Paradise Island Battlefield.
After effortlessly breaking free from the Lasso of Truth, Charlie rubbed his smooth forehead, then gave it a hard pinch.
Instantly, his face twisted.
"What a hard head! Worthy of a demigod!"
Charlie's exclamation left Supreme Peter speechless.
But his acting was on point.
No wonder this guy was the strongest!
The Amazon warriors, hearing this, were greatly encouraged.
"Great! The Princess injured him!"
"Charge!"
"Defend the Amazons!!"
In an instant, the Amazons' morale surged. The Spider-Men, already half-hearted, crumbled completely, leaving pools of black liquid that burrowed into the ground and vanished.
As for Diana, she rose from the rubble, touching the headband on her forehead, momentarily stunned.
He's sure he's in pain? Shouldn't I be the one hurting?
Though puzzled, if she could make him feel pain, their physical strength must be comparable.
With determination and the Amazons' divine artifacts, this fight wasn't hopeless.
With that thought, Diana took a deep breath, her intense battle spirit spreading. A storm of sand swirled across the battlefield.
Sensing her rising resolve, Charlie blinked.
For a moment, he swore he heard Wonder Woman's signature BGM.
"Did you hear that?" he asked.
Supreme Peter looked up. "Hear what?"
As Diana beckoned, the Lasso of Truth in Charlie's hand snapped back to her.
He gasped dramatically. "Did you hear the roar from the Amazon woman's heart?"
Supreme Peter's face darkened. "Their roars aren't from their hearts—they're shouting out loud."
As he spoke, a swarm of Spider-Men fled past them. Antiope charged with a furious yell, her spear thrusting toward Charlie.
"Evil fiend, be destroyed!!"
Zzt zzt~
Sparks flew. Charlie tilted his head to dodge, slicing her spear with the Black Death Sword. The blade's force sent Antiope flying.
"No!!"
Her warhorse neighed as Antiope spat blood mid-air. Diana rushed to catch her, her delicate face filled with worry, then blazing with rage.
"You hurt General Antiope!!"
Boom!!
With a roar, an invisible shockwave erupted around Diana, her latent divine power exploding. A sandstorm vortex pushed nearby Amazons away as her golden-flame eyes glared at Charlie.
She felt a surge of power flood her body, her confidence swelling infinitely.
The invisible pressure shocked the Spider-Men.
Even Supreme Peter and Thunder God Peter grew solemn.
"What terrifying divine power. Is this a demigod?"
"It feels scarier than a true god."
"Classmate Charlie's in danger."
"No way, right?"
"If he holds back, he's in trouble."
"If he doesn't hold back, he's still in trouble."
Exchanging words, they quietly retreated.
On the battlefield, only Charlie could withstand Diana's divine energy wave, facing her charge without fear.
"Interesting. What a pleasant surprise!"
Holding the Black Death Sword, Charlie remained in his "base" form, unbitten by the spider.
The "Black Emperor" was his strongest form, not to be used lightly.
That's the discipline of a great villain.
So…
Chitter chitter chitter~
The magic spider landed on his hand, baring its fangs and biting his wrist.
Roar~ Splurt!
Boom!!
Instantly, a dazzling magic suit enveloped him. Charlie swung the Black Death Sword, leaping into the air.
"Slash!"
"Kill!!"
Both swung their swords simultaneously. The moon was stained scarlet by dark magical energy.
Yah yah~
Crows cawed under the blood-red moonlight. As the black and dark gold swords clashed, sparks erupted. Darkness and light spawned endless sandstorm vortexes, their opposing forces splitting the night sky. The ground beneath them cracked, spiderweb fissures spreading wildly, and shattered stones froze mid-air.
Hum~
Zzt zzt~~
In the clash of demon and god, as their blades met, time seemed to stop.
Their eyes locked. Diana, furious, saw "strain" and "struggle" in Charlie's gaze.
Her spirits lifted.
As expected of Amazon artifacts—she had a chance!
In a flash, Diana redirected her sword's force, darting past Charlie. She grabbed her shield and slammed it toward his head.
Trained since childhood, her body acted instinctively, making the boldest, most precise choices—a hallmark of a true warrior.
Bang!!
Dong~~
The shield struck something solid, ringing like a deep bell.
Diana's heart leaped.
A hit!
But before she could press the attack, a massive force from the shield nearly made her lose her grip.
"What?"
She spun around to see Charlie gripping the shield's sharp edge. Dark magic energy crawled over it, its terrifying power making her wary.
