Chapter 26: Phage..?
William fell unconscious in his bed and dreamed a sleepless night worrying about his brother, his mind and muscles were exhausted from the earlier training on top of having to go easy on venom and his mind was no better!
He was unknowing of the desperate and stealthy black mass of goo that was slowly but steadily fusing with his suit as it didn't feel comfortable going near William directly.
The Blue parts turned completely black with a texture that was reminiscent of smooth volcanic glass, the green areas began to morph into tendrils that filled out the creases of the suit until it formed into the shape of a fluorescent red spotted orb weaver, two of the red spots in positions that looked like eyes flashed as it gained semi consciousness!
The first thing it observed upon attaching to William's suit was its semi-symbiotic nature, designed to evolve and enhance itself alongside its user, as it devoured the suit the two beings merged effectively creating a new life form!
"This... this feels good," the suit whispers.
The suit remained fully charged with William's Ki energy, which the symbiote had been relishing since awakening. Remarkably, this Ki energy appears to enable it to operate independently, without the need to bond with a living host!
The symbiote had assimilated the suit's user interface, absorbing all the information it contained, however minimal.
What was truly astonishing was the suit's capacity for evolution, even in its pre-symbiote form, which promised to facilitate his growth as well!
the Symbiote suit began to turn into biomass before reforming the suit over the sleeping body of William, the suit integrated into his body and as it connected to his nerves and tissues it marveled at the power of the being it is now merged with!
"So, the suit absorbs the ambient energy of this man, what is this energy though, it tastes so much better than brains!" The suit, now in control of William's body, surveyed itself in the mirror with evident satisfaction. It admired the robust form it had taken over, and with a swift, almost magical motion, it vanished, only to reappear perched atop a light post outside!
A luminous green aura began to swirl around the symbiote as it ascended from the lamppost, soaring into the night. It would have been nearly invisible against the dark canvas of the sky if not for the vibrant ki that enveloped it, marking its presence in the silent world below.
The symbiote's keen senses quickly detected a familiar aroma, one that it once found appetizing. Below, a cadre of criminals, employed by the notorious Kingpin, surrounded him. The crime lord was securely ensconced within his armored vehicle, seemingly receiving an escort away from the office of a certain lawyer.
"If you want your friend back you WILL drop the case, are we clear, Mr. Murdock" Kingpin hangs up his phone and lightly kicks the bloodied body of Foggy Nelson who had been unlucky enough to be visiting Murdock at nearly the same time.
"Arhhhhh!" Foggy groaned before coughing
Foggy spits up blood uncontrollably for a moment before he collapses from the pain.
Kingpin uses the man's unconscious body as a footstool while he dialed another number!
"It's ready, tonight we take down the daredevil!" Kingpin smiles with an evil look in his eye.
He called for Murdock, but he was expecting Daredevil as he had long suspected them of being the same person.
Fisk cracks his massive knuckles as he urges the driver to drive back to his estate, he couldn't wait to feel the bones of daredevil breaking between his hands!
"This HAS to work, if not i will be forced to leave the country for who knows how long!" Fisk grumbled
In an effort to soothe his frazzled nerves, Wilson poured a glass of effervescent champagne, taking a moment to relax.
Then, with a swift motion, he doused the remaining liquid over Foggy's injured leg.
Despite Foggy's unconscious state, he couldn't help but emit a pained grunt.
It wasn't much longer before they reached the grandeur of Fisk's estate, marking the end of their journey.
Not far from the estate a man in a black trench coat and a shirt with a skull on it was driving while a man in a devil suit was riding passenger.
"How much further is this place Matt, I've got places to be and people to kill! - Punisher grudgingly said
If Matt could glare at someone, he was doing it now!
Halting a few blocks away, they prepared for the confrontation: Daredevil armed with his signature billy club and a handful of borrowed smoke bombs from the Punisher, while the Punisher himself was equipped with an extensive arsenal impressive enough to make even the most seasoned survivalist tremble.
As they were gearing up to leave for their mission, Matt abruptly seized Punisher by the shoulder. Punisher almost inquired about the sudden gesture, but the palpable tension in Matt's grip silenced him.
