Restart, Spider-Man!

[You have been eliminated. No resurrection slot obtained. Reward: Web Line Laser duration +1 second.]

[58 retries remaining. Retry?]

Retry!

---

Third Resurrection Match

Back in the massive shell-like structure, Xia Luo didn't bother testing the extended duration of his Web Line Laser.

An extra two seconds of sustained firing wasn't worth dwelling on.

His previous death at Faora's hands had been a result of misjudging the Kryptonians' way of thinking.

That reaction had been too decisive.

But then again, she was Krypton's commander.

Or, at least, its deputy.

As the countdown ended, Xia Luo shrank himself with Pym Particles and followed the Kryptonian soldiers into the meeting hall.

Before long, he witnessed the formation of the uneasy alliance between Dark Stephen and General Zod.

"Faora, keep an eye on him. Use the Phantom Engine if necessary."

Watching Dark Stephen meld into the void with his magic, Zod's expression was cautious.

"Understood," Faora replied with a nod.

She knew exactly what "necessary" meant.

But the problem was, that guy had already vanished.

How was she supposed to monitor him?

To her, "that guy" might as well mean "those guys."

Before long, the group boarded their spacecraft and departed the meeting hall.

---

Inside the spacecraft, Faora lightly tapped one of the compact spheres on the control panel.

Suspended mid-air by magnetic fields, the sphere dynamically rearranged itself into a three-dimensional projection—a blend of Earth's virtual interfaces and control systems.

Using liquid geometric technology, Faora accessed the Phantom Engine's control system, keeping tabs on the movements of "those guys."

The Phantom Engine was capable of warping space-time, enabling the ship to perform interstellar jumps.

Despite the 27.1 light-year distance between Krypton and Earth, the Phantom Engine could traverse it in the blink of an eye.

At its core, the Phantom Engine created a controllable black hole that lasted only a few nanoseconds, distorting space to achieve the jump.

However, if two Phantom Engines collided, the result would be a singularity—a black hole-like point that would devour everything in its vicinity.

Perched on Faora's shoulder, the shrunken Xia Luo observed her manipulation of the liquid geometric interface with rapt attention.

Spider-Man had always loved learning.

Unfortunately, this technology seemed to require some kind of identity verification.

Still, he had spotted something intriguing on the liquid geometric projection—the Phantom Engine.

It was the very weapon that had obliterated him earlier.

Definitely worth investigating.

As he considered his next steps, the projection began to display Tony and the others.

Without Xia Luo's help, Tony's armor had been suppressed by Kryptonian weaponry, landing him in a Kryptonian prison.

Meanwhile, Old Steve and Carter managed to escape the soldiers' encirclement thanks to their shield's resistance to Kryptonian weapons. The two eventually crossed paths at an intersection and, by sheer chance, stumbled into the so-called "slums."

Here, Xia Luo learned that this area was known on Krypton as the "Lower-Class Settlement," home to the planet's lower-tier inhabitants.

Even the lowest-ranking Kryptonian soldiers were considered middle-class and had no desire to venture into such places.

Coupled with Faora's "capture-only" orders, the soldiers decided to turn back.

Thus, Tony, Old Steve, and Carter found themselves merely under surveillance for the time being.

Meanwhile, Carol, unable to absorb golden solar energy, was significantly weakened. By chance, she stumbled upon a small Origin Chamber in the Lower-Class Settlement.

Desperate to earn a resurrection slot, she stormed into the Origin Chamber, triggering an attack from its robotic guardians.

Watching the playback on the liquid projection, Xia Luo couldn't help but curl his lip.

What an idiot.

Destroying one lower-class Origin Chamber wouldn't accomplish anything within the resurrection match's framework.

Krypton had at least a hundred such Origin Chambers scattered across the planet.

Taking out a single chamber wouldn't yield any rewards.

This was one of the major pitfalls in the mission briefing—without specifying how many chambers needed to be destroyed, the implicit goal was likely to destroy all of them.

A task as difficult as prematurely destroying Krypton itself.

Anyone attempting this mission would meet only one end.

Death.

Sure enough, another contestant had perished.

Faora gestured, flipping the liquid model. The projection shifted to show Wade Wilson—Deadpool—bolting out of a room, half-dressed, with a hulking man wielding a weapon chasing after him.

"You damned outsider! How dare you seduce my wife? I'll kill you!" the man roared.

Bang!

In the next moment, Wade was shot in the head with a Kryptonian weapon, finally quelling the enraged husband's fury.

Xia Luo: …

Kryptonian aesthetics were certainly… unique.

Who would've thought they'd find a mangled face attractive?

Still, Xia Luo couldn't deny that this peculiar "skill" made Tony a bit envious.

Faora observed the scene without a trace of emotion. With a wave of her hand, the liquid geometric interface locked onto the next suspected contestant.

