Restart, Spider-Man!

An Unknown Universe, Spider Society Tower

In the vast, high-tech hall of the Spider Society Tower, an intricate, web-like portal shimmered into existence, forming a spatial corridor of glowing code. Xia Luo and Takuya Yamashiro's figures slowly emerged from the radiant lattice.

"Hey, Takuya-kun, long time no see. What have you been up to lately?"

A passing Spider-Man, clad in a red-and-blue suit with feline ears, waved a clawed hand at Takuya, greeting him cheerfully.

"We saw each other yesterday," Takuya replied nonchalantly, then turned to Xia Luo. "This is Spider—"

"I know. It's Spider-Man," Xia Luo interrupted, cutting off the introduction. He scanned the surrounding high-tech corridors and the geometric structures floating mid-air. The overwhelming presence of Spider-Men everywhere sent a shiver down his spine.

"Oh, a newbie," the Garfield-inspired Spider-Man muttered, drooping his eyelids. "Newcomers need to showcase their talents. Can you sing?"

"Of course, I can meow like a cat," Xia Luo replied with a grin.

The Garfield Spider-Man's forehead twitched. "You're mocking me, aren't you?"

"No, don't misunderstand me," Xia Luo said defensively.

"Yes, you are! I can't even meow like a cat, so how could you?"

"I only know how to sing a song called 'Meowing Like a Cat.'"

"You sing, too?!"

With a darkened face and claws extended, the Garfield Spider-Man growled, "You're the most disrespectful Spider-Man I've ever met!"

Xia Luo tilted his head, eyeing him disdainfully. "It's a song. You overly sensitive, insecure guy—you're not cut out to be Spider-Man."

"What did you say?!"

The Garfield Spider-Man leaped, aiming a swipe at Xia Luo's knees, only to be intercepted mid-air by Takuya, who grabbed him by the scruff of his neck.

"Calm down. You can't win against him. Just let it go," Takuya advised.

"Meow!" The Garfield Spider-Man bared his teeth. "Let me go! I'm going to pummel this disrespectful rookie!"

Before he could finish, Xia Luo kicked him, sending him flying across the hall.

"Meowww~~!"

"Pfft!"

Seeing Garfield Spider-Man slam into the ceiling walkway, Xia Luo shrugged. "Why are there such irritable Spider-Men here?" he asked Takuya.

Takuya rubbed his forehead. "You're all equally violent."

Feeling the judgmental stares of the surrounding Spider-Men, Takuya quickly pulled Xia Luo toward an upper-level office.

"Let's go find Miguel. He'll be thrilled to see you here."

"Miguel went to another Spider-Man universe," a nearby Spider-Man chimed in, activating a handheld device. "He might be gone for a while."

"Miguel isn't here?"

Takuya sighed. "Great, we've come at the wrong time."

But Xia Luo's eyes narrowed as he noticed something amiss.

"Wait, my stuff!"

Raising his empty webbing, Xia Luo discovered that the symbiote-covered meteorite he had wrapped securely was missing.

"What's going on here?" Xia Luo asked, frowning. He scanned the nearby Spider-Men, suspecting one of them with unique abilities had stolen it.

Takuya thought for a moment before shouting at a nearby shadow.

"Peter! Hand it back, now!"

At his words, every Spider-Man in the vicinity turned to look at Takuya.

"You calling me?"

"No, maybe me."

"Could be all of us."

"I'm sure he meant me. After all, I'm the most handsome here."

"Hey, Mr. Cotton Candy, have some self-awareness."

As the Spider-Men erupted into chaotic banter, Takuya rubbed his temples in frustration.

"In a place like this, I feel like I've lost all courage as Spider-Man. They're too noisy."

Xia Luo tried to reassure him. "If they're that annoying, just summon the Spirit Blade and send them all flying!"

Takuya: "…"

"Actually, I can endure it."

"Then carry on."

"Alright."

Takuya stared at the shadow at Xia Luo's feet. "Stop playing games. That thing is dangerous."

Buzz.

Suddenly, Xia Luo's shadow transformed, materializing into an inky-black figure.

"But I think it suits me perfectly," the shadowy Spider-Man murmured, cradling the black meteorite like a treasure.

"I love black."

A vein throbbed in Xia Luo's temple. "It loves you, too."

"What?"

The shadowy Spider-Man looked back at Xia Luo, only to feel the alien lifeform within the meteorite begin invading his body.

"Oh, yes. It loves me! This is amazing!" he exclaimed in delight.

Xia Luo: "…"

"You lunatic."

He lunged forward, attempting to snatch back the meteorite.

"What are you doing?"

"Give it back!"

"No!"

As Xia Luo reached out, the shadowy Spider-Man let out a sharp cry and dove back into the shadows.

