Rumble~
Under black clouds, jagged lightning struck the sea, its fleeting glow revealing eerie monster shadows swimming below. A dense swarm formed a massive, terrifying silhouette, chilling to the bone.
In the darkness, a spark of magic flared. Charlie, with Atlanna, descended into this forbidden sea.
"I don't get why we're adventuring in this weather. Is this what you call atmosphere?" Atlanna quipped.
Charlie glanced at the flickering stars above, shrugging. "No choice. The fight up there's ongoing. Until it's over, Earth's stuck in night."
Atlanna shook her head, eyeing the endless monsters below, shivering.
"The Trench Clan evolved backward into bloodthirsty beasts. Any ship passing here gets attacked and hunted. That guy fled here—I doubt we'll find his body."
"I told you, he won't die that easily."
Charlie crossed his arms, smirking at the sea below.
"A war god who's lived eons wouldn't miss what the Trench Clan fears most. He's alive, trust me."
"What do they fear?" Atlanna frowned.
"Of course—"
Charlie raised his fist.
"Light!!!"
Buzz~
With a shout, a blinding web-ball erupted, illuminating the sea like a small sun.
As the light reached the ocean floor, the monsters roared, scattering in panic.
"They fear light?" Atlanna realized.
Living in the dark deep sea for eons, the Trench Clan only surfaced during storms to ambush ships, their vision degraded to fear bright light.
Under the sun-like glow, Charlie locked onto a bottomless trench.
"There!"
He waved, magic light enveloping them as they dove.
Buzz~
Splash!
They plunged toward the trench, pursued by countless Trench Clan monsters.
Roar~
Gurgle…
The surging sea carried a monstrous army, but they posed no threat.
The invincible Spider-Man gave Atlanna unshakable security.
Boom!!
Charlie's web-ball exploded, boiling the water, tearing through the monsters' bodies.
Tattered fins and twisted heads drifted in the current, green blood spreading.
In the magic glow, Charlie's expression stayed calm. He hung an electric spider on his chest, his speed surging.
Zzt zzt~
Splash
In seconds, electricity carried Atlanna into the trench.
They passed through a mysterious membrane.
The Hidden Sea, with blue skies and white clouds.
Splash!
Breaking the surface, the electric arc zigzagged, landing on a white sand beach.
Crack~
On the beach, fist-sized crabs scuttled, only to be crushed by a foot into the sand.
Under the sunlight, Charlie shielded his eyes.
Gazing at the endless sea, he grinned. "The Hidden Sea, huh? Cool. No Godzilla here, right?"
"It's the Hidden Sea!!"
Atlanna, snapping out of it, exclaimed.
"Atlantis's ancient texts say the first Atlantean King exiled himself here."
She covered her mouth, wide-eyed. "I thought it was a legend. The entrance being in the Trench Clan's deep sea—they guard the first King and the Hidden Sea. Unbelievable."
Charlie glanced at her. "To humans, Atlantis is a legend.
To Atlantis, the Hidden Sea is a legend.
So, the invincible Spider-Man who came here? Total legend.
Haha, kinda embarrassed!" He laughed, hands on hips.
Atlanna: "…"
"You're forgetting why you're here," she said.
Charlie waved it off. "Impossible. No way."
He turned to the island, eyeing a prominent waterfall.
Behind it lay the lost Trident.
And its first owner, the first Atlantean King!
Long ago, his mistake sank the continent, plunging the advanced Atlantean civilization into the sea.
Filled with regret, he took the Trident to the Hidden Sea, reflecting in darkness until his death.
A sad, clichéd story.
Whoosh
Charlie's gaze fixed on the waterfall, mist rising, a rainbow arching across the sky, beautiful and mysterious.
"The truth is one!"
He pointed at the waterfall. "The Trident's in there!"
Atlanna's face lit up. "What are we waiting for? Let's get it."
She rushed to the waterfall, diving in before Charlie moved.
Three seconds later, she emerged, expressionless.
"This why I can't get the Trident?"
