"You're here to die—why am I even saying this?"
In the vibrant, kaleidoscopic expanse of the Dark Dimension, Dormammu's twin purple pupils narrowed as he spotted the green gem on Charlie's chest.
He vividly recalled a certain infuriating mage who'd used that gem's power to toy with him over a thousand times. An unkillable sorcerer, an inescapable time loop, endless repetition—again and again.
That feeling drove him to despair.
He swore never to endure such torment again.
Quickly, he shifted his tone.
"Ahem… lucky kid, you've successfully entered my dimension and found me. As a reward, I'll grant your wish."
Hearing this, Charlie, who'd been a bit nervous, cracked a smile.
It worked.
Such a cooperative attitude—Dormammu must be terrified of complaints!
Charlie surveyed the infinite, colorful cosmos, where countless planets floated and spun, shrouded in darkness. An oppressive, suffocating force permeated the space.
Here, Dormammu was the supreme god, ruling all!
With a single thought, everything in the Dark Dimension bent to his will.
He could crush Charlie in three seconds flat.
Yet, even a being as mighty as Dormammu had fears.
Not just gods stronger than him—though there were a few.
But also endless, maddening trouble that could drive one to insanity, instilling lifelong trauma.
He had Doctor Strange to thank for that.
Noticing Dormammu's eagerness to get rid of the "bug," Charlie's grin widened.
"Thanks to the great Dark Lord for agreeing to my terms. You're a real stand-up guy!"
Dormammu urged, "Hurry up and state your wish."
"Alright, my wish is… three more wishes."
"You—"
The green gem on Charlie's chest glowed, and Dormammu suppressed his rage.
The entire dimension trembled faintly.
In the darkness Charlie couldn't see, planets vanished in Dormammu's fury.
"Wow, fireworks!" Charlie squinted at the sparkling bursts in the distant void.
Dormammu gritted his teeth. "Fine, three wishes. Hurry up."
Charlie smirked. "Kidding. I only have one wish."
Dormammu: "…"
"Bug, don't push me!!"
"You don't get humor."
"Enough nonsense. State your wish."
"Release Aunt May's soul."
"I've got no interest in human souls. You've got the wrong demon."
"Mephisto said her soul's with you."
"Mephisto…"
At the name, fury flashed in Dormammu's purple eyes.
"RUMBLE!!"
With Dormammu at the center, nearby planets cracked and shattered, the dimension turning red in an instant.
"Damn Mephisto, setting me up!!"
His roar echoed as planetary explosions spread rapidly.
In a moment of carelessness, Charlie's form was engulfed by the fiery blast.
"No!!"
Realizing this, Dormammu tried to stop it, but it was too late.
The time loop began!!
Terror filled his eyes.
…
Twentieth Resurrection Match.
Atop the Empire State Building, beneath the spire, Charlie sat cross-legged, propping his chin with both hands, overlooking the bustling city with a look of exasperation.
In the cinematic universe, Doctor Strange used the Time Stone to trap Dormammu in a time loop, negotiating until the annoyed Dark Lord caved.
But Charlie was different.
Though he had the Time Stone, he couldn't activate a time loop.
Once the Time Stone left its native universe, it was just a shiny glass rock.
Before entering the Dark Dimension, he'd asked this world's Stephen.
To start a time loop, he'd need the Eye of Agamotto, a Kamar-Taj artifact infused with Vishanti power. That power maximized the Time Stone's potential, simulating its rules even in the Dark Dimension, allowing Strange to wield it.
Problem was, this world's Eye of Agamotto had been used once already.
Its Vishanti power was depleted, and it'd take years to recharge.
Without Vishanti power, no time loop.
Meaning, when Thanos invaded Earth, Stephen couldn't use a time loop to stop him either.
So, Charlie bet on Dormammu's trauma from the Time Stone.
And he was right.
Dormammu, unwilling to be manipulated again, agreed to his terms.
But Charlie overlooked Mephisto, that old schemer.
The demon had planned it all.