If she'd had a bit more patience, she might have noticed Wade twitching his fingers. As soon as the coast was clear, the supposed "dead" man crawled away like a red, squirming caterpillar, disappearing into a nearby alley.

This time, Xia Luo noticed Harry's figure within the geometric projection.

Apparently, Harry had come prepared. After hearing about the resurrection match from Norman, he'd devised a plan.

Feigning muteness, he disguised himself as a pitiable outcast to gain the sympathy of a seemingly kind Kryptonian girl.

Unfortunately, his preparation wasn't thorough enough.

The girl promptly escorted Harry to the Defective Gene Disposal Center.

And just like that, Harry—classified as a genetically flawed individual—was subjected to "humane termination."

"My dear brother, you died such a pitiful death!"

Xia Luo offered a solemn three-second silence for Harry.

Now, only Gwen, Kahn, and the Super Skrull, Gravik, remained undetected by Krypton's monitoring systems.

The Super Skrull had disguised himself as a Kryptonian, even replicating their memories, making him nearly impossible to track.

But Gwen and Kahn's ability to remain hidden for so long genuinely surprised Xia Luo.

---

The spacecraft soon landed near the city's outskirts, by a serpentine bone-like structure. Still, the liquid geometric interface showed no significant updates.

Click~

The massive gates opened, and Faora disembarked alongside General Zod, following him to what appeared to be a military camp.

"The appearance of these outsiders has disrupted our plans."

Zod stood before a holographic display of Tony in his prison cell, his brow deeply furrowed.

"Judging by their language, they're likely all Earthlings. But how could anyone from such a remote planet reach Krypton, bypass our defenses, and appear in the city without a trace? Something is clearly amiss."

He rubbed his chin, his mind racing.

Faora spoke up after a moment of contemplation. "Their target is someone called 'Superman.' Kal-El, also known as Clark Kent, is likely from the House of El."

At her words, Zod's expression shifted subtly.

"You're suggesting…?"

Faora's gaze turned cold. "We could direct that 'outsider' toward the House of El. Whether he succeeds or not, it'll make our plans easier to carry out."

Zod's brow creased. "That outsider is strange—Jor-El might even…"

"General, for Krypton's sake." Faora's voice grew solemn.

"You taught me that to ensure Krypton's survival, we must abandon everything else."

Her unwavering words steeled Zod's resolve.

"Yes. I am Krypton's finest warrior. Protecting Krypton is my destiny!"

His eyes burned with determination. "If the Spider-Man that outsider mentioned isn't found within an hour, we'll proceed with our operation."

"Understood."

---

Returning to her quarters, Faora activated the mechanical arms that began removing her armor.

Zzz~

As the mechanical arms retracted, her Kryptonian battle armor submerged into a pool of blue liquid for disinfection.

On Krypton, both their architecture and weapons were crafted from bio-materials. These organic creations surpassed metal in both hardness and energy efficiency while being easier to repair and maintain.

However, the drawback of using organic materials was that they could foster bacteria, necessitating regular sterilization.

Where there's sterilization, there's pest control.

At that moment, Xia Luo found himself in very hot water—literally.

If he were a real bug, this death would've been even more humiliating.

Puff~

Floating on the surface of the blue pool, a "bug" slowly drifted toward the edge.

In the distance, beyond a transparent "mountain," a waterfall cascaded endlessly as a "giantess" shed her armor and began cleansing her body of impurities.

Wow~

Xia Luo's triangular eyes gleamed briefly, but he didn't attempt to shift his vantage point to spy further.

Look but don't touch. Observe, don't play.

One wrong move, and the current would send him hurtling into the drainage system.

More importantly, getting too close would yield only an endless expanse of barren "land." It would do nothing to help him analyze his opponent's weaknesses.

Yes, Xia Luo assured himself, this logic is flawless!

Under Xia Luo's watchful gaze, Faora finally finished bathing. Crossing the expanse of the chamber, she returned to the mechanical arms that began outfitting her in Kryptonian light armor.

Once dressed, she activated the liquid geometric system to summon her soldiers and coordinate their next moves.

During this entire process, the Invincible Spider-Man quietly observed from her vicinity.

Xia Luo had now pieced together the full scope of Faora and Zod's strategies.

Zod had already convinced more than half of Krypton's sub-commanders, so entering the council chamber wouldn't arouse suspicion. If they could eliminate the council's senior leaders, control of Krypton would fall entirely into Zod's hands.

The House of El, however, remained a significant obstacle.

The El family controlled Krypton's entire technological network. At a critical moment, they could activate the council's defensive systems and wipe out Zod and his followers in one fell swoop.

Initially, Zod had planned to take the first approach: gain Jor-El's trust, either by persuasion or coercion, and neutralize the El family's weaponry in advance.

