Restart, Spider-Man!

The fourth revival match.

As the countdown ended, Xia Luo activated his electric arc form. He slapped his wrist device, triggering the Pym Particles.

With a flash of light, Xia Luo shrank down into the form of a tiny insect.

Zzt~

The faint crackle of electricity echoed as his minuscule figure darted through the streets and alleys, weaving through the city's buildings toward its center.

Along the way, he spotted Tony raising his hands in surrender and Wade being chased down by a man.

He ignored the two of them entirely, swinging directly toward the conference hall.

However, at this reduced size, his speed had slowed significantly. Though it allowed him to evade Kryptonian surveillance, it didn't seem very efficient.

Xia Luo stopped mid-swing and decided to change tactics.

Vrrmm~

Crack-crack~

BOOM!!

In an instant, a red-and-blue giant over a hundred meters tall appeared in the middle of Kryptonian civilization. A single step from him was enough to send tremors through the earth.

Buildings shuddered, alarms blared across the city, and countless Kryptonians stared up in disbelief at the terrifying colossus.

"My god! What is that?!"

"It's enormous! Did it escape from the Genesis Chamber?"

"Those lunatics must have created another monstrous experiment!"

"Run for your lives!!"

Boom~

The streets trembled violently as the red-and-blue giant launched a web and soared into the sky. Countless flying vehicles gave chase, rocketing upward to pursue him.

Vrrmm~

Boom-boom-boom~~

Laser beams lit up the sky, exploding across the giant's body, but nothing could stop him as he surged toward the conference hall.

"Holy hell, is he trying to destroy Krypton to complete his task?"

Wade, who had just popped his head out of hiding, witnessed the scene and couldn't help but clap his hands in admiration.

"Hahaha! That's my idol for you. This is what a real superhero looks like—wait, does destroying Krypton count as heroic?"

He scratched his head. "Hmm, no. Krypton must be an evil planet. That has to be it."

Meanwhile, Tony, still being escorted by soldiers, straightened his back with pride at the sight.

"That's my friend! You'd better let me go—hey, not the face!"

Elsewhere, Old Man Steve and Carter noticed Xia Luo's destination: the towering building in the heart of the city. Seizing the opportunity, they changed direction and made their way toward the center. The soldiers in the city, now in chaos, had no time to pursue them.

On the far end of the city, deep within a lake, Karn gripped his red trident tightly. Sensing Spider-Man's totemic power, the leech totem inside him grew restless, its greedy instincts taking over. Karn abandoned the "water grapes" at the lakebed and charged toward Xia Luo's location.

Back in the skies above the city, the red-and-blue giant descended in a burst of flames and lightning, hurtling directly toward the conference hall tower.

Vrrmm~

At the same time, the ghost engine protecting the conference hall activated automatically. A void-like black hole bloomed, unleashing a torrent of cosmic energy.

BOOM!!

A blinding beam of energy surged into the heavens as the red-and-blue giant erupted into a flash of light.

His body shrank rapidly, and the energy beam passed cleanly over his now-tiny form, disappearing into the sky.

"He vanished?"

Inside a beetle-like aircraft, Zod stared at the sudden disappearance of the giant, his brow furrowed deeply.

"Who is this guy?"

Beside him, Faora manipulated the liquid geometry display system, which projected a holographic image of Dark Stephen.

"That strange man broke into the conference hall before we arrived. It's as if he was waiting for us."

"Don't act rashly. His fighting style is…peculiar."

"Understood."

Not long after, Dark Stephen and Zod began negotiations for cooperation.

---

In the highest level of the building, the Gene Chamber.

A tiny figure navigated through dark-gold corridors, finally arriving at the entrance to the chamber.

The room storing the Codex was sealed tight. Even at his reduced size, Xia Luo couldn't slip through any gaps.

If only Scott were here.

Ant-Man's upgraded Pym Suit could shrink someone to a molecular level, allowing them to bypass such barriers silently.

But Xia Luo only had the basic Pym Particles, which could only enlarge or shrink his body—not fine-tune it to such extremes.

Still, he could wait.

No, it seemed he wouldn't have to.

Jor-El and his wife, Lara, quietly entered the Gene Chamber while the nearby soldiers remained distracted by the giant.

Inside, the Codex emitted a mystical glow from within its skeletal vessel.

Jor-El gently placed the baby on the platform, his expression complex.

"I know Zod's plan. His method may extend Krypton's survival, but it will bring an even greater crisis. The universe doesn't revolve around Krypton alone—there are far more powerful planets out there. Invading other worlds will doom us all."

Lara softly caressed her child, her voice tender. "Krypton is beyond saving. The council elders won't listen to us. If Krypton is to have any hope, we must rely on ourselves."

"No. It's up to Kal."

