Chapter 718 U: The Infinite Event (34) (Patreon)

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Peter's Spider-Sense went wild, prompting him to instinctively have Red Bee pull him back to avoid Schiller's spell.

Seeing his attack miss, Schiller immediately turned his gaze toward Stark. Although Stark didn't have Spider-Sense, JARVIS's intelligent motion capture system could analyze Schiller's wand movements and predict when he would cast spells, allowing Stark to dodge in advance.

For Strange, Schiller's casting was quick, but for an AI capturing movements, the few tenths of a second were ample time. The moment Schiller swung his wand, the combat suit whisked Stark away.

After gathering enough movement data, as soon as Schiller was about to cast a spell, Stark would promptly leave his position and launch an aerial attack, forcing Schiller to interrupt his incantation and dodge.

More deadly was the teamwork between Stark and Peter—one drawing Schiller's attacks, the other ready to close in. And for a wizard like Schiller, being approached meant almost no chance of resistance.

Falling behind, Schiller snorted and raised his wand. Stark, expecting another spell, ascended quickly, only to see a beam of light shoot from the wand's tip, piercing the roof of the Kamar-Taj Great Hall and exploding into a brilliant Cigarette flower above the Himalayas.

Strange looked up through the roof of the Great Hall at the blooming Cigarette flower and murmured, "What is this? A flare?"

Suddenly, a voice came from outside the Great Hall. Stark and Peter turned their heads and saw an old, thin figure at the entrance.

With gray short hair, tiny round glasses, a white shirt, a yellow vest, deep blue trousers, and slightly worn brown leather shoes, he looked like an elderly version of Schiller. Approaching while shaking a pufferfish in his hand, he asked in a high-pitched voice, "Care to challenge the old man?"

Peter, closest to him, hopped back two steps, wary of knocking the elder Schiller over. The elder, squinting at him, said, "And another thing... Young people shouldn't stay up late playing games!"

"Uh, sorry, I definitely won't next time... No, I haven't stayed up late recently!" Peter retorted with a raised voice, "I've been busy with real work, no games at all..."

"Never doubt the old man's words!" The elder Schiller swung the pufferfish and chanted at Peter, "Begone, devil... Begone, monster..."

Stark relaxed from a defensive to a standing posture, hands on hips, looking at the old man, "What's going on here? Is he faking a fall?"

Just then, a blinding light appeared outside the Great Hall. Shielding his eyes with his arm until the light faded, Stark saw another elderly version of Schiller appear...

This one, in a magnificent white robe with white hair and beard, holding a staff, led Stark to comment, "Seems like another sorcerer..."

Stark flew toward the white-haired elder, intending to employ the same close-quarters combat strategy that worked on Professor Schiller. Close combat was always effective against ranged attackers.

However, as Stark's Mech armor neared, the elderly sorcerer Schiller tossed aside his staff and drew a razor-sharp longsword. With a flick and thrust, he punctured a hole in Stark's armor.

Stark retreated rapidly, exclaiming in surprise, "Wait, aren't you a sorcerer?"

The white-haired elder Schiller picked up his staff, smiling at Stark, "This is wisdom from Maya."

At that moment, Strange interjected coldly, "You think you're the only one who can call for help? Ancient One! Teacher Ancient One! Kamar-Taj has been breached!"

Instantly, a golden light descended in the middle of the Great Hall. As the Ancient One landed, she surveyed the surroundings, then her gaze settled on the sword in the elder Schiller's hand.

The sword was strikingly handsome, silver-gray with a soft white glow, adorned with beautiful patterns, and its blade gleamed with a cold light.

The Ancient One narrowed her eyes. As she locked eyes with the white-haired Schiller, both knew this confrontation would determine who was the supreme close-quarters sorcerer—a fight not just for supremacy, but for survival.

Meanwhile, the short-haired elder Schiller was already brawling with Spider-Man.

Peter was not outmatched; it was just that elder Schiller seemed too frail, making Peter hesitant to strike with full force. However, elder Schiller kept throwing odd items, especially a green lizard that made Peter's hair stand on end.

As the Ancient One and the white-haired elder Schiller began to fight, another figure appeared at the entrance.

Cloaked in brown-red with a hood and black feathers over his shoulders, he carried an odd staff, thicker at the bottom, resembling a chicken leg.

