Restart, Spider-Man!

[You have received an invitation to the Revival Tournament!]

[You have entered the Revival Scenario.]

[Scenario: DC Universe—Krypton]

[Mission 1: Defeat Superman, Clark Kent (Kal-El), to earn 2 revival slots.]

[Mission 2: Save Krypton to earn 1 revival slot.]

[Mission 3: Defeat Dru-Zod to earn 1 revival slot.]

[Mission 4: Defeat Faora to earn 1 revival slot.]

[Mission 5: Defeat Jor-El to earn 1 revival slot.]

[Mission 6: Destroy Krypton prematurely to earn 1 revival slot.]

[Mission 7: Help Dru-Zod seize control of Krypton to earn 1 revival slot.]

[Mission 8: Destroy the Genesis Chamber to earn 1 revival slot.]

[Bonus Reward: Superpower—Stellar Energy Absorption and Conversion.]

[Note 1: Once you complete any task, you will no longer receive rewards for completing additional tasks.]

[Note 2: Completing the first task will grant you the ability to choose any target to revive.]

[Participants: Xia Luo Parker, Steve Rogers, Peggy Carter, Gwen Stacy, Tony Stark, Harry Osborn, Carol Danvers, Stephen Strange, Wade Winston Wilson, Gravik, Kang.]

[Mission Tool: Gravitational Field Shield (24-hour duration)]

[Resets Remaining: 59.]

[Time until mission starts: 30 seconds.]

[Time until mission ends: 24 hours.]

---

The planet was desolate, its resources depleted. A blanket of yellow sand stretched endlessly, forming a barren landscape of dunes and wasteland.

The gray, overcast sky was dimly illuminated by the faint, dying light of a fading star that struggled to pierce through the dense atmospheric haze.

Yet amidst this desolation, a magnificent city of advanced technology stood untouched, shielded by an immense dome.

Beneath the protective barrier, Kryptonian technology had forced back the grim clouds, allowing rays of red sunlight to nourish the city. This light sustained the Kryptonians, granting them the energy they required to survive.

On the shell-shaped organic architecture at the city's edge, a red-and-blue-clad figure scratched his head as he read the prompt floating before him.

Seriously? Fighting Superman on his home turf?

What kind of DC reboot is this?

It felt like a championship match.

This Revival Tournament was clearly different, with numerous tasks of varying difficulty.

Superman, Zod, Faora, and even Superman's biological father, Jor-El—none of them would be easy opponents.

And then there were the options to either save or destroy Krypton.

Even Kryptonians themselves couldn't accomplish such feats, so how could a group of Marvel superheroes hope to pull it off?

Krypton's gravity is at least ten times that of Earth.

Without the mission tool's Gravitational Field Shield, they wouldn't even stand a chance.

Even with the shield enabling them to use their abilities, Kryptonian technology wasn't to be trifled with. Their so-called superpowers could be nullified by a single Kryptonian weapon.

Yet Xia Luo noticed a peculiarity in the task descriptions.

Completing the first task would earn two revival slots—a reward tailored almost specifically for him.

It was a clear opportunity for him to revive Mary Jane.

But knowing the sadistic nature of the Revival Tournament, he anticipated fierce competition.

His eyes fell on the participant list.

Stephen Strange was there.

Yet Max and the others who had fallen to the Necrosword were absent. Perhaps cleansing their sins had disqualified them from entry.

And then there was Deadpool. Xia Luo suspected the mercenary had been stalking him.

Lastly, there were Gravik, the Super-Skrull, and Kang.

Gravik's participation wasn't surprising, but Kang...

This has Mephisto's fingerprints all over it.

Making Spider-Man's life miserable was Mephisto's favorite pastime.

Xia Luo sighed in exasperation.

As the countdown ended, a translucent membrane enveloped his body.

He stretched experimentally, finding that the Gravitational Field Shield made moving on Krypton feel no different than moving on Earth.

