Restart, Spider-Man!

Morris: "…"

He stared at Xia Luo's over-the-top antics, his expression shifting to one of disbelief, as though he were watching an idiot.

"Do you think I'm stupid?" he sneered.

Xia Luo grinned. "Not stupid—but I could beat you into one."

"You—"

Before Morris could finish, Xia Luo's punch came out of nowhere, a surge of ferocious power tearing through him. Morris's body instantly burst into a cascade of water droplets.

Splash!

The droplets scattered but quickly reformed midair, reconstructing Morris's figure.

"Interesting guy. Didn't expect to run into a superpowered individual so casually."

With a smirk, Morris raised his hand, controlling the lake water behind him to form a roaring waterspout that surged forward.

Rooooar!

The water dragon charged, and Xia Luo darted behind old Steve Rogers.

"Hey, old man, let's see those muscles!"

"Sure, watch this!"

Old Steve clenched his fists, his muscles bulging explosively as his shirt ripped apart, unleashing a devastating force equivalent to hundreds of tons.

Whoosh!

The raging waters swept over him, carrying Steve into the park's forest.

Xia Luo, having dodged the onslaught, landed gracefully on a web suspended midair, shaking his head at the scene.

"Still all about brute force."

Morris, spotting the web beneath Xia Luo's feet, immediately scowled.

"That's Spider-Man's webbing. Who the hell are you?"

"Super Saiyan."

As Xia Luo spoke, he cupped his hands at his waist, channeling his internal reserves. The spider silk proteins within his glands surged wildly.

Buzz!

In an instant, blue light flared, growing increasingly radiant.

Wind whipped through his hair as Xia Luo unleashed an intense blast of high-density blue webbing, firing it like a beam. The force tore through Morris, disintegrating him into a fine mist of water droplets once more.

Splash!

"Pitiful Super Saiyan. Your attacks are useless against me."

Morris's voice echoed as his watery form reassembled, his mocking laughter filling the air.

But in the next moment, a crimson beam of energy erupted from Xia Luo's wrist, piercing through Morris's body and drilling deep into the ground.

The superheated beam ignited the earth, flames licking upward as Morris's watery form began to evaporate under the intense heat.

As steam clouded the air, Xia Luo leapt down, watching intently as the mist slowly dissipated. His brow furrowed slightly.

"Is he dead?" Old Steve arrived, wrapped in a towel.

"Probably not. We're too close to the lake," Xia Luo replied, glancing at the towel. "Where'd you get that?"

Steve patted his damp hair. "It's a compressed towel I carry around. Whenever my clothes get shredded, I use it to cover up my muscles."

Xia Luo: "…"

"You should talk to Dr. Banner. His stretchy shorts are made from a highly elastic material. Perfect for situations like yours."

"I know, but they're expensive."

Steve wiped his face and sighed. "The genetic data from the Codex has transformed my body. I'll live much longer now."

"But immortality doesn't come with a pension. You understand—I can't afford that material with my retirement fund."

Xia Luo patted his shoulder sympathetically.

"Don't worry. I've got money."

"Thanks…"

"I can loan you some."

Steve: "…"

"Can I… not pay it back?" he asked cautiously.

"Of course not. My money doesn't grow on trees."

Xia Luo turned and began to walk away.

Steve glanced back at the now-calm lake and quickly caught up with him.

"That guy isn't dead. Aren't you going to finish the job?"

"Finish what?"

Xia Luo shook his head. "Unless we evaporate the entire lake, we can't kill him."

Steve nodded in agreement. "True. So, we're just leaving him be?"

Xia Luo shrugged. "He's looking for Spider-Man, not me. Let another Spider-Man deal with him!"

As soon as he mentioned Spider-Man, a figure swung down from the night sky. The red-and-blue silhouette landed nimbly in front of them, using webbing to descend.

"Hey, I saw some strange lights nearby. Do you know what's going on?"

Xia Luo and Steve exchanged a glance.

"He doesn't seem to know us."

"Which means another Spider-Man has shown up."

"Something's off."

"It's not just off—it's seriously messed up."

Xia Luo's gaze shifted to more figures swinging in from the distance, one after another. His eye twitched as he counted.

