The Web of Life and Destiny was the physical manifestation of the Totem Spider God’s power.
Every Spider-Man existed because the Web of Life and Destiny had chosen them.
Those selected inherited the power of the Totem Spider God through the Web, becoming one of its countless living anchors spread across the multiverse.
In other words, every Spider-Man in every parallel universe served as a branch anchor of the Web of Life and Destiny.
The more branch anchors the Web possessed, the stronger and more stable it became.
Likewise, without the Web of Life and Destiny, Spider-Man could never exist.
The two relied on one another.
Neither could exist without the other.
However, despite its immense importance, the Web of Life and Destiny had always remained hidden.
It silently guided every Spider-Man’s fate from the shadows, and only a handful of Spider-Men throughout history had ever become aware of its existence.
Never before had it physically manifested itself on the body of a Spider-Man.
That alone was enough to defy common sense.
Because of this, Peter wasn’t completely confident in his theory.
For now, it was nothing more than a possibility—something to keep in mind until he discovered the truth.
After spending several minutes examining the mysterious golden spider-web pattern on his palm, Peter confirmed that it wasn’t affecting him in any obvious way.
It hadn’t increased his strength.
It hadn’t enhanced his reflexes.
And, thankfully, it hadn’t caused him to grow anything strange either—no organic web-shooters, no extra arms, and definitely no eight creepy spider eyes.
*So…
is this good news or bad news?*
Peter let out a quiet sigh.
*Forget it.*
*Today’s a big day.*
With a slight twist of his waist, Peter’s powerful core muscles exploded with force, effortlessly launching him off the bed.
The mouthwatering aroma of freshly fried bacon drifted upstairs.
Half a minute later, Peter walked downstairs with his hair still a complete mess.
“Peter…”
Aunt May’s gentle voice floated over from the kitchen, accompanied by the rich scent of freshly brewed coffee.
She was wearing an apron decorated with Donald Duck cartoons while tapping a yellow sticky note attached to the refrigerator.
“This is reminder number fifteen.”
“You forgot to get your hair cut again.”
“And today is the first day of school.”
Peter grabbed a bacon sandwich from the table and quickly stuffed a large bite into his mouth.
“Alright, Aunt May.”
He spoke between mouthfuls.
“I promise you’ll see a brand-new hairstyle when I get home tonight.”
Across the table, Uncle Ben folded his newspaper and removed his reading glasses before pouring Peter a glass of orange juice.
“Did you sleep well last night, Peter?”
The strange dream from the previous night instantly resurfaced in Peter’s mind.
The endless golden web.
The mysterious voice.
The burning mark on his palm.
Peter froze for half a second before forcing himself back to reality.
“I…”
Before he could answer, a sharp knock echoed through the house.
Knock!
Knock!
“Hurry up, Peter!”
“The bus will be here any minute!”
“I don’t want to be late on the first day of school!”
Standing outside the front door was a tall teenage girl with long, fiery red hair that shimmered beneath the morning sunlight.
It was Mary Jane.
His childhood friend.
“I’m coming!”
Still chewing the last half of his bacon sandwich, Peter hurried to the door.
“Bye, Uncle Ben!”
“Bye, Aunt May!”
Within moments, the two teenagers disappeared down the quiet neighborhood street together.
Bathed in the warm morning sunlight, their shadows stretched across the pavement, overlapping naturally as they walked side by side.
Watching them leave, Uncle Ben smiled to himself.
“Teenagers…”
“They always give you something to worry about.”
He rested his chin on one hand and narrowed his eyes thoughtfully before letting out a quiet chuckle.
“Then again…”
“Peter’s already in high school.”
“Some things are simply part of growing up.”
“Young people have to find their own path.”
“An old man like me shouldn’t interfere too much.”
On the way to the bus stop, Peter and Mary Jane chatted about everything they had done over the summer.
“So you’re telling me…”
Mary Jane looked Peter up and down, her emerald-green eyes carefully scanning his noticeably broader shoulders and thicker arms.
“You spent the entire summer working out and didn’t go anywhere?”
Peter shrugged with a smile.
“Pretty much.”
Mary Jane crossed her arms and gave him another skeptical look before finally nodding.
“Alright, I believe you.”
“You really did get a lot stronger.”
“I didn’t expect you to be this talented at working out.”
Reaching into her satchel, she pulled out a neatly wrapped souvenir and handed it to him.
“Here.”
“A little gift I brought back from Disney.”
“For my favorite fitness boy.”
Peter smiled as he accepted the present.
“Thanks, MJ.”
Just as he started to unwrap it—
A searing pain suddenly shot through the palm of his right hand.
It felt as if someone had pressed a red-hot branding iron directly into his flesh.
Peter’s entire body stiffened.
The smile on his face disappeared instantly.
“Sorry, MJ…”
He forced himself to remain calm despite the growing pain.
“It looks like you’ll have to go to school without me today.”
“I just remembered something important that I forgot at home.”
Mary Jane frowned as she noticed the subtle change in his expression.
“But Peter…”
“Are you okay?”
Peter forced out another smile.
