In the dimly lit underground prison corridor, Kyle furrowed his brow, sensing a strong and unsettling presence in the air. He was a War Hero who had fought his way through World War II on Earth, and his ability to assess the battlefield was extraordinary. Right now, he could clearly feel a subtle chill in the air.
Who was trying to deceive him?
“What’s wrong? Feeling unwell? Your visitation time is limited to five minutes, and the clock is ticking,” The guard urged as Kyle halted, looking back.
“It’s nothing,” Kyle shook his head and resumed walking slowly.
From the older guard, he had sensed no malice. If this was a trap, even the prison guards might be mere pawns— this ran deep.
When he thought about it carefully, Kyle had only been on Planet Sakaar for a few days. The only people he knew were Calvin and Enri. He hadn’t had the time or inclination to offend anyone else.
Equipped with his integrated combat suit, masquerading as a Semi-Black Panther form, he had only destroyed an alien gang and released a Dark Elf, all without revealing his true identity. If the guards knew who he was, they would have arrested him outright. It made no sense for them to engage in a complicated conspiracy.
Upon reflection, only one answer remained: the most unbelievable yet currently the most reasonable.
“Venom,” Kyle murmured, clenching his fist quietly. He decided to put his suspicions aside and follow the guard to meet the challenger bonded with Venom.
He would draw conclusions once he met the person.
As they emerged from the underground passage, they entered a well-lit hall within the prison. Although the ceiling was brightly lit, the floor appeared slightly dirty, and the air carried a faint but pungent mix of blood and the distinctive scent of Venom.
On either side of the hall, metal cages were packed with extraterrestrial inmates dressed in simple prison attire. As the guard led Kyle into the hall, the cold, empty gazes of these criminals fell upon him.
“Oh, a newcomer?”
“I know, look at his clothes.”
“A foreigner in this prison? Are they letting anyone in these days?”
Laughter and jeers filled the prison as the extraterrestrial inmates whistled and mocked.
“Stay quiet!” The guard warned sternly, then turned to Kyle, urging him in a hushed tone, “Follow me. The top four contenders are housed in individual cells, further inside.”
Kyle nodded and followed the guard as they continued down the hall.
As they passed one of the prison cells, a massive shadow suddenly lunged at the iron door, crashing into it forcefully and triggering the protective door’s electric field, which crackled across its smooth surface.
The guard jumped in alarm, nearly stumbling to the ground. Kyle, on the other hand, remained composed, turning his head to face the menacing creature on the other side of the door at a distance of less than half a meter.
*Hiss!*
Electricity crackled and coiled around the two-headed serpent, paralyzing and weakening its body. Despite this, it remained unfazed, its fangs dripping crimson venom as it stared at Kyle, as if he were a delectable meal.
Kyle showed no expression and no signs of fear.
“Move further inside,” The guard urged, his voice trembling as he patted his chest in relief. He dared not look at the terrifying and cold-blooded creature any longer.
Only when Kyle left the cell housing the two-headed serpent did the creature finally twist its massive form back inside.
“How interesting.” In the cell directly across from Kyle, a scythe-wielding man licked his lips, his two curved arms grinding against each other. Even in the dimly lit cell, the blades of his weapons glinted with a chilling light.
The guard halted at the innermost cell in the underground prison, and as Kyle peered inside, he saw the tentacle boy seated in a corner, his limbs and neck fitted with glowing blue paralysis devices.
Standing outside the cell, Kyle was about five meters away and couldn’t see the Ability Cards on the tentacle boy’s body. The boy showed no intention of moving, sitting quietly and lost in thought.
“This is how he is, only displaying such terrifying combat strength in the arena,” The guard whispered.
“Can I go inside?” Kyle asked the guard.
“You can, but be careful,” The guard replied, taking out a device and operating the door while cautioning, “Although we’ve placed containment devices on him, you know how powerful his hidden tentacles are.”
“I know,” Kyle said, and as the door opened, he walked into the cell, approaching the tentacle boy step by step.
Five meters, four meters, three meters!
The tentacle boy showed no reaction, and by this point, Kyle had reached a distance where he could inspect the boy’s cards. He stopped, contemplating.
【Galactic Alliance Language Mastery】, 【Stealth Mastery】, 【Sprint Mastery】…
Only a few meager cards appeared, and none of them were higher than green grade.
This indicated that Venom was no longer within the tentacle boy. Otherwise, Venom’s presence would manifest through a Lifeform Card message and could be extracted.
Kyle fell silent for a moment, watching the boy, and tentatively asked, “Do you know Venom?”
The boy shivered all over and lifted his head, his small face pale and bloodless. He stared blankly at Kyle, his empty eyes gradually regaining clarity as he wore a bizarre smile. “You shouldn’t have come.”
“What?” Kyle froze, staring at him. “You do know Venom. Where has it gone after leaving you?”
“Well, it’s gone, but it has another name now. Your arrival here means my job is done,” The boy said inexplicably, maintaining an eerie smile. His face suddenly flushed.
Not only that but in Kyle’s puzzled eyes, the boy’s frail and diminutive body, like a deflated balloon, began to inflate rapidly.
“Damn it!” Kyle’s face paled. He turned abruptly and dashed out. He had just reached the cell door when a massive self-destructive explosion, like thunder striking the ground, shook the entire underground prison!
The original cell containing the boy was destroyed in the self-destruct, leaving nothing of the boy behind. Dust containing traces of blood settled, and in the same spot stood Kyle, unscathed, on the corridor. The guard outside the cell had been thrown against the wall by the explosion, lying unconscious in a pool of blood and flesh.
The imprisoned inmates had yet to grasp what had happened. Throughout the prison, warning lights blinked, and urgent alarms resounded loudly:
“Intruder detected. All guards, proceed immediately! I repeat, intruder detected. All guards, proceed immediately!”
It was indeed a trap.
Kyle surveyed the chaotic cells, his handsome face splattered with a few drops of self-destructive blood. His expression was dark, colder than ever.
Venom had truly betrayed him!
(End of this chapter)
You can read ahead up to 80 chapters on my patreon and I’ve also activated (date to date) subscription model on my patreon https://www.patreon.com/marvel6395
2$- 10 Chapters
5$- 15 Chapters
10$- 20 Chapters
20$- 30 Chapters
40$- 50 Chapters
70$- 80 Chapters
Support me on Patreon for extra chapters