Restart, Spider-Man!

"A Super Saiyan? What species is that?"

"A warrior race"

"What?"

Faora's expression grew serious. For someone to sneak into her room so silently, this so-called Super Saiyan had to be incredibly dangerous.

She had never heard of such a thing before.

Behind her, Xia Luo grinned and said, "Do me a favor."

"What favor?"

"Find someone for me."

"And why would I agree to that?"

"That's a great question," Xia Luo replied, leaning closer, his tone turning icy.

"If you don't help me, I'll—"

"You'll what?"

A flash of disdain flickered in Faora's eyes. "I am a warrior. Warriors don't fear threats. Even if you throw me—"

Before she could finish, Xia Luo grabbed her by the wrist and slammed her into the ground several times.

As Faora lay sprawled on the floor, looking utterly defeated and lifeless, Xia Luo stood over her, grinning smugly.

"Hulk's methods are still the most effective."

With that, he hoisted the limp Faora upright and used her eye scan to unlock the liquid geometry system.

Dropping her unceremoniously to the floor, Xia Luo deftly manipulated the system, quickly locating Karn's whereabouts.

During his time as a giant, Xia Luo had felt a strange reaction from his Spider Totem.

It meant Karn's Leech Totem had finally set its sights on him.

So this guy has shown up after all.

On the holographic display, Karn emerged from the lake, crawling ashore and heading toward the center of the city.

Because of the chaos caused by the giant earlier, the Kryptonian soldiers failed to notice the alien intruder.

After watching the footage, Xia Luo continued scanning through the liquid display, his brow furrowing.

Still no sign of Gwen.

Where the heck did she go?

Xia Luo worried that Gwen might have fallen into a similar state as Venom-Parker due to the All-Black Necrosword.

But if Gwen had brought the Necrosword into the revival match, there was no way she would've remained completely inactive until now.

After weighing his options, Xia Luo decided to eliminate the revival chances of Old Man Steve and the others first.

At the very least, I can't let the opposition secure any slots.

With his mind made up, Xia Luo glanced down at the frustrated Faora and smirked.

"Looks like I failed to earn your admiration this time. That's fine. I'll get it next time."

With a wave of his hand, Xia Luo conjured a magic circle. Sparks of magic flared, and his figure vanished into thin air.

"Magic?"

Narrowing her eyes, Faora watched the portal close.

The same kind of portal as that dark sorcerer. So this so-called Super Saiyan was nothing more than an Earthling!

Gritting her teeth, she forced herself upright and headed for the medical bay to treat her injuries.

Before long, she suited up in her armor once again and rejoined General Zod's forces. Xia Luo, now shrunken and unnoticed, slipped off Faora's shoulder and made his way toward Karn's lake.

After the giant had disappeared, Karn had returned to the lake.

Something in that place was clearly drawing him back.

Gurgle~

The tiny Xia Luo slipped into the water, a faint electric arc dancing around him as he dove deeper.

The lake was dim, and countless vine-like structures extended upward from the lakebed. These vines were covered in clusters of membrane-like bubbles, each holding an unborn Kryptonian infant curled inside.

This must be a Genesis Chamber.

The Genesis Chamber was Krypton's incubator for cultivating babies.

They weren't all the same—some resembled lakes, others were nutrient pods, and others were hidden deep underground.

As Xia Luo swam further in, mechanical Kryptonian drones skimmed past him, scanning the waters.

The Genesis Chamber, being bio-organic in design, was susceptible to bacterial growth. These drones were specifically designed to clean any microorganisms.

The moment they detected the foreign "insect" in their vicinity, alarms triggered.

Beep-beep~

"Unknown organism detected. Threat level unclear. Immediate extermination recommended."

Instantly, the drones surged toward Xia Luo, propelled by the rushing water. Xia Luo had no choice but to slip into the gaps between the vines.

Seeing the insect dart into the vines, the drones extended tentacle-like appendages to surround the area. Furry sensors emerged from their tips, probing the vine's crevices, tightening from every angle to eliminate the elusive intruder.

"Damn! So many tentacles!"

BOOM!!

The vines exploded as Xia Luo returned to his full size. He raised his hand and fired a blast of crimson webbing. The heated web lines swept through the water like lasers, momentarily pausing the drones.

Beep-beep~

"1,500°C thermal rays detected. Heat source insufficient for critical damage. Threat level: negligible. Report to central system: unnecessary."

The drones resumed their attack, forcing Xia Luo to abandon the fight and launch himself toward the surface.

Unfortunately, the drones weren't the only ones watching him.

BOOM!!

The water's surface exploded as waves crashed violently. A massive, crimson trident pierced through the water, hurtling toward Xia Luo like a meteor.

But before it could strike, streams of blood-red tentacles burst from the water, surging like krakens from the depths. They coiled tightly around the trident, locking it in place.

"Gyaaagh!"