Once Charlie entered the Dark Dimension, even if Dormammu didn't kill him, leaking certain info would enrage the Dark Lord, ensuring Charlie's misery.
Mephisto's cunning was beyond Charlie's expectations.
No matter. Without a time loop, he had the retry loop.
Soon, after snatching the Time Stone from Stephen, he re-entered the Dark Dimension.
At the entrance, Stephen shot him a resentful look. "You hit me, then ask for help? Shameless."
In the Dark Dimension, Charlie raised the Time Stone before the colossal demonic face.
"Dormammu, I've come to bargain."
Dormammu: "…"
Under the Time Stone's threat, he relented.
"State your wish."
"I want three—no, I want Aunt May's soul."
"She's not here," Dormammu lied.
Charlie shrugged. "Mephisto said her soul's with you."
"Mephisto!!"
Before Dormammu could rage, Charlie cut in, "Control your temper. If I die, you're stuck in a time loop!"
Dormammu instinctively reined in his power.
Charlie smiled faintly. "Looks like Mephisto played us both." He began redirecting the hate.
Dormammu's eyes darkened. "Yes. Mephisto gifted me nine human souls. With them, I could invade their universes through their soul signatures."
"His real goal was to use me to piss you off."
Charlie fanned the flames. "You two must have history."
"He's got beef with plenty of demons."
Calming his anger, Dormammu said, "I'll give you the nine human souls."
"Thanks, great Dark Lord." Charlie's smile grew. "Mephisto's gonna be so disappointed."
"He was sure I'd kill you on sight."
Dormammu paused, then added, "He wants you dead for a reason."
He scrutinized Charlie, sensing mysterious magic within him. His planetary pupils flickered. "A new dimensional god, or something older?"
His curiosity stirred, but Mephisto's actions made him cautious.
If Charlie was backed by a new dimensional god, Mephisto wouldn't send him here. He'd use the "bug" to find and devour the god for power.
New dimensional gods were weak—prime targets for demons.
Since Mephisto didn't, there was one possibility.
He wanted Dormammu to kill Charlie, drawing out a scarier entity.
What a sly bastard.
Cursing Mephisto, Dormammu was glad he hadn't acted rashly.
Nine glimmers shot from his mouth. "Here are their souls."
Charlie eyed the nine "forms" of Aunt May, his gaze landing on one without a spider-suit.
He frowned.
The count was off. There should be ten Aunt Mays.
Nine from the contestants, plus the mission world's Aunt May.
If Dormammu wasn't lying, one Aunt May hadn't been found by Mephisto.
Or she had no soul!
Suddenly, Charlie thought of the creepy webbing in the Infinity Gauntlet.
Could it be her?
Thinking of that figure, he glanced at the Time Stone.
The creepy webbing could briefly mimic Infinity Stone power. If she helped, he could recreate Strange's iconic Dormammu negotiation.
That might be the key to winning the Resurrection Match.
But the match missed something.
Humans fear. Demons do too.
Thanks, Doctor Strange, for the gift.
With Aunt May's souls, Charlie left the Dark Dimension.
Time for infinite retries to farm rewards!
…
Cosmic Web.
[You have successfully won this Resurrection Match!]
[Reward: Resurrection Slot x1]
[Bonus Reward 1: Aunt May's Smile – Severs the connection between the Web of Fate and "Aunt May," permanently ending her destined death (Effective Immediately)]
[Achievement Unlocked: Thanos Terminator!]
[Thanos Terminator: Defeated Thanos over 50 times. Gain Eternal Titan Physique, +50% damage to Thanos, -50% damage from Thanos.]
[Achievement Unlocked: Spider-Man Nemesis!]
[Spider-Man Nemesis: Defeated Spider-Man over 200 times. +200% damage to Spider-Men, -50% damage from Spider-Men.]
[Achievement Unlocked: Negotiation Expert!]
[Negotiation Expert: +50% success rate in future negotiations with Dormammu.]
[Remaining Retries: 10 (Can be carried to next Resurrection Match)]
Reading the prompts, Charlie blinked.
You can play it like that?
