Chapter 105: End of the Inheritors
Inhumans, at times, would appear normal despite awakening. Daisy and Peralta were like this.
However, in most cases, Inhumans would physically change upon awakening.
Some would grow extra limbs, some would lose a part of their body, some would have additional parts, and so on and so forth.
Leah, upon awakening, has also transformed externally.
On her face, instead of having normally two eyesâ¦she now has a total of eight!
Looking at the eight eyes arranged just like a spiderâs, Benjamin sighed, thinking that her life may become even more difficult now.
Her eight eyes blinked as she looked around her in amazement.
Benjamin asked.
âHow do you feel?â
Leah didnât answer but looked at both of her hands.
The next moment, webs shot out from each of her fingers!
She wiggled her fingers as if typing from a keyboard in midair and as she did, the web started to gather in the space between her palms, forming intoâ¦a figurine!
It was a figurine of Spider-Man!
Benjamin was amazed.
To think she was already capable of controlling such small and thin string of webs and turning it into a small figureâ¦was this the âProdigyâ?
It seems she was also capable of producing web from her fingers, somewhat similar to Silk.
As for other abilities, they can only figure it out as time passes.
While thinking of such, Cosmic Spider-Man approached them.
âBen, this girlâ¦â
âSheâs the actual âProdigyâ it seems. An Inhuman with spider-like powers.â
At the side, Miguel turned to look at Peter who looked shocked and nodded.
âThat makes sense. I knew that kid being the Prodigy felt off.â
âHey!â
Peter complained but no one minded him.
While the others surrounded Leah, Cosmic Spider-Man glanced at him again then at the black sword in his hands.
âThis swordâ¦why do you have it? There should only be one All-Black Necrosword in the multiverseâ¦â
âOh, donât mind it. This is a different one. Itâs not like the one you know where those who wield it gets corrupted.â
âHow does that even work?â
âIt just does.â
â...â
Cosmic Spider-Man looked at Benjamin for a moment before sighing.
Really, the more he knows about this guy, the more he couldnât understand his existence.
âMore importantly, arenât you guys going to the Inheritorsâ homeworld? Kaine and the other clones already went to the clone world right? Do you really have time to stand around here?â
âUhh, right! We need to deal with the Inheritors and prevent them from attacking the Spider Totems for good!â
Peter remembered and quickly left with the others while Cosmic Spider-Man remained.
Looking at the others leaving through the portal, Cosmic Spider-Man looked at himself and for the first time since receiving this power, he felt conflicted.
Yes, he had become all-powerful in his universeâ¦but at the same time, he felt chained to this universe and was unable to help the others.
Benjamin looked at him and patted his shoulder.
âDonât think too much about it. Just continue being you. Even if the Inheritors are gone, it doesnât mean the Spider Refuge is useless. You know as well as I do that Spider-Man has tons of enemies with various means. Let the Spider Refuge continue to exist. You may be powerless outside of this universe, but you can reach out and help the others by having a place to rest and regroup. Over time, it might even become a society of sorts where each Spider totem can help each other.â
âA Spider Societyâ¦is it?â
Cosmic Spider-Man seemed to have found a new purpose.
He turned to Benjamin and smiled as he nodded.
âI understand what I should do now. Thank you, Ben.â
âItâs fine. If you need any help, you know where to find me.â
âThen I wonât be polite. Iâll count on you when we need your power.â
Cosmic Spider-Man nodded and shook hands with him.
At this moment, Leah walked over to them while holding another Spider-Man figurine made of webs in her hand.
Based on the design, it seems to be a Cosmic Spider-Man figurine.
âFor you!â
Cosmic Spider-Man smiled and took the figurine as he patted her head.
âThank you, Leah.â
As he looked at Leah beaming a smile, he thought for a moment and asked.
âSay, Leahâ¦Ben told me that youâre an orphan, is that right?â
âYes?â
âThenâ¦is it okay if I adopt you?â
âHuh?â
Benjamin was surprised at his sudden proposal.
Actually, he had been thinking of what to do with Leah for a while now.
At first, he thought that maybe he could leave her under Mayâs hands in FEAST but with her current appearance nowâ¦it may be a hard for her to blend in there.
Sending her to Xavierâs School of the Gifted also didnât seem right since she wasnât a mutant and she might feel alienated there as well.
Send her to the Inhumans?
They havenât even revealed themselves even now. Those bunch generally keep to themselves and donât like the idea of outsiders joining them. Even if the outsider was an Inhuman like them.
If all else fails, Benjamin was thinking of adopting her himself if it ever came to that.
He didnât think Cosmic Spider-Man would suggest it first.
Cosmic Spider-Man continued.
âYou can visit young Peter and MJ anytime you want. I just want you to have a home and also help you train your new powers. What do you think?â
Leah blinked her eight eyes a few times, seemingly still in shock.
She turned to Benjamin who nodded at her with a smile, then turned back to Cosmic Spider-Man.
âWill youâ¦really adopt me?â
âOf course! Iâd be really happy if you accept.â
Leahâs smile widened.
âUn! I accept!â
âHaha! Thatâs great!â
The two hugged happily as Benjamin smiled at them warmly.
