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Chapter 182: Spider-Man Joins the Avengers

Cull Obsidian extended his hand, and the patch of ground where Stephen Strange had fallen suddenly lifted up with an invisible force, hovering in the air like a blanket, carrying Stephen Strange's body.

Cull Obsidian's body slowly rose into the air, and Stephen Strange's body followed suit.

However, just as they were getting airborne, Stephen Strange's cloak suddenly "swooshed" off, taking the living sorcerer with it and flying away!

At a critical moment, this mighty sorcerer, Stephen Strange, was proven to be less reliable than a piece of clothing.

The cloak turned into a red blur, swiftly flying through the city's airspace, passing by Tony Stark and Peter Parker.

"Kid, that's Doctor Strange. Keep up with him!" Tony Stark shouted to Peter Parker while still engaged in battle with Cull Obsidian.

"Got it." Peter Parker extended his hands, shooting out two strands of silk. Using the silk as a lifeline, he swung through the city, chasing after Stephen Strange.

On the other hand, Cull Obsidian's method of pursuit was much more impressive. He maintained an upright stance as he flew rapidly, and a cloud of dust and stones formed a "cloud" beneath his feet, adding an extra touch of flair to his appearance.

Sensing someone behind him, Cull Obsidian didn't even look back. He made a casual gesture, sending a massive billboard hurtling toward Peter Parker.

Luckily, Spider-Man's agility and dexterity allowed him to avoid being hit by the billboard. It merely slightly hindered his progress.

However, the flying cloak carrying Stephen Strange wasn't as agile. In the midst of its flight, it got snagged on a lamppost, causing Stephen Strange's body to be propelled out due to inertia.

Just as this powerful sorcerer was about to experience a rather earthy kiss, a strand of web shot out and caught him, pulling him back into the air.

"I've got you!" Peter Parker exclaimed as he used a strand of web to hold onto Stephen Strange's body and another to anchor himself to the city, attempting to swing away.

But at that moment, a beam of light descended from the sky, enveloping Stephen Strange and drawing him towards a flying ship. The sorcerer's body was propelled towards the vessel.

Reacting swiftly, Peter Parker grabbed onto a lamppost with one hand and used the other to hold onto the web that was attached to Stephen Strange, trying to pull him out of the beam of light.

Cull Obsidian flew over, one hand nonchalantly behind his back. With a gentle motion of his other hand, he effortlessly uprooted the lamppost Peter Parker was clinging to.

In an instant, Peter Parker was left without support and was pulled upwards alongside Stephen Strange.

"Mr. Stark, I'm being sucked in!" Peter Parker shouted loudly.

"Hold on, kid!" Tony Stark exclaimed in frustration. His movements quickened as he attempted to defeat Cull Obsidian and rescue Peter Parker.

However, in his haste, Tony Stark ended up making a mistake. Instead of defeating Cull Obsidian, he found himself bound to the ground by Cull Obsidian's axe.

Cull Obsidian extended his arm, conjuring a massive mechanical sword. He leaped into the air and thrust the sword down with great force, aimed directly at Tony Stark, who was now immobilized on the ground.

With both of Tony Stark's arms restrained, he was defenseless. He was about to meet his end under the sword's blade when a golden portal suddenly appeared above him. Cull Obsidian dove headfirst into the portal.

On the other side of the portal lay a wintry landscape, with snow-covered expanses as far as the eye could see. Cull Obsidian crashed into a snowdrift, the chilling wind howling around him.

In this world of "a thousand miles frozen and endless snow," a half-open portal hung in midair. Bruce Banner and Wong stood on the other side, looking down at Cull Obsidian from above.

Cull Obsidian leaped up, his hand reaching towards Wong and Bruce Banner. Wong quickly closed the portal, severing Cull Obsidian's hand at the wrist.

"Wong, remember to come to my wedding," Tony Stark stood up from the ground, his armor emitting energy as he took to the skies.

"Let's make it lively. Friday," he said as his voice trailed off. In response, his armor swiftly transformed its shape. His legs merged together to form a jet propulsion system, and with a powerful burst of energy, he soared into the sky, heading towards the airborne ship.

"Code 17A launch!" Tony Stark commanded while in flight, launching a spider-themed suit.

Since Peter Parker had been "sucked" onto the ship, he was the first to arrive on its surface. He clung to the exterior, slowly climbing upwards.

"Peter, let go now, and I'll catch you," Tony Stark told Peter Parker.

