I'm working on Marvel's Spider-Man in American comics.

Chapter 346 Christmas Eve

After the Christmas dinner went relatively smoothly, Peter returned to his room and gave Gwen a very useful and meaningful Christmas gift, instructing her to open it only after she got home.

That was his old web-shooter.

Why are you giving her this? She can't use it to spin spider webs.

"I don't know, just a gut feeling? I have a feeling this thing will be useful."

Peter was silent for a moment. He just had a hunch that Gwen might have brought back a vial of spider isotope serum in the end, or she might not. But he had this thought, so he gave Gwen his old web-shooter, hoping that she might need it someday.

Or perhaps one day we won't need it.

As for the gift Gwen gave him, it was a ticket to the Osborne Science Show, the ticket stub of that science show that changed everything.

It may be the least precious gift, but it is very meaningful.

Peter sat on his bed, preparing to pack up his Christmas presents for the night. Just as he was about to start packing, he unexpectedly received a phone call from a number he didn't recognize.

"Could it be that Nick Fury also sent me some Christmas greetings?"

Peter answered the phone half-jokingly, but the person on the other end was someone he really didn't expect: "Hey, Peter... Parker, right?"

"Iliana?"

Peter, surprised to hear this, asked, "Is something the matter?"

"No, no, I am. I'm sorry to bother you so late. I know it's Christmas Eve and you must be very busy, but do you have time?"

“No, it’s… 10:30 at night, everything’s finished.” Peter was puzzled as to why Iliana had contacted him: “Is there anything I can help you with?”

There's a convenience store near the entrance of your neighborhood. I'll wait for you there. If you're busy, you don't need to come.

Peter said, "I'll be right there," and then had Venom change him into the uniform. As for Venom, he expressed confusion and emotion.

[If you can say "I refuse" to someone, I believe your relationship troubles will be halved.]

"I'm not accompanying her on a date. Maybe she needs my help with something?"

That's the problem; you're helping too many girls.

Spider-Man didn't say anything, but simply climbed out the window and quickly headed towards the convenience store. In the alley behind the convenience store, Peter saw Iliana standing there. Upon seeing Peter, she exclaimed "Oh!" in surprise and then scratched her head.

"I didn't expect you to actually come, especially in uniform."

"So..." Peter was also puzzled, "Is something the matter?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to chat." Iliana scratched her head, then opened a portal: "Come on, let's talk somewhere else."

Iliana's portal was different from the slingshot portal; it unfolded from bottom to top. She opened a portal beneath their feet, but didn't open it immediately. Instead, she looked at Peter and asked him a question.

"Well, you can still refuse now."

"It's okay, I'm fine right now anyway."

"See, I told you so!" With Venom's question, the two disappeared from their spot and arrived at... a bar? Peter looked around and found that it was a very small bar, looking a bit like a Russian pub.

"If I remember correctly, even now, you shouldn't be an adult."

"Who cares? This is the frontier of hell, not America."

As Iliana spoke, she snapped her fingers, summoning a demon that began obediently mixing drinks. Peter seemed to understand something, and in the end, both Strange and Dejected Strange were convinced that Iliana had taken over Limbo and become its demon lord.

"That stranger said that if I wanted, I could become as completely integrated into Limbo as Velasco did. I refused. Maybe becoming some kind of god would allow me to live a long time, but there's no need for that. So I chose to be the Sorcerer Supreme of Limbo, that's what he said."

"So, we spent a month or two, a month or two on the frontier of hell, and we beat everyone to a pulp. I built a bar here. Would you like some drinks?"

"Let me make it clear beforehand, I probably won't get drunk. If you do, I won't be able to take you home; my teleportation ability isn't always available," Peter reminded her before sitting down next to Iliana, but still refrained from drinking.

"No, I just... I just miss some people, but even if others hear me, they won't know who I'm talking about or what they've been through."

Iliana took the glass of wine offered by the demon and smiled nonchalantly: "So, I'm just looking for someone who knows them, and then I'll chat with them for a bit. Talking to demons is pretty boring."

"Then you'd better not get drunk."

Iliana laughed.

“Don’t worry.” What she said was not at all reassuring to Peter: “The flow of time between Limbo and our reality is not yet fully synchronized. Even if I get drunk here, Christmas Eve will not be over by the time I sober up.”

It was just a peaceful Christmas Eve, nothing more.
-
Ned Lids is a field reporter for the Daily Bugle. During the two weeks that Spider-Man was missing, and because JJJ didn't like reporting on Spider-Woman named Silk, he was sent to find new news.

Coincidentally, a kitchen explosion occurred at a restaurant in Manhattan, so Ned went to investigate. The whole explosion seemed to be straightforward, except for some small plastic fragments that the police did not consider clues.

Ned brought the pieces home and began trying to assemble and glue them together. After about half a month, by Christmas, he finally finished the thing.

"Is this... a pumpkin?"

Ned saw the pumpkin-like thing, then frowned in confusion. He seemed to vaguely recognize it, but couldn't quite place it.

Moreover, it really is just a pumpkin, why did it take me so long to put it together?

Ned chuckled self-deprecatingly, then went to wash his face and brush his teeth to get into bed. He looked at the pumpkin, intending to throw it in the trash can, but he missed. Ned didn't care, he just finished washing up and got into bed.

He opened the closet, trying to find his pajamas.

But then he saw a suit of clothes, a gray exoskeleton, an orange hooded cape draped over the exoskeleton, a flying skateboard, and rows and rows of pumpkin bombs.

What are these things? How did they end up here?

"Welcome, Ned Lids."

A voice came from behind Ned. He turned around and saw several men dressed like gray goblins, all of whom were laughing at him.

"This is your destiny; you will become a demon just like us."

"Welcome to the Legion of Demons."

　The story of Calvin has finally come to an end, and the timeline will now move into 2013.
　　New year, new look. The first villain is a demon, or rather, demons...?
　　
　
(End of this chapter)