“Trust me.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“I won’t be late.”
“Just help me explain things to Harry.”
Before she could ask any more questions, the school bus pulled up beside them.
Peter gently urged her toward the open doors.
“Go on.”
“I’ll see you at school.”
Mary Jane hesitated for a moment, clearly worried, but eventually stepped onto the bus.
The doors closed.
The bus drove away.
The moment it disappeared around the corner, Peter clutched his burning hand and sprinted toward the nearest narrow alley.
His breathing became heavier with every step.
Once he was sure no one was watching, he slowly opened his right hand.
The golden spider-web mark on his palm was glowing brilliantly.
And then—
The pain intensified.
It was no longer just burning.
It felt as though molten lava had been poured directly into the deepest parts of his bones.
Every nerve screamed in agony.
Peter gritted his teeth.
*Take a deep breath…*
*Stay calm…*
*Panicking will only make this worse…*
He forced himself to breathe slowly.
One breath.
Then another.
The adrenaline rushing through his body gradually dulled the unbearable pain.
Just as he thought the worst was over—
The glowing spider-web pattern suddenly began to change.
The intricate golden lines twisted and folded into one another.
A moment later, they rearranged themselves into four strange symbols.
1610B.
Before Peter could even process what he was seeing, the numbers dissolved into a swirling golden vortex.
The surrounding space immediately began to warp.
Buildings twisted.
Light bent unnaturally.
Reality itself seemed to spiral inward.
The golden vortex expanded in an instant.
Then—
It swallowed Peter whole.
Golden light flooded his vision.
Time lost all meaning.
It felt as though only a single second had passed.
Yet at the same time, it felt like an entire century.
Finally—
The spinning stopped.
The brilliant golden light slowly faded away.
Peter felt solid ground beneath his feet once again.
He slowly opened his eyes.
“…New York?”
The familiar streets stretched out before him.
Every building.
Every intersection.
Every alley.
As Spider-Man, Peter knew New York better than almost anyone alive.
There was no way he could mistake it.
Yet something immediately felt…
wrong.
Peter’s gaze shifted across the street.
Mounted on the side of a residential building was a massive electronic billboard, and at that very moment, it was broadcasting a breaking news report.
The words on the screen made his pupils contract.
Breaking News.
The superhero known as Spider-Man has been confirmed dead.
According to the New York Police Department, Spider-Man died during the mysterious super earthquake that struck Brooklyn earlier tonight.
Authorities have officially identified Spider-Man as Peter Parker, a twenty-six-year-old graduate student and part-time photographer.
Spider-Man…
Dead?
A mysterious earthquake in Brooklyn?
Twenty-six-year-old Peter Parker…
a graduate student and part-time photographer?
Peter stood frozen.
Then, as if someone had unlocked a forgotten memory buried deep within his mind, the answer suddenly surfaced.
His eyes widened.
“Earth…
1610B.”
The strange number that had appeared on his palm finally made sense.
This wasn’t the New York he knew.
It was another New York.
A parallel universe.
More specifically…
Earth-1610B.
The world from *Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.*
Earth-1610 was also known as the Ultimate Universe, a timeline that had given birth to countless branching realities.
Peter’s own world was one of those branches as well.
Its designation was Earth-1610A—the universe of *Ultimate Spider-Man.*
Once he realized where he was, countless unanswered questions immediately began falling into place.
*”According to the events of* Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, *every Spider-Person was pulled into this universe by the massive dimensional collider.”*
Peter slowly raised his right hand and looked at the glowing golden spider-web mark on his palm.
*”But that’s not how I got here.”*
*”Which means…”*
*”This mark is responsible for bringing me across dimensions.”*
The golden web still radiated a faint warmth, as if every mystery surrounding it remained hidden beneath its surface, waiting for the right moment to reveal itself.
Peter frowned thoughtfully.
*”There’s something even stranger.”*
*”This universe isn’t rejecting my existence.”*
*”My dimensional stability is completely normal.”*
*”That shouldn’t be possible.”*
In the movie, every Spider-Person who entered another universe eventually began to glitch.
Their bodies became unstable because they didn’t belong there.
Yet Peter felt perfectly fine.
No dizziness.
No distortion.
No signs of reality trying to erase him.
*”Why am I different?”*
After a moment of silence, a possibility surfaced in his mind.
*”If this really is the Web of Life and Destiny…”*
*”Then maybe it recognizes me as someone who belongs.”*
*”Is this…
a form of protection?”*
*”Is that why I can move freely through this universe without being rejected?”*
Peter rubbed his chin.
*”If that’s true…”*
*”Then why did it bring me here in the first place?”*
He couldn’t help but laugh softly to himself.
*”Surely it didn’t drag me across the multiverse just so I could try Turkish barbecue.”*
He paused for a moment.
*”Although…”*
*”If I have the chance, I honestly wouldn’t mind finding out whether food tastes different in another universe.”*
The thought had barely crossed his mind when—
A powerful jolt shot through his brain.
Every nerve in his body tensed instantly.
His expression changed.
Spider-Sense.
Someone was approaching.
Fast.
No…
Incredibly fast.