Then he checked another message.
[High-Heat Web Ball]
[Condensation Time: 0.3 seconds]
[Temperature: 4100°C]
[Bonus Attribute: Explosive Web Ball]
Charlie grinned, satisfied.
Less powerful than web rays but with a wide attack range and ultra-fast condensation—perfect for the "Prince's Strategy."
With that, the Resurrection Match ended. With a thought, Charlie's form was swallowed by the void.
…
Spider-Man Central Universe.
S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters
Carter's desk was buried under piles of files.
"Commander, we've got another crisis," Agent Hill rushed in.
Carter looked exhausted. "What now?"
Since Charlie left, the world had grown chaotic again. The control they'd fought for was crumbling, ambitious schemers bared their fangs, terrifying mutants kept emerging, and the X-Men were having internal issues.
S.H.I.E.L.D. itself faced unfriendly incidents.
If she could do it over, Carter wouldn't have taken this mess of a job.
So tiring.
And it aged her fast.
She rubbed her eyes, dreading crow's feet.
Thankfully, seventy years frozen kept her youthful.
The "Forever Frozen Goddess," that's her.
Seeing Carter's state, Hill offered, "Need a mirror?"
"No thanks."
Carter took a deep breath. "Spill it. What's the issue?"
Hill straightened. "It's Wanda. She took Pietro and sealed off Westview. Our people can't get in."
"Wanda?" Carter's eyes narrowed. "She took her brother?"
She gave Hill a skeptical look. "You sure she took Pietro, not Spider-Man?"
Hill shook her head. "Not that Wanda. The other Wanda."
"Which Wanda?"
"You know, that Wanda."
"Fine, got it. It's that Wanda."
Mention of the multiversal Scarlet Witch brought back memories of endless crimson magic blanketing the city.
One thought, and she could destroy it all.
Thankfully, the Black Death Sword appeared, and Scarlet Witch left New York.
Since then, S.W.O.R.D. hadn't dared touch Wanda.
Now, she was back, snatching Pietro and heading to Westview for who-knows-what.
Snapping to, Carter rallied. "Spider-Man's gone. We're on our own."
"Wait, Wanda took Pietro. Why's that our problem?"
She paused, turning to Hill. "How's Westview holding up?"
Hill's expression was odd. "Kamar-Taj mages say everyone's turned… kind. They're getting along great with Wanda."
Carter mused, "Must be her chaos magic. No life-threatening issues, then.
We don't have the resources for this. Ask Charles if he's willing to negotiate with Scarlet Witch."
"Got it," Hill nodded.
Before she could leave, Carter added, "Wait. Did we find Spider-Man's body?"
Hill sighed. "Kamar-Taj mages said it was shredded. Only suit fragments were left.
I think Wanda took the body."
"Which Wanda?"
"The other Wanda."
"Not me."
Outside, crimson energy swirled as young Wanda phased through the window, appearing in the office.
The sudden scarlet glow startled them, but seeing her youthful, collagen-rich face, they relaxed.
"Young, pretty, great figure, no suit—it's Wanda," Hill said.
Carter instinctively touched her face, standing. "You don't need all those adjectives."
She approached young Wanda. "You didn't take Spider-Man's body?" she asked, frowning.
Young Wanda rolled her eyes. "If it was me, I'd have given that thing back already. I don't need the hassle."
"Good. You know it's not yours."
"Is it yours?"
Young Wanda smirked. "Fair warning—it's been three months, and he hasn't shown. Either he's dead or with another woman. Watch yourself."
Carter's expression flickered. "Who he's with is none of my business," she said, glancing at the ceiling.
"Stubborn."
Young Wanda scoffed, then said, "Pietro was taken by that woman. I can guess what she's up to.
If I'm right, she's using the Darkhold to cross the multiverse for her kids."
"What's that got to do with your brother?" Carter asked.
Young Wanda sighed. "She said families should be whole. No idea who taught her that, but she's serious."
"Good thing Pietro's not in danger," Carter smiled.
