From Robert's perspective, the symbiote had another potential use: it might solve the Skrull problem that had been plaguing them. After all, regular Skrulls, unlike Super-Skrulls, couldn't replicate extraordinary abilities, which meant they couldn't replicate a symbiote either. This made the symbiotes inherently safe.
Even if a Super-Skrull managed to replicate superhuman abilities and became a symbiote, the symbiote's ability to share memories and consciousness would expose the Skrull's identity when they tried to use their powers. In fact, if everyone carried a symbiote—even without letting it fully bond with them—it could effectively prevent Skrulls from impersonating people.
With this in mind, Robert's gaze toward Carnage became increasingly fervent, making Carnage feel uneasy. Carnage struggled madly to break through the surrounding psychic barrier, but no matter how hard he tried, he could only maintain his spherical shape, swapping his head and rear to avoid Robert's stare.
"See? He's not so aggressive, is he?" Robert turned to Venom and asked.
"He can't move, so of course, he's not aggressive…" Venom felt helpless at Robert's question, but he only complained in his mind. After all, he had already annoyed Robert enough today and feared for his life, so he kept silent.
"Hulk, smash you!" At that moment, Hulk's enraged voice echoed from the side. After Carnage had been blasted away earlier, he had tried to possess Robert's body, freeing Hulk in the process. Only now had Hulk realized what had happened.
With a loud "bang," Hulk's fist slammed into the psychic barrier around Carnage, creating a loud noise. The recoil numbed Hulk's arm, forcing him to stagger back.
This situation only made Hulk angrier. He had just gone through the trauma of losing control of his body and wanted to exact revenge on Carnage. But now, he couldn't even do that, further fueling his rage.
"Hulk, angry!" Hulk roared again as his body began to swell, his muscles bulging out, transforming from a green giant into a full-blown muscle monster. His aura grew even stronger than before.
"What are you doing? Your issue can wait. I need to finish talking with Carnage first!" But just as Hulk was about to strike again, Robert's cold voice rang out, causing Hulk to pause.
Hulk stared at Robert, seemingly assessing the power gap between them, and finally, he reluctantly unclenched his fist, his entire demeanor becoming one of dejection. His muscles relaxed, and he reverted to his original, bulky green form.
"Carnage, is it? Tell me, how were you born?" Satisfied that Hulk had calmed down, Robert turned his attention back to Carnage, controlling Carnage's head to face him as he asked softly.
"Heh, why don't you let me go? Do you dare fight me face to face? Using cheap tricks like psychic powers—what kind of skill is that?" Carnage sneered, showing no intention of answering Robert's question. Instead, he started mocking him.
However, Carnage didn't notice the sympathetic looks everyone in the room, including Hulk and Venom, directed at him after his outburst.
"A physical fight? Fine, I'll oblige you." Considering that Carnage might become a member of the Avengers later, Robert decided to give him a chance—to thoroughly defeat him and instill fear in him, just as he had done with Venom, ensuring Carnage's obedience within the Avengers.
With a soft "buzz," the psychic barrier around Carnage disappeared as soon as Robert finished speaking. The moment Carnage regained his freedom, he immediately stretched his body.
But as soon as he did, Carnage vanished from sight.
"You still want to take Hulk's body?!" Hulk's furious shout came from the side. Yes, Carnage didn't try to flee or attack Robert. Instead, he lunged toward Hulk again.
"Hm?" Robert frowned as he observed Carnage's actions. His figure flickered, and he disappeared, reappearing in front of Hulk.
Hulk, who had been about to throw a punch, quickly stopped when he saw Robert suddenly appear. Meanwhile, Carnage's eyes lit up. He had originally intended to re-enter Hulk's body, thinking that alone, he couldn't stand against Robert and needed Hulk's strength.
But with Robert now in front of him, Carnage saw a new opportunity. As Robert's fist approached, Carnage extended his body, aiming to envelop Robert and burrow into him.
With a soft "pop," Robert's fist pierced through Carnage's body, creating a large hole. The expression of excitement on Carnage's face froze. Robert's punch had obliterated at least a third of his body.
Yet, despite the pain, Carnage quickly refocused. He realized that if he didn't infiltrate Robert's body, he had no chance of winning. So, he directed his remaining body mass to desperately try and burrow into Robert.
But Carnage soon discovered his efforts were in vain. Though his body touched Robert's, it was as if an invisible barrier prevented him from entering. He had no way to invade Robert's body.
"You're going back on your word! Didn't you say you wouldn't use psychic powers?!" Carnage, realizing his inability to penetrate Robert's body while Robert retracted his fist, angrily shouted at him.
"Didn't you recognize the psychic power before? What you're feeling now—does it feel like the same psychic power?" Robert's lips curled into a mocking smile as he unleashed his full aura, not only blasting Carnage away but also coating Carnage in a terrifying, burning aura that began to incinerate him.
