"Nullion? What is that?"
Miguel's brow furrowed as he processed this unfamiliar term, the holographic displays of the Spider-Society headquarters casting flickering shadows across his weathered face. The name alone sent an uncomfortable chill down his spine, and if his instincts were correct, it had something to do with those mysterious watch devices that seemed to defy all conventional understanding.
"An enemy that theoretically shouldn't exist," Ben replied, his voice carrying a weight that made the already tense atmosphere in the room even heavier.
"A non-existent enemy?" Miguel's confusion deepened, his red eyes narrowing behind his mask. "If it doesn't exist, why should we be concerned about it? We have enough real threats to deal with."
Ben raised his hand and tapped the surface of the Ultimatrix, the device pulsing softly with its familiar green light. "You should understand by now," he said evenly, "this device on my wrist is called the Ultimatrix. It grants me the power to transform into alien heroes from across the universe and harness their abilities."
Miguel nodded slowly, his analytical mind already working to process the implications. The air in the room seemed to thicken as he waited for Ben to continue.
"The Nemetrix that Daemos mentioned earlier," Ben's voice took on a grimmer tone, "is a device that exists for one purpose, to hunt and destroy the user of this watch. I call it the Nemetrix."
Miguel's expression shifted dramatically, color draining from his visible features as the full horror of the revelation struck him. His hands clenched into fists at his sides. "Are you telling me that all the genetic templates recorded in that device are specifically the natural predators of the aliens you can transform into? Like... like mice and cats, prey and predator... Inheritors and Spider-totems?"
"If only it were that simple," Ben shook his head, his shoulders sagging slightly under the weight of the knowledge he carried. The defeat in his voice was palpable, echoing through the high-tech chamber. "While we never expected to encounter natural enemies in this form, we did prepare contingencies for unexpected situations. With the Ultimate Evolution function, we should theoretically be able to handle ordinary predators."
"What's the Ultimate Evolution function?" Peter asked, his youthful curiosity breaking through the growing tension like a ray of sunlight piercing storm clouds.
Ben's eyes brightened slightly as he explained, grateful for the chance to focus on something more hopeful. "The process involves extracting the genetic material of alien and subjecting them to the harshest possible environment their species could face, for a million years of simulated evolution."
Peter's eyes widened with fascination, practically bouncing on his feet. "That sounds incredible! So they overcome all their weaknesses?"
"Because the environment is specifically designed to be maximally hostile," Ben continued, though his expression grew somber, "if these alien want to survive, they're forced to evolve beyond their existing limitations and become something far more powerful than their base forms."
"Wow, that's amazing!" Peter exclaimed, his enthusiasm infectious despite the dire circumstances.
However, Ben's expression darkened as he added, "The process is... extraordinarily painful. The evolutionary pressure required to force such dramatic changes..." He trailed off, shaking his head. "I can only hope these alien consciousnesses don't resent us for putting them through that agony."
Spider-Woman, who had been quietly observing from her position near the wall, adjusted her stance to accommodate her swollen belly and asked, "Since you have this ultimate evolution, shouldn't we be able to handle those natural enemies? What exactly is this 'Nullion' you mentioned?"
"Nullion is the natural enemies of Alien X!" Ben said.
Ben found a nearby chair and settled into it with a weary sigh that seemed to carry the weight of countless battles. Without hesitation, he interfaced his artificial intelligence, Azmuth, with the central control system of the Spider-Society headquarters. The seamless integration made Miguel's eyebrow twitch with a mixture of admiration and irritation.
"Hey!" The facility's original AI, Lyla, practically materialized in a fit of digital indignation, her holographic form flickering with agitation. "This is my home! Miguel, remove this interloper immediately!"
Miguel remained silent, though his imposing frame seemed somehow diminished in Ben's presence. The uncomfortable truth was that the power differential between them was staggering, even without the Ultimatrix, Ben could overwhelm him as easily as an adult disciplining a child.
