Spider-Man, Really That Strong?

Was Spider-Man really that strong?

The first Spider-Man was strongest. Relying on his own strength, he had managed to stop a runaway subway train barreling along at full speed in about half a minute.

Even after taking a series of brutal blows from Venom and a giant Sandman, he had pulled off an impressive comeback, driving more than a dozen steel pipes into concrete against the odds.

The second Spider-Man had fewer displays of strength, but in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, he had caught a car with one hand and used his body to stop a bus that was about to crush some pedestrians.

As for the third, he had beaten Falcon and Winter Soldier as soon as he appeared. In his fight with Captain America, he had even managed to suppress him for a while...

After all, Tang Tian had been with him since he first put the team together.

Since Tang Tian had asked, Fang Xiu couldn't ignore him. He pushed the thought aside, considered it briefly, then said:

"Granted, I don't think the Main God would throw a rookie team like ours in front of an overpowered monster like Clover. No matter how you look at it, last world you were still struggling with little ghosts, and now you're supposed to face a mythical monster. That would be absurd..."

"But the Main God has a mechanism that arranges trial worlds by calculating the Reincarnators' overall strength and the resources they've obtained."

"And I... am just a little stronger than the rest of you, and I've gotten a little more in the way of resources. So the difficulty is bound to rise."

Luckily, Fang Xiu hadn't held up his fingers to demonstrate what he meant by "a little." Otherwise, he might've been mistaken for a prime example of the fingertip universe.

As team leader, the sight of him subduing the Fusang Ghost King that night had won over every member present. His performance had been way over the top...

"So, before we make a battle plan, there's no need to exaggerate our fears or make the enemy out to be a monster. We should avoid blind optimism, too. Any upgrades we get should be chosen with the assumption that we'll have to deal with a large monster."

He finished his explanation.

"You mean... we should all buy high-tech gear for fighting giant monsters, Captain?" Emir, the burly werewolf, picked up on what he was saying, making no effort to hide how eager he was to improve.

In fact, he'd already benefited from technology.

In the Alien vs. Predator universe, he'd gotten extra resources beyond the main survival reward thanks to a Plasma Pistol. That had made him the second strongest member of the Shazhou Team—though the gap between him and the strongest was like heaven and earth.

And in the Hong Kong Ghost Stories instance, plasma had been effective against negative energy. Emir had used the special traits granted by his two Werewolf Lineage upgrades to tear through his enemies, while his high-energy weapon let him kill more efficiently. Once again, he'd widened the gap between his earnings and those of the other Reincarnators from his batch.

He'd accumulated one C-rank side-story reward and more than six thousand reward points!

As a result, he considered himself the team's second-in-command. A desire had gradually taken root in his heart: he wanted to catch up with Fang Xiu. He didn't expect to stand shoulder to shoulder with him, but at least he didn't want to be a mere extra in the background.

Taking advice was a virtue.

And it couldn't hurt.

After a quick assessment, Fang Xiu explained things more clearly. "To be precise, you should prepare to deal with a single elite monster, even if I'm confident I can hold Clover off head-on."

"Then I'll undergo Astartes modifications. Mutant werewolf bloodline, combined with the unique technology of the Warhammer universe."

Emir spoke without hesitation. His gaze even flicked toward Haida beside him, who had already received the Inquisitor Module upgrade. It seemed she'd inspired him.

Tang Tian, who had been the first to ask for Fang Xiu's opinion, looked a little helpless.

For an ordinary person to become a superhuman Space Marine like an Astartes, they had to undergo nineteen modification surgeries, most of which needed to start in childhood.

Furthermore, each operation increased the risks of the later procedures. The lucky few who survived the entire process were one in ten thousand.

But in the Main God Space, as long as you had enough resources, you could mold yourself after the Emperor with a fistful of S-rank side-story rewards, and there'd be nothing wrong with it—at least as far as the template went. How much you could develop, and how well you could convert it into power, was up to you.

"With healing light available at any moment, the risk of surgery is zero..."

"But a mutant werewolf turning into an Astartes, holding all kinds of high-energy weapons and shouting 'Loyalty! All for the Emperor!' is a pretty bizarre image."

Fang Xiu muttered to himself, then quickly came around—

The world of infinite reincarnation was full of crossovers. Vampires could mix with Chinese qigong, so why couldn't a werewolf serve the Emperor?

Besides, with the Main God around, there was no need to worry about things like faith.

"Sure, but why don't you think it over—"

Before he could finish, the first wave of enhancement light since the Shazhou Team's second battle descended.

Emir, whose desire to grow stronger was written all over his face and whose drive was almost abnormal, rose into the air. He didn't care that everyone could see him, even as he was reduced to a bloody mess.

