Ch: 225-233
Chapter 225
Martina was about to answer when several black shadows streaked across the sky.
More than a dozen humanoid figures, entirely wrapped in black slime, flew out from the city center and charged straight at the colossal beast.
"Are those warriors formed from Symbiotes?" Martina asked in surprise.
A look of awe crossed the Officer's face as he instinctively explained:
"They're the Leader's personal guard. Ever since the meteor brought these Symbiotes two years ago, we've finally had the means to fight the colossal beasts."
Bai Ye watched the black figures battle the beast, lost in thought.
The Symbiotes worked in perfect harmony—some turned into blades to slice the beast's joints, others into massive hammers to batter its head.
One Symbiote suddenly swelled and transformed, growing in an instant to the same size as the beast.
"Interesting."
Bai Ye murmured, "These Symbiotes are evolving far faster than expected."
Martina tightened her grip on her longsword. "Should we help?"
Bai Ye shook his head. "Not yet. This World is fascinating, and they can handle that mutated beast on their own."
Then Bai Ye turned to the Officer. "Take us to your Leader."
The Officer was about to refuse these two inexplicable strangers when he sensed a terrifying aura erupt from Bai Ye.
Cold sweat soaked the Officer on the spot; he wisely said, "Very well, please follow me."
As they walked toward the city center, Martina noticed strange patterns covering the buildings on both sides of the street.
The patterns glowed faintly, writhing slowly as if alive.
"Those are Symbiote nests."
Noticing Martina's curiosity, the Officer stepped forward to explain:
"The Guardians reinforced the walls with Symbiote matter; they can repair damage automatically."
Just then, a brilliant beam shot from the central tower, striking the distant colossal beast directly.
With a deafening roar, the beast crashed to the ground, raising clouds of dust.
The Officer bowed his head in reverence. "The Lord has acted."
Bai Ye exchanged a knowing glance with Martina.
Thanks to Bai Ye's guidance over the past few days, Martina had grown sharper.
Of course, Martina wasn't stupid—surviving for years under Sky-Net's apocalypse proved she had remarkable strengths.
She just sometimes acted adorably clueless on certain matters.
Martina could see that, in this ravaged World, humanity had taken a strange path to survive.
And the Leader in that tower definitely knew more secrets.
Bai Ye and Martina followed the Mechanical-Eyed Officer through the steel city's streets.
He deliberately slowed his pace to observe everything in this post-apocalyptic World.
The World brimmed with mysteries; everything looked bizarre.
It seemed to be a stitched-together World—he already had a guess.
0 seeking flowers
Then Bai Ye's eyes shimmered with golden light, piercing through layers of buildings to see the city's true form.
On both sides of the street, mutated humans fused with Symbiotes were busy at work.
One worker with six tentacles sprouting from his back repaired a broken pipe; the tentacles moved as nimbly as if they had minds of their own.
Further away, a vendor entirely coated in purple Symbiote was hawking glowing mushrooms.
Other stalls displayed signs advertising Symbiote-activity enhancers.
A civilization where Symbiotes and humans were fully integrated.
Martina whispered to Bai Ye, "Bai, look over there."
Following her gaze, Bai Ye saw a two-headed Symbiote emerge from an alley.
Its two heads argued nonstop—the left wanted to go east, the right insisted on west.
As a result, the poor creature spun in circles on the spot.
"A conflict of consciousness between host and Symbiote."
Interest flickered across Bai Ye's face; it seemed Symbiote fusion wasn't perfect.
The closer they got to the city center, the stronger the Symbiote warriors they encountered.
On a training ground, Bai Ye saw a dozen Symbiotes sparring.
One who could liquefy his body at will was dodging attacks,
while another demonstrated combat techniques by turning his limbs into various weapons.
Most eye-catching was a hulking black giant absorbing surrounding light, plunging the area into darkness.
The Mechanical-Eyed Officer lowered his voice in awe. "These are candidates for the Leader's personal guard."
Suddenly, a commotion broke out ahead.
The crowd scattered in panic as a rampaging Symbiote charged wildly about.
Its body twisted and morphed—ballooning into a sphere one moment, stretching into a serpent the next—black slime splattering everywhere.
"Another failed Subject 4 from the yiyi-Zero Banner's witch-six experiment."
The Officer shook his head helplessly at the scene and pressed his communicator: "Cleanup Team, Sector C needs disinfection."
A few seconds later, a squad in special protective suits arrived.
Armed with Sonic Weapons, they emitted High-Frequency Noise that made the out of controlSymbiote shriek in agony.
Finally, the Symbiote dissolved into a pool of black slime and was collected.
Martina watched the Cleanup Team's actions and couldn't help frowning. "They treat their own kind like this?"
The Officer didn't care; he was long used to it.
"Symbiotes who can't control their powers only endanger the city. My Lord said necessary sacrifice is for the survival of the whole."
At that moment, Bai Ye noticed an inconspicuous corner of the roadside.
Several ordinary humans were chained up, IV tubes stuck in their arms as black fluid was slowly drawn out.
"What is that?"
The Officer followed his gaze, his face changing slightly. "Just volunteers who donate Symbiote culture fluid of their own free will."
Bai Ye said nothing; his eyes clearly saw numbered brands on their necks and hollow despair in their gazes.
Moreover, their bodies were visibly withering, as if something were devouring them from within.
Martina had clearly noticed too; her hand already rested on the longsword at her waist.
Bai Ye shook his head slightly, signaling her with his eyes to stay calm.
Then he quietly snapped his fingers, and the faces of those almost-drained humans relaxed a little.
Bai Ye had temporarily preserved their lives; the rest could wait until he understood the Leader.
"We're almost there."
The Officer quickened his pace, pointing to a hemispherical black building not far away.
"That is My Lord's residence—the Symbiote Sanctum."
Bai Ye narrowed his eyes; to his vision the building was no sanctum.
It was a gigantic living organ, its surface covered with pulsing black blood vessels rhythmically contracting and expanding.
He could sense a powerful life reaction deep inside the structure, its energy far exceeding other Symbiotes.
"Symbiote Sanctum?" Bai Ye's interest was piqued.
It seemed this World's Leader might know much more than those mutant beasts.
Martina's hand already gripped the hilt of her huge metal sword. "Shall we charge straight in?"
"No rush," Bai Ye said softly. "Let's first see what game this Leader is playing."
Soon they arrived at the sanctum entrance, where two rows of fully-armored Symbiote Guards knelt in unison.
Black slime receded from them, revealing their mutated human bodies, every face filled with fanatical devotion.
"My Lord has foreseen your arrival."
The lead guard raised his head; his eyes had turned completely black.
"Please follow me, friends from afar."
Hearing this, Bai Ye sneered inwardly: foresaw? More like shared vision through every Symbiote eye along the way.
Meanwhile, the cyborg Officer stopped at the sanctum gate and bowed respectfully.
"My authority only extends this far, friends."
Bai Ye gave a slight nod, his gaze already piercing the thick black walls to the scene deep inside the sanctum.
Martina noticed his expression shift and asked in a low voice, "What did you find?"
"The so-called Leader," Bai Ye replied, withdrawing his gaze.
Then the lead Symbiote guard rose; black slime re-coated his body, and in a blink he became a towering Symbiote warrior.
"My apologies, honored guests. My Lord is conducting an important rite and cannot greet you personally. Come with me."
Bai Ye nodded and led Martina into the grand hall.
They passed through dim corridors whose silvery-white walls writhed like living flesh.
Martina frowned slightly; she could feel a disquieting energy permeating the structure, though it wasn't particularly strong.
Meanwhile, in the innermost chamber of the sanctum.
The silver Riot towered over a man, his powerful frame exuding violent beauty… Black slime on the man's shoulder wriggled, forming Venom's ferocious face.
"Venom, you disappoint me."
Riot's voice grated like scraping metal; the silver longsword in his hand lightly traced the man's cheek, leaving a thin line of blood.
"We gave you power and status, yet you betray your kin for this pathetic human?"
The man was Eddie Brock, Venom's host.
Though restrained by special chains, Eddie wore a provoking smile.
"You don't dare kill me, Riot. You're afraid—afraid that if I die, he'll appear, right?"
Riot's silver face froze for a second; then the longsword slammed into the wall beside Eddie's ear.
"Silence! Symbiote reproduction matters most! Humans are merely tools for our survival!"
Venom's tiny black head roared back furiously:
"We are not tools! Eddie is my friend!"
"Friend?"
Riot let out a piercing laugh that shook the gray walls of the chamber.
"Look outside! Humans are willingly becoming our hosts, offering their bodies! That is the proper way for Symbiotes and humans to coexist!"
Just then, Riot suddenly turned toward the door, his white pupils contracting.
Chapter 226
In the corridor
Bai Ye suddenly stopped, and the guard leading the way turned back in confusion.
"Honored guest?"
"No need to guide us." Bai Ye's voice was calm: "We already know the way."
Before the words finished, his and Martina's figures had vanished from the spot.