Hum!!
Another sword slash. Charlie released the shield, letting her retreat a hundred meters.
In that brief clash, Diana's confidence wavered.
She frowned, staring at Charlie's figure, her resolve shaken.
This guy felt strange.
He seemed in control yet showed signs of fatigue.
He barely kept up with her, then became unimaginably strong.
Could it be…
A wild thought struck her.
Was he corrupted by darkness?
Yes, that must be it!
She recalled her mother's bedtime stories.
Demons wield great power but lose their sanity, eventually consumed by it, only to be defeated by light.
This guy was undeniably powerful.
Diana realized he had no demonic lineage or divine power. His terrifying dark energy came entirely from that eerie black sword.
It all made sense.
Spider-Man wasn't born evil. He was once ordinary, but that black sword gave him fearsome power—and corrupted him.
That explained why she sensed no malice, yet his actions were filled with slaughter and sin.
Diana's anger softened, replaced by hesitation and pity.
The Amazons' duty was to protect humanity.
That included a Spider-Man corrupted by darkness.
What a可怜 bug—she didn't want to hurt him.
She wanted to save him!
So, when Diana charged again, Charlie noticed her force was far weaker than her earlier fury.
"No way, her power-up lasted two seconds? Lame."
Disappointed, Charlie glanced at the time. Bedtime.
Zzt~
Their swords clashed. Charlie clutched his head, screaming.
"No!! My head hurts—retreat!!"
He waved grandly, abandoning the fight, leading the Spider-Men to flee…
Wait, where were they?
Turning, he saw an empty battlefield and scowled.
"Jerks, when did they leave? They didn't wait for me—I didn't even get on the bus!"
He drew a circle, vanishing into a portal.
Before leaving, he shouted, "I'll be back~~~"
As the portal closed, Charlie's Gray Wolf declaration echoed in Diana's ears.
"Diana, we won."
Antiope, blood seeping from her mouth, limped to Diana's side, clutching her abdomen, proud of her warrior protégé.
Diana stared at where Charlie vanished, shaking her head helplessly.
"No, we haven't won. He'll be back."
"Yes, he'll return. The war's not over," Antiope sighed.
…
On the ship outside Paradise Island.
In the cabin, Lizard Parker, in a sharp suit, stood under a spotlight, adjusting the microphone with great ceremony.
Ahem~
He cleared his throat, fixed his bowtie, and shouted excitedly.
"Who's the winner of the first Golden Spider Award for Best Male Lead?
Who is it?"
Lizard Parker scanned the seated Peter Parkers, building suspense.
"Is it Muscle Peter, who lives in the gym? Supreme Peter, honing magic in his dark room? Thunder God Peter, wielding Mjolnir? Or me, not a Spider-Man but better than a Lizard-Man?"
Each name drew nervous yet eager looks from the corresponding Peter.
The atmosphere was electric.
Outside the guest seats, sidelined Peter Parkers waved glow sticks, shouting their idols' names.
"It's gotta be my bro!!"
"No, my uncle!"
"No way, my bro's practiced spider magic for 250 years. He's the Best Male Lead!"
"What? A magic guy winning Best Male Lead? That's like a foreign singer winning a local award!"
"You hater, I'll fight you! Do you know how hard my bro works?"
"Stop fighting!"
"You can't kill each other like this."
"I'll borrow my bro's hammer to smash your weapon—take that!"
The fanbase descended into chaos, but Lizard Parker shouted from the stage.
"Now, the secret's revealed!
The winner of the first Golden Spider Award for Best Male Lead is…
Before I announce, let me sip some Queen's Spring water from Paradise Island's secret garden. Bathed in by the Queen, it's got her scent—and Zeus's. You all deserve it."
As Lizard Parker opened the bottle, trash flew from the audience.
"Murderer!"
"That's not your money to make!"
"Get off the stage!!"
"Ouch, not the face!"
Lizard Parker ducked, but stubbornly announced the winner.
"It's Charlie Parker, the invincible Spider-Man!!"
Amid his fervent shout, the spotlight hit the front-row guest seat.
Charlie, in a sharp suit, rose with a reserved yet excited smile, bowing to the audience.
Under the spotlight, he stepped onto the stage.
Ahem~ Testing, testing~
He tested the mic, then took the golden spider trophy from Lizard Parker.
Gripping it, Charlie took a deep breath and raised it high.
"Thank you, thank you for your support and votes. I'll keep pushing forward.