"No," Wanda bit out. "She needs family, but so do I. Why should she take my brother? Doesn't she have her own?"
"Apparently not."
Carter turned to the window, glancing at the unreliable Fantastic Four training below, shaking her head.
"I can't help you unless you want those four."
"Them?" Young Wanda grimaced. "No other Avengers?"
Carter shrugged helplessly. "Banner's gone off-grid, playing doctor somewhere remote.
Harry's handling an economic crisis. Want the Thunderbolts?
You know, the big guy and Harry's dad. Felicia's around, but they won't help much."
"There're other Avengers," young Wanda pressed.
"Barton and Natasha?"
Carter chuckled. "They're retiring."
"What about the electric guy or the special-effects wizard?"
"They're dead. Maybe you'll see them this time, next time, or the time after. Depends on luck."
"There's the Sandman…"
"He was saved by the Supreme Sorcerer, but unless Spider-Man himself asks, he won't help."
"Money won't sway him?"
"Kid, you're broke."
"Lend me some."
"Sorry, I'm out of budget. Ask Tony."
"I'll go find him now."
"Wait, what'd you mean by that line?"
"Which one?"
"You know, that one."
Young Wanda paused. "Spider-Man?"
"Yeah."
"Fine, here's a secret—I've got an undercover agent in Westview."
…
Westview.
A quaint garden villa.
In a dim basement, Scarlet Wanda floated cross-legged, two Darkholds orbiting her head.
"Flip flip flip~"
Pages turned, dark energy pouring into her.
As her hands wove signs, her crimson magic deepened, restrained by a magic circle in the confined space.
Before her, a broken body had been restored by crimson energy, yet it brought her no joy.
Spider-Man's multiversal travel relied on magic-like artifacts, not his own power.
After uncovering this, Scarlet Wanda turned to mastering the Darkhold to cross the multiverse.
But two Darkholds weren't enough for quick results.
She had to study dark magic to unlock multiversal secrets.
After three months, she was nearing the multiversal barrier.
Using dark magic, she could project her consciousness into other universes' Wandas, living their happy lives.
But that wasn't enough.
She didn't want happiness through others' bodies—she wanted to cross the multiverse herself and feel it.
That took time.
If Spider-Man were alive, that time could shrink drastically.
But how could the dead come back?
Unaware of Old Man Rogers' secret, she assumed he'd returned to the past and chose to be an Avenger again in his old age.
As for Tony?
Everyone knew that was Stark's AI mimicking him.
Even Black Widow was a product of Stark Industries' new bionic tech.
Living alone, she bought it completely.
Suddenly, Scarlet Wanda's eyes snapped open.
In the dark-magic-filled basement, she sensed a familiar power.
"Spider-Man's magic!"
She glanced at the corner, where Spider-Man's body rose, guided by mysterious webbing. His tattered suit restored itself in a glow, stitches vanishing.
Faint purple webbing spread, his vitality surging. His inverted-triangle eyes flared blue.
The eerie scene left Scarlet Wanda stunned.
"He's… alive!!"
She gasped, ecstatic. "Tell me how you came back! Tell me!!"
She unleashed endless dark magic toward the revived Spider-Man.
As Charlie adjusted to the Eternal Titan physique, he felt the external threat.
"Buzz~"
His eyes glowed brighter, a high-heat web ball forming in his palm, radiating extreme heat.
"BOOM!!"
He hurled it, melting the basement.
The villa exploded, debris scattering.
"RUMBLE~~"
Pietro, just back from grocery shopping, stood frozen at the street corner, watching the villa collapse. "No!! I finally got a nice house, and my good life's over?"
As he spoke, crimson energy spread from the blast, red beams piercing the sky.
"Buzz~"
A magic spark circle flared, and Charlie shot out, hurling three high-heat web balls.
"BOOM!!!"
The crimson orbs detonated, engulfing Westview's sky in flames.
The blast destabilized the scarlet barrier, freezing the townsfolk.
In the air, Charlie clapped his palms, web proteins forming more high-heat balls.
