A small favor.
All it took was a small favor to resurrect his Aunt May Parker.
To bring back the relative who lost her life because he made a mistake.
A few minutes ago, Peter Parker's heart was already plunged into utter despair, as if nothing in life held any meaning.
What superhero, what selfless dedication—
At that moment, all those words lost their significance, including everything he had done.
For Peter Parker, many of the things he did were on a whim—he'd just do whatever came to mind.
Whether it was going to Mr. Fantastic—
They were all ideas that flashed in Peter Parker's head.
But he never considered the consequences.
Ronan once told him: the choice you make today, tomorrow you will bear its result—whether it's good or bad.
Now, Peter Parker truly understood what those words meant.
He also figured out that hint Ronan had once implied but never plainly stated.
But by now, everything was too late.
"No—it's not too late!"
Peter Parker abruptly raised his head to look at the soul form of May Parker.
That familiar face was the relative who raised him and paid for his schooling, helping him grow up.
He couldn't let May Parker die just like that!
"What do I do?"
Peter Parker turned his gaze to Vini.
At that moment, Vini smiled slightly. With her left hand, she drew another circle in the air.
A flashing, golden portal appeared. This time, someone fell through the portal from midair.
Bang!
He slammed heavily onto the ground.
Though his face was obscured, from his attire and the cloak around him, there was no mistaking that this person was Strange!
"M-Mr. Strange?"
Peter Parker's eyes widened.
He didn't know why Strange was here, looking so badly injured.
Wasn't Strange trapped in that Mirror Dimension by him?
What was going on?
Peter Parker lifted his head, staring at Vini with a face full of questions.
But Vini did not explain. She just spoke: "The small favor I need from you is… kill him."
Rumble!
Once again, lightning flashed across the sky.
The thunderous glow lit up Peter Parker's perplexed face.
Kill him?
That's…Doctor Strange!
"K-Kill him?"
Peter Parker repeated mechanically.
"Yes, kill him."
"Maybe you're unaware—resurrecting someone isn't as simple as a quick spell."
"To bring someone back, it requires enormous magic power and life force."
"And he is, for now, the best candidate for that."
"Once you kill him, I'll absorb his life force and magic. Then I'll merge May Parker's soul with that life force and re-inject it into her body."
"The resurrection ritual will then be complete."
Vini beamed at Peter Parker, as though awaiting his decision.
But her words plunged him into turmoil.
The situation before him was very straightforward—just two choices.
To resurrect May Parker, he had to sacrifice Strange; that was Vini's stated requirement.
If he didn't kill Strange, May Parker would remain dead, and Peter Parker would have to bear his choice's outcome.
Yet neither option was acceptable to him.
Strange was once his comrade, helping him countless times. More importantly, Peter Parker simply couldn't bring himself to do it!
Aside from defending Earth against alien invaders, Peter Parker… seemingly had never killed anyone?
Even Mysterio, who snatched the glasses Tony Stark left behind, ended up exposing Peter's identity, yet Peter never personally struck him down. As a result, his identity was revealed.
"Think about it. Wasn't he the one who caused all these troubles?"
Just then, Vini's voice sounded again.
Peter Parker raised his head, looking at Vini.
"If he hadn't messed up the spell, he wouldn't have brought those people to your universe."
"That includes me and Ronan as well."
"Without them showing up in your universe, you wouldn't have made that choice, and May Parker wouldn't have died."
"So everything weighing on your conscience right now is because of him."
Now, Vini's tone held a peculiar sense of temptation, as if she'd pierced through that last bit of deep-down thought in Peter Parker's mind.
Could it be that Peter Parker had never considered this scenario Vini mentioned?
Certainly, he had.
But he couldn't voice it.
Now, Vini had laid bare the thought he'd kept buried.
Peter Parker felt overwhelmed.
"Think of it as him paying with his life for the failed spell."
"That punishment shouldn't fall on you, nor May Parker."