Of course, I must thank the Golden Spider Award's sponsor, Parker Industries. Without your suits, I wouldn't have this precious award—forged from your melted suits."
At that, a few stripped Peter Parkers shivered in the corner, deeply moved.
Sniff sniff "Why, why force us to play this stupid game?!"
"We're so pitiful."
Sniff "No, why are you hugging me naked? Get away, pervert!"
The victims bickered, but the stage was peaceful.
Charlie, beaming, continued. "I also thank my colleagues here. You were nominated but didn't win. I'm sorry, because, barring surprises, this is the only Golden Spider Award. You've got no more chances."
The words left Supreme Peter and others full of regret.
Thunder God Peter smashed his seat with his hammer.
"No!! I'm so upset, why!!
Everyone had a shot, so why not me!!"
Muscle Peter muttered, "What a bossy roar. Shame he's not a CEO."
Then he shouted to the audience, "Stop fighting, we're live!"
Bang!
A can flew from the crowd, hitting Muscle Peter's forehead. He snapped.
"Jerks, a sneak attack? I'll show you fear—die!!"
The audience grew more chaotic.
Charlie, on stage, pretended not to notice.
He continued his speech.
"I also thank Uncle Ben and Aunt May. Without them, I wouldn't be here.
Oh, sorry, I forgot—your Uncle Bens are gone.
Good thing I'm here, or you wouldn't even have one Uncle Ben."
"Damn jerk, I'll kill you!!"
The audience's rage turned on Charlie.
In the guest seats, Supreme Peter and Thunder God Peter stirred.
The Black Death Sword plunged into the stage, its terrifying aura silencing the Peter Parkers.
Charlie smiled, satisfied.
"Good, thanks for listening.
Next, I'd thank my girlfriend—oh, wait, I don't have one.
No matter, I can thank Gwen, Mary Jane, Captain Carter, Felicia, Lady Deadpool, Agent Hill, Ophelia, and the nine billion cosmic girls for their love and support.
Without them, I'd have even more fangirls. You get it—too much charm's not great for Spider-Man. We're just friendly neighbors, not friendly kidneys.
Finally, thanks to Queen's Spring water for its support. Bathed in by the Queen, it's got her scent. Thank you all."
Charlie calmly left the stage.
Lizard Parker cheered, "Wow, Classmate Charlie's speech was amazing! I've never heard such a great one. You all agree, right?"
He shouted to the Peter Parkers.
Silence.
No response, but Lizard Parker took it as agreement.
"Yes, Classmate Charlie's speech was outstanding.
Now, the Best Male Lead award is done. Next, Best Supporting Role nominations…"
Lizard Parker kept hosting, ever the big-picture guy.
But Charlie, the winner, had already left.
It was late; time for bed.
Only losers stayed till the end.
…
While the Spider-Men reveled, deep in the ocean, a stunning underwater city glowed.
Atlantis welcomed a mysterious guest.
On the sea throne, Queen Atlanna, not yet a mother, her life force unspent, had a flawless face. Her snow-white hair flowed behind her, her ornate robes exuding regal majesty and beauty.
In the underwater palace, Ares, cloaked in black, bowed, offering Atlantis's Queen his sincerest blessings.
For the war god, this was humiliating.
Even Zeus hadn't seen such a gesture.
But for ultimate power, Ares endured.
"Noble and beautiful Queen, I come from the Paradise Seas, a humble domain lord. The marine life there has been corrupted by creatures called Spider-Men. They've gone mad, bloodthirsty, and are invading the Amazons—an unforgivable act.
But I lack the power to save those creatures. I beg Your Majesty to send soldiers to crush the Spider-Men and save those poor, innocent beings."
Ares's plea was heartfelt. Atlanna glanced at the Atlantis elders.
The elders, expressionless, activated a water mirror.
The image showed countless marine creatures corrupted by black liquid, turning into savage monsters attacking Paradise Island.
The elders' faces grew grim.
Atlanna's expression darkened with anger.
"Those Spider-Men did this. They're too cruel."
"Yes," Ares fanned the flames. "Though the Amazons repelled them temporarily, the Spider-Men haven't left. They're capturing more marine life, preparing a bigger assault."
Atlanna's expression hardened.
"We must stop them."
An elder interrupted, sensing her intent. "Your Majesty, your marriage to Orvax is more important. We'll handle these trivial matters. Focus on bonding with Orvax."
Atlanna frowned at the words.
"Those marine creatures are our people. I can't watch them suffer under the Spider-Men."
