Restart, Spider-Man!

"No—!"

"Boom!!"

A deafening crash echoed as Kahn's body was violently hurled through the ceiling of a nearby building.

Before he could hit the ground, crackling arcs of lightning zipped across the air, slamming into him. His body was tossed back and forth like a battered ball under their relentless strikes.

"Uppercut."

"Left hook."

"Right hook."

"Kick to the groin!"

"I'll go for his eye—oh, crap, his goggles are too hard! My finger's broken."

"You should've gone for the other eye."

"No way. Why would I reward him for that?"

As Kahn was utterly overwhelmed by Xia Luo's clones, a fleet of airborne vehicles arrived at the scene.

Carter and her team watched from a distance, sighing in relief.

"Spider-Man's about to win," Carter said.

"Of course, it's the unbeatable Spider-Man. No one can take him down, especially right after his resurrection."

"Though that might change in a few weeks," another agent noted grimly.

"Exactly. We've already identified the pattern," added Coulson.

---

In the distance, atop a skyscraper, Erik and Charles observed the battle unfold.

"Looks like we were overthinking it," Charles remarked. "Spider-Man's strength is remarkable. Even Apocalypse himself doubted he could beat him. No one else stands a chance."

Erik was about to reply when the clones suddenly dissipated without warning. Kahn, glowing with light from the leech totem, began regenerating at a rapid pace.

"I will kill you! For the honor of my family!!"

With an enraged roar, Kahn erupted with power. Hovering mid-air, his blue-tailed coat flapped wildly in the turbulent winds, and his crimson trident radiated an even more menacing glow.

A dangerous energy swept across the battlefield.

Xia Luo's eyes narrowed slightly. "So, he's ready to go all out, huh?"

He smirked and flexed his muscles, which suddenly bulged with power.

"Crack, crack..."

As Xia Luo grew taller, his nanotech suit shifted to an ominous blood-red hue. From his back, tendrils of crimson energy extended, twisting and stretching until they reached tens of meters in length.

"Hydra's power!" Coulson exclaimed in alarm. "Has Spider-Man been corrupted by Hydra—?"

"You're overthinking it," Carter interrupted, taking a deep breath. "Just because he has Hydra's power doesn't mean he's been polluted by it."

At that moment, a deep, guttural roar echoed from the black clouds above.

"Crack, crack, crack~"

The colossal leech totem suddenly broke free from the storm clouds and surged into Kahn's body. His crimson trident ignited with a blinding light.

"Boom, boom, boom!!"

Amid thunderclaps, a massive, spectral trident materialized, spanning hundreds of meters across the sky. Its overwhelming presence sent shockwaves of fear rippling through the city.

Xia Luo's eyes widened. "Are you kidding me? We're doing this now?"

The gargantuan trident crashed downward, severing a skyscraper clean in half. As debris rained down and terrified screams erupted from the collapsing building, the structure began to tilt precariously.

"Oh no!!"

"Help us!"

"Spider-Man!!"

On a crumbling balcony, J. Jonah Jameson clung desperately to a cement pillar, his voice rising in a panicked scream.

A moment later, Betty Brant slid past him, plummeting downward.

"Betty!!"

Jonah yelled, but Betty managed to grab hold of a stray metal beam just in time.

"I'm okay, brother-in-law!"

"Damn it! Call me boss when we're outside!"

"Got it, boss! I'm safe!"

"I can see that," Jonah snapped, his face flushed with both anger and embarrassment. He gritted his teeth, ignoring the pain in his arms, and prayed that Spider-Man would arrive in time to save his life—and his dignity.

If not, Jonah grimly thought, Betty might not need to call him brother-in-law anymore.

She might as well call him her sister.

Just as Jonah was about to lose his grip, a massive shadow engulfed him.

"What is that—?"

Turning his head with great effort, Jonah's eyes widened in disbelief, his pain giving way to sheer astonishment.

"Oh my God! This... this is incredible."

"It's Spider-Man! Spider-Man!!"

"A giant Spider-Man!!"

"Oh my gosh, is he a god?!"

"No... he's THE God. My God!"

Everyone was stunned by the sight before them.

In the heart of the city, a towering red-and-blue figure rose from the ground, its immense presence casting a long shadow over the destruction.

Under countless disbelieving gazes, the colossal Xia Luo extended one hand, its massive palm stabilizing the collapsing skyscraper. At the same time, his other hand caught the massive spectral trident mid-swing.

"Sizzle~"

The trident's surface seared with heat, crackling with crimson arcs of electricity. Xia Luo's nanotech-covered hand began to melt under the intensity.

"Hiss~"

Smoke billowed as the purple skin beneath his armor burned, the red arcs scorching deep into his flesh.

