"First, we need to figure out why we are all here," Peter said, picking up a sandwich and spreading jam on it. Having studied abroad, he was used to this kind of dinner.
"Mmph mph... Aunt May, your hot dogs are incredible mmph—" Spider-Ham crammed a hot dog nearly the size of his head into his mouth, making everyone worry his head might burst. But they soon realized their worry was excessive. It seemed fitting that having been bitten by a pig, he possessed the characteristics of a pig in addition to spider powers—he could really eat. "Slow down, there's plenty more!" Aunt May looked at Spider-Ham kindly, thoughtfully passing him a glass of milk.
Peni, seizing a moment when Noir wasn't looking, swiftly took a piece of candy from her pocket and popped it into her mouth. Hearing Peter's question, she patted her robotic companion, who was charging behind her: "Show them what we found." The spider robot SP//dr displayed a screen on its head and used a projection ability to float a virtual screen in the air before them.
Peter and the others immediately looked at the virtual screen. It showed several news reports and some information seemingly "acquired" through special channels.
[FLASH NEWS: Recently, Brooklyn experienced two mysterious seismic events in a very short period. The exact cause is under investigation, but experts speculate the epicenter is very deep, directly below Brooklyn, and should not severely affect daily life. Please refrain from panicking...]
[SENSATIONAL RUMOR: According to multiple sources, another mysterious incident occurred last night. Sources close to Spider-Man indicate he was investigating this matter...]
[PERSONAL VLOG ENTRY:Kingpin is experimenting with something called a "Particle Collider." If he manages to activate this collider, it could cause an incalculable disaster for Brooklyn and potentially all of New York! I must stop him...]
If the initial reports were speculation, the final video, recorded by the original Spider-Man himself, explained everything.
Kingpin! This guy is a super-villain in the Marvel Universe! He single-handedly built a massive criminal empire, with influence spanning the globe. It is rumored that nearly 40% of all major crime originates with Kingpin! Moreover, his own abilities are terrifying. Beyond his meticulous mind and genius intellect, his strength is incredible; over ninety percent of his body mass is pure muscle. He can punch through a brick wall and is one of the world's top martial artists, representing the highest level of human combat skill. His opponents include big names like Daredevil, The Punisher, Spider-Man, and even the Fantastic Four and the X-Men have clashed with him. The fact that he continues to thrive despite constant battles with these heroes speaks to his power. In short, he is a tremendously dangerous individual.
However, it was clear that not every Spider-Person's world had a Kingpin, or perhaps they hadn't met him yet. Spider-Man Noir, Spider-Ham, and Peni Parker did not recognize the danger of Kingpin or the severity of the situation. So, Peter had to explain the information he knew to them.
Spider-Ham squealed: "Wow! This guy sounds scary! I hope he doesn't like eating pork chops!" Peni pouted, thinking aloud: "In that case, is this directly related to him?"
Spider-Man Noir remained silent for a moment, then stated: "If nothing else, he is our target. And the key to our return home must lie with him! If I'm not mistaken, it's that..." "Particle Collider!" everyone said in unison.
Clearly, as Spider-People from various dimensions, though they differed in experience, appearance, and age, their combined intellect was far beyond ordinary, and they quickly grasped the core issue from the limited information.
"Wait, what exactly is a Particle Collider?" Spider-Ham asked, licking the sauce off his hand. Spider-Man Noir shook his head: "I don't know. My era is still the Great Depression, around 1933; the concept of a particle collider hasn't been invented yet." Noir himself was not a scientist, but a private investigator, making the topic outside his professional expertise. Peni was also clueless. She looked at her robot companion, who gave her a look of helplessness. Clearly, they didn't know what it was either. SP//dr is a combat bot, not a research tool.
"Although we don't know yet, I can try to infiltrate Kingpin's system database. If it's his device, the information should be there," Peni offered. Spider-Man Noir nodded: "Then that task is yours."
"What about me? What's my task?" Spider-Ham quickly asked. "You..." Noir looked at Spider-Ham, hesitated, and then said, "Why don't you join me in training Peter?" Peter was touched that Noir had kept this matter in mind. "Actually, we could prioritize solving the homecoming problem first..." Noir stopped him from continuing: "You are one of us. You'll need to contribute when the time comes, so training you is strengthening our team."
"Alright then." Peter felt a little down about being a liability but was mostly excited about developing his own abilities. Spider-Man, huh? Although every Spider-Person's power is spider-related, there are subtle differences. Peni's powers are related to her symbiotic mech, Spider-Ham's stem from his own unique mutation, and Spider-Man Noir's powers come from the Spider-God. And the next hero of this universe, Miles Morales, possesses powers of camouflage and bioelectricity.
Peter was eager to find out what aspects his own spider-powers would lean toward. Currently, the only change he could sense was the intermittent Spider-Sense when he was around other Spider-People. However, according to the experience of Noir and the others, superpowers generally manifest gradually, anywhere from one day to a week after the bite.
So, as it was late, they each settled down for the night according to Aunt May's arrangements. Peni, being the youngest, received special treatment and slept with her SP//dr mech in this world's Peter Parker's small bedroom. Peter, Spider-Man Noir, and Spider-Ham each took a blanket and slept on the living room couches.