Marvel: The Soul King

Chapter 19: Chapter 18: Building the Soul Society



Lod lowered his head and looked at the lazy posture of the black cat while pondering a certain question in his heart.

If he didn't pet it, Michael would definitely guess that she had been discovered. But if he did pet her and accidentally touched the wrong spot, would an angry Michael cut him down with her lightsaber?

He shivered, thinking it was highly possible.

Lod suddenly felt a bit fortunate that he hadn't been reckless earlier and tried to pry open the cat's legs to check if it was male or female.

The black cat suddenly let out a soft meow and gently rubbed its head against his pant leg while blinking pitifully, as if it wanted him to pick it up.

Lod's corner of his mouth twitched as he hesitated for a few seconds.

Although he didn't know what Michael was scheming, judging by how she had been willing to confront Lucifer earlier, she probably wouldn't harm him in the short term.

Since she had chosen to hide her identity and turn into a cat without wanting to be discovered, he had no choice but to pretend to be oblivious.

Not exposing it was best for both parties.

If he broke this fragile pretense, things wouldn't remain so simple afterward.

After sorting through his thoughts, Lod pretended as though he knew nothing and bent down to pick up the cat.

It felt heavy, fluffy, and soft.

Perhaps it was just his imagination, but he thought the cat seemed to weigh a lot more than before.

The cat found a more comfortable position in his arms and lazily closed its eyes to rest.

This was a privilege!

'Does she have a cat-girl form as well?' Lod thought and then shook his head. 'Though... I would love to see it.'

Constantine came over while rubbing his shoulder, and his gaze first fell on the cat as a trace of schadenfreude flickered across his eyes. He quickly shifted his gaze and said to Lod, "Mate, you're truly someone I can count on. You even risked your life to save me!"

Lod immediately wanted to draw his Zanpakutō and stab this bastard, as Constantine clearly knew the cat's true identity but had kept it from him.

But who was Constantine?

His shamelessness was as strong as the walls between dimensions, so there was no way a mere glare could faze him.

Constantine slung an arm around Lod's shoulder and grinned mischievously as he said, "If you don't mind, can you tell me what's going on with me now?"

"No. Figure it out yourself, I'm not in the mood."

The voice came from the other side of the room. Another Lod appeared and took the cat from the one Constantine had his arm around.

He looked dumbfounded as the one he had his arm around vanished in blue light.

"What just happened? Why are there two of you?"

"It was a clone, of course."

Constantine and the cat opened their eyes in astonishment.

"You think I would come in front of Lucifer with my soul?" Lod shot him a glare and couldn't be bothered to deal with him, as he was eager to check on Nemu's condition.

Since Gabriel had returned to Heaven, the feather should have lost its power.

"Okay, okay," Constantine muttered as he shrugged and said, "Don't worry though, that little girl is definitely fine."

"How do you know she's fine?" Lod asked, annoyed.

"Because Mi—" Constantine stopped mid-sentence as he noticed the cat's golden eyes glaring at him. He immediately broke into a cold sweat and quickly corrected himself. "Because, mate, I'm the expert in this, hahaha..."

"Let's hope so."

Lod cast a meaningful glance at Constantine before throwing something at him and turning to leave with the cat in his arms.

"Wait..."

Before Constantine could finish his sentence, Lod had already disappeared.

On the ruined hospital rooftop, only Constantine, an empty body, and the unconscious Angela remained.

"Oh, come on! Couldn't you at least tell me how to get my body back?" Constantine shouted in frustration, but only the cool night breeze answered him.

...

Hours had passed since the incident with Mammon.

Because Constantine's old place had been destroyed, the apartment they were now in was generously sponsored by their old friend, Papa Midnite.

By the way, Midnite also helped blow up the church hospital, making it look like a terrorist attack and arranging for the matter to be covered up to avoid drawing more attention to the demons.

In the apartment, Constantine lounged on the sofa with a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other while waiting for dinner.

From the kitchen came a delicious aroma, and Angela's figure could be seen busy in an apron.

Meanwhile, in the living room, Nemu happily chased the cat around, causing quite a lively scene.

As for Lod, he locked himself in a room.

...

'This thing saved me from losing my soul to Lucifer.'

[—

Item: Clone Gigai

Description: Created by Kisuke Urahara. It generates a clone that can be controlled remotely.

Price: 4 Mid-Grade Souls.

—]

It is quite pricey for what it is, but it allowed him to survive with his soul intact, so he considered it a good investment. Now, he was eager to examine the most important reward from this ordeal:

[—

Broken Hell (Small) x1

Description: A fragment of Hell shattered during the War of Heaven. When used it grants a small independent Hell dimension that can grow by devouring other Hell fragments. The upper limit of its growth is unknown.

—]

What a worthy reward for such an urgent mission!

With this small fragment of Hell, he could truly have his own territory.

Lod didn't hesitate and chose to use it immediately.

[Notice. Would you like to use: Broken Hell (Small)?]

"Yes!"

As Lod's voice fell, ripples appeared in the void before him as if a giant stone had been thrown into a lake, which created waves that spread outward.

When the ripples expanded to allow a person to pass through, they stopped and formed a stable barrier that created an entrance to another dimension.

[Understood! Please enter the Hell dimension.] 

He took a deep breath before stepping into the dimensional gate.

The moment he fully entered, the ripples in the void disappeared.

At the same time, the cat playing with Nemu in the living room seemed to sense something and cast its golden eyes toward Lod's room.

"Gotcha!" Nemu took the chance to grab the distracted cat and cuddled it tightly. "Little kitty, I caught you!"

A trace of helplessness flickered in the black cat's eyes.

...

Although the sun hung in the sky, its light was blocked by endless yellowish clouds, which cast a dreary and lifeless atmosphere over the land.

The ground was barren and dry, stretching endlessly to the horizon.

Lod stared in disbelief and said, "This is... my dimensional space?"

[Answer. The User has inherited the authority of this Hell dimension. Please name it.]

Lod closed his eyes to think and then chuckled. "Let's call it... The Soul Society."

...

Although the system specifically marked it as "small," it was still one of the fractured hells, and its area spanned a quarter of Earth's size.

Moreover, if he devoured other hell dimensions in the future, the space would continue to expand.

He speculated that if the final unified hell came to fruition, its scope might rival Universe-level dimensions, comparable to Chthon's Flickering Realm or Dormammu's Dark Dimension.

But back to the present.

There was an issue that gave Lod a headache.

The barren land and the dim yellow skies were clearly not ideal for the envisioned Soul Society, so some renovations were needed.

The Soul Society was meant to be a resting place for souls after death, and it would eventually serve as a conduit for other souls to enter. He didn't want to make it into a literal hell.

"System, is there any way to modify this place?"

After much deliberation, he decided to consult the system.

[Answer. User's current power is insufficient to modify the dimensional space. Modifications can be made by consuming souls.]

Brilliant... truly remarkable.

'So the system retained its Kingdom building part from the game as well. And it's sticking to the mantra of 'Pay to Win' to the last end.'

