Restart, Spider-Man!

By the power of Tapisserie Éternelle, this story is granted two bonus chapters—rejoice in this reward!

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"Uh-oh!"

Professor Curt Connors, who had recently had his arm transplanted, suddenly exclaimed, startling Xia Luo.

"You've got to be kidding me."

Xia Luo frowned, turning back toward him. Could something have gone wrong?

He saw Professor Connors clutching his still-healing arm, panic written all over his face.

"I miscalculated the timing! I have a blind date tomorrow, and if this arm doesn't heal in time, it's going to ruin my appearance!"

Xia Luo: "…"

Appearance? With the way Professor Connors usually presented himself, was that even a concern?

Letting out a sigh of relief, Xia Luo teased, "At your age, you're still… wait, you're not married yet?" He suddenly realized.

"What's so strange about that?" Professor Connors replied earnestly.

"Uh, no, nothing strange. You've had it rough all these years." Xia Luo waved dismissively.

"It's not rough at all. Everything I've done is worth it for my arm."

"That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

"That."

"That what?"

"Never mind. It's not important."

Xia Luo thought for a moment, then pulled a membership card from his pocket and handed it to Professor Connors.

"This restaurant is great. Take your date there—she'll definitely be impressed."

Professor Connors took the card curiously, examining the address of the upscale restaurant printed on it. A skeptical look crossed his face.

"This place is pricey. Aren't you supposed to be broke, Spider-Man?"

Xia Luo's mouth twitched. "Commander Carter gave it to me as a gift."

"She gave it to you?"

Harry, who was standing nearby, suddenly remembered. "Oh, I get it now. That day when Captain Carter was looking everywhere for her membership card—it turns out you took it!"

Xia Luo: "…"

"Can you not call me out on it? If you keep pointing out things like this, how will you ever survive in S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

"It's fine. If I can't, I'll just come back and inherit the family business."

"You've got to be kidding me!"

And with that, Xia Luo, his face darkened, exited Osborn Tower.

---

"Buzz!"

A flicker of magical sparks formed a circle, and Xia Luo stepped through the portal.

At the same time, in a shadowy corner of the neon-lit city below…

In an alley, the flickering flames of Hellfire illuminated the darkness. Ghost Rider's eyes burned with infernal whirlpools, the fiery orbs locking onto a man who froze in terror.

The Penance Stare began its grim work.

The man's mouth hung open in a silent scream, his entire body petrified.

"Ugh…"

"Clatter!"

His stone form crumbled into ash, leaving behind nothing but a skeletal remains scattered on the ground.

After dispatching the man, Johnny Blaze dusted off his hands and turned to mount his blazing Hellcycle.

Nearby, a disheveled woman huddled against the wall, trembling with fear. Her hands clamped tightly over her mouth, stifling any sound she might make.

She prayed that she wouldn't become this terrifying figure's next target.

Although she knew this was Ghost Rider, his monstrous appearance was too much to bear. He didn't look like a hero.

She didn't dare to gamble otherwise.

Johnny Blaze glanced briefly at the terrified woman but paid her no further attention. Few people ever thanked him directly for saving them.

He was used to it by now.

With great power comes great responsibility. Spider-Man wasn't wrong about that. A real man does good deeds without expecting anything in return.

And he certainly didn't need anyone's gratitude.

Ha, I'm really starting to get the hang of this.

Thinking this, Johnny coolly brushed a hand over the Hellfire atop his skull and spoke to the woman. "You're forgiven."

Then he revved the throttle, preparing to leave the alley.

Just then, the woman's expression lit up with surprise, and she cried out.

"Spider-Man!!"

"Click!"

The Hellcycle paused. Johnny Blaze looked up to see a red-and-blue figure descending from the sky. He was too exasperated to even roll his eyes.

Lady, do you even know who saved you?

It was me!

Not Spider-Man!

Watching the woman's excitement over the new arrival, Johnny let go of the throttle and faced the superhero swinging toward him.

"Hey, how's it going?" Xia Luo greeted with a casual wave.

"Not great." Johnny Blaze gestured toward the woman in the corner.

Xia Luo noticed her and casually opened a portal, sending her through it.

"Where'd you send her?" Johnny asked.

"George's precinct."

"She should've gone home."

"Look, Mr. Warm-Hearted Ghost Rider, I don't know where her home is."

Without wasting more time, Xia Luo got straight to the point. "I need to see Mephisto. Tell him I want to make a deal."

"A deal?"

Hellfire flickered across Johnny Blaze's body before retreating, his flesh regenerating rapidly. Now in his human form, his expression turned serious.

"Making a deal with a demon is never a wise choice."

Xia Luo shook his head. "My friend is dead. I don't have any other options."

