Crimson Code: Marvel's Vampire

Ethan focused, drawing his blood manipulation to the forefront. He crafted a half-mask over his face, a sleek, dark red construct that covered his identity. His hood shrouded the other half of his face, his crimson eyes glowing faintly through the shadows. The blood hardened, not unlike obsidian, and he let more of it flow, shaping his jacket into something more resilient. His clothes morphed into a tactical, dark ensemble—reinforced with his own blood, it offered a layer of protection without hindering his movement.

The ground beneath him trembled, a harsh reminder of the chaos mere blocks away. He moved quickly, using his blood sense to avoid debris and find a path through the wreckage. His senses painted a vivid picture of the battlefield—two gamma-powered behemoths clashing amidst the ruins of Harlem.

Hulk's roars shook the air, a primal sound of fury. Abomination, more deliberate in his movements, was relentless, matching every blow with a counter of his own. Buildings crumbled around them, and Ethan couldn't help but marvel at the sheer scale of destruction. The air was thick with dust and the acrid smell of burning metal, and the ground quaked with each earth-shattering impact.

He pressed forward, slipping through the chaos. His blood sense flared, warning him of a collapsing wall before it happened. He darted left, narrowly avoiding a cascade of bricks and steel. His blood manipulation surged, forming a sharp blade along his forearm as he cut through smaller debris.

A bus flew past him, smashing into a storefront. The force of the impact sent a shockwave through the ground, knocking Ethan off balance. He rolled with the fall, his blood instinctively hardening to shield his back.

When he rose, the titans were closer. Hulk grappled Abomination, slamming him into the ground, and for a brief moment, their clash obscured everything else. The world became a storm of dust and rubble.

Ethan's blood sense painted a chaotic picture—overlapping life forces, chaotic energy, and the ebb and flow of danger. His instincts screamed at him to run, but he remained still, calculating. The quest's objective was to survive, but the hidden reward gnawed at him.

Another notification blinked to life:

[New Quest] [Objective: Exploit the Battle to Gain an Advantage!][Optional Bonus: Harvest the Blood of a Gamma Mutate][Reward: ???]

Ethan's lips curled into a smirk. "Two quests? Double rewards? That's insane... but tempting."

He tested his abilities, focusing on the blood within him. It responded eagerly, shaping itself into solid, crimson spikes along his arms. He flexed, and the blood hardened further—sharp, deadly. He moved with purpose now, sticking to the shadows but inching closer to the combatants.

A sudden pulse of danger. His blood sense and spider-sense screamed in unison. Ethan ducked, narrowly avoiding a chunk of concrete that tore through a parked car behind him. Adrenaline sharpened his focus.

He glanced up, watching as Abomination hurled debris with reckless abandon. Hulk responded with a thunderous punch, sending the creature skidding through the street. The path of destruction edged closer to Ethan's hiding spot.

Ethan's mind raced. His blood manipulation could give him an edge, but how much? Against these monsters, he would need to be clever—opportunistic. He took a steadying breath, the cool metal taste of blood on his tongue as he prepared for the chaos to come.

Amidst the chaos, he noticed Hulk's movements becoming more defensive. Abomination pressed his advantage, each strike pushing the green behemoth back. Civilians who hadn't escaped were trapped, their screams lost in the battle's thunder.

Ethan clenched his fists. His instincts warred with logic—flee, survive, but also... help? His blood manipulation coiled within him, a potential weapon, a lifeline for those caught in the crossfire.

He made his decision. Using his blood, he extended thin tendrils, reaching through the debris to guide a mother and child out of a collapsed building. His actions were swift, subtle—shadows pulling the innocent from harm's way. The mask concealed his identity, but beneath it, a fire burned. He could do more.

His masked face turned toward Hulk, an unspoken understanding passing between them. In this chaos, alliances could form—and monsters, no matter how big, could fall.

Hulk's massive form loomed over the rubble, his chest heaving with each breath. His green eyes locked onto Ethan, narrowing slightly as he took in the crimson mask and the blood-red tendrils snaking through the debris. For a moment, the battlefield seemed to still, the air thick with tension.

"Who... you?" Hulk growled, his voice a deep rumble that vibrated through the ground.

Ethan raised his hands slowly, showing he meant no harm. "Just a guy trying to clean up your mess," he said, his voice calm but laced with sarcasm. "You know, someone's gotta do it."

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