sword of Vishanti!
Buzz~
The blade, said to cut anything, slashed the void, shattering clones.
Seeing the Eye thrown into the night, Strange opened a dimensional portal, swallowing it.
Catching it, he sighed in relief.
Safe for now.
Wait.
He opened the Eye. The Time Stone was gone.
"This…"
Strange sighed deeply. "Couldn't keep it."
"Yup, so teach me how to use time—never mind, I got it."
Behind him, Charlie embedded the green stone in his nano-metal.
Green and golden lights merged, blue light accenting the metal, sparking a wondrous change.
With the Mind Stone's aid, Charlie easily tapped the Space and Time Stones' rules, bypassing external tools.
An odd sensation.
Seeing Charlie glow with stone power, Strange shook his head.
"You'll fail."
Charlie opened his eyes, smiling. "Failure's the mother of success. A few tries will do."
Strange misunderstood, explaining, "Besides the Reality Stone, the Time Stone can't affect other Infinity Stones. You can't rewind time unless your foe gives up their stones."
That's why his Time Stone barely affected Charlie.
Without other stones, Strange could've rewound time to win.
Charlie mused. So that's why Strange was sidelined in Infinity War and Endgame?
Glancing at Loki, he said to Strange, "Watch this guy. If I return, I'll bring alien souvenirs."
Charlie vanished into a wormhole.
...
Barren planet.
Smoke blanketed the surface, endless Chitauri soldiers drilling.
Some trained giant ape mounts.
Others tested stolen high-tech weapons.
Some brawled, unleashing savagery.
A strange scream drew their gazes.
On a desolate hill, a red-and-blue figure crushed a Chitauri's throat mid-relief.
Tossing the body, Charlie faced the feral Chitauri army, raising a universal gesture.
The Chitauri roared.
From the crowd, Cull Obsidian emerged, dragging a giant axe.
"Earth bug, you're here. Lord Thanos knew Loki would fail. Now, I'll rip you apart and drag your corpse to him for repentance!"
Roaring, Cull charged, axe raised.
Charlie waited calmly.
One second.
Two.
Fifteen.
Thirty.
Cull shouted, "It's a bit far. Give me a moment—"
A fist burst from a wormhole, smashing Cull's face.
Pfft~~
Cull spewed bile, spinning midair before crashing into the Chitauri, crushing many.
Before he recovered, Proxima Midnight and Corvus Glaive charged.
"Kill!"
Buzz~
A wormhole swallowed them, teleporting them to an unknown planet.
On the hillside, Charlie clapped. "No challenge. So, great Lord Thanos, show yourself."
The hill trembled, turning into a fiery meteor in red particles, exploding.
Rumble!
Like a nuke, flames merged with smoke, forming a mushroom cloud.
Green light flared, a radiant wheel spinning counterclockwise. The cloud shrank, reverting to a meteor, then a plain hill.
On it, Charlie raised his hand, the Time Stone glowing.
The Time Stone couldn't affect other stones but could counter the Reality Stone.
Time beat reality.
Not bad.
As things reset, a purple flash erupted from the ship.
It struck the hill, dust flying.
A tall purple figure emerged.
"Bug, you shouldn't have come alone," Thanos said, eyes narrowing.
Charlie mused, "Fair point. I'll bring more next time."
He raised his right hand, the stones on it glowing.
Thanos raised his gauntlet, its stones unleashing their power.
Rumble!
The hill collapsed under red particles, rising in defiance of physics, a reverse meteor shower.
Under it, green light froze the stones midair.
Crack, crack~
Two figures leaped across the floating debris, colliding.
Boom!
Purple energy shook the sky. Blue wormholes swallowed attacks. Figures clashed, the Power Stone shattering debris, wormholes dodging purple fists, hurling boulders to the ground.
Rumble~~
Boulders turned to dust under purple fists. Shrapnel pierced Chitauri, killing them.
Thanos didn't care, swinging relentlessly, destroying everything.
Under his pressure, Charlie teleported with the Space Stone, dodging Power Stone blasts while the Time Stone boosted him.
Buzz~
Green light enveloped his nano-suit, speeding him up.
And turning him green.
Buzz~
Bang, bang, bang!
Green light flashed, throwing 999 punches in a second.
Despite Charlie's full strength, Thanos, empowered by the Power Stone, was untouchable. A planet's explosion wouldn't faze him.
Sparks flew off Thanos as green light struck.
Unfazed, his gauntlet's orange light flared, freezing the green.
Charlie felt his soul being pulled.
The stones on his nano-metal glowed, stopping the Soul Stone's pull.
Before his soul returned, Thanos charged, aiming to crush him.
Charlie's soul hovered, arms crossed, unconcerned.
As expected, Thanos' punch missed. Charlie's body, agile as a spider, flipped onto Thanos' back, dodging every attack with uncanny foresight.
Thanos' massive frame was the safest hideout.
Boom!
"Damn bug, get down!" Thanos roared, fists flailing, obliterating everything in purple energy.
The ground cracked, swallowing Chitauri. Purple flames rose.
If Thanos kept attacking, the Power Stone would destroy the planet.
"Lord Thanos, save us!"
"Stop fighting!"
Amid Chitauri pleas, Ebony Maw flew in.
"Lord Thanos, calm down!"
"Get lost!" Thanos roared, a shockwave blasting Maw away.
But Maw's words had effect.
Thanos' red eyes cooled, his Reality Stone glowing.
