Chapter 213: A Glimmer of Hope in Desperation, the New Master Weaver!
Tony and Snake Cap, who were watching the scene in the conference room, were stunned and pointed at themselves.
Why were they being involved?
And what was that about the Avengers?
Tony and Snake Cap had no thoughts on the matter at all.
After all, this World already had a Superhero team, so why would they need to start another one?
Wouldn't it be better to just relax and take it easy under Ryan's protection?
Besides, it wasn't like only Spider-Men could join the Spider Family; non-Spider-Man superpowered individuals like them could join the Spider Family too.
Miguel stared blankly at Ryan, not quite understanding his meaning. "What do you mean?"
Ryan looked at Miguel and said calmly, "I am now appointing you as the deputy leader of the Spider-Alliance. You will be responsible for its normal operation while I am away."
Hearing this, Miguel suddenly understood and smiled bitterly. "No, you don't actually need to give me authority. I would have maintained the Web System's operation of the web of life and destiny anyway. After all, I created the Web System; it's my life's work."
In Miguel's view, Ryan giving him power again was nothing more than to maintain the stability of the Web System.
However, Ryan's next words immediately shattered Miguel's assumption.
Ryan smiled disdainfully. "The Web System? Are you still thinking about your tragedy-filled web of life and destiny? Don't be stupid, Miguel. Once I take over the Spider-Alliance, my first order will be to smash that so-called Web System. That piece of crap has no reason to exist other than causing tragedies for Spider-Men!"
Hearing Ryan's words, not only was Miguel shocked, but everyone else in the Spider-Alliance was also stunned.
Although they all disliked the tragedies that every Spider-Man had to experience in the web of life and destiny, they also knew that without it as a stable fulcrum for all Spider-Man Universes, it would inevitably lead to more chain-reaction tragedies or even World-ending disasters!
Therefore, the members of the Spider-Alliance were naturally and resolutely opposed to Ryan's decision, which could bring catastrophe to the Multiverse.
The death of one loved one versus the deaths of countless innocent people—as Spider-Men who lived by 'with great power comes great responsibility,' they could clearly distinguish which was more important...
Looking at the agitated Spider-Alliance members due to his decision, Ryan didn't argue but instead raised his hand and clapped.
*Click—*
The next moment, someone pushed open the conference room door and walked in.
And this person was actually... Karn of the Inheritor Family!
Seeing that there was still an Inheritor alive, the Spider-Men of the Spider-Alliance in the conference room all erupted.
They had thought that after Ryan read Karn's memories earlier, he had taken him away to be humanely destroyed!
They didn't expect Karn to still be alive and well!
In an instant, fear and anger toward the Inheritors once again occupied the minds of the Spider-Alliance's Spider-Men.
"Quiet."
It wasn't until Ryan called for silence again that the conference room became quiet once more.
Ryan looked at Karn and gestured for him to sit at the end of the long conference table, opposite him.
This also signaled to the other Spider-Men how much Ryan valued Karn.
After all, that seat was usually reserved for either the second-in-command or an honored guest!
Ryan first glanced at the Spider-Men of the Spider-Alliance and said calmly, "First of all, although Karn is an Inheritor, he is not our enemy. On the contrary, he is actually one of us..."
The Spider-Alliance members:?
You're saying that one of our natural enemies is actually on our side, right?
How is this any different from saying that President is a spy from enemy country?
Ignoring their shock and doubt, Ryan looked at Karn, who had remained silent after sitting down, and said, "I've already given you all of Morlun's memories. You should understand now what kind of lies you've been living in, right?"
Karn carried a heavy aura of death, his voice sorrowful. "They lied to me. They didn't care about Mother's death at all. They even thought it was good that Mother, the only one I was close to, died..."
"The reason they hated me wasn't because of Mother's death, but because they rejected me from the very beginning, in their very bones. They had wanted to expel me from the family for a long time..."
After deciding to keep Karn, Ryan had used the power of the Mind Stone to instill all of Morlun's memories, which he had absorbed, into the unconscious Karn's mind.
This allowed him, while asleep, to learn the truth that his entire life had been a scam of being a tragic tool...
Then, with a flick of his hand, another small golden sphere appeared in Ryan's palm, and he flicked it across the conference table toward Karn.
Karn instinctively reached out to stop the rolling golden sphere and looked up at Ryan. "What is this?"
Ryan crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, his tone mysterious. "This is the whole truth, and the responsibility that the past you left for the present you..."
That's right; that golden sphere, just like Morlun's soul sphere, contained the soul of Solus.
But besides Solus's soul, there was another soul inside—the soul of the Master Weaver!
Having lost all will to live, Karn naturally wasn't afraid that Ryan would harm him. Or rather, dying like this might even be a relief for Karn's tragic life.
With this mindset, Karn resolutely swallowed the golden sphere in his hand.
In an instant, the memories of Solus and the Master Weaver, along with both their powers, flooded into Karn's head and body.
This caused a soft golden light to emanate from Karn's mouth and nose, making all the Spider-Men feel a sense of 'holiness' and 'familiarity'!
That was... the light of the Web of Destiny!
At this moment, Karn understood everything, from beginning to end!
From the start, he was the chosen Guardian of the Web of Destiny. It was also his past self, as the Master Weaver, who had killed his own mother in front of him, thereby exposing the truth that the rest of the Inheritor Family already loathed him.
According to the historical experience of being the Master Weaver, he should have been expelled from the family by the other Inheritors after that incident, forcing Karn to devour countless Spider-Men's souls in atonement and accumulate the power of countless spider totems in his body.
Until, having devoured countless spider totems throughout the river of time, he would be assimilated into the spider totem itself, then succeed his previous self who was about to burn out, becoming the new Master Weaver to continue guarding the Web of Destiny!
But because of Kang's subversive appearance, he ruled the entire Multiverse single-handedly, making all timelines from then on mere side-runners for the single sacred timeline, eliminating all 'erroneous' existences that might cause the sacred timeline to go wrong—including the Inheritor Family.
This caused things to differ from the Master Weaver's original plan, preventing Karn from devouring countless spider totems in the river of time.
If things continued under Kang's absolute rule, once the previous Master Weaver burned out and died, there would be no one to take over the protection and maintenance of the Web of Destiny.
Then the unguarded Web of Destiny would likely collapse, resulting in there never being another Spider-Man in this Multiverse again!