Charlie nodded. "Yep. I told you, you need me."
Atlanna slumped, trudging to Charlie's side.
"Fine, you win. I need you. Deal with that monster inside, and I'll make you the man behind the Queen."
"Thanks, but I'm good for now."
Charlie firmly declined.
The ocean needed Arthur.
The invincible Spider-Man needed connections.
He stretched, cracking his neck, and stepped into the waterfall's curtain.
Atlanna hurried after.
Gurgle~
The world inside was silent and dark.
Another underwater realm.
In the darkness, Charlie's eyes glowed, revealing the lost world.
Temple ruins, seaweed drifting, massive stone pillars etched with mystic sea creatures, cracked but standing.
Despite eons of erosion, they endured.
As Charlie stepped, a pillar shook and collapsed.
Charlie: "…"
Gurgle gurgle~
The pillar's fall stirred the current. A massive tentacle pierced it, a triangular spike slicing through the water.
Rumble~~
The sea churned, everything drifting in the chaotic current.
Except Charlie.
Holding the drifting Atlanna, he slashed, a red beam slicing the underwater world, heat spreading. The tentacle, unyielding, crushed the beam with immense force.
Boom~
The beam dissipated, the tentacle's indestructible armor unscathed, smashing down.
"What?"
Atlanna trembled, but Charlie calmly waved, teleporting them to the sea's edge.
A petrified octopus sat there, tentacles cradling a supreme ocean throne.
On it, a corpse in golden armor held a dull, ordinary trident.
Despite the raging current, the figure remained unmoved.
"The first Atlantean King and his Trident!" Atlanna exclaimed.
Charlie glanced at the approaching tentacle, shaking his head.
"Handle this. I'll play with that guy."
His red beam, nearly as hot as the sun's surface, couldn't scratch it.
Worthy of the legendary sea monster Kraken.
Tough!
Badass!
Buzz~
Charlie stacked his hands, firing countless red energy bolts, overwhelming the tentacle.
Behind him, Atlanna took a deep breath, reaching for the Trident.
Click~
An invisible force erupted, repelling her and shaking the sea.
"What?"
Atlanna stared at her hands, frowning.
"It doesn't accept me?"
I'm not worthy to be Atlantis's Queen. The elders were right.
She lowered her head, disappointed.
Roar!!
A monstrous bellow came from behind.
Atlanna turned, seeing the tiny Spider-Man swell massively, grappling a giant tentacle.
"Up!"
With a shout, the giant Spider-Man swung the tentacle, shaking the ruins. The thousand-meter Kraken was dragged, crashing into pillars.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Roar~~
The Kraken screeched, but before it could counter, Charlie swung again.
"Again!"
Boom!!
Roar
In the ruins, the monster was smashed repeatedly, the water turning murky, only its triangular eyes glowing cruelly.
Soon, the world quieted. Charlie, back to normal size, approached Atlanna.
"Why haven't you started?" he asked curiously.
Atlanna shook her head, dejected.
"I tried. It didn't accept me."
"How many times?"
"Once."
"You gave up after one try?"
"One was enough. It didn't accept me the first time—it never will."
Atlanna gave a bitter smile. "They're right. I'm just a mascot.
Without royal blood, I'm nothing. I can't protect Atlantis."
"Seriously? You're doing the mopey self-doubt thing now?"
Charlie looked at her like she was an idiot, pushing her aside.
"Nothing's impossible. If there's a problem, there's one reason."
Gripping the Trident, his gaze sharpened.
"All powerlessness comes from insufficient firepower. Watch closely."
"What?"
"My… transformation!"
In Atlanna's shocked gaze, Charlie's muscles bulged, magic and stellar energy merging into the world's brightest light.
Rumble~~
Crack crack…
The ocean throne shattered under the force.
The King's corpse was swept away.
The ordinary Trident resisted, trembling, its dull sheen turning radiant.
Atlanna's eyes mirrored the glow.
She saw it.
In the dazzling light, a stubborn, unyielding man.
Defying fate.
Defying rejection.
No one needs approval by birth.