With a chuckle, he spread his arms wide and declared loudly:

"I say... let there be light!"

Boom!

Though his voice wasn't particularly loud, it reverberated throughout the entire hell dimension.

With a deafening roar, the dull yellow clouds covering the hellish sky churned violently as though pushed aside by an invisible hand.

Blazing sunlight pierced through the clouds, showering the dreary world with warm beams of light.

However, this seemingly simple act of clearing the skies consumed a whopping 100 low-grade souls.

Lod looked at the now cloudless sky and frowned slightly.

Now he seemed to understand the system's "pricing standards."

The system calculated soul consumption based on the range and intensity of the modification.

Since this was his first attempt at modification and he hadn't specified a range, the system defaulted to modifying the entire dimensional space, which led to higher consumption.

In hindsight, perhaps it wasn't that excessive.

After all, this space was a quarter the size of Earth. Modifying such a vast area would naturally require a significant number of souls.

Thinking this over, Lod asked, "If I limit the modification range, will the soul consumption decrease?"

[Answer. Yes.]

[Soul consumption is determined by the size of the range and the difficulty of creation.]

"Then, what about creating matter or life?" Lod asked.

[Answer. Creation of intelligent life is not possible.]

[Creation of matter depends on its complexity to determine the number and grade of souls required.]

"I see."

Nodding, Lod said, "For future creations, inform me of the required soul quantity and grade beforehand. Wait for my confirmation before proceeding. Understood?"

[Understood.]

"Based on my current location, how many souls would it take to create rivers, trees, and mountains within a 10,000-square-kilometer radius?" Lod pondered for a moment before asking.

[Answer. Creating rivers, trees, and mountains will cost 50 low-grade souls.]

"Creating simple matter still required 50 low-grade souls? It seemed anything involving creation came at a steep price," he thought as he stroked his chin.

"Proceed."

After some thought, Lod decided to go ahead.

Rumble...

Towering trees erupted from the ground, with their branches and leaves forming a lush canopy that blocked out the sun.

Cracks in the parched ground suddenly spewed forth fountains of water hundreds of meters high, which carved out rivers that snaked through the forest.

The earth trembled violently, and one towering mountain after another rose, forming a jagged range.

Warm sunlight filtered through the dense foliage, reflecting off the clear river, and cast dazzling golden hues across the scenery. The distant mountains bathed in light created a breathtaking landscape akin to a masterful painting.

Mountains, rivers, and trees!

Lod beamed with satisfaction at the transformed world. This was the Soul Society he envisioned.

The joy of personally creating a world was unmatched by anything else. At that moment, he felt as though he were playing Minecraft in creative mode in real life.

"System," Lod suddenly remembered something, "can I create buildings for the Soul Society?"

[Answer. You can create structures with similar appearances, but they will not have special properties.]

"I see..."

Lod clicked his tongue. "It seemed the system had already blocked that loophole. If I want special structures, I'd have to pay up and rely on the Gacha."

Then, Lod asked, "What else can the hell dimension do?"

[Answer. The hell dimension holds the authority to guide souls.]

[Souls from the living world can be brought to the Soul Society through purifying them.]

[The more souls in the Hell Dimension, the stronger the Hell Lord becomes.]

"Just as I thought... this is souls true value."

Lod nodded knowingly. No wonder beings like Lucifer and other Hell Lords would go to such lengths to corrupt humanity.

"System, based on my memories, create the 'Seireiheki' at the center of the forest and the 'Rukongai' beyond it."

Rukongai would be the residential area for ordinary souls, divided into four regions—north, south, east, and west—each split into 80 districts. A soul's residence would be determined by their deeds in life.

The higher the district number, the farther it was from the Seireiheki, with living conditions and security worsening accordingly.

As for the second structure, the Seireiheki: it was a giant white wall in the original story, meant to protect the Soul Society. Ideally built with Reishi-sealing materials, it could neutralize spiritual energy waves, create a spherical shield, and prevent Rukongai residents from intruding.

Unfortunately, Lod lacked those materials.

For now, he'd have to settle for a replica.

[Constructing Rukongai: 20 low-grade souls.]

[Constructing Seireiheki: 10 low-grade souls.]

The ground shook violently, and matter appeared out of nothing.

A massive pure white wall rose slowly, enclosing the most fertile part of the forest and forming a giant circular area. The wall stood a hundred meters high.

If you looked closely, you couldn't find a single trace of human craftsmanship. It seemed as though this enormous barrier had been created naturally.

Standing beneath the towering wall and looking up, you could only see the wall meeting the sky in a thin white line. It was majestic.

Next came the "Rukongai."

Four large gates surrounding the wall were established, marking the east, west, north, and south regions. Streets and houses were built from the inside out, gradually decreasing in number as they reached the barren outskirts.

But unlike the original story, Lod did not opt for uniform thatched huts for Rukongai's architecture. Instead, he divided it into four regions, each styled after one of the four ancient civilizations.

As for the area within the Seireitei, he had no plans to construct it yet.

For one, there weren't enough Shinigami, and the Seireitei's buildings often had special functions, making it unnecessary to waste precious souls on construction.

Secondly, the System could grant special structures starting from the mid-tier prize pool.

Compared to the initial desolation, the scene Lod had created was now almost indistinguishable from the real Soul Society.

But one final piece was missing—Reishi.

As the resting place for all souls after death and the home for future Shinigami, Reishi was an essential material for the Soul Society's existence.

Previously mentioned, Reishi is the most basic element of a soul's composition, and all materials in the Soul Society are formed from Reishi left behind after a soul dies.

Reishi is vital for the survival of souls, Hollows, and Shinigami alike. While souls don't need to eat, they must absorb Reishi from the atmosphere. Without it, prolonged deprivation causes their spiritual bodies to weaken and eventually disintegrate.

For souls, Reishi is as essential as air is for living beings.

Lod narrowed his eyes and asked, "System, can Reishi be created?"

[Answer. Reishi can be created. Please specify the coverage area.] 

"How large is 10,000 square kilometers?" Lod asked.

[—

- High-Reishi Area: 10 high-Grade souls 

- Moderate-Reishi Area: 10 mid-Grade souls 

- Low-Reishi Area: 100 low-Grade souls

—] 

"High-Reishi Areas" differ from the other two not just in concentration but also in their unique properties. They can be used to create the key to the Soul King Palace—the Ōken.

While Lod was tempted by the High-Reishi Areas, the cost was prohibitively high. He hadn't even seen a high-Grade soul yet.

Reluctantly, he sighed and said, "Make the area inside the wall a Moderate-Reishi Area and outside a Low-Reishi Area."

The area within the wall needed to meet a decent standard, while the Low-Reishi Area outside was sufficient for Rukongai residents.

A breeze passed by, and Lod felt his breathing become noticeably easier.

Long-term exposure to a Reishi-rich environment could even enhance spiritual bodies. Perhaps in the future, some "genius" might awaken as a Shinigami within Rukongai itself.