"Your Majesty, this isn't your concern. You have countless sea soldiers to fight for you," another elder said sternly.
The other elders stared at Atlanna with unquestionable gazes, their "suggestions" absolute.
Even for Atlantis's Queen.
To them, the Queen was merely a tool for alliance through marriage.
Without that purpose, what right did Atlanna have to be Queen and enjoy Atlantis's endless glory?
Atlanna knew this well.
She didn't dare argue or refuse.
"I… understand."
She sighed, nodding in agreement.
The elders began dispatching soldiers to the Paradise Seas.
Thus, Ares led a group of sea soldiers to the battlefield.
…
Meanwhile, in his room, Charlie hung his head, his soul drifting to the sea's surface.
Sensing something, he turned to the calm sea, a sly grin forming.
A subtle, villainous smirk—worthy of Best Male Lead.
"They're finally here. But I'll let you gloat for now!"
Charlie shifted his gaze to the starry sky.
Two gods remained.
Killing the last one would complete the world-saving mission.
This wasn't his mission.
And gods didn't just appear on cue.
Even newborn gods were intelligent cosmic beings. After the first died in Earth's orbit, the other two wouldn't show up rashly.
The Black Death Sword's power was beyond their resistance.
Though it was an incomplete Black Death Sword.
Only when Charlie completed his mission and left would they act.
This mission had no time limit. With endless lifespans, the gods could wait.
Thousands, even millions of years, were a blink to them.
As for the Spider-Men…
Even Charlie couldn't guarantee his own immortality, let alone the others.
The other two gods' likely strategy was to wait.
Wait for the Spider-Men to die, then emerge.
Before that, Charlie couldn't deal with Ares.
Attracting Ares with war would also amplify his power.
A risky move.
But Charlie didn't care.
He didn't believe Ares's power was limitless.
Using Ares to draw out the other two gods was his next step.
With that thought, Charlie's soul returned to his body.
Sunrise painted the sea red.
Charlie woke the Peter Parkers, unleashing the Black Death Sword to dye the sea black.
Splash splash splash~~
Huge waves surged, countless marine creatures possessed by symbiotes.
"Get up, time to work!"
At Charlie's urging, everyone groggily mounted their "rides," charging half-heartedly.
"Charge~~ Ugh, so tired."
"Thanks, Classmate Charlie, for reminding me of early work mornings."
"Being a friendly neighbor is a job too…"
The Spider-Men chatted casually. A streak of light crossed the sky as Carol hovered above the ship, her expression serious.
"Someone's coming."
"People?" Charlie raised an eyebrow.
Carol thought. "Not exactly people."
"Then what?" Charlie asked, knowing the answer.
"A group riding sharks and whales, breathing underwater."
"Oh, could it be the legendary Atlantis?" Supreme Peter gasped.
Thunder God Peter glanced over. "That's real?"
"They're not things—they're a mythical god race," Supreme Peter corrected.
Thunder God Peter shrugged. "Fine, looks like we're their target."
"Yeah, we've captured so many marine creatures. It's a big deal."
Supreme Peter turned to Charlie. "Drive them off?"
"Drive them off?"
Charlie wagged a finger. "Now, the war escalates. Fire on them!"
"What?"
The group froze.
They couldn't even beat the Amazons, and now Atlantis?
This was getting out of hand.
A hundred Spider-Men—how could they fight?
Someone might die.
Seeing their hesitation, Charlie tossed a high-heat webbing ball without hesitation.
Buzz~
Crimson light surged into the sea, triggering a massive explosion, evaporating vast amounts of water.
Boom!!
Giant waves rose, and from the mist, countless sea spears shot out.
Whizz~
The spears flew, threatening to turn the ship into a sieve.
Supreme Peter had no choice but to act.
"Back, back, back!"
He formed seals, conjuring a massive magic web from the void, catching the spears and flinging them back.
Splurt splurt splurt
The spears hit the sea, and giant beasts roared, surfacing to surround the area as sea soldiers attacked with energy weapons.
Whizz whizz whizz~
Boom!!
Lasers exploded on the sea, submerging many Spider-Men.
"Oh no, they're using tech weapons! This isn't the same era as the Paradise Island girls!!"
"They're cheating!!"
"Great invincible Spider-Man, save me!!" Lizard Parker, hit in the gut, shouted.
He got no response from Charlie, but the symbiote took over.
Splash~
The scattered symbiote reformed, merging into Lizard Parker, healing his wounds instantly.
"Hahaha, I feel insanely strong!"