But with Dark Stephen's arrival, Zod opted for the second approach.

As Krypton's most exceptional warrior, engineered by the Codex itself, Zod preferred to subdue his enemies through sheer strength rather than diplomacy.

This time would be no different.

---

An hour later, Zod and his forces set out once again.

Although Dark Stephen was nowhere to be seen, Zod was convinced that shadowy figure was still watching him.

Boom~~

A fleet of beetle-shaped aircraft approached the towering council building.

Coincidentally, the aging Kryptonian matriarch had just summoned Zod for questioning.

"Did you harbor that outsider?"

Seated upon the golden throne, the matriarch's cold tone was laced with arrogance and authority.

"Yes," Zod replied. "He will help us save Krypton."

"Krypton needs no saving. I've said this countless times!"

Her expression grew displeased. "Krypton is one of the most prosperous planets in the universe. No one can challenge our might, and no one can destroy us."

"But we will destroy ourselves."

A new voice echoed through the chamber, calm but firm. Jor-El, his hair slightly tousled, entered with measured steps.

"My research is clear," he said. "Due to Krypton's excessive resource extraction, the planet's core has destabilized. It's only a matter of time before it explodes. We must act to prevent this catastrophe."

Despite this dire warning, the matriarch remained steadfast.

"Stop spreading fear. Krypton will continue to thrive—it is an undeniable fact."

Her DNA was imbued with unshakable pride and loyalty to Krypton. Any words casting doubt upon the planet's destiny were an affront to her very being.

Chosen by the Codex to lead Krypton, she believed her existence and Krypton's survival were intrinsically linked.

She could not fathom her own death, just as she could not fathom the death of Krypton.

To her, the notion of Krypton's destruction was nothing more than a miscalculation by the House of El.

If Krypton were truly in jeopardy, she would have been the first to notice.

For this reason, she dismissed Jor-El's warnings as beneath her, just as she dismissed Zod's.

To her, these two men were nothing more than instruments of Krypton's will—tools to be used and controlled.

However, given their high status, she refrained from punishing them outright, tolerating their perceived insubordination thus far.

But her patience had worn thin.

"Zod, surrender the outsider and relinquish your position as Commander. This is the penalty for spreading baseless rumors."

Jor-El's face shifted with alarm. The punishment seemed far too harsh.

He was about to intercede on Zod's behalf when the general spoke first.

"Very well. As of today, I am no longer Commander of Krypton's forces."

The matriarch's satisfaction was evident. She had expected Zod to grovel, but his dignified response affirmed his reputation as Krypton's finest warrior.

Moments later, Zod turned to Jor-El.

"Do you know Clark Kent?"

"Who?" Jor-El frowned, a creeping unease settling over him.

Zod's next words confirmed his fears.

"Or perhaps you know him by another name: Kal-El?"

"What?"

Jor-El's eyes widened in shock, his alarm evident. Before he could compose himself, the chamber filled with thick black fog.

"Your reaction tells me you do know Kal-El."

Emerging from the shadows, Dark Stephen's face was alight with excitement. In a flash, he appeared before Jor-El, his black magic circle spreading beneath them. Tendrils of darkness surged upward, binding the Kryptonian scientist.

"You—!"

Jor-El struggled, his expression darkening, while the matriarch, surprisingly, came to his defense.

"Damn outsider, you've finally shown yourself. Kryptonian soldiers, kill him!"

Her commanding voice echoed through the chamber, but the soldiers remained still.

The dark tendrils, however, expanded swiftly, swallowing the matriarch whole.

With the chamber now silent, Dark Stephen turned back to Jor-El.

"Now that the noise is gone, take me to Kal-El."

As he spoke, Jor-El's personal robot sprang into action, firing a plasma cannon at the mage.

Buzz~

A portal of dark energy materialized, redirecting the plasma blast back toward the robot. The machine was obliterated in an instant.

On Krypton, without exposure to a yellow sun, its people had no superpowers. And while their technology was advanced, it was rarely a match for a skilled sorcerer.

But just because a major problem had been eliminated didn't mean there weren't smaller ones.

Jor-El was Krypton's greatest scientist. It was unlikely he'd rely on a single robot for protection.

---

Oh, you're still here? Nice. While I'm out here juggling revival matches and reminding villains why they should reconsider their life choices, someone's behind the scenes making sure my story reaches you. Gotta admit, they're doing a pretty solid job.

If you want to help keep this whole thing running smoothly, here's the link: [patreon.com/WiseTL]. Think of it as… supporting your favorite underdog. Everyone loves an underdog, right?

Anyway, time to get back to saving the day. See you in the next chapter—don't forget to stay out of trouble (that's my job).

— Xia Luo 🕸️