When that happened, the artificial Web System created by Spider-Man 2099 would be absolutely useless!
But the Web of Destiny ultimately found a way out for itself. At a stage when Kang had not yet completely solidified his rule over the Multiverse and a loophole still existed in the river of time, it used most of its power to generate a special Destiny Spider and cast it into a World outside the Multiverse through that loophole!
And that Destiny Spider eventually landed on its chosen person, who was...
Karn, now the new Master Weaver, turned his eyes—which were radiating the golden light of the Web of Destiny—toward Ryan. He also saw the phantom of the large tricolored spider behind Ryan and opened his mouth. "So you are that... Destiny Spider that broke free from the Web of Destiny..."
====================
Chapter 214: Don't Keep Their Families Waiting, Resurrect the Dead Spider-Men!
But... was that really the case?
Karn, who had become the new Master Weaver, looked at Ryan, who seemed completely unfazed by his own transformation. He couldn't help but feel that things weren't as simple as they appeared...
Was it truly just a coincidence that a loophole leading to another World appeared right when the Web of Destiny was in a desperate situation?
Was it a coincidence, or was it a much larger, invisible web?
Furthermore, Karn, who now presided over the Web of Destiny concerning all Spider-Men, discovered that even he could not see a single trace of Ryan's fate through the web...
Yet, he could clearly feel Ryan's connection to the Web of Destiny, confirming that Ryan was indeed one of the Spider-Men.
So, was Ryan a Destiny Spider who originated from the Web of Destiny but wandered outside of it?
It was truly miraculous...
Karn shook his head and decided not to overthink it. Whatever Ryan was had nothing to do with him; he only needed to fulfill his duty...
Karn looked around at the Spider-Men of the Spider-Alliance, who were casting strange looks at him, and said calmly, "I am sorry for the harm my family caused you, and I regret the tragedies that once befell you..."
"The past cannot be changed, but the future can. From now on, you no longer have to watch your tragedies unfold helplessly. Go and do your best to save those you love. The Web of Destiny will forever protect your fates..."
Then, Karn turned his gaze toward Ryan and smiled. "And the Destiny Spider will, in a physical sense, protect the Little Spiders who submit to him..."
Upon hearing this, every member of the Spider-Alliance present widened their eyes in disbelief.
They first looked at Karn, who had completely shattered their fixed fates, and then simultaneously turned their gazes toward Ryan, who had brought it all about.
While they were overjoyed at the prospect of being able to change their tragic fates, they also felt a sense of spine-chilling awe toward Ryan!
Recalling Ryan's previous statement about smashing the Web System, they wondered... had he actually planned all of this from the very beginning?
Whether it was the Inheritor Family, the Spider-Alliance, or the Web of Destiny that replaced the Web Event—was everything within his calculations from the start?
Facing everyone's gaze, Ryan's expression didn't change as he said indifferently, "Alright, enough with the profound stuff. Let's get back to the simplest topics..."
"As per the old rules, I will now begin assigning tasks."
Hearing this, everyone instinctively sat up straight, including the members of the Spider-Alliance who were just feeling terrified of Ryan.
Although this new boss was terrifyingly strong and possessed a frighteningly deep mind, he was, after all, their leader and one of their own.
It wasn't as if they were truly afraid of Ryan in a hostile way.
Unless... they were on the opposite side of Ryan. Then, they probably wouldn't be able to sleep at night...
But having a leader with such immense power and strategic depth was a different story!
That didn't bring them fear, but an unparalleled sense of security!
Ryan first looked at Karn. "First, Karn, go to the original location of the Spider-Alliance's Web System. Replace it to stabilize the Web of Destiny while maintaining any holes that might appear due to other Spider-Men changing their fates. If you see a crisis on the Web of Destiny that you cannot solve yourself, notify me in advance."
Karn nodded to Ryan and vanished from the meeting room in a flash of golden light, heading to the Spider-Alliance to become the second Transcendent to be anchored to a throne.
However, compared to Loki, the God of Stories on his Golden Toilet, Karn's limitations as the Master Weaver were much greater.
Karn could only influence the fate of Spider-Men.
Loki, on the other hand, had the fate of the entire Multiverse entwined around him...
The reason for sending Karn to the Spider-Alliance was, naturally, because hundreds of Spider-Men were stationed there long-term. With the Master Weaver at the Spider-Alliance headquarters, it was far safer than being alone in the Initial Universe.
After Karn left, Ryan looked at Miguel, Spider-Man 2099. "And you, Miguel, I'm going to give you a long-term, arduous task..."
"Okay..." Miguel agreed before even hearing what the task was.
Now that the Inheritor Family had been dealt with and there was no need for him to maintain the Web Event—given that the superior Web of Destiny had replaced it—Miguel had lost his purpose. He planned to spend the rest of his life in the Spider-Alliance atoning for the hundred-plus Spider-Men who had died because of him.
So, no matter how dangerous the task Ryan, the new leader of the Spider-Alliance, gave him, he would go without hesitation.
And the task Ryan gave him was indeed related to 'atonement'!
Ryan opened his mouth, reached in to pull out a golden sphere, and then flicked it in front of Miguel.
"This is..." Miguel looked down at the golden sphere, his words cutting off abruptly.
Because he actually saw familiar figures within the golden sphere!
Those were... the figures of the hundred-plus Spider-Man companions from his Spider-Alliance!
They were the same Spider-Men he had confidently led to hunt the Inheritor Family, only to be easily slaughtered by them instead!
"This... this is... their..."
Before the emotional and stammering Miguel could finish, Ryan confirmed, "Yes."
"Their souls are inside. Besides the souls of the Spider-Men who died in battle from the Spider-Alliance, there are also the souls of various Spider-Men the Inheritor Family hunted from different Universes..."
"Their physical bodies are dead, but their souls were stored inside the Inheritors as power sources. After I took out those Inheritor scumbags, I retrieved the souls of our companions..."
"So, your long-term task is to go to the various Universes and collect the DNA of those deceased Spider-Men. Then, use the Clone Factory left behind by the Inheritors to clone new bodies for them, put their souls into their respective new bodies one by one, and have them return to their respective Universes to be with their families..."
"Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"I understand!" Miguel's hands trembled with excitement as he held the golden sphere. His eyes, rimmed with red, were now filled with pure fanaticism.
At this moment, having been given a chance at redemption, Miguel had completely become a die-hard fan of Ryan—more loyal than most members of the Spider Family!