He instinctively raised his defenses, sensing the unusual anxiety in Matt, a man not easily shaken.
Approximately ten seconds had passed when Punisher, on the verge of interrogating Daredevil, noticed a green glint in a nearby puddle. The reflection grew increasingly intense, forcing him to shut his eyes due to the night vision equipment he was wearing.
"WOOOOOOOOOSHH!" The sound of rapid movement pierced through the air, catching Matt's acute hearing. However, it was the unmistakable presence of an apex predator nearby that truly captured his attention and heightened his senses.
The light zipped by them at unimaginable speeds, and gradually, they managed to collect themselves, their composure returning bit by bit.
"What the hell was that Matt?" - Punisher asked nervously.
Matt paused before removing his hand " I have no idea, but it felt... terrifying!"
He looked the direction the thing flew in and pondered!
"It's going in the same direction as us; it couldn't be, could it?" - Matt started to sense unease, prompting him and his companion to quicken their pace towards their intended destination.
Phage soared through the skies, tracking the scent of his quarry with eyes alight with eerie fire. As he closed in on his target, he became aware of two humans converging on the same path. Yet, he disregarded them, their scents unremarkable and dull against the tantalizing trail he pursued.
After flying for another minute, Phage reached his destination and was astounded by the vast array of snacks spread out below. With an elongated tongue, Phage licked his lips in anticipation and let out a chuckle, eager to indulge in the feast that awaited.
Phage commenced to power up with eerie ki flames, transforming into a miniature green sun that hung in the sky. The people below had scarcely a moment to notice the abrupt shift in the daylight when a deep, rumbling voice boomed from above, capturing their attention.
"PHAGE BURST!" With a thunderous cry, the emerald ki flames enveloping Phage fractured and shot outwards, striking the men and women below in mere moments. The green ki flames impaled several individuals simultaneously, eliciting screams as the flames voraciously consumed their life energy. Their bodies aged rapidly before the eyes of the onlookers, inciting widespread panic among the crowd.
As the men below recovered their wits, they aimed their firearms skyward, towards the mysterious green glow. With hands shaking, they unleashed a barrage of gunfire, illuminating the night with a spectacular display of munitions.
The bullets that struck Phage were rendered ineffective, harmlessly ricocheting off the obsidian-like smooth surface of his body, only to fall to the ground as a shower of twisted metal. Meanwhile, as the majority of the assailants continued their barrage of conventional gunfire, a handful of men within the estate began to don prototype exoskeleton combat suits and arm themselves with explosive ordnance.
Phage, who had been patiently watching the men below vent their frustrations, finally reached his limit. With a dramatic flair, he began his descent, streaking through the sky like a meteor. The sonic boom that followed was so intense it shattered all the non-reinforced glass in the vicinity, adding a dramatic punctuation to his grand entrance as he collided with the roundabout.
"BOOOOOM!"
The impact at the roundabout's heart sent vehicles soaring, flipping end over end, their occupants tumbling through the chaos. Amidst the airborne automotive ballet, one particular car, Wilson Fisk's, with his unfortunate hostage in tow, hurtled toward his mansion, inadvertently installing the skylight he'd been longing for.
Amidst the cacophony of explosions and carnage, Wilson Fisk forcefully removed the door from its hinges and started to limp out of the vehicle, a hostage slung over his shoulder. Despite the chaos, he appeared only marginally disheveled. With determination, he made his way toward his emergency shelter, issuing orders to his remaining men to eliminate the threat, his gaze betraying a glimmer of sheer terror.
As Punisher and Daredevil neared the estate, the scene that unfolded before them was chilling: strange green flames scattered everywhere, casting an otherworldly glow reminiscent of hell's gates.
The ground was strewn with desiccated bodies that crumbled to dust at the slightest touch. Amidst this macabre setting, the cacophony of gunfire, explosions, and screams resonated from within the building.
As the two vigilantes navigated the estate, they remained vigilant for any sign of the entity responsible for the chaos.
Because of its lethal efficiency, they were uncertain of their chances should a confrontation arise.
Soon, they discovered the damaged vehicle that had been transporting Fisk, alongside a faint trail of blood leading away from the wreckage.