The Main God performed the surgery itself!

First, it brutally opened his chest. Two rows of ribs spread like a butterfly's wings, revealing what lay inside...

Stage 1—Secondary Heart.

The simplest and most self-sufficient implanted organ. It could not only increase blood flow and draw out the body's potential, but also maintain normal bodily functions if the host's original heart was damaged, allowing him to adapt to multiple hostile environments.

Stage 2—Ossmodula.

Generally, ordinary people receiving these modifications were given special engineered hormones, which encouraged their bones to absorb the ceramic compounds added to Space Marine rations. Over time, this caused a beneficial mutation in their bone structure: their ribs grew into interlocking plates, overlapping and fusing together, while their entire skeleton grew larger.

Stage 3—Muscle Enhancement Organ.

Stage 4—Blood-Recycling Organ.

"These four operations are bundled together. They cost one C-rank side-story reward and one thousand five hundred reward points."

Using his team leader privileges, Fang Xiu instantly pulled up the relevant information and price list.

The Main God's explanation for bundling them together was that Space Marines had a large number of additional "biological components" inside them. The fourth step was absolutely essential. Their blood system had to evolve to work more efficiently!

"Werewolves are already known for their rapid healing. Now he's even tankier!" Tang Tian exclaimed, forgetting that he'd been cut in line.

A big guy! A Cantonese expression for a muscular, well-built man.

Emir had already been a wealthy Middle Eastern man who loved hunting and kept himself in great shape. After two rounds of strengthening his Werewolf Lineage, he'd become a towering, rugged bruiser.

Now... forget his actual combat strength. Just on appearance alone, he could stand in front of Hulk without being outmatched in sheer presence!

But the enhancement light hadn't faded.

The surgery continued.

After his chest, the next areas cut open by an invisible blade were his cervical and thoracic vertebrae.

Fang Xiu immediately saw what Emir was after. His funds were limited—or rather, after completing the basic modifications, he only wanted to add a few more targeted procedures for now.

Stage 8—Neuroclea.

The Main God inserted four high-tech nerve sheaths called Neuroclea into Emir's spine.

--They absorbed genetic material that stored an organism's memories, experiences, and innate abilities.

"He's already jumped to this step? It's very useful. If a Space Marine eats some part of an organism, he can randomly absorb some of that creature's memories and obtain a small amount of nutrients from them. That helps him survive in an alien environment."

Haida, who held a Power Sword, suddenly spoke up.

"Damn!"

Startled, Tang Tian blurted out his sudden guess. "Is this guy planning to eat some of the little monsters that fall off Clover, then digest traces of Seabed Nectar and fight while he eats?"

Before Fang Xiu could say anything, the next part of Emir's body touched by the enhancement light provided a clear answer—

His kidneys were stabbed twice. Pebble-like substances, covered in a rough, granular texture, connected to his two kidneys!

"Fourteenth surgical procedure: Pebble Kidney. It improves and regulates the circulatory system, allowing the other implanted organs to function steadily. At critical moments, it secretes a substance similar to adrenaline, letting the body push its potential to the limit.

"It can also filter the blood extremely quickly and efficiently. In particular, it works with the Secondary Heart to neutralize toxins in an emergency."

By this point, Fang Xiu had to give Emir credit.

Whatever the future held, Emir was a man with a mind of his own.

Technology and magic, combined.

He could dish out damage in supernatural instances, and he wouldn't be a liability in purely physical ones, either.

"The four basic modifications cost one C-rank side-story reward and one thousand five hundred reward points. The gene-scanning nerves are worth a C-rank side-story reward and another two thousand points. Each Pebble Kidney costs one D-rank side-story reward and five hundred reward points..."

At that moment, Tang Tian had already put himself in Emir's shoes and was calculating how many resources he had left.

The Main God's light gradually dimmed.

A material with the texture of black plastic film was cut into countless pieces and implanted under the skin of Emir's torso. It began to spread, hardening on the outside into a shell like primitive armor—thin, but definitely protective.

On the inside, nerve bundles reached deeper into his body, ready to connect with technological equipment.

"Main God, exchange for one double-D-rank suit of MKVI Power Armor from the Space Wolves Legion."

The moment he landed, Emir opened his wolfish eyes and made his request in a low voice.

The Main God granted it.

A suit of armor equipped with surveillance, medical care, and life support, and even including a Double-edged Great Axe, covered him. Its color was close to that of a glacier.

Clank... clank... clank...

At the same time, the Plasma Pistol that had accompanied Emir through the Iron-Blooded Trial returned to its Shoulder Cannon form. It slotted into his shoulder, connected to the nerves in his brain, and gained the ability to automatically acquire targets, fire, recharge, and adjust its power.