The immense force pulled Karn back into the water.

Zzt-zzt~

Xia Luo fired his webbing again, the electric arcs lighting up the dark water as the lake erupted into chaos.

The disturbance in the Genesis Chamber quickly drew the attention of Kryptonian soldiers.

Activating their aquatic armor, they dove into the lake—only to be swept upward by torrents of water as the massive red trident resurfaced.

Whooosh~~

Zzt-zzt~

The cascading water turned into torrential rain. Xia Luo, flickering like lightning, darted through the storm, disappearing into the terrain surrounding the lake.

At the center of the chaos, the red trident finally shattered with a deafening crack.

Karn surfaced, his diving goggles reflecting the moonlight as the red gleam in his eyes slowly faded.

---

Meanwhile, in the slums where Kryptonian shell-like structures were stacked haphazardly together…

In a shadowy corner, Xia Luo leaned against a wall, breathing heavily.

During the brief skirmish earlier, he'd realized that Karn's strength had nearly doubled since their last encounter. His sheer power now was unnervingly overwhelming.

Something strange is going on.

Without access to his Spider-Magic, Xia Luo found it increasingly difficult to hold his ground against Karn.

The answer must be at the bottom of that Genesis Chamber lake.

But Xia Luo wasn't particularly interested in uncovering the truth.

Even if someone here could grow incredibly strong by using something from the Genesis Chamber, it didn't matter. Without a chance at resurrection, such power was meaningless.

What Xia Luo did care about was ensuring Karn didn't get that revival slot.

The sky grew darker.

Night had fallen.

On Krypton, the night sky revealed no stars—only endless, shadowy void.

Time ticked by, and darkness quietly crept in, wrapping around Xia Luo.

The earlier fight with Karn had completely exposed his presence.

This time, Dark Stephen finally managed to track down the elusive Spider-Man.

The Dark Dimension distorted the surrounding space, trapping Xia Luo in its twisted, inescapable grasp.

"Tell me—where is the real Superman, Kal-El?" Dark Stephen demanded, his tone cold and foreboding.

Xia Luo shrugged helplessly. "I already gave him to you. That was the real deal."

"I don't believe you."

"Fine. You're right—it wasn't real."

"I knew you were lying to me. Now die!!"

Xia Luo: "..."

---

[You have been eliminated. You failed to obtain a revival slot. Reward: Web Line +1 second.]

[Remaining resets: 56. Would you like to restart?]

Restart!

---

The Fifth Revival Match.

As the countdown ended, Xia Luo raised his hand, summoning one of his spider companions.

"Come forth, my magical spider from hell—wreak havoc!"

He slapped a Pym Disc onto the spider's head, then hurled it high into the air.

"Chirp chirp chirp—RAWR!!"

The faint chirping noise grew into an ear-splitting roar as the small spider transformed in a flash of light.

The enormous red-and-blue spider-beast descended upon Kryptonian civilization, leaving chaos and panic in its wake.

"Run!!"

"It's a monster!"

The city plunged into chaos as the terrified Kryptonians scattered in all directions.

Taking advantage of the pandemonium, Xia Luo swung his way toward Tony's location.

Before long, he gathered Tony and the others together.

"Spider Kid! Finally, we can fight side by side—"

Xia Luo extended his hand, gently but firmly pushing Old Man Steve's overly enthusiastic face away. "No hugs, thanks."

Ignoring Steve's look of disappointment, Xia Luo turned to Harry and the others. "We don't have much time. Stick to the plan."

"Got it."

Without hesitation, Harry and the others dispersed into the chaotic crowd.

Xia Luo, meanwhile, turned toward the battlefield, observing as his spider-beast was blasted apart by Kryptonian weapons.

He bowed his head in silence for three seconds.

Then, wiping away a tear that wasn't there, he roared dramatically:

"Poor little spider! I'll avenge you!!"

BOOM!!

With a flash of light, Spider-Man himself grew to gigantic proportions, his red-and-blue figure barreling toward the conference hall, leaving a trail of destruction behind him.

Seeing the massive Spider-Man approach, Dark Stephen's expression shifted to one of excitement.

"Bug! You've finally shown yourself!"

In an instant, countless dark tendrils erupted, surging toward the colossal Spider-Man and enveloping him completely.

"Phew…"

But before long, the tendrils dissipated, revealing that Xia Luo's figure had vanished.

"Pym Particles," Dark Stephen muttered, his expression darkening.

If he's shrunk down, it'll be impossible to find him.

---

In the Gene Chamber.

"While Zod's attention is on the giant, we need to make sure Kal-El takes the Codex and escapes," Jor-El said urgently.

But before he could continue, a loud crash resounded nearby.

BAM!!

His beloved wife was flung into the wall by a red-and-blue figure.

Jor-El's eyes burned with fury.

"You bastard! How dare—"

WHAM!