"Here they come again."

"Yep, we're here!"

Dozens of red-and-blue figures swung into view, plunging the scene into chaos.

"Hey, you're Spider-Man? I'm Spider-Man too! That guy over there must also be Spider-Man!"

"Dude, it's obvious. We're all wearing the same suit."

"I just saw Morris—the Water Guy. That dude should've been dead!"

"Oh my God, did you kill him?"

"Oh my God, Spider-Man doesn't kill people! You're a disgrace to Spider-Man."

"No, listen! Let me explain—I didn't mean to kill him. He practically killed himself!"

"My God, what's happening? Why are so many Spider-Men here?"

"I think a god summoned us here. Something big must be going down."

"Or maybe it's just some god's twisted sense of humor."

"You've met a god?"

"Uh, yeah. I know one who fights with a hammer. He's kind of lame, but his dad is super powerful."

"Are there Avengers here? I think I saw Stark Tower."

The group of Spider-Men huddled together, their chatter filling the air. Meanwhile, old Steve Rogers felt his scalp tingle.

"Hey, Spidey, we—"

Before he could finish, the Spider-Men turned to look at him in unison.

"Hey, old-timer, you calling me?"

"No, he's obviously calling me."

"How sweet of him to use such an affectionate nickname."

Feeling the weight of so many Spider-Man stares, Steve froze, his face stiff with awkwardness. He quickly waved his hands.

"No, you heard wrong!"

With that, he grabbed Xia Luo and hurriedly walked away from the "Spider hive."

Xia Luo, however, remained calm. "This is nothing. Just a few Spider-Men. Not long ago, I saw a hundred Spider-Men."

"A hundred?"

Steve's aged face twitched. "You're kidding, right? If you know a hundred Spider-Men, and these ones don't know you, then… they're—"

"Yep, a different batch of Spider-Men. I don't know them, but if I say my name, they'll definitely have heard of my story."

Xia Luo grinned, about to shout out his name, but before he could, jets of water shot up from the lake behind him.

"Spider-Man! Finally, I've found you!"

"Mary Jane is mine!!"

"I'll kill you!"

Suddenly, wave after wave of "Morris" surged toward the Spider hive.

Above the park, a swarm of "Vultures" circled menacingly, their glowing green eyes sending chills down spines.

BOOM!

A deafening explosion echoed from the forest as hordes of Rhino-men and green Lizard-men trampled through the trees. Metallic tentacles snaked out from the crowd, spreading destruction.

"Spider-Man! We've got you now!"

"Kill them all!"

"Kill Spider-Man!"

"Spider-Man must die!"

The scene descended into chaos.

---

From atop a distant skyscraper, a portal opened. Xia Luo and Steve stood there, watching the villains and Spider-Men clash below. Both were utterly dumbfounded.

"This is way over the top," Steve muttered, swallowing nervously.

He turned to Xia Luo. "Are we getting involved?"

"Someone already is."

Xia Luo pointed to the night sky, where streaks of fiery light were streaking toward the battlefield. "Looks like Tony's nano-armor."

"You've got a sharp eye."

The flames approached rapidly, and none other than Infinite Tony Stark descended before them.

"It's been a while. But every time I see you, it's always trouble."

As his suit's helmet retracted, Tony glanced at the chaotic battle between Spider-Men and villains, his face contorting with exasperation.

"Too many bugs. The Avengers can't possibly handle this. Is the Peter I know in there somewhere?" he asked.

Xia Luo shook his head. "If he were back, he'd definitely come to find you."

Tony frowned. "The dimensional rift caused by those two Sorcerer Supremes' fight brought all these Spider-Men here. Looks like that guy's hatred for Spider-Man runs deeper than we thought."

He turned his gaze to Xia Luo, his expression suspicious.

"This was your doing, wasn't it?"

Xia Luo looked up at the sky. "The night is beautiful tonight."

"Sure is."

Steve pointed to a twinkling light in the sky. "Look, there are stars."

"That doesn't look like a star!"

Xia Luo squinted as the spider emblem on his chest glowed faintly. His Spider-Sense blared in warning as a meteor-like object hurtled toward the park.

BOOOOM!

