The Spider-Men's attacks converged on Morlun from every direction.
Webs, blades, and fists came at him from the front, back, sides, and even above, sealing every possible escape route.
So many Spider-Men moving in unison—enough that even Thanos would've had to take a step back.
But Morlun only sneered, his scarlet eyes gleaming.
"Before I dine, a little exercise with the food only makes the taste richer."
He licked his lips, then kicked Deadpool straight into Tobey's Spider-Man, forcing him to pull back his twin blades. In the same motion, Morlun leapt high, dodging Holland's webbing, twisting mid-air, and seizing Garfield's leg. With a sickening snap, he broke it before springboarding off Garfield's chest to deliver a whip-kick that sent Gwen crashing into a wall.
Without pause, he dove like a hunting falcon at the remaining three Spider-Men. His clawed fists and kicks struck with terrifying force, sending Holland and Miles smashing into the reinforced titanium walls.
Each Spider-Man weakened the moment Morlun touched them, their strength draining away as though he was feeding on their very essence.
Soon, only Tobey remained standing.
He shoved Deadpool toward Malrick and yelled, "Get him out of here! Run!" before launching himself at Morlun.
Unlike the others, Tobey didn't engage head-on. He relied on webs and the environment, striking from angles, keeping distance, trying to buy time. But even his experience couldn't carry him more than a minute against Morlun's monstrous strength.
And a minute was far too short for the others to recover.
"Malrick, why aren't you leaving!?" Gwen shouted hoarsely, forcing herself to her feet. Her voice was raw with panic.
Morlun's attention shifted. A cruel smile twisted his lips.
"Malrick? A hero who isn't Spider-Man? How quaint. Don't worry—I won't eat you. I'll make your life part of mine."
He toyed with a katana he'd stolen from Tobey, slowly advancing.
But Malrick didn't back down. His eyes sharpened.
"Is that so? Then it looks like Spider-Man's turn is over. Now it's mine."
He pressed his hands together in a mystic seal. Four golden bands of Cyttorak burst from the void, snaking through space itself and binding Morlun's wrists and ankles.
The Inheritor snarled, tugging once, expecting the chains to snap. They didn't. He strained harder, fury mounting, muscles bulging with inhuman power, but the mystic bindings held firm.
At last, his roar echoed through the chamber, wild and desperate—but he could not break free. The chains spread him wide in the shape of a crucifix, pinning him helplessly.
"Impossible!" he bellowed. "What sorcery is this? Where did you come from, magician!?"
Malrick's voice was calm, resolute.
"It doesn't matter who I am. What matters is this fight is over."
The Spider-Men stared, stunned into silence. They had thrown everything at Morlun and barely lasted seconds. Yet Malrick had subdued him in moments.
Tobey, unmasking with disbelief, muttered, "He… he actually did it?"
Gwen could only cover her face, torn between laughter and exasperation. Today had brought her more speechless moments than her entire life.
Deadpool, of course, broke the tension.
"Spider-Men are all lonely!" he declared, before throwing himself at Tobey. "That's why you need me! Cute, kind, and tragically sexy Deadpool!" He planted a sloppy kiss on Tobey's mask.
"Go kiss someone else before Mary Jane sees that," Tobey groaned, pushing him away.
Deadpool staggered back, gasping. "You don't love me anymore? But all of you just confessed! My poor heart can't handle so many little Peters at once!" He then turned dramatically to Gwen. "Don't worry, Spider-Woman, I love you too. Just… slightly less."
Everyone rolled their eyes.
Spider-Man shook his head, turning serious again. "Jokes aside—what do we do with him?"
"Leave that to me," Malrick said.
A strange black wristband materialized on his arm. From it, a crimson-veined tentacle erupted, stabbing into Morlun's chest.
The Inheritor sneered even as pain wracked his body. "Delivering dinner straight to my mouth? Foolish."
But the grin faded instantly as the tentacle began devouring him from within. His body withered into a grotesque ball of flesh before collapsing entirely into the wristband. Within seconds, there was no trace left.
Malrick lifted his arm. "Done. Even if he revives, he won't be able to track us."
The Spider-Men stared.
"What was that?" Gwen asked, horrified. "Wait—revive? He can come back?"
Malrick nodded. "That was my partner. Similar to a Symbiote, but different. And yes—Morlun, and his entire Inheritor family, can revive. They keep clone factories in their own dimensions, storing their memories in special crystals. Death is an inconvenience to them, nothing more."
The Spider-Men exchanged uneasy looks.
Tobey warned, "Symbiotes amplify emotions. Be careful, Malrick."
"My bond is different," Malrick assured. The wristband's tentacles stretched out, brushing over the injured heroes. Warm waves of healing energy flowed into their bodies. Cuts closed, bones reset, and bruises faded in seconds.
"See? It heals as well as fights."
The Spider-Men tested their limbs, astonished. "That's incredible," Garfield muttered, flexing his once-broken leg.
Deadpool immediately latched onto Malrick. "What about me? Don't leave Deadpool out! Heal me, magic daddy!"
"You're fine," Malrick deadpanned, swatting him away.
Every Spider-Man clapped for that slap.
But Malrick's expression grew grim.
"Don't celebrate yet. Morlun will return. As long as the Inheritors exist, every Spider across the Multiverse is a target."
Miles frowned. "Then we just make sure the collider never opens again, right? No collider, no pathway."
"That might work," Malrick admitted, "but you'll still need a way home. And every time you activate it, you risk drawing them back here."
The group fell into uneasy silence.
Then, Deadpool—battered, ridiculous, and grinning—whipped out a strange tablet device.
"Lucky for you losers, I'm the only one thinking ahead. Guess who brought a solution?"
_____
Advanced chapters are available on Patreon.
Become a patron to gain access.
Patreon.com/Zphyr