Because this is your life.
From childhood, she lived under others' gazes.
As Atlantis's Queen, she couldn't be emotional, indulgent, or selfish. She had to train, master queenly skills, stay beautiful, elegant, obey the elders, and sacrifice for Atlantis.
Even her marriage had to bend to others' will.
If she failed, she wasn't worthy.
As a queen, her duty was to give everything for Atlantis.
She enjoyed the resources and honor, so she paid the price.
That was her fate.
She'd nearly accepted it.
But now, someone told her she didn't need to follow their rules or do things unrelated to protecting Atlantis. She could still protect her people.
She was the Queen.
A queen didn't need anyone's orders or approval.
She just needed power to protect Atlantis.
That was enough.
For the first time, Atlanna felt her purpose.
And in that moment, Atlantis's Queen etched the man's silhouette in her heart.
If she'd realized this sooner, she wouldn't have ignored her own strength to appease others.
Now, it wasn't too late!
In her brightening eyes, Charlie's arm muscles strained, the Trident trembling.
In the murky darkness, a massive sea monster—part squid, shrimp, and crustacean—roared, its armored tentacles and giant claws surging to stop the Trident's theft.
From another end, a blood-red divine force erupted. Ares unleashed all his power for a fatal strike.
"Hahaha, wretched bug, trapped by the Trident, you can't fight back!!"
War lust consumed Ares, forgetting his goal.
Beyond war, he loved battle.
Including ambushes.
Under the Kraken and Ares's pincer attack, the Trident-bound Spider-Man couldn't dodge.
He'd waited for this.
No one could resist the legendary Trident.
Not even Spider-Man!
"Watch out!"
Atlanna's face paled, instinctively shielding Charlie, forgetting her body couldn't withstand the assault.
Not even a god could.
But golden light erupted, the Trident was pulled free, and golden scales climbed Charlie's body. The conquered Trident radiated halos, shaking the sea.
Buzz~
Boom!!
As Charlie raised the Trident, the raging Kraken froze, leaving only Ares charging recklessly.
"What?"
The sudden shift stunned Ares, but he was committed.
"Argh!!"
Roaring, Ares attacked with his spear.
As Aquaman Spider-Man, Charlie's new form wielded the ocean's power fully underwater.
Boom~
His eyes glowed gold, the Trident swinging, condensing a sea tornado that swept ruins toward Ares.
Gurgle gurgle~
Boom!!
"No!"
The tornado blasted Ares out of the waterfall.
"Damn bug, I'll win!"
Eyes red, Ares broke free, hovering mid-air.
Before he could counter, golden light burst from the waterfall. Aquaman Spider-Man unleashed a tidal wave over the Hidden Sea.
Whoosh whoosh~
Atop the wave, Charlie slashed the void with the Trident.
Rip!
Boom!!
The Kraken roared through the rift, its mountain-like claws smashing down. Ares barely raised his spear, only to be crushed into the sea.
Roar!!
As the beast fell, Charlie tossed the Trident to Atlanna.
"Your spotlight moment."
"Me?"
Holding the radiant Aquaman Trident, Atlanna felt surreal.
Looking at the man, she fell silent, her gaze complex.
Finally, she spoke.
"This is a legendary artifact. You conquered it, and it submits to you. Why give it to me?"
Charlie tilted his head, grinning. "Don't be silly. I don't use forks."
Buzz~
The Trident flickered, as if protesting.
Charlie drew the Black Death Sword from the void.
Instantly, destructive evil filled the Hidden Sea with black lightning.
The Trident dimmed, resting quietly in Atlanna's hands.
Atlanna beamed. "It accepts me."
Charlie: "…"
"Yeah, yeah, it accepts you. Use it to crush the Marius family and secure your throne."
Under Charlie's "encouraging" gaze, Atlanna took a deep breath.
"Man, I'll repay you."
Her determined look was almost scary. Charlie forced a stiff smile.
"If you want to repay me, let your kid call me—"
Mid-sentence, Atlanna leaned in.
