"Hm?"
Seeing Charlie's strange smile, Doctor Doom suddenly had a bad feeling.
Sure enough, Charlie tilted his ear and shouted, "What? What'd you say? I~ can't~ hear~ you~!"
Doctor Doom: "?????"
What was this guy up to? The next moment, he understood Charlie's plan.
"What? You're saying Owen Reece is actually an insecure man, and I shouldn't provoke him but pity someone who's never known love?"
Charlie put on an exaggerated expression, nodding solemnly. "Indeed, Owen's so pitiful."
"I'm not pitiful!"
Owen Reece felt as if he'd been stripped bare. He glared at the infuriating Spider-Man and the weird guy in the green cloak.
"A real man doesn't need so-called love! With power, I'm the strongest! I don't need love, and I'm not insecure!!"
Owen roared hysterically, his body shattering into a cascade of glowing particles.
The next moment, he reformed behind Doctor Doom.
"You, hiding behind a mask, you're the insecure one!!"
Owen cursed, his eyes and mouth blazing with radiant light. In a blink, he manipulated energy molecules into terrifying cosmic beams.
BOOM!!!
Instantly, Doctor Doom's body was disintegrated into invisible molecules.
Having "taken out" the one who "insulted" him, Owen's face twisted into a cruel smile.
But before he could turn to Spider-Man, he sensed the surrounding molecules rapidly reassembling.
Buzz~
In a flash, green magic surged, reconstructing Doctor Doom's form, down to the last thread of his cloak.
"What?"
Owen gaped. "You—"
Doctor Doom's eyes glowed faintly, his tone chilling.
"Foolish creature, I have no time to waste on you."
With that, he spread his arms, green arcane sigils spanning the sky. Endless magic poured from unknown dimensions, cosmic forces flooding the scene unchecked.
BOOM!!
BOOM BOOM BOOM!!
Green magic spread like a tempest, freezing time and space, twisting physical laws.
Under its shroud, Owen realized in horror that his molecular control was gone.
"This can't be!!"
He clawed at his face, eyes wide, collapsing to his knees in anguish.
"Give me back my powers!!"
He charged at Doctor Doom, but as a mere mortal now, he couldn't touch him.
Buzz~
With a single glance from Doctor Doom, Owen was pinned in place by an invisible force, unable to move.
"Wow, not bad, great Doctor Doom! Congrats on defeating Molecule Man, and congrats on earning my congratulations."
With Molecule Man down, the invincible Spider-Man leaped to Doctor Doom's side.
He curiously touched the lingering green magic in Doom's palm, then scratched his head.
"Doesn't add up! Why's this green power not glowing on your head?"
Doctor Doom shot him a sidelong glance. "Are you joking with me?"
Charlie shrugged. "Just a jest, don't be so dull. Since we beat Molecule Man, why don't we—"
Mid-sentence, Doctor Doom's eyes flashed green, and Charlie sensed a ripple in spacetime.
Looking back, Owen had vanished without a trace.
"He got away?" Charlie pointed at the empty spot. "I didn't even see what happened."
In the decade Spider-Man was gone, Owen hadn't caused a crisis—perhaps because he'd vanished like this.
Doctor Doom's gaze hardened. "Other universes' Molecule Men. They teamed up to save Owen. I can sense traces of their energy."
Charlie mused, "They're grouping up, maybe aware of the Beyonders. They're either saving themselves or… well, it's either bad news or worse news. What do you think?" He glanced at Doctor Doom.
Doctor Doom gave him a withering look. "You talk too much."
Charlie spread his hands. "To live a good life, a bit of chatter's essential. Can't be like you, humorless and turning yourself into a villain."
He leaned closer, whispering, "If we solve the Beyonder crisis, will you turn on me and try to take out this charming neighborhood hero? I think it's likely."
Doctor Doom: "."
This guy wasn't just talkative—he had a flair for drama.
"I'm done with you. Let's go find the last Molecule Man, the future one."
With that, he waved open a spacetime portal and stepped through.
Charlie didn't hesitate, following him, leaving Otto alone to process the information.
Beyonders, Molecule Men—this was the world's crisis? No, a multiversal one.
Looked like Spider-Man was stealing the spotlight again.
Otto sighed.
After this, the invincible Spider-Man's name would probably echo across all universes.
He needed to prepare.
So, Otto called his wife.
"Hey, Ruth, get me Kevin. I'm writing an autobiography. Title? My Student, Spider-Man. Yes, you heard right. It's complicated, but this is a chance—a chance for every universe's heroes to know me."
…
Ultimate Universe.
A sunny day, David's thirtieth birthday.
A cake sat on the table, but he had no plans to celebrate.
His birthdays always brought disaster.
From birth, an alien named Thanos had targeted him, appearing every birthday to bring trouble and tragedy.
His first birthday, Thanos stole his blanket on a freezing night, nearly killing the frail infant with a cold.
His fifth, Thanos smashed his parents' only car and killed his father.
His sixteenth, he planned a date, but Thanos stole his phone, texting his girlfriend to ruin his first love.
He never found another.