"Captain, I've still got a few hundred reward points. I can exchange them for an antidote and a genetic enhancement serum as extra insurance."

"Good."

Looking at the hulking man before him, who had undergone a transformation worthy of an epic, Fang Xiu nodded seriously.

"I..."

At that moment, Tang Tian wanted to speak. He was eager to grow stronger and transform himself completely.

Unfortunately... he'd been cut in line again.

[Aeldari Pureblood, Mid-Tier—From the Warhammer universe. The purest bloodline of the Space Eldar, not a shoddy, diluted strain that had spread to some savage planet.

After exchanging for it, you will gain combat skills engraved deep in your genes. Your coordination and balance will greatly improve, and your energy circulation, mental strength, neural reflexes, and other attributes will all be enhanced. You will possess an innate talent for high-level psychic abilities and unlock the Eldar Combat Path.]

[Note: After modifications by the Main God, the weakness of casting a Warp projection no longer exists. Unless the exchanger chooses to do so, it will not attract the attention of Void Predators in general sci-fi or fantasy worlds.]

The projection on the screen displayed Haida's choice.

Eldar? Psychic powers? Warp? Was the Shazhou Team even loyal enough...

A werewolf had chosen an upgrade aligned with the Emperor.

The Arab woman who had originally exchanged for the Inquisitor Module had changed course halfway, choosing an Eldar bloodline instead.

The three newcomers exchanged glances.

Ye Mei, the one Fang Xiu was most interested in, quietly made an inquiry. The Great Light Sphere provided a very basic explanation: the Eldar, also known as the Aeldari, were one of the oldest species in the Warhammer galaxy, with highly advanced technology and exceptionally developed psychic abilities.

Back when humanity was still trying to make fire by rubbing sticks together, the Eldar Empire had already reached its height—and then fallen from its position as a vast empire that ruled the stars...

"A B-rank exchange that'll drain your main-quest rewards. You really never do things the ordinary way."

Fang Xiu said with feeling.

But when he met her steady, watery-blue eyes, he said, "Since the Main God has waived the related side effects, and you're willing to do it, go ahead and exchange."

--In the initial instance, she'd killed a Facehugger with a pistol and passed the Reincarnator certification on her own.

--Knowing she'd be entering the Hong Kong Ghost Stories instance, she'd exchanged for the Inquisitor Module, then returned alive with a Power Sword and a Plasma Pistol.

Everything pointed to one thing: this woman, who liked to hide her face and usually kept a low profile, was not only independent-minded, but capable as well.

What more could Fang Xiu say?

Eldar Combat Path.

He hoped she'd shine against the backdrop of a monster horror film...

"Besides the main-quest rewards, I've accumulated one C-rank side-story reward from killing ghosts. I plan to spend thirty days training first, turning the bloodline into combat power before I decide which skill to exchange for or what equipment to add."

"No problem. Arrange things however you like. I trust you."

And so, the Main God's enhancement light descended.

The Arab woman, who had never willingly shown her true face, bathed in its glow. Her eyes grew strange, as if filled with a peculiar allure.

Tang Tian: "..."

Emir the rich guy.

Haida the rich girl.

No wonder they were born and raised in the Shazhou region. They each had at least one B-rank side-story reward.

Without thinking, he glanced toward Odubiao, the uncle who hauled bananas. It wasn't that he thought a person with terrible luck would be hiding much of a fortune...

"Heh-heh, you go ahead and upgrade first." The Black man with a halo over his head grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth. "I'm in no hurry. I've already picked out a target; I just need to confirm it with the captain."

The three newcomers: "..."

They'd witnessed the veterans' entire enhancement process, so naturally they were itching for a turn, their hearts pounding with anticipation. And with Fang Xiu refusing to force any particular path on them, it was only natural that they'd secretly connect to the Main God and start searching and filtering through the options.

"Boss."

His tone carried a hint of grievance.

Looking at his fellow countryman, Fang Xiu could only sigh. "Go ahead. It's the same as always: I'll just offer advice."

"The initial D-rank Mutant Spider Lineage definitely won't be enough. I'll upgrade the bloodline twice first. Spider-Sense, Wall-Crawling, and Tough Webbing can still be useful, especially the sense..."

Sorry to keep you waiting. This is a double-length chapter.

It feels pretty satisfying to see a team taking shape in my hands, haha. I had a lot of fun writing this, but I have a day job and limited time during the day, plus the usual overtime...

I'll try to find time to stockpile chapters. When it goes on sale, I'll post a big burst of updates. Thank you all for your support and encouragement! My deepest thanks.