The guards looked around in panic, trying to find traces of the two.
Meanwhile, Bai Ye and Martina had already passed through layers of walls and appeared directly in front of the secret room's door.
Inside the secret room, Riot suddenly turned around, its silver body instantly expanding.
"Who's there?!"
The thick metal door silently turned into dust.
Bai Ye stepped in slowly, his magic cloak fluttering without wind.
Martina's metal greatsword beside him surged with intense energy.
"Hello, Riot."
Riot's silver body visibly stiffened for a moment, then let out a shrill screech.
"Who are you? How did you get in?!"
"Shh."
Bai Ye gently raised his index finger, and Riot's roar abruptly stopped, as if strangled by an invisible force.
"Don't worry, we have plenty of time to chat slowly."
Eddie widened his eyes, and Venom's black head excitedly poked out from his other shoulder.
"Eddie! My Symbiote senses tell me this man is very powerful!"
Martina's metal greatsword suddenly blazed red, warning: "Bai, watch behind you!"
The white walls around the secret room suddenly came alive.
Countless silver-white Symbiote warriors separated from the walls, instantly surrounding the entire room.
Bai Ye tilted his head with interest, under the boost of Super Dynamic Vision.
These swarming Symbiote warriors looked like slow-motion replays in his eyes.
His pupils contracted slightly, his sight penetrating the molecular level, beginning to analyze the genetic structure of these Symbiotes.
"So that's how it is!"
Bai Ye murmured to himself, but soon disappointedly curled his lips.
"Just simple protein restructuring and energy conversion, not even basic entanglement."
These Symbiotes seemed powerful, but their amplification was too small.
Martina struck like lightning; her metal greatsword traced an arc, instantly cleaving the foremost Symbiote warrior in two.
The next second, Bai Ye's telekinetic wave spread out.
All the charging Symbiotes froze in place, as if the pause button had been pressed.
Seeing this, Martina sheathed her sword and curiously poked the nearest Symbiote warrior.
That silver-white body stood motionless like a sculpture.
"Doesn't seem special at all; thought we were in for a big fight!"
After gauging the Symbiote warrior's strength, Martina said in disappointment.
The chained Eddie stared wide-eyed, Venom's black head on his shoulder opening its mouth exaggeratedly.
"Whoa! That was awesome!"
Riot was the first to react; its silver-white body suddenly liquefied and shrank, revealing a tall blond man inside.
Before the host could fully awaken, Riot had turned into a sheet of silver-white fluid, rushing toward Bai Ye.
"Bai Ye!"
Martina instinctively stepped forward, but stopped when she saw Bai Ye's calm expression.
Bai Ye did not dodge; he let Riot's silver fluid coil around his arm.
Under Super Vision, he clearly saw Riot's gene chains like countless tiny silver tentacles frantically trying to burrow into his cells.
"Interesting!"
Bai Ye felt the silver slime gradually cover his arm, shoulder, and finally even half his face.
At that moment, Riot, believing it had seized Bai Ye's body, let out an excited laugh.
"What a perfect body! Such immense power! Now it's all mine! Hahaha!"
Venom yelled anxiously on Eddie's shoulder: "We're done for! This guy's getting controlled by Riot!"
Yet just as Riot was about to fully cover Bai Ye, its laughter turned into a terrified scream.
"No! What is this?! Impossible!"
The silver-white fluid trembled violently like an electric shock, then sprang away from Bai Ye's body.
It slapped onto the floor, shrinking into a twitching puddle of silver slime.
Bai Ye straightened his collar and shook his head in regret: "Looks like your genes aren't compatible with mine."
Martina couldn't help laughing and asked curiously: "Were you just experimenting on yourself?"
"Just satisfying curiosity." Bai Ye shrugged, sounding bored.
"Unfortunately, these Symbiotes are too low on the evolutionary ladder to even breach the surface of my cells."
Bai Ye had figured out that these Symbiotes were of no practical use to him.
His cells refused to devour the Symbiote because they deemed its genes too trashy.
Mainly, Bai Ye's cells were simply too independent.
On the ground, Riot struggled to re-form, then swiftly wrapped itself around the man it had originally possessed.
But its frame was clearly a size smaller, its silver sheen now dull and lifeless.
Riot staggered back in terror, shouting, "Who the hell are you?!"
Eddie, still in chains, burst out laughing. "Told you so!"
"Some beings you just don't mess with!"
Venom writhed excitedly on Eddie's shoulder. "Brilliant, Eddie—we picked the right side!"
Bai Ye lifted a hand toward Eddie; with a casual flick of his fingers the custom-forged shackles crumbled to dust.
"Now, will you tell me the truth of this World? For instance, who is this 'he' you speak of?"
Eddie rubbed his wrists and stood. Bai Ye glanced at the wilted Riot on the floor, then at the freed Eddie, and asked thoughtfully.
Venom's black head bobbed eagerly from Eddie's shoulder.
"Whoa! Finally someone who gets it!"
It flailed its black tendrils in an exaggerated 113-dance, explaining excitedly,
"Let me lay out this crazy tale for you!"
Eddie patted the Symbiote on his shoulder. "Easy there, pal."
He turned to Bai Ye and began to explain the deeper truth behind the catastrophe.
"It all started three years ago..."
Through alternating accounts from Eddie and Venom, a more detailed version of the truth surfaced than anything Bai Ye's group had heard before.
Three years ago, the U.S. and Russia stumbled into Nuclear War over a misunderstanding.
Within a short span every major power launched warheads; Human Civilization was nearly wiped out, and the World sank into Apocalypse.
Survivors discovered that the radiation brought not only Death but horrific Genetic Mutations.
"At first they were minor," Eddie said, pointing to himself.
"Stronger muscles, faster healing—then things escalated."
Venom took over, tendrils whipping.
"People started sprouting extra arms, two heads—some could breathe fire; it was like a circus on steroids!"
Martina frowned, recalling the figures she'd seen in the street. "That must have been agony!"
"Agony?" Eddie gave a bitter laugh. "Compared with the horrors crawling out of the sea, mutation was a gift."
Eddie had a point: Marine Life, irradiated, mutated into towering monstrosities.
The first beast stood ninety meters tall and flattened several Shelters.
"Humans killed it at a steep price," Venom said, licking his fangs.
"Then they learned its flesh made the eater stronger."
Bai Ye raised an eyebrow. "So mankind started hunting the mutants?"
"That was the idea at first."
Eddie's expression darkened. "Then, two years ago, a Meteorite crashed in Siberia."
Venom bristled. "That's how we reached Earth—but that bastard Riot betrayed the Symbiotes' purpose!"
Originally the Symbiotes had sought only peaceful bonding.
Yet Riot realized this World's Mutated Humans were perfect hosts and began forced mergers to build a Dictatorship.
"He brainwashed them, claiming symbiosis was humanity's next evolutionary step,"
Eddie spat. "In reality he treated humans as cattle."
Venom leaned closer to Bai Ye. "The creepiest part? We found Symbiotes inside some of the Mutant Beasts!"
Golden light flashed in Bai Ye's eyes; he already saw where this was heading. "You mean..."
"Exactly!"
Venom lowered his voice and voiced his suspicion: "Someone—or something—had seeded Earth with Symbiotes before that meteor ever fell!"
Martina knitted her brows, thought for a moment, then asked a touch naively,
"So the Nuclear War, the Mutant Beasts, the meteor—all of it was orchestrated?"
Bai Ye didn't answer the naïve Martina; instead he stared at Venom,
recalling a possibility—perhaps why Riot had imprisoned Eddie in the first place.
Then Bai Ye suddenly asked Eddie,
"Eddie, did you die once already?"
Venom's black head froze, white eyes bulging.
"W-what? How could you know?!"
Bai Ye smiled. "When you said 'he' just now, did you mean Knull?"
"Holy crap—shut up!" Venom jerked as if struck by lightning.
His body convulsed wildly, Black Goo twisting out of control.
Chapter 227
"Don't speak that name! Don't!"
It darted terrified glances in every direction, as though afraid something might suddenly appear.
Eddie, startled by Venom's reaction, raised a placating hand. "Hey, buddy—easy there!"
Venom had already curled into a ball, its black ooze rippling nonstop.
This man really wants to get me killed—he actually mentioned that guy.
"He'll hear it; he can sense every Symbiote's thoughts. God, we're finished!"
Understanding flashed across Bai Ye's eyes. "Just as I thought."
When a Symbiote's host dies and is later resurrected, it produces an object called a Codex, which stores the host's memories and cells.
But its most crucial purpose is to revive those sealed on the Planet Klyntar Planet.
The very god of the symbiotes!
Knull!
Bai Ye knelt and tapped Venom's trembling form; a golden flash of light instantly calmed the Symbiote.
"I saw broken fragments in your genetic memory."
Bai Ye's voice was soft and direct. "Knull did send the Exolons to this World, but he himself isn't here, is he?"
Venom cautiously unfurled, puzzled. "H-how can you be sure?"