With that, the initial construction of the Soul Society was complete.

Standing atop the towering wall, Lod gazed at the magnificent scene he had created and couldn't help but give himself a mental pat on the back.

After confirming nothing was overlooked, Lod asked, "System, how many souls do I have left?"

[—

- Low-Grade souls: 270 

- Mid-Grade souls: 11

—] 

Seeing he had over ten mid-Grade souls, Lod's fingers twitched with excitement. He couldn't wait any longer. He rubbed his hands together with anticipation.

"Let's do a ten pull."

[Are you sure you want to consume 10 mid-Grade souls for a draw?]

"Yes."

With the joy of moving into his "new home," Lod was confident this time he wouldn't be disappointed.

As the familiar figure of Unohana appeared with her giant assets, golden light erupted from the treasure chest, nearly blinding Lod with its brilliance.

[—

- Gold (Special Structure): Daireishokairō (a repository of all the knowledge and history of Soul Society. It also records all events and information within the Soul King's domain, including past occurrences in the Human World).

- Purple (Hollow Skill): High-Speed Regeneration

- Purple (Hollow Skill): Hierro 

- Blue: Shunpo Experience Book ×1 

- Gold (Special Structure): Dangai (a corridor-like dimension that connects Soul Society and the Human World; time and space within are distorted. Comes with "Kōtotsu," a being of "Reason" that clears anything in its path)

- White: Haschwalth's gold-framed glasses 

- Purple: Shinigami Women's Association Fireworks Festival Special Edition (Includes exclusive Soifon in yukata)

- Purple: Kido Experience Book ×5 

- Purple: Mid-Grade Reiatsu Orb ×10 

- Gold (Zanpakutō): Tenken (Shikai)

—] 

Lod was ecstatic. "The internet doesn't lie—three golds, five purples, one blue, and two whites. This haul is insane."

He carefully examined each reward and couldn't help but be thrilled. Daireishokairō or Great Archive and Dangai were invaluable.

The Dangai acted as an almost impenetrable barrier between the Human World and Soul Society, which would provide unmatched security.

Meanwhile, the Daireishokairō was essentially an omniscient intelligence system that automatically updated itself.

The other rewards were great too, especially the two Hollow skills:

[—

- High-Speed Regeneration (LV.1): Quickly heals physical injuries. Cannot regenerate destroyed vital organs. 

- Hierro (LV.1): Hardens skin to resist attacks from low rank Shinigami.

—] 

With these two abilities, Lod would become a near-unstoppable force in close combat.

Though he wished the skills were higher-Grade—imagine having regeneration on par with the butterfly Aizen's—Lod knew that was a pipe dream.

"Still."

Lod chuckled and shook his head, casting aside such fantasies. He used the consumable rewards immediately.

[—

+1000 Reiatsu

+1000 Kido experience

—]

Currently, the Seireitei and Rukongai regions span a total area of roughly 10,000 square kilometers.

Rukongai occupies about two-thirds of the space, while the Seireitei takes up a much smaller third.

Due to financial constraints, this allocation is merely a temporary arrangement. Once Lod's "wallet" is well-padded, he plans to expand further.

"Deploy special structures: Kirinden, Dangai, and Daireishokairō!" Lod rested briefly before speaking to the system.

[Understood. Please select locations to deploy the special structures.] 

"Place Kirinden and the Daireishokairō in the central area of the Seireitei!" Lod's eyes gleamed as he spoke.

The utility of Kirinden, or White Bone Hell, was immense. From a long-term perspective, it was even more critical than the Daireishokairō or Dangai. Hence, he chose to place it at the heart of the Seireitei.

Because in the future...

He would rebuild a new, personal Soul King Palace right there.

[Notice. The Dangai has been successfully established, officially linking with the World of the Living!]

[Notice. Purified souls will now pass through the Dangai to reach the Soul Society!]

[Notice. The 'Kototsu' has been constructed and will clear debris from the Dangai every seven days!]

[Notice. The Daireishokairō is operational and has forcefully recorded all events within 10,000 square kilometers of the World of the Living!]

[Notice. Kirinden has formed!]

Hearing the prompts, Lod could barely contain his excitement. He rushed to the central area while using Shunpo.

At the base of a cliff surrounded by dense forest, a steaming hot spring emanated wisps of white smoke.

White spring water bubbled up and quickly burst upon contact with the cool air. As he approached, he could feel the heat radiating off it.

"So this is Tenjirō Kirinji's Kirinden Hot Spring?" Just standing here, he could feel the immense, ocean-like Reiatsu that lurk beneath the seemingly ordinary hot spring.

Tenjirō Kirinji, nicknamed the "Hot Spring Demon," was a member of the Zero Division directly serving the Soul King.

His unique hot spring therapy and exceptional medical skills earned him a spot in the Zero Division. He was even the medical mentor of Unohana.

Kirinden could heal almost any injury by immersing one's body in it.

However, there was a drawback...

Kirinden's healing process involved expelling one's Reiatsu and blood.

While recovering, the hot spring would forcefully drain Reiryoku and cause massive blood loss. Thus, it required the complementary use of the Blood Pool Hell to replenish lost blood and Reiatsu.

In the past, Kirinden would've been as useless as a decorative item for him.

But things are different now!

"So hot! It's scalding!" Lod winced as he entered the water but endured the intense heat.

The boiling spring forced out all wounds, blood, and Reiryoku.

The white water quickly turned red with blood, but Lod didn't even think of leaving.

"High-Speed Regeneration really is useful..."

Leaning against the edge of the spring, Lod chuckled as he adjusted to the heat and watched the red-stained water ripple.

Kirinden drained blood and Reiatsu, but with his High-Speed Regeneration constantly producing fresh blood, he didn't have to worry about overexertion as long as his Reiatsu wasn't entirely depleted.

After half an hour, Lod felt his Reiatsu reach its limit and had to step out of Kirinden. He wrapped his shihakushō around him and sat by the spring's edge.

"Ah... refreshing~"

Lod closed his eyes and enjoyed the cool breeze on his face. His body and mind felt lighter.

However, there was one thing Kirinden couldn't heal...

"What did you do...?"

Leaning against a rock, Lod gazed at the sky as he recalled his battle with Gabriel in his mind.

He relinquished control of his body to the "Hollow" within him.

Although he emerged victorious, the cost was one percent of his soul.

Even now, Lod couldn't understand how the Hollow had shattered Gabriel's Sword of Judgment.

Ironically... He didn't even know the ability of his own Zanpakutō. Instead, the Hollow inside him had schooled him on it.

"My... Zanpakutō?"

Lod's gaze shifted to the blade beside him, and a thought crossed his mind. Though hesitant, he resolved to act.

Sword meditation was a method Shinigami used to communicate with their Zanpakutō.

Normally, achieving Shikai or Bankai required entering a meditative state and conversing with the Zanpakutō's spirit.

But Because of the System. He could already use Shikai or Bankai without any such meditation.

