On the television screen, a middle-aged man with a thick mustache puffed on a cigar, laughing shamelessly into the camera.
Realizing the atmosphere in the studio had become a little awkward, he quickly cleared his throat, adjusted his collar, and continued.
“Spider-Man is a pest.”
“A coward who hides behind a mask.”
“But that green-masked goblin isn’t any better.”
“The difference is…”
“The Green Goblin is far more arrogant.”
“Over the past few days, he’s attacked Oscorp, Hammer Industries, and Stark Tower one after another.”
“And he publicly claimed that he killed Spider-Man.”
“Since Spider-Man hasn’t shown himself during all this time…”
“There’s a very good chance he’s telling the truth.”
The host seized the opportunity to ask,
“Mr.
Jameson, could Spider-Man simply have been kidnapped or seriously injured?
Perhaps that’s why he hasn’t appeared recently?”
Jonah Jameson burst into laughter.
“Hahaha!”
“Impossible.”
“He’s definitely dead.”
“And how can you be so certain?”
“My sixth sense.”
The host:
“…”
Why isn’t he following the script?
This is going terribly…
Charlie:
“…”
Watching the smug grin on Jameson’s face, Charlie couldn’t help complaining inwardly.
As expected of Spider-Man’s lifelong nemesis.
If I remember correctly…
we’ve never even met.
Do you really have to be this happy because Spider-Man died?
He glanced at the time.
After eight Resurrection Match restarts…
Eight days had passed in the real world.
That more or less confirmed the time flow between the two worlds.
After disappearing for so long…
Uncle Ben and Aunt May didn’t seem worried about him at all.
Something wasn’t right.
Could it be…
Because the TV show was just that funny?
Charlie scratched his head.
Fortunately…
He quickly found the answer.
“Ben.”
“Our little Charlie just posted another update from his vacation.”
“He met a really pretty girl in Bali.”
“I think he just needs a little courage.”
Aunt May smiled as she held up her phone, enthusiastically showing Ben Charlie’s “vacation photos.”
Ben glanced at the screen before frowning.
“A girl would actually like someone who talks as much as he does?”
Aunt May shot him a glare.
“You old grump.”
“Someone liked you, didn’t they?”
“Our Charlie is a wonderful kid.”
“He’s going to be just fine.”
Ben chuckled.
“Wonderful, sure.”
“I’ve heard his nonstop talking has already driven several classmates crazy.”
Even as he teased Charlie…
A warm smile appeared on his face.
“It’s about time he started dating.”
He looked back toward the television.
“I wonder…”
“Is Spider-Man really dead?”
“Oh, don’t listen to Jameson.”
“Everyone knows he hates Spider-Man.”
“Mmm.”
“I hope Spider-Man’s still alive.”
“Our Charlie absolutely loves that little bug.”
“His room is covered with Spider-Man posters.”
The two continued chatting.
Meanwhile…
Charlie lay quietly on the rooftop above them, both hands resting behind his head.
The stars sparkled across the night sky.
His heart gradually calmed.
Norman already knew his identity.
It wouldn’t be long before he realized Charlie was still alive.
Once that happened…
Norman would threaten his family again.
He needed to end this quickly.
Target: Oscorp.
Charlie stood up.
His wrists fired two webs toward a nearby tree.
Launch!
Thwip—
The red-and-blue figure shot into the night, racing toward the city.
As he entered the darker districts…
The city’s filth and crime gradually revealed themselves.
Bonfires burned throughout the rundown neighborhood.
Groups of teenage delinquents gathered around them.
One of them spotted the figure swinging overhead.
“Woohoo!”
“It’s Spider-Man!”
The crowd immediately became excited.
Their leader’s expression changed dramatically.
He turned and shouted at his gang.
“We’re criminals!”
“Why the hell are you so happy to see Spider-Man?!”
“Sorry, boss…”
“I just got excited.”
“Shut up!”
“Do you want him to hear you?”
