"Spider Apocalypse? What is that?" Super Spider-Man furrowed his brows slightly, asking in confusion.
Super Spider-Man hails from Earth-751263, his version also known as Spider-Man: Unlimited, so perhaps he could also be called Unlimited Spider-Man.
However, since Peter had previously seen a version translated simply as Super Spider-Man, he naturally referred to him as Super Spider.
Now, at the age of twenty-six, he had experienced almost all of Super Spider-Man's plotlines, becoming a battle-hardened warrior.
The Spider-Man who stood his ground during Peter's magical bombardment earlier was precisely one of them.
Yet, as a Spider-Man who had fought on two Earths and possessed rich combat experience, he had never heard of anything called the Spider Apocalypse.
Still... why did it sound vaguely familiar?
A sense of déjà vu?
Super Spider's brows furrowed even tighter, almost knitting into a knot as he sank into deep thought.
Since the topic had already been raised, Spider-Man 2099 didn't keep them in suspense and continued, "The Spider Apocalypse... was a catastrophe that once swept across the entire multiverse. It was the apocalypse of the Spider Totems!"
"Spider Totems?" Peter asked in confusion, "What's that? Does it have anything to do with Spider-Men?"
"Yes," Spider-Man 2099 nodded slightly. "The Spider Totem is a mysterious power that exists within the multiverse. Every Spider-Man is the incarnate manifestation of a Spider Totem."
"Totem? Isn't that a personified object of worship from primitive times? Besides, as far as I know, the sources of Spider-Men's powers vary — some stem from technological mutations, others from magical transformations. One belongs to the technological side, the other to the mystical side — they seem vastly different from so-called Totems, don't they?" Peter asked, puzzled.
Take the people he knew, for example.
Gwen's powers originated from a genetically mutated spider in her world, which should count as a technological genetic mutation.
Shadow Spider's powers, though also stemming from a spider bite, actually came from the Spider God Anansi of his world — he had truly seen Anansi's phantom when he gained his powers. That should be considered something like a divine blessing on the mystical side.
Then there was little Peni, whose connection with her SP//dr mech was a special bond somewhere between science and mysticism.
As for Peter himself... he had gained his powers from a bite by a stone slab. Could you believe that?
Was that science or mysticism? It was even harder to say.
Spider-Man 2099 shook his head slightly and explained, "Totem — the word originates from the Native American language totem, meaning 'its kin' or 'its mark.' Spider-Men are special beings marked by 'the Spider,' granted its powers and skills. In essence, we are all kin of the Spider!"
"So, you're saying that no matter the method of acquisition — scientific or mystical — everything is ultimately mysticism, all thanks to the Spider Totem? The end of science is theology?" Peter was a little shocked.
"Exactly," Spider-Man 2099 nodded.
Peter asked doubtfully, "So, the Spider Apocalypse is the apocalypse of all Spider Totems? Uh... why are we still alive if it's the apocalypse?"
Since he said once, the apocalypse must have happened in the past, right?
2012, maybe?
A prophecy that never came to pass?
Peter felt that things couldn't be so simple.
Otherwise, Spider-Man 2099 wouldn't have that kind of attitude.
"It truly was the end of the Spider Totems, because... the Spider Totem God, the guardian of the Web of Life and Destiny, is dead!" Spider-Man 2099 described the vision he had seen by chance, finishing with an expression of relief on his face.
These matters had actually been weighing on his mind for a very, very long time.
"The Spider Totem God? The Guardian of the Web of Life and Destiny?" Peter repeated in surprise. "Are you talking about the Master Weaver?"
"You know about the Master Weaver?" Spider-Man 2099 looked at Peter in astonishment.
Peter nodded.
He had indeed heard of the Master Weaver, rumored to be the god of the Spider-Men or something like that.
People often mentioned him alongside Madame Web.
Peter was quite familiar with Madame Web.
In the 1994 Spider-Man animated series, Madame Web was the emissary of the Beyonder, responsible for training different Spider-Men across various universes.
Naturally, he had associated the Master Weaver with Madame Web, considering them to be somewhat equivalent beings.
But now, it seemed like the Master Weaver had a higher status than Madame Web?
"If the Master Weaver is the Spider Totem God, then who could possibly kill him?" Peter asked.
Although he wasn't particularly knowledgeable about the vast pantheon of gods in the Marvel Universe, something labeled as a "god" surely couldn't be that easy to kill, right?
"In the multiverse, there exists a unique race known as the Inheritors," Spider-Man 2099 said, his expression turning grim. "They sustain themselves by devouring the life force of Totem Avatars and Totemic Deities! And our Spider Totem God, the Master Weaver, was slain by one of the Inheritors. She drained the Totemic energy from his body, completely killing him."
"And after the Master Weaver was killed, the Web of Life and Destiny fell into its most primal and uncontrollable state. Its physical manifestation disappeared entirely."
Peter frowned slightly.
He felt like he was beginning to understand something.
Spider-Man 2099 continued, "The Web of Life and Destiny, spanning the entire multiverse, is essentially a 'Great Web.' The Master Weaver sat at its center, controlling the entire system, while the Spider Totems moved across different realms, maintaining the stability of each parallel universe."
"When the Master Weaver was alive, even if a particular world's Spider Totem experienced an issue, he could still make timely corrections to the Great Web, allowing the world to persist despite its deviations, preventing its destruction."
"But after the Master Weaver's death, the Great Web became rigid. If a Spider Totem encountered an accident—say, the node of the Great Web beneath them shifted—it could lead to a failure in connecting the threads, ultimately resulting in that universe's collapse. Sometimes, the destruction could even extend to other universes!"
"So now, do you understand?"
Spider-Man 2099 fixed his gaze intently on Peter.
The reason he was explaining so much to Peter was actually part of a certain Spider-Man trait.
He was attempting to persuade Peter—the "villain"—with words, hoping to make him have a sudden change of heart and walk the path of righteousness from now on.
Peter nodded slightly. "So that's how it is..."
Seeing his reaction, Spider-Man 2099 couldn't help but let the corners of his mouth curl into a faint smile.
It seemed like this plan was working.
However, at that moment, Peter raised a question.
"If that's the case, then the universes I've been to should all have had problems. But now, more than six months have passed since I first visited Earth-1610B, and yet, nothing has happened to it. Why is that?"
(End of Chapter)
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