"Didn't you say you were going to rescue the doctor?" Peter Parker, his breathing labored, removed his mask, "I'm running out of breath up here."

"You're too high up; you'll experience oxygen deprivation," Tony Stark replied.

"Indeed, it's too high." Peter Parker had just finished speaking when he fell from the ship, plummeting through the air.

At this moment, the suit that Tony Stark had launched had arrived. The liquid-like armor flowed rapidly over Peter Parker's body, quickly suiting up.

The new armor had an oxygen system, ensuring normal breathing. Peter Parker was instantly revitalized, standing back on the ship.

"Mr. Stark, this suit smells as good as a new car!" Peter Parker exclaimed in delight.

"The suit is a gift," Tony Stark flew up as well, hovering in the air as he looked at Peter Parker and said to Friday, "Friday, take him home."

"Understood." Friday replied, and immediately a parachute opened up behind Peter Parker.

"Come on!" Peter Parker managed to shout just as the parachute swept him away.

Tony Stark adhered to the ship's surface, extending his right hand which transformed into an enormous suction cup, attaching itself firmly. With his left hand, he fired a red laser and began cutting through the ship.

Clang!

Soon, a closed loop was cut out of the ship. Tony Stark tore open the hull and entered.

"Boss, Miss Potts is on the line," as soon as he stepped inside the ship, Friday's voice echoed.

"Tony?" Pepper Potts' concerned voice came through, "Oh my God, are you okay? What happened over there?"

"I'm fine," Tony Stark looked around the ship's interior while saying, "But our 8:30 dinner might have to be postponed."

"Why?" Pepper Potts asked.

"Because I might not be able to make it on time," Tony Stark's excuse this time was both solid and legitimate.

"Don't tell me you're on a ship," Pepper Potts had already regained her senses by now.

"I am," Tony Stark confirmed.

"Oh no, no!" Pepper Potts exclaimed, "Please tell me you're not on that ship!"

"I can't help it, I'm really sorry," Tony Stark apologized, "I don't know how to explain."

"Come back, Tony, I swear to God, you better come back to me right now..." Pepper Potts' voice gradually faded into static, becoming unintelligible.

"Boss, we lost contact with Miss Potts," Friday's voice also faded slowly, "I'm losing signal here as well..."

Unbeknownst to Tony Stark as he conversed with Pepper Potts, Friday hadn't successfully sent Spider-Man away. At this moment, Spider-Man was still hanging outside the ship, clinging to a thread of web.

In this vast emptiness, Tony Stark was feeling quite anxious about the situation. After all, what if that thread suddenly snapped? Spider-Man could fall to his death.

Thankfully, that scenario didn't occur. Peter Parker's web was reliable. It didn't break or suddenly lose its adhesive properties, allowing him to successfully enter the ship.

Inside the ship, Cull Obsidian was oblivious to the fact that two unexpected guests had infiltrated. He continued to control the ship, leaping through who knows which cosmic expanse.

Inside the ship, Stephen Strange regained consciousness. As he awoke, he found himself suspended in midair, surrounded by sharp crystalline spikes pointing directly at him.

"I have followed Lord Thanos for so long, and I've never let him down," Cull Obsidian walked slowly toward Stephen Strange, "Lord Thanos commanded the Time Stone. If I were to present him with an extra you when I hand over the Stone, that would be a failure on my part."

As he spoke, the sharp crystal spikes began moving closer to Stephen Strange, gradually piercing his body.

Stephen Strange was quite resilient, remaining silent and steadfast.

"Hand over the Stone," Cull Obsidian said, each word enunciated.

Unbeknownst to Cull Obsidian, his torturing of Stephen Strange was witnessed by an audience—Tony Stark. Positioned above him, Tony Stark observed the scene unfold.

Engrossed in the spectacle, Tony Stark suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder. He was startled, raising his hand as if to fire a repulsor beam, but there was no one beside him, only the hovering red cloak.

The one who had tapped his shoulder wasn't a person at all; it was the cloak itself.

"Your cloak is certainly faithful," Tony Stark couldn't help but comment.

"When it comes to loyalty, I also—" Peter Parker's voice suddenly chimed in from the side. He was hanging upside down from a strand of web.

"How did you..." Tony Stark was taken aback.

"I know what you're going to say," Peter Parker hopped down from the web.

"You shouldn't be here!" Tony Stark said each word sternly.