"Just... tolerate it for now," Miguel muttered reluctantly.
"Lights on," Ben commanded through Azmuth's interface.
Instantly, the perpetually dim chamber flooded with bright, warm illumination, transforming the space from its usual brooding cave-like atmosphere into something resembling a proper command center.
Ben exhaled in relief, stretching slightly in his chair. "Much better. Miguel, I'm not trying to be critical, but your headquarters is darker than a tomb. Just because you're Spider-Man doesn't mean you need to make your base look like you're living in the sewers."
Peter and Spider-Woman exchanged glances and couldn't suppress their snickers, the tension breaking momentarily.
"Just continue explaining Nullion," Miguel said stiffly, clearly uncomfortable with the bright lighting.
"One alien I have on this watch is called Alien X, and Alien X possesses omnipotent power," Ben began, his voice taking on the cadence of someone explaining a fundamental force of nature. "Complete reality manipulation, multiversal creation and destruction, temporal manipulation, anything you can imagine, and many things you can't, all accomplished with a single thought."
The assembled Spider-heroes listened in stunned silence, their minds struggling to comprehend such absolute power. It was like trying to understand the concept of infinity, theoretically possible but practically overwhelming.
"So Alien X could break the Spider-curse with just a thought?" Miguel's entire body trembled with barely contained hope and desperation. "Reverse time, change all our painful histories, undo every tragedy?"
For a moment, Miguel's disciplined facade cracked completely. His mind raced with possibilities, the universe he had accidentally destroyed, the family he had lost, all the Spider-people who had suffered and died. The power to dominate causality itself existed within arm's reach!
His gaze toward the Ultimatrix became intensely focused, almost hungry.
Of course, he had no intention of theft, but the desperate desire to plead with Ben to undo those space tragedies burned within him like a fever.
Ben recognized the look immediately, he had seen it too many times before. Before Miguel could voice his request, Ben shook his head firmly. "No, Miguel. Alien X isn't some cosmic wish-machine that bends reality for fun. Inside him are two beings, Enara and Ouyana—each with their own will and judgment. Every action, every decision, has to pass their agreement first. They don't grant personal wishes; they decide what serves the greater good.."
The idea of using Alien X as a personal problem-solver was something that not only the two space personalities would reject, but that Ben himself found fundamentally wrong. He explained the complex decision-making process required for Alien X to act, watching Miguel's desperate hope slowly deflate.
Peter, sensing the increasingly heavy emotional atmosphere, quickly changed the subject. "Wait, if Alien X is truly omnipotent, how can it possibly have a natural enemy? That's a logical paradox."
The question hung in the air like a puzzle that defied solution. If both beings possessed unlimited power, how could either hunt the other? Would they simply cancel each other out? Was the stalemate between the two personalities the only thing preventing space annihilation?
"That's exactly why I said this is a natural enemy that shouldn't theoretically exist," Ben explained, his voice heavy with the frustration of confronting an impossibility made real.
Nullion was a natural enemy that had never truly appeared before—an invention by the screenwriter to personify the online trolls constantly battling for dominance across the internet. Yet when the actual Nemetrix surfaced, Bant couldn't shake the doubt. Perhaps the Nullion the writer had once mentioned so casually wasn't just a metaphor after all.
After all, their levels of existence were worlds apart. It was like comparing a mortal tale to the words of the One-Above-All, the being whose every thought could reshape the entire Marvel Omniverse.
Maybe that offhand setting, created just to mock power-scaling debates and internet flame wars, had become reality in the simplest, most terrifying way possible.
Spider-Woman remained silent for a long moment, processing the implications before asking, "Don't we still have the Ultimate Evolution? if Alien X evolved for a million years, couldn't it overcome Nullion?"
"The Ultimate Evolution has no effect on Alien X," Ben explained, shaking his head with grim finality.
"I suppose it's difficult to imagine what kind of environment would be considered harsh for an omnipotent being," Peter mused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as he tried and failed to visualize such a scenario.
