Help you brother here with power stones, pleasse!
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Chapter 018: This universe is bullying me, I just can't prove it.
"I prefer to work alone; after all, my methods are too brutal for some soy boys." Adrian doesn't want to join the Avengers; he knows that will happen, everyone will want to control him, and he doesn't like that.
Not to mention they will clash a lot because of the methods Adrian uses to deal with his enemies. Even though they are not as saintly as DC heroes who don't kill any villains.
Marvel heroes still have their limits regarding violence and killing.
The amount of personal and professional problems he avoids by not being in a group like the Avengers is over 89%, but he isn't stupid enough to stay completely away; after all, being close to the Avengers will help in acquiring powers.
Wonder Man will be complicated to obtain powers from without absorbing him completely, Rogue-style, since he is made of energy. But Adam? Adam is an artificially created being; he can secretly absorb his genes with just a touch. He needs opportunities for that. Thor's physiology, which is basically a Titan, son of Gaia and Odin—just by absorbing one of the genes of these beings, he will immediately be classified among the heavyweights of heroes.
He doesn't know if he will receive his metaphysical powers, after all, divinity is something that comes more from the soul and not from the body, or from a different dimension like some mutant powers. But Adrian has a theory: if he absorbs Thor's genes, he will slowly awaken a divinity, and not gain the same divine powers Thor has.
Unless he absorbs Thor completely with Rogue's powers, but by doing that, Odin and the Avengers will attack him immediately.
The only problem he doesn't know is whether his divinity will be linked to some Pantheon, or if he will be his own Pantheon, but that's something he cannot deduce without concrete data.
'Magic nonsense, huh.' Adrian thought as he noticed that the Black Knight was talking to someone, but he couldn't hear anything, which isn't a problem. With his eyes, he can hack the equipment and listen; he can also read his conversation.
At that moment, a woman landed beside Natasha. Tall, muscular, green skin, and with a confident posture, a true jade beauty as they say in Asia.
'Heh.' He laughed internally at his own joke.
"Widow, you're taking too long—... Oh, my." She licked her lips as she looked Adrian up and down like new prey.
Adrian's face twitched slightly when he smelled her arousal; it was exaggerated even for his senses.
[This woman is very thirsty.] Venom snorted. [Are we going to take her genes?]
[No.] He doesn't want any connection with the guy down there. He already regrets being here; after all, She-Hulk, even if she is a weaker Hulk, she is still a Hulk linked to the guy down there.
He has to hope that the guy down there doesn't pay attention to him and just keeps watching regular Hulk.
"Is this the new hero the bald guy talked about?"
'The dynamic between SHIELD and the Avengers seems more like cooperation as I know it. The leader must be Steve, or Carol Danvers. If it's the first, good. If it's the second... I'm screwed. Actually, the entire planet is screwed.' Adrian thought.
"Venom, at your service."
"Hmm~, you're quite dangerous, huh? I can feel that."
Venom shrugged. "It's her fault."
She-Hulk looked at Natasha.
"The Rider doesn't like him." Natasha said.
'Although he just doesn't like him, he doesn't feel like a sinner.'
Black Widow tried to ask why he is acting like that, but the spirit is silent, only showing his displeasure like a sulking child, which is very rare.
"Well, he doesn't like anyone." The jade beauty complained. "Even Steve Rogers gets glared at by the Ghost Rider, and he's Captain America!"
"Steve fought in the war, and in a war it's hard to know who is innocent or not." Black Widow shrugged. She tried to ask the reason for that antipathy, but as always the spirit remains silent; he doesn't talk, he just acts.
Black Widow looked at the Black Knight, who nodded, confirming that Fury and Captain America agreed with Adrian's proposal.
"... What did you say...?" Adrian spoke in an incredulous voice; even the pressure as if a predator were nearby disappeared.
"Right? How could that guy be bad?" the woman agreed. "Although he's like that with most people, so don't mind it too much."
'The Spirit of Vengeance has its own code of conduct, and it changes depending on the spirit, but the principle is the same... Innocent Blood: The trigger for judgment is the shedding of innocent blood... That is an absolute rule.'
'Yes, the Captain fought in the war, but… This plot is familiar, very familiar! I need to be sure, otherwise I won't be able to sleep at night.'
"We agreed with your request. From today on you are an associate of the Avengers. The only thing we ask is for you to help when necessary."
For a moment, Adrian felt his vision spin. He almost fainted when his divine brain concluded a devastating hypothesis.
"My God, I hate this universe." He didn't even care whether he was speaking out loud or not; he didn't even register or care about what the Widow said.
"???" Everyone looked at the man in confusion.
"Where is Captain America?"
"He's at Avengers Tower." She-Hulk replied very 'eagerly' for Adrian's taste, but he doesn't care about that right now.
"I would really like to meet him; after all, he is my childhood idol." Adrian wasn't even in the mood to act; his tone was dry and emotionless.
He could observe from here, but he wouldn't miss the chance to absorb more powers. If it's who he's thinking of, that power will be very useful.
"Hmm, that will be—" Natasha didn't even finish speaking when She-Hulk interrupted her saying,
"... That's acceptable! Let's go there right now! I'll give you a tour."
'Woman, you're very thirsty, control yourself.' Natasha rolled her eyes at her friend's attitude. She got on her bike, and then her body caught fire.
