"What did you just think of?" The British Spider-Man looked at Bruce. Though he already knew this bat was quite the formidable guy, being able to consider the issue of the timeline at a moment like this clearly showed that Bruce had his own thoughts in mind.
And just the fact that he could still find them to ask for assistance under such circumstances already revealed how sharp and focused he was.
Bruce didn't answer the British Spider-Man's question. He simply looked at the Master Weaver.
The Master Weaver was also curious about what the Bat was planning to do.
But looking at Bruce now, it was clear he wasn't about to explain anything.
All he could do was open a silk portal that led back to their original universe.
Bruce didn't say a word. He simply stepped in.
"He's really one of those cool, aloof types," the British Spider-Man shook his head, deciding not to press further.
Still, he was genuinely curious about what Bruce planned to do.
Now that he knew the timeline hadn't been erased, what would he choose?
He didn't believe Bruce lacked the means to time travel. Practically every universe had someone dabbling in such things to some extent.
And with how brilliant that bat was, pulling off something like this wouldn't be hard at all. The real question was how he intended to use it.
Meanwhile, in the Batcave, Jessica and Gwen sat in the main hall, looking dazedly at the surrounding bat-equipment.
Neither of them spoke. They just sat there, staring blankly.
"Do you think... maybe he's not dead?" Jessica suddenly broke the silence. Her tone was heavy with grief, but it was clear from her voice that she was still hoping Bruce had survived.
Gwen said nothing, simply lowering her head. She didn't know if it was her fault or something else entirely.
After becoming Spider-Woman, her best friend Peter Parker died. Died in her arms—just because he wanted to be like her.
Then she couldn't get along with her father either.
It wasn't until the universe was destroyed that she finally reconciled with him.
But by then, it was already too late.
Now, in this new universe...
She had just wanted to stay close to Bruce, to keep him safe—and herself too. And now, Bruce's life and death were uncertain.
"I believe he's not dead." Gwen suddenly stood up.
Hearing Gwen's words, Jessica also nodded.
As the Spider who had worked with Bruce the longest, Jessica knew better than anyone how many backup plans he always had in place—and how meticulous his strategies were.
"Maybe he's drifting somewhere in the universe. Didn't we see it before? That thing he turned into... even that giant couldn't kill him." Jessica wiped her tears, stood up, and looked at Gwen.
"We need to find him."
She said it with unwavering resolve, wiping her eyes and looking Gwen straight in the eyes.
Gwen nodded firmly in agreement.
Even though that scene had led everyone to believe the Bat had died, the two of them wouldn't give up unless they saw his body with their own eyes.
Just finding someone, right? Even across the universe.
And when it came to finding people, Spiders always had their own confidence.
Just as they were about to take action, the two of them saw a very familiar portal appear before them.
"This thing?" Gwen stared at it in disbelief, turning to look at Jessica, trying to see if she was thinking the same thing.
Jessica didn't speak, simply stared quietly at the portal. But Gwen could clearly see her body trembling slightly.
Just like her, Jessica was also hoping—that the one they longed to see would step through that portal and appear before them.
When that dark figure walked out of the portal, neither Jessica nor Gwen could hold back their emotions.
Without giving Bruce a moment to react, the two Spider-Women rushed straight toward him.
But Gwen was a step too late. Jessica tackled Bruce to the ground.
Given their Spider-strength, Bruce was completely caught off guard. That powerful impact sent him skidding across the floor for quite a distance before finally coming to a stop—unable to say a word because Jessica was clinging tightly to him.
Bruce wanted to say something to her, but when he looked down and saw her tear-streaked face, all his words got stuck in his throat.
Having failed to reach Bruce first, Gwen couldn't get close either.
She could only stand there, covering her mouth, eyes wide in shock, staring at Bruce who was now pinned beneath Jessica.
Bruce reached out and wiped the tears from Jessica's face.
Seeing this gentle side of Bruce, Jessica's eyes grew misty again.
When others said Bruce had died, Jessica had felt as if her entire world had collapsed.
She didn't know how she was supposed to go on living in a world without that Bat.
It was as if Bruce had become a part of her very existence.
And now, her life—her world—had regained its color.
Jessica just lay there on top of Bruce, staring at him in a daze.
To Bruce, this kind of situation wasn't unfamiliar, but this wasn't exactly the time for such things.
"Get off me." Bruce tried to lift himself up, but realized Jessica was pressing down so firmly that he couldn't get up.
The next second, Jessica cupped Bruce's face and kissed him with the venomous sting of a Spider's bite.
Gwen was stunned. The sheer impact of that moment hit her hard—she had never imagined Jessica would do something like that so suddenly.
It was completely beyond her expectations.
Snapping out of it, Gwen hurried forward and pulled Jessica off Bruce.
Whether it was because of Jessica's impulsive move or something else entirely, Gwen's reaction undoubtedly saved Bruce.
Besides, Bruce had come back for more pressing matters. If he couldn't resolve the things he had discovered...
Then neither Jessica nor Gwen would be safe.
Jessica was clearly still reluctant, glancing at Gwen—who had just interrupted her moment. Though she didn't say anything, Gwen could clearly read the hint of displeasure in Jessica's eyes.
