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Arthur had no idea when this guy had died. But as the host of a Symbiote, death wasn't really all that terrifying. As long as the Symbiote was willing, there were always ways to bring the host back to life.
Now, the situation was laid out in front of Arthur.
Unlike Venom, this one couldn't be left unchecked. He was more cunning, more vicious, and more brutal than Venom. So, he couldn't just let a bunch of ordinary people gather around to examine the man's condition. He could only leave him here.
The Symbiote inside him hadn't found a new host and had no choice but to revive him. Otherwise, death was the only path left.
"But in the end, whether or not he can actually be revived... I'm not sure either. Too bad. Your luck just sucks. Whether you live or die, it's not something I can control."
Arthur wasn't overly sentimental. After all, he wasn't some savior out to rescue all of humanity. Everything he was doing now was just out of professional ethics as a so-called "superhero."
After laying the man down, Arthur turned and walked out the door, shutting it behind him.
In a completely sealed environment, a group of people, including Brock, who had been inside moments earlier, gathered around, staring into the room at the man inside.
They stared for a long time, but nothing happened. Harry finally asked, "Don't tell me... he's really dead?"
"No! He's definitely still alive!" Venom's voice came from Brock's body: "Don't underestimate him. The power he holds is beyond your imagination!"
"Hm... but isn't the fact that he's in this state proof that something even more unimaginable took him down?" Harry was confident in his analytical skills.
Venom thought for a second, then suddenly gasped, "So you're actually that terrifying a guy!?!"
He looked at Arthur with shock and horror.
"..." Arthur suddenly began to wonder if recruiting this guy had been a mistake.
'Why did it all seem so unreliable?'
"You're a Symbiote…" Arthur asked, "If it's you, do you have a way to revive someone who's already dead?"
"Of course!" Venom's voice sounded like it was a matter of fact. Then it immediately added, "But it depends on the situation. Like, how long they've been dead. If the body's been buried for over a decade and all that's left is bones, then yeah, no chance."
"Then it should be fine," Arthur said through Mack Wind. "I know you're still in there. You don't have any other choice. If you're planning to play dead, we can just come back in two months. But by then, you'll probably have lost your last chance."
As soon as he said that, the atmosphere in the room changed dramatically.
Black matter surged and wrapped around the man's body. In the blink of an eye, he sprang upright. From the outside, he looked very similar to Brock when wrapped in Venom, tall, muscular, pitch-black, baring sharp fangs, and a tongue nearly half a foot long.
If there was any difference, it was that this guy looked even more grotesque and twisted than Venom. The curves of his eyes were sharper, giving him an even more ferocious appearance.
After standing up, he glanced around the room. One of his hands suddenly transformed,
A massive black blade emerged, and with a sharp swing, wham!, a loud sound rang out…
But nothing happened.
There was not even a scratch on the glass.
Arthur chuckled. "Glad to see you're still full of energy. So next, I've got a reward for you."
After asking Harry something, Arthur pushed a button.
Inside the sealed room, the Symbiote immediately let out a scream: "No, Stop it, stop it!!!!"
"2,000 hertz... or maybe 3,000?"
Arthur calmly spoke through Mack Wind: "I only know the upper limit is 6,000 hertz. How about I crank it up to 4,500 and give you a full audio buffet?"
Venom was horrified. "You... you're a devil, aren't you?!"
Arthur couldn't help but think, a guy who looks like that and keeps screaming about wanting to eat people really doesn't have the right to call someone else a devil.
"STOP!!!!!!!!!!"
Inside the lab, the Symbiote roared in fury. Yet no matter how he attacked, he couldn't cause the slightest damage to the surrounding environment. That drove him nearly insane.
At that moment, Arthur suddenly turned off the audio frequency. He leaned closer to the Mack Wind system and said, "If you're willing, we can have a proper conversation now. Honestly, I don't like using these kinds of methods on our alien guests. But there's a saying, 'Good wine for friends, shotguns for wolves.' How you're treated will depend on your choices, not mine."
"Hypocrite!" The Symbiote inside snapped his head up and glared at Arthur, shouting, "Humans, weak, cowardly, hypocritical, despicable, shameless!"
"You've only been on Earth for half a year, and yet you've learned quite a bit," Arthur said with satisfaction, nodding. "If you keep this up, I might even give you a little gold star next semester. But that's not what we're here to talk about. Now then, first question, what should I call you?"
"His name is Riot."
Before the one inside could answer, Venom secretly whispered to Arthur, "He's even more despicable than I am, but also stronger. Not hypocritical, but definitely shameless. So powerful it's scary. I can't beat him... but you seem to be doing fine."
"...Did I ask you?" Arthur was stunned.
'What happened to that whole feral monster who wants to eat everyone act? The hell is this side character's behavior? You're ruining your own image, damn it!'
"What, I can't speak unless you ask me?" Venom sounded confused. "I just think you're wasting time. If it were me, I'd threaten him, starve him to death if he doesn't cooperate."
"...Would that actually work?" Arthur asked, doubtful.
"Of course!" Venom replied matter-of-factly.
Everyone looked at each other. So hunger is actually the lifeline of alien lifeforms? You can use it as a threat?
Arthur, half-convinced, leaned toward Mack Wind again and said, "I think it's best we reach an understanding. If you're willing to cooperate, I'll provide you with food. If not… let hunger consume your soul."
"?"
Riot tilted his head and suddenly asked, "Are you a dumbass?"
"...Huh?" Arthur's face darkened. "What the hell?"
"A word I picked up from your Earthlings. And I find it incredibly fitting for you." Riot paced around inside the lab. "Hunger? So what if I'm hungry?"
"If that's the level of threat you're offering," he continued, "then I suddenly feel the need to seriously reconsider all of your earlier proposals."