A time traveler arrives in the Multiverse with an ability that turns confident assumptions into reality. If he believes an ordinary object should perform an impossible task, the rules of the world may simply adjust to make it happen. A bicycle can rise into the sky, common equipment can behave far beyond its normal limits, and even the human body can ignore expectations that should be absolute. The power sounds convenient, but every new idea raises a larger question: if reality keeps obeying what he thinks is “scientific,” how long will it be before no one—including him—can tell where logic ends and imagination begins?
Chapter 48: 047: I’ve Seen This Episode!
When Peter approached him earlier, Kraft had a bad feeling about it. After glancing at him, he felt even more that something was off, though he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. He scrutinized him from head to toe for a long time before finally discovering the source of his unease—Peter Parker’s usual pair of old-fashioned glasses was gone. “Oh, that!” Peter ran a hand over the empty bridge of his nose and said nonchalantly, “You know how I made a friend this semester? His dad is the chairman of the Osborne Group, and they were running a study on treating nearsightedness that needed volunteers, so I signed up—and before I knew it, I was cured.” “Oh? Weren’t you afraid you might accidentally go blind?” Peter’s friend Kraft knew Harry Osborne too—he’d met him a few times. Harry was a rich kid with a pretty decent personality. Still, Peter Parker was far too reckless—casually signing up for an experiment that hadn’t been fully tested or refined, without a care in the world about what might go wrong. If he’d shown that kind of courage in his daily life, he wouldn’t be constantly looking down on himself. It was just a correction for nearsightedness—hardly a human experiment—but Kraft still wasn’t too fond of this sort of thing. “This research is already in its final stages, so safety is guaranteed. Even if it fails, it won’t cause any harm to the participants. I was only able to join because of Harry.” Peter offered a brief explanation, then, as if suddenly remembering something, slapped his forehead. “I’ve got to go help out over there. Let’s talk another time.” With that, he slipped away. “I just have this feeling that this guy is hiding something from me…” Peter seemed much more confident than before—did treating his nearsightedness also come with the added benefit of resolving his psychological issues? Kraft shook his head, but didn’t give it much thought. Maybe he’d finally managed to hook up with Mary Jane? Recalling Peter’s usual timid demeanor, Kraft shook his head and chuckled. “No way…” “Phew… Kraft almost caught on that something was off…” After Peter Parker slipped away, he walked to a secluded corner, let out a long sigh, and then tapped his head in frustration. “Ugh! What a wimp! Why was I so scared of that kid Kraft anyway!” That whole “Osborn Group myopia research” thing from before was obviously a hoax, but it wasn’t entirely unrelated—his nearsightedness had disappeared after he was bitten by a spider while visiting the Osborn Group’s product expo. Along with that came vastly enhanced physical strength, a miraculous sense of impending danger, and the ability to walk on walls at will… Just like a spider. Just two days after gaining these strange abilities, Peter Parker not only taught Lightning Thompson—who had been bullying him—a lesson at school but also saw a whole new development in his relationship with Mary Jane, which instantly boosted his confidence. So confident, in fact, that when he saw Kraft today, he dared to step forward and provoke him. Unfortunately, Kraft’s reputation for intimidation had been built up over many years, and unlike Thompson, he didn’t rely on brute strength to bully others—not to mention that Aunt May was there to back him up. So when Peter Parker, acting on a momentary impulse, rushed over to provoke him, a single casual glance from Kraft was enough to bring him quickly to his senses, and he decisively backed down and ran away. However, after backing down and running away, Peter Parker felt a bit humiliated. He already possessed special powers—how could he still be so easily bullied by a younger brother four or five years his junior? Peter Parker felt he had to reclaim his dignity as the older brother. “Woof?” A dog’s bark startled Peter Parker, who had been psyching himself up. He looked down and saw a dazed-looking yellow Shiba Inu tilting its head at him. “Oh, Quinn, good boy. What are you doing here?” This dog, with his comical appearance and remarkably human-like nature, had recently become the shelter’s star mascot, and Peter was naturally very fond of him. He crouched down, ruffled Quinn’s head, and affectionately nudged his black nose against the dog’s. Who would’ve thought Kraft could raise such a well-behaved dog? No! It must all be thanks to Alice—a little rascal like him wouldn’t have the patience to train a dog! Peter Parker thought this with a touch of envy and resentment as he played with Quinn. “Big bro! Peter Parker’s hiding something from you!” Back home, Quinn—wearing his red scarf—immediately ran to Kraft to tattle. “Oh? What is it?” Kraft asked casually while helping Alice in the kitchen. He wasn’t particularly curious about Peter’s secret, but if finding out about it gave him something to tease him with, that would be all the better. “I don’t know—he didn’t say,” Quinn said, wagging his tail as he circled around Kraft’s feet. “He just said, ‘You almost caught me, big bro,’ and then started rubbing my face nonstop.” “Oh, I see…” Kraft placed the sliced potatoes on a plate, shook the water off his hands, and reached out to pat Quinn on the head. “Good job. I’ll give you an extra meat bone later.” This dumb dog was being so eager to show off—wasn’t he just looking for a reward? Kraft had already been planning to reward Quinn for helping out at the shelter today, so he went along with it and gave him the treat he’d intended to give him anyway. “Yay! Thanks, big bro!” Unaware that he’d been tricked, Quinn happily wagged his tail as he ran out of the kitchen to show off in front of Beya. Before long, the sounds of him and the little black cat arguing drifted from the living room. Well, Kraft was used to it by now. Ever since those two little rascals had caused trouble a few times and been given a stern talking-to by Kraft, their antics had mostly been limited to arguing. Occasionally, when Beya grew impatient, she’d slap Quinn a couple of times, then retreat to a high spot and let the defeated dog bark furiously below. “That smells so good,” Martin said shortly afterward, his head suddenly popping out from the kitchen doorway. He smiled as he glanced inside and praised, “My mouth is watering even before I’ve taken a bite. Alice’s cooking really is getting better and better.” Even though he knew full well that Alice was just a robot, she was so thoughtful and well-behaved—a world apart from that little rascal Kraft—that Martin Lee quickly accepted her as a member of the family. After dinner, Kraft—who’d been busy at the shelter all day—had no intention of returning to the lab to continue working. The family sat in front of the TV, chatting and watching some rather boring programs as they passed the evening, then went to their respective rooms to sleep. As for Kraft, he had a dream for the first time in a long while. The futuristic, high-tech setting filled Kraft with delight, but the protagonist who appeared next left him speechless. Kraft spent the entire dream in a state of utter confusion, and when he sat up in bed, he still had a look of sheer disbelief on his face. Because this dream… No… I’ve already seen this damn episode!
