Chapter 226: Across the Spider-Verse (50)  

As Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy stepped through the portal back into his universe, a strange stillness hung in the air. The streets, once bustling with life, were eerily quiet, and Miles couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.

Miles murmured to himself, "What happened here?"

Ahead of them, Peter B. Parker, along with Jessica Drew—the black, no-nonsense Spider-Woman—stood together. Nearby, Ben Reilly, the blonde, chiseled clone of Peter Parker, flexed his muscles. Takuya Yamashiro, the Japanese Spider-Man with his mech, and Spectacular Spider-Man, the younger, quippier version of Peter, were also present, their attention fixed on searching for the villain Spot.

Miles' heart raced as he approached. "Peter!" he called out, his voice filled with tension.

"Miles!" Peter B. called out, his tone light despite the tension in the air. "Gwen! Good to see you both made it back."

Miles and Gwen nodded. Then Miles looked around suspiciously. His gaze settled on Jessica Drew. She had opposed him before, particularly when it came to saving his father. His tone hardened. "Where's Michael? And you—" Miles glanced at Jessica, knowing full well the past friction between them. "Are you really cooperating with him now?"

Jessica, reading his thoughts, met his eyes directly. "Kid, we already promised we'd cooperate with Michael. Remember? This isn't about picking sides anymore. It's about saving the multiverse."

Miles didn't relax, still uncertain. "Well, just to be sure, I want to know that you're really on board with this."

Before the tension could rise any further, Peter B. awkwardly laughed, scratching the back of his head. "Haha, hey Jessica, it looks like Miles really does hate you. Hahaha." The nervous laughter failed to break the awkwardness.

Jessica rolled her eyes. "Very funny."

Ben Reilly, who had been stretching dramatically in the background, chimed in. "My muscles are really cold right now. Can we get moving?" His voice dripped with self-importance.

Takuya, always focused on the task, gave Ben a sidelong glance. "We get it, you're macho. Now keep looking."

Spectacular Spider-Man chuckled, unable to resist the lighthearted banter between his teammates. But as his eyes landed on the returning duo of Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy, his face lit up with excitement. "Hey, Miles and Gwen are back!" His voice brimmed with energy as he approached them.

Miles grinned and waved casually. "Hey, guys." Then, with a teasing smirk, he turned to Ben Reilly, the Scarlet Spider. "You're not gonna choke me again, are you?"

Ben, ever cool and composed, flashed a charming smile. "Sorry about that, kid. Just had to follow orders." He threw a casual shrug, always playing up his dramatic side.

Takuya rolled his eyes, clearly amused. "Here he goes again…"

Miles chuckled at the exchange but couldn't shake the thoughts swirling in his mind. Spot, his father, the canon event—it all weighed heavily on him. But his determination blazed brighter than ever. (I'm going to stop the canon event. I'll save my dad.)

Peter B. Parker noticed the intensity in Miles' expression and stepped forward. "Miles, you should go to your dad. I mean, you're here to save him from Spot, right? It's better for you to stay close to him, like, 24/7. Don't worry about things here—we've got it covered."

Miles gave a grateful nod. "Thanks, Pete." He turned and glanced at everyone else. "Thanks, all of you."

Peter B. then shot a quick look at Gwen. "Gwen, you should go with him too."

Gwen hesitated for a moment, her thoughts swirling. But after a beat, she nodded. "Yeah… I mean… okay." She quickly recovered her composure, ready to follow Miles.

Peter B. couldn't help but chuckle at the moment. "You two are gonna be alright."

Miles smiled warmly and looked over at Gwen. "Gwen… I already forgive you. And… thanks. For everything."

Gwen smirked, hiding her emotions behind a playful punch to his shoulder. "Save the thanks for later—after we stop your canon event and save your dad from Spot."

