Venom x Multiverse [9]

Rain hesitated, torn between her loyalty to her teammates and the grim reality of their situation. As she turned to argue, a massive black shape hurtled out of the shadows.

The first operative barely had time to scream before Dante’s fist crushed his skull in a single blow. Blood sprayed as his lifeless body crumpled to the ground, leaving Dante to casually shake the crimson droplets from his hand.

“Clark! You bastard!” Rain screamed, her voice shaking with rage.

She and the remaining operative unleashed a desperate barrage of gunfire, their bullets striking Dante squarely. But the rounds barely fazed him, his symbiotic armor absorbing the impacts effortlessly.

Dante tilted his head mockingly, brushing his chest as though dusting off dirt. Then, without a word, he strode forward.

Reaching the second operative, Dante ignored the man’s frantic struggle and grabbed him by the throat, lifting him effortlessly into the air.

“Let me go, you damn monster!” the man shouted, clawing uselessly at Dante’s unyielding grip.

Rain’s fury boiled over. “Let him go, you freak!”

She fired at point-blank range, her shots finally eliciting a faint reaction—Dante’s head twitched slightly at the sting of the impacts. He turned toward her, his expression darkening.

Without hesitation, Dante raised his free hand and delivered a devastating punch.

Rain barely had time to react before the blow connected, sending her flying into the wall. Blood spattered as her body collapsed lifelessly to the floor, a pool of red spreading beneath her.

“Rain!” the remaining operative screamed, his voice filled with anguish.

His rage overtook his fear. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a grenade, the pin already pulled.

“For her, you bastard!”

He hurled the grenade at Dante, the explosive clutched tightly in his hand.

Dante’s gaze shifted, his eyes narrowing.

“Boom.”

The grenade detonated, the deafening explosion consuming the corridor in flames and smoke.

The entire passage was soon engulfed in flames. Many zombies were consumed by the raging fire, while others were flung away by the explosive shockwaves.

As the fiery explosion subsided, Dante remained standing in place, though his arm appeared to have sustained some damage.

“Damned creature,” he muttered irritably, eyeing the part of his arm that had been blown apart.

Black liquid quickly enveloped the damaged area, restoring it to its original state.

Noticing the zombies continuously gathering around him, Dante immediately leapt onto a nearby wall and began climbing deeper into the passage.

The entire passage was quickly engulfed in flames, swallowing countless zombies. Some were incinerated by the intense fire, while others were blown away by the shockwaves of the explosion.

When the fiery explosion subsided, Dante was still standing in the same spot, though his arm seemed to have taken some damage.

“Damned bastard,” he muttered irritably, glancing at the mangled portion of his arm. Black liquid began to spread over the injured area, seamlessly restoring it to its original state.

As he noticed more zombies converging on him from all directions, he immediately leapt onto a nearby wall and started climbing deeper into the passage.

Footsteps echoed through the ruined corridors, their frantic rhythm breaking the heavy silence. Alice, panting and determined, sprinted down the desolate hallway, pursued by the relentless growls of zombie dogs.

Behind her, at least a dozen undead canines were closing in, their exposed muscles glistening under the dim, flickering lights. The nearest one leaped forward, its jaws wide open, aiming for her throat.

But Alice was no stranger to danger. Even without her memories, her instincts as a trained security operative remained razor-sharp. Sensing the attack, she dodged at the last second, the dog’s claws swiping harmlessly past her.

Before she could recover, another zombie dog lunged. Reacting on pure instinct, Alice raised her leg, delivering a powerful kick that sent the creature flying into a nearby wall with a sickening crunch.

Breathing heavily, Alice straightened herself and surveyed her surroundings. She had stopped running—only to realize she was now completely surrounded.

The zombie dogs growled menacingly, their pale eyes glowing with hunger as they circled her, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Tightening her grip on the fire axe, Alice braced herself.

Then, inexplicably, the dogs began to hesitate.

One by one, they stopped growling and lowered themselves to the ground, their ears flattening. Within seconds, the entire pack turned tail and fled, whimpering as they disappeared into the shadows.

Alice froze, her heart pounding. What just happened?

She barely had time to wonder when a cold, unsettling feeling crept up her spine. Something wasn’t right.

Spinning around, Alice swung her axe in a defensive arc—but her strike was caught mid-swing.

Before she could react, a powerful hand clamped around her wrist, pinning her against the wall with an ease that made her feel completely powerless. The fire axe slipped from her grasp, clattering to the floor.

“Alice… long time no see.”

Dante, his black, liquid armor rippling faintly, smiled as he held Alice firmly against the wall. His grin widened, attempting to appear friendly, though the sharp glint in his eyes betrayed his predatory nature.

“You… know me?” Alice asked, her breath uneven as she struggled against his grip. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t break free. She stared at the monstrous figure in confusion, her mind racing. She didn’t remember him—she didn’t remember much of anything—but his words carried a chilling familiarity.

“Of course I know you,” Dante said, his tone almost teasing. “We’re very familiar with each other… and soon, we’ll be inseparable.”

Alice’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”

Dante’s smile deepened. “You’ll understand soon enough.”

Without warning, his body began to liquefy, the black substance dripping from his frame as if melting. Tendrils extended outward, wrapping tightly around Alice, constricting her like living chains.

“No… no! Get off me!” Alice shouted, thrashing violently, but the tendrils were relentless.

As they coiled around her, they dissolved her clothing, the symbiotic liquid pressing against her skin. The black substance adhered to her body, enveloping her completely in a suffocating embrace.

Her struggles became more frantic, her voice echoing in the empty hallway.

“Let me go! Let me go!”

Dante leaned closer, his voice calm, almost soothing.

“Don’t fight it, Alice. Soon, you’ll see—this is what we were meant to be.”

Alice’s body tensed as the black tendrils coiled tighter around her, their cold, slimy texture pressing against her skin. She squirmed and fought back, trying to tear them off, but her struggles proved useless.

“Don’t resist me,” Dante’s voice echoed, calm and confident. “We’re meant to be one.”