Chapter 212: Kamen Rider Killbus Spider, Entering the Stage!
Ethan wasn't angry. Not even close.
Miguel had been putting up obstacles at every turn, but Ethan had never once considered hitting him. Miguel wasn't an enemy — not in any meaningful sense. Ethan still needed the Spider-Society. He'd never had any interest in taking Miguel's job; everything this organization did, it still needed Miguel to do. What Ethan needed, the only thing he actually needed, was for Miguel to be convinced.
Not defeated. Convinced.
Miguel studied Ethan's face — that easy, unshakeable confidence — and felt the first flicker of genuine uncertainty. Does he actually have something?
He shrugged. "Fine. A Spider-Man suit. Show me one, I'll acknowledge you. But it has to be spider-themed — no Iron Man armor, no generic combat gear, nothing without actual spider elements."
He glanced past Ethan at Tobey-Peter and Garfield-Peter, both of whom had visibly started shifting their weight. "And nobody lends him theirs."
Miguel was almost certain this was a dead end. You couldn't manufacture a Spider-Man identity out of nothing.
Miles was staring at Ethan with everything he had. He's my only shot.
Garfield-Peter looked worried. Tobey-Peter did not. Tobey-Peter's expression was the calm of a man who had watched his master do enough impossible things that "conjure a spider-themed battle suit" didn't even register as a stretch. If Miguel had demanded Ethan become a spider, Tobey-Peter would have quietly assumed there was a plan for that too.
Every other Spider-Man in the room had their eyes on Ethan.
Ethan reached into his pocket.
One hand produced something that looked like a joystick controller. The other held a red box — angular, compact, shaped unmistakably like a spider.
Miguel's eyes narrowed. What is that.
"This," Ethan said, with a calm smile, "is my Spider-Man suit."
He clipped the joystick device to his waist. Then he reached back into his pocket and produced a red bottle, slotting it into the top of the red box with a clean, mechanical click — like a key finding a lock that had been waiting for it.
Ethan took one breath.
His hand moved across the joystick.
"Killbus Spider!"
"Are you ready?"
"Henshin."
Two enormous blood-red spider webs erupted into existence — one in front of him, one behind — massive and geometric and somehow alive, pulling inward from both directions simultaneously, converging on Ethan's body in a rotating crimson vortex.
The mechanical voice filled the hall, repeating, layering over itself:
"SPIDER!"
"SPIDER!!"
"Killbus Spider!"
The vortex collapsed inward and was gone.
What remained in its place was something else entirely.
The suit was deep crimson — not the cheerful red of a neighborhood Spider-Man, but something darker and more absolute, the red of something that had decided it was done being argued with. It radiated pressure the way a closed fist does. The design language was spider, unmistakably, but run through a filter that had stripped out every trace of approachability and replaced it with something that made the air feel heavier just standing near it.
Kamen Rider Killbus Spider. Entering the stage.
The assembled Spider-Men of the multiverse stared.
Then everyone started talking at once.
"Holy — that suit is insane, I would commit crimes for that suit—"
"That's the coolest thing I've ever seen and I have literally been to every universe—"
"...My suit looks like something I found in a lost and found bin. I need a moment."
"Okay but it's probably just for show. Could be totally useless."
"I would happily be useless in that suit. Happily."
"What's the vibe — Hell Spider-Man? It smells like death and I mean that as a compliment."
"No, did you not hear the voice? It said Killbus Spider. That's his name."
"Wait, he just has his own transformation sound effects? Did he press play on his phone? Either way I'm doing that next time — you have to admit it's incredibly cool."
"I always thought the boss had the best suit in any universe. I was wrong. I was so wrong."
"Why do the rest of us look like we're going to a community theater audition and this man looks like that."
Miguel wasn't laughing. He wasn't even reacting to the noise. He was looking at Ethan — really looking — and what he felt through the pressure rolling off that suit was something he didn't want to acknowledge.
The aura alone was almost enough to make his instincts step back.
"Well," Ethan said. His voice was unhurried. "Do I qualify?"
Miguel was quiet for a moment that lasted slightly too long.
Then he nodded.
Ethan didn't drop the transformation. He turned toward Gwen instead. "Take Miles home. Help him save his father." He glanced back. "Peter — both of you, go with them."
Miles's head snapped toward Ethan, then to Gwen, eyes lit up with something fragile and urgent.
Gwen didn't move right away. She looked at Miguel first. Whatever else was happening, he was still in charge here.
Miguel's expression tightened. He drew in a breath. He was about to speak—
"Miguel." Ethan's voice was quiet. "I'm not asking. I'm letting you know."
Something moved behind Miguel's eyes. A flicker of something that was not quite anger and not quite respect and was probably some combination of both.
"You know what I can do," Ethan continued. "You know what my people can do. The universe won't break. Let them go." A beat. "Whatever happens — it's on me."
Miguel held the eye contact. "He's an anomaly by nature. You're certain you can guarantee it?"
Ethan didn't answer. He just looked at Gwen.
Gwen looked at Miguel.
Miguel said nothing.
That was enough. Gwen caught Miles by the arm and started moving toward the dimensional transit equipment, calling for the byte-spider unit as she went.
Miles stopped at the threshold. He turned back.
He bowed.
"Thank you, Mr. Cross." His voice was steady, but just barely. "You're the only one who—"
"One thing," Ethan said. "Don't mix up the coordinates. You want your universe. Not Earth-42."
Miles nodded once, hard, and then he was gone with Gwen through the portal.
Ethan watched until the light closed behind them.
Then he turned back to Miguel.
"Since you still don't believe what I can do," he said, "let's settle it."
Miguel's mask was already forming over his face.
The assembled Spider-Men immediately forgot every other concern they had.
"Okay who wins this — anyone?"
"My money's on Mr. Cross. I also want the boss to win. I'm experiencing conflict."
"Odds are opening — Cross at 1-to-1, boss at 1-to-5."
"Are you KIDDING me, that's how little you believe in him?!"
"Look at the suit! Look at the presence! Cross outclasses him on aesthetics alone and I think aesthetics count!"
"I'm betting on the boss, final answer—"
"You put in ten dollars? A ten dollar bet? There are infinite universes and Spider-Men are somehow always broke, I cannot believe this—"
☆☆☆
-> 20 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Inkshaper
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you