"The Ultimate Team and the Fantastic Four are still with S.H.I.E.L.D., right?" Bruce got up from the floor, stretching his body, which was still sore from Jessica's earlier tackle.
Jessica nodded.
But soon, she snapped back to her senses and walked straight up to Bruce, her eyes locked intensely on his.
"What are you planning? Another dangerous adventure?" Jessica's barrage of questions gave Bruce a bit of a headache.
He didn't answer her. Instead, he turned to look at Gwen.
"I might have found the real culprit behind the destruction of the universe," Bruce said seriously, his words directed at Gwen.
Gwen stared back into his eyes and asked almost the exact same question Jessica had.
"Is it dangerous?"
"I don't know."
Bruce was being honest—he really wasn't sure how dangerous this mission would be.
After all, the enemy might be someone capable of silently destroying an entire universe.
And none of the bats in his head were prepared to deal with that kind of threat.
Even if the Flash could potentially reverse everything, there was also a chance he could push things toward a future no one wanted to face.
And to be honest, Bruce didn't want Barry Allen to keep risking his life for these ridiculous messes.
Bruce had always admired that kind kid, no matter which universe he came from or who was controlling him.
Maybe it was because Gwen and Jessica had been around the Bat for too long—they both picked up on the subtext behind Bruce's words.
Listening to him, Gwen lowered her head. But soon, the Spider-Woman lifted her face and said seriously to Bruce, "So you're saying you don't know if you'll make it back. Then I don't support you going."
"Gwen said what I wanted to say," Jessica added, stepping up beside Gwen. Both Spider-Women were now united in stopping this Bat from walking into what could be his death.
Bruce didn't respond. He just stared at them with intense eyes, hoping they'd understand his reasons—especially Gwen, who had already lived through something like this before.
"We're going with you."
Maybe it was Bruce's unwavering gaze that finally got to her. Jessica gave in, but to Bruce, her concession felt more like a threat.
"No." Bruce rejected her proposal without hesitation.
"Why not? Why is it okay for you to die but not us?" Gwen challenged him.
Bruce pursed his lips and said nothing, still staring intently at the two Spider-Women.
He absolutely wouldn't let them join him on this completely unknown mission.
Even though Gwen and Jessica were unnerved by Bruce's gaze, they stood their ground, refusing to back down.
"I'll talk to them properly and promise not to act alone," Bruce finally offered a concession.
Gwen and Jessica exchanged a glance, both seeing a flicker of triumph in each other's eyes.
Clearly, this was the first time they had ever gotten Bruce to back down on something like this.
Still, they knew they couldn't afford to let their guard down.
Any promise that came from the Bat's mouth was more of a joke than something to be taken seriously.
"We're going with you to S.H.I.E.L.D." Jessica said again to Bruce.
She was sure this was something Bruce would agree to—after all, the Bat never turned down something like this.
Bruce nodded in agreement.
"By the way, we should grab something to eat. We haven't had a proper meal all day," Jessica suddenly remembered that they hadn't eaten anything serious since Galactus had shown up.
They could still move around, but the emptiness in their stomachs was becoming unbearable.
Bruce walked over to the control panel. Under his operation, the central hall—which had appeared empty—sank down to reveal an underground structure resembling a parking garage.
A brand-new Batmobile slowly rose into view, taking its place where the old one used to sit.
But this Batmobile no longer had just one seat—it now had three.
Clearly, this vehicle was built after Gwen arrived in this universe. Otherwise, there would be no need for three seats in the Batcave.
"To S.H.I.E.L.D., for their food," Bruce said lightly before jogging and leaping straight into the open cockpit of the Batmobile.
Hearing him, Gwen and Jessica exchanged a glance but had nothing to say. It was a good idea—there really wasn't anyone here who could cook something decent.
As the Bat and his crew set out, S.H.I.E.L.D. was already in a tense state.
At that moment, grief filled S.H.I.E.L.D. The news of the Bat's death was a blow to everyone.
Many agents had mixed feelings about the Bat leaving backdoors in their systems, but no one could deny that many of his actions had pushed New York toward a better future.
And S.H.I.E.L.D.'s current power was also thanks to the Bat. When he became president, his first order was to grant S.H.I.E.L.D. almost military-level authority.
"I didn't even know his real name," Stark said gloomily, staring at the champagne in his hand. It was meant to celebrate their victory—but now, it only brought sorrow.
They had won—but the person most responsible for that victory wasn't here.
They weren't even sure if a body remained.
"Are you sure there's nothing left?" Captain America looked at Stark. After returning to S.H.I.E.L.D., Stark had suited up and flown into space to search for Bruce's body.
But even after using up all the oxygen in his armor, Stark found nothing.
He shook his head, unwilling to say more.
Just then, Monica suddenly stood up from her seat.
"Look at this!"
She sounded shocked as she projected the image she had found to everyone.
The others hadn't been that interested at first, but the moment they saw the screen, their eyes widened.
The Batmobile was speeding toward S.H.I.E.L.D.
(End of Chapter)
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