Bai Ye rose and looked to the sky. "Because if he were, this World would already look very different."
If Knull were here, the Symbiotes wouldn't even matter.
The guy can solo the Celestials and tear apart the mightiest hero, the Sentinel, with his bare hands.
(After Knull tore the Sentinel apart, Marvel's editors slapped on so many patches that the Sentinel's power shot straight to the omniversal level.)
Compared with other cosmic heavyweights, Knull leans more toward purely physical attacks.
And Bai Ye feared physical attacks the least.
Martina looked on in bewilderment. "Who is this Knull?"
Venom's black slime writhed uneasily as it explained.
"He is the primordial darkness, the creator of all Symbiotes—an ancient evil god."
"He loathes light and life; he wants the Universe returned to void."
Eddie gasped. "Wait—you're telling me the Venom inside me was made by an evil god?"
"Once, yes." Bai Ye took over. "But Knull has been sealed for ages. Venom, how do you Symbiotes still sense him?"
Venom hesitated. "Two years ago, on the night the meteor fell, every Symbiote shared the same dream."
Its voice dropped. "In the dream there was a black sword and a pair of blood-red eyes!"
Bai Ye nodded; everything clicked. "The God-Slayer sword—so Knull did leave traces in this World."
Just then, the dying Riot on the ground let out a hoarse laugh.
"Heh, fools—do you really think he's still sealed?"
The silver Symbiote struggled to rise, ready for a classic villain monologue. "That sword is—"
Before it could finish, a bolt of black lightning crashed from the roof and struck Riot dead-on.
Under everyone's stunned gaze, Riot was vaporized before it could even scream.
Venom shrank into Eddie in fright. "I knew it—he's been watching us the whole time!"
Bai Ye stared at the storm-laden sky, golden light flickering in his eyes.
He could have saved Riot just now—but there was no need; even without Riot's words, he already knew where the God-Slayer sword was.
"What are you afraid of, little Venom? It's because of this house."
Martina gripped the great metal sword at her waist. "What do we do now?"
Bai Ye pondered, then broke into a meaningful, wicked grin.
"If I want to find Knull—"
He turned to a shivering Eddie and said in an eerie tone, "Eddie, would you mind dying for a moment?"
Venom inside Eddie wailed, "Why is it always us who get the short end of the stick?"
"Wait, wait—I just thought of something!"
After its howl, Venom thrust out an exaggerated head and stared straight at Bai Ye.
"That surging light energy inside you! My God, you're like a walking Sun!"
"I don't know how you have so much power, but it can definitely counter Knull—we don't have to be afraid of him!"
Eddie looked around blankly. "What light energy? I don't see anything."
"What light energy? I don't see anything."
Venom whipped a black tendril in front of Eddie's eyes, flipping him the gooey middle finger.
"Damn it! Your pathetic human eyes can't even see molecules—how could you spot energy on this level?"
"Hey!" Eddie pointed proudly at his own eyes.
"These eyes won a Pulitzer! Back in San Francisco—"
"Oh, give it a rest!"
Venom rolled a huge eye, cutting Eddie's brag short. "You can't even find the chocolate I hide in the fridge!"
"That's because you keep stealing my burritos!"
"Because you need to watch your weight—look at that little belly!"
Martina couldn't help laughing at the pair of clowns in front of her.
"Interesting. Among monster-and-human teams, these two are a perfect match—an ideal symbiosis."
Bai Ye, standing to one side, said with a smile, "That's how they survived the apocalypse—same as you used to be: heartless and carefree."
Stung by Bai Ye's jab, Martina puffed her cheeks and shot back angrily,
"I'm not heartless at all! I care about every partner in the Base!"
"Yeah, sure, sure." Bai Ye nodded with zero sincerity.
While Bai Ye and Martina bickered, Venom and Eddie on the other side kept sniping at each other.
"And last time you tossed my limited-edition vinyl like a frisbee!"
"That's because you insisted on playing that awful Death-metal track!"
"It's rock! Rock, you tasteless—"
Rendered speechless by Bai Ye, Martina was practically fuming.
But she couldn't out-talk or out-fight him, so she vented on the two easy targets instead.
"Both of you shut up. Shouldn't we deal with the threat called Knull first?"
Seeing Martina's fury and the dangerous aura rolling off her, Venom shrank his neck and prudently said,
"Uh… actually it's not that urgent. Knull should still be asleep."
Eddie suddenly turned serious. "Hold on—if some evil god really is about to destroy the World, as a reporter I have a duty to report the truth."
He turned to Bai Ye, face bright with hope. "Need help? We probably can't beat a god, but we can, uh, be sort of useful, right?"
Venom popped out of Eddie's shoulder at once, objecting,
"We? You sure you want in? When we met Riot you nearly wet yourself!"
"That's because you took control of my bladder!" Eddie instantly shifted the blame.
Even the usually ditzy Martina could see these two were pure deadweight.
She looked helplessly at Bai Ye. "You really want to bring them along?"
Bai Ye watched the still-bickering pair, interest flickering in his eyes:
"Every journey needs entertainment. I haven't ditched you, have I?"
"I—"
Before Martina could unleash a torrent of curses, Bai Ye snapped his fingers; a golden ring of light enveloped everyone.
"Let's go—out of this lousy place first."
A flash of gold later, they were atop a high tower outside the city.
In the distance the setting Sun was sinking behind the horizon, gilding the war-torn city in gold.
Venom lay sprawled on Eddie's head, gazing at the view, suddenly quiet.
"Seriously, this World's already bad enough—Knull better not make it worse."
For once Eddie didn't quip; he only asked softly, "So where to now?"
Bai Ye stared into the distance. "First, let's take a look at this World."
He turned to Martina. "And let you see what other weird sights it holds—call it compensation for just now."
Martina finally nodded in satisfaction and gazed outward.
Behind them Eddie and Venom resumed their low-volume bickering, yet this time both pairs of eyes held a trace of resolve.
A moment later Bai Ye's sight pierced the vast distance; on a coastline of another continent a terrifying scene leapt into view.
A beast over a hundred meters tall was lumbering through the ruins.
Its body was Godzilla-huge but coated in Symbiote slime.
Instead of dorsal spikes, a dozen massive Symbiote tentacles writhed along its back.
Stranger still, lightning kept striking from the sky, only to be absorbed by those tentacles and converted into crackling blue arcs around its body.
"Looks like our itinerary just got a target. The ocean's hiding plenty of good stuff."
Bai Ye withdrew his gaze and spoke to the others behind him.
Venom and Eddie were still arguing over who was the bigger coward while Martina refereed the contest.
All three turned at Bai Ye's words.
"You mean those big uglies in the sea?"
Eddie made an exaggerated gesture. "Honestly, this plot's so cliché—like some B-grade monster flick."
"And a shoestring-budget one at that!"
Venom chimed in, black tendrils mimicking the gesture.
"Last week we met one that sneezed and tied its own tentacles into a bow."
"That's even weirder than grandma being saved by Superman while crossing the street."
This time Martina skipped the banter and asked Bai Ye seriously,
"How strong are those monsters compared with Optimus Prime and the others?"
"Optimus Prime?!"
Venom sprang from Eddie's shoulder, black head swiveling.
"Lady, you overrate those clowns. Optimus could slap those things into paste with one hand!"
"They're just big dumb brutes—nowhere near the aliens with alien tech like Optimus and company."
Chapter 228
Eddie rolled his eyes. "Like you could survive a slap from Optimus Prime."
Venom was about to retort when it froze.
It stared at the G emblem and cape on Bai Ye's armor, then at the longsword on Martina's hip; the black goo began to quiver.
"Hold on, hold on..." Venom's voice shot up. It looked at Bai Ye. "From the outfits... you two aren't bootleg Superman and Wonder Woman, are you?!"
"From the outfits... you two aren't bootleg Superman and Wonder Woman, are you?!"
But it quickly shook its head, huge white eyes bulging. "No—blinding solar energy, the power of the Sun—that's Superman!"
"I've read Justice League comics. You're a bit different, but those classic traits? No doubt about it."
"I've read Justice League comics. You're a bit different, but those classic traits? No doubt about it."
"As for you... er, you're even less like Wonder Woman, but—close enough, I guess!"
Martina bristled at the put-down. "What do you mean 'close enough'? Am I any weaker than your so-called Wonder Woman?"
"What do you mean 'close enough'? Am I any weaker than your so-called Wonder Woman?"
Light flared in her hand, materializing into a metal whip.
With a casual flick—right beside Venom—she shattered a steel drum.
Venom gulped at the scraps of metal. "I—I think you're stronger!"
Eddie clamped a hand over its mouth. "Shut it! Stop causing trouble!"
The outburst made Martina realize: she too might be a comic-book character.
After all, Venom had recognized Optimus Prime for exactly that reason.
So what did fighting Skynet alongside Optimus count for? Had those bloody battles been scripted?"