Moments later a quinjet appeared at the building, and She-Hulk, along with the Black Knight, entered it.
"Are you coming?"
"I'll go by motorcycle." He needed to clear his head and pray that his deduction wasn't correct. Considering his divine brain, it was unlikely, but hope is the last thing to die.
…
'My hope is dead. Darth Sidious is right, only the dark side is perfect.'
"I heard you wanted to meet me. Nice to meet you, I'm Steve Rogers." Captain America shook Adrian's hand.
Venom returned to his body, and soon his face appeared along with his long messy white hair.
"Oh, my..." She-Hulk was practically drooling now. It wasn't just the body; she has seen more muscular bodies and has slept with several muscular men, that's all.
Everything about him is asymmetrical and perfect, an even greater perfection than Hercules. It's as if he were created to give off the vibe of a predator, and this is a new type for She-Hulk.
Black Widow herself gave him a long and lingering look.
Carol Danvers, who was nearby, also wasn't completely insensitive.
"Adrian Walker." He forced a smile. He didn't even care if he was revealing himself or not; the moment he saw Steve Rogers, he knew it wouldn't matter in the end to have a secret identity. He wasn't even happy when he acquired the powers of the man in front of him.
'... I hate this universe.' He sighed. How many times has he sighed today? He doesn't know; he doesn't even care.
Using his new powers, Adrian imitated normal human eyes, so his eyes were hidden, but he wasn't happy.
The reason? The Captain America in front of him is not Captain America! He is a damn Skrull! Specifically a SUPER-SKRULL!
Goddammit!
After shaking his hand, Adrian, as if his soul had left his body, walked toward Sentry, who was in civilian clothes, and sat beside him on the couch. He practically threw himself onto the couch while looking at the ceiling.
"Haah, I'm tired."
"..." Everyone raised an eyebrow at that attitude.
Even the big guy, the one who gives Adrian existential fear just by existing, looked at him with a confused expression.
"Robert, can I call you Bob? Okay, Bob, I really understand you. This universe is truly lost, so it's normal to have some mental problems. Honestly, I'm developing a new mental problem and a new illness right now."
"The illness is lack of firepower. With so many crazy things out there, I really want an extra super giant weapon to destroy a galaxy, because the level of nonsense is ridiculous..." He sighed again.
"...." The heroes raised an eyebrow at those words.
"My new mental problem is the problem that plagues all young people nowadays, a mental problem called exhaustion from overthinking problems that aren't mine. Honestly, I could just ignore everything and build a way out of this damned place, but despite how I am, I can't ignore it... Completely." Adrian is not a villain; he is just a selfish guy living in a crazy world.
Adrian began to grumble, and grumble even more. "If these damn heroes sought therapy, half the problems plaguing this world would have disappeared. Some heroes don't need therapy; they need damn chemical castration, after all, they can't hold back their damn desires."
"I think philosophers were right, power only shows a person's true self, something like the explanation the Doctor who created the super soldier serum gave."
"... Are you okay, friend?" Sentry felt strange saying that; usually, he is the one on the opposite side!
"..." Adrian opened his neon blue eyes and looked at Sentry; behind him, he saw the image of DC's Man of Steel.
'It's like the fusion of Clark and Doomsday in the same body.' He thought.
"Haah, why was I worried anyway? You're just a chill guy." He sighed.
"Sorry for my previous breakdown, it's been a long day. Adrian Walker, nice to meet you."
"... Robert Reynolds."
[Venom]
[Copy.]
And just as expected, he received the entire physical upgrade of a heavyweight, effectively becoming Superman in physique only, but... he didn't gain Sentry's powers, which is something he already expected. Even among infinite dimensions, the dimensions that make Sentry who he is are quite peculiar.
'Thank God I'm not dealing with the biblical Sentry... The incident that gave Bob his powers only awakened something that was already his.'
Sentry is broken; after all, he is the living personification of the concept of 'hero' and the concept of 'villain.' In a way, he is a cosmic entity on the same level as Lady Death and the Phoenix.
'Fortunately, I'm not dealing with the original Sentry, but a version of him.' Adrian was content with that, after all, the Sentry of universe 616, the comics one, he is a singularity; there is only one Sentry who has access to the conceptual powers of hero and villain, and it is only the Sentry of universe 616.
'And Knull managed to kill that Sentry.' Adrian sighed again upon realizing how broken the creator of the Symbiote is.
The Sentry in front of Adrian is more like the Sentry who first appeared without the later retcons to his powers; he only has the power of the Void dimension and the Sun dimension. The difference is that... Unlike mutants who only receive a bit of power from a dimension.
Sentry holds all the power of the Sun dimension and the Void dimension itself. Adrian is shaking hands with the Lord of two dimensions. Because of that, he didn't gain any of Sentry's powers except physical strength, and even just his strength already places him in the heavyweight category. After all, this man can no longer be considered human; he is his own race at this point.
One correct thing the Avengers did was not send him to do anything.
Sentry's core concept is that his powers are two sides of the same coin. If the Sentry becomes "more heroic," the Void becomes proportionally more destructive. That's why, in many versions, Bob often prefers to be forgotten by the world, because if the hero does not exist, the monster cannot manifest either.
"... Oh? You became more like me, but at the same time different, strange." He narrowed his eyes in confusion; his senses were acting abnormally in front of the man before him.
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