The impact sent a violent shockwave across the battlefield, scattering the Spider-Men. A twisted leech-like sigil briefly illuminated before vanishing into the ground.

The Inheritors.

From the crater, a European noblewoman clad in a dark red gown slowly emerged.

Her smile was radiant, but her eyes shone with unrestrained greed as she surveyed the gathering of Spider-Men.

"Marvelous," she purred.

Rena licked her lips as sharp black claws extended from her fingers.

Whoosh!

In the blink of an eye, she was in front of one of the Spider-Men.

"What the—?"

The Spider-Man struggled, gasping as Reina's vice-like grip tightened around his throat, lifting him into the air.

"Ugh… you…"

Death's shadow loomed over him, growing closer with each passing second.

The surrounding Spider-Men watched in horror, their iconic triangular eyes wide with shock.

"Is that…"

"She's terrifying! Is she one of Spider-Man's enemies?"

"I've never seen her before."

"She's going to kill Spider-Man!"

"Let him go!"

"Or we won't forgive you!"

The crowd of Spider-Men began shouting threats, but Reina dismissed them with an unimpressed sneer.

"Pathetic little bugs. Barely enough to whet my appetite."

Grinning wickedly, she bared two razor-sharp fangs and prepared to sink them into the Spider-Man's neck.

"Spidey, do something! He's going to die!"

Old Steve yelled in alarm, but Xia Luo merely shook his head.

"Let's wait. He didn't die last time, and I want to see what's really going on."

As he spoke, a gust of wind swept through the forest. Leaves scattered wildly as a faint, eerie glow streaked through the air.

"What?"

Like a reaper's scythe, a mysterious black blade sliced through Reina's body before she could react.

Shkk!

Reina shuddered violently, the strange black energy spreading rapidly across her form.

Within three seconds, the darkness consumed her entirely. The spectral image of a leech appeared briefly in the air before vanishing into the void. Reina, the fearsome inheritor, disintegrated into black fragments, scattering into the wind.

The sight left the Spider-Men frozen in shock.

At the same time, the villains, having just recovered from the terror of Reina's presence, were equally stunned.

"That… was…"

"Look! Over there—it's Spider-Man!"

"My God… a black Spider-Man!"

All eyes turned toward the forest's edge, where shadows gathered around a lone figure. Slowly, the darkness coalesced into a sleek black sword at their feet.

Clink.

A small figure stepped forward, gripping the black blade's hilt. With their arrival, a suffocating aura of death blanketed the battlefield.

"Leave."

The black-clad Spider-Man growled, their body trembling as if enduring unimaginable pain.

The villains felt an icy chill crawl up their spines, an overwhelming sense of doom tightening its grip. The thought of lingering even a moment longer was unbearable.

Without hesitation, they turned and fled.

Even the Spider-Men began retreating under the warning hum of their Spider-Senses.

Before they could decide whether to stay or leave, a portal of magical sparks materialized.

Buzz.

The small figure glanced back before disappearing into the darkness.

Sizzle.

An electric arc sparked through the air as Xia Luo gave chase, only to lose the faint trace of the black blade's energy.

"She's gone again," he muttered, exhaling heavily.

Old Steve caught up to him, scanning the eerie forest.

"Who was that?" Steve asked, his voice low and cautious. "That aura… it was terrifying."

He turned to Xia Luo, whose expression was a mix of frustration and resignation.

"You know her? Who is she?"

"Gwen," Xia Luo said quietly.

"Oh… your girlfriend."

"Shut up, old man."

Xia Luo glared at him. "And don't sleep too soundly tonight."

"Hey, Spidey, that's not fair! You know how important good sleep is for someone my age!" Steve protested, looking genuinely offended.

Just then, Tony Stark in his Infinity Nano Armor descended onto the scene, the thrusters of his suit flaring brilliantly.

"What's the plan here?" Tony asked Xia Luo, surveying the chaotic aftermath.

"I don't care. You deal with it," Xia Luo replied curtly, opening a portal and stepping through without another word.

Tony and Steve exchanged puzzled looks.

"What's his problem?" Steve asked.

"Heartbreak, probably," Tony said with a shrug.

"Ah, he got dumped. Sad story."