Pain flared through him, but Xia Luo's hand surged with thick, blood-red tendrils, whipping violently like the Hydra's many heads. The tendrils lashed out, striking the ground with devastating force.

"No! This is impossible!!"

Kahn's enraged screams were swallowed as the blood-red tendrils engulfed him completely.

"Boom!!"

Dust and debris exploded outward from the giant's feet, spreading across the streets in a choking cloud.

"Crack, crack, crack~"

Then, with immense effort, the giant began to right the collapsing skyscraper, lifting it back into place.

From the building's shattered windows, a pair of triangular eyes, glowing brilliantly, cast their light into the chaos.

Jonah, frozen in awe, forgot his pain entirely.

"Unbelievable! Amazing! Hahaha! That's Spider-Man for you..."

Beside him, Betty snapped out of her shock and shook her head.

"Brother-in-law, are we still selling the newspaper?"

"Not anymore," Jonah declared. He glanced toward his office, where their miserly employer had likely hoarded the budget, and sneered.

"As a top-tier expert on Spider-Man, my consulting fees are about to skyrocket. Once this incident's over, the paper will be swimming in money. Why sell anything?"

Turning back to the window, Jonah's excitement only grew. "Spider-Man's become even stronger since his resurrection! I'm staying up all night to write an article about his giant form. From now on, the world's heroes can be divided into two categories: Spider-Man... and everyone else!"

---

A pair of faint blue eyes slowly shifted away from the scene.

Xia Luo's gaze locked onto a familiar figure.

Through the glass of a nearby conference room, Mary Jane stood watching, her eyes brimming with anticipation as she met his gaze.

For a moment, her heart raced, a strange and unexplainable feeling washing over her.

Xia Luo, however, was puzzled.

What is she doing here?

Without dwelling on it, he nodded to her and turned away.

Looking up at the dissipating storm clouds, he let the warm sunlight bathe the city as it began to recover from the chaos.

Then, under the astonished stares of the crowd, the giant Spider-Man leapt into the air.

Firing webs of pure energy, he swung swiftly into the sky.

"Laundry time!"

A peculiar sound echoed for a long time, leaving Carter and her team exchanging confused looks.

"Laundry? What does that mean?"

"No idea."

Carter shook off the odd remark and turned to her agents. "Agent Hill, secure the scene. Agent Coulson, lead a team to that building. It won't hold much longer, and we need to evacuate everyone immediately."

"Understood."

As Coulson led the team, Carter moved to the rubble-strewn street. Among the debris, the shattered crimson trident lay alongside broken fragments of a helmet. In its center, a formless, slimy mass writhed faintly.

"He's still alive?"

Carter gasped, but before she could act, a portal of magical sparks opened nearby. Xia Luo, now back in his normal form, emerged calmly from within.

"He won't die just yet," Xia Luo said, stepping up to the quivering mass and raising a glowing hand.

"Buzz~"

With a soft hum, Kahn's soul began to rise from the mangled remains, still clad in his metallic helmet.

Xia Luo frowned. Even in death, you can't show your face?

Before he could comment, a burst of hellfire flared up beside him. From within the flames, Mephisto emerged, smiling smugly as he gazed at Xia Luo.

"My pesky little insect, I must thank you for delivering such an entertaining soul to me."

Xia Luo's brows furrowed. "I didn't say I was giving him to you."

Mephisto's grin remained unchanged. "You've stolen several souls from me already. Consider this one your payment. It's only fair."

After a moment of thought, Xia Luo nodded. "Fine. You can take him—but only if you promise I'll never see him again."

"Of course. Professional courtesy," Mephisto replied smoothly, pulling a black magical tome from behind him.

He flipped through its pages as Kahn's soul was drawn into the book.

"Spider, I'll forgive you this time," Mephisto warned, his tone suddenly sharp. "But if you cross me again, your troubles will be far worse."

With that, he vanished into the flames, leaving Xia Luo staring at the dissipating embers.

Carter approached cautiously. "Who was that? He sure talks big. I think you could've just knocked him out."

Xia Luo gave her a sidelong glance. "That was Mephisto, a Lord of Hell. Do you think he'd stand still for a beating?"

Carter hesitated, then shrugged. "Fair point. By the way, how did you get so big earlier?"

Her eyes flicked downwards, almost instinctively.

"Can you control your size?" she asked, curiosity sparkling in her gaze.

Xia Luo raised an eyebrow, suddenly on guard. "What are you trying to imply?"

"Relax. You're still just a kid. I wouldn't try anything."

"Keep talking, and I'll quit this job."

"Fine, fine. Sorry. I won't look anymore," Carter said, raising her hands in surrender before glancing at the sky. "What's up there?"

"Nothing."

"Then why did you go?"

"You wouldn't get it. It's called a homage."

As he spoke, Scott Lang strolled over, holding a golden sphere in his hand.