The two of them shared a brief moment of understanding before turning to head off together. This wasn't just about saving a life—it was about rewriting destiny itself

Miles and Gwen raced across the skyline of Brooklyn, their webs snapping against buildings, pulling them closer to their destination. Each swing brought them closer to the inevitable showdown with Spot. The weight of the task ahead settled on them, but neither hesitated.

As they landed on the rooftop of a tall building, Miles could see his home down below. The lights were still on inside. His heart clenched as he thought about his father. Jefferson Morales—his dad, the man he was here to save. He couldn't let the canon event take him. He wouldn't.

Gwen, sensing his tension, spoke up. "You okay?"

Miles nodded but didn't take his eyes off the house. "I'm good. I have to be."

Gwen watched him closely. She knew how much this meant to him, but she also knew how high the stakes were. The Spot wasn't just another villain. His ability to manipulate space and reality made him one of the most dangerous threats they'd ever faced. And worse, he had a personal vendetta against Miles.

"Listen," Gwen started, stepping closer. "No matter what happens, we'll do this together. We'll stop Spot, and we'll save your dad. I promise."

Miles appreciated the words, but deep down, he knew it wasn't just about saving his father—it was about defying fate itself. The canon event. It loomed over him like a dark cloud, a supposedly fixed point in time that couldn't be changed. But he was going to change it. He had to.

Suddenly, a wave of energy pulsed through the air, distorting the city's skyline. The ground beneath them trembled, and Miles' Spider-Sense blared like an alarm in his head.

"Did you feel that?" Gwen asked, her eyes wide with concern.

Miles nodded grimly. "It's him. Spot."

The atmosphere thickened with tension as Spot's dark, twisted power rippled through the streets of Brooklyn. His shifting form seemed to bleed into the environment itself, warping reality with every step. The black voids on his body pulsed, consuming light and distorting space around him. His eyes scanned the quiet city, and an eerie smile crept onto his face.

"So many possibilities," Spot murmured, his gaze settling on the Morales household in the distance. "Destroy the city. Destroy his hope. And the canon event will come true!" he whispered to himself, his voice echoing in the distorted air. His focus zeroed in on Miles' father, Jefferson Morales. The canon event—the moment that would break Miles—was so close he could taste it.

Meanwhile, on a nearby rooftop, Peter B. Parker, Jessica Drew, Ben Reilly, Takuya Yamashiro, and the Spectacular Spider-Man stood poised, ready for battle. The ground below them vibrated with the intensity of Spot's presence, but each Spider was focused.

Jessica Drew narrowed her eyes, her fingers itching to reach for her webs. "He's here."

Peter B.'s usual relaxed demeanor was gone, replaced by a rare intensity. His voice, normally filled with quips, was low and serious. "I know, I know." he repeated, his brow furrowed, eyes locked on the distant figure of Spot. The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on him.

Ben Reilly flexed his muscles dramatically, always one for theatrics. "Finally, some action." he said with a smirk, though even his tone was a bit more subdued than usual.

Takuya Yamashiro, ever calm and methodical, spoke up. "This.... It's more dangerous than anything we've faced before.

Spectacular Spider-Man, normally the jokester, cracked his knuckles. "Alright, no time for jokes. This guy means business."

Peter B. clenched his fists, his eyes following Spot as the villain moved closer to Miles' home. "We can't let him near Miles or his father. If the canon event happens, it'll break him."

Peter B glanced at Spectacular spidey, his expression unreadable but resolute. "You and Gwen need to keep Miles focused. The rest of us will handle Spot. We have to buy him time to save his dad."

Spectacular Peter nodded. "Yeah, but this guy is dangerous. You all need to be careful."

Peter B gave him a quick pat on the back. "Don't worry just ....Take care of him, alright?"

Ben scoffed, stretching dramatically again. "Careful's my middle name." He shot a quick glance at the team. "Let's give this guy something to worry about."

Takuya stepped forward, his voice steady and focused. "We need to keep him away from the Morales household at all costs."

The group nodded, understanding the plan. The multiverse was on the line, and Spot was the kind of threat that could tear it apart if they weren't careful.