It was as if he knew the answers to a math problem before reverse-engineering the formula.

But, now To uncover his Zanpakutō's secrets, sword meditation was essential.

Sitting cross-legged, Lod placed his Zanpakutō across his lap, closed his eyes, and emptied his mind.

"Answer me..."

"If you truly exist, respond to my call!"

"My... Zanpakutō!"

---

Lod felt his consciousness drifting, as if entering a void.

No sky. No ground.

No time. No space.

No life. No rules.

No concept of existence.

Only endless darkness.

"Is this... my inner world?"

Lod's eyelids twitched. He had imagined what his inner world might look like but never thought it would be pure void and darkness.

Was this symbolic of something?

Lod didn't know, but he couldn't stand the emptiness. He shouted into the void, "You let me in, so why not show yourself?"

"Get. Out!"

---

"Did he leave?"

"Mm."

"Heh... You were so eager to see him, but when he came, you kicked him out. Are you a tsundere or something?"

"..."

"I bet you're regretting it now."

"...No, I'm not!"

"Tsk, not honest with yourself."

"He... doesn't need me."

"If you were more honest, maybe you'd already be in his arms by now."

"...You should go back."

"Fine. But next time I come out, don't rush me to use you."

...

"Damn it!"

Lod opened his eyes, feeling like spitting blood in frustration!

He was thrown out of his own inner world by his own Zanpakutō! Is there anything more ridiculous?

And in the end, he still gained nothing.

Who knew what was wrong with his Zanpakutō? It wouldn't communicate with him at all!

The worst part? He couldn't even use his own Zanpakutō, but others could use it without issue. Just thinking about it made him feel like a cuckold.

What a disgrace…

Lod gritted his teeth in anger. If he weren't limited by his lack of technical skills, he'd learn from Mayuri and break apart this disloyal Zanpakutō!

Deep down, though, he couldn't deny a twinge of jealousy.

The ability to shatter Gabriel's Sword of Judgment at the cost of only 1% of his soul... If he could master its Shikai, it would be a powerful trump card.

"No way!" Lod clenched his teeth and resolved, "From now on, I'll pester you every day until I win you over!"

As the saying goes: perseverance conquers all.

He refused to believe that, with daily Zanjutsu practice, he couldn't move his Zanpakutō eventually!

"Enough of this. I've been out long enough; time to head back."

He hadn't forgotten that Nemu was still waiting for him outside, along with Michael and Constantine.

After connecting the Dangai to the World of the Living, he could open a passageway between the two realms from anywhere.

For other dimensions to access Earth, they had to build specific channels to break through the barriers, while facing enormous risks. The three Sanctuaries of Kamar-Taj were no joke!

Sneaking through those magical defenses unnoticed was nearly impossible, and even if someone managed, they couldn't escape the Sorcerers grasp.

But with the Dangai, the barrier between the Soul Society and the World of the Living was a stable connection.

The only downside?

If you were devoured by the Dangai's cleaner, Kōtotsu, you'd be thrown into the chaotic flow of time and space.

Without a Hell Butterfly, traveling the Dangai was extremely dangerous. There was always the risk of encountering Kōtotsu and being sent hurtling through time—anywhere from a few hours to hundreds or even thousands of years.

But with no R&D Department to develop safety measures, Lod had no choice but to risk it.

...

Inside the Dangai.

This corridor between the Soul Society and the World of the Living was a dim path littered with bones, which stretched endlessly. The walls on either side were like flowing dark purple mud.

This writhing substance was called Kōryū, the same supernatural matter as Kōtotsu, which are capable of devouring all spiritual entities and souls.

Lingering here wasn't wise, so Lod wasted no time and sprinted toward the end of the path.

The exit was set in the room he had come from, so it would take three to four minutes of running to reach the World of the Living.

Nothing bad should happen on his first trip through the Dangai, right?

As his thoughts wandered, Lod noticed something unsettling. The walls of Kōryū on either side were slowly closing in toward the center of the path.

His heart skipped a beat.

Sure enough, the walls began to move faster, tendrils stretched out like wriggling snakes, reaching for him.

"Damn it!"

Lod cursed under his breath and bolted forward and outran the tendrils.

The walls receded behind him, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

'As long as I run fast enough, this is nothing.'

A loud hum vibrated through the corridor. Lod glanced back instinctively—and froze.

It was Kōtotsu.

As if offended by his intrusion, the train-like blob of flesh emerged from the closing walls, its round openings emitting orange beams of light.

Accompanied by deafening roars, Kōtotsu, aiming to devour him.

"Seriously?! First day on the job and you're already clocking in? The dedication... I'm impressed." The ground shook violently, and Lod felt the monstrous presence closing in.

He activated his Shunkō.

White lightning crackled as he kicked off the ground and propelled himself forward like a bullet.

But no matter how fast Lod ran, Kōtotsu matched his speed.

Ten meters... five meters... three meters...

Even with Shunkō, Lod couldn't shake it off!

"Screw this! If I could, I would fire you from the job right this instant!"

He roared and pushed his speed to the limit.

Kōtotsu accelerated once more, until it was mere centimeters away.

Its writhing tendrils lashed out and reached for Lod.

But at the last second, Lod ducked and narrowly avoided them.

With a desperate lunge, he drew his Adjudicator and fired a Heilig pfeil at point-blank range.

The bullet exploded, which blasted Lod forward just enough to escape through the portal at the end of the Dangai.

As Kōtotsu receded, its fleshy form held a torn black sleeve...

---

Boom!

Inside an apartment room, a dimensional gate suddenly burst open with an explosive sound, and Lod came sliding out in a very disheveled state. He crashed heavily into a wooden wardrobe in the corner.

Thud!

The wardrobe shattered instantly, and clothes tumbled out which buried Lod completely under a pile of fabric.

"Huff… huff…"

Lod pushed away the clothes covering him and lay spread-eagle on the floor. His chest heaved violently as he gasped for air.

The journey between the Dangai and the Human World wasn't long, but the level of danger was utterly insane!

The oppression and tension from the Kōtotsu far exceeded even the time he faced Gabriel and Lucifer!

It was terrifying.

Just one small mistake and the Kōtotsu would've caught up to him!

Lod underestimated it. He hadn't expected the Kōtotsu to be so fast, even faster than described in the original story, and it could continuously accelerate. Even with the powerful boost from his Shunkō, he had barely escaped its clutches!

No wonder in the Soul Society, traversing the Dangai without a Hell Butterfly was considered extremely dangerous.

Looking back...

He had clearly underestimated the Kōtotsu!

The earlier situation was horrifying. Even a captain-class Shinigami, if not proficient in Shunkō or Hoho, would likely be swallowed by the Kōtotsu's increasing speed.

Inhale... exhale...

After several deep breaths, Lod's nerves slowly relaxed, and the searing pain invaded his senses.

The side effects of his extreme Shunkō usage were now manifesting. His entire muscular system was severely torn, with thick blood seeping from his pores and soaking through his Shihakushō.

