Before launching his assault on the Inheritors' stronghold, Ben made the strategic decision to return to Universe 2099 for final preparations and team assembly.
The moment he materialized through the dimensional portal, Miguel and the other Spider-heroes immediately swarmed around him like concerned family members welcoming a soldier home from war. The relief on their faces was palpable, even through their masks, Ben could see the tension that had been weighing on everyone's shoulders finally beginning to lift.
Gwen's injuries had mostly healed thanks to her enhanced Mana-infused physiology, but her complexion still carried a pale undertone that spoke of recent trauma. The instant she spotted Ben's safe return, her entire body seemed to relax as if she wanted nothing more than to attach herself to him permanently and never let go again.
After facing such a terrifying enemy like Morlun, witnessing firsthand the overwhelming power he wielded with the Nemetrix, even her complete faith in Ben's abilities hadn't been enough to prevent worry from gnawing at her heart throughout his absence.
"Ben, are you alright?" she asked, her voice carrying undertones of relief mixed with lingering concern.
Uncle Ben and Aunt May immediately flanked him, their enhanced super-soldier physiques allowing them to push through the crowd with surprising efficiency. Their hands moved over him with the practiced concern of parents checking their child for injuries after a dangerous adventure.
"I'm perfectly fine," Ben assured them, his gaze sweeping across the assembled Spider-heroes like a general reviewing his troops before a crucial battle. "I've successfully defeated Morlun, and more importantly, I now know the exact location of the Inheritors' base of operations."
The crowd stirred with renewed hope and anticipation at this announcement.
"Spider-heroes," Ben continued, his voice carrying the authority of someone who had proven himself in space combat, "it's time to prepare for our final assault."
"Are you sure you can manage this?" Peter, Ben's Peter pushed his way through the throng of alternates, struggling against the press of bodies as seemingly every Spider-person present wanted to get closer to Ben.
But Peter was one of the few people present who truly understood the Omnitrix and its limitations.
"Ben, your watch is completely destroyed," he observed, pointing to the device with obvious concern.
As soon as Peter spoke these words, Gwen and the others noticed the Ultimatrix on Ben's wrist for the first time since his return. The device was emitting ominous black smoke and intermittent sparks, clearly suffering from critical overload damage that rendered it essentially non-functional.
"The watch is merely an accessory," Ben replied with casual confidence that surprised everyone present. "I am still a Spider-Man."
Ben genuinely wasn't concerned about the replica device's condition.
Overkill had confirmed through Morlun's extracted memories that Cosmic Spider-Man's cosmic power belonged to a specialized category of symbiote, which meant one crucial thing. As an evolved and optimized symbiote entity, Overkill could theoretically absorb and redirect the mysterious power flowing through Solus's enhanced form!
The time had finally arrived to let the Inheritors experience what it felt like to be treated as prey rather than predators.
However, Ben had to acknowledge one uncomfortable truth: without access to the Omnitrix's full capabilities, facing the entire Inheritor family alone would represent an extremely challenging proposition. This tactical reality was precisely why he had returned to 2099 before launching their assault.
"I need a team," he announced, his eyes moving systematically across the assembled heroes.
Although most wore masks that concealed their expressions, Ben could practically feel the anticipation radiating from each individual as they hoped to be selected for this crucial mission.
Within seconds, thousands of Spider-heroes erupted into enthusiastic arguments and pleas for inclusion. Ben quickly realized he had made a tactical error and tossed one of his sonic rings into the air above the crowd.
"QUIET!" he commanded.
The device activated with a harmonic frequency that immediately silenced the cacophony.
"I mean Peter Parker from my universe specifically," Ben clarified.
Peter immediately straightened his shoulders and raised his hands high, walking to Ben's side with the confident stride of someone modeling on a fashion runway. The other Spider-heroes looked visibly disappointed, their masked eye lenses seeming to droop with dejection.
Miguel stepped forward, his impressively muscled frame and commanding presence making his selection obvious even without words.
"Of course I'm included!" Gwen said with barely contained excitement, ready to share victory alongside Ben after everything they had endured together.
"We're going to fight side by side again," blonde Peter added with satisfaction. "It's incredibly reassuring to have you leading this mission."
"Dad, Mom," Ben continued his roster.
A hunched, elderly May wearing a spider-suit began stepping forward from the crowd, but Ben quickly moved to gently guide her back with obvious concern.