Seeing Miguel's fanatical gaze, a satisfied smile curled on Ryan's lips.
By conquering Miguel alone, it was equivalent to conquering all the hundreds of other Spider-Men in the Spider-Alliance whom he had yet to meet.
If anyone were to defy him in the future, he wouldn't need to deal with them individually; Miguel would be the first to teach them a lesson on his behalf.
Chapter 215: The Storm Rises Again, the Skrulls' Sinister Intentions!
Ryan looked at the others in the Spider-Alliance, whose gazes had completely shifted because of this, and smiled.
"As for the rest of you, go with Miguel to resurrect your partners. Otherwise, it would be too inefficient for Miguel to go from Universe to Universe alone. I'm waiting for him to finish this task so he can continue managing the Spider-Alliance for me."
Hearing this, Miguel, who was now completely loyal to Ryan, couldn't help but ask, "You're really going to leave the Spider-Alliance to me? You're not taking over?"
Ryan shook his head and said with feigned depth, "The Spider-Alliance is only responsible for crises involving Spider-Men in the Multiverse. But this Multiverse doesn't just have Spider-Man crises; there are many more and even greater crises that need my attention!"
"Remember, with great power comes great responsibility!"
Hearing this grand declaration, everyone present—whether they were from the Spider-Alliance, the Spider Family, or semi-joined Superheroes like Tony, Captain America, Deadpool, and Wolverine—all cast admiring glances at Ryan!
This single sentence that resonated through every Spider-Man had reached a perfect full circle in Ryan!
Most of these Spider-Men understood 'with great power comes great responsibility' as using their abilities to protect their own city or Earth.
Even with hundreds of Spider-Men gathered in the Spider-Alliance, their focus was on using their power to maintain and resolve disasters occurring to Spider-Men.
But Ryan was different. Although he was also a Spider-Man, he didn't just care about his own World or the fate of all Spider-Men; he cared about every disaster in the entire Multiverse!
Only this was worthy of the famous quote that defined their lives: 'With great power comes great responsibility'!
He is truly so great; we love him so much!
But is our great Mr. Ryan really such a magnificent Spider-Man?
Of course not. He was just finding a high-sounding excuse to seize power while simultaneously shirking the tedious responsibilities that came with the position.
Just like with his two Parker Industries.
Although countless amounts of money flowed into his accounts in both Universes every day, his actual daily contribution to the two companies was nearly zero.
Aside from acting as a deterrent, he didn't do a damn thing...
And his plan for his role in the Spider-Alliance was exactly the same as with those two companies~
Miguel stood up from his chair and bowed slightly to Ryan at the head of the table.
"Boss, since I need to come back and manage the Spider-Alliance for you, then without further ado, I'll lead the team now to collect the DNA of the deceased Spider-Men and bring them all back!"
Seeing Miguel's proactive 'workhorse' attitude, Ryan nodded with satisfaction.
"Mm, go ahead. I believe in your ability. Don't let the regrets of their families wait too long."
Hearing this and imagining the families and loved ones in other Universes weeping with joy upon the return of their deceased Spider-Men, Miguel felt even more motivated!
He immediately opened a web-shaped portal to other Universes and led the members of the Spider-Alliance through it in a swarm.
At this point, except for Silk Cindy, who was still unconscious, and Short-haired Gwen, all the other Spider-Men who didn't belong to this Universe had left.
This included the Original Spider-Man, who followed the Spider-Alliance members back to his own Universe with his daughter, Mayday Parker.
After all, in that Universe, the Original Spider-Man's Aunt May and Mary Jane were still waiting for him.
However, before they left, Ryan invited the Original Spider-Man to join the Spider-Alliance, and the Original Spider-Man agreed.
Miguel also gave the Original Spider-Man a bracelet that allowed him to travel to various Universes and the Spider-Alliance headquarters.
Not just the Original Spider-Man; Miguel gave everyone in the Spider Family a travel bracelet.
This included Tony, Snake Cap, Deadpool, and Wolverine, who hadn't officially joined yet.
Tony and Snake Cap received them because they were already external members of the Spider Family, so they naturally counted as external members of the Spider-Alliance.
As for Deadpool and Wolverine, who belonged to the TVA, they got them simply because Deadpool shamelessly clung to Miguel's leg and wore him down.
Finally, after Ryan spoke up, Miguel reluctantly gave Deadpool two bracelets.
This made Deadpool jump up in excitement like a little girl, screaming in a high-pitched voice, "Yay! Now I can go find countless different Little Spiders to play with!"
Ryan ignored that idiot Deadpool and continued assigning tasks.
First, Tony and Dr. Banner would continue to be responsible for manufacturing the Quantum Tunnel, aiming to complete it within a month.
After all, in a month, he would be conducting a joint operation with the Avengers from the other Universe to purge the shapeshifting 'Goblins' from both Earths.
If the Quantum Tunnel here wasn't built by then, the task of dealing with those disgusting green-skins would have to be delayed...
With the blueprints provided by the Tony from the other Universe, Tony and Dr. Banner guaranteed they could definitely build it within a month!
Once that task was assigned, only one important matter remained.
And that was... the issue regarding the two Gwens.
How they would coexist peacefully was a major problem that Ryan had to solve personally!
Looking at the long-haired and Short-haired Gwens sitting on his left and right legs, Ryan thought for a moment, then simply picked them both up. After saying 'Meeting adjourned,' he strode out of the conference room amidst the boos of everyone inside.
This problem was better solved back in the bedroom!
If words couldn't convince them, then...
(A mysterious five thousand words pass by...)
What Ryan didn't know was that while he was preparing the operation to purge the green-skins, on the other side, in the Skrull base located in an abandoned nuclear power plant in Russia, a conspiracy against Ryan and the entire Spider Family was also underway!
As the leader of the Skrulls, Talos had a dark expression as he walked step by step toward the deepest part of the abandoned power plant.
Talos didn't stop until he reached an iron door. He pushed it open, revealing dozens of memory-reading machines in the room.
Strapped into these dozens of memory-reading machines were important figures from various countries who frequently appeared in the news!
The Queen of England, the Prime Minister of France, the U.S. Minister of Defense, the Cart Titan of Japan, and so on...
At that moment, a man and a woman walked up to Talos. The woman looked remarkably like the Actress, while the man had an average face.
The woman's name was Jia; she was Talos's only daughter.
