171. The Symbiote, Venom

The moment Alex laid eyes on Ashley, he noticed something else lurking within her. It was something that could influence a person's personality or mental state, while also possessing its own intelligence and thoughts. This discordant blend of consciousness was highly apparent to Alex.

Given that this was the Marvel Universe, the first thing that came to Alex's mind was Venom, an alien symbiote. It seemed that his guess was correct—Venom had indeed played a significant role in turning Ashley into the person she was now.

Venom was created by Knull, the god of symbiotes, as a sentient alien life form. Without a host, it typically existed in a liquid state. For its survival, it needed to bond with a powerful host to sustain its vitality.

This parasitic relationship wasn't just one-sided; as their name suggests, symbiotes form a "symbiotic" bond with their host, granting them superpowers in return. These powers include, but are not limited to, enhanced strength, speed, reflexes, and regenerative abilities, transforming an ordinary person into a superhuman.

But this symbiosis isn't exactly "friendly." Venom, for example, has its own consciousness, meaning that to gain its powers, the host must accept being inhabited and sometimes controlled by another entity.

While Venom can be influenced by its host, it also amplifies the host's desires and emotions, often to dangerous extremes.

It's often said that symbiotes make good people better and bad people worse, but the truth is more complex. The human heart is unpredictable—even someone like Spider-Man couldn't fully control Venom, so it's no surprise that others would struggle.

In a way, Venom is a tragic figure. It has no inherent morality, yet it is often categorized as a villain. Due to its nature, neither heroes nor villains want to associate with it, leaving Venom as a wanderer in the wastelands.

Alex had no idea how many different beings Venom had bonded with over the years, but he could tell that this Venom was far from the one he remembered. Now, it seemed more like a bloodthirsty maniac, much like Carnage.

What intrigued Alex the most was why Venom had teamed up with Ashley instead of going after Hawkeye. Could it be that Ashley's awakening of Spider-Man's powers had rekindled Venom's old obsession with Peter Parker? It was certainly possible. This could be interesting.

Alex watched Venom force a grin, unsure of what to say. Venom seemed terrified of him, trying to keep its rows of sharp teeth hidden to appear as harmless as possible.

"Venom, are you crazy!?" Ashley exclaimed, looking at Venom in shock. She couldn't understand why this creature, always talking about "flesh" and "slaughter," was now acting so submissive.

"When you approached me, you said we would conquer all our enemies!"

"I've never said anything like that to this girl."

Venom didn't even glance at Ashley, continuing to flash a submissive smile at Alex. As unsettling as that smile was.

"You promised me we would kill this sorcerer!" Ashley growled, gritting her teeth in anger.

"She threatened me," Venom quickly replied.

"You...! How could I have trusted a treacherous freak like you!?"

In her embarrassment and fury, Ashley swung a fist, but Venom was quicker, easily dodging her punches with a smug ease. It couldn't be helped—after all, they were sharing the same body, and Venom knew exactly what Ashley was thinking, including where she intended to punch.

"Get off of me now!" Ashley demanded.

"That's not up to you, little girl. Besides, if you want to stay alive, I suggest you behave. If you anger that man, you'll die a horrible death. I can't afford to lose another Spider-Man host," Venom muttered.

Initially, Ashley had made an intimidating entrance, causing Kara and the others to believe they were facing a formidable threat. But just as they prepared for a tough battle, the atmosphere took a strange turn. Especially when Alex spoke up, Venom suddenly became as docile as a lapdog, not only showing no intent to harm but also clearly terrified of Alex.

At this point, the group couldn't help but be amused by the infighting between Ashley and Venom.

"Well, she really is a crazy girl," Pietro muttered, exasperated.

The Blood Baron also seemed at a loss for words, though he cautiously observed Alex. As someone who had survived from an earlier era, he knew that anyone capable of terrifying Venom this much wasn't just any ordinary person. And considering that Alex and his group were from another world, their power was likely beyond what the Blood Baron had imagined.

Ignoring the Blood Baron's gaze, Alex kept a neutral expression as he watched the comical exchange between Venom and Ashley.

Honestly, Alex wasn't afraid of Ashley. If Spider-Man himself had shown up, they might have had a good fight, but this half-trained girl with incomplete Spider-Sense was no real threat, even with Venom's assistance.

Not just Alex—neither Kara nor Pietro was intimidated.

Even with Venom, Ashley wouldn't be able to keep up with Pietro's speed, and her strength was far below Kara's. Kara's heat vision, which was particularly effective against symbiotes, made Ashley's chances even slimmer. Of everyone present, perhaps only the Blood Baron might have an even match with her.

But what truly piqued Alex's interest wasn't Ashley—it was why Venom was so frightened of him. It was as if Venom had seen its god, Knull, rise from the grave.

...…..

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172. "Pietro?"

173. Submission.

174. Have You Heard of Eric?

175. The Alliance of Villains.

176. Battle of Ultimate Evil.