Chapter 694: Event of Infinite Magnitude (Part 10) (Patreon)

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"Explain yourself!" Peter grabbed Otto Parker's arm, demanding loudly, "What do you mean 'doomed to die'? How could you curse a good doctor?"

"I'm merely stating a fact." Otto Parker's tone was even, undisturbed, as if he was speaking of something unrelated to him. "Before you understand the reason, you'll never realize the price you'll pay."

"No... Dr. Schiller can't possibly... How could he..." Peter took two steps back, shaking his head in denial. Otto Parker, tinkering with some mechanical components on the table, remarked, "Yes, you thought the same before the deaths of Gwen and Ben Parker."

"What are you even talking about?" Peter said incredulously. "You really need to see a doctor. How could Gwen and Uncle Ben die? They're just ordinary people."

"It's precisely because they're ordinary that they're vulnerable. And it was your foolish actions that led to their deaths," Otto Parker replied. He paused in his work, but he didn’t turn to face Peter, just continued, "You have immense strength, villains and criminals can't harm you, but ordinary people..."

"I... I will protect them," Peter declared, standing his ground. He gestured dismissively, "You must be delusional from stress. You should see a psychologist instead of making up stories."

"Whether I'm making things up, ask the other Spider-Men and you'll know."

"I'll do just that. Don't think you can deceive me!" An angry Peter stormed out.

However, once in the main hall, he noticed that the other Spider-Men were busy with their tasks, and most bore a message on their faces, "Strangers, Keep Out."

Peter tried to initiate conversations, but they ignored him. Left with no choice, he returned to Otto Parker's room, declaring, "Take me to the Amazing Spider-Man. I believe he won't be as mad as you."

Peter was convinced Otto Parker was spewing nonsense. How could he have endangered Gwen and Uncle Ben? And Dr. Schiller, how could he possibly die? It was the most ridiculous theory he had ever heard.

Otto Parker remained silent, merely handing over a teleportation device from his desk. After a brief fumble, Peter quickly mastered its use.

Holding the device, he turned to leave but not before warning Otto Parker, "When I have proof, I'll be back to give you what you deserve!"

With that, he exited the room and activated the device, arriving back in the previous hall. Now, most Spider-Men were busy repairing the damage from an earlier battle. The first to notice his return was SpiderGwen.

She approached Peter, puzzled, "Why are you back? Did you have a fallout with the Ultimate Spider-Man?"

"He spewed some crazy talk. I'm here to ask Amazing Spider-Man what's going on," Peter fumed. "He dared to curse my teacher, my uncle, and my girlfriend. I can't stand him!"

"How did he curse them?" SpiderGwen inquired, intrigued.

Walking forward, Peter vented, "Nonsense, really. Saying that anyone who proclaims 'with great power, comes great responsibility' is destined to die. How could anyone die just because of a phrase?"

He added, "Also, he claimed that Uncle Ben and Gwen would die, but they're perfectly fine. I will protect them."

As they walked, Peter noticed SpiderGwen had halted. He looked back, puzzled, "By the way, I never asked for your name. Are you a female version of Peter Parker or someone else?"

She hesitated, "Just call me SpiderWoman."

"SpiderWoman? Cool! If I were a girl, I might have liked that codename," Peter mused, his mood lifting. "Aunt May always wanted a daughter. She used to say how great it would've been if I were a girl. Seems like in your universe, her wish came true. That's nice."

Looking up, Peter reflected, "Endless universes, infinite possibilities. Maybe in one of them, everyone's dreams come true, living happily ever after..."

"...Perhaps there is," SpiderGwen murmured before leaving.

Entering Amazing Spider-Man's room, he was met with a surprised look. Without waiting, Peter poured out his grievances about Otto Parker, voicing his intense dissatisfaction.

"...He's talking nonsense, right?" Peter finally asked. The room's atmosphere was unusually tense. Amazing Spider-Man stood silent, prompting Peter, "Why aren't you speaking?"

Amazing Spider-Man shook his head, "If you're unhappy collaborating with him, come back here. My team always welcomes you."

"No, I need to go back and give him a piece of my mind!"

As Peter stormed out, Amazing Spider-Man stopped him, "Right now, we have bigger threats. We can't fight amongst ourselves. Rest here, and if you're really that upset, I'll talk to him."

Reluctantly, Peter agreed. Observing the busy Spider-Men in the hall, he offered, "Let me help. After all, I did contribute to the mess."

As Peter assisted the group, Amazing Spider-Man watched him from a distance. Suddenly, he heard footsteps. Turning, he saw SpiderGwen.

"Aren't you going to tell him?" she inquired.

"Don't you think it's too cruel?" Amazing Spider-Man sighed, leaning against a broken pillar. SpiderGwen joined him. He began, "In my early college days, if someone told me I'd lose my uncle and my future girlfriend, I'd call them mad."

He reminisced, "Back then, a warm meal awaited me at home. Aunt May would greet me, and I'd hear Uncle Ben complaining about the rising electricity bills..."