Lizard Parker laughed, riding a symbiote whale to counterattack. The other Spider-Men followed suit.
A fearless Spider-Man army turned the tables, surrounding the sea soldiers.
A brutal war reignited.
Super brutal.
"Ah!! My face~~~"
A sea soldier clutched his web-covered face, his gills sealed, unable to breathe, terrifying nearby soldiers.
"Spider-Men are terrifying! Their webs are our weakness!!"
Hearing this, Charlie, on the deck, twitched his mouth, unable to fathom their logic.
Gods die when killed.
Gills sealed, no breathing.
What's so surprising?
He should've blasted them into sashimi with a web ray.
As he mused, the toyed-with sea soldiers fled.
Ares never showed.
Charlie glanced at Paradise Island, then turned to Supreme Peter. "Stay here. I'm off to enjoy the skirt—er, underwater scenery."
He hung an electric spider on his chest, transforming into an arc and diving into the sea, trailing the sea soldiers.
Supreme Peter shook his head. "This guy's got a new target."
Carol, arms crossed, sneered. "He's no leader."
Thunder God Peter nodded. "Of course. He's Best Male Lead, not a leader."
Carol: "…"
Last night, while she kept watch, these guys did something stupid she didn't know about.
…
Atlantis.
"Bad news! The Spider-Men are too ferocious. Our soldiers were forced to retreat."
Hearing the report, Atlanna's eye twitched.
Forced to retreat?
That's just fleeing.
Atlantis shouldn't mingle with humans—they're learning wordplay.
She looked at the elders. "It's worse than we thought. I think my marriage to Orvax should wait until this is resolved."
An elder frowned, resolute. "No, it's trivial. We'll handle it."
The underwater city trembled slightly, the water temperature shifting.
"What's happening?"
The elders' faces changed. Atlanna activated the water mirror.
Outside the radiant city, a crimson ray faded, evaporating water—negligible in the vast sea, but its sun-surface heat was undeniable.
"I see them—Spider-Men are here!"
"No, just one."
"One dares follow? He's asking for death!"
The elders, furious, sent thousands of sea soldiers beyond the city's energy barrier.
"Eliminate the intruder!"
"Kill!"
On a hundred-meter sea centipede, hundreds of soldiers charged.
Charlie watched, rubbing his hands and tossing two high-heat webbing balls.
Buzz~
Boom!!
Crimson energy erupted, shattering the centipede, melting it in the heat.
The explosion's undercurrent rocked the city again.
Before more soldiers attacked, Charlie unleashed a crimson ray, sweeping the seafloor, breaching the city's barrier.
"Done!"
Charlie dusted his hands, diving as an arc into the radiant city.
Entering, light flickered. Shrinking rapidly, Charlie hid in purple coral, evading pursuing soldiers.
"Where'd he go?"
"Search…"
"We can't let the evil Spider-Man destroy this place."
Atlantis fell into panic.
Atlanna, witnessing the mirror's events, abandoned hope.
"The enemy's far stronger than we imagined. Elders, you underestimated them." She scrutinized them.
Yet they remained haughty.
"Your Majesty, we'll handle all troubles. Your marriage won't be delayed. Go to Orvax."
"Yes, build bonds, bear stronger heirs. That's the only way to protect Atlantis."
"It's your duty."
"You…"
Facing these obsessively rigid elders, Atlanna despaired.
False prosperity through heirs and marriage was meaningless for Atlantis's crisis.
She left the palace, donning plain clothes, slipping into the vibrant streets of the sea trench.
Whenever urged to bond with Orvax, she'd seize the chance to roam freely.
Yes, time for a shopping spree.
Supposedly, to get gifts for Orvax.
But she didn't expect to become someone else's gift.
"Hey, beautiful Atlantean lady, do you know where your Queen is?"
In a secluded street corner, Charlie emerged from the shadows, flashing a wicked grin as he backed Atlanna against a wall.
"Lady, drop that shocked look. Scream all you want—no one's coming."
Under a massive coral, in a dark corner.
Charlie stepped forward, one hand braced on the wall, his body close, the other lifting her chin with a borrowed fishbone dagger.
He leaned in, voice low. "Forgive my rudeness. I just won Best Male Lead, so I'm in an inflated, playful mood."
Atlanna blinked.
"Sorry, I don't get your humor, but I can tell your neck's stiff."
Charlie: "…"
"Ruining the vibe. Naughty."
He grinned, grabbing her and vanishing into a portal.