Chapter 675: Someone's Stealing Electricity Without Me! (Part 2) (Patreon)

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As the Unscrupulous Quadrant was discussing their specific plan, at the edge of Hell's Kitchen, in Eddie Brock's home, Venom sat on one side of the sofa. One hand propped on their knee, they spoke in a very serious tone:

"… That's pretty much what's going on, so now I have a plan."

"Hold on!" Blue Spirit, one of the symbiotes sitting on the opposite sofa, interjected, "Have you stopped your frenzy? … Oh, you’ve always been kind of crazy. What I mean is, you're not as hyper as before?"

"Hmph." Venom snorted, "How long did you all think that would trouble me? … What? Shut up, coward, I'm talking about something serious!"

Venom then engaged in a mental skirmish with Eddie, while Thunderbolt, sitting aside, rolled their eyes, saying, "You called us here. What’s it you want to discuss? Hurry up; we have other things to deal with."

"Other things to deal with? What other things do you have? Taking a tour around New York’s power lines? Or playing goalkeeper for a football team? Going to Kamar-Taj to fight in the ring?" Venom’s gaze lingered on Thunderbolt, Green Thorn, and Blue Spirit. Exposed in their daily routines, they all coughed several times, appearing somewhat embarrassed.

"Cosmic agents, huh? Yes, the self-proclaimed agents of justice, now degrading yourselves on Earth. Where did those grand ambitions go? Those lofty ideals? The heart of justice that clears the chaos in space?"

"You have no stance to criticize us, Venom," Blue Spirit said calmly. "You are not one of us; you were once our enemy."

"In this world, there are no permanent enemies, only permanent interests. I know the cosmic agents are in a very awkward position right now, especially in the Andromeda Galaxy…"

Seeing the expressions of the cosmic agents, Venom knew they had hit the mark. Indeed, the cosmic agents were in an awkward position. After all, following a significant reshuffling of powers in the Andromeda Galaxy, the entire symbiote race had almost broken ties with all surviving species within the galaxy.

Furthermore, the fact that their homeworld imprisoned a terrifying chaotic monster was known by other species, making the stance of the cosmic agents even less clear.

If they were indeed an advanced and noble race, they should deal with the ticking bomb on their homeworld first. Ignoring a creature that could endanger the whole of space while roaming around space claiming to uphold justice and peace seemed somewhat hypocritical.

However, the symbiotes had their own unspoken difficulties. Knull was not an entity that could be killed. As long as this space possessed the power of Chaos, he would never die. Even confining him was extremely difficult.

If they disclosed this fact to all the species in space, those species would only panic more and view them with more hostility.

Moreover, since the cosmic agents had imprisoned Knull, he undoubtedly bore deep grudges against them. But the species that survived thanks to Knull's imprisonment probably didn't feel grateful either.

They considered it the cosmic agents’ duty, and if any part of Knull’s power managed to escape, the survivors would curse them for negligence.

This thankless task, amidst the life-and-death competition among cosmic races that never took morality into account, made walking the path of morality and justice incredibly arduous.

"I know you wish to change this situation, but you're thinking too narrowly," Venom said in a raspy voice. "You're always pondering how to completely kill Knull, but in reality, it’s better to focus on improving yourselves first."

"Be honest, are cosmic agents strong?" Venom posed a question, then answered it themselves, "Perhaps, among many ordinary species, symbiotes, able to roam freely in space, effortlessly change forms, and exhibit different powers based on their hosts, are indeed formidable."

"But compared to those born with the ability to harness primal energy, endlessly accumulate soul strength, or those Cosmic Gods from their own dimensions, what are symbiotes?"

"Forget the others; the demon god who appeared above the symbiote planet… what was his name, Chthon? He nearly brought total catastrophe, and the symbiotes could do nothing."

"When battles reach that level, whether cosmic agents or ordinary symbiotes, we're all powerless."

"But…" Venom narrowed their eyes, "do you want this situation to continue, or are you willing to take a gamble when there's a chance for change?"

"What are you trying to do?" Green Thorn, always with a profound voice, was the most stable-minded among the cosmic agents, thinking through issues more deeply.

From the time they started pursuing Venom, Green Thorn had less animosity towards this unique symbiote. They believed that a newborn, made insane by its host in ignorance, was actually a failure of their species. Thus, Green Thorn was more inclined to listen to Venom's suggestions.

"During the previous encounter with Knull, I gained a substantial amount of energy from someone. I used this energy to enhance myself, and now, I can also use magic," Venom revealed, leaving Blue Spirit staring wide-eyed, asking, "You can use magic too? Why haven’t I ever seen you use it?"

"You rely too much on magic," Venom said with a hint of contempt. "You're a symbiote, not a sorcerer. The fundamental strength of symbiotes lies in evolution, yet you limit yourself."