"So go ahead—do it."
Vini pressed him further with her words.
In the pouring rain, Peter Parker lowered his head and looked at Strange, lying motionless on the ground.
He raised his arm slightly.
If he fired a strand of web at Strange's neck and pulled hard…
Strange would lose his life on the spot!
And May Parker would be resurrected because of it.
"When May Parker is resurrected, I'll also help you with the casting to fulfill your wish."
"Isn't that what you originally wanted—all those who know Peter Parker is Spider-Man to forget it?"
"I can help you with that too."
Finally, Vini threw out her ultimate bombshell!
Peter Parker snapped his head up, staring in disbelief.
That was his initial request. It was the very reason he approached Strange in the first place.
If it could truly be as Vini said—both resurrecting May Parker and making everyone forget Spider-Man's identity…wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?
The only hurdle was sacrificing Strange…
Thinking of this, Peter Parker's wrist shot out a strand of web, sticking to Strange's neck. A single tug of his right hand would dislocate Strange's neck, killing him instantly.
Then everything could start over!
Heavy raindrops pelted Peter Parker's face, making it hard for him to keep his eyes open.
Two voices fought in his mind.
One voice told him to do it—just a little force, and May Parker would return by his side, and he could reboot every choice he made.
No one would know who he was, nor disturb his life again.
He could see May Parker every day, and happily hang out with Ned and MJ.
Wouldn't that trade be a win?
The other voice screamed at him to stop.
That voice asked: Once Aunt May is resurrected, would she truly be happy if she knew you killed someone else to make it happen?
When your friends, your loved ones, discover that to correct your mistake, you took an innocent life—what would they think?
More importantly, that person is innocent.
You're just blaming everything on Strange to satisfy your own selfish desire.
Would Spider-Man still be Spider-Man?
These voices kept battling in Peter Parker's brain.
After a few minutes of silence, Peter Parker abruptly severed the web.
"No, I can't do it!"
He turned away, tears streaming down his cheeks.
"I don't want Aunt May to awaken only to learn that I killed someone to bring her back."
"She'd never accept that—and neither can I."
"I don't want to face my friends, and when they ask me what happened, I'd have to lie again and again."
"I don't want that."
"I can't do it!"
Peter Parker's voice echoed through the dark street, even the pouring rain couldn't drown it out.
Lightning flashed across the clouds, reflecting his turbulent heart.
This night was undeniably the hardest for Peter Parker to forget.
He not only lost his sole remaining relative.
He faced a choice: kill Strange to revive May Parker—and he refused.
For him, all of this was undoubtedly etched in his soul.
He was weak, he had a saintly heart, and he'd always faced the world with a child's mindset.
But precisely because of that, he made tonight's choice.
As Ronan said, every cost has its ups and downs, and you have to learn to deal with it.
Vini quietly watched Peter Parker's back, her expression calm.
After a few seconds, a smile appeared on her face.
"Not bad—you passed my test."
When she said this, Peter Parker, still immersed in sorrow, froze where he stood.
He turned, puzzled.
He didn't know why she said that.
What did she mean by 'passed her test'?
"You didn't really think I'd have you—a kid—go kill someone, did you?"
Vini smiled, glancing at Strange on the ground.
Her words reignited a glimmer of hope in Peter Parker's heart.
"Wh-what do you mean?"
He stepped forward, confused yet hopeful.
"If you had chosen to take someone else's life to achieve your own goal, I wouldn't have helped you."
"In our universe, people who sacrifice others for their own ends always come to a bad end."
"So everything just now was a test for you."
"And you passed."
Vini waved her hand lightly, taking out a small orb.
The soul of May Parker floating at her right merged gradually into it.
When the entire soul had merged, Peter Parker clearly saw May Parker's face appear within the orb—eyes closed, at rest.
Before Peter Parker could question her, Vini tossed the orb over.