The man's name was Gravik; he was the successor Talos was grooming.
Both were Skrull geniuses with extremely high shapeshifting talent!
And each of them would have an important mission.
Green skin rippled across Jia's body, and the face that looked like the Mother of Dragons quickly transformed into another, even more beautiful face. It was... Ghost-Spider Gwen's face!
Green skin also rippled across Gravik's body as he transformed into another person, a tall figure. It was... Spider Monarch Ryan's face!
That's right, the Skrulls intended to divide the Spider-Alliance from within humanity, ruin Ryan Parker's reputation, incite a Civil War between humans and the Spider-Alliance, and finally, have the Skrulls completely occupy this Planet!
====================
Chapter 216: The 'Secret War' Plan Begins!
These important figures from various countries kidnapped by the Skrulls were the source of confidence for the world's powers to launch a crusade against the Spider Family!
And Jia and Gravik were the means Talos would use to push the Spider Family, or rather Ryan Parker, to the opposite side of humanity!
Jia, transformed into Gwen, would take her place when his girlfriend Gwen was away. She would whisper in Ryan's ear, exaggerating and fueling his perception of humanity's fear and loathing toward superhumans like them!
Until Ryan began to feel dissatisfied and disgusted with humans, eventually going to war with them!
Meanwhile, Gravik, transformed into Ryan, would cause trouble everywhere using Ryan's identity as 'Spider Monarch'. Finally, he would 'accidentally' expose Ryan's true identity as 'Spider Monarch' in front of the public.
Exposing Ryan Parker's hidden side to the surface, letting everyone know what a hypocrite he truly was!
This would serve as a tribute to their Skrull compatriots who died in Ryan's battle!
"Father, do we really have to stand completely against the Spider Family? Wasn't our original intention to temporarily stay on Earth and find a new place to live?"
At this moment, Jia, who had transformed into Gwen, asked somewhat reluctantly.
Hearing his daughter's words, Talos's brain, which had lost its sanity due to anger, cooled down a bit. He regained a sliver of reason, and the expression on his face became somewhat hesitant.
But seeing that Talos, who had finally toughened up, was softening again because of Jia's words, Gravik, a member of the Hawk Faction, immediately shouted at Jia:
"Jia, have you stayed in human society for so long that you've forgotten your true identity?"
"You must remember that you are a Skrull, not a human!"
"Once a Skrull, always a Skrull. Humans will never truly accept us. What you should be thinking about now is not humans, but our situation as Skrulls!"
"That bastard Nick Fury promised us a new home over a decade ago, using that to make us work for him on Earth all these years. But what's the result?"
"Over ten years have passed. Forget a new home—he can't even find a decent piece of land for us on Earth. Most of our people can only hide like rats in a sewer in this abandoned nuclear power plant where even ghosts wouldn't want to come!"
"Nick Fury is untrustworthy, and humans are even less so. If we want a new home, we have to fight for it ourselves. Besides, this time it was humans who took the initiative to attack us Skrulls. We are just fighting back against them. There's absolutely no need to feel any psychological burden!"
Listening to Gravik's words, Jia felt they made some sense, but at the same time, she keenly sensed something was wrong...
First of all, Nick Fury didn't seem to know that they had secretly sent millions of Skrulls to Earth over the years. He probably still thought there were only the Skrulls from the light-speed engine ship back then...
Plus the Skrulls born over the years at most.
Secondly, the claim that humans took the initiative to go to war with Skrulls was even more nonsensical. When 'Spider Monarch' Ryan Parker dealt with that powerful supervillain, it was an indiscriminate attack. Almost the entire Harlem district suffered in that battle!
The Nick Fury Tower where the Skrulls were located could only be said to have been accidentally damaged by Spider Monarch. It couldn't be considered a human action targeting them Skrulls at all...
Moreover, Nick Fury promptly dealt with the bodies of the Skrulls in the collapsed building afterward. Humans didn't even know about the existence of Skrulls until now...
So Gravik's words were nothing more than an excuse for him, a hawk, who had long wanted to go to war with humans!
But it just so happened that most of the Skrulls were warmongers. In the past, they often relied on their shapeshifting abilities to conquer other Planets everywhere.
That was also why the Skrulls had fallen to their current state. During their conquests, they encountered another more aggressive and powerful empire, the Kree Empire!
As a result, the Skrull Empire was destroyed by the stronger Kree Empire and hunted across the Universe!
If the awakened Captain Marvel hadn't protected them back then, the Skrull race might have been completely exterminated by the Kree Empire by now!
And the current situation was so similar to that time!
Except last time the Skrull Empire faced the entire Kree Empire, while this time they only faced a single Spider Family...
But even if the Spider Family couldn't compare to the entire Kree Empire in scale, Jia was not relieved. Instead, she felt even more uneasy.
She always felt that this time, their Skrull race had provoked the wrong person again...
And it was an even bigger mistake than provoking the Kree Empire back then!
A woman's strong sixth sense made Jia grit her teeth, preparing to risk offending her fellow clansmen to persuade her father, Talos, once more.
But before she could speak again, Talos, who was also deep in thought over Gravik's words, raised his hand to interrupt her.
Talos looked up at Jia, his eyes having become firm: "Whether Spider Monarch did it intentionally or unintentionally this time, we can't just let it go. We need a counterattack to let humans know that Skrull blood is not shed in vain. Blood must be paid with blood!"
"Jia, I know what you're thinking, but think of your mother who died in the tower, and think of your younger sister who still hasn't walked out of the psychological shadow!"
After saying that, Talos stopped looking at Jia. He turned and patted Gravik's shoulder, saying in a low voice: "The 'Secret War' operation begins now. I need to go deal with Nick Fury's side, so I'll leave you in charge of this operation as the commander-in-chief!"
Hearing this, Gravik couldn't hide the excitement in his eyes and nodded heavily: "Don't worry, Talos. I have 100% confidence in this mission. Earth will definitely be ours!"
Hearing this, Talos frowned and corrected: "This is just a retaliatory action we're taking against the Spider Family and a warning to humans. Don't do anything extra!"
"After all, Earth belongs to humans. We should coexist peacefully with the original inhabitants instead of repeating the mistakes our ancestors made!"
After saying that, Talos didn't stay any longer and turned to leave.
As he said, he was carrying out this operation behind Nick Fury's back. He still had to go back to S.H.I.E.L.D. to keep Nick Fury steady.