"Pfft pfft pfft~~"
Like a machine gun, dense red orbs arced through the air, locking down Scarlet Wanda's space.
With nowhere to hide, she summoned a crimson shield.
The orbs exploded, flames consuming half the sky.
Before she could react, a web ray sliced through, breaching the barrier.
"Don't run!"
Seeing Charlie's move, Scarlet Wanda panicked, tapping the Darkhold's power. The barrier sealed, enveloping Westview in crimson magic.
Outside, Nick Fury lowered his binoculars, hidden in the grass. "She's lost control again."
His words tensed the armed agents around him, their palms sweating as they stepped back.
They didn't want to be here.
But orders—and high pay—kept them.
Luckily, another group appeared, solving their dilemma.
"Charles, X-Institute's head."
As a craft landed, Fury locked onto a young bald man.
Charles met Fury's gaze, nodding slightly before turning to Logan. "This is our chance. We can't screw it up."
Logan nodded. "I'll try, but if young Wanda's that strong, a married Wanda's worse."
A white-haired woman said coldly, "Married women are trouble. Spider-Man said that once."
"So, we're really fighting?" a redheaded girl hesitated. "Can we hypnotize her to let go of her obsession?"
"Jean, if that worked, I wouldn't need you," Charles said gravely.
"Remember, your power's our ace. If it gets out of control…"
He didn't finish, but Jean understood.
"I know. If it spirals, leave without me."
She faced the fading crimson magic in Westview, standing tall. "Only that power can counter chaos magic. Hopefully, it won't come to that."
"Let's hope," Charles nodded.
Unlike Storm, whom he found among thieves, Jean Grey was rescued from a Skrull lab.
He sensed a terrifying power in her—more fearsome than Spider-Man's "stronger with each death."
A cosmic substance that could destroy universes.
Graviton couldn't replicate Jean's power, showing its magnitude.
Normally, Jean's abilities resembled his telepathy, making her a formidable mutant.
Beside her, Scott Summers, in special glasses, watched her back. "Don't worry. With me here, no one'll touch you."
Jean didn't turn, as if she hadn't heard.
Scott wanted to say more but was cut off.
"Now's not the time to chase girls," Storm sneered.
Scott knew her disdain but planned to teach the "lowly thief" a lesson later.
Charles saw it all, sighing. His hard-won X-Men had issues he needed to fix.
But time was short.
Mutant chaos persisted. If the X-Institute didn't prove itself, mutants' lives would get harder.
"Where's that guy? Still not here?" Charles recalled another member.
A reserve, technically.
"He's here," Logan pointed at a craft in the sky, his expression odd. "He's going solo?"
The craft's spray paint read a sloppy "X-Force."
"X-Force?" Jean frowned. "We're X-Men, not agents."
Scott shrugged. "Maybe he misses someone and fancies himself a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent."
"Heard he flunked the Avengers audition, so he joined us," Storm said, displeased.
Charles shook his head. "Doesn't matter.
Know why he's just a reserve?"
Before they could answer, he continued, "Because, like Spider-Man, he's wildly unpredictable."
"Very unpredictable," Logan agreed, eyeing the craft's occupant stiffly. "He's recruiting his own team."
"What's he up to?"
"I've got a bad feeling."
As they watched, the craft barreled toward the crimson barrier.
"No, stop!" Charles shouted.
But the figure inside ignored him, charging forward.
"Hey, guys, for X-Force's glory, let's take this lady down!"
"Lemme go first!"
A burly man crossed his arms in an "X" salute, then leaped from the craft.
"Whoosh~"
Plummeting, he deployed a parachute, aiming his indestructible body at the thin barrier.
"Splat~"
The instant he hit, chaos magic shredded him into pulp.
"Oh my God, he died horribly," the team winced.
"He's gone. My turn!" an afro-haired girl leaped without protection, brimming with confidence.
As she neared the barrier, it flickered unstably, then shattered under their gazes.
"She did it!"
"Lucky break."
"Our turn."
"Oh yeah!!"
The team cheered, leaping from the craft, but X-Force's death curse officially began.