"I mean My Dad and Mom from the Plumber organization," he clarified with an apologetic smile.
The other Spider-heroes waited expectantly for Ben to continue calling additional names, but were disappointed when he simply clapped his hands to indicate the selection process was complete.
"Is such a small team really sufficient?" After experiencing the previous devastating battles, every Spider-hero present clearly understood the Inheritors' overwhelming power. So many heroes had fallen despite their combined efforts, how could such a tiny force possibly succeed where massive armies had failed?
"With all due respect to everyone here," Ben said, his gaze moving across their faces as he prepared to explain his tactical reasoning, "larger numbers would actually be counterproductive. You've all seen how the Inheritors can absorb our strength directly. If we bring too many Spider-people, we'll essentially be providing them with an unlimited buffet."
He gestured toward his selected team members. "Among the people I've chosen, My Dad and Mom aren't Spider-totems and therefore can't be drained by Inheritor powers. Gwen and I possess abilities that can circumvent their vampiric effects entirely."
"But... aren't seven people still too few for an assault on their stronghold?" Even Miguel seemed hesitant about the small team size.
"It's definitely a minimal force," Ben admitted with obvious frustration, "but I simply can't upgrade equipment for larger numbers in our available timeframe."
He had originally planned to outfit the Plumbers with advanced Kryptonian technology battle suits, but the crisis had escalated too quickly for proper preparation. Even with access to the necessary technological specifications, they lacked the production infrastructure for mass manufacturing. Each suit would need to be hand-crafted, making the process extremely time-intensive.
Of the seven suits he could realistically produce, they would unfortunately need to be simplified, lower-specification versions.
"Then let's begin immediately..." Ben said, but his words were interrupted by dimensional alarms as the scene shifted to show events unfolding simultaneously at the Inheritors' base.
Solus had returned to the Inheritor family's fortress-like mansion, materializing through a swirling portal with the casual confidence of absolute power.
He held a crying infant in one massive hand, the baby's wails echoing through the chamber with heartbreaking innocence. His gaze swept across his assembled children with the calculating assessment of a predator evaluating his pack's condition.
"It appears you're not in optimal condition?" he observed, his voice carrying undertones of both concern and mild disappointment.
After being killed multiple times in rapid succession, Daemos and the others were indeed showing signs of psychological and physical exhaustion. The resurrection process, while restoring their bodies, couldn't entirely eliminate the trauma of repeated death.
"However, there is finally positive news to report," Solus continued, lifting the infant higher like a trophy hunter displaying his prize. "The Scion has been obtained."
Every member of the family fixed their hungry gazes on the helpless child, their predatory instincts responding to the proximity of their ultimate goal.
Brix was the first to share additional information that brought visible satisfaction to Solus's features.
"The Bride has also been eliminated," he reported with obvious pride.
He proceeded to detail the previous battle for his father, describing how Cindy Moon had died at Morlun's hands during the coordinated assault on the Spider-heroes. He mentioned that their brother Morlun, after achieving victory against multiple Spider-heroes, had engaged in single combat with Ben Parker and had not yet returned to report his success.
"I'm afraid your brother won't be returning," Solus said with the casual indifference of someone discussing the weather.
There was no trace of sadness on his features as he moved purposefully toward the Web of Life and Destiny, positioning the crying infant directly beneath its space strands. He produced an ornate ceremonial dagger and pressed its razor-sharp edge against the baby's delicate skin.
Blood began flowing slowly down the blade's length, each crimson drop staining the space web with the power necessary to complete their ultimate ritual.
"Brother Morlun isn't coming back?" Jennix asked with obvious disbelief.
"Is it possible he was actually killed? How could that happen?" Bora added, her voice carrying shock that bordered on denial.
None of the assembled Inheritors could accept this possibility, and even Daemos, who had often criticized Morlun, couldn't believe his brother would be defeated so easily.
Is this Ben Parker individual truly that powerful? they wondered collectively.
"After I drained Cosmic Spider-Man completely, I tracked the remaining insects to their battlefield," Solus explained with clinical detachment. "But when I arrived, the engagement had already concluded. Since Morlun was nowhere to be found and hasn't returned to report, there can be only one logical conclusion."
"He lost even while wielding the Nemetrix, useless fool!" Daemos was the first to voice his criticism, though his anger seemed to mask deeper concern.