Before he could react, his "wife" was violently slammed to the ground, her form shifting to reveal a grotesque green creature.

"What?"

Jor-El stared in shock, unable to process what had just happened.

Before he could say another word, Xia Luo's electric arc flashed through the chamber.

In the blink of an eye, the infant and the Codex vanished from the stone platform.

"If you want this child, tell Zod to come find me," Xia Luo called out.

"KAL!!"

Jor-El's anguished cry echoed through the chamber as he ran out, chasing the disappearing electric trail around a corner—only to realize he couldn't keep up.

Behind him, Gravik, having recovered from the earlier attack, stood with a scowl. Wiping the green blood from the corner of his mouth, he growled:

"Damn Spider-Man! You won't get away with this!"

Silver light engulfed Gravik as he disappeared in a blur, leaving the Gene Chamber.

As for Jor-El…

He stood frozen for a long time.

Finally, with trembling hands, he made his decision: to seek out Zod.

Kal-El and the Codex were both gone. He had no other choice.

But the weight of the situation crushed him.

His wife…

In just an instant, he seemed to age decades.

---

At the same time, the upper floors of the conference hall exploded outward as an electric arc streaked across the sky, pursued closely by a silver blur.

"Spider-Man! You can't escape!!"

"Wow, you can fly!" Xia Luo quipped.

"Fly?"

Midair, Gravik faltered for a moment before plummeting toward the ground.

"Damn it!"

Realizing his mistake, Gravik retracted his Quicksilver powers and activated another mutated gene. From his back, fleshy wings emerged, propelling him upward in a powerful ascent.

But despite his new wings, he couldn't match Xia Luo's speed. He could only watch helplessly as Spider-Man vanished into the city below.

Before Gravik could plan his next move, the ghost engine above the conference hall activated.

"You damned monster! I'll avenge Lara!!"

Jor-El's furious roar echoed as the ghost engine warped space, slowing Gravik's movements. Around the building, Kryptonian particle cannons lit up, firing streams of blinding energy.

"No!!"

BOOM!!!

The Kryptonian weapons tore Gravik apart, his form disintegrating into fragments.

Jor-El turned to Zod, his expression a mixture of rage and resignation.

"You win. I surrender."

Zod's face remained emotionless as he responded, "Don't worry. I'll find your son."

"And how do you plan to save Kal? Relying on that dark sorcerer?"

"Yes. He's already in motion."

---

The Slums – A Vacant Warehouse

Zzt-zzt~

The electric arcs faded as Xia Luo landed safely in the warehouse, carrying baby Clark and the Codex.

Old Man Steve and the others rushed over, surrounding him.

"This is Superman?"

"He's adorable!"

Old Man Steve reached out, pinching Clark's chubby cheeks. The baby's frightened expression only made Steve laugh.

"He looks a lot like me," Steve said proudly.

Xia Luo gave him a side glance. "He looks more like me."

Beside them, Carter rolled her eyes. "You two are ridiculous. He doesn't look like either of you."

"It's the color scheme of his future suit," Xia Luo replied.

Carter sighed. "He's just a baby. He doesn't have a suit yet."

"Not yet," Xia Luo corrected. "But he will."

Carter pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation. "Right. Another one of your 'future powers.'"

As she shook her head, the entire warehouse suddenly turned upside down.

The space warped as the Dark Dimension engulfed them. The ceiling peeled away, revealing Dark Stephen standing atop the dark-gold architecture, glaring down at them.

The ground beneath them cracked, reshaping itself into a cage that trapped Carter and the others.

"Damned bug," Dark Stephen growled, extending his hand. "Hand over Kal, and I'll let them go."

Xia Luo cradled the baby in his arms, grinning.

"You want him? Come and get him yourself!" he taunted.

Dark Stephen's eyes narrowed coldly, but he didn't make a move.

If Xia Luo applied even the slightest pressure, the infant Superman could be "defeated," giving Xia Luo two revival slots.

Dark Stephen couldn't afford to take that risk.

Gritting his teeth, he took a deep breath to calm himself.

"I know you're keeping him to negotiate with me," he said. "So, tell me—what do you want?"

"Obviously, the other revival slots."

Xia Luo pointed toward Carter and the others.

"You know me. Spider-Man never abandons his friends."

Dark Stephen hadn't even responded when Old Man Steve burst into tears, sniffling loudly.

"Sniff-sniff—Spider Kid, you're sacrificing yourself by bargaining with a demon for our sake. I'm so touched!!"

Dark Stephen's face twitched with irritation. "Your friend seems... rather emotional," he said to Xia Luo.

Xia Luo shrugged. "You get used to it."

Turning serious again, he continued, "Help me take care of the other tasks, and Superman is yours.

"You know me—Spider-Man doesn't lie."

At these words, Harry and the others silently averted their gazes, their heads lowering in unison.

It was clear that even Spider-Man's friends didn't believe that last statement.

---

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 🕷️