He hurriedly caught it, carefully inspecting it, afraid something might be wrong.
"This orb is one of my magical artifacts; it can hold a person's soul."
"As soon as you find May Parker's body and use the method I'll teach you, you can resurrect her."
Vini looked at Peter Parker with a smile.
In his eyes, she was like an angel—one who spread happiness and erased regrets.
"Why are you helping me?"
"I mean, we're strangers meeting for the first time tonight."
"You must want something from me in return for doing me such a big favor?"
Holding the orb, Peter Parker looked at Vini.
Even someone as naïve as he was realized there's no free burger falling from the sky.
"First, I just think you're a decent person. You made mistakes only because you're immature."
"But those mistakes aren't unforgivable; they can be tolerated."
"So I want to help you make up for them."
Vini smiled, then her gaze shifted in another direction.
"That's all there is to it?"
Peter Parker still couldn't quite believe it.
"Of course, like you said, if I help you, you must help me."
"I need you to kill Ronan!"
That line was another thunderbolt striking Peter Parker's heart.
His smile froze, his shoulders slumped.
Kill again, was it?
Was there really no other way?
"Don't assume killing is always wrong. Everything has two sides."
"If you're faced with a mass murderer, killing him will stain your hands with blood."
"But by doing so, perhaps one universe, or many universes, are spared from catastrophe."
"What would you choose?"
Vini seemed to sense Peter Parker's thoughts, continuing her explanation.
Peter Parker lifted his head again, perplexed.
"You're saying Ronan… is a mass murderer?"
He was incredulous, because he'd interacted with Ronan, even had conversations.
At that time, neither Ronan's speech nor behavior suggested a murderous maniac.
More importantly, when Peter Parker was about to free Norman Osborn and the rest, Ronan had used words to hint at him.
But at the time, Peter Parker failed to get the hint.
"Yes."
"Because of him, Earth was ravaged by a terrifying crisis in my world."
"In that crisis, millions died. Countless families were torn apart, people became homeless."
"Children couldn't find their parents, parents lost their children."
"The whole Earth sank into unprecedented horror."
"All… because of him."
At this point, the typically calm Vini was consumed by hatred.
From her eyes, Peter Parker saw a deep murderous intent.
If it were Ronan lying on the ground instead of Strange, it seemed Vini would have torn him limb from limb.
"He did that?"
Peter Parker's jaw dropped in shock.
He couldn't imagine that the aloof boy who'd seemed only somewhat cold could commit such a monstrous act.
More importantly, how could he remain so composed afterward, as if knowing nothing?
"Maybe you don't believe it, but that's what I've experienced."
"He not only tricked you—he fooled many in this universe."
"They all think Ronan's a good person."
"In reality, Ronan is nothing but a butcher!"
"All because of his—"
Vini didn't finish the sentence, but her hatred spoke volumes.
Peter Parker took a deep breath. A flame called "the superhero spirit" ignited once more in his heart.
If what Vini said was true, he definitely couldn't let Ronan return to his old universe.
Such carnage couldn't happen again!
"I agree."
Peter Parker seemed to have reached a decision, raising his head at Vini, whose face brimmed with loathing.
"But before that, I must first end the mess I created. I can't let them hurt innocent people."
He was referring to those he had freed.
They possessed formidable powers, and letting them run rampant would cost countless lives.
He had to stop them!
Hearing these words, Vini smiled.
"Alright, take these."
Once again, she opened a mystic portal. Four black boxes floated toward Peter Parker.
He took them and glanced at Vini with confusion.
"These four boxes you'll place at four locations in New York; the exact points will appear on the boxes themselves."
"They can seal Ronan's magic and prevent him from escaping."
"After you retrieve May Parker's body, come find me here."
She tapped the air lightly with her right hand, and an address suddenly imprinted itself in Peter Parker's mind.
He was amazed at that method.
"Also, I've modified the spell in the Receptacle of Restoration. After using it, those people you capture will be banished to their original universe."