Buzz~
Everything petrified, including the Spider-Man on his head.
Charlie didn't linger. His soul returned, and he leaped into a wormhole, his stones dimming.
Under the Mind Stone, Thanos grew erratic.
But with three stones, the Mind Stone couldn't fully unhinge him.
Charlie had three stones too, but his were supportive, unlike Thanos'.
Neither could overpower the other.
Charlie recalled Strange's prophecy.
He couldn't win.
So, just stall?
No!
Weird webbing spread on his nano-metal, rapidly climbing.
"Damn it, forgot that guy!"
Charlie shook his arm, using the stones to repel the webbing.
Too late. As it touched the stones, Charlie lost their connection.
"No way?"
He stopped struggling, watching the Space Stone open a wormhole, splitting his body.
As his consciousness faded, he heard, "Sorry, Peter, I have to win."
Charlie: "…"
I want to win too.
[You've been eliminated. No resurrection slot gained. Reward: High-heat web-ball +199°C.]
[77 retries remaining. Restart?]
...
Fourteenth Resurrection Match.
Atop the Empire State Building, Charlie lounged on a web hammock, coldly watching red-and-blue figures swing toward the hospital.
He didn't try soloing Thanos again.
That "Spider-Man" with Thanos was too weird. Charlie hadn't noticed it approaching.
With it around, he couldn't beat Thanos.
But it confirmed the thing wasn't the gauntlet—it was a Spider-Man variant inside it.
Like a symbiote, but not quite. It could inhabit objects and had strange powers.
Neither comics nor movies had such a variant.
Ridiculous!
Alone, Charlie couldn't win. But with all Spider-Men, that thing couldn't target him specifically.
If it was busy with others, Charlie could steal Thanos' stones.
That's the plan!
Decided, Charlie leaped off the building.
He breezed through the plot, sparing the Spider-Men to keep their strength.
He stole the Space Stone from Loki, the Mind Stone from Vision, and the Time Stone from Strange.
Then he found Supreme Peter.
"Team up?"
After Charlie's explanation and Loki's coerced confession, Supreme Peter pondered.
Using the Space Stone, Charlie brought Thor-Peter, repeating the story.
"That jerk's behind it!" Thor-Peter snorted, still wary of Charlie.
"You've got three Infinity Stones. If we help you beat Thanos, we still won't win."
"Of course," Charlie said, showing the glowing stones. "We each take one. With your strength, after Thanos, it's a fair fight."
Supreme Peter and Thor-Peter exchanged glances, tempted.
With a stone, they'd be top contenders, far above other Spider-Men.
Though Charlie was stronger, they were confident in wielding the stones better.
If Charlie agreed.
"I want the Space Stone."
"I want the Time Stone."
They stared, fearing he'd back out.
Leaving the "weak" Mind Stone was their tacit plan.
Vision, with the Mind Stone, was weak, so it seemed less powerful.
This weakened Charlie indirectly.
Charlie smiled, agreeing readily.
"Deal."
He tossed them the stones.
Holding them, they felt their immense power, stunned Charlie gave them up so easily.
They sensed a trap but had no proof.
With Spider-Man confidence, they planned.
Even if it was a trick, together with two stones, they'd win.
After Thanos, their equal strength gave them a shot at the Resurrection Match.
That was their plan.
Charlie saw through them but didn't care.
Dirty plays? No one outdid him.
The trio formed.
Next: recruit other Spider-Men to battle Thanos!
They split up. Charlie found Lizard-Parker first.
Professionals handled professional tasks.
No team skills meant working himself to death.
"Leave it to me," Lizard-Parker said.
With Charlie's portals, he found and persuaded the Spider-Men easily.
Charlie noticed Lizard-Parker's trick: emotions.
Stir their feelings, and it was done.
As dawn broke, less than ten hours remained.
Supreme Peter and Thor-Peter recruited more Spider-Men.
Venom-Parker hesitated but was swayed by his darker side.
"Charlie Parker's scheming, but if I'm worse, I've got a shot!"
He planned to be sneaky.
Many thought the same.
Sadly, the worst a Spider-Man got was threatening a boss for a raise, buying discount suits, or panicking at an ex in a bar.
For badness, Charlie was king!
Because—
"You killed Vision?" Tony, leading the Avengers, arrived at the rooftop Spider-Man gathering.
Their eyes on Charlie were complex.
Anger, grief, and a fleeting relief.
Wanda's death drove Vision mad, killing Steve and Bucky.
They couldn't forgive Vision or themselves.
It stemmed from the Civil War.
Former allies clashed, too impulsive.
If they could redo it, they'd choose less reckless ways.
Too late for regrets.
They carried the bloody lesson forward.
"You're here," Charlie said, dodging Tony's question.
With six stones, resurrecting a few was easy.
Keeping mad Vision from disrupting his plan was key.
Tony's group eyed Charlie, then Lizard-Parker.
"Thanks for telling us Earth's greatest enemy," Tony said, breathing deeply. "We want to meet this guy."
"Of course, welcome," Lizard-Parker said, shaking Tony's hand, then turning to Supreme Peter.
"Ready. Let's do this."
"Got it."
Supreme Peter touched Loki's forehead.
Only Loki knew Thanos' location, so he tapped Loki's subconscious to open a wormhole.
Buzz~
As the blue portal opened, Spider-Men surged in.
Time to let Thanos taste Charlie's "fun."