"Well, at least they were considerate enough to leave us a trail to follow," Punisher remarks, his dark sense of humor evident.
Daredevil cast a skeptical glance before proceeding through the door, following the remnants of a blood trail. The echoes of gunfire had ceased, yet a persistent, soft banging lingered, briefly muddling his thoughts.
Sharpening his focus, he discerned the guttural roar of a beast intertwined with the crescendo of the banging sounds, as he focused harder though he could barely perceive the breathing of two individuals within the room the creature was trying to get into
"It's coming from below, there are two of them and they appear to be trapped!" - Daredevil hastened to the basement, navigating a path marked by bloodless bodies, with the Punisher following behind, albeit with reluctance.
Before long, they found themselves in a dimly lit basement, the air filled with the ominous echo of metal being mangled. It was clear that the creature had managed to breach the initial barrier, yet another door stood defiantly in its path, inciting its wrath even further!
Punisher stared agape at the creature before him was tearing through the second layer in anger, but the man is extremely willful and pulls himself out of his stupor, he lifts his HK 416 and turns off the safety ready to fire!
Daredevil, perceiving the creature with his heightened senses, grasped the full danger of its presence. What unfolded before him was unmistakably alien in nature.
Phage, in the midst of violently breaching the second set of doors, paused abruptly, sensing a gaze upon him. He wheeled around to confront the two men observing him, but after a dismissive snort, he resumed his endeavor, utterly indifferent to the human onlookers.
A vein formed on punishers forehead, and he began to take aim "It seems like we're getting the silent treatment, doesn't it? Feels like we're being overlooked here.
Punisher finally pulled the trigger sending a cacophony of orange tipped bullets careening toward the alien creature sending it flying back in a sea of small explosions catching the creature off guard and angering it greatly.
After he emptied the clip and began to reload, the creature took a moment to gather itself. Rising to its full height of eight feet, it fixed an angry glare on the person who shot him.
"I think you just pissed it off, any other bright ideas?" Daredevil gripped the batons nervously
Punisher reached into a compartment in his belt and pulled a custom grenade of his that combined flashbang with incendiary explosives!
"Ive got a little something but you will need to cover your ears!" Punisher tossed the grenade which landed between the feet of the creature
"FWOOOOOSH!" The grenade detonated, unleashing light, flames, and a deafening blast within a small radius, compelling the two individuals at the door to seek cover.
The beast unleashed a furious roar, bolstering itself with emerald flames to withstand the blast. Yet, the cacophony left it bewildered, vulnerable to a barrage of standard rounds from the Punisher. Meanwhile, Daredevil seized the moment, swiftly closing in from a strategic angle to incapacitate the creature with precise strikes targeting its joints.
Phage who was doing its best to defend itself from the salvo of ammunition noticed the other human closing in from a different angle but paid him no mind, he began to create a wall of green flames which disintegrates the ammo before it can hit him.
With swift movements, Daredevil executed a series of rapid strikes to his opponent's knee, causing immense frustration. A forceful swing of his arm propelled the attacker through the air, slamming into a wall and then a workbench, scattering tools in a cacophony of metallic sounds. The alien's screech of agony pierced the air as it sent the Punisher sprawling, then hastily fled the room and disappeared into the night.
Despite the visible injuries and the shock from their ordeal, the pair soon recall their purpose and start to pry the doors open with renewed determination.
Upon entering, they discover Foggy Nelson, bloodied and unconscious, sprawled across the floor near what seems to be an escape hatch leading into the unknown. Daredevil rushes to Foggy's side, relieved to find him alive and not in immediate peril. The sense of urgency and relief is palpable; arriving just in time, Daredevil can only imagine the dire consequences had the situation escalated further.
In a newsroom
This evening, our top story comes from Hell's Kitchen, where the infamous estate of Wilson Fisk was left in shambles following a night of turmoil. Late into the night, residents were startled awake by a series of explosions and a barrage of gunfire emanating from the property. The local authorities were summoned amidst a wave of emergency calls, but by the time they reached the scene, silence had fallen, and the conflict had ceased, leaving behind only the echoes of chaos.