Venom struck home: "I pursue endless possibilities, not confining myself to a single road with magic."

Blue Spirit fell silent at their words, then heard Venom continue: "Magic is not the point. What I mean to say is, because I can use magic, I detected the anomaly in myself much earlier."

“While I was meditating earlier, I glimpsed a fragment of the Bat Totem and heard some people praying to it,” I began.

“I realized that their prayers enabled me to harvest the Power of Belief. This surge of vibrant force greatly invigorated my host’s soul and affected me as well, explaining my previous excitement.”

“So, what then?” Thunderbolt inquired.

“I discovered that I could respond to their prayers. The more fervent their prayers, the more Power of Belief I could gather. I could then convert this power into energy usable by symbiotes like us.”

As I shared this, the other symbiotes exchanged glances. A gleam lit up in Blue Spirit’s eyes. “Can the magic energy I use be converted as well?”

“Absolutely, and in greater quantities than you can imagine…” I, Venom, replied. Extending a tendril of my substance, I touched Blue Spirit’s arm. In a moment, a magic radiance flared, and Blue Spirit’s eyes widened in shock.

The other symbiotes turned their gaze towards them. Recovering from the shock, Blue Spirit slowly nodded. “If that's the case, isn’t this Power of Belief incredibly valuable?”

“Correct. But I’m willing to share it with you, provided you help me,” I stated, revealing my ultimate intention.

After a brief, hushed discussion amongst themselves, Blue Spirit responded, “Tell us your plan. If it’s viable, we might assist you.”

“When I respond to the prayers, they will supply me with more Power of Belief. During this process, I sensed their ulterior motives. They aren’t praying out of true faith in the Totem.”

“They perhaps wish to control this nascent Totem to harness its power. But as long as they have desires, we can exploit that,” I concluded.

“Those driven by interest are easier to deal with than true believers,” I noted, my voice sounding oddly human. “They’ll be blinded by their desires, losing all reason…”

“Once they see a glimmer of hope for success, they’ll invest themselves even further. And when they realize it’s all a façade, they’ll have no choice but to plunge deeper, having invested too much.”

“So, if I keep my responses such that the Power of Belief is just shy of allowing them control over the Bat Totem, pulling back when they’re about to gain real control, they’ll desperately increase their investment…”

Blue Spirit nodded, indicating they understood my plan. “What do you need us to do?”

“From what I’ve observed, perhaps due to their unique race or methods, they can generate this Power of Belief rapidly.”

“The power will accumulate quickly, and my host’s body, or mine, cannot absorb so much energy in such a short time. So, when I draw out this energy, you must help share the burden to ensure neither my host nor I will be overwhelmed by the excessive Power of Belief.”

Thunderbolt, playing with a tendril behind them, asked, “What’s in it for us?”

“I will absorb as much Power of Belief as possible. The portion that you’ll help bear will be your reward. However, you must promise me that half of the power you gain will be shared with all symbiotes.”

Excitement lit the eyes of the other symbiotes at the beginning of my offer, but confusion followed as I continued. Blue Spirit voiced their perplexity, “Why should it be distributed among all symbiotes?”

“As I’ve said, compared to truly superior races, individual symbiotes are significantly weaker. If we don’t unite for collective evolution or seek radical transformation for new potential, we’ll eventually be eradicated from this cosmos,” I explained, my tone grave and uncharacteristically emotional.

“Humans are feeble, aren’t they? I believe you all thought so when dealing with them. Their bodies and souls are so fragile, easily shattered.”

“But what allows them to stand firm in this cosmos is not just intelligence. It’s their boundless ambition.”

“Greed, an unattractive trait, is essential as races strive for competition and surpassing others. Without a lust for power and a relentless obsession with becoming stronger, extinction is the only fate.”

A heavy silence fell, lingering as the symbiotes pondered their future. What did it hold for Klyntar, this ancient, divinely created race, blessed yet unique? Their evolution had been painfully slow throughout the eons. Despite adaptive changes due to different hosts, their essence remained unaltered.

Cosmic currents were ever-changing, with new eras dawning unpredictably. Recent events in the Andromeda Galaxy had sounded an alarm for these ancient beings. They were no different from lesser races when facing cosmic threats and superior lifeforms, utterly defenseless.

Considering this, the symbiotes felt a mounting pressure, for they faced competition among cosmic races and a greater foe, Knull.

Should this ancient entity of chaos awaken, and they lack the necessary strength, their fate was imaginable.

After a moment, Blue Spirit addressed me, “We agree to help, for Klyntar's future…”

“And for our future,” I affirmed.[Read at www.patreon.com/shanefreak, without ads and support the work.]

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Next Chapter>>Chapter 676: Someone is Stealing Electricity Without Me! (Part 2)