"Great. That's one problem solved. First stop: the old man."

He raised a hand to cast a portal, only for the magical sparks to flicker briefly before extinguishing.

Xia Luo: "..."

Marvel magic relied on borrowed power from "gods."

Clearly, the dimensional elder gods of the Marvel Universe couldn't interfere in the DC Universe. Without a conduit to those deities, magic was out of reach.

Unless, of course, he hoarded magic as the Ancient One had, refusing to return what was borrowed. In that case, it might work here.

Looks like debtors really are kings. Everywhere.

And sure enough, a "king" appeared.

Thousands of meters away, near a massive, dark-gold skeletal structure, a shadowy presence began to spread. A dark sorcerer soared into the air, a cursed grimoire hovering above his head. Though it disintegrated under Krypton's rules, the ominous dark magic it unleashed remained potent.

Buzz~

A dark magical array expanded, and tendrils of shadow consumed nearby aircraft.

"Tell me, where is Clark?"

Shrouded in darkness, a black-eyed Strange grabbed a Kryptonian soldier, demanding answers.

"#!%T@#!…"

The soldier stammered in a strange language, trembling under the oppressive energy.

Strange frowned before a dim light glowed at his brow, activating telepathic communication.

"Where is Clark Kent? Tell me!"

"I-I don't know him."

"Kal-El?"

"I... I don't know either."

"Then you can die."

With a casual toss, the soldier was swallowed by the dark tendrils.

Strange set his sights on the tallest building in the city and, without hesitation, flew toward the Kryptonian Council Hall using dark magic.

His target was clear—Clark Kent.

Defeating Superman would earn him two revival slots!

Boom!!

A black vortex swept across the city, its energy storm wreaking havoc on the streets below. Surprisingly, the organic buildings, made from bone-like or shell-like materials, remained unscathed.

These structures weren't built from stone or metal but from organic substances capable of absorbing energy and growing over time—making Krypton's architecture not only advanced but environmentally friendly.

It was ironic, then, that such a harmonious balance with nature had still led Krypton to resource depletion.

Watching Strange's chaotic advance, Xia Luo withdrew his gaze, uninterested in intervening.

He's obviously going after Superman.

Xia Luo doubted Strange could fully master dark magic. Even if he could temporarily absorb some of its power, without a consistent influx of dark energy, Strange would run out of magic mid-battle.

In that state, Strange stood no chance.

Unlike me, the Invincible Spider-Man, Xia Luo thought, I never act recklessly.

Now, where should I start causing trouble?

Just as the thought crossed his mind, an energy pulse erupted nearby.

A gold-and-red suit of armor streaked into the air, only to be struck down by ground-based soldiers moments later.

Bang!

"Ah, shit! What the hell is this? It broke through my armor's defenses instantly!"

Tony Stark cursed as he crash-landed, clutching his side. Whatever hit him seemed to have struck his kidney.

"There he is!"

Several soldiers rushed to the scene, the leader gesturing for his subordinates to aim their uniquely designed weapons at Stark.

"Take off your helmet," they ordered.

Tony sighed and reluctantly removed his helmet.

"Unidentified. Detain him."

The soldiers scanned Tony's face, showing no hesitation as they placed him under arrest.

"Wait, can you at least let me collect your language data? I need to—"

"Hey, Iron Man! Looks like you're in trouble."

A red-and-blue figure swung onto a nearby rooftop, calling out casually.

Tony's face lit up. "Thank god! Help me out here, but watch out for their weapons—"

"What weapons?"

Xia Luo held up a weapon bound in webs and casually tossed it aside.

The soldiers froze in realization.

"Damn it! Who is this guy?"

"Capture him!"

Several soldiers drew baton-like weapons and charged at Xia Luo.

He leapt gracefully to the ground, cracking his knuckles.

"I heard Kryptonians are like Superman on Earth. Well, today I'm taking on ten of you!"

