Chapter Summaries

Nick sent S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to search for the mages and discovered a powerful energy source beneath Manhattan. Excavation uncovered mysterious bone fragments, and Nick decided to take one of them to seek help.

• Nick arranged for Coulson to accompany Thor, who asked to see Jane and agreed to stay with S.H.I.E.L.D.
• Nick ordered S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to search New York for mages using detection devices made by Hebron.
• A search team detected a powerful energy reaction beneath Manhattan and reported it to Nick.
• Agent May told Nick that the excavation had uncovered two bone fragments and stronger energy readings underground.
• Nick ordered Agent May to take one bone fragment with them so they could get more help.

Tony Stark joined Luke and Nick Fury to investigate a mysterious energy-bearing bone, while Nick sought to assess the danger posed by a larger piece buried underground. Nick abruptly left after receiving an urgent call, and Luke and Tony discovered footage of a Manhattan construction site littered with bodies and ghostly figures.

• Tony Stark arrived at Hebron Tower, complained that Nick Fury had interrupted his date with Pepper, and followed Nick to Luke's lab.
• After reviewing the bone's test results, Tony agreed to help investigate its energy, stability, and potential danger, and Luke granted him temporary access to White Queen and the lab instruments.
• Luke, Tony, and Nick worked together while Nick watched Luke closely, wary that he might try to take the bone for himself.
• Nick received an urgent call, turned grim, and left Hebron Tower with his agents by helicopter.
• Luke called on White Queen, which showed him and Tony footage of bodies and ghostly figures at a Manhattan construction site.

Luke and Tony realized the Mysterious Skeletons might draw an attack on their facility, so they prepared its defenses and released Venom to help. Venom fused himself onto Tony as the two bickered, and Luke promised him a possible reward for his performance.

• Luke told Tony that the agents had likely been attacked because their enemies wanted the Mysterious Skeletons, and Tony suspected their facility could be targeted next.
• Tony summoned his Iron Armor while Luke had the White Queen arrange security for the researchers and executives.
• Luke released Little Habu, Mistel, and Venom in the Symbiote Laboratory as Tony followed him inside.
• Venom told Tony he wanted to eat his brain, and the two traded insults about Venom's appetite and whether Luke was keeping him prisoner.
• Luke offered Venom an extra meal if he performed well, and Venom asked for Soul Crystals before lunging at Tony and fusing onto his face.

Tony Stark accepted Venom's protection despite disliking its spider emblem, while Luke detected intruders approaching the laboratory's Dragon Bone. The infiltrators encountered a mind-controlling presence and struggled to decide whether to advance, retreat, or wait.

• Luke explained the Symbiotes to Tony and advised him that Venom could protect him, though fire and sonic waves could force it off.
• Venom covered Tony in black matter and displayed a spider emblem, which Tony disliked and tried unsuccessfully to change.
• Venom placed a black spider pattern over the Arc Reactor on Tony's Mark Armor, while Luke revealed intruders heading toward the laboratory where the bones were stored.
• Two pairs of ninja-dressed intruders attacked one another under the corridor's mental influence and vanished as black smoke after suffering fatal injuries.
• The leader resisted the mental invasion with the help of his lord's power and weighed advancing toward the Dragon Bone against the danger to his troops and the urgency of their mission.

A Ninja assault on Hebron Laboratory was halted by the Hanged Man’s mental attack and a black Symbiote that engulfed one of the intruders. As a white monster possessed another subordinate, the leader prepared to draw on a power within himself.

• The leader ordered the Ninjas to attack the Hanged Man with throwing stars, but its Mental Storm swept the weapons away and killed or incapacitated most of the front line.
• The leader told the hackers to disable the laboratory’s security system, but they did not respond, and the exit password no longer worked.
• A black liquid dropped from the ceiling and engulfed a Ninja; the leader cut it apart, but it rapidly spread and sealed the man inside.
• The black Symbiote revealed itself and prepared to attack the remaining intruders, hoping to prove itself and earn Soul Crystal fragments.
• A white liquid monster possessed another Ninja and eyed the leader, who gripped his sword and drew on a power within himself.

Luke, Tony, and Venom watched the Symbiotes fight off an invasion at Hebron while protecting the bone. After the battle, Nick learned that the bone was missing and questioned Luke and Tony.