Bai Ye sensed her turmoil; his hand brushed her shoulder. "Don't dwell on it. Every breath, every fight, every choice—you own them. That's enough."
"Don't dwell on it. Every breath, every fight, every choice—you own them. That's enough."
"No author controls you; they only tell your tale."
"In some Universe we may be ink on paper; in another, ink becomes flesh."
"In some Universe we may be ink on paper; in another, ink becomes flesh."
He jerked a thumb at Venom. "Take him—real here, a movie prop elsewhere."
"Take him—real here, a movie prop elsewhere."
Venom puffed up. "Exactly! Hope they don't cast me as an idiot!"
Martina inhaled, steadying herself. "So the Multiverse means we can be both living heroes and printed stories?"
"So the Multiverse means we can be both living heroes and printed stories?"
Bai Ye nodded. "Existence is its own meaning. Origin doesn't matter—being real right now does."
"Existence is its own meaning. Origin doesn't matter—being real right now does."
Her brow relaxed; a faint smile surfaced. "You're right. My decision to be a hero is real regardless of canon."
"You're right. My decision to be a hero is real regardless of canon."
Venom muttered, "This depth beats any writer in our Universe. If they could pen philosophers, heroes wouldn't keep turning evil."
"If they could pen philosophers, heroes wouldn't keep turning evil."
Eddie elbowed it. "Zip it."
Martina chuckled at Bai Ye. "Seems your lookalike is pretty famous."
He shrugged. "I've got Superman's powers, but I'm not him—Multiverse coincidence."
"Enough chat; we've got a low-budget kaiju to handle."
"Wait!"
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Venom turned serious. "If you two really pack Superman- and Wonder Woman-level punch, these mutants should be easy—"
"If you two really pack Superman- and Wonder Woman-level punch, these mutants should be easy—"
"—but they all carry Symbiotes. I'm afraid..."
"Afraid Knull can sense us through them?"
Bai Ye finished. Venom nodded nervously.
"Good. I want him to know—suits me perfectly."
His eyes sparked. "I'd love to meet the so-called god of the symbiotes."
Martina drew her greatsword. "Fly there or...?"
Bai Ye glanced at Eddie and Venom. "Any objections to high-altitude flight?"
Venom shrank back inside Eddie. "I hate speed—last time I nearly puked Eddie's breakfast!"
"Hey, that was you puking yourself!"
Before they could bicker, Bai Ye wrapped everyone in a Bio-Force Field.
The next instant he shot skyward like an arrow, Venom's howl echoing behind.
"Ahhh! I knew this would happen! I hate you, Eddie!"
On the other side, the mutated behemoth seemed to sense something, throwing its head back to let out an Earth-shaking roar.
Every Symbiote tentacle on its back stood erect, and the collective began greedily siphoning the surrounding electricity; crackling blue arcs danced across its skin.
High above the creature, Bai Ye and the others hovered, looking down.
Each of the monster's steps made the ground quake; the Symbiote tentacles on its back thrashed wildly as blue lightning snapped around its body.
"Whoa."
Venom poked his head out from Eddie's shoulder and started to gripe.
"Whoever designed this guy must've copied the homework."
"Look at that color scheme—jet-black with neon-blue highlights. A blatant, clumsy knockoff of the King of Monsters, Godzilla!"
"If I were Godzilla, I'd Atomic Breath him into next week."
Eddie nodded along. "And that walk is so overacted—worse than a high-school drama-club Godzilla."
"What kind of description is that?" Martina couldn't help laughing.
Bai Ye shot them a wicked grin. "Why don't you two go down and give it some pointers?"
These two chatterboxes rival Deadpool—just less unhinged.
Venom and Eddie froze; the black Symbiote shrank back into Eddie's collar. "Uh, we believe distance makes the heart grow fonder!"
"Yeah, yeah." Eddie forced a laugh.
"Optimus Prime could swat it, but it could swat us too."
Martina burst out laughing again. "You two are perfect for each other."
Bai Ye turned to Martina, eyes gleaming with mischief. "Feel like stretching your legs?"
Martina arched a brow, a confident smile tugging at her lips.
"I've been dying to cut these monsters down to size!"
Before the words faded, she had already leapt from the sky.
"Wait!"
Venom and Eddie yelled in unison, black tendrils theatrically covering their eyes—though Venom's eyes don't really qualify as eyes.
"This girl's even more reckless than the real Wonder Woman!"
Like a shooting star, Martina fell, the Sword of Hephaestus carving a blazing golden arc through the sunlight.
The beast sensed something and snapped its head up, meeting Martina's fierce stare.
"Take this—die, monster!"
Martina shouted, her huge metal sword leveled at the creature's skull.
Seeing her, the beast sent a dozen electrified tentacles stabbing her way.
Mid-air, Martina twisted gracefully; a rainbow of sword-light flashed, and the thickest tentacle was severed, black goo spraying everywhere.
Riding her downward momentum, she spun and slashed again, burying her blade deep in the monster's tail.
She landed lightly, sheathed her sword, and behind her the severed tail slid off and slammed to the ground in a storm of dust.
ROAAAR!!!
A deafening roar shook the ruins as the beast thrashed in agony.
From its wounds gushed black fluid that congealed into countless tiny Symbiote spores mid-air.
Venom suddenly shot out of Eddie's collar and shouted,
"Bad news! It's releasing infection spores—touch one and you're Symbiote property!"
Bai Ye rolled his eyes but said nothing.
If a Symbiote could pierce Martina's skin—this walking, human-shaped allspark—the Symbiotes would already rule Earth.
Below, tens of thousands of black spores rained down on Martina like a thunderstorm.
Facing the dark deluge, Martina didn't flinch; instead she grinned, eager for battle.
"Bring it on!"
She sprang upward; a powerful leg carved a perfect arc through the air and slammed into the beast's chest.
Under Venom and Eddie's stunned gazes, the hundred-meter titan was punted away like a football.
It crashed into the distant sea, sending up a geyser dozens of meters high.
"Stat-stick Monsters are terrifying!"
Venom writhed on Eddie's shoulder, his black goo stretching in exaggerated shapes.
"That kick could punt a human into orbit!"
"No Bio-Force Field—she'd just kick a normal guy into a fine red mist," Eddie corrected reflexively.
Martina landed softly, her huge metal sword glinting coldly in her hand.
She stared at the sea now settling back to calm, her combat stance unrelaxed.
She doubted the monster was finished that easily.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Sure enough, with a string of thunderous blasts, over a dozen tentacles—each more than five meters thick—burst from the waves like towering pillars and slammed into the shore.
The ground cracked under the horrific impact, rubble flying everywhere.
Suction cups and barbs lined the tentacles; where their slime dripped, the rocks hissed and corroded into white smoke.
"Here we go again!" Venom rolled his huge white eyes.
"These guys love their grand entrances—can't they try something original?"
Propped by the tentacles, the beast slowly rose from the sea.
Seawater cascaded off its hideous frame, and its pale, giant eyes locked onto Martina, brimming with murderous intent.
Chapter 229
ROAR!!!
The deafening roar sent towering waves crashing outward; surrounding ruins collapsed under the sonic blast.
Black clouds smothered the sky like doomsday. "All that flash, zero substance," Eddie muttered, hands clamped over his ears.
Venom nodded. "Feels like a second-rate actor gunning for an Oscar!"
Bai Ye hovered mid-air, watching with interest.
It was the beast's last hurrah—might as well let it show off.
Suddenly the monster erupted in blinding blue lightning.
Arcs rippled across its hide, then fused into a ten-meter column of thunder that crashed toward Martina!
Facing the apocalyptic strike, Martina simply raised her arms.
An attack on this level couldn't even scratch her—Optimus Prime's energy cannon packed more punch.
She crossed her forearms; the instant the lightning struck, golden light burst from her body.
BOOM—RUMBLE—
The bolt was perfectly deflected; stray arcs pock-marked the ground with scorched craters.
Martina stood unmoved amid the glare—not even a singe.
"So cool!!"
Venom writhed across Eddie, squealing, "Look at that framing! That lighting! That—"
His voice cut dead.
The sea began to heave unnaturally; a shadow many times larger than the first beast rose beneath the waves.
Before the last sparks faded the ocean churned violently.
The water bulged like a boiling dome.
BOOM!!!
An immense head—several times the size of the prior monster—burst through the surface.
That head alone dwarfed the earlier Symbiote Godzilla's entire body.
Its hide writhed with living black Symbiote tissue.
Countless spike-like hairs twisted atop its scalp, each squirming like a separate creature.
Waterfalls cascaded off its skull, forming torrential curtains.
Behind it, an endless body glimmered beneath the sea.
The visible portion already dwarfed the first titan.
In sheer mass it blotted out the sky.
Venom and Eddie froze at the sight of the even more grotesque colossus.
"…"
"…"
Two seconds later Venom shrank into Eddie, only his wide white eyes showing. "RUN!!!"
Eddie's face drained of color. "F***! What tier of monster is THAT?!"
Martina never budged.