"Beyond that," Ben continued, "the Celestialsapien species has already reached the absolute pinnacle of evolution. They can alter reality and themselves with a simple thought. Moreover, time is meaningless to mature Celestialsapiens. A million years, ten billion years, or a single second, the distinction is irrelevant to their existence."
"It's incomprehensible," Spider-Woman sighed, the sound carrying both awe and despair.
Her amazement wasn't just about Alien X's incredible power, but about the terrifying realization that even such godlike beings had natural predators. If that was true, perhaps the Inheritors were merely another link in an infinite food chain that stretched across the multiverse.
"In addition to Nullion, we need to remain vigilant about whoever provided the Nemetrix to Morlun," Ben added, his tone growing even more serious.
Miguel's expression immediately became gravely solemn, his weathered brow furrowing so deeply it looked like he could crush a fly between the lines.
Seeing Miguel's reaction, Ben couldn't help but chuckle, offering what comfort he could. "Don't worry too much. Although Nullion is Alien X's natural enemy, that doesn't necessarily mean it possesses overwhelming combat power."
Sometimes natural enemies operated through specific biological or conceptual restraints rather than raw strength. For example, the natural enemy of Way Big was a virus that could suppress the To'kustar species. It was simply more targeted, not necessarily possessing the same level of destructive capability.
It seemed likely that Nullion's ability was to disrupt Alien X like static interference, making it impossible for the two personalities to achieve consensus, effectively rendering Alien X permanently paralyzed by indecision.
As for actual combat effectiveness, there was no indication of how powerful it might be.
"In any case, let me handle Morlun," Ben declared, his gaze sweeping across the assembled heroes with quiet confidence. "And I can upgrade your equipment significantly."
"You want to upgrade our equipment?" Spider-Woman gave him a skeptical look that clearly said 'are you kidding me?' "We're from nearly a century in the future."
Ben rolled his eyes at her presumption. "So what?"
"Your timeline might be eighty years ahead of my universe, but in terms of technological development, the Plumbers are centuries ahead of you."
Spider-Woman was obviously dissatisfied with Ben's dismissive statement and looked ready to challenge him to a technological competition on the spot, but Miguel intervened. "He's correct."
Attempting to compete technologically with the Plumbers would only result in humiliation. The Ultimatrix in Ben's possession alone represented achievements their civilization couldn't hope to match.
"How do you plan to upgrade our equipment?" Miguel asked, his curiosity overriding his wounded pride.
Ben's expression brightened with a slight smile. "Have you ever heard of Kryptonian technology?"
Peter scratched his head in confusion. "If I heard correctly, you're talking about Superman's Krypton? But isn't that just a comic book?"
"What makes you so certain that the world we inhabit isn't also a comic book, Peter?" Ben patted his younger counterpart on the shoulder with gentle amusement. "Beyond that technological upgrade, we need to find a way to neutralize the totem vampire effect on Spider-people. Otherwise, no matter how advanced your equipment becomes, you'll always struggle to utilize its full potential against the Inheritors."
"What solution do you have in mind?"
"Spider-Man's power derives from the Spider Totem, which is precisely why we're vulnerable to the Inheritors. The solution is straightforward, replace the totem's energy with an alternative power source."
Ben opened his palm, and brilliant light blossomed within it like a miniature star being born. "Mana."
"Amazing!" Miguel's eyes lit up with renewed hope, his earlier despair rapidly transforming into eager anticipation.
"With this, we can eliminate the Inheritors' fundamental advantage. Our only remaining concern is the Nemetrix... but we're not without powerful allies. Cosmic Spider Man from Universe 13, Takuya Yamashiro with his Leopardon mecha, and the Spider-UK from the broader Omniverse all possess significant combat capabilities."
Miguel immediately handed over control of his laboratory to Ben, then turned to issue orders to Spider-Woman with military precision.