But Talos didn't see that Gravik behind him didn't answer his words. Instead, he lowered his head and clenched his fists.
Obviously, he was not satisfied with the small goal Talos mentioned. His ambition was much greater than Talos's!
So great that... it was enough to lead the Skrulls to extinction on Earth!
Although... even if Gravik didn't think so, the Skrulls had already been sentenced to death by Ryan...
Jia, transformed into Gwen, saw the ambition in Gravik's eyes from the side. Her sense of unease grew stronger, and even her heart began to beat faster and faster.
Thump, thump, thump——————
At Parker Tower, in Ryan's private lounge, a knock sounded at the door.
Hearing the sound, Ryan opened his eyes. He first glanced at the Gwens sleeping soundly on either side of him and gently pulled his arms out from under their necks.
Well, this negotiation went very smoothly. As the arbitrator, Ryan successfully made Party A have no objections and also got the reluctant Party B to join the contract. Finally, the three parties held a peaceful 'meeting'...
I have to say, this time it was truly double the happiness...
After Ryan got out of bed, the Symbiote on his body began to surge. By the time he reached the lounge door, his naked body was already dressed in a neat black shirt and trousers.
Click——————
Opening the door, a curvaceous red-haired figure stood there.
Chapter 217: Finding an Assistant for Black Widow, Silk Wakes Up...
It was the CEO of Parker Industries, Natasha Romanoff, our Black Widow.
Ryan smiled. "What's wrong? Is something the matter?"
Seeing Ryan's visible pleasure, Natasha couldn't help but roll her eyes at him. "Do you have any idea that your lounge is right behind my office? You've been affecting my work for four straight hours!"
Ryan leaned against the door, looked at Natasha, and said leisurely, "I must correct you. It's not that I delayed you for four hours, but that the Gwens could only last for four hours. Otherwise, you wouldn't have been able to work properly at all today~"
Natasha's lips twitched violently, and she couldn't resist flipping Ryan the bird!
Ryan just laughed at her gesture of contempt and asked, "What are you really looking for me for? It can't just be because I disturbed your work, right?"
"If it is, then I'll give you a few days off, because I'll probably be requisitioning this place for the next few days. You'd just continue to be disturbed..."
The double pleasure had Ryan's little head controlling his big head for once, and he decided to keep 'making hamburgers' for a few more days...
Hearing this, Natasha looked at Ryan with a mix of strangeness and speechlessness, staring with dead fish eyes. "Why don't you go home or to a hotel? Why does it have to be at the company?"
To this, Ryan shrugged. "We're all superhumans, and the 'cooking' gets too loud. I don't want to disturb the old couple, May and Ben. Besides, with two Gwens appearing at once, I'm afraid they wouldn't be able to accept it right away..."
"As for a hotel, who goes to a hotel to 'cook' with their legitimate girlfriend? That's only for emergencies and risk avoidance~"
Natasha shook her head and sighed. "Sigh, calling you a scumbag is actually a compliment. You're simply a beast in human clothing!"
Ryan didn't care that Natasha called him a scumbag, because it was an irrefutable fact.
Even her 'beast in human clothing' comment wasn't wrong. After all, though he was human-shaped, because of his Spider Abilities, he might actually have a spider's heart...
So Ryan didn't argue and simply said, "Alright, do you actually want your vacation for the next few days or not?"
To his surprise, Natasha shook her head and said disdainfully, "I wouldn't dare take a vacation from you. This isn't giving me time off; it's clearly just letting several days of business pile up. When I get back, I'll still be the one who has to process those stacked files!"
Ryan really couldn't argue with that.
After all, besides Natasha, he didn't trust anyone else to take over her business, nor did he believe anyone else had the ability.
It seemed it was time for him to find an assistant for Natasha.
Otherwise, if Natasha had something to do in the future, he didn't want to have to take over her work himself.
And this candidate should ideally be someone with abilities comparable to Natasha's and who was trustworthy enough.
After thinking about it, Ryan actually thought of someone with abilities equal to Natasha's!
Someone... closely related to Natasha herself!
That was Natasha's sister, the second-generation Black Widow, also known as the White Widow—Yelena Belova!
And right now, Natasha probably didn't know her sister was still alive. It would be a surprise for her later!
Thinking of this, Ryan looked at Natasha with a mysterious smile on his lips. "Then work hard for a few more days. In a while, I'll find you a capable assistant. I believe you'll like her..."
Natasha's eyes showed a hint of curiosity. "Oh? You actually found a conscience today and plan to get me an assistant? Then I'm looking forward to seeing how 'capable' this assistant you find for me will be~"
Having worked at Ryan's company for so long, Natasha knew very well that Ryan wasn't just terrifyingly strong; his standards were also terrifyingly high.
He didn't care for the average job-seeking talent on the market at all.
One only had to look at the heads of the company's various departments...
Not to mention herself as the CEO—a former Red Room assassin and S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent, proficient in multiple languages and various business skills.
The head of the Power Department was Electro-Spider!
The head of the Security Department was the Asgardian Valkyrie!
The heads of the Research Department were Bruce Banner, possessor of seven doctorates whose name hung on the school's wall of fame and also the Incredible Hulk, and Curtis 'Kurt' Connors, who researched the 'Regeneration Serum' that shocked the World!
Almost every department leader was a top existence in their respective industry!
Even now, there were some departments Ryan would rather leave vacant than let a mediocre person take the position...
Her thoughts flashed by, and Natasha shook her head, no longer dwelling on the company's department heads. Instead, she shifted the topic to the real purpose of her knocking:
"Oh, right. The reason I came to disturb you is because the people in the Medical Department said the girl you brought back has woken up and specifically asked to see you."
Ryan's eyebrows shot up. "The girl I brought back... Silk?"
The girl who, upon their first meeting, had caused him to have a different kind of physiological reaction immediately appeared in his mind.
"Then I'll go see her. You continue working. If the Gwens wake up, tell them I'm in the Medical Department."
With that, Ryan closed the door to the lounge.
Click——————
As the glass doors of the medical room opened from both sides, a tall figure dressed in black walked in.
Seeing the big boss, who rarely visited the Medical Department, arrive, the medical staff suddenly became nervous.
It couldn't be helped. Although the treatment in every department of Parker Industries was top-notch, their Medical Department still didn't have a department head, nor had the department made any major contributions to the company. Without a department head as their backbone, they were truly afraid that the big boss might dissolve the department one day...
