Outside the glass curtain wall, Charlie narrowed his eyes, staring intently at the countdown.
Among the participants in this Resurrection Match, the Chitauri soldiers might have been nothing more than disposable foot soldiers in Thanos’ army, but they had flying vehicles, advanced alien weapons, and overwhelming numbers.
Then there was Peter Parker.
Was this another Spider-Man?
And finally…
Tony Stark.
Iron Man’s aerial superiority completely outclassed the Chitauri’s hovercraft, making him Charlie’s biggest competitor in this match.
Running into opponents like these in his very first Resurrection Match…
Felt like jumping straight into ranked at the highest tier.
Still…
Not being able to beat them didn’t mean he couldn’t win.
Tick…
Tick…
As the countdown on the glass reached zero, Charlie flipped over the edge of the building, firing a web as he descended toward the street below.
Thwip!
Two web lines shot from his wrists, anchoring themselves to lamp posts on opposite sides of the road.
Gripping both strands, Charlie sprinted backward.
The incredible elasticity of the webbing stretched to its limit before snapping him forward like a giant slingshot.
His body blasted into the night sky like a cannonball.
Launch!
Whoooosh—
The wind howled around him as he soared between skyscrapers, neon lights streaking past in colorful blurs.
When he’d first become Spider-Man…
Swinging through the city had been terrifying.
Equal parts exhilarating and nerve-racking.
Every practice session came with the fear of missing a web and plummeting to his death.
Yet the thrill was impossible to resist.
Now, though…
He’d mastered it completely.
“Woohoo!
It’s Spider-Man!”
“That’s freaking awesome!”
Before losing momentum, Charlie fired another web and continued swinging through the urban jungle.
Everywhere he passed, excited screams erupted from the crowds below.
“Wait…”
“Didn’t Spider-Man just finish fighting Electro?”
“How is he here?”
Someone in the crowd voiced the question.
People quickly pulled out their phones.
The livestream still showed the city district where the power grid had collapsed after Electro’s attack.
“Huh?”
“This is Zone C.”
“Spider-Man shouldn’t be anywhere near here.”
Everyone looked utterly confused.
BOOM!
A streak of fire suddenly roared overhead, blasting across the sky and sending a wave of scorching heat over the streets.
“Oh my God!”
“What was that?”
“That armor is incredible!”
As people stared upward, several more fiery trails shot across the night.
“Oh my God!”
“What’s happening?”
“What are those monsters?!”
When they spotted humanoid creatures riding flying platforms while carrying bizarre alien weapons…
Panic spread through the crowd.
“The aliens are invading!”
Meanwhile…
A sleek suit of nanotech armor streaked between the skyscrapers.
Tony Stark was just as confused as everyone else.
“JARVIS.”
“Ever heard of a Resurrection Match?”
“Sir.”
Friday replied calmly.
“I’m Friday.”
Tony blinked.
“…Right.”
“Sorry.”
“I didn’t mean to.”
JARVIS was gone.
Because of him.
It was a mistake Tony had never truly forgiven himself for.
“It’s alright, sir,” Friday answered gently.
“This is not a game.”
“Please take the competition seriously.”
“I know.”
Tony nodded.
“Locate the clock tower.”
As he accelerated, he recalled the information panel he’d seen moments ago.
His expression grew complicated.
One name on the participant list wouldn’t leave his mind.
Peter Parker.
He had snapped his fingers.
Thanos and his entire army were gone.
So…
How had Peter died?
And why did this world have another Spider-Man?
…
Was this just a hallucination before death?
Across the brightly lit streets, a red-and-blue figure continued swinging through the city.
Thwip!
A few moments later, Charlie landed atop a residential building.
The bustling downtown district was now far behind him.
Looking into the distance…
About a hundred feet away stood a towering clock tower, illuminated by powerful spotlights.
This…
Was where the second Amazing Spider-Man had fought the Green Goblin.
The place where Gwen Stacy died.
Everything was quiet.
Harry hadn’t arrived yet.
There was still time.
Scratch…
Scratch…
A faint rustling sound suddenly echoed across the rooftop.
A chill instantly crawled up Charlie’s spine.
It felt as though some terrifying predator had locked onto him.
His unreliable Spider-Sense…
Had finally decided to work again.
Funny.
It hadn’t reacted at all when Norman tried to kill him.
Thwip!
Acting purely on instinct, Charlie fired a web upward and launched himself into the air.
The next instant…
A massive creature burst from the darkness, barely missing him.
ROAR!!
BOOM!!
A gigantic green humanoid lizard crashed onto the rooftop, shattering concrete and sending chunks of debris flying everywhere.
