Most people still hadn't realized that Abomination's drug-fueled rampage—though it looked like nothing more than a dangerous, attention-grabbing spectacle—had been stopped before it could cause even greater catastrophe.
In truth, Abomination had ignited the hidden ambitions of every power-hungry individual on the planet. He had shown that those with extraordinary abilities could openly wreak havoc under the eyes of the entire world and declare their dominance to everyone on Earth.
People had always known dangerous groups like the Brotherhood existed, but they'd always felt those threats were distant, almost unreal. That illusion was gone now. A new, far more savage era had begun—an age where madmen and monsters would step into the spotlight.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Abomination smashed through walls and vehicles alike as he staggered back toward the ruined laboratory.
Even in his clouded state, some part of him knew this was reckless. The smart move would have been to flee the city, contact Ross in secret, and cut a deal. They could have pinned everything that happened tonight on the Hulk and kept hunting him together for even greater rewards.
But Abomination's mind was boiling. He was obsessed with the idea that injecting more serum was the only way to restore his power and reclaim his pride.
He tore through the shattered lab in a frenzy.
"If you're looking for that big-headed little freak, he's hiding about three hundred meters away, watching everything," a voice said from the shadows.
Adam stepped out of the darkness. He had been waiting for this moment.
"You've been waiting for me?" Abomination snarled, his grotesque face twisting with rage.
"That's right. I've been watching you the whole time," Adam replied calmly. He didn't need eyes to track the creature. He could sense the Xenomorph growing inside Abomination, locking onto its position through that connection alone.
The moment Adam revealed himself, he knew the time had come.
He had expected the Xenomorph implanted in such a powerful host to need more time to reach the chestburster stage. Yet its growth had far exceeded his predictions.
It was probably due to Abomination's own genes—or the portion of Hulk DNA he had absorbed. The raw power accelerated the embryo's development dramatically. On top of that, Abomination was an incredibly rich, energy-packed incubator.
"You know, in the last few dozen minutes since I first infected you, I've imagined this scene countless times," Adam said, studying the approaching, twisted monster. His gaze lingered especially on the creature's chest. "Compared to you, vampires are nothing."
Abomination didn't understand what Adam was talking about. He only knew something was terribly wrong inside him. It wasn't that his dulled nerves had suddenly sharpened; the moment Adam appeared, a massive bulge had formed in his chest.
If Abomination hadn't possessed such dense muscle and tough skin, the thing would have already burst out of an ordinary person.
"Did you do this? What the hell did you do to me?!" Abomination roared, staring down in disbelief. He reached out with fingers strong enough to crush steel, but even a light squeeze sent agonizing pain ripping through his body—like he was crushing his own organs. The sensation was deeply unnatural.
He remembered the strange spider-like creature and finally grasped the truth.
"Whatever this thing is, I'm Abomination! The strongest being on this planet! I won't die!!"
"No," Adam said quietly. "You will."
He stepped closer. "Don't mistake a Xenomorph for some ordinary parasite. When it reaches the chestburster stage, it has already perfectly absorbed your genetic material. It replaces your internal organs and even parts of your spine, becoming one with you. Once it breaks out, a piece of you is gone forever. Your weak healing factor can't regenerate vital organs that are simply… missing. No body naturally repairs something that was perfectly healthy to begin with."
Abomination's corpse would also serve as the newborn's first meal.
"ROOOAR!"
Abomination's blood-green eyes burned with fury and terror. He swung a massive arm down in desperation. One punch should have been enough to turn the small human in front of him into paste.
BANG!
Adam raised both arms and blocked the strike head-on. The impact drove his legs halfway into the floor. Muscles tore and bones fractured under the overwhelming force.
But he held.
Every injury began healing almost immediately.
The reason a seemingly ordinary man could withstand such a blow was simple: Adam also carried a dormant Xenomorph inside him.
SPLURCH!
A deafening crack echoed as Abomination's chest exploded outward. Blood sprayed in every direction, evidence of the monstrous pressure that had built up inside.
The giant body convulsed violently. What little sanity Abomination had left watched in horror as something crawled out of him.
It was beyond anything his limited mind could comprehend—a nightmare demon using his flesh as a vessel to be born.
The moment it emerged, it displayed its savage nature, thrashing its head and screeching sharply while drenched in blood and gore.
This Xenomorph was born terrifyingly strong, already standing nearly two meters tall.
That height might not sound impressive at first, but most chestbursters emerged as tiny juveniles and needed several hours of rapid growth to reach two or three meters. This one was different.
Adam assessed the newborn's condition with satisfaction. Not only was it powerful from the start, its growth rate would be even faster. In just a few dozen minutes, it would be ready for combat.
As for Abomination…
He was already dying.
Just as Adam had explained, once the Xenomorph matured and burst free, it had taken the best genetic material from its host. Even with Abomination's remaining healing factor, he could only stare helplessly at the gaping cavity in his chest. Nothing grew back. All the vital organs had simply vanished.
Abomination's eyes looked ready to burst from their sockets. He reached out weakly, desperate to crush the horror that had crawled out of his own body.
Instead, the creature's inner jaws shot forward like a bullet, punching straight through his skull.
CRUNCH. CRUNCH.
It began to feed, devouring flesh and replenishing its nutrients as quickly as possible.