With that, he sidestepped the first strike, countering with a punch square to a soldier's armored chest.

Bang!

The soldier staggered backward, his armor dented from the impact, though Xia Luo winced at the recoil.

Crack~

"Oh my god, Kryptonian stuff really is top-notch—so tough!"

Xia Luo shook out his aching wrist and tapped the Spider emblem on his chest. The nano-vibranium quickly spread to cover his entire body.

On Krypton, the vibranium suit finally seemed to have found its purpose.

The downed soldier snarled, "Attack! Kill—"

BZZT!

Suddenly, bursts of blue particle beams rained down, mowing the soldiers to the ground.

Opposite them, Xia Luo tossed aside a Kryptonian weapon and clapped his hands.

"Seriously, who still fights with fists these days?"

Tony: "..."

Struggling to his feet, Tony activated the repair systems in his armor. The damage along his waist began to mend as the nano-metal kicked in.

"Wait, is that nano-tech armor?" Xia Luo asked, surprised. "Why didn't I notice it earlier?"

Tony shook his head. "It's not the full version of the nano-suit yet—just basic repairs using nano-metal."

"Fair enough. Let's get out of here before more toast soldiers find us."

Xia Luo pointed toward the far side of the city. "Krypton's social hierarchy is rigid. That area looks like a slum—complicated environment. They won't find us there."

Tony nodded, igniting his armor's propulsion to fly toward the slums.

Xia Luo shot a web to latch onto Tony's armor, hitching a ride.

The two soon landed in the slums. Seeing this, the pursuing soldiers wrinkled their noses in disdain and immediately turned back.

In a secluded corner, Tony removed his armor and clutched the bleeding wound on his waist.

Although he had used nano-tech for some basic treatment, the pain persisted.

Watching the soldiers retreat, Tony frowned. "They just left like that?"

Xia Luo shrugged, shedding his nano-suit.

"Who knows?"

Tony leaned against a wall to rest. Observing the passing Kryptonians, he noticed that they barely spared the two of them a glance before going about their business.

"That's odd. These people don't even try to arrest us," Tony remarked.

"They're not soldiers or law enforcement. It's not their job to catch us," Xia Luo replied casually, sitting down beside Tony. "You should send out a signal, let them know we're here."

"Now?" Tony's expression turned skeptical. "You're sure that won't just draw them here?"

Xia Luo shrugged. "Give it a shot."

"Well, all right."

Tony slid on his metal glove and fired an arc pulse into the sky.

BOOM!

The pulse exploded, leaving the Stark Industries logo lingering in the air.

Tony looked uneasy. "You're sure this won't backfire? Their basic weapons already punch through my armor. If they bring out the big guns, you're toast."

"Relax, it'll be fine," Xia Luo reassured him.

Iron Man, in any universe, is always so anxious.

The two waited in silence, but no soldiers ventured into the filthy slum.

"Looks like we're safe," Tony finally sighed in relief. "You seem to know this place pretty well."

Xia Luo replied with exaggerated solemnity.

"You've never played in the Revival Tournament before, so you just see me as a friend and comrade."

"But if you had, you'd know me as the god of the Revival Tournament."

"As the true god, I know everything."

"I... am with you."

He spread his arms and closed his eyes, as if basking in divine light.

Tony's eye twitched. "What are you doing?"

Although the palladium poisoning in his body had mysteriously stopped, Tony still felt miserable.

Dealing with the Invincible Spider-Man only added to that misery.

Xia Luo opened his eyes and flashed a cheeky grin.

"Don't worry. You'll start worshipping me soon."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Fine. You're right about one thing."

"Which is?"

"You're not immortal. Your survival depends entirely on these tournaments."

"I told you I've been in tournaments before," Xia Luo said with a shrug.

"Too bad I didn't believe you back then."

"But someone did," Tony murmured, a mix of emotions flickering across his face. "Was it Harry?