But obviously, they were overthinking it. Although the Regeneration Serum produced by Parker Industries could already treat most diseases, it wasn't a miracle drug; it was impossible for the Regeneration Serum to cure everything.
Therefore, a multi-functional Medical Department was still very necessary!
While serving as a place for regular employees to see a doctor, it could also research medicines for diseases that the Regeneration Serum couldn't cure.
However, looking at the uneasy faces of the Medical Department employees, Ryan stroked his chin and decided he should find a head for the Medical Department as well.
Who would be suitable?
Let's see...
Got it. Dr. Helen Cho, the developer of the Cradle in Avengers: Age of Ultron, seems pretty good!
In the original story, this woman proved herself a genius and had a strong moral compass, even risking her life to stop Ultron.
Yes, it's decided. When I have time to go to South Korea, I'll poach her...
Ryan thought about finding a head for the Medical Department, but his steps didn't stop. He didn't comfort the uneasy employees either, instead walking past them directly toward the medical room where Silk was located.
Hiss——————
As the sterilization door of the medical room opened, a graceful black-haired figure wrapped in white spider Silk immediately met Ryan's eyes.
The moment their eyes met, a strange sensation even more intense than the last time drew them together from their hearts to their bodies, making them move closer, closer, and closer still...
====================
Chapter 218: Silk Cindy Stays, the Two Gwens Charge In!
Just as their faces were about to make contact at a negative distance, a large, cold hand first covered Silk's face and pressed her back down onto the bed.
As the golden light of the Mind Stone seeped through Ryan's palm and into Silk's features and then her brain, her physiological impulse finally vanished, and the fire of desire in her eyes calmed once more...
As for Ryan himself, the moment he sensed the anomaly, he had already used the Mind Stone and the Frost Giant's freezing ability to calm himself down both mentally and physically.
Although he never rejected his own fondness for intimacy, as it was a primal will etched into every living being's DNA and the only way for natural organisms to continue.
There was nothing wrong with intimacy; the functioning of the entire World could not do without it.
But... Ryan didn't like being forced into intimacy, even if the one forcing him was his own Spider-Sense and body!
His body could only be ruled by his own soul!
Spider-Sense? No way!
Ryan removed his hand from the now-calm Silk's face and offered a smile. "You wanted to see me, and I've come. So, Miss Cindy Moon, what do you want with me?"
Silk stared blankly at Ryan, who was finally face-to-face with her, appearing somewhat dazed for a moment...
Although she had calmed down due to the frost ability and the Mind Stone, she could still clearly feel that the person before her was definitely one of only two Spider-Men in all the Universes she could sense!
He was also the special Spider-Man with whom she felt a much stronger connection than with the Peter Parker from her own Universe who was bitten by the same Super Spider!
Seeing Silk just staring at him without speaking, Ryan couldn't help but touch his face and tease, "What's with the staring? Is it because I'm too handsome and you want to pursue me?"
To his surprise, at this joke, Silk nodded seriously. "Can I?"
Ryan:?
"Can you do what?"
Silk blinked. "Can I pursue you?"
Hearing this, Ryan's lips twitched violently. This was only the second time he had met a girl who was so direct with him upon their first meeting...
As for the first one before Silk, it goes without saying—it was Gwen...
When Ryan rescued Gwen back then, the first thing she asked while looking at him in his arms was whether he could be her boyfriend...
As you know, because of Gwen's age, she was heartlessly rejected by Ryan.
But the Silk in front of him now was well within the age limit, and besides her looks, her stats in various areas were higher than Gwen's...
However, even though all the indicators were met, it still put Ryan in a bit of a difficult position...
After all, he had just signed a tripartite contract. If he told the other two Gwens now that the contract needed to be modified because a fourth shareholder wanted to join them, he was afraid the other two shareholders would withdraw on the spot...
Between one shareholder and two, Ryan could clearly distinguish which was more important...
And as the chairman, even if this new shareholder had plenty of 'capital' to invest, he still had to evaluate her first, right?
Finally, after a brief hesitation, Ryan shook his head:
"Miss Cindy Moon, while I appreciate your honesty, I don't think we know each other well enough yet. Especially regarding me—you might not know that I already have a girlfriend, and more than one at that. So, if you don't want to fall for a playboy, it's best to be a bit more cautious..."
"As for now, since you're awake, you should first choose where you want to go..."
"I'll give you three choices. First, I can have someone send you back to your own Universe to return to your original life. Second, stay in the Spider-Alliance and become one of its members. Third..."
"I choose the third option!" Before Ryan could finish, Silk Cindy had already made her choice without hesitation.
This surprised Ryan a bit. "You don't want to go back to your own Universe?"
During this Inheritor incident, many Spider-Men from other Universes had come to his Universe, but without exception, they were only staying temporarily and always intended to return to their own Universes...
This included Short-haired Gwen as well...
After all, in those other Universes, there were loved ones that each of the Spider-Men cared about...
Silk offered an explanation, curling up on the bed with her legs pulled to her chest, her expression lonely:
"I have nothing left in my own Universe. My parents died in an accident before I gained my Spider Abilities. The only person in that World related to me has had nothing to do with me from the start. I don't want to stay in that lonely World anymore..."
"So... can I stay in this Universe with you?"
Looking at Silk, who was acting as pitiful as Sylvie, Ryan rubbed his brow and waved his hand:
"Alright, that's tragic enough. You can stay in this Universe and join my Spider Family. This will be your new home from now on."
Silk's eyes lit up, and she suddenly lunged into Ryan's arms. "Thank you!"
Feeling Cindy's superb figure under that thin layer of her Silk Suit, Ryan felt the fire he had just suppressed starting to rise again...
He now seemed to regret rejecting Silk while in Sage Mode. What should he do?
However, Silk Cindy didn't act impulsively this time; she just gave Ryan a hug and had no further plans...
Just then, the door to the medical room opened again, completely interrupting any potential further development between the two...
The ones who entered were, naturally, the two versions of Gwen—the long-haired and the short-haired one.
After waking up and hearing Black Widow emphasize that Ryan had gone alone to see a beautiful girl, the two of them rushed down as fast as they could.
They could accept sharing Ryan with another version of themselves, but they weren't ready to immediately accept another stranger sharing him.