"Spider-Men always end up alone," Tony remarked, then turned to the crowd of Spider-Men still milling about.

"Anyone here a fan of mine? I can offer free room and board."

The Spider-Men perked up immediately.

"We don't mind idolizing you!"

"No, I mean making you our idol."

"Man, your mansion must be amazing. Too bad in my world, Tony Stark isn't a fan of bugs."

With a wave, Tony led the excited crowd of Spider-Men away.

Steve, meanwhile, returned to his old apartment.

After showering, he lay in bed, reflecting on Xia Luo's unusual behavior. A faint smile crept across his face.

"Ah, young people. Always tangled up in emotions."

He sighed, closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

---

Steve awoke in a strange valley.

The stone walls were lined with rows upon rows of Chitauri skulls, a grotesque and chilling sight.

In one corner, a ruined spaceship covered in moss jutted out at an odd angle. Embedded in its surface, a vibranium shield creaked faintly as it swayed.

"What is this?" Steve murmured, frowning. "Am I… dreaming?"

Yes, it must be a dream.

The situation felt surreal, yet he couldn't wake himself.

So that's what Xia Luo meant by not sleeping too soundly.

It was a warning, not a curse.

He chuckled bitterly, silently praying.

"Please, let this not be a nightmare. I just want a peaceful night."

He tried using sheer willpower to reshape the dream.

But then, the faint sound of rustling reached his ears. His gut twisted with unease.

Turning slowly, Steve froze.

A hulking purple figure, its body crawling with maggots, approached him, dragging a massive blade.

"You…"

Steve stumbled back, terror etched across his face.

"Zombie… Thanos?"

The next morning, Old Steve shuffled into the bathroom, his movements sluggish and his expression weary.

Staring at his reflection in the mirror, he sighed at the sight of his deep, dark eye bags.

"This is ridiculous. What's next? I dream of Zombie Spider-Man after Zombie Thanos?"

He let out a heavy breath and began his morning routine.

Splash.

The sound of water running from the faucet filled the room as he cupped his hands, letting the cool water wash over his face.

Reaching for a towel, he froze.

The sink was no longer filled with clear water—it was blood red. The metallic scent of blood wafted up, making his stomach churn.

"Ugh—!"

"No way. Still dreaming?"

Startled, Steve slammed his fist into the mirror.

Crash!

The glass shattered, and from the broken shards, a decayed version of himself—Zombie Steve—lunged out.

Roar!

"No!"

Steve's terrified screams echoed through the apartment, loud enough to alert Natasha and Clint outside. They burst into the room, only to find Old Steve thrashing wildly in his bed.

Exchanging puzzled looks, Natasha spoke first.

"Is he… having a nightmare?"

"Looks like it," Clint replied, frowning. "He's been through a lot—resurrected, forced into that brutal tournament. His mental state must be under serious strain. We shouldn't leave him here alone anymore."

Natasha gazed at Steve, a twinge of sadness in her expression.

"Agreed. He's carried so much over the years. He needs friends around him."

Behind them, Tony Stark—wearing his Infinity Nano Armor—massaged his temples.

"Are you two kidding me? Steve won the resurrection tournament because of Spider-Man, not his own effort. Let's not pretend he's had it that rough."

Without waiting, Tony grabbed a glass of ice water and splashed it onto Steve's face.

"No!"

Steve jolted awake, panting heavily as his wide eyes darted between the concerned faces in the room. His expression was still one of sheer panic.

"You—" He pointed a shaky finger at them before shutting his eyes tightly. "Fine! Go ahead and change! Bite me, tear me apart, just end this nightmare already!"

The group exchanged awkward glances.

"Change into what?" Natasha asked.

"Zombies!" Steve cracked open one eye. "Hurry up and bite me! I promise not to resist. Just finish it already!"

With a collective sigh, the group shook their heads.

"I told you, he's under way too much pressure," Clint muttered.

Even Tony seemed uncertain now.

"Maybe he did go through something terrifying in that tournament," Tony mused aloud.

After much explaining, Steve reluctantly calmed down, though doubt lingered in his eyes. Finally, Tony decided to take him to Stark Tower.

---

At the tower, Tony's robotic arms prepared Steve a glass of iced coffee while Tony activated his virtual interface.