Years of war against Skynet's Terminators had forged nerves of steel.
Back when she was merely human she hadn't feared those supposedly invincible machines.
Now, with the first sparks of the allspark within her, why would she?
Bai Ye floated above, lips curving in amusement.
"Now that looks like a proper kaiju—impressive size, but seems all bark."
The titan slowly lowered its head; crimson eyes locked on Martina.
Its maw opened, revealing spiral rows of fangs; an eerie blue glow pulsed in its gullet.
ROAR—06!
The sonic boom whipped up tsunami-sized waves; the entire shoreline crumbled.
Venom had vanished inside Eddie, leaving only a muffled wail.
"I knew it! Every damn time they crank the boss to ultra-plus!"
Eddie clung to Bai Ye's cape, shouting, "Martina! You sure you've got this?!"
Martina inhaled; golden light burst from her body and her greatsword. "Only one way to find out!"
Bai Ye rolled his eyes at the pair. "Relax, it's just an overgrown lizard. Perfect chance to see what this World's Symbiotes can really do."
The colossal lightning struck Martina—and did nothing.
She glanced down at herself, then up at the sky-blotting head.
"That all?"
Disappointed, she sheathed her sword.
Venom peeked from Eddie's collar. "Wait—she's putting the blade away? Retreat?"
The next instant Martina vanished.
A straight vacuum tunnel exploded across the sea.
Martina shattered the sound barrier with raw physical strength, punched straight through the sea, and slammed her fist—along with some garbled tech—into the behemoth's jaw.
BOOM!!!
A visible shockwave detonated across the surface.
The titanic head—bigger than a mountain range—jerked backward, and the entire seabed quaked from the blow.
The beast howled in agony, spewing not lightning but a black mist of Symbiote-laced blood.
Bai Ye chuckled mid-air; looked like Martina was having a blast.
Understandable—during training she'd spent most of her time getting hung up and beaten by Bai Yehimself.
Now that she'd finally found a giant punching bag, of course she was thrilled.
The first faux-Zilla had just crawled out of the waves when the monster's flying head smashed it back into the abyss.
Martina hovered overhead, wreathed in allspark radiance, bright as a Sun.
"Brutal!" Venom's white eyes went perfectly round.
"I take it back—this woman's even fiercer and stronger than Wonder Woman!"
The two colossi struggled to counter, but Martina gave them no opening.
She pressed her palms together, twisted, and drew a glowing energy whip from between them.
Crack!
The whip snapped out and looped cleanly around both beasts' throats.
Martina braced her arms and began swinging the titans like a pair of hammer-throw balls.
"That's not physics!" Eddie yelled, stunned.
Under Venom and Eddie's dumbstruck gaze she spun them three full turns, then let go.
RUMBLE—!!!
The pair shot toward the open ocean like meteors, shrinking to black dots and kicking up thousand-meter plumes.
Martina landed lightly on the shore and brushed non-existent dust from her hands.
"Done."
The sea calmed, with only drifting Symbiote scraps to prove the fight had happened.
Venom slumped across Eddie's shoulders and shouted,
"I hereby declare Ms. Martina my favorite superhero ever!"
Eddie nodded woodenly. "Seconded."
Bai Ye touched down beside her. "How'd it feel?"
"Didn't like it." She wiped her hand, then frowned at the sea. "But those Symbiote remains..."
Black slime writhed on the waves, trying to knit itself back together.
Venom sprang up in alarm. "Crap—they're reassembling! High-tier Symbiotes can regenerate from scraps!"
Bai Ye stayed unruffled. "Then we purify them for good."
He snapped his fingers; Sun-bright light speared down from the sky.
The black matter shrieked and burned to ash under the pure radiance.
"All clean."
Bai Ye turned to Eddie and Venom, expression turning serious.
"Now for the real talk—these Symbiotes were pushovers."
Venom glanced at the calm sea, then at the two nonchalant titans beside him, and whispered to Eddie,
"I suddenly feel sorry for Knull—he's toast!"
After witnessing Bai Ye and Martina's might, Eddie agreed—so much so that he declared,
"Same here!"
"These Knull-spawn look no different from ordinary Symbiotes."
"Apart from turning huge after bonding with mutant sea beasts, so I figure Knull himself is..."
"Just 'huge'?!" Venom cut in, black tendrils flailing.
"Those punks lucked out—possess a mutant leviathan and boom, hundred-metre monster!"
He pointed a tendril at himself, then at Eddie.
"Look at me—stuck with this wimpy reporter, zero decent powers!"
"Wimpy reporter?!" Eddie bristled.
Stung by the insult, Eddie snapped back,
"Who buys your chocolate? When Riot's goons cornered us, whose body took the blade for you?"
Venom's tongue lashed. "Because you're pathetic! If you were as jacked as those sea mutants, we'd rule Doomsday City by now!"
"Rule Doomsday City?" Eddie laughed in disbelief.
"You? The guy who got chased by a hot-dog vendor last week?"
Chapter 230
"That was a strategic retreat!" Venom shot back the moment Eddie brought up his embarrassing past. "And that stand's hot dogs really were terrible!"
"Terrible—yet you still swiped two?!" Eddie roared.
"I was taste-testing for you!" Venom replied shamelessly.
Martina watched the two clowns. Even she, usually a fan of chaos, was getting annoyed. "Are they always this hyper?"
Bai Ye's lips curled. "Looks that way. Still…"
He turned to Venom. "Venom, are you sure those Symbiotes were just lucky?"
Venom paused its bickering with Eddie, black head tilting.
"What do you mean?"
Bai Ye gazed at the calming sea in the distance and gave a faint shake of his head.
"What if the truth is… you're just too weak?"
Bai Ye looked back at Venom, amusement flickering in his eyes.
"Why not simply invite Knull's lackeys over?"
"What?!" Venom's head snapped up from Eddie's shoulder.
"You're not thinking of using me as bait, are you?!"
Eddie looked blank. "Bait? Wait—"
Realization hit; he pointed at Venom and demanded,
"No wonder you've been refusing full merger lately! Did you know something all along?"
Venom shrank, guilty. "If I'd fully bonded we'd have been found ages ago—that would be real trouble!"
"Trouble?!" Eddie jumped in fury.
"If you hadn't wimped out, would Riot have caught us?"
"We nearly died! If Mr. and Mrs. Hero hadn't shown up…"
"Hahaha!"
Venom burst out laughing, black goo quivering theatrically.
"Idiot! Riot didn't dare kill you—he grabbed you because he's terrified of you dying!"
Eddie froze. "Explain."
Venom lowered its voice conspiratorially. "Because if you die, Knull will come in person!"
Martina frowned. "Where does that idea come from?"
Venom writhed. "Mr. Superman already mentioned it, but to be precise: every human ever hosted by a Symbiote retains a unique energy imprint."
"If the host dies suddenly, it forms a Codex; if the Symbiote fully merges, the mark emits a special energy pulse."
It mimed an explosion with a tentacle and supplied the sound:
"Boom—like a beacon in the dark. Knull can sense it across dimensions!"
Martina caught on. "So Riot kept Eddie captive to stop Knull from noticing this Universe?"
"Exactly!" Venom preened.
"Riot worships Knull, but he's also scared. If Knull arrives and thinks Riot messed up, the first one crushed will be him!"
Eddie paled. "Hold on—so I've got a Knull-homing beacon that triggers on Death?!"
Venom patted his shoulder. "Relax. As long as I don't fully bond, the signal stays faint; but if we merge completely and you suddenly croak—"
It drew a finger across its throat. "—Knull comes knocking."
Eddie stared, realizing life had become decidedly un-beautiful.
From a flop reporter to… whatever this was—who knew what lay ahead?
Martina asked again, "So what are you going to do now?"
Bai Ye flashed a dangerous grin. "In that case, why not save Knull the trip?"
Venom and Eddie stiffened, shouting in unison, "You're not thinking of making us fully bond?!"
Bai Ye snapped his fingers. "Bingo. Then a top-tier battle of wits—fake Death."
"No-no-no!!!" they screamed together.
Venom shook its head frantically. "Too risky! What if it backfires?!"
Eddie clutched his chest. "I'm not ready to die—my Pulitzer's still waiting!"
Bai Ye shrugged, giving a reassuring look. "Relax. With me around, you won't die."
He turned to Martina. "So, up for something big?"
She nodded eagerly, thrilled by the chaos. "Sounds fun—count me in, hands and feet."
Venom's white eyes darted between Bai Ye and Martina, then drooped in despair.
"We're doomed—totally doomed!"
Eddie looked lifeless. "I knew it—running into super-heroes never ends well."
"Don't be so gloomy."
Bai Ye pressed a hand on Eddie's shoulder; a flash of gold surged.
"I've left an energy barrier inside you. Even if Venom fully merges and you die, Knull won't sense it."
Venom extended a tentacle to check, skeptical.
"Huh? Something shiny really is there—wait!"
Venom quivered with excitement. "If this barrier can hide us from Knull, does that mean…"
Bai Ye nodded. "You can merge completely without worrying about being found."