The special connection between Silk and Ryan usually only attracted them to each other when they were alone, so as the other two Gwens entered, neither Silk nor Ryan felt any more special sensations.
After learning about Silk Cindy's background, the two Gwens also felt that the Cindy who had nothing was very pitiful.
Naturally, it didn't take long for the three of them to become best friends.
Instead, it was Ryan who was left out in the cold by the three of them.
Finally, the three of them went out shopping hand-in-hand. The two Gwens said they wanted to welcome Cindy and help her get familiar with this World.
So Ryan was left here all by himself.
Ryan's lips twitched. Short-haired Gwen and Cindy might not have done it on purpose, but he was certain that Long-Haired Gwen was definitely getting back at him intentionally.
After all, the Gwen of his Universe was somewhat mischievous and black-bellied...
Chapter 219: An Imperfect World Always Needs Some Unfortunate People, Right, Strange?
However, Ryan didn't mind Gwen's slight mischievousness.
Just in time, while there's some free time now, it's time to take care of some small matters left undone...
For example... the matter of leading this Universe's Strange onto the path of a sorcerer...
After all, back in another Universe, he had promised that Universe's Doctor Strange that he would lead this Universe's version through the doors of sorcery ahead of time...
Moreover, if Strange becomes the Sorcerer Supreme sooner, his own Universe would gain a top-tier combatant earlier.
In their Spider-Alliance, although there are already many superpowered individuals, most are physical-based, and there really isn't a single magic-based presence yet.
Thor doesn't count. Although Thor is technically classified as a mage, in reality, this idiot has always fought like a pure warrior...
So, Ryan was going to recruit the first true sorcerer candidate for his Spider Family!
As for the method, hadn't it been mentioned before?
Strange has a girlfriend whose loss could cause him to darken enough to destroy the Universe...
New York, a Sky Restaurant.
At a window-side table with a view of the entire New York night skyline, a man and a woman in formal attire sat opposite each other.
The man wore a sharp suit and a high-end watch, looking every bit the elite professional...
The woman wore a dazzling starry dress and exquisite makeup, clearly having dressed up with great care...
These two were Stephen Strange and Christine Palmer.
The usually arrogant Dr. Stephen Strange had a surprising touch of tenderness in his eyes today. He held Christine's hand on the table with one hand while keeping the other in his suit pocket.
But before he could make a move, Christine used her free hand to pull out an exquisite box from behind her.
At this moment, Christine's eyes were filled with nothing but Strange. Compared to his subtle affection, her love was clearly more direct and obvious.
Christine pushed the box toward Stephen, her eyes curving into crescent moons as she smiled. "Stephen, this is a gift for our tenth anniversary of knowing each other. Open it and see if you like it~"
Steve didn't expect Christine to have prepared a gift for him as well. He stared at her blankly and murmured, "Has it really been ten whole years since we met..."
As he spoke, he opened the box, where an exquisite watch lay quietly inside.
It was a model he had planned to buy before, but because he was always a big spender and a hedonist, he was planning to wait until next month's paycheck.
He hadn't expected Christine to buy it for him in advance!
Most importantly, Christine knew exactly what he wanted, which showed how much she truly cared about him!
Along with the surprise, Strange became even more resolute in the decision he had made today.
That was... he wanted to officially formalize his relationship with Christine. He shouldn't make her wait any longer for his reckless ways!
Strange took off the luxury watch on his wrist, put on the one Christine gave him, and touched it very affectionately.
Then, he also took an exquisite box out of his suit pocket, placed it on the table, and pushed it toward Christine.
At this moment, Strange no longer hid the love in his eyes for Christine. Instead, he wore a gentle smile, unlike his usual arrogant one:
"Christine, I've prepared a gift for you today too. But I'm sorry, I forgot today was our tenth anniversary, so this isn't the anniversary gift I prepared for you..."
Hearing this, Christine wasn't disappointed; instead, she couldn't help but cover her mouth with both hands, her eyes filled with surprise!
Since it wasn't an anniversary gift, there was only one possibility left for the usually gift-clueless Strange!
And that was...
At that moment, a gentle melody suddenly began to play in the restaurant—a song usually played only during a proposal!
Strange stood up amidst the music, leaning over to open the box in front of Christine. His voice was soft but firm: "Christine, would you be willing to be my girlfriend from this day forward, the love of my life?"
The next moment, everyone else in the Sky Restaurant stood up and clapped softly, all wishing to witness this couple's happy ending.
This dreamlike scene felt just like a plot from a TV drama, making people feel that this tragedy-filled World was becoming beautiful...
As Christine looked at the exquisite Sapphire Necklace in the box, her eyes filled with tears of joy.
She had waited ten years; wasn't it just for these words from Strange?
And now, she had finally reached this day—the day the prodigal Strange returned!
Christine slowly lowered her trembling hands and reached for the necklace on the table: "I do..."
But... not everything in the World is perfect...
Just as Christine's hand was about to touch the necklace and she was about to say "I do," time in the surroundings suddenly slowed to a crawl, as if frozen.
The gentle music became distorted and slow, like a demonic whisper, until it vanished...
The smiles of the people clapping around them froze on their faces, their hands unable to meet again...
The final syllable of Christine's "I do" was frozen in this moment, and her finger remained forever just an inch away from the Sapphire Necklace...
The only person present whose time hadn't stopped and who could move freely was Strange, who stood there in terror, not knowing what was happening.
Strange instinctively reached out to take the frozen Christine's hand, but the moment he did, a terrifying black hole, like the gaping maw of an abyss, appeared behind her!
After the black hole appeared, a powerful suction force suddenly erupted, pulling the frozen Christine toward it!
Snap!
Just as half of Christine's body was sucked into the black hole and she was about to be swallowed whole, Strange finally reached her. He lunged across the table and gripped her right hand tightly.
Once gripped by Strange, Christine miraculously regained consciousness.
As soon as she woke, she first looked in terror at the endless dark void beneath her feet, then at Strange, who was gripping her hand for dear life, and asked in panic, "Stephen, what's happening?"
Steve held onto a fixed table leg with one hand and pulled with all his might on Christine, who was still being sucked into the black hole, gritting out through his teeth:
"I... I don't know, but I won't let go! Hang on, Christine!"
Christine had always been a smart girl. In this sudden, desperate situation, she didn't just scream in fear like other girls might; she observed...
She noticed that the Sapphire Necklace on the table remained unmoved by the suction, and Strange's tie, though hanging down, wasn't fluttering toward her.