While the newly formed Spider family was happy, the same canât be said about the Inheritors who were slowly but surely being defeated by the Spidersâ invasion.
Their clones also stopped producing due to some problems occurring in the clone world.
It seems Kaine and the others succeeded in destroying the clone machine the Inheritors were using.
Meanwhile, in an unknown location outside of time.
A group of people with somewhat similar features could be seen discussing with grave expressions.
A certain cybernetic man spoke.
âSomethingâs wrong with our calculation. The worms are dying sooner than expected.â
A certain man wearing a sphinx crown frowned.
âThis shouldnât have happened. Something is interfering with the multiverse. An unknown variable.â
A certain man with blue skin and a purple high crown looked at the distance and added.
âIt doesnât matter who or what this variable is. No one will stand in our way.â
In the distance, a colosseum full of men like them were shouting and thumping their feet.
Although they all have some distinct differences, they are all the same person, just different versions in the multiverse.
They are Kang.
At the same time, in another unknown location.
A place filled with darkness.
A man with long white hair sat on his throne as he held onto a black-red sword.
His eyes turned to look at the sword and frowned.
âWhyâ¦why do I feel another presence similar to youâ¦â
Unknown to Benjamin, forces in the multiverse had taken notice of the change Benjamin brought as he meddled with the Spiderverse.
As for Benjamin, he was preparing to leave the Spider Refuge upon the Spidersâ return.
With everything dealt with, there was no reason to stay here longer than necessary.
However, as they were leaving, they were blocked by someone.
It was Silk.
âIâm coming with you guys as well.â
âHuh?â
Benjamin looked at Silk in surprise.
Silk explained.
âMy world already has plenty of Spider people. And itâs also annoying that I get horny everytime Iâm near my worldâs Peter. Itâs better if I switch worlds. I donât have any family there anyway. As for friends, I can just visit them from time to time.â
Hearing her explanation, Benjamin could understand it a bit.
âBut why our world?â
Peter asked while Silk just brushed him off.
âNo reason!â
â...â
On the other hand, Gwen looked at Silk then at Benjamin. Her eyes squinting.
Captain Freedâs definitely the reason. Did that guy charm another woman? Should I tell this to the other girls back home?
Although Gwen wasnât a part of Benjaminâs women, she was somehow invited to their group chat for gossip.
When they get back, she can gossip this to the others.
Benjamin shrugged.
âWell, suit yourself. I donât really mind.â
âGood!â
At the side, Kaine was speaking to another Peter Parker.
âI wonât be going back.â
âHuh? Why not?â
âIâm staying in the clone world. Itâs where I feel like I need to be right now.â
Kaine explained.
When he and the other clones went to that world, they found that the Inheritors werenât the only ones being cloned there.
There were also Spider totems being cloned like livestock.
They were born only to be eaten by the Inheritors.
Now that they have dealt with the Inheritors, Kaine felt he needed to be there and guide those clones to live their own lives.
For the first time, Kaine felt like he found his calling. His responsibility.
This was his role as the âOtherâ and the reason for his existence.
At least, that was what he felt.
Perhaps seeing the other Spiders choosing different worlds from their homeworlds, Mayday Parker also decided.
He walked towards Benjamin and declared.
âMe and Benjie will also stay in your world!â
âHuh? Why?â
Benjamin was confused again.
Whatâs with these girls switching worlds all of a sudden?
Although he can vaguely feel Silkâs reason, there shouldnât be a reason for Mayday to go with themâ¦right?
âWith you around, that world should be safer for Benjie to grow up. Besides, even though weâre staying in your world, Iâm still going to attend school in my world. Just think of it as me commuting through the multiverse!â
â...â
Benjamin was speechless.
To think sheâd even think of commuting to another world to go to schoolâ¦
Benjamin sighed and accepted. Anyway, thereâs nothing wrong with what she wanted. She can also leave Benjie with May in FEAST. Iâm sure she would be happy to take care of the little kid.
Although Benjamin has no idea how to explain his existence to herâ¦n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
Then, another figure approached them. It was Miguel. The Spider-Man of 2099.
Benjamin looked at him weirdly.
âYouâ¦donât tell me you want to stay in our world too?â
Miguel rolled his eyes.
âIâm not.â
He then turned to look at Gwen who was in our group.
âHow long are you gonna stay with them? Did you already forget you have your own world?â
âAh, rightâ¦â
Only now did Gwen finally remember she didnât originally belong to their world.
However, she canât just admit that she forgot so she found a reason.
âAhem. Iâm just going back to grab my thingsâ¦â
âUhuh. Well, whatever you do is up to you.â
Miguel shrugged and left.
Gwen sighed then turned to Benjamin.
âWell, Iâll be following for now but will leave soon after. Oh, but donât worry, Iâll be visiting often! It will be like I never even left!â
Benjamin smiled.
âDonât worry too much about it. Youâre always welcome in our world. Youâre still a member of the EPD after all.â
While they were talking, Peter and MJ came back from saying goodbye to Leah and promising to visit every now and then.
With that settled and seeing no one else approaching them, Benjamin led the group as they returned home.