"I was actually heading back home," Peter Parker attempted to explain, "but on my way back..."

Peter Parker's explanation was rather disjointed, and he ended up saying something like, "If blame has to be placed, blame you for making the suit too good."

However, although Tony Stark didn't want Peter Parker to take such a life-threatening risk, now that Peter Parker was already on the ship, standing before him, he had no choice but to accept.

"Alright, we've got a problem now," Tony Stark pointed below and said to Peter Parker, "Do you see that guy down there? It's him."

"I see him. Let me think..." Peter Parker squatted down and pondered for a moment before an idea formed, "Have you seen the old movie 'Alien'?"

While Tony and his father were brainstorming above, Stephen Strange was in a dire situation, his body pierced by those sharp crystal spikes, causing him to cry out in pain.

"Quite painful, isn't it?" Ebony Maw watched Stephen Strange's suffering with an air of elegance, "These were specifically designed for minimally invasive surgery. Just one..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Ebony Maw sensed someone behind him. Slowly turning around, he saw Tony Stark in his red armor standing there with his hands raised.

"...is enough to end your friend's life instantly," Ebony Maw calmly completed his previous statement.

"Let me clarify, we're not friends," Tony Stark corrected, "I came here to save him out of courtesy."

"You can't save him," Ebony Maw extended his hand, suspending a massive piece of metal of unknown purpose in the air. It appeared ready to be hurled at Tony Stark.

With another wave of his hand, another piece of metal levitated. Ebony Maw continued, "Your strength, compared to mine, is negligible."

"But we've watched more movies than you," Tony Stark said calmly.

Boom!

As he finished speaking, he fired a repulsor beam, but it didn't target Ebony Maw. Instead, it struck the ship.

Of course, Tony Stark wasn't aiming inaccurately; it was intentional.

The ship bore the impact of the repulsor beam, creating a large hole. Since they were in space, a powerful gust of air surged in, sweeping Ebony Maw out of the ship.

Stephen Strange couldn't avoid the same fate. His body was also propelled toward the hole in the ship. In a critical moment, Peter Parker intervened. He shot a strand of web, securing Stephen Strange.

However, the force was too strong. Although Peter Parker managed to stick, he too was pulled along with Stephen Strange, hurtling toward the outer space.

The ensuing scene could be described as the most perilous moment on the ship. Stephen Strange was flung out of the ship, while Peter Parker was left clinging to the edge of the breach! Spider-Man had both hands occupied by the web, leaving no spare hands to secure himself. However, mechanical legs similar to spider legs extended from the back of his suit, gripping onto the ship. This prevented both Peter Parker and Stephen Strange from being completely engulfed by the cosmic void like Ebony Maw.

This suit was truly remarkable. Peter Parker retracted the mechanical legs, pulling both himself and Stephen Strange back into the ship. Just in time, Tony Stark arrived. The suit's arms were directed at the breach, spraying a substance of unknown composition. In an instant, the breach in the ship was sealed, and the powerful suction dissipated.

Bang!

Stephen Strange crash-landed heavily onto the floor.

Although the impact was quite painful, at least he was safe, not floating in the vacuum of space.

"This suit is really cool!" Peter Parker couldn't help but exclaim loudly, "Especially those extra legs at the back. I love them!"

"It's evident that Tony put a lot of thought into it. This suit is perfectly tailored to Peter's abilities," Stephen Strange remarked, "Stark, it seems you really care about this kid."

"I've always respected intelligent kids. It's something I can relate to," Tony Stark patted Peter Parker's head and said, "Coming up with a strategy like that to defeat the Octopus guy is impressive."

"Cull Obsidian was indeed powerful, and his magic was formidable, yet he was dealt with so easily. He must feel quite wronged," Thor gave Peter Parker a thumbs-up, "To easily defeat an enemy of his caliber like that, kid, your idea was brilliant!"

"Is Cull Obsidian truly dead?" Scott Lang asked, "For someone of his level, he might find a way to survive."

"He's most likely dead," Thor said, "That was the void of space."

Soon, everyone learned that Thor was right. In the video, Cull Obsidian drifted through space, his body visibly deteriorating at an alarming rate. He was dying, beyond any possibility of revival.

This guy who had tormented Stephen Strange to the point where he couldn't lift his head, who had captured him, and whose magic skills were on par with Jay Chou's 'Double-Edged Sword,' had met such an easy end, which was quite unexpected.