"Yes, we'll have a child. That's my promise."
In the warm sunlight, she pulled back, diving into the sea with the Trident.
Charlie, speechless, wiped her saliva off his face.
"What the hell? I'm a magic spider, not a wizard."
He stayed on the beach, tossing the trapped crab into a campfire.
"Hmm, three minutes, should be edible."
He poked the fire with a stick, waiting for his final meal.
Soon, the calm sea rippled. The Kraken's tentacle tossed a half-dead Ares before Charlie.
Roar~
The horned beast surfaced, growling. Charlie waved goodbye.
"The Trident's not with me. Go find your new friend."
Kraken: "…"
Splash!!
It spat a torrent of water and dove toward Atlantis.
Charlie dodged the spit, letting it drench Ares.
"Cough cough~ spit~ Save me…"
In the Kraken's saliva, Ares struggled.
Charlie shook his head. "Poor guy, but I've got a thing about touching others' spit."
Ares's eyes widened, anger turning to despair.
The Kraken's saliva corroded divine bodies.
His power weakened, his body crumbling.
He'd failed utterly.
Born of war, he didn't die in battle.
He lost his last shred of dignity.
As despair and fear gripped Ares, Charlie vanished into a portal.
He wouldn't die yet. There was time.
Paradise Island.
On the plains, Amazon warriors crouched bored, gazing at the whitening sky.
"Is it over?"
Diana spoke, and an unwilling roar echoed.
"No!! Spi~der~Man~"
Boom~~
Cosmic energy flared, the Black Death Sword extinguishing the twelve Celestial eyes.
The two newborn Celestials turned to dust.
The victors entered the reward phase.
Only one contestant remained.
As Charlie appeared, Ares's shield fell into Diana's hands.
"What's this?"
Diana was baffled.
Charlie smiled. "Your shield's a bit low-tier. The War God's is better. It's yours now."
"Why give it to me?" Diana frowned.
Charlie turned, waving. "It symbolizes Spider-Man and Amazon friendship. Next time we meet, I hope you're the new War God.
Not starting wars, but ending them, a true War God of peace."
Charlie vanished, his words lingering in Diana's ears.
"Next time…"
Diana smiled.
"Spider-Man, interesting."
She clenched her fist, resolute.
Turning to her mother, she spoke firmly.
"Mother, I'm leaving. This world needs me."
…
Cosmic Web.
Charlie "drowned" Ares, clearing the stage in one life.
No twists.
It felt unreal.
The invisible hand was gone.
This was the free Resurrection Match?
Interesting.
Charlie smiled at the prompt.
[Congratulations on completing the mission. Resurrection Match rewards granted.]
[Reward 1: Resurrection Quota x1 (Stable life state, no need for quota, can be stored or transferred)]
[Extra Reward 1: Spider Totem Power]
[Current Spider Totems: 10]
[Extra Reward 2: Slaughter Points Upgraded → War God Power]
[War God Power: Accumulate rage in battle. At 100 rage, double all attributes.]
[Extra Reward 3: Successful participation in DC superhero history. Reward: DC Summon Skill—Spider-Man and His Friends]
[Spider-Man and His Friends: Selectively summon one DC character for one hour.]
[Summonable Characters: Diana, Atlanna, Kraken.]
Charlie pondered the rewards.
Was this okay?
If the DC universe restarts, his connections are gone.
Whatever, deal with it if it restarts.
He claimed the rewards and dove into the void.
Wait, did I forget someone?
Eh, not important.
…
DC Universe, Paradise Island.
In a prison, Wade stared at a mission failure prompt, wailing.
"No!! My dear Spider, why, why abandon me?!!"
"I'm so miserable, it hurts!"
"It hurts! Too much!!"
…
Main World, S.H.I.E.L.D.
In the office, Carter had just sent Charlie off.
Seconds later, he "returned."
"Hey, Captain Carter, long time no see." Charlie waved.
Carter: "???"
"Didn't you leave?"
Charlie shrugged. "But I'm back."
Carter's eyes narrowed, drawing an electromagnetic gun.