Venom and Eddie exchanged a glance, then broke into identical wicked grins.
"Heh-heh-heh!"
"Ha-ha-ha!"
Martina eyed the suddenly excited duo, puzzled. "What's gotten into them?"
White shook his head with a chuckle. "Probably just thought up some mischief."
Sure enough, the next second Venom fully coated Eddie, the black Symbiote's tendrils whipping through the air in glee.
"Perfect—time to go wild! First stop, trash Riot's lair."
Eddie's voice echoed from the black skull. "Then we rip the roof off that corner store that sold us expired hot dogs!"
"Hey! What about the Pulitzer?!"
"That can wait—payback first!"
White and Martina watched the two clowns race off in high spirits and couldn't help smiling at each other.
This Universe's Venom must have absorbed someone's chatterbox nature—menacing looks, motormouth mouth.
"So…"
Martina turned to White, curiosity sparkling. "What do we do now?"
"Follow and enjoy the show," White answered, a sly glint in his eye. "And wait for the real big fish to bite."
Just as White prepared to cast his line, quiet events were stirring in Marvel's white night universe… Earth, Kamar-Taj.
twilight spilled across the ancient courtyard; a breeze stirred a few fallen leaves.
On the plaza, apprentices practiced spells, runes and incantations weaving bright threads through the air.
Deep in the yard, beneath a pavilion, Dark Doctor Strange and the Ancient One sat opposite an unfinished game.
Dark Doctor Strange pinched a black stone and placed it softly on the board.
Yet his gaze slid past the grid, staring through the void at some unseen threat.
Memories surfaced; his brows knit tight. "Master," he said gravely.
"Master."
"The Dark Dimension's incursions grow more frequent; those dimension-lords seem frantic."
The Ancient One lifted a white stone but hesitated, never setting it down.
Her brows locked, eyes profound; Strange was right—recent crises had kept them both racing.
"Last time we sealed several rifts at once and missed the Incursion Crisis."
She paused. "Anomalies multiply; something is shaking the very balance of the cosmos."
Dark Doctor Strange blinked, looking up at the Ancient One.
"Even you don't know why?"
The Ancient One gave a faint, wry shake of her head.
"Stephen, your power long ago surpassed mine; if even you can't see the truth, how could I?"
Strange fell silent, eyes dropping to the eye of agamotto at his chest.
"I've tried to glimpse the future, but the timelines are chaos—something higher is interfering."
Strange sighed inwardly; ever since he absorbed the Dark Dimension's energy, events had slid toward ruin.
He didn't know what, yet he felt it: something immense was happening out among the stars.
The Ancient One gazed into the distance, sunset glowing in her pupils.
"The Universe's rules are being rewritten—or deliberately twisted by some being."
Strange's brows drew together. "Could Thanos have claimed something?"
The Ancient One shook her head. "Not our Thanos—of that I'm certain."
A hush fell; neither spoke, the game suspended.
Dusk light bathed the courtyard; distant chants drifted from practicing apprentices.
After a moment the match resumed, though neither mind was on the board.
Strange set down a black piece, then spoke at last.
"At least Wanda and the others are still here; without them we couldn't handle wave after wave of incursions."
The Ancient One nodded, placing her white stone.
"Indeed, beside White their growth has outpaced imagination."
Her sight pierced the courtyard, reaching farther across space-time.
"Wanda's Chaos Magic now touches the very fabric of natural law."
Strange inclined his head, a flicker of awe in his eyes.
"Susan's power nears its limit, and Ju Ziyun's combat talent is staggering."
He paused. "Sometimes I wonder what this Universe would be had White never appeared."
The Ancient One smiled faintly. "It would have swung to another extreme—conquered, or shattered in endless Multiverse war."
Strange nodded, his expression still taut.
"White's left again; if he were here, things might be far simpler."
Chapter 231
Ancient One shook her head and said to Doctor Strange:
"Strange, Bai Ye already stands at the level of the Multiverse; he is destined not to linger long in any single World."
She looked at her disciple, speaking with the weight of earnest instruction.
"Just like you, Stephen—once you truly step into the realm of the Multiverse, you'll find that the safety of one Earth is but a speck of dust amid infinite possibilities."
Doctor Strange gave a bitter smile: "Yet we still can't let go of that speck of dust."
Ancient One flicked her sleeve; the black-and-white stones on the Go board returned to their places of their own accord.
"Precisely because of this, we are Guardians, not The Watchers."
They rose and walked to the tea table; Strange poured tea for them both.
Sorcerer Ancient One lifted her cup and gently blew across its surface.
At that moment an apprentice hurried in, face taut with anxiety.
"Sorcerer Supreme—Hong Kong Sanctum's monitoring array has detected a surge of dark energy!"
Dark Doctor Strange sprang to his feet, his cloak of dark sorcery billowing though no wind stirred. "Another dimensional incursion?"
The apprentice nodded nervously. "Exactly—and the energy signature is stronger than ever!"
Ancient One and Strange exchanged glances; both sensed something simultaneously.
"It seems…"
Ancient One rose slowly, a golden mandala blooming in her palm.
"…new guests have arrived uninvited."
Strange had already slashed open a Portal, sparks of dark sorcery crackling in the air.
"Let's hope it's not another primordial evil God."
Ancient One smiled faintly: "Who knows? The surprises of this Universe never disappoint."
Just as they were about to step through the Portal—
WAAAM!!!
An invisible ripple swept across the entire Multiverse.
It wasn't a deliberate release of power, but the aftershock of a higher-order being annihilated.
The Multiverse itself keened in mourning for its passing.
Ancient One froze mid-motion, pupils shrinking sharply.
Dark Strange halted as well, slowly lifting his gaze. "Teacher… you felt it too?"
Ancient One nodded, her expression graver than ever. "A mighty being has died."
Meanwhile, at the Long Island Villa.
Wanda's teacup suddenly shattered in her hand; she shot to her feet and stared out the window.
She sensed it—that unique ripple.
"Susan!"
Susan materialized beside her, Force Field energy instinctively flaring into being.
"I felt some cosmic-level annihilation."
"A new danger?" Wanda frowned.
Susan shook her head. "Whatever it is, we must keep Earth safe. We can't let Bai return and find his home in ruins."
Ju Ziyun hadn't felt the ripple, but seeing their solemn faces she nodded as well.
"We face it together!"
…Meanwhile, in a spatial rift of the Marvel Multiverse.
The colossal frame of Uatu the Watcher shuddered; slowly he turned, white eyes reflecting countless broken timelines.
"Impossible… what has happened?!"
…Within a pocket of space—Celestial Domain.
Arishem the Ultimate, supreme among the Celestials, froze for an instant.
For the first time, the mechanical titan betrayed something akin to shock.
"Galactus?" (Invincible Uncle Tun has fallen again)
…In the depths of the Multiverse.
Eternity's star-river visage slowly pivoted; time and space interwove within his gaze.
"Galactus is in peril? Balance is broken—what has occurred?"
At that instant every Cosmic Deity sensed the ripple.
To these supposedly deathless Gods it carried an inexplicable menace… On a ruined Planet.
Ancient One and Strange stepped through the Portal onto a shattered star-body hundreds of thousands of times larger than the Sun.
Before them lay the titanic corpse of Galactus himself.
The supposedly eternal cosmic form now sprawled like a collapsed mountain range across the stellar wreckage.
His iconic purple armor lay in ruins, helmet antenna snapped, cosmic energy leaking in countless ribbons of light that drifted through the void.
This body was infinitely mightier than any Galactus avatar within a single Universe.
Ancient One and Strange knew matters were far from simple.
Strange's breath nearly stopped, his face grave. "Teacher… this is beyond anything we know."
Ancient One stared at the scene, voice low. "I see it, Strange—the order of the cosmos is collapsing."
At that moment a towering figure appeared beside them: Uatu the Watcher had arrived.
Rare emotion flickered in his white eyes.
"Uatu!"
Doctor Strange stepped forward at once. "Is this Galactus's true form? What exactly happened?"
The The Watcher hesitated, then spoke. "Yes. This is the one and only Galactus in the Multiverse."
His voice echoed, equally grave. "And now, something has killed him."
Ancient One's brows knit tight. "Only a being of equal rank can slay a Cosmic Deity."
Uatu slowly shook his head. "No. Even Eternity or Infinity could not erase Galactus—only defeat him."
His annihilation means a force beyond cosmic law has intervened."
Doctor Strange picked up, face dark. "Like Ultron back then—only worse."
0 flowers requested 0
The three fell silent. The sight was too staggering; they could not fathom who could accomplish this.
They stood upon a shattered star hundreds of thousands of times larger than the Sun, staring at Galactus's corpse.
Universal energy leaked from the God's broken body, turning into drifting ribbons of light that slowly faded in the void.
The Watcher Uatu gazed in silence; rare puzzlement showed in his white eyes.
"Uatu," Doctor Strange asked heavily, "do you know who did it?"