Landing on a nearby building, Charlie turned around.
His eyes immediately locked onto the monstrous reptilian figure.
Every hair on his arms stood on end.
“Lizard…”
He frowned.
“No…”
“That’s not Curt Connors.”
Realization struck instantly.
The Lizard in this universe had already been defeated by Spider-Man.
That left only one possibility.
One of the Resurrection Match participants—
Peter Parker.
In one corner of the multiverse…
Peter Parker had never become Spider-Man.
He had become…
The Lizard.
Across from him, the towering reptilian monster slowly rose to full height.
Green scales covered every inch of his body.
Madness burned inside his eyes.
“Spider-Man?”
The creature spoke.
The scales on his face twitched as the insanity faded slightly, replaced by something far more complicated.
“…Why is Spider-Man a man?”
His razor-sharp claws scraped against each other repeatedly.
Clearly…
He wasn’t calm.
Charlie glanced at the Little Green Goblin flying overhead before attempting diplomacy.
“Hi.”
“My name’s Charlie.”
“Charlie Parker.”
“The Spider-Man you know probably isn’t me.”
“But I swear on Spider-Man’s honor that I won’t discriminate against your scales or claws.”
“In fact, they’re honestly some of my favorite design elements.”
“Oh, have you ever watched Godzilla?”
“You know…”
“The giant monster that goes RAAAAH and spits radioactive breath everywhere.”
“I think you should seriously talk to Sony or Legendary Pictures about a collaboration—”
Charlie rambled on endlessly.
But Lizard Parker wasn’t listening.
Instead…
His mind drifted back to another Spider-Man.
A beautiful girl.
One who loved playing the drums.
She was Spider-Man.
Everyone’s hero.
Everyone adored her.
Including him.
He had always dreamed of becoming her friend.
But…
He was disabled.
Born without his right arm…
He believed someone like him could never stand beside Spider-Man.
Then one day…
He met Professor Curt Connors.
Another man who had lost an arm.
Connors developed the Lizard Serum.
A formula capable of regenerating lost limbs…
While granting incredible strength.
To earn the right to become Spider-Man’s friend…
Peter injected himself with it.
Instead…
He became a monster.
He would never forget the way she looked at him.
Shock.
Sympathy.
Fear.
Disappointment.
He had almost gone insane.
This wasn’t what he wanted.
There was no undoing it.
…Or was there?
In the end…
He chose to exchange his own life for hers.
He died at the hands of the transformed Curt Connors.
But that was alright.
She survived.
He proved…
With his own life…
That he deserved to be her friend.
She would live.
She had to.
Just like Gwen in this world.
As long as he was here…
No matter which universe it was…
Gwen Stacy must survive.
The conviction in Lizard Parker’s eyes slowly solidified.
Then…
He turned toward Charlie, who was somehow still talking.
Murderous intent exploded from his gaze.
“Gwen has to live.”
“But you…”
“Charlie Parker…”
“Spider-Man should never look like you.”
“You’ve destroyed every beautiful image I ever had of Spider-Man.”
“I’m going to tear you apart!”
BOOM!!
The rooftop exploded beneath his feet.
Concrete shattered.
The monstrous Lizard shot forward like a missile, crossing the entire distance between the buildings in an instant.
“I’LL TEAR YOU APART!!”
His rage wasn’t just anger.
It was desperation.
A pathetic attempt to hide the pain and self-loathing of becoming a monster.
Charlie immediately stopped talking.
He’d been ready for this.
The moment the Lizard lunged…
Charlie leaped aside.
Dodging the attack, he fired web after web toward the distant clock tower.
Inside…
Harry Osborn and Peter Parker had already begun their battle.
That…
Was where the Resurrection Match would truly be decided.
BOOM!
A streak of fire suddenly blasted overhead.
Midair…
Charlie crossed paths with Tony Stark.
“Peter!”
Tony had barely spoken when a squad of Chitauri soldiers swooped in from behind, riding their flying platforms.
Alien weapons unleashed a barrage of concentrated energy blasts toward both of them.
“Shit.”
BOOM!
Explosions lit up the night.
Tony instantly formed a nanometal shield, blocking the incoming fire.
Charlie wasn’t so lucky.
One blast struck him squarely.
His body spun helplessly through the air before crashing onto the rooftop of a nearby apartment building.
“Hehehe…”
“Got you, fake Spider-Man!”
The crazed laughter echoed through the darkness.
Lizard Parker sprinted across the rooftops, scooped up Charlie, and disappeared into the night.
(End of Chapter)