"But I and Ronan will remain."
"When I've finished off Ronan, I'll leave on my own."
Vini looked calmly at Peter Parker, as though she had planned everything.
He nodded, keeping these items.
"Go. Do what you must."
"Remember, show no sign of anything. Just follow your script."
After speaking, Vini waved her hand, sending a gust of wind across Peter Parker.
He shivered slightly, his sorrow again welling up.
Casting Vini one last glance, he shot a web from his right hand and vanished into the dark distance.
Gazing after Peter Parker's weary silhouette, Vini slowly smiled.
"Ronan, it seems that 'naivety and a saintly heart' you deride isn't entirely worthless."
"People always overlook tiny details, right?"
"You will die in those details."
"Achoo!"
At a hospital in New York, Strange sat on a hospital bed, repeatedly sneezing.
Ronan and Wong sat on a sofa across the room, wary of catching his cold.
"You're so feeble."
"Just a bit of rain and you've got that severe a cold?"
"Don't go around telling people you're one of us."
Ronan eyed the full bin of tissues and couldn't help curling his lip.
Who would've thought a dignified former Sorcerer Supreme could catch a cold from a bit of rain?
It'd be laughable if people heard it!
"Bit of rain? Easy for you to say."
"That was a night of r—achoo—a night of rain!"
Strange glared at Ronan, his congestion so heavy it was hard to understand him.
There's a difference between some rain and a whole night of rain.
"Four broken ribs, multiple fractures, severe break in the left calf with a risk of permanent disability."
"Additionally, extensive bruising, mild concussion, occasional nausea and vomiting."
Yue…
Before Wong could finish reading the entire medical record, Strange on the bed started dry-heaving.
Watching him, Wong tossed the file aside.
According to the doctor, with that many injuries plus a night of rain, Strange was lucky not to burn up and die.
If a morning jogger in New York hadn't discovered Strange lying on the street—and if the hospital hadn't phoned Wong for payment—Ronan and the others wouldn't even know Strange was in this state.
"Seriously, how'd you manage to get so banged up dealing with a few superpowered baddies?"
"Seems you need a few more days of training at Kamar-Taj."
Wong looked away in distaste, feeling embarrassed as the Sorcerer Supreme.
When had a Kamar-Taj sorcerer ever suffered such humiliation?
(Excluding the time Thanos snapped his fingers, which was an irresistible force, and they eventually made a comeback anyway.)
"I suspect he wasn't beaten by those guys," Ronan said, narrowing his eyes. He figured it wasn't so simple.
Because when those guys backstabbed Peter Parker, Ronan was on the scene—Strange was nowhere to be found. More importantly, the timing didn't match.
Why did Ronan think so? According to the timing of the address he gave Strange, Strange should've found Peter Parker two or three hours before that incident. Yet at that point, Parker clearly didn't meet Strange.
If Strange had been hiding to ambush them, it still didn't make sense. He couldn't have predicted they'd turn on Parker. Even if he used experience to guess they'd "rebel," he didn't appear when they actually did. So there was definitely more to it.
"Certainly… achoo… not that simple!"
Having stopped dry-heaving, Strange spoke, blowing his nose heavily and breathing raggedly.
"I just left Kamar-Taj and ran headlong into someone."
"Guess who?"
He looked at Ronan across the room.
Ronan raised an eyebrow, and a name came to mind.
"That woman named Vini?"
He sensed from Strange's tone that Ronan also knew her. Someone who could beat Strange this badly and was acquainted with Ronan… had to be Vini.
"When did you learn her name?"
"What's up with you two—achoo—anyway?"
Strange eyed Ronan suspiciously, an air of gossip about him.
He didn't suspect Ronan of colluding with her. After all, last time they met, they fought to the death, culminating in her self-destruction unleashing Dark Dimension energy. If not for Ronan's intervention, who knows if this universe would still stand.