Jor-El looked down at the sleeping infant, his gaze filled with worry.

"If I'm right, Zod will act soon. His forces are enough to overthrow the current regime. Our only hope is to send Kal somewhere far away, carrying the Codex with him. That way, Krypton's legacy can survive."

"Then let's begin."

Lara stepped back as Jor-El activated the machine. Streams of light split from the Codex, flowing into the baby's tiny body.

"This is our future—Krypton's future."

As the brilliant light poured into Kal, Jor-El's eyes reflected both determination and sorrow.

"Kal must leave this hopeless planet. I hope he can grow up happy."

"I'm afraid he won't have that chance."

Suddenly, Lara's tender demeanor changed entirely. Her expression contorted into something cruel as she plunged a dagger into Jor-El's side.

Shlick!

The Kryptonian dagger pierced through Jor-El's armor, twisting cruelly as it cut into him. Lara's once-gentle demeanor was replaced by a ferocious and ruthless expression.

"You—"

Jor-El barely managed to speak before Lara clamped her hand over his mouth and nose.

Convulsing as he collapsed to the floor, Jor-El stared at his wife in disbelief.

Why?

She's my wife.

Why would she kill me?

But then, as the malevolent expression contorted Lara's face, a faint green hue flickered over her features.

Jor-El finally saw her true nature.

Tears streamed down from the corners of his eyes as overwhelming sadness filled his heart.

In a fleeting moment, his life slipped away.

With Jor-El dead, "Lara" stood up, a cruel grin spreading across her face.

"Foolish Kryptonians. Foolish Spider-Man and Carol. This time, I win."

She disposed of Jor-El's body, and then her entire form began to ripple and twist. Moments later, her appearance shifted seamlessly into Jor-El's likeness.

Watching from the shadows, Xia Luo finally understood.

It's Gravik—the Super Skrull!

That bastard had disguised himself as Lara, assassinated Jor-El in a sneak attack, and now transformed into Jor-El's form. Gravik would then proceed to kill the infant Superman, all while enjoying the spectacle of Dark Stephen and Spider-Man's impending battle.

For the Super Skrulls, infiltrating Krypton was child's play.

But pinpointing the target and successfully infiltrating their lives required more than luck; it required meticulous analysis and calculated action.

No wonder the Super Skrulls nearly conquered Earth.

Wait. If Gravik killed Superman first, why was he still participating in the revival match?

Xia Luo's thoughts raced as his gaze shifted toward Jor-El's lifeless body, his expression turning grim.

Gravik's goal wasn't to kill Superman for two revival slots.

He had already completed the task by killing Jor-El, securing his first revival slot.

Contestants could only complete one task.

Killing Superman was merely a way to eliminate the possibility of anyone else completing their mission.

He only wants himself to revive.

So instead of leaving after his task, Gravik stayed behind, hoping to manipulate Spider-Man and Dark Stephen into killing each other and eliminating the remaining contestants.

And Gwen hasn't shown up yet…

Xia Luo's expression hardened. Could it be?

Seeing Gravik approach the infant, Xia Luo sprang into action without hesitation, darting onto Gravik's body.

Vrrmm~

Light flared as a fist the size of a sandbag tore through the air.

Gravik was no Dark Stephen.

He couldn't evade this punch.

BOOM!!

The sheer force sent Gravik smashing into the dark organic walls. Debris flew everywhere as Xia Luo burst back to his normal size. Lunging forward, he drove both knees into Gravik's chest. The tremendous impact shook the walls, and Gravik's bones groaned under the pressure. He let out a scream of agony.

"Argh! Damn bug! How did you—"

"I'm here to shatter your skull!"

BAM!!

Xia Luo's fist followed through, crashing into Gravik's head and burying it deep into the wall.

Relentless, Xia Luo didn't let up. His fists rained down like a relentless storm, each blow accompanied by sharp cracks and bursts of debris. The entire Gene Chamber trembled under the barrage.

On Earth, such force would have completely destroyed the room.

But here, the Gene Chamber held strong.

Suddenly, the baby in the swaddle awoke, startled by the commotion.

"Waaah~ Waaah~"

The baby's cries filled the chamber as Xia Luo shot a strand of webbing to pull the infant safely up to the ceiling.

Boom~

With a powerful kick, Xia Luo sent Gravik crashing through the stone platform. The Super Skrull, unable to maintain Jor-El's form, reverted to his true appearance—a monstrous green-skinned alien.

"Damn you, bug! You've angered me!"

Gravik roared as his muscular form expanded, shockwaves radiating from his body and sending debris flying across the room.

Zzt-zzt~

Lightning crackled as Xia Luo nimbly evaded the shockwave, darting behind Gravik.

But before Xia Luo could strike again, Gravik's body shimmered and vanished in a silver blur.

