Chapter 402:
"Where is this place?"
Shikamaru's head throbbed with pain as his consciousness slowly returned. He furrowed his brow, trying to recall how he'd ended up here.
Warm sunlight streamed in through the window, casting a gentle glow across his face. The comforting warmth made Shikamaru let out a soft sigh of relief.
"Ah, you're awake!"
The wooden door was flung open.
"Temari? No… you're too young. Who are you?"
Still weak, Shikamaru turned his head toward the girl who had just entered, carrying a wooden basin. She looked exactly like Temari did when she was little—completely identical.
"Hm? But you already know my name. I'm Temari."
"No, you're not her. You're too gentle."
Shikamaru knew his wife very well—Temari could never be this soft-spoken.
"My name really is Temari," the young girl said as she walked up to his bedside. "And who are you? Why did you pass out by the roadside?"
"I'm Shikamaru," he said, suddenly growing agitated. "Someone has to stop it—someone must stop it!"
"Stop what?"
The young Temari looked completely lost.
"It'll kill everyone!"
"No! You can't get out of bed yet!"
The girl quickly set down her basin and rushed to support Shikamaru, who was attempting to get up.
But her small frame couldn't stop him. Shikamaru staggered a few steps and collapsed to his knees, his legs giving out.
"You're such a hassle," the girl sighed, crouching beside him with her hands resting on her cheeks, watching him closely. "What's wrong with you? Or… maybe you've just got a screw loose?"
"No, my mind is fine. It's just that I can… see. I can perceive the thoughts of a black, viscous, liquid-like lifeform. I understand what it wants—you get that?"
"What does it want?"
"It wants to eat brains. I saw it again."
Kneeling on the floor, Shikamaru lifted his head and stared straight ahead. But all that lay before him was an open door and the world outside. Still, he continued speaking.
"In a dark, damp place, there were lots of rats. Must've been underground. Yes, definitely underground! It's in the sewers! It's moving, searching. I can feel its hunger clearly. It's starving—desperate for food."
He paused for a moment. Just as the young Temari was about to speak, Shikamaru suddenly spoke again.
"You startled me."
The girl complained, but Shikamaru ignored her and kept talking.
"It's crawling out of the sewers. The sunlight stings its eyes—it hates it. It's latched onto a stray cat now. The people who were so hungry they were about to eat cat meat haven't noticed… No—no! I can't stop it! It's killed them all! Run! Run!"
Shikamaru's emotions gradually settled, replaced by a heavy gloom.
"That was quite the spooky story. Now, please, get back in bed, Mr. Shikamaru."
The young Temari helped the now-calm Shikamaru back into bed.
Once he was lying down again, Shikamaru realized that his earlier outburst had just been a brief emotional breakdown. Now that he had regained his composure, his sharp intellect was returning to full strength.
He could vividly feel the texture of the Venom's feeding—crispy on the outside, tender and chewy inside, warm and satisfying. As the creature's hunger was sated, Shikamaru's own gnawing emptiness vanished along with it.
A dangerous greed even began to creep into his heart—an urge to prompt Venom to feed again.
But Shikamaru didn't notice that. He had more important things to worry about now.
He was the only one who could stop Venom—control it. He had to recover and leave this place.
"I need food."
"No problem, Mr. Shikamaru."
Though the hunger had faded, his body was still weakened from the lack of nourishment. He needed food to replenish his strength.
In the days that followed, Shikamaru was as quiet as a mouse.
"Do you know where this place is?"
Shikamaru asked the young Temari as she entered to clear his dishes.
"This is a survivor base."
She replied as she tidied up.
"A survivor base… because of those scientific ninja tool puppets outside?"
"Mhm." She nodded. "I heard the biggest Venom survivor base was destroyed by them. No one knows how long this smaller one will last…"
Her voice lowered, laced with unease.
"It'll be okay. I believe it will."
"If only another hero like Venom would show up to save us…"
She said wistfully before turning to leave.
This can't go on. I have to find Venom again—not just to stop it from feeding outside, but because I need its power.
Shikamaru lay in bed, quietly plotting.
"Well, this is unexpected. I can't believe you've almost fully recovered in just a day since waking up."
The young Temari looked at Shikamaru in astonishment as he got out of bed.
"Told you. I only passed out because I was starving. As long as I fill my belly, I'm back to full strength."
Of course, that was just an excuse to get her off his back. Shikamaru didn't know exactly why he'd recovered so fast, but he had a good idea—it must've had something to do with his past as Venom's host.
"Where are you going now?"
"Out. To find a way to deal with those scientific ninja tool puppets."
He spoke while walking toward the exit.
"Just you? No way, absolutely not!" the young Temari called after him, quickly catching up. "I'm coming with you!"
Shikamaru suddenly stopped. The girl following too closely behind bumped into his back and let out a yelp of pain.
"Hey, what was that for? Why'd you stop so suddenly?"
"I know the truth."
"What truth?"
"About who you really are." Shikamaru spun around, grabbing the girl's shoulders tightly—so tightly that her face twisted in pain. "You're a clone, created by S.H.I.E.L.D. using my wife Temari's genes, right? They used your identical appearance and name to lower my guard!"
"What are you talking about? Let go of me!"
The young Temari struggled against his grip.
——
After a brief silence, Shikamaru quietly released her and turned away again.
Though she had treated his wounds and fed him, that didn't mean he trusted her.