Boom!

A fist-sized dent appeared in the polished floor, but the shadow and its inhabitant were gone.

The commotion drew glances from nearby Spider-Men, but they soon returned to their chatter, unconcerned about the newcomer's property damage.

"Where did he go?" Xia Luo asked, frowning.

Takuya shrugged. "No one knows. He could show up anywhere."

Hearing this, Xia Luo felt a sense of dread creeping in.

"Are all the Spider-Men here this unreliable?"

He took a deep breath, realizing that this place wasn't what he had envisioned.

Takuya, oblivious to what lay ahead, casually greeted passing Spider-Men and remarked, "Relax. With so many Spider-Men here, any problem can be solved."

Xia Luo scowled, glancing at the surrounding Spider-Men. He finally understood what was wrong.

Before delving into the multiverse, Spider-Men usually operated solo in their own universes. When faced with formidable foes or complex situations, they had no choice but to give it their all.

But things were different here.

There were so many Spider-Men that, even without acting, someone else would step in.

To put it bluntly, they could drown any villain in spit if they all worked together.

This mindset inevitably weakened the Spider Army's overall combat effectiveness.

In Xia Luo's opinion, if a single Captain faced off against one Spider-Man, the Spider-Man would likely win.

But if ten Captains faced off against ten Spider-Men, the Captains would undoubtedly prevail.

With great power comes great responsibility.

And the more Spider-Men there were, the greater the danger.

This place was perilous.

In the eerie silence of the hall, Spider-Men began vanishing one after another into their own shadows, driven by the alarm of their Spider-Sense.

"Oh, crap! Where's my conversation partner?"

"My Spider-Sense is screaming—this place is getting more dangerous by the second."

"We need to get out of here!"

One Spider-Man shouted, but before he could act, a clawed hand emerged from his shadow and latched onto his ankle.

With an incredible yank, he was dragged into the darkness without resistance.

"My God, it's Shadow Spider-Man! Has he lost his mind?"

"Someone turn off the lights!"

Click.

The room was plunged into complete darkness as the Spider-Men cut the power, leaving the tower enveloped in pitch black.

"No!"

"Ahhh!"

Screams rang out, growing more frantic. In the darkness, a sinister predator began claiming lives, rendering the famed Spider-Sense useless against the shadowy claws tearing through the room.

"Who's the genius that thought cutting the lights was a good idea?"

"Now the shadows are even larger!"

"Turn the lights back on!"

Zap!

A burst of sparks illuminated the room for a brief moment before the circuit breaker was destroyed entirely.

Groans and panicked voices filled the space.

"No! We're doomed! There's no way to tell where he'll strike next..."

"Let me handle this!"

Suddenly, a radiant red-and-blue light erupted in the darkness. One Spider-Man, glowing with mysterious energy, lit up the hall as if summoning the dawn.

But relief was short-lived. From the corner of the room, a massive shadow emerged, swallowing the Spider-Man whole. No amount of light could repel the creeping blackness.

"Oh, this is bad," the glowing Spider-Man murmured, a grim smile spreading across his face as his body was slowly consumed.

"Can someone deliver a message to Mary Jane for me? She lives at 108 Eisen Apartments in Queens."

With those words, he too vanished into the black abyss, plunging the hall back into darkness.

Meanwhile, the shadow that had absorbed countless Spider-Men began to twist and morph, growing into a towering, spider-like monstrosity stretching over dozens of meters.

Buzz.

On the floor, the shadow creature grew jagged fangs, and six blood-red eyes glowed ominously, casting a ghastly light in the blackness.

Though the room was dark as ink, the spider-shaped shadow stood out unnaturally, defying the laws of physics.

Fed by the flesh and energy of the fallen Spider-Men, the shadow began to evolve from a two-dimensional entity into a terrifying three-dimensional beast.

Crack, crack, crack!

"Rrrraaaahhh!"

The black monster rose slowly, six glowing eyes radiating beams of crimson energy that sliced wildly through the tower.

Boom!

The red energy erupted outward, tearing through the walls.

Amid the chaos, the remaining Spider-Men finally sprang into action. They launched webs and swung through the carnage, each employing their unique abilities to counter the catastrophic threat.

Xia Luo stood in a corner, watching the scene unfold.

A petite figure darted gracefully through the beams of crimson light, her fingers glowing as she unleashed a barrage of webs, creating an enormous net spanning over a hundred meters.

"I've got it!" she cried, the web engulfing the monstrous shadow.

But before she could call for backup, the inky darkness bled through the webbing, staining it black and dissolving it entirely.

"What—?"

"No!"

The dark tendrils surged up her fingers, pulling her into the black mass. Her body dissolved into liquid, merging with the growing shadow.