• The leader's Ninjas attacked the White Monster and the Black Symbiote, but the White Monster introduced itself as Venom and fought back.
• In the Symbiote Laboratory, Luke told Venom to stay away from 003, while Tony asked to study a Symbiote.
• White Venom used golden spears to pin the Ninjas, seal the leader's power, and capture him before ordering the Black Symbiote to take the prisoners to the Vampire Laboratory.
• Nick returned to Hebron and learned that the bone was missing, then questioned Luke and Tony.
• Tony raised his hands and testified that everything Luke had said was true.

Luke and Tony discussed Nick Fury’s response to the missing skeleton, while Tony took Little Brother Venom into his custody. Later, Luke sent Venom to examine a captured Invader, but Venom found something alarming in the Invader’s memories and was violently blown away.

• Nick Fury questioned Luke and Tony about the missing Invader prisoners, then left without searching Hebron.
• Luke explained to Tony that Nick would avoid confronting him over the Mysterious Skeleton as long as they maintained their cooperation.
• Tony picked up Little Brother Venom’s jar, and Luke told the aggrieved symbiote that its ownership now belonged to Tony.
• Luke warned Venom to stay away from 002, then brought it to examine a captured Invader pinned by a golden spear.
• Venom merged with the Invader to inspect his memories, discovered something disturbing, and was blasted away by an explosive force.

Luke captured a human host controlled by a mental parasite and injected it with Longevity Serum to study the effects. The chapter also explained how Luke and Nick Fury maintained Longevity Serum’s scarcity to strengthen their influence, while the experiment’s outcome remained unknown.

• The parasitized experiment subject broke free of its restraints and attacked Luke, but Luke blocked it with a Holy Light shield.
• Luke pinned the subject to the floor with five spears of light and confirmed that its mental parasite was imprisoned.
• Luke injected the critically weakened subject with Longevity Serum to observe what happened.
• Luke’s Longevity Serum supply remained under his control, and Nick Fury used its limited quotas to bargain with powerful interests.

Luke discovered a strange consciousness inside the serum-treated experiment subject and considered exploiting its power, while S.H.I.E.L.D. and The Hand escalated their conflict in New York. Luke gave Nick Fury a wristband powered by energy extracted from captured ninjas, leaving Nick surprised by its combat-enhancing effects.

• Venom was expelled from the experiment subject by a consciousness that Luke suspected was connected to the Beast worshipped by The Hand.
• The experiment subject's condition began declining again, and Luke considered using Venom to test the power on more captives.
• Nick Fury led S.H.I.E.L.D. agents in a crackdown on New York's underworld, and Kingpin gave him information about The Hand to protect his own businesses.
• S.H.I.E.L.D. raided The Hand's bases, prompting The Hand to launch assassinations that caused heavy agent casualties while its ninja attackers vanished into ash when killed.
• Luke visited Nick at S.H.I.E.L.D.'s temporary headquarters and gave him a wristband that stored power extracted from captured ninjas, which enhanced Nick's strength and agility.

Luke explained to Nick that The Hand’s power came from the demon god Beast and that his equipment drew on Beast’s energy by exploiting its power-sharing system. He warned that S.H.I.E.L.D.’s unauthorized use had limits and could attract Beast’s attention, especially as The Hand searched for people suited to serve as vessels.

• Nick asked whether The Hand’s ninjas drew their power from within themselves, and Luke said their power came from beings like demon gods.
• Nick realized S.H.I.E.L.D. had dismissed intelligence about The Hand worshipping Beast and worried that many hidden threats had escaped its notice.
• Luke warned Nick that S.H.I.E.L.D. could not currently face beings of Beast’s level and said mages were responsible for dealing with them.
• Luke explained that his technology extracted energy from the ninjas and used a method to obtain a share of Beast’s power.
• Luke told Nick that their equipment was effectively using Beast’s system without authorization, so Beast could shut them out if it noticed.
• Luke speculated that The Hand’s search for special people meant Beast might be seeking powerful vessels, and warned that excessive or prolonged energy use could draw its attention.

Luke explained the Metal Bracers’ risks, lifespan, and repair process to Nick, then revealed that Nick’s special bracer used a genuine demon-god key. Nick was disturbed by Luke’s plan to exploit The Hand’s ninjas and their communication method to make more genuine keys, but he was tempted by the potential advantage in their war.