She understood...
This suction was targeted only at her...
At that moment, she smiled—and cried as she did...
She understood, yet she didn't. She didn't know who was attacking her, or why they would target someone as ordinary as her.
But she knew that if Strange didn't let go, she would drag the man she loved down into the abyss with her...
So, she slowly loosened her fingers, releasing her grip on Strange's hand, and said softly to him, "Stephen, let go..."
====================
Chapter 220: Time Plays with Everything, and the Monarch Plays with You~
Hearing this, Strange's expression became even more terrified than when the time-stop anomaly first appeared. He roared, "No! Don't leave me, please don't let go, Christine!"
But Christine's mind was made up. Without her gripping back, Strange's weak strength as an ordinary human was not enough to hold onto her as she was continuously pulled by the black hole. He could only watch helplessly as her hand slowly slipped from his grasp, until...
Christine fell completely into the endless abyss!
"No, no, no, no, no!!!"
At this moment, Strange even wanted to follow Christine and dive into the black hole himself, but as soon as he rushed toward it, he was repelled by an invisible force!
Despairingly, he couldn't even die with her!
Despair—Strange's heart was completely filled with despair!
The next second, something even more devastating happened.
He saw Christine, who was falling into the abyss, suddenly swallowed whole by a massive purple mouth that emerged from the depths!
Immediately after, a large, purple, shoehorn-shaped face abruptly appeared before the black hole. Separated only by the distance of the black hole, it locked eyes with Strange.
Even across the black hole, Strange could feel a wave of pure evil radiating from that massive face!
But now, Strange felt no fear toward this terrifying purple monster. Instead, he scrambled up and rushed at the black hole again, pounding his fists against the invisible barrier at its mouth, screaming frantically at the deep purple monster within:
"You bastard! Give Christine back to me! Give my Christine back! I'm going to kill you!!!"
However, the more pain Strange felt, the happier the purple monster inside the black hole seemed to be. A twisted smile appeared on its hideous face, and it let out an evil, mocking laugh at the Strange outside:
"Jie jie jie! Stephen Strange, remember this: you toy with time, and time will surely toy with you!"
"In another dimension, a version of you used time to trap me, forcing me to give up the delicious meal I was about to consume. I can't do anything to that version of you, but the you in this dimension doesn't have the sacred relic of Kamar-Taj, so you can only watch helplessly as your beloved is taken away by me!"
"Remember, Strange, this is only the beginning of your journey of pain. From now on, I will take away the important things around you one by one, so that you will live in agony forever!"
"Remember my name, for I am the Dark Lord Dormammu, jie jie jie jie jie jie!!!"
After leaving his name, the large purple head didn't care if Strange understood or not and directly closed the black hole.
This left Strange, who had been pounding on the invisible barrier, collapsing miserably to the ground like a dog...
After a long time, Strange finally lifted his head to look at the empty space. His fists were clenched so tightly that his fingernails dug into his palms, causing blood to flow continuously.
At this moment, Strange had never hated his own powerlessness as much as he did today!
The medical skills he was once so proud of, and those exquisite surgeon's hands, were completely useless when facing a real threat!
If he possessed true power, if he were a Superhero, if he were as strong as the 'Spider Monarch' who had saved New York time and again, would he have been able to protect Christine today?
Unfortunately... he wasn't...
Wait, saving New York... Yes, I still have one hope, a hope strong enough to face that monster, even to save Christine!
I need to find the Spider Family for help. I need to find the strongest Superhero on Earth, Spider Monarch, for help!
He is my only hope for saving Christine, or for revenge...
A faint golden light flashed imperceptibly in Strange's eyes, and the frozen time around him unconsciously resumed. The gentle music and applause returned, but Strange no longer had the heart to listen to the sounds that originally represented his happiness.
Strange's blood-stained palm tightly gripped the sapphire necklace that Christine didn't have time to wear. Like a wounded wolf, he left the Sky Restaurant in a wretched state.
As he left, atop the glass dome outside the Sky Restaurant where no one noticed, a silver-gray figure was lying leisurely, playing with three brilliant gems between his fingertips.
The Time Stone, which had stopped the actions and thoughts of everyone except Strange.
The Mind Stone, which influenced everything Strange and Christine saw, including the 'black hole' that appeared later and the 'Dormammu' who came out to take the blame.
The Space Stone, which opened the 'black hole' Strange saw and used a portal to teleport Christine away...
As for where she was teleported, a human girl suddenly appeared in the Frost Palace of Jotunheim...
That's right, all the misfortune Strange faced today was just a calculation Ryan had made on a whim...
There was no suddenly appearing black hole, no descent of Dormammu, and Christine wasn't dead. Everything Strange experienced today was just a conspiracy that was part real and part fake~
"Don't blame me, Strange. If you want to blame someone, blame the you from the other Universe. After all, he was the one who asked me to guide you onto this path early, but he didn't specify the method of guidance~"
"So... I could only choose the method that would make you grow the fastest~"
After murmuring a few words to himself, Ryan stood up from the glass dome, leaped down from the Sky Restaurant, and swung toward home.
He had already completed the villainous task of breaking up a couple about to be together; now, he had to go be Strange's kind-hearted spiritual mentor~
Time soon reached the next day.
Knock knock knock——————
Ryan thought Strange would come knocking that very night, but he didn't expect the knocking to sound until the next morning.
At the dining table, Short-haired Gwen and Silk Cindy stood up at the same time, both wanting to open the door.
As for why they were both here...
Since Short-haired Gwen came from another Universe, it was naturally impossible for her to return to the home of this Universe, especially since the original Gwen had already returned.
If two Gwens went back together, it would probably give the Stacy couple of this Universe a heart attack.
So later, the two Gwens discussed it and decided that until the Quantum Tunnel was built, they would take turns: one living in the original Stacy home and one living in Ryan's home.
In reality, Short-haired Gwen already had the standard-issue Spider-Alliance Parallel Universe Travel Bracelet and could theoretically return to her own Universe.
But perhaps it was because Short-haired Gwen and the Chief Stacy of her Universe were still having a falling out and she didn't want to go back yet.
Or maybe she wanted to stay in this Universe for a while longer to enjoy the complete and harmonious family she had here...
Or maybe she wanted to spend more time with Ryan...
In any case, Short-haired Gwen had no plans to return to her own Universe for the time being.