Around midnight, residents reported a series of large explosions followed by a prolonged period of gunfire, lasting close to twenty minutes. Witnesses recounted that by the time the gunfire stopped, the estate was already consumed by fire.
"A fiery glow painted the sky orange," recounted Clara Ruiz, a local resident. "There were shouts, additional blasts, and then a haunting silence. By the time law enforcement arrived, only ruins remained."
NYPD units reached the scene at approximately 12:45 AM to discover the estate devastated, with no sign of the individuals involved in the altercation. Commissioner Gwen Faraday addressed the media earlier today, stating, "Our officers reacted with utmost promptness given the situation. We are currently conducting a thorough investigation and collecting evidence. As of now, we have not detained any suspects." Internal sources suggest that the area was strewn with shell casings and scorch marks, alongside evidence of sophisticated weaponry, hinting at a significant confrontation among formidable entities.
Eyewitnesses claim to have seen two figures at the center of the chaos. One reportedly matched the description of Daredevil, the vigilante known as the Devil of Hell's Kitchen.
"It was like something out of a nightmare," said one witness who asked to remain anonymous."
Currently, there is no verified information regarding Wilson Fisk's presence at the time of the attack. The destruction of his well-defended estate, a testament to his affluence and clout, has given rise to theories that the incident could have been an attempt on his life or a move in a broader criminal turf war.
The residents of Hell's Kitchen are grappling with uncertainty and a heightened sense of anxiety following an audacious attack on a prominent underworld figure. The implications of this event for the tenuous truce within New York's criminal circles remain to be seen.
In the interim, authorities are appealing to the public for any leads regarding the incident. We will continue to provide updates on the repercussions of what has been one of the most tumultuous episodes in Hell's Kitchen's history.
This is Sarah Whitaker, concluding the broadcast. Take care, New York.
Above New York, a swirling mass of black tentacles coalesced, having fled the battle below. Once fully reformed, it commenced to draw in the surrounding ki flames, regaining its former form and began free falling through the night sky towards the ground in the direction of his home!
"That hurt alot... they are lucky the host knows them, at least i got some good eating tonight!" Phage grumbled as it corrected its course and examining its host in detail.
[Phage's Internal Monologue]
"Ah, indeed... this host stands apart. He transcends the delicate, quivering humans I've previously merged with. This one embodies... sheer power."
"The instant we connected, I sensed it—a vigor that thunders through his every cell, a capacity that challenges the very boundaries of nature. His physique, his skeletal structure, his intellect—all forged for warfare, shaped for supremacy. He identifies as a Saiyan. Tales of such beings have fluttered through the corridors of the cosmos, yet to unite with one? He is no mere mortal. He is an armament, a tempest of life encased in skin."
"However, he lacks discipline. His potential remains dormant. He has yet to discover the full extent of his capabilities. But I have. It's evident in the surge of his ki with each emotional spike, in the resilience of his form, fortifying with each battle. He is an abyss of boundless strength, and now, that strength is ours to wield."
"But there's an additional trait—something that distinguishes this Saiyan. Where most of his kind are driven by arrogance, a lust for domination, this one is different. He battles for others—for kin, for companions. An intriguing paradox: the ferocity of a beast balanced by the soul of a guardian. How... captivating."
"I could coerce him. Shatter him. Shape him into the ultimate warrior—one who comprehends that power is designed not for safeguarding, but for subjugating. Yet, that would be squandering his essence, wouldn't it? His determination is unadulterated, sharpened by self-control. Perhaps there's wisdom to glean from him too. Together, we might surpass what I once deemed conceivable."
"Still, I detect the fury smoldering within him, a tempest poised to erupt. That Saiyan fury—it beckons me, murmuring promises of devastation and slaughter. He suppresses it, but for how long? And when it finally breaks free, can I steer it... or will I merely bask in the turmoil?"
"Regardless, for the present, we are unified. William, the Saiyan, and I, Phage. In unison we are Viridian!
The symbiote glided through the open window, settling delicately into the same position it had found William in. It then detached itself from the boy's body, reassuming its sleek, black form before entering a state of rest until the William awakens!