His twentieth, he invited friends over, but Thanos poisoned their food, killing them all.
His twenty-fifth, he landed a well-paying job promising a stable future. Predictably, Thanos burned down his company, leaving him jobless and broke.
His twenty-seventh, Thanos killed his cat, his only companion.
Today, his thirtieth birthday.
In his room, David quietly awaited Thanos's arrival.
Powerless against him, he could only brace for the next disaster.
But this time, Thanos didn't show.
Instead, the TV broadcast the greatest surprise for him and humanity.
"Hey, good evening, folks! Your old pal J. Jonah Jameson here, reporting from Wakanda's battlefield.
Yes, you heard right—war's already started. An alien named Thanos led a fleet to invade Earth. If he wins, we're all his slaves.
But good news! The Avengers got wind of it and ambushed Thanos and his fleet.
My gosh, thank the Avengers for defeating the evil alien! Earth's safe, we're safe!!"
J. Jonah cheered as the camera panned to the brutal battlefield.
Through the shaky footage, David locked onto a twitching purple figure.
Thanos! He was hurt!
David rubbed his eyes, hardly believing it.
Thirty years of nightmares, crushed by the Avengers?
Joy overwhelmed him, and he wept.
"Sob sob sob~ I'm free! Mommy, Daddy, I can live normally!!"
David covered his face, thirty years of pain and tears bursting forth.
He grabbed a new microphone and belted out a song.
"Today's a great day~ I'll ride my scooter and travel~ Troubles will stay far away~ I'll be the happiest man~"
He butchered the lyrics, venting thirty years of grief.
A new life awaited! Half an hour later, exhausted, he collapsed, then remembered something.
Thanos was so powerful—who beat him? Captain? Iron Man?
Probably Hulk.
He clicked the remote, switching back to Jonah's live report.
On-screen, Iron Man faced the camera, recounting what he saw.
"My vision went black, I thought I was done for. That guy was strong. But when I opened my eyes, I was alive—"
Before he finished, Steve snatched the mic, talking rapid-fire.
"Stark's too wordy, let me talk!
So, it was windy, the guy was fast, I didn't see his face. He punched out Thanos's teeth. I only saw a cool spider symbol—probably Spider-Man, gone for years. If anyone knows where he is, contact me, or tell him his juice bottle fell out of his pants. It's with me…"
"Steve, what're you saying? Let me!"
Natasha, freshly bandaged, limped over, grabbing the mic. "Spider-Man, I know it's you. Two years ago, you called me 'babe.' Today you pretended not to know me. You know how hurt, how sad, how pitiful I feel…"
"Alright, alright."
Seeing things spiral, Jonah grabbed the mic, steadying the camera. "Our heroes are a bit delirious, probably brain-damaged from the fight. We've got the best doctors for them. Don't go away, more to come.
Eddie, cut to commercial."
The screen cut to an ad for superhero-branded underwear.
David had no interest in Natasha's portrait on briefs.
His idol was Spider-Man.
Yes, he saw Spider-Man, right beside him.
On the couch, Charlie lounged with his legs crossed, exasperated at the footage.
"Ugh, these fans are too much. But they said Spider-Man's been gone for years. Hmm, I think that's a clue." He glanced at Doctor Doom.
Before Doom could reply, David grabbed Charlie's hand, thrilled. "Spider-Man, you're back! Where've you been these two years? No news of you!
Oh, you beat Thanos! Thank you for saving the world—and me."
Facing David's adoring gaze, Charlie pulled his hand free, chuckling. "Easy, easy. Just a purple potato, I've fought him a few times. This was just a side gig."
He looked at Doctor Doom, who nodded in confirmation.
Charlie's smile grew.
This David was the future Molecule Man? Interesting.
Molecule Men weren't always Owen's multiversal counterparts—they could be victims of Thanos's relentless torment, a cosmic punching bag.
He turned to David warmly. "Sir, interested in saving the universe with us?"
David: "?????"
He blinked. "Save the universe? Me?" He pointed at himself.
Charlie nodded firmly. "Yes, you. You're the man destined to be a hero."
David was stunned.
He recalled every birthday's torment and suffering.
He'd thought himself a loser, but Spider-Man's words hit him: he wasn't a loser! He was the protagonist!
The universe's center! Destined to save the world! Why else would a vile villain like Thanos torment him repeatedly, never killing him?
Only one explanation.
Thanos wanted to break him, strip his kindness, plunge him into pain and hatred.
So he couldn't save the world.
Yes, that had to be it!
David got it.
Movie heroes were like this.
Only through suffering could one grow into a world-saving hero.
Mommy, Daddy, you didn't die for nothing—your kid's made it!!
David's dazed eyes sparkled, his numbness fading with Thanos's defeat, now fully ignited by Spider-Man's words.
He'd save the universe!
"Hahaha, Spider-Man, let's save the world!!"
He cheered. "Spider-Man, tell me what to do—fight monsters to level up, save an alien princess for fleet support, or learn forbidden magic to become a powerful sorcerer? Or maybe find a divine artifact, right?"
He looked at Spider-Man expectantly.
But Charlie's reply was… "Eat the cake first!"