Chapter 5: Chapter 5: The Particle Collider of Kingpin
"However, first we need to figure out why we're here," Bi De said, picking up a sandwich from the table and spreading some jam on it.
Having studied abroad in his world, he had gotten used to such dinners.
"Mmm… Aunt May, your hot dogs are so delicious!" Spider-Pig, also known as Peter Porker, stuffed a hot dog roughly the size of his head into his mouth, making everyone wonder if his head might burst from the effort.
But soon enough, everyone realized their concern was unnecessary.
It seemed that being mutated by a pig had done more than just give him spider traits—he likely also inherited some of a pig's traits, like an enormous appetite.
"Slow down, there's plenty more!" Aunt May said kindly, looking at Spider-Pig, and handed him a glass of milk.
Peni, taking advantage of Spider-Man Noir's distraction, quickly pulled a candy from her pocket and popped it into her mouth. After hearing Bi De's question, she patted her robot companion, who was recharging behind her. "Show them what we found."
The robot "SP//dr" (oω`o) activated, its head's large screen displaying a pair of cameras. Using a projection-like ability, it cast a virtual screen into the air in front of everyone.
Bi De and the others immediately focused on the screen.
It displayed several news stories and some information that seemed to have been obtained through special channels.
Recent mysterious earthquakes occurred in Brooklyn within a very short period. The exact cause is still under investigation, but experts speculate that the earthquakes originated deep beneath Brooklyn. Although the source is deep, it shouldn't have any significant impact on daily life. Residents need not panic.
According to various sources, a mysterious incident occurred last night. Individuals close to Spider-Man have reported that Spider-Man is investigating the case.
Kingpin is testing something called a "Particle Collider." If he activates this collider, it could potentially cause an immeasurable disaster to Brooklyn and even all of New York! I must stop him.
If the previous news was mostly speculation, the final item—an exclusive video filmed by Spider-Man himself—left no room for doubt.
Kingpin!
This guy was a major villain in the Marvel Universe!
He had established a vast criminal empire, his influence stretching worldwide. It was said that nearly 40% of all criminal activities in the United States originated from Kingpin's organization!
Not only was he a criminal mastermind with a brilliant mind and strategic thinking, but he was also incredibly strong. Over 90% of his body was muscle, capable of punching through walls with his bare hands. He was a top-tier martial artist and possessed human combat abilities at their peak.
And his adversaries? They were some of the most renowned figures—Daredevil, The Punisher, Spider-Man, and even the Fantastic Four and the X-Men had clashed with him.
If he had survived so many encounters with such powerful heroes, it was clear just how formidable he was.
In short, he was a terrifying individual.
However, not every Spider-Man across the multiverse had encountered Kingpin, and some might not even know about him yet.
Spider-Man Noir, Spider-Pig, and Spider-Mech (Peni's robot partner) weren't aware of Kingpin's danger and hadn't fully realized the severity of the situation.
So, Bi De took it upon himself to explain everything he knew.
"Wow!" Spider-Pig exclaimed, "This guy sounds terrifying! I hope he doesn't like pork chops!"
Peni puffed out her cheeks, thinking. "So, this means there's a direct connection to him, right?"
Spider-Man Noir paused for a moment, then said, "If all goes as expected, we'll have to face him. And the key to getting back home is definitely tied to him. If I'm not mistaken, it's that thing…"
"The Particle Collider!" everyone said in unison.
As Spider-Men from various timelines, despite their differences in appearance, age, and experience, they all shared an incredible intellect. They quickly pieced together the puzzle from the limited information they had.
"Wait, what's a Particle Collider?" Spider-Pig asked, licking some sauce off his hands.
Spider-Man Noir shook his head. "I don't know about that."
His world was stuck in the Great Depression, around 1933, a time when theories about particle colliders hadn't even emerged yet.
Moreover, Spider-Man Noir wasn't a scientist; he was a private detective.
It wasn't his area of expertise.
Peni, too, was confused. She looked at her robot companion, who gave her a helpless look.
Clearly, they had no idea what this was either.
SP//dr was a combat robot, not one designed for scientific research.
"Though we don't know yet, I could try to hack into Kingpin's system database. Since this is his project, I should be able to find something useful there," Peni suggested.
Spider-Man Noir nodded. "Alright, then this mission's on you."
"What about me? What's my task?" Spider-Pig asked eagerly.
"You…" Spider-Man Noir looked at Spider-Pig, hesitated for a moment, then said, "How about you help me train Bi De?"
Bi De didn't expect Spider-Man Noir to have been thinking about this, and he felt a bit touched.
"Actually, we could try to solve the issue of getting home first..."
Before Bi De could continue, Spider-Man Noir cut him off. "You're part of our team now, so you'll have to pitch in when the time comes. Training you is also strengthening our abilities."
"Alright then," Bi De said, feeling a bit down about potentially holding them back but also looking forward to developing his own powers.
Spider-Man…
Though every Spider-Man's powers were tied to spiders, there were subtle differences between them.
For example, Peni's spider abilities were linked to her spider mech, Spider-Pig's powers stemmed from his own spider mutation, and Spider-Man Noir's abilities were granted by the Spider-God. As for the upcoming "main character" of this universe, the second-generation Spider-Man—Spider-Shadow—had abilities related to camouflage and paralysis.
Bi De was curious about what his spider abilities would be.
So far, the only change he had noticed in his body was the occasional spider sense when he was around other Spider-Men.
However, based on Spider-Man Noir's experience, superpowers typically started to emerge within a day to a week after being bitten by a radioactive spider.
As night fell, Aunt May made arrangements for everyone to sleep.
Peni, being the youngest, was given special treatment and slept in Peter Parker's small room, accompanied by her spider mech. Meanwhile, Bi De, Spider-Man Noir, and Spider-Pig each got a blanket and settled on the living room couches.