"Makes sense. You two are best friends, and I'm just the lonely, rich Iron Man. No reason for you to tell me your secrets."

"It wasn't Harry," came a voice.

From the crowd emerged Carter, holding a scratched vibranium shield. Her face was weary.

"This planet's tech weapons are no joke. Thank god the organizers gave me this shield."

She glanced at Tony. "Newbie in the Revival Tournament, huh? Well, around here, you call me senior."

Tony: "???"

"You've played in the Revival Tournament too?" he asked incredulously.

Carter rolled her eyes. "Why do you think I became Captain Carter instead of just being frozen in the ice?"

Hearing this, Tony exhaled heavily.

"All right. Who else has been in the Tournament?"

"That would be me!"

A familiar, slightly stooped figure emerged from the bustling street. Though his face was weathered with age, Steve Rogers' sharp eyes gleamed with vitality.

As he approached, his gait grew steadier, his back straighter.

By the time he reached them, he stood tall, his shield gleaming as if untouched by battle.

Unlike Carter, his uniform showed no signs of wear, suggesting he had defeated the Kryptonian soldiers with ease.

"Can you hurry up?" Carter called out impatiently. Steve broke into a trot, arriving in front of the group with an awkward chuckle.

"Don't mind me. I'm old, so I walk slow. That's a valid excuse, right?"

"Valid enough," Xia Luo replied. "Next time, add some doves flying behind you for extra flair."

Steve's eyes lit up. "Good idea!"

Noticing the uncanny resemblance between Old Steve and another version of himself, Tony stiffened in alarm.

"Hydra Steve!" he whispered hoarsely.

Xia Luo sighed at Tony's reaction.

"Why so shocked? It's not like you haven't seen him before."

"When have we seen him?" Tony and Old Steve asked in unison.

"In your dreams," Xia Luo said with a smirk.

In the main universe's Revival Tournament, the two had crossed paths in earlier resets. However, in the final reset, Xia Luo had resolved everything so smoothly that the two never interacted, leaving them without any memory of their encounters.

Tony looked exasperated at Xia Luo's answer.

Old Steve, on the other hand, embraced Xia Luo warmly.

"Little Spider! We get to fight in the Tournament again! I'm so happy, so excited, I could cry—"

Xia Luo handed him a crumpled tissue.

"Save your tears. Use those senior agent skills of yours to gather some intel."

Steve straightened, coughing to hide his embarrassment.

"Of course—"

"Let me handle it!"

Before he could finish, Carter stashed her shield and slipped into the crowd.

"Why doesn't she ever let me finish? No respect," Old Steve grumbled, secretly relieved to avoid the task.

Turning back to Xia Luo, he asked, "So, how'd you die this time? Did Mephisto mess with you again?"

Xia Luo shook his head. "It was tricky, but I sorted it out."

"Then what killed you?"

Scratching his head, Xia Luo said, "Well... for the sake of justice and saving the world, I fought a terrifyingly evil enemy. But he caught me off guard. I slipped up, didn't dodge, and—"

"He got stabbed in the back by his girlfriend," Tony interrupted mercilessly.

Xia Luo: "..."

"It was a sword, not a knife," he corrected.

Old Steve froze, then leaned against the wall, laughing uncontrollably.

"HAHAHA! Killed by your girlfriend? That's hilarious! Little Spider, you're killing me here! HAHAHA!"

"Careful, old man. Don't laugh yourself to death," Xia Luo muttered, rolling his eyes.

Still wiping tears of laughter, Steve finally composed himself. "Wait—you have a girlfriend?"

"No," Xia Luo said, turning away. "She's just a friend."

"Oh, I see."

"See what?"

"Unrequited love. Jealousy. If she can't have you, she'll destroy you. Women are terrifying!"

"Shut up. There's something going on over there—go check it out."

"Why me?"

"Because you're old. They won't dare approach you."

---

T/N: brooo how the hell are they gonna win this

...he's late [patreon.com/WiseTL]