"There are currently 18 Spider-Men in total. This morning, we found three more. I've gathered them all in one place."

On the screen, a room full of Spider-Men appeared. Some were stringing up web hammocks while others passed the time playing cards or chatting.

"I'm late, huh?"

Bruce Banner entered the room, looking disheveled. His tired face lit up at the sight of Tony.

"Hey, I'm glad to see you're alive. I would've come sooner, but my cousin's been having some issues—long story."

Tony stood to greet him, pulling him into a brief hug.

"No worries."

Bruce raised an eyebrow. Tony wasn't exactly the hugging type—not even with his closest friends.

"You've… mellowed out," Bruce remarked with a smile.

Tony handed him a coffee via one of his mechanical arms. "What's going on with your cousin?"

Bruce sighed. "Some of my blood got into her wound. Now, she's the Hulk."

"Wow. So, she's the strongest woman in the world?" Tony quipped.

Bruce gave a wry smile. "Strongest—and most dangerous."

His gaze shifted to Steve, who was still rubbing his temples, his demeanor jittery.

"Is he okay?" Bruce asked.

Tony shrugged. "Probably not. He's old."

"Poor guy," Bruce muttered.

Suddenly, he pulled out a laptop. "Anyway, I used gamma rays to identify anomalies. I found a few spots where the original space-time rift might've started."

He pointed at the screen, where a map displayed several glowing red dots.

Tony leaned forward. "Those match the areas where the Spider-Men first appeared."

"Can we seal the rifts?" Natasha asked.

Bruce shook his head. "Not yet. But since Stephen created them, he should know how to fix them."

"The problem is finding him," Tony said, scratching his chin. "If the rifts brought these Spider-Men here and Stephen disappeared through one of them, the only solution might be going in after him."

Clint frowned. "That's risky. We've traveled through time before. It's easy to get lost—and once you're lost, there's no way back."

Suddenly, the air in the room shimmered with golden sparks.

Buzz.

Xia Luo stepped through a portal, and Steve's eyes immediately welled with tears.

"I'm not dreaming! Spidey, I'm so miserable!"

He rushed toward Xia Luo for comfort, only to have his face pushed aside by Xia Luo's palm.

"Nightmares again?" Xia Luo asked flatly.

Steve rubbed his dark eye circles. "Yes. Absolutely horrifying."

Xia Luo's gaze turned thoughtful. "Could be someone with dream-controlling powers targeting you."

"Dream control?" Steve's face darkened. "Why do powers like that even exist?"

"I warned you not to sleep too soundly."

Xia Luo dropped the topic and turned to Tony.

"Whoever caused the rift is after Spider-Men. If they're gathering more of them here, they'll show up eventually."

"But Peter—" Tony's worry was evident in his furrowed brow.

Xia Luo patted his shoulder. "Relax. Your son's probably fine."

Tony: "…"

"Wait… Dad, do I have a brother?"

Morgan burst out of her room, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Before Infinite Tony could say a word, Old Steve casually remarked, "That's your brother."

"I have a brother?!"

Morgan's face lit up with joy, while Tony looked thoroughly exasperated.

Pepper chuckled. "Well, considering Peter could inherit part of the estate, I can see why people might think that."

"It's only a small portion," Tony explained hastily. "Most of it's still for you and Morgan."

"Sure, whatever you say," Pepper replied, her tone dripping with faux sweetness as she carried Morgan away.

Tony shot a glare at Steve.

"When Peter gets back, I'm holding a press conference to clear up these ridiculous rumors. You, zip it."

Old Steve shrugged. "Fine. But have you thought of an excuse to explain how you're back?"

"Of course… no, not yet." Tony sighed, massaging his temples. He hated lying.

Xia Luo stood and stretched. "Let's leave it at that for now. If Spider-Men can cross into this universe, their villains can too. Let those Spider-Men handle their own problems."

As Xia Luo turned to leave, Natasha stopped him.

"Wait, I have a question."

"Go ahead."

Natasha hesitated briefly before organizing her thoughts. "The villains appearing in this universe… they all seem to have died at some point. If the rift is messing with space-time, bringing back the dead, does that mean in your universe…"

She trailed off, but Xia Luo understood.