Johnny Blaze seemed to consider this. "Why not ask the god backing you? His power should surpass Mephisto's."

"He's on vacation. I can't reach him."

"Vacation?"

Johnny's eye twitched slightly. "Doesn't he have a job to do?"

"Who knows?"

"Fine. I'll ask him for you."

Johnny closed his eyes, mentally calling out Mephisto's name.

Before long, a flicker of Hellfire danced in the dark alley, and a white-haired man in a tailcoat stepped out of the flames, smiling.

Seeing Xia Luo, the grin on Mephisto's face widened even more.

"My dear little spider, what brings you to me today?"

As Mephisto spoke, Johnny instinctively stepped back, not wanting to get too close to the demon.

If he ever got the chance, he swore he'd teach this damned devil a lesson.

But his strength didn't permit it, so for now, he had no choice but to collect souls for the demon.

Xia Luo glanced at Mephisto and didn't bother with pleasantries.

"Where is Mary Jane's soul?"

"Who?" Mephisto feigned confusion, his expression blank.

Xia Luo spoke seriously, "Drop the act. Whenever someone close to me has a problem, you're always the one most eager for their soul."

Mephisto's expression lit up with feigned realization. "Oh, I remember now. You must mean that girl. Very well. Her soul is indeed in my possession. So, what are you offering in exchange?" His grin turned wicked.

The faint blue glow in Xia Luo's eyes flickered slightly. "What do you want?"

"I want to join you on one of your little adventures."

"What does that mean?" Xia Luo frowned.

Mephisto chuckled. "I believe they call it the Resurrection Tournament. I find that sort of competition… intriguing."

Hearing this, Xia Luo smirked coldly.

"Sure, but there's a catch—you have to be like me first."

"And what does that entail?"

"You'd need to be dead to qualify."

"I'm not going to die."

"Don't be so sure."

Xia Luo crossed his arms, his tone laced with disdain.

"Even dimensional gods can perish. You've just been lucky not to face a true rival."

Mephisto maintained his smile. "So, you're turning me down?"

"That's not for me to decide."

"Fine. Then let's play a little game."

Mephisto's gaze scrutinized Xia Luo with growing amusement. His grin stretched wider as though savoring the challenge.

"If you want to find your friend, you'll have to do it yourself."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Xia Luo's brow furrowed.

Mephisto explained, "I've placed her somewhere… quite secret. If you can find her, I'll let her go with you."

Xia Luo's eyes narrowed. "And if I can't?"

"Then you'll offer me your soul. Willingly, of course."

Mephisto's eyes gleamed with anticipation. If Spider-Man surrendered his soul of his own accord, the meddler backing him would have no reason to interfere.

"Think it over carefully. This involves signing a contract with me," he reminded.

"Fine. I agree."

Xia Luo didn't hesitate. After all, he'd tested this kind of deal before. Even if he signed, his physical death would break the contract, and the Resurrection Tournament would handle the rest.

But while Xia Luo could participate in the tournament, Mary Jane, being an ordinary person, likely couldn't. He'd never encountered a contestant in the Resurrection Tournament without some sort of superhuman ability.

If Mephisto didn't help, Xia Luo's only other option would be to plead with the Sorcerer Supreme to send him to Hell. But that wasn't the same as the tournament—without the reset mechanics in play, he'd have no chance of winning.

Mary Jane's death is indirectly my fault, Xia Luo thought. I can't just stand by and do nothing.

Mephisto, surprised by Xia Luo's decisiveness, was even more delighted.

Johnny Blaze, however, paled. "Are you out of your mind?"

He stepped closer to Xia Luo and whispered urgently, "If you willingly sign a contract, you'll lose all freedom if you fail. And that guy—he's not going to make finding your friend easy. You know that."

Xia Luo merely chuckled. "For a friend, it's worth it."

"For a friend…" Johnny Blaze's gaze softened as he looked at Xia Luo. This guy is… really something.

Wait. His friend was a girl.

"Is she your girlfriend?" Johnny asked.

"No."

"Oh, I see."

Johnny Blaze didn't press further. A man caught in the web of love wasn't going to be dissuaded. And this wasn't just any man—this was the invincible Spider-Man.

Meanwhile, Mephisto eagerly produced the contract. "Sign here!" He handed it to Xia Luo.

Xia Luo scanned the document and shook his head.

"This contract is full of loopholes. It's unfair."

Mephisto froze. For the first time, someone had pointed out flaws in his contract to his face.

Johnny Blaze, standing nearby, wiped away a metaphorical tear. Finally, someone with the sense to scrutinize a demonic pact. If only he'd been this rational back then… No, it wouldn't have mattered. When his father was dying, he hadn't had any other choice.

But this… this is Spider-Man. Way to go, man!