The other Inheritors suddenly felt genuine fear creeping into their consciousness, an emotion they hadn't experienced in centuries of hunting.
"What should we do now?"
"How is it possible that even Brother Morlun was defeated? Could the prophecy actually be manifesting?"
"Now that the Other, the Bride, and the Scion have all been gathered, those insects no longer have any chance of preventing our victory!"
As long as the final drops of blood were applied to the Web of Destiny, the power of Spider-totems would be severed from the timeline permanently. No Spider-hero would ever again possess the ability to threaten their dominion.
"Daemos is correct in his assessment," Solus declared, having already completed the blood application process.
The Master Weaver detected the metallic scent and watched with profound sadness as an innocent life was extinguished before his eyes. Despite his cosmic power, he remained helpless to prevent this atrocity.
Solus continued with growing confidence, "Even if some insect managed to defeat Morlun through sheer luck, there's no cause for concern. I have now gained invincible cosmic power!"
The overwhelming force he had absorbed from Cosmic Spider-Man was intoxicating beyond description.
If that space champion hadn't been foolish enough to engage him in direct physical combat, Solus never would have been able to drain such incredible power so efficiently.
The sensation was equivalent to consuming the most perfect beverage imaginable in a single, satisfying gulp!
"I'm afraid you'll be gravely disappointed," a new voice interjected with grim finality.
The Master Weaver, still imprisoned within the Web of Destiny, wore an expression of profound sorrow for the innocent life that had just been extinguished. But at this moment, as if channeling fate itself, he made a declaration that would reshape their understanding of reality:
"The curse upon the Inheritor family has not been broken, and the prophecy remains in full effect!"
"I can perceive that your destined destruction approaches rapidly."
"What did you say?!" Solus immediately released the dead infant, letting the small body fall to the chamber floor as he seized the Master Weaver's throat with violent fury.
The space entity showed no fear despite the choking grip, managing to speak intermittently between Solus's attempts at strangulation: "You believed you had killed the Other, but tragically, Kaine Parker AKA Scarlett Spider is no longer the bearer of that power."
"You deceived me?"
"I simply altered the fundamental nature of destiny itself."
The Master Weaver's laughter carried notes of bitter satisfaction mixed with space tragedy.
As the Spider-God and supreme architect of the Web, he had already transferred this aggressive totem essence from Scarlet Spider to a far more suitable host: Ben Parker.
But the Other wasn't the only power that had been redistributed.
Ben had also become the Bride.
While he wasn't a totem bearer through traditional selection, he had indeed become the most unexpected Spider-hero due to circumstances beyond anyone's control.
From the moment Ben first gained Spider-powers, the Bride designation was no longer Cindy Moon's burden to bear. Solus was still operating on outdated information and believed he had achieved certain victory.
As for the Scion, this totem power had also been transferred due to the convergence of the first two designations. Ben Parker might not be the youngest Spider-hero chronologically, but he was indeed the most recently created Spider-totem in the entire multiverse.
When three prophetic totems converged within a single individual, the Inheritors' defeat became inevitable, and Spider-destiny had been fundamentally rewritten.
Solus dismissed the Master Weaver's words as desperate lies.
After absorbing Cosmic Spider-Man's power, his mentality had become dangerously overconfident. He genuinely believed that no enemy, regardless of their capabilities, could possibly match his enhanced abilities.
Moreover, he and the Spider-heroes were mortal enemies at this point. Was reconciliation even theoretically possible?
"If it weren't for your ability to travel the multiverse, you would have been executed long ago!" Solus tightened his grip on the Master Weaver's skull and spoke with venomous hatred. "But very soon, I won't require your services anymore!"
"You're absolutely correct, you won't need him much longer," an unfamiliar voice suddenly cut through the chamber like a blade severing Solus's threats.
Instantly, every Inheritor present shuddered as if experiencing a conditioned reflex, primal fear spreading from the depths of their consciousness like poison through their veins.
Solus turned around and witnessed seven figures emerging through a flickering multiversal portal, arranging themselves in formation before him with military precision.
The Spider-hero leading the group possessed perfectly proportioned physiology that exemplified ideal human form. His suit appeared to be breathing with organic life, and dissipating energy formed ethereal ribbons in the air around his frame like aurora borealis made manifest.