“Boss…”
“You’re yelling louder than the rest of us.”
“I know!”
“How did he even know we were here?”
“I thought he was dead!”
“You actually believe Global News?”
“Hurry!”
“Grab the goods and move!”
“NOW!!”
Instantly…
The gang descended into chaos.
The commotion naturally caught Charlie’s attention.
“So…”
“You guys have heard stories about Spider-Man too?”
Charlie flipped gracefully onto a nearby wall.
A web shot out.
The gang leader was instantly yanked to Charlie’s feet.
Without another word…
Charlie casually snatched the briefcase from his hands.
“Ooh.”
“I smell money.”
He opened the case and took a quick look.
If he wasn’t mistaken…
It contained an extremely dangerous chemical substance.
Very expensive.
The gang leader’s face instantly turned pale.
“You damn bug!”
“Give that back!”
“Or I’ll rip your head off and throw it into a fryer!”
“I know.”
Charlie nodded seriously.
“Protein.”
“Six times more than beef.”
He casually hung the briefcase on top of the wall before using one of his web lines as a jump rope to stretch.
If everything went according to plan…
A righteous one-on-one fight was about to begin.
“What are you idiots waiting for?!”
“Get him!”
The gang leader roared.
Over a dozen thugs finally snapped out of it.
“Get him!”
“He’s only one gu—”
THUNK!
The speaker was cut off mid-sentence as a brick slammed into his forehead.
He collapsed, screaming.
Charlie landed lightly after throwing the brick.
Then…
He openly charged toward the entire group.
“Move!”
“Shoot him!”
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
The thugs frantically emptied their pistols.
Bullets sparked harmlessly against Charlie’s Nano Spider Suit before bouncing onto the pavement.
The nanometal armor provided excellent protection.
And with twelve tons of strength…
Charlie barely even felt the bullets’ impact.
He casually wove through the crowd.
Anyone he passed…
Was immediately wrapped in webs and left hanging upside down from nearby streetlights.
One cocoon after another.
Dozens of them.
Simple.
Brutal.
Efficient.
No technique whatsoever.
“AHHH!”
“You damn bug!”
“Damn you, Spider-Man!”
“Please!”
“Let us go!”
The gang alternated between begging and cursing.
Charlie casually cleaned out one ear.
Then…
He used one of their phones to call the police.
Before clearing the Resurrection Match…
His strength and speed would’ve been nowhere near this level.
Taking down ordinary thugs would’ve taken quite a while.
Growl…
His stomach suddenly rumbled.
Charlie sighed helplessly.
He’d used too much webbing.
His body needed far more energy to synthesize fresh web protein.
Just then…
A system notification appeared.
You acted as a Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and punished evil.
Restart Chance +1
Charlie grinned.
The nine restart opportunities he’d used during his first Resurrection Match…
Had all been accumulated through hard work like this.
Then…
He began collecting the gang’s dirty money.
It was one of his primary sources of income.
Anyone who’s ever been Spider-Man knows…
Spider-Man is broke.
Charlie was no exception.
A few moments later…
Police sirens echoed from the distance.
Thwip!
The red-and-blue figure swung overhead.
Every officer instinctively looked up.
“George!”
“It’s Spider-Man!”
“He’s alive!”
“I can see that.”
Captain George Stacy narrowed his eyes.
Then he glanced at the stolen contraband his officers had recovered.
There wasn’t the slightest hint of satisfaction on his face.
“Spider-Man…”
“One day…”
“I’ll arrest you myself.”
He snorted before turning toward his officers.
“Load them into the vehicles.”
“Yes, Captain.”
As the officers got to work, they quietly whispered among themselves.
“I think Captain George really hates Spider-Man.”
“You’re not imagining it.”
“He absolutely can’t stand him.”
“But why?”
“Spider-Man’s solved plenty of our problems.”
“…Maybe…”
“Captain George sees everything Spider-Man does…”
“As a challenge to the police.”
(End of Chapter)