• Nick questioned whether the Metal Bracers were stable, and Luke explained that failures would usually mean the demon beast had cut off their power rather than that the equipment was damaged.
• Luke estimated that frequently used bracers might last about half a year and said their filtering functions reduced, but did not eliminate, the risk of spiritual corruption.
• Luke told Nick that disconnected bracers could be reactivated through Hebron’s bulk activation service, and Nick agreed to keep their arrangement quiet.
• Luke explained that Nick’s special Metal Bracer used a genuine key, allowing it to last longer and exceed normal power limits with less risk of being blacklisted.
• Luke proposed preserving ninjas’ consciousness in a database to retain their genuine keys and using The Hand’s communication method to produce more keys, leaving Nick tempted despite his anger.

Luke explained to Nick how Hebron stored converted Mental Consciousness and denied that the resulting minds could become Electronic Ghosts. As The Hand’s attacks worsened, Nick sought more fighters, and Luke suggested Spider-Man and the Prince of Asgard, leaving Nick to consider how to recruit them without diplomatic consequences.

• Nick realized Hebron could convert a person's consciousness into data, and Luke explained the limits and risks of the process.
• Nick asked Luke to send Snoke's elite Security Squad to help against The Hand, but Luke refused and pointed to the Metal Bracer he had already provided.
• Nick complained that The Hand's Ninjas were attacking the camp where the Mysterious Skeleton was buried and said Stark had not responded to his request for help.
• Luke suggested Little Spider, and Nick admitted Spider-Man had already helped but had disrupted a planned trap before agreeing to consider him as another fighter.
• Luke reminded Nick about the Prince of Asgard and suggested Nick could recruit him without leaving evidence, prompting Nick to notice Luke's unusually low moral standards.

Phil told Thor that S.H.I.E.L.D. was battling The Hand’s ninjas and planned to move him somewhere safe. Eager for a fight, Thor insisted on joining Phil to confront them, while asking him to get Jane and Darcy to safety.

• Nick called Phil and told him to return because The Hand’s attacks had left S.H.I.E.L.D. short on manpower.
• Phil told Thor that he had to leave and explained that The Hand’s ninjas were powerful and the city was becoming unsafe.
• Thor eagerly volunteered to fight the ninjas, arguing that The Hand threatened Midgard and that Jane was there.
• Thor grabbed his hammer and set off with Phil, asking him to arrange a safe place for Jane and Darcy and take him to them after the fight.

Nick Fury recruited Steve Rogers to help S.H.I.E.L.D. fight The Hand, while Agent Hill approached Peter Parker and Gwen to bring Spider-Man under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s control. Peter was offered financial assistance and information about his parents if he joined.

• Nick Fury met Steve Rogers, told him S.H.I.E.L.D. was at war with The Hand, and returned his shield with Natasha Romanoff's help.
• Steve agreed to hear more about The Hand and left with Nick.
• Agent Hill approached Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy during their date and identified Peter as Spider-Man.
• Hill explained that Peter had disrupted S.H.I.E.L.D.'s operation against The Hand and asked him to join or at least stop interfering.
• Hill offered financial assistance and information about Richard and Mary Parker as incentives for Peter to join.

Peter Parker learned that S.H.I.E.L.D. could offer him information about his parents and a financial subsidy, then discovered that a Hebron Metal Bracer clashed with the power inside him and broke. As S.H.I.E.L.D. prepared to attack The Hand, Luke learned the bracer had been blacklisted because of Peter and considered having him examined.

• Peter asked Agent Hill whether S.H.I.E.L.D. knew about his parents, and Hill confirmed that Richard Parker and his wife had worked for the agency.
• Thor urged Phil and S.H.I.E.L.D. to attack The Hand without further planning, then arrived as Nick prepared a counterattack with about six hundred Metal Bracers from Hebron.
• Peter took a Metal Bracer and, after Snoke showed him how to use it, felt its power clash with his own; the bracer broke apart on his wrist.
• Nick had an agent test the damaged bracer and another one, confirming that the first had lost its function while the second enhanced the agent's physical abilities.
• Luke heard from Snoke that the bracer had been blacklisted because of Peter and considered arranging a physical examination for Peter Parker at Hebron.