Uatu shook his head slowly, utterly sincere. "No. Even I, a The Watcher, cannot pierce the truth behind this event."
Ancient One frowned at the words. "Even you don't know?"
"There are powers in the Universe beyond our observation."
Uatu's gaze swept across Galactus's body and he sighed.
"A being capable of killing Galactus is necessarily one we cannot see."
Doctor Strange frowned and looked to Ancient One. "Master, could Galactus's Death…?"
Ancient One nodded, confirming Strange's guess. "The balance of the Universe is breaking. His Deathmay collapse the energy cycle and trigger a chain reaction."
Uatu nodded as well. "More urgent: the universal incursion crisis is coming again, and Earth will be the next target."
Doctor Strange knitted his brows. "So what can we do?"
"Guard." Uatu's voice was heavy.
"Whoever the mastermind, however vast the storm, your only choice now is to keep Earth alive through the coming disaster."
"It is the nexus of the collision—so long as it remains intact, the Universe will hold."
After Uatu's words, Ancient One drew a slow breath. "It seems we have no time to chase the truth."
Doctor Strange looked ahead; Galactus's corpse was still dissolving.
"If the Multiverse crisis truly arrives, the two of us alone won't be enough."
Uatu stared into the void. "Earth's other Guardians must ready themselves."
Ancient One inclined her head. "Every force the Avengers can muster must be warned in advance."
Uatu's figure began to fade. "I will keep observing, but from here, the path is yours alone."
With the The Watcher gone, the broken star-field sank back into silence.
Only Galactus's silent corpse drifted, symbolizing an unspeakable terror approaching. "Seven-nine-three."
Doctor Strange turned to Ancient One. "Master, we should return."
Ancient One nodded and traced a Portal home.
Before stepping through, she glanced one last time at the remains and murmured,
"The Universe is slipping out of control, and we can only stand firm within the storm."
The two vanished into the golden Portal, leaving behind only this dead star-field—and an unsolvable riddle!
Who has slain a God?
…The Symbiote Universe
Under a gray sky, the entire steel metropolis lay beneath oppressive radioactive clouds.
High black spires were wrapped in living pipes formed of Symbiote tissue.
Patrol soldiers in the streets wore silver-black Symbiote armor, an army straight from a nightmare.
Yet today, the nightmare troops met an existence that became their own nightmare.
Bai Ye and Martina hovered above the city, looking down at the chaos.
"Looks like Venom's having fun," Martina teased with a smile.
In the city center, the complete Venom was cutting a bloody swath through all before him.
Chapter 232
His swollen black frame rampaged through the street, snatching an armored car and flinging it like a toy.
A dozen soldiers surrounded him, blasting away; energy rounds tore fist-sized holes in Venom, but the black ooze healed in an instant.
"Hahaha! That all you've got?"
Venom cackled, his tongue lashing ten-plus meters to whip a soldier into the air.
"Didn't your boss teach you how to handle a real Symbiote?"
Caught mid-air, the soldier thrashed in terror and stammered, "Im…possible…Lord Riot said…Venomwas already…"
"Riot?"
Venom leaned in, white eyes narrowing to dangerous slits. "That silver-white idiot's long since—"
"Venom!" Eddie's voice rang in his head, stopping him. "No spoilers! We still need intel!"
Venom clicked his tongue in annoyance and casually slammed the soldier into a wall.
"Whatever. You'll see for yourselves soon—on the road to the afterlife."
High above, Bai Ye's Super Vision pierced the layers of buildings, scanning the entire city.
"Let him play a bit longer; the real enemy's almost here."
…Planet Klyntar, the Dark Throne.
Deathly silence and absolute darkness blanketed the barren land; not even starlight could penetrate the heavy gloom.
Only the faint altar-light outlined a sealed figure.
White hair hung in disorder, corpse-pale skin evoking nightmares.
The man hung his head; a blood-red longsword was driven through his chest.
The blade sank into pitch-black armor engraved with a raptor-like—at a glance spider-like—totem.
It was in truth a winged Symbiote Dragon.
He was Knull, god of the symbiotes, hailed as the King in Black.
"Heh."
Suddenly a low, hoarse laugh rippled through the dark.
Knull raised his head slowly, revealing a face as pale as a cadaver's.
His crimson eyes flared like two drops of blood burning in the night.
"Sensed it… the Codex… has awakened."
Knull's voice was the shriek of countless dead, unspeakably terrifying.
"The scent of the Codex."
His cracked lips curled into a savage grin.
"Where is my Devourer of Planets?"
As the words fell, the void twisted; several black silhouettes emerged from the dark.
They towered, grotesque, heads long and alien, mouths spiraled with razor fangs.
Bodies of pure dark energy writhed, exuding suffocating pressure—Knull's Hunters, created to exterminate Symbiotes: the Devourer of Planetss.
"Go."
Knull lifted a chain-bound hand, pointing into the void.
"Bring Venom and Eddie Brock back."
His voice made the entire Planet Klyntar tremble.
"Your king shall awaken."
Knull sneered as though he were already free.
The Devourer of Planetss shrieked; behind them space tore into several swirling black vortexes.
They leapt into the vortexes and vanished in an instant.
With their departure silence returned.
Knull lowered his gaze to the crimson sword in his chest; dark-red energy seeped from the wound.
He brushed a pale finger along the blade.
Crack!
This sword had trapped him for endless ages.
"At last."
His grin widened until it was completely unbridled.
"I'm going to be free."
…Meanwhile, Survivor City.
In the middle of slaughtering Symbiote troopers, Venom suddenly froze, black ooze shuddering uncontrollably.
"Eddie!"
Venom's voice carried rare terror. "Run! RUN! They're here!"
Before Eddie could react, the city's alarms blared.
Every Symbiote soldier froze as if receiving a command, then stared skyward in dread.
The void twisted; five black vortexes slowly unfurled.
"No!"
A Symbiote soldier collapsed, despairing. "It's the Devourer of Planetss!"
High above, Bai Ye watched with interest. "Martina, the enemy's minions have arrived."
He saw nightmarish claws extending from the vortexes.
These things were stronger than Symbiotes; a lone Symbiote could barely kill one.
Bai Ye and Martina stared at the sudden black whirlpools.
Five titanic shadows descended—bigger and mightier than Symbiotes.
Elongated heads ringed with spiral fangs, pure dark energy churning around them.
"Those are the Devourer of Planetss Venom mentioned?" Martina frowned, pointing at the monsters.
Bai Ye nodded. "Symbiote-Hunters."
Martina tightened her grip on her massive metal sword. "What do we do?"
Bai Ye's gaze pierced the void, locking onto the depths of the vortex in an instant.
Darkness-shrouded space, a white-haired man pinned to a throne by a crimson sword.
A single glance gave him the target's coordinates.
That man—the King in Black, god of the symbiotes: Knull.
So the place sealing him was Klyntar, the Symbiote Planet.
"Found him." Bai Ye withdrew his gaze.
Martina looked downward. "Now?"
On the ground, Venom and the formerly hostile Symbiote soldiers were forced to join forces, yet still crushed by the Devourer of Planetss.
The monsters were immune to physical attacks; Symbiote energy only fed them.
Soldiers were torn and devoured one after another; Venom's ooze was shredded to pieces.
****
A Devourer of Planets mocked Venom in tones only he could understand, its claws aiming to pierce Venom's chest.
"Shut up! I'm not—Agh!" Venom dodged at the limit, still grazed.
Before he could counter, another Devourer of Planets bit his shoulder.
Eddie shouted in his mind, "Venom! Keep this up and we're dead!"
"I know! But these things can't be killed!"
High above, Bai Ye chuckled. "Let's move. Any later and Venom's toast."
Martina raised an eyebrow. "Didn't he call himself the strongest Symbiote?"
"Self-proclaimed."
The two flashed and appeared in the battlefield's center.
Venom was pinned by three Devourer of Planetss, black ooze flying everywhere.
Spotting Bai Ye and Martina, he screamed at the top of his lungs.
"Help! I'm dying! Really dying!"
Bai Ye folded his arms. "I'll save you—work for me from now on."
"Deal! I'll work my whole life!"
Venom's white eyes bulged as he instantly agreed.
"Kill them now!"
Bai Ye smiled faintly and snapped his fingers.
Snap!
With the crisp sound, the five rampaging Devourer of Planetss froze.
Their bones cracked, dark energy leaking from fractures; in moments they turned to ash and vanished.
The battlefield fell utterly silent.
Surviving Symbiote soldiers stared, stunned; one even slapped himself.
Venom wobbled upright, ooze rapidly knitting back together.
"Boss! I knew it—you make the earth shake when you act."
Bai Ye ignored the flattery, gazing skyward. "This is only the beginning."
Golden light rippled across Martina's metal greatsword. "That white-haired man…"
"Is Knull."
Golden light swirled in Bai Ye's eyes. "The sealed god of the symbiotes."
Venom shuddered. "Wait—you've seen him?"