"He wouldn't be back this fast. Who are you?"
Bang!
Energy shot out. Charlie swatted it away.
Carter's face changed.
"Some skill, but not enough."
She rolled to a corner, grabbing a shield and hurling it.
Hum!
The shield screeched, caught in Charlie's hand.
"You need to work out, Captain Carter," Charlie teased.
Carter frowned. "Hmph, you don't know how deep S.H.I.E.L.D.'s waters are."
She reached for the emergency button.
Charlie anticipated it.
"Wait, hear me—"
He flashed in front of her, her hand landing on little Charlie.
Carter: "…"
Charlie: "…"
He shivered, stepping back. "Thanks, I'm done."
Carter's lip twitched.
Only that guy played such bad jokes.
She went to the bathroom, washing her hands. "Why so fast this time?"
Charlie leaned on the door. "I can be faster, but I spent time building connections.
Good thing, as expected, I've got more time now."
Carter dried her hands, taking Charlie's offered tissue.
"You being this fast feels weird."
She paused.
At the office door, Coulson's face froze.
Bathroom, so fast, tissue, feels weird…
Shit, aren't they relatives?
Coulson forced an awkward smile.
"Sorry, I heard and saw nothing."
He covered his eyes and left.
Carter: "???"
She frowned. "Is he on drugs?"
Charlie shrugged. "Give him a raise. He needs meds."
"I already did."
Carter stood by the window.
Above the city, a massive ship loomed, pressuring everyone.
"Two days until the game decides Earth's fate. Found your team?" she asked.
Charlie nodded. "Don't worry, we'll win."
"Oh, come with me to pick someone up."
"Pick someone up?"
"Yeah, Carol. She's back. I've got some Spider-Man friends too. They're strong."
"Carol? You did that?"
"Did? No, no, not my thing."
"Jerk, stop with the humor."
"Sorry, it's not humor—it's abstract."
"Go to hell!"
"Don't hit my face—er, head!!"
…
Two Days Later.
Inside the ship, a high-tech gaming room.
Charlie and the Grandmaster stood on opposite sides.
On the central screen, New York's citizens crowded the streets.
Word spread that Spider-Man and an alien would decide Earth's fate in a game.
Ridiculous!
Absurd!
Citizens marched with banners.
"We're not NPCs! We're people, living people! Stop this stupid game!"
"Invincible Spider-Man agreed to this? He's no hero."
"He's not our friendly neighbor anymore."
"Yeah, get Spider-Man out of that ship!!"
"We demand answers."
The streets overflowed with outrage.
In an alley, a blind lawyer retracted his cane, disappointed.
"Spider-Man was right. Heroes don't get happy endings. I argued with him, but now I'm the fool."
Meanwhile, in the gaming room.
"Spider-Man, see? These are the humans you risk everything for. Worth it?" The Grandmaster's smile dripped with mockery.
Charlie glanced at the protest, scoffing. "If you fired a laser cannon at them now, guess if I'd stop you?"
Grandmaster: "…"
"You love joking."
"I'm not joking."
Charlie was serious.
He believed some idiots didn't deserve to live on Earth.
Not his first time facing haters.
He was used to it but never forgave.
Spider-Man might return kindness for evil.
Invincible Spider-Man didn't.
No, now he was Game Spider-Man!
He propped a foot on a chair, pulling a thick stack of cards from his crotch.
"Can we start?" Charlie asked.
The Grandmaster, excited, said, "Of course. I'm the dealer. I go first."
He waved, a card floating on the game interface.
"One Iron Man!"
The card glowed.
In the city, amidst digital glitches, Tony in white armor appeared atop a building.
White Suit Tony!
Charlie's eyes narrowed, holding his cards.
The Grandmaster sneered. "What, conceding the first round?
Spider-Man, you're a disappointment."
Charlie shook his head. "No, you haven't told me the rules. How do I play?"
Grandmaster: "…"
"Didn't I?"
"Nope."
"Then why rush me to start?"
"That's a separate issue."