"Contact 616 Peter immediately. Tell him to keep everyone in Universe 13 calm and prepared. Once Ben completes the equipment upgrades, we'll deploy with the Mana enhancement devices."
Spider-Woman nodded and activated the communication device with practiced efficiency.
The communicator emitted a series of busy signals that seemed to stretch on endlessly.
"Beep... beep... beep..."
The damaged communicator lay abandoned on scorched earth, producing hollow, echoing sounds that seemed to mock the devastation surrounding it.
Dozens of Spider-heroes were scattered across the battlefield like broken dolls, their bodies twisted at unnatural angles amidst the smoking ruins. The air reeked of ozone and burnt fabric, with an underlying metallic taste that spoke of spilled blood and shattered dreams.
In the center of a massive crater that looked like a meteor impact site, a Spider-Man dressed entirely in space black with white stars dotting his costume like a living constellation was being held aloft by his throat. His legs dangled uselessly as his life force was steadily drained away.
Solus, the patriarch of the Inheritor family, stood with arrogant satisfaction etched across his ancient features as he greedily absorbed the endless space energy flowing from his victim's body. Power radiated from him in visible waves, distorting the air like heat shimmer.
Not far away, Gwen sat slumped against a pile of rubble, her Ghost-Spider costume torn and stained with dirt and worse things. Exhaustion had settled into her bones like lead, but it was the despair in her eyes that was truly devastating to witness.
The invincible Cosmic Spider-Man had finally fallen.
Even such an incredibly powerful warrior, someone who wielded the fundamental forces of creation itself, had been defeated by the Inheritors. If Cosmic Spider-Man couldn't win, what chance did Ben have? The thought circled through Gwen's mind like a vulture, leaving her consciousness blank and directionless.
Fortunately, some heroes remained functional. Penny Parker clutched her damaged spider-drone in her left hand while her massive spider-mech lay in twisted wreckage behind her. With her free arm, she grabbed Gwen around the waist and hauled her to her feet with surprising strength for such a young girl.
In the distance, the Spider-UK rallied the survivors with a voice that cut through the chaos like a blade. "Everyone evacuate immediately! Move, move, move!"
He showed no intention of retreating himself, instead positioning himself to cover their escape with the grim determination of someone who had accepted his fate.
Peter B. Parker supported the injured Takuya Yamashiro, helping the wounded hero stumble toward the dimensional portal that flickered like a dying candle. Yamashiro's face was a mask of guilt and self-recrimination.
"This is all my fault for being too careless," he muttered, his accented English thick with regret. "If Leopardon were still operational, we might have been able to maintain our defensive position..."
His thoughts obviously returned to the earlier battle in another dimension, where he had initially held an overwhelming advantage against Morlun. His hubris had prevented him from using Leopardon's Sword Vigor immediately, resulting in his devastating defeat when Morlun transformed into that horrible black and red entity.
Without Leopardon, he was just another Spider-Man, skilled, but ultimately mortal.
"Don't blame yourself," middle-aged Peter consoled him, his voice strained with effort as they moved. "At least until our final defeat, we haven't lost our ultimate hope!"
As the surviving Spider-heroes evacuated Universe 13 through the rapidly destabilizing portal, the space light emanating from Cosmic Spider-Man grew steadily dimmer.
The Spider-UK made one last desperate attempt to turn the tide, charging directly at Solus with web-shooters blazing. But the Inheritor patriarch, now bloated with absorbed space energy, casually swatted him aside and pressed his hand against the hero's chest.
"Ignorant insect, become my strength!"
In an instant, every ounce of life energy within the Spider-UK's body was violently extracted by Solus. The proud hero who had rallied so many others was reduced to a desiccated husk that crumbled to dust in the space wind.
Cosmic Spider-Man followed moments later, his stellar radiance finally extinguished.
Cosmic Spider-Man, fallen.
The last bastion of hope in the multiverse had been snuffed out like a candle in a hurricane.