"My only worries were some unfriendly high school classmates. I looked forward to meeting new friends in college..."

"Maybe I wouldn't have believed it either," SpiderGwen replied. "Just like when I first came here and met you..."

Behind their masks, they couldn't see each other's expressions, but both knew that revealing their faces would shatter their composure. In their respective universes, Peter and Gwen died in each other's arms. When they met in the multiverse, their Spider-Man and SpiderWoman personas maintained a shred of their dignity.

"I think you should tell him," SpiderGwen spoke up again. The Amazing Spider-Man sat motionless, then asked, "...you still hold hope for this, do you?"

"Do you believe that just because I warned him earlier, and he stayed close behind Uncle Ben, he could have avoided all of this?" Even behind the mask, SpiderGwen could see the sorrow on the Amazing Spider-Man's face.

"We've been here for so many days, spoken with every Spider-Man, heard everyone's story. In these tales, did anyone avoid it? Not Uncle Ben, not Aunt May, not Gwen... eventually, it would be someone else. It's the Spider-Man curse."

"I never thought you of all people would be so pessimistic. I remember you encouraging me before," SpiderGwen said, embracing her knees as she sat. "I've never been one to hold much hope for the future, but every time I think of the past, I'm deluded..."

"If I hadn't left Peter that day, would he not have taken that Medicine? If I had paid more attention, would he not have felt so sad and hopeless because of campus bullying?"

"Or even, if I hadn't chosen to use violence to stop him then, maybe that Medicine wouldn't have had such a strong effect, and he wouldn't have died..."

"Every Spider-Man here has thought the same," the Amazing Spider-Man began. "Including me. I've wondered if I had stopped the Criminals earlier that day, Uncle Ben wouldn't have been killed. If I'd seen through their conspiracy sooner, Gwen wouldn't have died. But there are no 'ifs' in life."

"The only certainty is, if we don't learn that lesson, there will only be more similar tragedies."

SpiderGwen sighed, "Maybe you're right. Telling him the truth would only add to his troubles. It's better to let him enjoy these final moments in peace."

Elsewhere, Peter was working and chatting with the other Spider-Men. When he mentioned the actions of the Ultimate Spider-Man, everyone's expression became strange.

Peter noticed Spider-Girl's hesitance and asked, "What's going on with all of you? Why is everyone acting so weird?"

"No, it's... it's nothing," Spider-Girl turned away, but Peter, sharp as he was, caught a glimpse of sadness on her face.

Spider-Girl, younger even than Peter, couldn't control her emotions well. Peter, having studied under Schiller, had learned to read these subtle expressions. He realized everyone here seemed to be hiding something from him.

Feeling uncomfortable, as though he was the fool, a simmering frustration built within him. With no outlet, he grew sullen, throwing a rock to the ground before squatting down, brooding.

Seeing him like this, Silk approached and said, "Don't be upset. I know it seems like we're keeping secrets, but we have our reasons. We wouldn't do anything to hurt you."

"This place is really weird," Peter confessed sadly. "You and that Ultimate Spider-Man, you're both so strange. It's like I'm the outsider here. What's the difference between us?"

"There's no difference, except, perhaps, you're a bit luckier than us."

"Lucky? How am I lucky? I'm just an ordinary student."

"What about the incredible powers you have? Who gave them to you?"

"My friends, teachers, and elders. What about it?"

Silk forced a smile and said, "Maybe that's precisely what makes you special. Haven't you noticed? Among all the Spider-Men here, only you possess these powerful abilities."

Hearing this, Peter paused, then asked, "Really... but why?"

Peter pondered hard before asking, "When you all go out, doesn't someone take you for repeated physical exams, then give you lots of gear and energy?"

Silk shook her head. Peter asked, "No? Why not?"

"Yeah, why not?" Silk left him with a cryptic sigh and departed.

But Peter fell into deep thought.

At first, he didn't react, thinking Ultimate Spider-Man was deceiving him. After all, Otto Parker's previous attacks had left a bad impression. So naturally, Peter's assumptions leaned toward mistrust.

However, these Spider-Men, who had always been kind, shared this attitude. There had to be something he didn't know.

Realizing the Spider-Men wouldn't answer, Peter returned to Otto Parker's territory. Amidst the crowd, he spotted the all-black figure and followed, persistently asking questions until the Shadow Spider-Man, annoyed, finally said:

"My uncle? He's dead, assassinated."

Spider-Man froze, stepping back as if refusing to accept this reality. Then, as if driven mad, he ran up to another Spider-Man, blocking his path, and demanded, "Ben Parker... in your universe, is Ben Parker still alive?"

"Uncle Ben? He's dead."

"He's dead, killed by Criminals."

"Uncle Ben didn't die, but Aunt May did..."

"Gwen? She's dead."

"He's dead..."

"Dead..."

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Next Chapter>>Chapter 695: The Infinite U Event (Part Eleven)