If Nemu saw him like this, she'd definitely scold him again.

Thankfully, he had previously obtained High-Speed Regeneration. Without it, his current state of muscle damage would've left him incapacitated for at least a couple of hours.

After a brief rest, feeling that he had recovered somewhat, Lod climbed out of the pile of clothes and walked to the full-length mirror across from the broken wardrobe to tidy up his disheveled Shihakushō.

But before he could finish fixing it, his gaze was drawn to the left sleeve of his uniform. His face instantly darkened.

The sleeve of his Shihakushō... had been torn off!

Judging by the tear and the timing, there was no doubt it had happened when the Kōtotsu briefly touched him in the Dangai!

"Could it be… at that moment?" Lod suddenly recalled that after the explosion, his left arm seemed to have briefly come into contact with one of the Kōtotsu's tendrils!

What happens when you're touched by the Kōtotsu?

You lose time—sometimes days, sometimes hundreds or even thousands of years—due to the effects of the temporal distortions!

How much 'time' had he lost?

Lod's face turned grim as he kicked open the door and surveyed the room like a hawk.

It was empty.

The entire apartment was deserted, with thick layers of dust covering the furniture. It was clear no one had been here for a long time.

In the living room, an electronic clock hung on the wall, displaying the current date and time: 2008-12-07, 2:39:27.

After confirming the current time, Lod's frown gradually eased, and he let out a sigh of relief.

Thankfully…

The Kōtotsu had only briefly grazed him, so the amount of time lost wasn't significant.

The day he left was November 1, 2008. Now it was December 7, 2008. He had only 'lost' a month, which was something Lod could live with.

But this incident was a wake-up call.

Establishing the R&D Department needed to be prioritized. Without Hell Butterflies or Dangai monitoring, traveling between realms was far too risky!

This time he got lucky and was only thrown a month into the future.

What if his luck ran out next time?

If he were thrown hundreds or thousands of years into the future, his soul would collapse instantly under the strain of temporal and Reiryoku loss, which would result in his death!

---

It was normal for Constantine to leave.

If that scheming bastard had stayed, it would've only meant he was plotting something and needed teammates to sacrifice.

However, Nemu and Cat's absence was unexpected.

"Did something happen?"

Lod frowned and considered the possibility.

Based on Nemu's personality, she wouldn't have left without waiting for his return unless something urgent forced her to.

If that were the case…

Then Nemu would've left a sign somewhere in the apartment to guide him.

Lod expanded his Reiatsu and formed a sensory field that enveloped the entire room.

Sure enough, just as expected!

On the dining table, he sensed a faint trace of Nemu's Reiatsu.

"So that's how it is—a Kido-based message?" Lod chuckled softly.

Despite her usually naive demeanor, Nemu was quite meticulous.

To avoid Constantine noticing, she had specifically used Kido to leave a message. Not even Michael would be able to decipher its contents.

Decoding it was simple. By counteracting her Kido with an equivalent Kido, the information could be revealed.

A matching Kido formed at Lod's fingertips and neutralized Nemu's spell. Faint words appeared on the tabletop.

After decrypting it, the message read: "New York, vampires, Frank, massive energy, strange incident, Shop Seireitei."

Though brief, Lod understood the gist.

If he wasn't mistaken, Frank must have discovered Kingpin's whereabouts and uncovered his use of the Stone Mask to mass-produce vampires, causing chaos in New York.

Among the six keywords, the other four were straightforward.

But "strange incident" and "massive energy" were puzzling. His instincts told him these were the real reasons Nemu had to leave!

Encrypted messages had their drawbacks.

While avoiding Constantine and Michael, they left the recipient partially in the dark.

"Forget it."

Lod shook his head, erased the message, and smiled faintly. "Once I return, everything will be clear."

---

New York. 

Fury had been feeling quite stressed lately—trouble just kept piling up!

However, this time it had nothing to do with the "Soul Reaper" but was related to a separate case: a sudden appearance of a group of "vampires" in New York City!

When Fury first heard about it, he thought someone was pulling his leg. Vampires? In the 21st century? Ridiculous!

But when his trusted agents placed stacks of reports detailing vampire attacks on humans on his desk, Fury had no choice but to believe in these vampires.

Even then, he wasn't too worried. Creatures hiding in the shadows weren't much of a threat against 21st-century advanced technology.

What really gave Fury a headache was a massive energy surge that occurred two weeks ago.

The energy shockwave swept through half of New York City, causing a 12-second blackout and leading to a bizarre "stacking" or "No Clipping" phenomenon.

Coulson handed him a report, saying, "Director, I think you should take a look."

Fury opened the report and began reading.

[—

Level: Classified - Level 5

Code Name: Mysterious Energy, Stacking Phenomenon

Description: On November 16th at 8:34:23 PM, a massive energy explosion occurred in Brooklyn, New York. The shockwave affected two nearby districts, causing a brief 12-second blackout. Following the incident, multiple buildings in Brooklyn exhibited bizarre "stacking" phenomena. 

Attachment 1: The source of the mysterious energy remains unidentified and cannot be analyzed.

Attachment 2: The stacking phenomenon is confined to Brooklyn, presumed to be the epicenter of the event.

Attachment 3: Stacking involves objects fusing together in bizarre combinations, such as bicycles, window panes, streetlights, garbage bins, and fire hydrants, creating absurd structures. 

—]

The last page of the document contained images of these "stacked" structures, looking like street art gone awry.

"What's the status, Coulson?" Fury asked, massaging his temples and taking a sip of coffee.

"Uh… no progress yet," Coulson admitted awkwardly. Chasing down an energy source was no easy task.

"What about the Shop Seireitei? Any updates?"

Coulson straightened. "Natasha's working on it. We're maintaining a safe distance and relying on her to establish a connection."

"Good. Tell Natasha to speed things up."

After a moment, Fury added, "Start approaching Tony Stark."

Coulson raised an eyebrow. "You mean… "

Fury closed his eyes. "We have to take the first step to see where it leads, don't we?"

Coulson chuckled. "Fair point."

"Dismissed."

"Yes, sir."

---

The moment Lod set foot in New York, he couldn't help but sigh. This trip back had been a nightmare!

Originally, he'd planned to fly back to New York in a comfortable first-class seat on a Boeing airliner.

But fate had other ideas.

Shortly after takeoff, the plane encountered a rare thunderstorm that hadn't been detected by air traffic control. To prevent a crash, Lod had to draw his Zanpakutō mid-flight to slash through lightning bolts—a harrowing experience.

As if that wasn't bad enough, the plane was soon swarmed by flocks of birds. He once again had to intervene.

It was exhausting, both physically and mentally.

Ultimately, before landing, its door flew off, which gave Lod more headaches as he had to dodge the media.

As he finally arrived at Shop Seireitei, he muttered, "Why does everything I travel with end up broken? Am I cursed?"

---

Shop Seireitei. 

