Venom x Multiverse [3]

“Human life force really is pitifully low.”

The reporter he had just consumed had yielded only three Life Points—a meager reward for the effort. Ordinary humans lacked any real energy reserves, making them poor sources of power.

“Not worth the trouble. I need to set my sights higher—maybe find something tied to the outbreak itself.”

The girl Dante currently inhabited wasn’t much better. Draining her would barely yield enough points to justify the act. For now, she would serve as a vessel—a body to move around in while searching for greater prey.

With a flicker of thought, Dante shifted his liquid form, reshaping it into clothing that fit snugly over the girl’s frame. A simple black dress and boots formed around her, masking his presence entirely.

Guiding the girl’s steps, Dante emerged from the alley and moved into the streets, eyes scanning for signs of the Umbrella Corporation.

….

Outside the city, in a remote mansion, Alice lay motionless in a bathtub. Her eyes fluttered open, filled with confusion as she stared at the ceiling above.

Alice slowly stepped out of the bathtub, her head pounding as fragmented memories flickered through her mind—disjointed, incomplete, and frustratingly out of reach.

Reaching for a robe draped nearby, she wrapped it around herself and made her way into the bedroom. She searched the room, rifling through drawers and closets, but found nothing—no clues about who she was or why she was there.

With unease tightening in her chest, she stepped out into the hallway. The dimly lit mansion felt unnervingly silent, the stillness pressing down on her like a heavy weight.

Suddenly, a man appeared, his movements sharp and hurried. Grabbing Alice’s arm, he tried to pull her along without explanation.

Before she could ask what was happening, the glass windows of the hall exploded, shards raining down as heavily armed operatives stormed in. Guns raised, they moved with ruthless precision, quickly subduing both Alice and the man.

Outside the mansion, hidden among the trees, the blonde-haired girl stood silently. Her expression was void of emotion as her clothes rippled and shifted, turning pitch-black and spreading across her body like living armor.

Venom had emerged.

“Let the hunt begin.”

A sharp grin spread across Dante’s face as he tilted his head, joints cracking faintly. His body rippled once more, the dark surface blending seamlessly with the shadows of the forest.

Watching from the window, he observed Alice and the others enter the Hive. Without hesitation, Dante moved toward the mansion.

Reaching the sealed iron doors, Dante didn’t hesitate. The delicate frame of the girl’s body belied the monstrous strength beneath. With a single motion, he gripped the massive metal doors and ripped them apart as if they were paper.

Beyond the entrance lay a long, pitch-black train tunnel stretching endlessly into the depths below.

The suffocating darkness didn’t bother Dante. His enhanced senses mapped the environment effortlessly. Climbing onto the wall, he began moving forward at high speed, crawling along the surface like a predator stalking its prey.

For Dante, there were only two things worth claiming in this world—the T-virus and Alice.

Everything else was just scenery.

The silence of the tunnel didn’t last long. Moving swiftly, Dante reached the underground base of the Hive. He paused, observing the parked train nearby and the eerie stillness surrounding it.

“They’ve already gone inside.”

Without wasting time, he dropped from the ceiling, landing in front of the train car with a dull thud that echoed through the tunnel. Stepping forward, he dug his fingers into the seams of the door and ripped it clean off, tossing it aside.

Inside, the space was mostly empty, save for a metal case tucked into a corner.

Dante’s suit rippled as black tendrils extended from his arm, wrapping around the case and pulling it toward him. He placed it down and pressed the release button on the top. With a faint hiss, the case opened, revealing T-virus vials neatly lined alongside antidote syringes.

Dante’s eyes glinted. “Jackpot.”

Dante picked up one of the vials containing the T-virus and held it up to the dim light. The liquid inside shimmered ominously, casting faint reflections against the metal walls of the train. His lips curled into a sinister grin as he studied the vial.

Slowly, he raised his left arm. The black liquid coating it rippled and receded, revealing the pale, pinkish skin underneath. Without hesitation, he loaded the virus into a syringe, pressed the needle against his exposed flesh, and injected the entire dose in one smooth motion.

Discarding the syringe without a second glance, Dante focused inward, monitoring the changes spreading through his host’s body.

The virus worked quickly. It tore through the girl’s immune system, devouring white blood cells as it spread like wildfire, triggering rapid mutations. Dante’s black tendrils surged outward, enveloping the girl’s body to contain the transformation.

If left unchecked, the virus would turn the girl into a Licker—a grotesque, mindless monster. That wasn’t part of Dante’s plan.

Minutes passed, the girl’s body convulsing under the strain. Her skin turned a sickly gray, veins bulging unnaturally before the black liquid covering her re-solidified into its sleek form. The transformation stabilized, leaving Dante’s control intact.

He clenched his fist, flexing the newfound strength coursing through the girl’s body.

The T-virus was potent, but it posed no threat to him. His symbiotic nature made him immune to infections, and the virus only enhanced his host’s physical attributes. Even more valuable, Dante had replicated the virus at a genetic level, adding a new ability to his arsenal—Viral Infection.

With this power, a single scratch or bite could infect others, turning them into mindless zombies within minutes. Better yet, the ability could be toggled on or off at will, allowing Dante to weaponize it selectively.

He examined his reflection in the polished surface of the metal case. His sleek black form had evolved, faint patterns forming along the armor-like surface of his body.

“This feels… incredible.”