"Huh? Quicksilver's powers?"

Xia Luo's Spider-Sense flared, and he instinctively dodged to the side. Gravik reappeared in a flash, narrowly missing Xia Luo before crashing headfirst into the wall.

Crash~

Dust and rubble scattered as Xia Luo swung across the room, but Gravik shot out of the debris with blinding speed.

Whoosh~

Silver streaks flashed through the air, and Xia Luo barely managed to react, flipping midair.

"Bug, your speed is absolutely—"

"Pathetic!"

Xia Luo cut him off, yanking hard on the webbing in his hands. Crystalline strands tightened instantly, binding Gravik's limbs in a shimmering trap.

"What?!" Gravik's eyes widened. "When did you—"

Before he could finish, the webbing constricted violently, slicing into his body. Green blood splattered as pieces of flesh scattered across the chamber.

But Xia Luo knew the web trap wouldn't hold for long. Without wasting another moment, he sprang toward the ceiling, snatching up the crying infant with a strand of webbing.

Boom~

The Gene Chamber doors burst open as Xia Luo shot out, the red-and-blue figure rocketing through the air.

"Bug, you won't escape!!"

Gravik emerged from the chamber moments later, having already shifted back into Jor-El's appearance.

"Catch him! He's stolen the Codex!"

His shout echoed through the halls, drawing the attention of approaching Kryptonian soldiers. They quickly blocked Xia Luo's escape route.

At the same time, the commotion drew Dark Stephen to the scene.

The moment Dark Stephen saw Xia Luo, his expression darkened ominously.

"Spider-Man. So you finally show yourself."

Dark magic radiated outward as Dark Stephen attacked without hesitation.

But Xia Luo had no intention of engaging this time.

"This is Superman—Clark. Catch!"

With a swift motion, Xia Luo tossed the infant into the air. Dark Stephen's gaze snapped to the baby, and his dark tendrils immediately shot toward it.

In that split-second distraction, Xia Luo conjured a glowing "portal" with a dramatic flourish, disappearing into a burst of magical sparks.

"Damn it! He escaped again!"

Gravik cursed under his breath, watching helplessly as Dark Stephen caught the infant.

"So this is Superman—Clark?"

Dark Stephen regarded the swaddled baby warily, suspicion flickering in his eyes.

He didn't trust Spider-Man to be so kind-hearted.

The last revival match had taught him that lesson well.

Fearing that this was some sort of trap, he didn't dare "test" the baby carelessly.

Contestants were limited to completing only one task.

If this baby was linked to another contestant's task, then he would lose his only chance.

After a moment of hesitation, Dark Stephen handed the baby over to Faora.

"Find Kal-El," he ordered coldly.

Faora glanced at Gravik before nodding. "Understood."

Gravik's brow furrowed slightly.

In his mind, Spider-Man feared neither Carol nor anyone else—so why would he run from this dark sorcerer?

Could this guy really be stronger than Carol?

Pushing aside his doubts, Gravik considered his next move.

He had to ensure Spider-Man couldn't secure another revival slot.

---

An hour later, Faora returned to her quarters.

She activated the liquid geometry display system, and General Zod's face appeared.

"Faora, keep an eye on Jor-El. Something isn't right with him."

Faora nodded. "Understood. But that self-proclaimed dark sorcerer is troublesome. He could have easily helped us subdue the council elders, but he's deliberately stalling."

General Zod's expression darkened thoughtfully. "No matter. Kal-El is undoubtedly an El family member. Pointing the blame at Jor-El will work to our advantage, whatever their secrets may be."

"I understand."

Closing the liquid display, Faora removed her armor and began preparing her next move after showering.

But as a faint breeze stirred, she felt the cold press of a Kryptonian dagger against her throat.

It was one of Xia Luo's newly acquired Kryptonian weapons.

Feeling the faint breath of someone behind her, Faora's expression stiffened, her body going rigid.

"Who's there?"

"Super Saiyan."

---

T/N: AND THIS IS TO GO EVEN FURTHER BEYOND!

Oh? You're still here? Wow. Either you really enjoy my company, or you scrolled too fast and forgot to close the tab. Either way—respect.

Now, since I have your attention, let's talk business. Web fluid, coffee, replacement suits—being me isn't cheap. And last I checked, saving the world doesn't come with a salary. Tragic, I know.

But you can make a difference! By supporting [patreon.com/WiseTL], you're not just helping a poor, overworked Spider-Man—you're securing front-row seats to even more chaos, bad jokes, and possibly a few existential crises.

So go on, be a hero. Support the cause. And who knows? Maybe I'll name my next web trick after you. (Probably not, but hey, worth a shot.)

Stay cool, don't trust bald telepaths, and always double-check your web cartridges.

— Xia Luo 🕷️