From the other side of the portal, a skull tumbled forward.
It wore a torn Deadpool mask, its oxidized vertebra dangling below like a grotesque pendant. The bulging eyes lifted, catching sight of Johnny Storm's fiery trail vanishing into the sky.
"Damn it!" the severed head shouted. "That kid ran after running his mouth! Even more shameless than us!"
The disembodied Deadpool head rallied the horde behind it.
"Brothers, we have to catch him, hand him to Cassandra, and let her devour him whole!"
The Deadpools roared with excitement.
A child-sized Deadpool squeaked, "We should coat his donut with honey so Cassandra licks him from front to back!"
"Oh, kid, I love your terrible ideas," another cackled as more Deadpools surged toward the portal with guns, katanas, and wild grins.
Among them marched a Golden Age Deadpool with a gas mask, a Cowboy Deadpool twirling revolvers, Zenpool in meditation pose, even female Deadpools with dangerously confident smiles. Hundreds moved together, their crimson uniforms merging into a tide of madness, like lunatics breaking free from an asylum.
"He must have run far," one muttered. "I say we track him, find the survivors' hideout, and tell them ghost stories all night."
"Fine, but we notify Cassandra first," another corrected.
"Then ghost stories!"
"Let's poke their donuts!"
"Wait!" a Deadpool finally shouted. "Aren't those people Johnny's companions? Aren't they the survivors?"
The mob suddenly froze. Their masked eyes fixed on Malrick's group.
"Wait a sec… behind that Superman wannabe… is that Peter?"
"Peter?"
"Peter?!"
"Where's Peter!?"
"Holy shit, there are three of them!"
Gasps of shock turned into cries of delight.
"My favorite Peter is here!"
The horde's murderous intent evaporated, replaced by a disturbingly pure obsession.
Garfield-Spider's scalp tingled as the Deadpools' gazes locked onto them like starving wolves spotting prey.
"God, I've got a bad feeling."
"Me too…" Toby-Spiderman muttered, his throat dry.
The two instinctively shuffled backward, hiding behind Malrick.
"Malrick, don't let them come closer!" Garfield begged.
The Deadpools didn't hesitate. They surged toward the portal in a frenzy, stabbing and trampling each other just to be first through. Knives slashed, limbs flew, and every one of them screamed the same word:
"Peter!"
The severed Deadpool head dove like a lovesick missile. "Peter, I'm coming!"
Garfield's face twisted in panic. "Why are they looking at us like perverts!?"
He grabbed Malrick by the waist in desperation. "Do something, Malrick, or you'll be French-kissed with us!"
Toby-Spider said nothing. He simply followed Garfield's lead and clung to Malrick as well.
"You two!?" Wanda's eyes widened, stunned by the sight.
"Let's go," Gwen muttered, pulling Wanda back. "Whatever happens next, I don't want to see it."
On the far side, Holland-Spiderman froze in terror. "Deadpool… it's Deadpool!" He dove behind Tony. "Mr. Stark, save me!"
"What? Deadpools are scary now?" Tony frowned, unamused.
"Every Deadpool has a Peter in their world," Malrick explained quickly. "And they're all… obsessed."
He glanced at the two Spider-Men clinging to him. "But did you have to hug me like this?"
Garfield snapped back, voice cracking, "If a hundred Deadpools wanted to leave kiss marks on your face, paw you with dirty hands, and grab your spider eggs—would you stay calm?!"
He squeezed tighter. "If you don't help, we'll toss you in too, I bet they'll love Superman as well!"
"Enough, Peter. I'm disgusted just hearing you."
Malrick's expression twitched as he raised a hand. With a wave, the portal snapped shut. Dozens of Deadpool limbs were severed clean, tumbling to the ground.
Before the severed head could crash into them, Malrick's eyes glowed red. A beam of heat vision pierced the skull mid-flight, reducing it to ash.
Its final cry of "Peter!" echoed like a tragic lover's farewell.
"Unreasonable. Completely insane," Tony muttered, shifting uncomfortably. Even he, battle-hardened as he was, looked disturbed.
The three Spider-Men pulled off their masks, wiping the sweat from their foreheads.
"Thanks, Malrick," Garfield and Toby said in unison. "You saved us again."
"You're welcome," Malrick replied calmly, though a faint smirk tugged at his lips. His sharp hearing already picked up the roar of hundreds of motorcycles revving a few miles away. The Deadpools weren't done—they were riding straight for them.
On the battlefield of obsession, Deadpool Corps were unmatched.
"Peter!"
The main Deadpool, still locked in Wolverine's chokehold, suddenly wailed.
The three Spider-Men flinched in horror, only to realize it was just their Deadpool being dramatic.
"Are you serious about the garlic breath joke? Tell me you're joking! My heart… it's hard!"
Wolverine jabbed a claw into his throat, silencing him. "It should be breaking, idiot."
Deadpool stabbed back with a tiny knife. "You monster! You're keeping me from my dear Peter!"
Garfield groaned, pinching his nose. "Trash can breath, that's what it is. Garlic is too polite."
At that, Gwen and Wanda both took another cautious step back, putting as much distance as they could between themselves and the Spider-Men.
___
Milestone
100 Power stones = 1 Bonus Chapter.