"Hey, Spider-Man! Great work out there."

He handed the time machine to Xia Luo and glanced at Carter with a surprised expression.

"Spider-Man's girlfriend?"

Carter said nothing, her lips tightening in response.

Scott smirked. "She's got that mature woman charm. You're lucky, kid. Without my Pym particles, your life wouldn't be nearly as smooth."

"Shut it, you overgrown, eggless ant-bot," Xia Luo snapped. Opening a golden portal, he promptly kicked Scott through it, sending him back to his own universe.

Xia Luo glanced at the sphere in his hand. He needed to extract the Pym particles as soon as possible. Next time, he might not have the luxury of opening a time portal to fetch Scott in the nick of time.

His gaze shifted back to Kahn's lifeless body.

With his soul in Mephisto's hands, he shouldn't pose a threat anymore. Still, destroying his body completely might not be the best idea.

If Kahn's body were gone, who knew if the resurrection games might steal his soul back from Mephisto. Letting him linger in this state was the safest choice.

For now, cleanup and repairs took priority.

"How much is this going to cost?" Xia Luo wondered aloud.

Carter cast a glance at the damaged buildings nearby. "Rough estimate? Work a few thousand years, and you'll cover it."

Xia Luo sighed. "Captain Carter, you're the best. What would I do without you?"

"We're just coworkers. Keep this up, and I might quit."

"Please don't. You're the key to my future riches. I'm counting on you."

"That depends on your performance."

As they chatted, Erik and Charles exchanged a knowing look and quietly left the scene.

"Hellfire—that's the power of the Ghost Rider," Erik murmured.

"Which means that really was Mephisto."

"Yes. Spider-Man wasn't lying to us."

---

Soon after, reporters swarmed the battle site, but Xia Luo had already disappeared.

Nearby, a row of ambulances lined the street.

Amid the crowd, Mary Jane climbed into one of the vehicles with others being evacuated.

---

Later, at the hospital...

"Hey, Mary Jane. How are you feeling?"

Gwen had come to visit.

Mary Jane shook her head faintly. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

Gwen handed her a glass of water, her curiosity piqued. "What were you doing there, anyway?"

Mary Jane hesitated before replying, "I was just looking for a job. Luckily, Spider-Man saved me."

Satisfied, Gwen said nothing more.

Half an hour later, Gwen left the hospital, but Mary Jane quietly checked herself out.

---

Under the cover of night, she made her way to a dark alley.

"Click."

Deep within, a mechanical panel on the wall slid open as she entered a password. A hidden passage revealed itself, leading to an underground base styled like a bar.

A man behind the counter greeted her as she entered the conference room.

"G'iah, it's a good thing you were there. Without you, Spider-Man might've discovered us," he said, handing her a cocktail.

G'iah—disguised as Mary Jane—took a sip without speaking.

The man tilted his head, curious. "What's wrong? Not enjoying life as Mary Jane?"

G'iah shook her head. "It's not that."

She looked up at him, her expression conflicted.

"I've become Mary Jane, replicated her memories... but for some reason, I feel miserable. There's no reason for it, but it's there."

Her voice softened. "Especially after seeing Spider-Man. The feeling grew stronger."

The man chuckled. "Relax. It's your first time pretending to be human. Their emotions are complex, and copying their memories means inheriting those feelings. It'll pass."

"Will it?" G'iah asked, her tone uncertain.

"What about the real Mary Jane?"

"She's not doing well. She probably doesn't have long," the man admitted.

G'iah's expression darkened. "She's a good person. The world's so unfair."

The man began mixing another drink.

"She saved you. Taking her place was a way to ease her family's worries. You've already done enough."

"No. It's not enough," G'iah whispered, staring into her cocktail. "Her family doesn't even care. Even if she died, it wouldn't matter. She's so pitiful."

The man shook his cocktail mixer thoughtfully. "Does she have any other family?"

"No," G'iah replied.

"Then she only has Spider-Man. With Mary Jane's memories, you must know who he is."

"I do. But I have to respect her wishes. She didn't want anyone to know Spider-Man's identity."

At the mention of Xia Luo Parker, G'iah's heart raced uncontrollably.

"I..."

She clutched her chest as a sharp pang of pain spread through it. "It's happening again. Mary Jane's memories... something's wrong with them."

The man frowned and retrieved a device to scan her.

"Your body's fine," he reassured her.

But G'iah still felt uneasy.

Reaching up, she touched the corner of her eye and felt wetness.

"Why am I crying? Why do I feel so sad?"

The man watched her silently, deep in thought.

Suddenly, G'iah stood up. "I need to see Spider-Man. Right now."

"Why?" the man asked, blocking her way.

"No reason. I just... I need to see him."

He sighed. "Your condition's worse than I thought. Maybe the leader can help."

---

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