Exhausted, Lod returned home, only for the door to swing open. A petite figure dashed toward him, wrapping him in a fragrant hug.

"Brother!"

Nemu clung to Lod's neck. "I missed you so much! If Haschwalth hadn't stopped me, I would've gone looking for you!"

Lod patted her head. "Haschwalth was right to stop you. Besides, don't you have work to do?"

"Humph!"

Nemu pouted. "It's just a few vampires! I can't believe Haschwalth made me come back."

"It's not just about the vampires," Haschwalth interjected calmly. "The real issue lies with whoever created them—and their connection to the energy explosion."

"Oh?" Lod raised an eyebrow. "You've figured it out?"

"Yes." Haschwalth's lips curved into a faint smile. "The vampire incident originated from a mask in Kingpin's possession. The energy explosion is linked to a machine he built."

"Explain."

"Kingpin's machine temporarily opened a portal to a parallel universe."

'Parallel universe?'

For some reason, when Haschwalth mentioned this, Lod almost wanted to laugh.

"My lord?"

Haschwalth's attempt at creating a dramatic moment failed and left him looking a bit awkward. "You… don't seem interested in parallel universes?"

"No, I'm very interested." Lod took a sip from his glass of water and replied, "I just don't find it surprising."

After all, when the likes of the Stone Mask and Constantine can show up in the Marvel Universe, a mere parallel universe hardly feels noteworthy.

Want to surprise him? Unless God went crazy and dropped "The" blue police box time machine at his door, it was unlikely.

"Tell me about it—your findings on the parallel universe, Kingpin, and the Stone Mask. What's the connection?" Lod set his glass down and lazily lifted his gaze.

"Yes!" Haschwalth straightened and began recounting the events.

It all started when Frank discovered that vampires had suddenly begun appearing in New York City, and started attacking humans in various corners of the night.

These vampires bore a striking resemblance to Bullseye. This led him to suspect a connection with the escaped Kingpin and the mysterious Stone Mask.

Frank reported his findings to Lod's Gigai, who then relayed the information to Haschwalth.

Initially, Haschwalth didn't take the news seriously. They were not worth his attention.

But then came the energy surge incident!

Buildings across the city began glitching and no clipping. The vampires' numbers increased at an alarming rate. Haschwalth suspected there was a link between these events and decided to investigate the energy source.

Since the Sternritter group was still in its infancy and short on manpower, Haschwalth assigned the task to Jessica, Lod's most loyal —cough Yandere cough— subordinate.

Jessica, the devoted follower, eagerly accepted the mission and quickly uncovered a lead.

The vampires roaming New York's streets were divided into two groups: one weaker faction left to sow chaos and distract investigators, and a more elusive and powerful faction operating in secrecy.

These elite vampires had been abducting gang members and homeless people and transporting them to an abandoned factory on the outskirts of Brooklyn.

This factory was built in the 1930s, and was infamous for its connection to an unusual tale:

In the 1930s, a mining engineer named George Warren Shufelt claimed to have discovered a vast underground gold deposit supposedly left by lizard people. His claims drew the attention of the government and wealthy elites.

The legend of lizard people had long fascinated America, and many believed in it wholeheartedly. Shufelt's story led to the creation of numerous excavation projects, including factories like this one, in search of gold and lizard people.

But it was all a scam. Shufelt deceived the government and wealthy investors—there was no gold, no lizard people. Most of the excavation projects were dismantled, though a few abandoned sites remained.

Back to the present.

Jessica infiltrated the factory and discovered that the tunnels dug by those workers were vast and maze-like. Anyone unfamiliar with the layout could easily get lost.

Following one of the vampires deep into the tunnels, Jessica eventually reached a massive underground cavern.

The cavern, roughly the size of two football fields, was supported by steel beams and crisscrossed with thick electrical cables. Hundreds of vampires moved about, and in the center of it all was a massive particle collider.

What truly shocked Jessica, however, was the presence of Kingpin on a giant screen and... a female version of Doctor Octopus with mechanical tentacles.

Curious, Jessica decided to move closer and eavesdrop.

"Mr. Fisk we'll need just a bit more time," Doctor Octopus said as she was engrossed in her laptop.

Kingpin's gaze bore down on her as he replied, "Is it too long? If it is... I can't wait that long."

Doctor Octopus continued typing furiously, showing diagrams of the "No clipping" phenomenon. "No, no, no... not much longer! Just ten more days, and it'll be ready!"

"Are you sure this will work?" Kingpin's massive figure cast a shadow over her. His blood-red eyes gleamed as he growled, "I hate being lied to. You know what happens to liars."

A sly smile spread across Doctor Octopus's lips. "Don't worry, Mr. Fisk. As per our agreement, this time, it will work."

Kingpin let out a laugh and turned to leave. "If you succeed, I'll allow you to study the mask."

"Deal," Doctor Octopus said as she licked her lips. As a scientist, she wanted to research the miraculous mask capable of altering human genes.

"My lord, that's everything." Haschwalth took a sip of ice water before continuing. "Should I destroy the machine?"

"The machine... leave it for now," Lod replied. "A device capable of accessing parallel universes? I find that quite intriguing."

"Understood," Haschwalth nodded.

Lod furrowed his brow. "By the way, you mentioned Spider-Man. Has Parker been bitten by the spider already?"

Realizing his mistake, Haschwalth quickly clarified, "You misunderstand, my lord. This Spider-Man… is female."

"Female?"

Lod was momentarily stunned.

"She's called Gwen Stacy. She's from a parallel universe and currently attends Midtown High School—same class as Peter Parker."

Lod's expression shifted subtly.

Spider-Man isn't just one person.

Across the multiverse, there are countless variations of Spider-Man besides the most well-known Peter Parker. These include, but are not limited to, Doctor Octopus Spider-Man, Spider-Ham, Noir Spider-Man, Zombie Spider-Man, and so on.

The Gwen Stacy mentioned by Haschwalth is one of them, known as Ghost-Spider, Spider-Woman, or more commonly, Spider-Gwen.

In the timeline of Earth-65, Gwen Stacy was bitten by a radioactive spider, replacing the unfortunate Peter Parker as the new Spider-Woman.

Regardless of their differences in appearance, circumstances, or experiences, every Spider-Man must go through a defining moment of sacrifice, where they lose someone close to them in order to mature into a true hero.

Just like how Bruce Wayne's parents die in every version of Batman's origin, Spider-Gwen's world swaps Uncle Ben's role with Peter Parker himself.

In her universe, Peter Parker was desperate to be special and experimented on himself, and ultimately he turned into the Lizard. His tragic death in Gwen's arms instilled in her the iconic lesson, "With great power comes great responsibility." From that moment, she vowed to fight crime as Ghost-Spider.

This backstory was why Lod had such a peculiar expression when Gwen's name came up.

If his memory served him right, this world's Peter Parker was just a high schooler who hadn't been bitten by a spider yet. Uncle Ben was alive and well, so logically, no Spider-related chaos should have occurred... right?