This new arrival seemed to disdain joining the chaotic fray, instead choosing to stand back and watch with a smile.

Who was this newcomer, and would his presence turn the tides of this already unpredictable and infinite event?

The Magic Circle flared to life, and in an instant, two puppet monsters materialized in the center of the grand hall. Black crows circled above, dancing around the Magic Circle. Their coordinated assault forced Stark to elevate his Mech armor yet again, guarding against a potential strike from above.

Elsewhere, the Ancient One's clash with the white-haired elder Schiller had reached a fever pitch. The vast halls of Kamar-Taj could no longer contain their battle, and both combatants burst through the ceiling, taking their fierce duel to the skies above the Himalayas. Soon, the metallic clang of their confrontation resonated throughout the mountain range.

Strange and Stark joined forces against the sorcerous Professor Schiller and Schiller with his bird-shaped staff. Meanwhile, Peter found himself at the mercy of old man Schiller, who was wielding a pufferfish and relentlessly whipping Peter's arm, all the while chiding, "Don't talk back to your elders! Don't talk back!"

Peter could only cry out in pain, wanting to retaliate but hesitating at the sight of Schiller's frail limbs; his only choice was to flee.

At the Spider-Men's base, morale was low. Facing the Inheritor Family felt like an inescapable destiny, a fight where avoidance meant death. But battling Schiller seemed like a senseless loss of life.

If Schiller truly caused trouble or threatened New York City, at least there would be a righteous cause to combat the evil. But Schiller's sole act in New York was to stand atop a Rooftop, admiring the view. Attacking him seemed not only unjustified but futile, leading to their current heavy losses.

Most Spider-Men were not naturally combative and would avoid conflict without the sense of responsibility and duty that drove them, especially in the face of such heavy casualties.

Space Captain Spider-Man might have persuaded them with the motive of preventing "Space destruction," but even he harbored doubts due to previously inaccurate intelligence from Eternity.

The other Spider-Men held little trust in this enigmatic being, making it increasingly difficult to follow his commands.

As Space Captain Spider-Man contemplated another attempt at persuasion, Spider-Girl returned with news that ignited a spark of hope: they had contacted a powerful ally from a distant Space, strong enough to pilot a mech and potentially turn the tide against Solus.

"Who is this ally?" the Amazing Spider-Man inquired.

"He comes from a remote Space, but his strength is formidable, and his mech could be crucial in our fight against Solus," Spider-Girl responded with evident excitement, hinting that this Spider-Man's prowess could match the fortunate lad they had encountered earlier.

Silk joined in, fixing her hair, to confirm that the ally was indeed on his way, though his Mech armor's size might prevent him from entering the base directly.

Otto Parker, linked to his communication device, voiced a sentiment many shared: they desired no further pointless encounters or losses.

Space Captain Spider-Man, facing the consequences of the flawed intelligence, found himself unable to refute Otto's words. He knew they must prioritize dealing with Solus, as every moment they delayed meant more Spider-Men lost.

As they readied to seek out Solus, a thunderous explosion outside the base sent tremors through the structure, throwing the Spider-Men off balance.

"Take cover!" the Amazing Spider-Man yelled as his Spider-Sense alerted him to imminent danger. They scattered just as Solus's imposing figure appeared above the base, greedily absorbing the soul and life force of a Spider-Man into himself, his hunger driving him to capture and consume more.

"Stop him from getting to the wounded!" the Amazing Spider-Man commanded, as Spider Gwen attacked Solus, only to be flung aside. She rallied, urging the others to evacuate the wounded as she and Space Captain Spider-Man covered their retreat.

Despite the Spider-Men's remarkable regenerative abilities, the grievous wounds some had suffered were too fresh for a swift recovery, leaving many bedridden and unable to move.

Spider Gwen and Spider-Girl worked frantically to activate the teleporter, desperate to find a safe haven for the injured. But their discussion was cut short by Solus's destructive reach, his amusement at their plight chillingly clear.

With no time to spare, the teleporter's light flashed, whisking Spider Gwen, Spider-Girl, and several injured Spider-Men away to the last programmed destination.

Upon arrival, they were met with the emotionless gaze of a pair of purple eyes.

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Next Chapter>>Chapter 719: The Infinite Event (Part 35)