"What relationship could I have with her? I've seen her twice."
"The last time was on the rooftop of the New York Sanctum. She caused that explosion."
"And the time before that was when we saw her together."
Ronan curled his lip. He wouldn't associate with such a crazy woman.
Besides, if he truly knew such a woman, as a sixteen or seventeen-year-old with peak power, still a virgin… he would've tamed her by now.
No matter if "thirty like…" or "forty like…," he'd topple them all.
"She did this to you?"
Ronan suddenly seemed to realize something.
But the astonished look on his face annoyed Strange.
"What's wrong with that?"
"You know how strong she is?"
"She not only knows every spell I do, she also has some I've never seen."
Strange desperately defended himself. He looked like a certain someone named Kong, rationalizing "it's not stealing, it's borrowing."
"But last time we met, I floored her with one punch."
"She didn't really fight back."
Ronan shrugged. He truly didn't think the woman was that strong.
Strange's face darkened.
"What are you saying, huh!"
"You're belittling my ability?"
"I risked my life for intelligence—achoo!"
"Nearly died, and this is how you repay me!"
Strange nearly coughed out his heart.
Seeing his flushed face, Ronan decided not to press on.
Even if he really believed that woman wasn't so strong.
"Fine, fine, my fault."
"She's too powerful. Letting me punch her away was just her concealing her strength, intending to trick me."
Ronan nodded repeatedly, speaking dismissively, but his thoughts had drifted elsewhere.
He wondered why this Vini wanted to stop Strange. If Strange's aim had been to stop Peter Parker, that meant something about Parker was important to Vini? Maybe those supervillains, or some other reason?
"I'd like to know, did she find you directly, or did you bump into her by chance?"
Ronan looked at Strange.
"Of course I went to that address you gave, then I ran into her. The moment I stepped through my mystic portal, she pulled me into the Mirror Dimension."
"Then…"
Strange paused, but Ronan understood. The rest was just him being beaten silly. In a single day, Strange had been defeated twice in the Mirror Dimension: once by superior wit, once by raw strength. Who knows which was more humiliating. Probably the first—after all, that was his own territory, and he was outsmarted by a kid. Strength you can train, but IQ…
"Strange thing is, you're a surgeon—once considered a genius. How'd you end up caught in the Mirror Dimension by a kid's webs?"
Ronan finally asked the question he'd wondered about.
Call him dumb? That's not possible—someone stupid can't handle all that medical jargon. But call him smart? He was easily bullied by a child…
Upon hearing this, Strange glared furiously and yanked up the blanket, as if to lie down.
But he forgot about his broken ribs and his poor left calf.
"Aaaugh!!!"
As expected, screams rang out on cue.
Ronan grimaced, as if feeling the pain with him. Even a muscle tear is painful, never mind multiple fractures.
Just then, Wong shot Ronan a look that said:
"Carry Strange back to Kamar-Taj—can't let him keep embarrassing himself here."
Ronan nodded. A mystic portal appeared before them.
Wong took out a stack of bills, laying them on the table—more than enough for Strange's medical fees.
Once Wong became the Sorcerer Supreme, his spending got bolder. At least he'd gotten several new outfits.
They crept quietly to Strange's bedside and exchanged glances. Suddenly, they acted in unison.
Lifting the blanket, each grabbed one of Strange's arms, hoisting him up.
"Hey, what are you mm mmm mmm—"
Before Strange could finish, Wong cast a "silencing spell," turning into a living "Silencer."
Then, with Strange in agonizing pain, they carried him straight to Kamar-Taj.
As they left, Wong even replaced the blanket on the bed.
A few minutes later, a nurse—eyes full of charm—walked in for rounds, only to find an empty bed.
She'd come to provide a "service," but the patient had left.
Seeing the stack of bills on the table, the nurse understood something.
"So, this is Doctor Strange?"
"Injured but still leaves without a break. Really cool!"