"So far, I haven't seen any strange 'resurrections' in my universe. Don't worry."

With that, Xia Luo stepped through a portal.

Still, Natasha's concern lingered in his mind. He'd spent all night checking, yet there were no signs of "revived" villains in his universe.

Why this universe seemed to be the center of the Spider-Man phenomenon remained a mystery.

Back in the dimly lit basement—a makeshift secret base shared by Peter Parker, Ned, and MJ—Xia Luo found the two visiting Spider-Men.

The second Peter was demonstrating the process of synthesizing artificial web fluid for Ned and MJ.

"Wow, that's amazing! Peter never showed us how it works!"

"Yeah, he's stingy like that."

The two watched with rapt attention as Peter carefully crafted the webbing.

Meanwhile, the first Peter glanced down at his wrists, a pang of melancholy flickering across his face. He couldn't help but feel envious of the second Peter's camaraderie with the younger crowd.

When Xia Luo emerged from the portal, the first Peter greeted him with a small wave.

"Hey, you're back."

He hesitated, unsure how to continue the conversation. Time and life had made him more reserved, more introspective—but even in his youth, he'd never been the best at small talk, especially out of costume.

Xia Luo checked his messages, then approached the first Peter.

"An old friend of yours is here. Maybe you should go catch up."

"Old friend?"

Peter froze, his expression unreadable, then slowly nodded.

"Yeah, alright."

A portal opened again, depositing them onto a bustling bridge.

Honk honk!

"Get out of here!"

"Move! Now!"

Cars were gridlocked, and pedestrians were fleeing in panic.

Ahead, the sound of metal scraping against concrete grew louder. Vehicles were shoved aside by massive mechanical arms, clearing a path for a trench coat-clad man.

"Peter, you've grown up. Time flies, doesn't it?"

Dr. Otto Octavius, his iconic sunglasses gleaming, smirked as his mechanical appendages writhed menacingly. A flicker of madness glinted in his eyes.

The first Peter stared, his face a mixture of shock and quiet composure.

"Dr. Octavius… it's good to see you again," Peter said softly, managing a faint smile.

Otto faltered for a moment, the familiar kindness in Peter's smile tugging at his heart. The mechanical arms seemed to lose their grip over his mind, granting him a fleeting moment of lucidity.

"Peter… it's really good to see you again."

Otto's smile softened, free of malice. "How have you been, kid?"

Peter stepped forward, his sincerity shining through. "Trying to be better."

The simple words carried profound meaning, and Otto felt a pang of pride.

But the moment was fleeting. Memories of his final moments before his death surged into Otto's mind, twisting his expression into one of anger.

"Trying to be better?" Otto sneered. "How boring. I want you to be stronger—that's where the fun begins!"

With a cold laugh, one of his tentacles lashed out, slicing through the air with terrifying speed.

"Wait!"

Boom!

Peter leapt out of the way just in time, the tentacle smashing into a car and sending it tumbling toward the edge of the bridge.

Peter shot a webline, catching the falling vehicle before it could plunge into the river below.

Behind him, Otto raised all four mechanical arms, their claws glinting menacingly.

"Still the same, Peter—always meddling."

"Otto, stop," Peter pleaded, his voice heavy with emotion. He didn't want to fight Otto; he wanted to save him.

For a brief second, Otto hesitated, but the arms tightened their grip on his mind once more.

"Goodbye, Peter."

Boom!

The claws shot forward, their glowing red tips aimed at Peter's chest.

Before they could strike, a powerful force slammed into Otto, sending him stumbling back. He turned, wincing as pain radiated through his spine.

Standing there, smiling casually, was Xia Luo.

"You…"

"Quick answer: Spider-Man," Xia Luo quipped.

"What?"

With a flick of his wrist, Xia Luo sent Otto flying. Meanwhile, Peter pulled the car safely back onto the bridge.

Gazing down at the fallen Doctor Octopus, Peter took a deep breath.

"I'll handle him," he assured Xia Luo.

Xia Luo glanced at the gathering crowd, then nodded.

"You're not alone here. Bring him back—there's a way to help him."

Peter's eyes hardened with resolve. "I understand."