"Give Cindy back to me!"

A red-and-blue Spider-Man screamed, his rage triggering a transformation. His body swelled, tearing through his suit, and within seconds, he became a hulking green giant. Roaring, he charged at the shadow creature.

Snap! Crunch!

The shadow's gaping maw opened wide, swallowing the Hulkified Spider-Man whole.

Urp.

The creature let out a satisfied belch, seemingly pleased with its meal.

Crack, crack, crack!

Suddenly, mechanical red-and-blue appendages sprouted around the shadow, each tipped with claws that fired scorching laser beams.

Zap, zap!

Boom, boom!

The heated beams sliced through the polished floor, reducing the monstrous shadow to scattered pieces.

Amid the chaos, a Spider-Man with a high-tech backpack landed gracefully. His mechanical appendages retracted into his gear.

"Handled it. Still too easy."

He strutted toward the other Spider-Men with a smug expression.

But instead of cheers, the masked faces around him were frozen in shock and quickly turned to fear.

"You…"

"I know. No need to worship me," he said smugly.

"No, RUN!"

"I never run. That's for weaklings—"

Before he could finish, the shadow re-formed and swallowed him whole.

The remaining Spider-Men: "…"

Xia Luo sighed and stood up, dusting himself off.

These Spider-Men are useless.

If the world was going to be saved, it was up to him.

"This is so boring," he muttered.

Before he could step forward, a cold, imposing figure appeared beside him.

Xia Luo turned his head to see a dazzling Spider-Man pushing through the crowd. His armor gleamed with opulence, reflecting the faint light like a beacon of extravagance.

High-tech drones hovered above him, locking onto the shadow creature with precision.

A voluptuous female Spider-Man sauntered up beside him, leaning flirtatiously against his arm.

"Peter, that thing looks tough. Be careful!" she purred.

Peter waved dismissively. "No one can beat me with my theme music playing."

With that, his suit lit up with strobing lights, and DJ music blared from speakers.

Boom-ch-boom-ch!

"Let's party!"

In the darkness, his over-the-top dance moves left everyone momentarily stunned.

Xia Luo buried his face in his hands. "What kind of trash am I surrounded by? I regret coming here."

Beside him, Takuya couldn't help but sway to the beat. "What? I... can't… hear you!"

Xia Luo: "…"

He decided to wait. After all, this guy was clearly a comic relief character. And comic relief characters never have—

Snap! Crunch!

The shadow monster devoured the flashy Spider-Man in one bite, picking its teeth with the remains of his companion.

Xia Luo was momentarily speechless.

"He did say no one could beat him with his theme music playing," he noted dryly.

Takuya nodded thoughtfully. "But the music stopped. Makes sense he'd die then."

"Then what are you waiting for? Summon Leopardon and finish this!"

"This street has a speed limit. My mecha won't arrive in time."

"Your mecha can fly."

"I don't have a flight license."

"Fine. Let me guess—you're waiting for another Spider-Man to handle it."

"Exactly. And that Spider-Man is you."

Encouraged by Takuya's hopeful gaze, Xia Luo reluctantly stepped forward.

Seeing someone finally take the lead, the other Spider-Men paused in their retreat.

"Another one's stepping up."

"How long do you think he'll last?"

"Three seconds."

"He looks average. I'll bet two seconds."

"Don't you know who that is?"

From the crowd, a scruffy Peter Parker glanced at the others. "That's Xia Luo Parker. I know him. He's the strongest Spider-Man I've ever seen."

The crowd erupted in shock.

"No way! Stronger than Miguel?"

"Oh my God, is that true? What's his greatest feat?"

"At least defeating Kingpin, I'd say."

The scruffy Peter scoffed. "Kingpin? That guy didn't even last one punch. No challenge at all."

"What?!"

"One punch?!"

The Spider-Men stared wide-eyed.

---

Ahem! Gather close, esteemed audience! Do you comprehend the privilege of basking in my radiance? Truly, you're witnessing history in the making—a performance unparalleled in the annals of Fontaine!

Ah, but don't get distracted! Let me be clear: this brilliance isn't conjured from thin air. No, no, no! It requires effort, dedication, and… well, a touch of your generosity. If you fancy being part of something truly extraordinary, do step forward here: [patreon.com/WiseTL].

Oh, but wait! You're probably wondering, "Furina, how can someone as magnificent as you need assistance?" To that, I say: why deny mortals the honor of contributing to such greatness? Supporting me is supporting art, and who doesn't want to say they were instrumental in a legend's rise?

Now, off you go. Make your offerings, and perhaps, perhaps, I'll acknowledge you in my next soliloquy!

— Furina ✨