Thor and S.H.I.E.L.D. launched an assault on the Hand’s stronghold in Hell’s Kitchen to seize its leaders and protect the Dragon Bone. As the battle continued, Peter fought alongside Quiet, who restrained the Ninjas with unnerving skill.

• Thor and Phil Coulson confirmed the villa as the Hand’s stronghold and prepared to attack, with Phil warning Thor to leave the Ninjas alive if possible.
• Thor charged into the villa and brought down part of its outer wall while Phil coordinated S.H.I.E.L.D.’s teams.
• Peter boasted about defeating Ninjas before noticing that Quiet had taken control of Gwen Stacy’s body.
• Quiet explained that she could manage the competing thoughts in her mind, then bound another Ninja with black thread.
• Quiet said she had learned the binding technique from a former host who enjoyed bondage, and Peter edged away from her.

S.H.I.E.L.D. launched an assault on The Hand’s villa, using Metal Bracers and coordinated tactics to overwhelm the ninjas. Alexandra ordered a retreat as Thor fought his way toward the leaders, leaving Madame Gao determined to investigate S.H.I.E.L.D.’s newfound power.

• Steve Rogers, Hawkeye Clint Barton, and Natasha led S.H.I.E.L.D. agents through the villa grounds, capturing ninjas with Web Shooters and tranquilizers.
• Grant Ward used his Metal Bracer and close-range gunfire to help the agents hold back the ninjas outside the villa.
• Thor adapted to the ninjas’ attacks inside the villa and drove them off with a burst of lightning after they threw quicklime in his eyes.
• Alexandra realized S.H.I.E.L.D.’s agents appeared to wield power related to the Beast and ordered The Hand to retreat.
• Madame Gao left with Alexandra and said they needed to discover how S.H.I.E.L.D. had gained its new power.

Nick handed over most of the captured ninja to Hebron in exchange for equipment, while S.H.I.E.L.D. kept some for its own research. At Hebron, Luke wondered whether emotions could be collected as energy and asked Venom to consult Tony Stark, who Venom wanted to visit.

• Nick celebrated the capture of more than three hundred ninja and told Phil Coulson to send most of them to Hebron while keeping a few for S.H.I.E.L.D.'s research.
• Nick concluded that S.H.I.E.L.D. had crippled The Hand and gained time to equip more agents with Metal Bracers.
• Phil delivered 222 ninja to Hebron, and Snoke verified the prisoners before ordering his Security Squads to take them to the laboratory.
• Luke learned from Venom that Quiet had reported the capture and wanted a change from feeding on the Dopamine of hosts in love.
• Luke asked Venom whether emotions could be collected as energy, and Venom suggested Tony Stark as someone who might answer before asking for a vacation to visit him.

Luke considered whether ordinary people’s emotions, minds, or faith could be collected as a special energy, potentially revealing how the Seeds of Black Nightmare worked. He sent Venom to Stark Tower and began testing a new collection device on vampires in Hebron.

• Luke questioned Venom about the symbiotes’ memories, diet, and response to phenethylamine, then reflected on the Seeds of Black Nightmare and their effects on hosts.
• Luke wondered whether emotions, souls, spirit, will, mind, or faith could serve as a special kind of energy and help him understand the Seeds of Black Nightmare.
• Luke gave Venom a vacation and sent him to Tony at Stark Tower, where Venom said he missed his little brother.
• Luke used The Maker's Talent Template and Concept Imbuement to build a crude Prototype collection device in six days.
• Luke installed the Prototype in the Vampire Repository and activated it to test whether it could collect emotional Spiritual Energy from the captive vampires.

Luke successfully created Emotional/Mental Prime Liquid from emotional energy but recognized that its negative emotions required further study and filtering. At Hebron, Quiet sensed tempting food inside a tree-stump-shaped metal ornament and took control of Gwen to approach it.

• Luke tested the condensed energy, experienced its surge of negative emotions, and confirmed that the experiment had produced Emotional/Mental Prime Liquid.
• Luke considered the risks of emotional contamination and planned further research into filtering, separating, and applying the energy.
• Gwen entered Hebron Industrial Park with Peter, where Quiet's intense hunger resisted her usual Phenethylamine solution.
• Quiet demanded a different food, sensed an enticing substance in a nearby metal ornament, and controlled Gwen's body to reach it.