Spectacular Peter. looked back one last time. "I'll catch up with Miles. Good luck out there."

Peter B smirked,"We make our own luck."

With a final nod, Spectacular Spider-Man swung off into the city to catch up with Miles and Gwen. The group left behind, consisting of Peter B., Jessica, Ben Reilly, and Takuya, spread out to form a perimeter. Their mission was clear: keep Spot away from the Morales household, no matter the cost.

Peter B. sighed heavily, watching the portal-clad villain with a mixture of dread and determination. "Alright, everyone. We need to stall him. Keep him occupied until Miles and Spectacular Spidey can handle things on their end."

Jessica Drew tightened her gloves, her usual no-nonsense demeanor fully in place. "We've got this. He won't get through us."

Ben Reilly dramatically cracked his neck, smirking. "Let's show him what real Spiders are made of."

Takuya stood firm, his mechanical spider mech in the background ready to assist. "We'll protect Brooklyn."

With a nod from Peter B., the team launched into action, swinging through the warped city, positioning themselves to intercept Spot. As the villain continued his approach, his confidence radiated through the twisted reality around him. But the Spiders were ready.

......

Meanwhile, Spot stood amidst the warped reality of Brooklyn, black voids swirling across his body as he absorbed the energy around him. His gaze scanned the twisted cityscape, eyes gleaming with malice. The power he wielded seemed boundless, his very presence distorting the world around him.

"Now, what should I do?" Spot mused to himself, his voice dripping with sinister amusement. His body pulsed with dark energy as the voids on his skin grew larger, crackling with power. With a twisted grin, he raised his hand, creating more portals that rippled through the air like black holes, warping everything they touched.

The villain's thoughts turned to his target—the Morales household, where Miles' father, Jefferson, unknowingly awaited his fate. Spot's grin widened as he charged up, his body humming with chaotic energy.

"I think... it's time to begin the canon event," Spot said, his voice growing more menacing with each word. He took a step forward, each portal he summoned threatening to tear Brooklyn apart. "Brooklyn will crumble, and so will Miles Morales."

But before Spot could make his next move, Peter B. Parker, Jessica Drew, Ben Reilly, and Takuya Yamashiro swung into action, positioning themselves between Spot and his intended target.

Peter B. raised his voice as they closed in. "Hey... Um White guy.. You're not getting to Miles' dad."

Spot's eyes glowed with a sinister gleam as he raised his hand, dark energy swirling around him. "Okay, well... die then." he sneered, sending a wave of his warping power toward the group.

Peter B.'s usual laid-back attitude evaporated in an instant. "Dodge!!" he shouted, his voice cutting through the tension. The Spiders sprang into action just as the space around them began to twist and ripple.

Jessica Drew leaped into the air, her agility allowing her to narrowly avoid being sucked into one of Spot's portals. She landed smoothly on a nearby rooftop, her face set in grim determination. "That was close."

Ben Reilly flexed dramatically before darting out of the way, his dramatic flair intact even as danger loomed. "You call that a challenge?" he quipped, ducking under a warped streetlight that had been twisted by one of Spot's voids.

Takuya Yamashiro used his mech to create a barrier, shielding himself and others momentarily from the energy waves. "Stay focused, everyone!" he shouted, his voice filled with authority.

Peter B., despite his earlier joke, dodged with precision, narrowly avoiding the twisting space that Spot unleashed. "Okay, okay—note to self, don't make the villain mad." he muttered under his breath, his eyes still scanning for the next attack.

Spot grinned as the chaotic energy spread through the city, warping reality further. "You can't run from me, Spiders." he taunted, his voice echoing ominously as he prepared to send another volley of portals their way.

Peter B. quickly took stock of the situation, glancing at his team. "Alright, let's regroup. We're not gonna let this guy tear Brooklyn apart." His tone was lighter, but the seriousness behind his words was evident.

To be continue