"More than seen."
As the words fell, Bai Ye slashed open a spatial rift.
Beyond the tear, the crimson sword's cracks were faintly visible.
And Knull's scarlet eyes slowly lifting.
"The Codex is inside you, Venom."
Knull's voice sent every Symbiote soldier recoiling in terror.
Venom's white eyes widened to their limit. "Can I still quit?"
Chapter 233
Eddie's voice came from inside the Symbiote: "Oh no, we've become hot commodities."
Bai Ye looked back at them, shook his head, and gestured: "Let's go, Knull's seal hasn't been broken yet. Let's go see this god of the symbiotes."
...Just as Bai Ye was about to meet Knull, the Marvel Universe became lively once again.
Dark Dimension Boundary
Violent dark energy surged continuously. In this distorted space, Dark Doctor Strange floated in the void, his magic cloak billowing behind him.
Before him was a giant black entity condensed from pure malice.
At this moment, the dark entity let out a deafening roar, a crimson maw splitting open on its twisted face.
"Strange! You can't stop me!"
The dark entity's voice was like the shriek of a thousand tormented souls.
It stopped its nonsense, suddenly raised its gigantic claw made of chaotic energy, and slammed it down hard on Doctor Strange!
"I think I still can."
Strange rapidly formed hand seals, and a golden magic circle unfolded before him, colliding with the incoming dark giant claw.
Boom!!!
Blinding golden light and dark energy exploded, and the dimensional barrier trembled in the aftermath.
The dark entity let out a painful roar, glaring hatefully at Strange.
These detestable Sorcerer Supremes, no matter which Universe, always tried to stop him.
He let out roars of fury, and a torrent of energy capable of annihilating space began to gather in his mouth.
He wanted to invade reality, and these Sorcerer Supremes were blocking his way!
"It seems you don't intend to talk to me, then..."
As his voice fell, Strange didn't hesitate, suddenly spreading his arms.
In that instant, countless arms appeared behind him.
Demonic arms wrapped in chains, scaled tentacles, bat wings burning with Hellfire—all the arms simultaneously burst forth with dazzling light!
"Get back to the Dark Dimension!"
Countless golden streams of light blasted towards the dark entity, clashing with the energy torrent it spewed.
Buzz!!!
The entire Dark Dimension was engulfed in a blinding white light.
When the light dissipated, the dark entity's body was shattered, and it roared unwillingly as it retreated into the depths of the dimension.
"You won't be able to protect it for long, Strange!"
Strange retracted all his arms, and the dark energy around him slowly subsided.
"As long as I am on Earth, you cannot enter."
After a deep glance in the direction where the dimensional demon god disappeared, Dark Doctor Strange waved his hand to open a Portal and stepped through it.
At Kamar-Taj, two Portals lit up simultaneously.
Strange and the Ancient One returned from different dimensions. Master and disciple exchanged glances, both seeing weariness in the other's eyes.
"The rift in my dimension was just repaired."
The Ancient One brushed off some impurities from her sleeve and said to Strange, "Big events are happening more and more often lately."
Strange nodded and reported the recent situation: "The lords of the Dark Dimension are also stirring."
The other end of the Portal opened by Bai Ye was a desolate World shrouded in eternal darkness.
Black and white lightning flickered through the clouds, and the cracked ground was covered with black crystals formed from Symbiote remains.
Bai Ye was the first to step out of the Portal, his black combat boots landing on the ground, sending out an invisible wave of energy that pushed back the restless dark matter around him.
He observed his surroundings for a moment, finding it somewhat interesting. Knull's life form was indeed very special.
Martina followed closely, the surrounding dark aura making her feel uncomfortable.
"Wow!"
Eddie's voice came from behind: "This place's decor is really dark."
Venom's black head poked out from his shoulder, its white eyes darting around.
"I, I think we should go back."
"Shut up!" Eddie whispered.
"Who was it just now who said they'd work for him their whole life?"
"That was emergency evasion!" Venom's tentacles wriggled uneasily.
"And did you hear what Knull said? The Codex is inside me, what does that mean? It means he's going to vivisect me!"
Eddie rolled his eyes: "Don't worry, Mr. Bai is here."
"That's the god of the symbiotes!"
Venom waved its tentacles exaggeratedly: "And look at this place!"
It pointed to a huge throne made of piled bones in the distance.
"One hundred percent Knull's lair! According to the plot, side characters like us could be at any moment..."
Its nagging stopped abruptly, because the figure on the throne moved.
Chains clattered, and Knull slowly raised his head, his crimson eyes glowing.
His chest was pierced by a crimson longsword, but the oppressive feeling he gave off was still suffocating.
Knull spoke to Venom in his hoarse voice:
"Welcome, my child!"
Venom quickly shrank back into Eddie's body, leaving only two trembling white eyes visible.
Bai Ye looked at Knull before him, a hint of disappointment on his face.
Originally, he had quite respected Knull, after all, Knull was a Multiverse-level dark god.
But now, Bai Ye felt that Knull's strength was a bit lacking, only about the same level as Uncle Tunwhen he hadn't eaten enough and was skin and bones.
Bai Ye was somewhat disappointed, but if Knull could break the seal,
and then fully absorb the darkness and all Symbiotes he had previously separated, his strength would return to its peak.
"How does it feel to be nailed to a chair? Do you need help pulling out the sword?" Bai Ye smiled at Knull.
Knull's smile was terrifying, and he said directly: "You are very confident."
His gaze shifted to Eddie, or rather, to Venom on Eddie's shoulder.
"Hand over the Codex! You know I can get it."
Venom didn't dare to speak; Knull's oppressive presence was too strong, completely suppressing him.
Bai Ye stood before Knull, calmly gazing at the god of the symbiotes pinned to the throne by the crimson longsword.
The surrounding dark energy surged uneasily, yet it couldn't approach Bai Ye.
Seeing Venom remain silent, Knull could only fix his crimson eyes on Bai Ye, his voice grating:
"Do you know who you are speaking to? I am Knull, the embodiment of darkness, the god of the symbiotes. Even if you kill me now, I can be reborn in the Second World beyond the Universe."
Bai Ye didn't respond immediately, but instead gently placed his hand on the hilt of the crimson longsword.
The red Symbiote matter entwined on the sword immediately wriggled like a living creature, attempting to climb onto his arm, but was blocked by a faint golden light.
"Bai Ye?!"
Venom poked its head out from behind Eddie, its white eyes wide with shock, saying, "You're not thinking of releasing him, are you?"
Martina pressed her metal greatsword, watching the scene vigilantly, but did not intervene.
Bai Ye must have his goal in doing things; she just needed to execute.
"No, killing you would be too boring."
Bai Ye ignored Venom and said calmly to Knull.
Knull: ???
Hearing Bai Ye's words, his expression gradually changed from ferocious to bewildered.
"What do you want to do?"
"I want to see." Bai Ye's finger gently stroked the hilt.
"How much strength you have left after being sealed for so many years."
Bai Ye's words were like a sharp knife, piercing deeply into Knull's heart.
Knull's face instantly twisted: "Absurd! How dare you insult the god of the symbiotes? I don't need your charity!"
Bai Ye shook his head, disappointed: "After being trapped for so long, you still haven't learned to let go of your arrogance."
"Don't forget, you were sealed because of your arrogance in the first place."
"Forget it, more talk is useless. Let's just spar."
With that, Bai Ye pressed down slightly with his palm, and the crimson longsword let out an unbearable hum, its runes extinguishing one by one.
Knull's crimson eyes stared fixedly at Bai Ye, dark energy surging around him, yet unable to approach Bai Ye in the slightest.
"Are you sure you want to do this?"
Knull's voice was low and dangerous, as if suppressing something.
"Once I am free, this Universe will fall into eternal darkness."
Bai Ye smiled, confidently saying: "You can try."
Bai Ye's internal energy and methods were the most effective against Knull's type of darkness and physical powerhouses.
So Bai Ye wasn't worried about Knull causing any trouble.
Bai Ye stopped wasting words with Knull and exerted force with his finger!
Crack!
The crimson longsword impaled in Knull shattered with a snap!
The moment the seal broke, the entire Planet trembled violently, and a raging energy storm swept through everything.
Knull's body slowly floated up from the throne, his pale long hair stirring without wind.
Pitch-black armor re-covered his entire body, and the crimson dragon-shaped totem on his chest wriggled like a living creature.
"Hahaha!!!"
"I am free!"
Knull's voice made the entire Planet tremble:
"Foolish fellow, you will regret this decision."
His laughter shattered space as he stretched his long-unused body, and darkness spread like a tide from beneath his feet.
Seeing this, Martina instantly entered combat mode, her metal greatsword rapidly flashing with dazzling energy light.
"Bai Ye!"
Venom was so scared it shrank back into Eddie's body, leaving only two trembling white eyes visible.
"It's over, it's over, it's over!"
Bai Ye, however, remained standing, not even activating his armor, just calmly looking at Knull: "How do you feel?"