"Damn it! What is this? Fire? How can fire like this exist?" Carnage struggled under the fiery aura for a long time before finally managing to extinguish it. But his body bore horrific burn marks, and even his powerful healing ability couldn't restore him instantly.
"Not afraid of fire, huh?" Seeing Carnage's reaction, Robert raised an eyebrow and muttered under his breath.
"Aren't all symbiotes supposed to fear fire? Does that mean I can't counter Carnage anymore?" Johnny Storm, watching from the observation room, felt disappointed as his eyes flashed with frustration. He sighed, "Does that mean my flames won't work anymore?"
"There are still others here!" Susan Storm nudged Johnny, glancing at Martian Manhunter as a reminder, which quickly cheered Johnny up.
After all, as one of the Avengers' top fighters, Martian Manhunter was still vulnerable to Johnny's flames, making Johnny feel pretty good about himself. Unlike Pietro and the others, who didn't even stand a chance against Martian Manhunter, let alone defeat him.
"If he had been born from me before I corrected my genetic flaws, he might still fear fire and sound. But now, the symbiotes I create should be free of those weaknesses. In a sense, I might even become the progenitor of a new generation of symbiotes…" Venom softly explained, having heard Robert's muttering, which made Robert even more satisfied.
After all, a flawed symbiote would always present an opportunity for enemies to exploit, whereas a flawless symbiote army would be a more formidable force.
"So, do you submit…" Robert began to ask as he turned back to Carnage, but before he could finish, Carnage once again vanished, first charging toward Hulk, only to suddenly change direction midway and lunge at Venom.
"Stubborn, aren't you? You two, get out. I'll play with him a bit more…" Seeing this, Robert sneered, then quickly struck Carnage, sending him flying before calmly saying.
"Alright…" Venom hesitated, as if he had something to say, but eventually, he quietly complied, lowering his head and exiting the training room. Hulk glanced at Robert and followed suit, leaving Carnage and Robert alone in the room.
With a loud "bang," Carnage, seeing Hulk and Venom leaving, panicked and ignored his injuries, rushing toward the door. But he was quickly sent flying again, losing his chance to escape.
"No worries, I've got plenty of time. Even though you don't have bones, you're a tough nut to crack. I'm going to soften you up…" Robert grinned at Carnage. "When you're finally softened up and obedient, we can talk about what comes next."
"You…" Carnage's heart trembled at Robert's words. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, Robert vanished. No matter how hard Carnage tried, he couldn't detect any trace of Robert.
Before Carnage could even begin to feel fear, he was struck and sent flying across the training room, completely out of control…
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
Hearing the sounds coming from the training room and seeing Carnage's body flying back and forth, the Avengers exchanged glances. The freshly arrived Venom couldn't help but remark, "It's a good thing we have Carnage to let him blow off some steam, or Hulk and I might be in trouble later…"
"Hulk isn't afraid!" Hulk raised his head, declaring confidently upon hearing Venom's comment.
"Really?" The Avengers all turned to Hulk, asking in unison.
"Not afraid!" Seeing so many people watching him and knowing Robert wasn't there, Hulk confidently kept his head held high.
"Venom, is that really your son? Why were you fighting him before?" Pietro turned his gaze from Hulk to Venom, asking the question everyone wanted to know.
"From the aura of a symbiote, you can actually sense the symbiote's personality. Aside from a few like me,
who can be salvaged and turned a bit kinder, most symbiotes are absolute villains…" Venom sighed helplessly, lowering his head as he explained softly.
"And as Carnage's father, either he devours me, or I devour him—we both gain strength from it. Clearly, for a malevolent being like Carnage, who only seeks destruction, he must want to devour me, so I have no choice but to try to devour him."
"Seems like his power is above yours?" Martian Manhunter asked, his eyes flashing with curiosity as he looked at Venom.
"No way! Venom is the most powerful symbiote!" Venom's head swelled with pride upon hearing this, glaring at Martian Manhunter as he shouted. But then Peter Parker's head emerged, looking at everyone as he said, "Yes, in some ways, Carnage's genes are superior to Venom's. He combines Venom's genetic traits, along with parts of my genes and Hulk's…"
"Whoa! So he really is your child!" Johnny Storm exclaimed in shock, laughing mischievously.
With a loud "bang," Johnny was sent flying in the next moment, as Hulk, puffing up his chest, angrily declared, "That's not Hulk's kid. Hulk's kids aren't that ugly!"
"I give up!" Meanwhile, in the training room, Carnage, unable to endure Robert's relentless airborne beatings, finally shouted in pain, signaling his surrender. Robert halted his assault, allowing Carnage to fall freely to the ground.
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