As Johnny watched expectantly, Mephisto pondered Xia Luo's criticism. "This is the contract I've prepared. Take it or leave it."

"Fine."

Xia Luo shrugged. "Congratulations, you've just given up the only chance you'll ever have to claim Spider-Man's soul. I'll just wait for the Resurrection Tournament to bring Mary Jane back. You really think that's unlikely?"

Mephisto fell silent, his expression darkening.

"You said it yourself—'anything for a friend,'" he finally remarked.

Xia Luo shrugged again. "I'm not an idiot. I prefer fair games, and your terms don't meet that standard."

"What do you want?"

"Ah, so now you're interested."

Xia Luo lifted the contract. "You'll guarantee absolute fairness, no deliberate traps, and spell out every clause clearly."

"That's too complicated. I won't do it," Mephisto grumbled, his face darkening further.

Xia Luo raised an eyebrow. "You've conned so many souls with these deals, and yet you're such an amateur at writing contracts?"

Before Mephisto could react, Xia Luo turned to Johnny Blaze.

"Turn around. Bend over."

Johnny Blaze: "???"

"What are you doing?"

"Editing the contract."

"Man, you scared me there."

Relieved, Johnny turned and offered his back.

"Uh, you could use a wall instead, you know."

"Too rough."

"How about my bike's fuel tank?"

"Now you tell me."

Xia Luo moved to the Hellcycle, placed the contract on the fuel tank, and began modifying it with the quill Mephisto provided.

Half an hour later, Mephisto was visibly annoyed. "Are you done yet?"

"Done."

When Xia Luo handed the revised contract to Mephisto, the demon stared at the densely packed clauses and immediately felt a headache coming on.

"This is way too much."

"What's the matter? Don't recognize the terms?"

"Of course I recognize them! I'm not illiterate!"

Mephisto glared at Xia Luo and begrudgingly began reading the new terms.

Half an hour later, it was Xia Luo's turn to get impatient. "Are you done yet?"

"Done."

After ensuring there were no issues, Mephisto finally signed his name with a flourish. He passed the contract to Xia Luo, who casually added his own signature.

"Buzz—"

In an instant, the contract ignited with Hellfire, signifying its activation.

At that moment, both Xia Luo and Mephisto smiled.

"Why are you smiling?" Mephisto asked.

"Oh, nothing. I'm just eager to find my friend. And you?" Xia Luo countered.

"Nothing. I'm just eager to claim your soul."

Xia Luo shrugged. "When does it begin?"

"It already has."

Hellfire flared around Mephisto, his figure gradually fading into the flames.

"According to the contract, you're supposed to give me three hints," Xia Luo reminded him.

"I know."

As the Hellfire dissipated, Mephisto's voice lingered in the shadows of the dark alley.

"First: according to the universal coordinates I've provided, the real Mary Jane will appear by your side."

"Second: I've sealed her memories. If you want to recognize her, that's up to you."

"Third: You only have one chance to choose who she is. If you pick wrong, your soul belongs to me."

"And a little friendly advice: Mary Jane might become your enemy. If you kill her, you'll destroy your only chance to find her."

Mephisto's voice faded completely, leaving Johnny Blaze unable to contain his outrage.

"That bastard! None of those clues are helpful, and now he's even turned your friend into a potential enemy? He's doing this on purpose. What a despicable, cunning jerk!"

Xia Luo, however, remained calm, smiling faintly. "I didn't expect this to be easy. But at least now I have a target."

As he spoke, a flicker of Hellfire burned before him, revealing a set of coordinates from an unfamiliar universe.

Universe 14512.

It was a completely alien designation.

Xia Luo chuckled softly. "Trying to mimic the Resurrection Tournament, huh? What a naive attempt."

Compared to the countless pitfalls the Resurrection Tournament had thrown his way, Mephisto's task seemed laughably simple.

Fine by me, Xia Luo thought. After all, the main world didn't urgently need Spider-Man right now.

In fact, Spider-Man's temporary absence might even accelerate certain events.

This also gave Xia Luo enough time to explore another universe and snag a few valuable items along the way.

With that, he pulled out a golden orb, activating the time machine to open an interdimensional portal.

The Invincible Spider-Man was about to leave his mark across the multiverse.

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Rejoice, my loyal subjects! Though your power did not summon the full might of Tapisserie Éternelle upon this tale, the ripple of such an achievement cannot be contained.

By my decree, this story has been graced with two bonus chapters, a tribute to the grandeur you have displayed elsewhere. Such rewards are a reminder that even in the shadow of greatness, the king's benevolence extends far and wide.

Take pride in this gift, and let it spur you onward. Should you wish for more, show your resolve, and perhaps this story too shall bask in the full glory of the Eternal Tapestry.

Now, celebrate, for the king has deemed you deserving of this favor—do not squander it!