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Lod leaned on the sofa and rhythmically tapped the table with his fingers as he processed the information.

Haschwalth and Nemu stood quietly nearby. They recognized the familiar pattern of Lod's deep thinking and knowing better than to interrupt him.

"Spider-Gwen..." Lod murmured, narrowing his eyes as he recalled the details shared by Haschwalth.

It wasn't difficult to piece together that this was the plot of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. While some details had changed, the overarching narrative seemed intact.

To summarize, Kingpin, obsessed with seeing his deceased wife and son again, partnered with Doctor Octopus to build a collider capable of opening the multiverse. His plan was to bring alternate versions of his family into this reality.

The first test of the collider briefly opened the multiverse but was thwarted by Peter Parker, who was tragically killed by Kingpin during the attempt. Before dying, Peter entrusted the mission of stopping Kingpin to the next Spider-Man, a young teen named Miles Morales.

After numerous trials, Miles's uncle sacrificed himself, which marked his transformation into a true Spider-Man. Together with other Spider-People from different universes, he stopped Kingpin's plans.

It was a classic superhero story with a satisfying finale.

When Lod had watched the film, the most thrilling moment was the climactic brawl featuring six Spider-People against Kingpin.

But this time, things were different.

Due to the altered events, this universe's Kingpin had already been turned into a vampire by the Stone Mask.

Meanwhile, Peter Parker was just a regular teenager. Uncle Ben was alive, and there was no Spider-Man in this timeline.

This led to some pressing questions:

Who had stopped the collider's first activation in this world?

Aside from Gwen, how many Spider-People had been pulled into this universe?

And beyond resurrecting his family, what other purposes did Kingpin have for the collider?

While the conflict itself wasn't particularly significant, the collider and Kingpin piqued Lod's interest.

The multiverse represented infinite possibilities.

Mastering this technology could have immense future potential, so Lod couldn't afford to let the collider fall into the wrong hands.

After all, every other hand other than himself was the wrong hand as far as he was concerned.

Even if SHIELD got their hands on the collider, their reckless experiments might just lead to waking up one day in a zombie-ridden superhero apocalypse.

The tapping sound stopped, which signaled that Lod had finished his deliberations.

"My Lord, since you're so interested in the collider, why don't I just seize it and eliminate Kingpin?" Haschwalth asked while looking a little puzzled. Given his strength, killing Kingpin and taking the machine would be effortless. Why the hesitation?

"It's not time yet," Lod said with a faint smile. "I'm not just after the collider and its data—I want Kingpin himself."

Kingpin was a rare talent.

His chaotic tendencies and status as a crime lord perfectly aligned with Lod's current needs.

The world wasn't just black and white; there was also the gray in between.

Some tasks couldn't be openly handled by Haschwalth, which meant it was time to recruit a "glove" for the dirty work.

"Understood. I was too hasty," Haschwalth replied as he realized Lod's intent. He even added flattery, "Kingpin should feel honored to have caught your attention."

Lod remained composed and instructed, "Keep a close eye on Kingpin and the collider. Ensure that Frank and Gwen don't destroy it."

"Understood," Haschwalth said with a nod as he adjusted his glasses. "I'll ensure both Kingpin and the collider remain intact, I will also eliminate any obstacles if necessary."

"What about me? What about me?"

Nemu jumped excitedly, and asked Lod with her eager eyes. "Big Brother, what do you want me to do? I want to help too!"

Seeing her enthusiasm, Lod couldn't help but smile. He playfully tapped her nose and said, "You have an even more important task: researching Hell Butterflies, stabilizing the Dangai, and monitoring Hollows!"

"The Dangai?" Haschwalth and Nemu exclaimed simultaneously.

"That's right—the Dangai."

Lod observed their astonishment with satisfaction before elaborating on the developments regarding the Soul Society.

"As expected of you, My Lord!"

Lod ruffled Nemu's hair. "It's crucial that we stabilize the Dangai as soon as possible."

"Don't worry, Big Brother!" Nemu confidently patted her chest. "Leave it to me! All the data on stabilizing the Dangai and monitoring Hollows is in my head!"

After delegating tasks, Lod suddenly remembered Constantine and the black cat. "By the way, where did Constantine and that cat go?"

"They left," Nemu answered, tilting her head as she recalled. "Constantine said he was heading to Newcastle to deal with something. He also mentioned that if he survives, he'll repay you someday. Oh, and he took the cat with him."

"I see..." Lod nodded and decided not to intervene.

Newcastle. Astra...

That was the place where Constantine had some unfinished business.

---

Midtown High School.

The corridors were filled with the lively energy of teenagers, all bustling through the school entrance as the bell chimed crisply.

"..."

Peter Parker walked with his hands tucked into his hoodie pockets as he blended into the crowd entering the school.

Lost in thought near the lockers, Peter turned abruptly, not realizing someone was right behind him.

"Uh... hi. I mean... sorry."

A strand of golden hair brushed past his nose, and the girl's beautiful face came into view. When Peter saw her, his heart started racing.

Peter was stupefied for a moment, especially since the girl standing before him was none other than the school's acknowledged queen—Gwen Stacy.

Though she had transferred in less than half a month ago, her stunning looks, athletic ability, and top-notch academic performance had already made her the school's most sought-after girl.

Gwen noticed his expression and felt a flicker of emotion she couldn't quite place. She quickly pushed it aside and smiled warmly. "It's okay. I wasn't paying attention either. Don't blame yourself, Peter."

"You... you know me?" Peter was stunned but quickly realized how awkward he sounded and corrected himself. "I mean... it's nice to meet you, Stacy."

"Likewise~"

Gwen's gaze lingered on Peter for a moment, a hint of pain flashing in her eyes as memories surfaced.

A stormy night, at the base of a tower.

A monstrous, transformed Peter Parker as the Lizard, roaring like a wild beast and attacking her relentlessly. She had killed her best friend in self-defense and then watched as Peter died in her arms.

That night had pushed her to take on the mantle of Spider-Woman.

But the cost had been far too great.

"Uh... are you okay?"

Peter's voice pulled her back to the present.

The ringing bell also interrupted her thoughts. Gwen offered an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I got lost in thought. Let's head to class."

"Uh... yeah, sure!"

Peter walked alongside Gwen. Despite her presence, he felt the weight of countless eyes on him—jealous, surprised, even threatening stares from the other boys.

One particular stare was from Flash Thompson, who clenched his fist as he passed by, making his intentions clear.

Peter felt like he was walking through a gauntlet. The short walk to class felt like an eternity.

As they approached the classroom, Gwen suddenly asked, "Peter, are you free after school today?"

Peter's eyes widened as his heart threatened to leap out of his chest.

"Hey?" Gwen waved a hand in front of his face, stifling a giggle. "I'm asking if you're free this afternoon. I'd like to take you out for a meal."

After a brief hesitation, Peter nodded quickly. "Y-yeah, I'm free!"

"Great~"

Gwen smiled and waved. "See you after school, Peter, and you can call me Gwen."