"We need to change course for the ship," Stephen Strange stood up and said.

"Are you planning to escape now?" Tony Stark remarked, "Truly a magnificent plan."

"I must protect the Time Stone," as Stephen Strange spoke, his cloak flew over and draped itself over his shoulders.

"I think you should thank me," Tony Stark walked toward the ship's control panel, "I'm here, listening. Don't keep me waiting."

"Thank you for what?" Stephen Strange walked over and quipped, "For nearly blasting me out of the ship?"

"Who just saved your life?" Tony Stark turned around and retorted, "Me!"

"I admit that," Stephen Strange nodded.

"I did tell you to move earlier. It's your fault for not moving, so don't blame me," Tony Stark said.

"Why should I listen to you?" Stephen Strange retorted, "I'm not under your command."

"If it weren't for you, how could we end up on this spaceship, so far from Earth and completely isolated?" Tony Stark said.

"I'm the backup," Peter Parker raised his hand.

"Kid, don't interrupt. The adults are discussing important matters," Tony Stark told Peter Parker.

"Sorry, I'm having a hard time understanding the current situation," Stephen Strange pointed to Peter Parker and asked Tony Stark, "Who is this person, is he your son?"

"No," Peter Parker stepped forward and extended his hand to Stephen Strange, "I'm Peter. And you?"

"Doctor Strange," Stephen Strange replied.

Stephen Strange had given his real name, but his name "Strange" and his alias "Doctor Strange" used the same word, so Peter Parker got confused, thinking Stephen Strange was giving his alias.

So, Spider-Man said, "So everyone goes by aliases, huh? Alright then, my alias is Spider-Man."

"This ship can correct its course autonomously, with autopilot," Tony Stark, the genius he was, had even mastered cosmic ship technology.

"Can it be adjusted?" Stephen Strange inquired, remaining composed. "Take us back to Earth."

Tony Stark didn't respond, pacing slowly.

"Stark!" Stephen Strange asked again, "Can you take us back to Earth?"

"I heard you," Tony Stark turned around, "I'm contemplating whether we should go back."

"Regardless of what happens, we cannot let the Time Stone fall into Thanos' hands," Stephen Strange said with a serious expression, "I don't think you fully grasp how urgent the situation is."

"Don't I understand?" Tony Stark approached Stephen Strange, "It's you who doesn't understand. You're the one who doesn't get it! I've been trying to defeat Thanos for more than just a day or two. I've been thinking about it since the Battle of New York six years ago, but I've never figured out how to do it. So now, I can't be sure if there's a better way to succeed in defeating him. But you've seen his actions. Thanos thinks no one dares to come here. Now I think we should take the initiative, Doctor! Do you get it?"

"Alright, Stark, we'll take the initiative and go after him," Stephen Strange was convinced, but he emphasized, "However, you need to understand this: if there comes a moment where I have to choose between you, that kid, and the Time Stone, I won't hesitate to sacrifice both of you for the Stone. I have no other choice; it's the only way to ensure the safety of the universe."

"Very well, excellent, truly principled," Tony Stark patted Stephen Strange's shoulder, whether in praise or irony was unclear, "I agree."

Then he walked up to Peter Parker and said to him, "Alright, kid, you're an Avenger now."

The video darkened, ending at this point.

"This is great!" Nick Fury clenched his fist tightly, "This video provides crucial information: the time of Thanos' invasion!"

"Six years after the Battle of New York..." Phil Coulson murmured, "That's a tight timeline."

"Six years," Tony Stark stated, "I need to develop a better suit. Though the nanotech armor shown in the video is already formidable, it would be a struggle against Thanos. I need an even more powerful suit."

"In the video, you didn't have the benefit of your future knowledge when developing that suit, yet you managed to create such technology at that point in time. Now, you have the advantage of advanced information. You're 'leaking' some future tech to yourself, which means you'll surely be able to create an even more powerful suit when the time comes," Nick Fury reassured Tony Stark, "I believe in you."

"Tony's idea sounds great no matter how you think about it," Steve Rogers chimed in, "Going after Thanos at his base has the element of surprise, and it keeps the battle away from Earth, minimizing the risk to our planet."

"Indeed, someone of Thanos' power level turns every battle into a catastrophe," Bruce Banner said, "When Thanos fought Stark, he ripped an entire planet from the sky to use as a weapon. If that happened on Earth, in a city inhabited by humans, the consequences would be unimaginable."

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