Spider-Man 0X

Ch: 240 [The Watcher]

The quiet hum of the time chamber was the only sound as Peter lay next to Wanda. Their bodies were entwined, exhausted from a shared intensity that bordered on desperation—an acknowledgment of the trials to come. Even in sleep, a storm of emotions and thoughts churned in his mind.

Suddenly, Peter's consciousness stirred as an unfamiliar voice echoed in his mind. Deep, resonant, and tinged with authority, it cut through his dreams like a blade.

"Peter Parker," the voice called.

He sat bolt upright. Around him, the shimmering walls of the time chamber dissolved, and he found himself standing in a space filled with nothingness and everything—a kaleidoscope of timelines, realities, and possibilities stretching infinitely in all directions.

Before him stood a towering, otherworldly figure. His bald head reflected the lights of existence, and his white and blue robes seemed to ripple with the flow of time itself. It was The Watcher, Uatu.

"You've brought me here?" Peter asked cautiously, his voice echoing in the vastness. "Who the hell are you?" He knows that the giant is The Watcher, but he couldn't possibly reveal that he knows him. Then there will start chain questions which might not be good for anyone.

"I am Uatu, the Watcher assigned to observe your reality," the being began, his tone grave but laced with something Peter did not expect: urgency. He was afraid for some reason and if the Watcher is afraid, then things might be worse than what Peter thought. "For countless eons, I have adhered to my vow of non-interference, sworn only to watch and record the unfolding tapestry of existence. But now, I must break that vow. This is a time unlike any other, and the fate of this reality hangs by a thread."

Peter frowned. "You're saying this as if it's new."

The Watcher's gaze softened. "This is no mere cosmic catastrophe. The convergence of Thanos, Knull, and Galactus threatens not just your Earth but the fabric of reality itself. It was never supposed to happen like this. Even now, they draw closer, each pursuing their own destructive ends. Together, their arrival heralds total annihilation."

Peter sighed with a worried expression, "Then why don't you give me something to deal with the situation?"

"There exists a weapon," The Watcher said, his voice reverberating with a mixture of hope and trepidation. "The Ultimate Nullifier. A tool of unimaginable power capable of erasing even the most powerful beings from existence. It lies within Galactus's worldship, Taa II."

The Watcher gestured, and a portal opened. Through it, Peter glimpsed a vast, otherworldly structure. Taa II loomed like a celestial leviathan, its architecture incomprehensible to the mortal mind.

"Galactus will not surrender the Nullifier willingly," The Watcher warned. "Nor can you wield it lightly. The cost of its use is immense—it may demand your life or your very existence or you might lose all your power and become a regular human. But it is the only chance to preserve the reality you hold dear. You might lose everything but there will be peace. Do you have the heart to make that sacrifice?"

Peter gazed into the portal, feeling the weight of the decision pressing on him. "And you?" he asked. "Why are you breaking your vow for me? Why now?"

The Watcher hesitated, his gaze turning distant. "Because I have come to care for this reality. I think that your reality is worth preserving to maintain the multiversal balance."

"Canon?!" Peter's eyes widened. He noticed the Watcher flinch a bit. "You are not here because you care for my reality. You broke your vow because our freaking reality is a canon in itself or... Sigh! Fuck! I am the fucking canon, ain't I?"

Peter looked down, a mix of gratitude and resolve shining in his eyes. "Thank you... but I'm not doing this for the universe, or for fate. I'm doing it for the people I love."

The Watcher inclined his head. "Then go. Time is short."

The portal shimmered as Peter stepped through, determination in his heart. Wanda stirred briefly in her sleep, as if sensing his absence, but the chamber remained silent.

As Peter emerged on the other side, he was greeted by the alien beauty of Taa II—a place that seemed alive with energy and danger. The challenge ahead was monumental, but his resolve burned brighter than ever.

The battle for the universe had begun.

The Watcher flinched ever so slightly, his stoic expression betraying the faintest flicker of unease. Peter's words had struck too close to the truth.

"You are perceptive," Uatu admitted after a moment's pause, his voice a mix of admiration and regret. "Indeed, your existence is pivotal to the structure of the multiverse. In countless threads, your choices shape the outcomes of realities, anchoring them to stability. Without you, chaos would seep into the fabric of creation itself."

Peter ran a hand through his hair, the weight of the revelation threatening to crush him. "So, I'm not just some guy trying to do the right thing. I'm a freaking cosmic keystone. No pressure, right?" His voice carried sarcasm, but the edge of anxiety was unmistakable.

The Watcher's towering form leaned slightly forward, his gaze unyielding. "This is why I have come to you, Peter Parker. Your decisions ripple through eternity. And now, as the convergence looms, you must face a choice that only you can make. The burden is yours, as it has always been."

Peter turned back to the portal, the image of Taa II hovering before him like a haunting specter. The thought of confronting Galactus, stealing the Ultimate Nullifier, and risking everything felt insurmountable. But what gnawed at him more was the possibility of losing who he was.

"Let's say I get the Nullifier," Peter said, his voice quieter now. "I somehow don't die getting it, and I use it. What then? What happens to me after the peace you're dangling in front of me like a carrot?"

The Watcher was silent for a long moment, his gaze unreadable. "I cannot say with certainty," he admitted finally. "The Nullifier's power is absolute but unpredictable. It may spare you, or it may take from you all that makes you who you are. Such is the nature of sacrifice."

Peter exhaled sharply, his fists clenching at his sides. "And if I refuse? If I don't go after this cosmic Hail Mary?"

"Then the convergence will unravel everything," Uatu said solemnly. "Your reality will collapse, taking countless others with it. The multiverse will plunge into an era of darkness and disorder from which it may never recover."

Peter closed his eyes, the enormity of the situation threatening to drown him. His thoughts drifted to Wanda, still asleep in the time chamber, unaware of the storm brewing beyond their fragile sanctuary. He thought of Gwen, of May, of everyone who had ever believed in him.

When he opened his eyes again, they burned with determination. "I'll do it," he said, his voice steady despite the storm raging within. "But not because I'm some cosmic keystone or multiversal canon or whatever. I'm doing it because I want a place for my family and children to live without any war or fear. Well..." He took a deep breath. "Let's do it."

The Watcher nodded, his expression softening. "You have my gratitude, Peter Parker. May your courage guide you through the trials to come."

The portal shimmered as Peter stepped through. Wanda stirred briefly in her sleep as if sensing his absence, but the chamber remained silent.

As Peter emerged on the other side, he was greeted by the alien beauty of Taa II—a place that seemed alive with energy and danger. The colossal structure pulsed with energy, its walls shifting in a rhythmic dance. It was alien, overwhelming, and strangely hostile—as if the ship itself sensed his presence and rejected him. He clenched his fists, focusing on his celestial senses. He could feel the ship probing him, its sentience calculating his intentions.

Suddenly, the floor beneath him trembled, and the air grew dense with a suffocating force. The ship's defenses activated, and mechanical constructs emerged from the walls—towering, insect-like beings of metal and energy.

"Figures it wouldn't be easy," Peter said, readying himself.