---

During class, Peter couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. When he turned around, he saw several male classmates glaring at him with envy and hatred.

There was no mistaking it—they were jealous.

The stares suddenly stopped when someone came and called Flash.

By the time school ended, Peter grabbed his bag and bolted for the door, hoping to avoid trouble.

When he got outside, he looked back at the school and saw Gwen waving to him from the rooftop.

He waved back.

---

At a pizza joint on a Brooklyn street corner.

This place was quite famous locally, known for its traditional Italian-style baked pizzas with incredible flavor. The reason for choosing this spot was simple: in her Universe 65, Peter Parker loved the pizza here.

Even though she knew very well that this Peter was not that Peter.

Still…

She just wanted to laugh and chat with Peter at this spot again, dreaming about the future.

No Spider-Gwen…

No Lizard…

Just friends.

"Wow, how did you know this is my favorite pizza place?" Peter looked at the familiar sign and inhaled the tantalizing aroma as he glanced at Gwen.

"Ha-ha, it's my favorite pizza place as well. What a coincidence, I love the pizza they make here. We have so much in common," Gwen said and brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear and playfully sticking out her tongue.

'She looks so beautiful…' His mind flashed with this thought after hearing her say that.

Initially, he thought he was overthinking things…

But now, it seemed like the goddess of the entire school might actually have a crush on him!

"Let's go," Gwen said with her cheeks flushing slightly as she noticed the stares of passing pedestrians. She quickly grabbed Peter's hand and led him into the pizza shop.

For some reason, Peter felt as if he had known Gwen forever.

The pizza shop was clean and cozy, with only a few customers scattered around. Gwen led Peter to a window seat.

Peter, on the other hand, was visibly nervous. This was his first time going out for a meal with a girl.

But Gwen was far more at ease. Casually grabbing the menu, she ordered a veggie fruit salad, a large deep-dish pizza, two glasses of juice, and a side of fries.

As they waited for their food, Peter's characteristic chatter emerged, ranging from research to new inventions, and from schoolwork to hobbies.

The two talked about everything. They shared many common interests, making it feel as if they were old friends.

Gwen gazed at Peter with gentle eyes, silently committing all these moments to memory as if they were her most precious treasures.

After dinner…

"Chatting with you is so much fun. If Ned were here, he'd definitely become good friends with you too," Peter said, still immersed in the enjoyable conversation.

"Ned? Is he your friend?" Gwen asked as she rested her chin on her hand with a smile.

"Yeah!" Peter grinned. "Ned's my best friend!"

"Really?"

Gwen smiled faintly with her gaze drifting to the neon lights outside the window. "And what about us?"

"The moment you said this is your favorite place, we're friends!" Peter replied without hesitation, with a smile.

Gwen let out a giggle, but after a while, her emotions became complicated. "So... recently… I'm writing a paper on human behavior... for my ethics assignment... and I want to ask you this... if I ever killed you, would you still consider me a friend?"

For a second Peter was silent as he furrowed his brows. Seeing this, Gwen's heart started to race. 'Shit, I know this was not the right time to ask this. You ruined everything, Gwen.' She started to reprimand herself in her mind.

Peter scratched his chin and went to his deep thinking mode. "You haven't done that yet? Well, as for your answer, Well, okay, you'd have to tell me why you'd kill me first?"

"Because… Let's see," Gwen hesitated, unsure how to explain.

"Because... you made a terrible mistake, like your research going wrong or something... and you became mad... like the supervillains, so I had no choice but to do it."

Peter chuckled, leaning back in his chair and sipping his juice through a straw. "Oh, I get it now..."

"...Yeah." Gwen felt a strange sense of embarrassment.

"A superhero taking down villains—it's only natural, isn't it?" Peter set his drink aside.

"You… wouldn't blame me?" Gwen's voice trembled as she asked again, her eyes darting nervously.

"Of course not," Peter said, taking another sip. "If I were the bad guy and you killed me, it'd just mean you were standing up for justice, wouldn't it?"

"But… we're friends…"

"We are friends. But if even superheroes falter, then who would protect justice?"

"I don't know about all those big ideas, but my Uncle Ben always said, 'With great power comes great responsibility.' I think that's the burden superheroes have to bear."

"With great power… comes great responsibility…" Gwen murmured and closed her eyes, when she opened them again, her eyes lit up with newfound clarity.

Peter's face lit up with envy. "Man, I wish I could be a superhero someday, protecting everyone like they do."

Gwen's expression changed. Those were the same words Peter from the other universe had said to her once. Back then, she hadn't taken it seriously, and it had led to that tragedy.

"Peter!" Gwen's voice turned sharp, cutting off his words. Her gaze was intense, even frightening for a moment.

"I'm sorry… You know if you do reckless things, like researching dangerous things..." Gwen quickly realized she had overreacted. Forcing a smile, she said softly, "Promise me… never, ever, ever chase after the power of a superhero. Don't even think about it, okay?"

She had already witnessed one tragedy unfold and couldn't bear to see another.

"Why should I?" Peter said as he felt a flare of irritation. To him, Gwen's request seemed completely unreasonable.

Though he knew he didn't have the capability, was it really so wrong to fantasize about being a hero?

Gwen avoided his gaze as she lowered her head. In a voice almost pleading, she said, "Please… just promise me, Peter Parker."

"Please…" Gwen's tone became faint and trembling, her tightly clenched hands on the table turning white at the knuckles. "Please, Peter… this is my request."

"Alright, alright," Peter relented. "I promise I won't become a superhero."

"Swear it?" Gwen wasn't convinced.

"I swear on Uncle Ben. If I become a superhero, he can kick my butt. Happy now?" Peter said, exasperated.

"Thank you." Gwen smiled at last, as if a heavy weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

Peter noticed that the Gwen sitting before him now looked even more… beautiful.

"I have to go, Peter," Gwen said and stood up.

"Already?" Peter asked as he was caught off guard.

"Look outside, Peter. It's already 8 p.m.," Gwen replied with a giggle as she brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Should I escort you home?" Peter offered as both of them stepped out of the pizza joint.

"No, it's alright. I can take care of myself... We should get back home now, or our guardians would worry," Gwen said as she walked alongside Peter.

"Yes, you're right," Peter said with a hint of embarrassment.

Both of them reached a crossroad and stopped.

"Well, we need to split here," Gwen said as she looked toward the road she seemingly needed to take to reach home.

She started walking, her back toward Peter.

"We'll meet again." 'Someday,' Gwen whispered the last part to herself as a sad smile came to her face.

"Yeah. Bye, see you tomorrow," Peter said as he started to walk his way home as well.

Hearing him say that, Gwen stopped mid-step and put a hand to her heart.

...

"You're here?"

"Yeah."

"You seem… different."

"…You talk too much, old man."

Beneath the night sky, Gwen walked alongside Frank, heading toward Kingpin's secret factory on the outskirts of town.

TN: Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Thanks for reading it.

(End of Chapter)

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