Peter’s body reacted before his mind had time to think.
Every muscle in his body tightened instinctively.
His heart skipped a beat.
Then—
He moved.
Whoosh!
Peter sprang backward just as a dark blur tore through the spot where he had been standing a split second earlier.
Boom!
The pavement exploded.
Chunks of concrete flew through the air as cracks spread across the ground like a spider web.
A cloud of dust billowed outward.
Peter’s eyes narrowed.
*That speed…*
*Whoever that was…
they’re fast.*
Before the dust had a chance to settle, another violent warning exploded inside his mind.
*Behind me!*
Peter twisted his body on instinct.
A black boot sliced through the air, missing his face by less than an inch.
The powerful kick created a sharp gust of wind that brushed against his cheek.
The attacker landed several meters away with incredible agility.
Only then did Peter get a clear look at them.
A teenage boy.
Dark skin.
An athletic build.
A black-and-red Spider-Man suit.
Large white eye lenses.
Peter recognized him immediately.
Miles Morales.
“…Miles?”
The young Spider-Man lowered himself into a fighting stance.
Every muscle in his body was tense, ready to strike at any moment.
“Who are you?”
His voice was filled with caution.
“And why do you have Spider powers?”
Peter understood his reaction immediately.
From Miles’ perspective, a mysterious Spider-Man had suddenly appeared in New York only hours after the death of Peter Parker.
Anyone would be suspicious.
Especially another Spider-Man.
Peter slowly raised both hands.
“Easy.”
“I’m not your enemy.”
Miles didn’t lower his guard.
“That’s what every bad guy says.”
Peter couldn’t help smiling.
“…Fair enough.”
“But I’m telling the truth.”
“My name is Peter Parker.”
Silence.
Miles stared at him for several long seconds.
Then he shook his head.
“Yeah…”
“I don’t believe that.”
The instant the words left his mouth—
Bang!
Miles disappeared.
His explosive acceleration shocked even Peter.
*He’s fast!*
Peter barely caught sight of the black-and-red figure rushing toward him.
His Spider-Sense screamed again.
*Left!*
Peter tilted his head.
A fist shot past his cheek.
*Right!*
He raised his forearm just in time.
Boom!
The impact echoed through the alley.
Peter slid backward several meters before stopping himself against a brick wall.
A dull ache spread through his arm.
*What incredible strength…*
At the same time, Miles was equally surprised.
*He blocked it?*
Ever since gaining his powers, very few people had been able to react to his speed.
Yet this mysterious Spider-Man had dodged nearly every attack.
That alone proved one thing.
He wasn’t lying about having Spider powers.
Miles narrowed his eyes behind the mask.
“You’re hiding something.”
Without waiting for an answer, he fired a web.
Thwip!
The web shot straight toward Peter’s chest.
Peter instinctively reached toward his wrist—
Then froze.
“…Right.”
“I don’t have web-shooters yet.”
The web wrapped tightly around his shoulder.
Miles immediately pulled with all his strength.
Whoosh!
Peter was yanked off balance and sent flying straight toward him.
Miles clenched his fist.
Planning to end the fight with a single punch.
But the moment Peter entered striking distance—
His instincts took over.
Instead of resisting the pull, Peter twisted his waist and redirected the momentum.
Using Miles’ own strength against him, he slipped past his opponent in one smooth motion.
“What?!”
Miles’ eyes widened.
Peter appeared behind him in an instant.
Rather than attacking, he simply placed a hand against Miles’ back and gave him a gentle push.
Miles stumbled forward several steps before finally regaining his balance.
Neither of them had landed a decisive blow.
The two Spider-Men stood several meters apart, carefully watching each other.
Neither dared underestimate the other anymore.
Peter broke the silence first.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
“Feeling a little calmer now?”
Miles didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he continued studying Peter from head to toe.
“You’ve been trained.”
His tone was calm but certain.
“Not exactly.”
Peter shrugged.
“I’ve just had…
a pretty unusual summer.”
Miles remained silent.
His mask hid his expression, but Peter could almost imagine the countless questions running through his mind.
A Spider-Man he had never seen before.
The same name.
The same powers.
Yet somehow…
Completely different.
Before either of them could speak again—
Rumble!
The ground suddenly shook.
Both Spider-Men instinctively turned toward the distant skyline.
A massive pillar of purple energy erupted into the heavens from somewhere deep within Brooklyn.
The surrounding buildings trembled violently.
Car alarms began blaring throughout the city.
Peter’s expression instantly grew serious.
“The collider…”
Miles looked toward the same direction, his breathing becoming noticeably heavier.
Peter recognized the location immediately.
Alchemax.
Kingpin’s Super Collider.
The very machine capable of ripping open the barriers between universes.
According to the original timeline…
Everything had already begun.
Peter slowly clenched his right fist.
The golden spider-web mark on his palm glowed faintly once again.
It almost felt…
As though it had finally found the reason for bringing him to this universe.
Peter let out a slow breath before smiling faintly.
“So that’s why I’m here…”
His eyes remained fixed on the distant beam of purple light.
“My vacation just got canceled.”