Chapter Summaries

Richard defeated Gladiator after Ultraman’s power surged, then spared him and accepted his warship and a Shi'ar transit badge. Gladiator returned to the Shi'ar, while Richard planned to hide the ship at a secret Hydra base for future space travel.

• Ultraman’s red form unleashed a powerful Cross Storm that overwhelmed Gladiator, who felt the threat of death before Richard stopped the attack and spared him.
• Gladiator accepted his defeat and vowed to become stronger and surpass Richard.
• Gladiator gave Richard his warship and agreed to keep the gift secret from the Avengers.
• Richard planned to stash the warship at a secret Hydra base, since the Stone Wing was unsuitable for long-distance travel.
• Gladiator also gave Richard a Shi'ar transit badge that could identify his ship and let him travel freely through Shi'ar territory.

After returning from a mission to the moon, Richard cooked dinner for Jessica, Gwen, and Wanda, then agreed to teach them how to cook. He began the lesson by explaining the kitchen basics, while Jessica worried that he might charge her tuition.

• Hydra scientists eagerly examined the Shi'ar spaceship Richard had given them, while Malik became convinced Richard was an alien.
• Richard returned home late after fighting Gladiator and found Jessica, Gwen, and Wanda waiting for dinner.
• Richard made dinner from the food left in the refrigerator, and Jessica noticed the ribs tasted different before he revealed they were last week's leftovers.
• Jessica suggested the girls learn to cook for when Richard was away, and Richard agreed to teach them.
• Richard started by explaining the kitchen tools, and Jessica accidentally mentioned tuition, prompting him to silently stare at her.

Richard taught Gwen and Wanda to cook, then took them and Jessica to visit Little Godzilla on Skull Island. Wanda eagerly joined, only to discover that the “pet” was a fifteen- or sixteen-meter-tall monster.

• Jessica regretted blurting out that she would pay tuition, while Gwen agreed to pay and Richard let Wanda learn for free.
• Richard introduced Gwen and Wanda to kitchen utensils, and Wanda revealed she could cook before trying to consult the Darkhold.
• Richard decided to visit Little Godzilla on Skull Island, and Jessica, Gwen, and Wanda joined him.
• Richard found Wanda asleep behind the Darkhold, teased Jessica by praising Wanda’s diligence, and invited Wanda along to see the pet.
• Wanda saw Little Godzilla behind the island base’s laser grid and was shocked by its size.

Richard, Wanda, Jessica, and Gwen visited the island and found that Little Godzilla had grown to enormous size while adapting happily to its new home. In New York, after the Osborn Group cut funding for Dr. Curt Connors's limb-regeneration research, Connors injected himself with his experimental lizard serum.

• Richard and the others found Little Godzilla sleeping in the woods, where Richard stroked its head and gave it light energy.
• Jessica fed Little Godzilla ribs, and Gwen explained that it ate plants, meat, and potato chips.
• An Osborn Group representative told Dr. Curt Connors that the company was ending its sponsorship because his research had produced no results.
• Connors, desperate to continue his work and restore his missing arm, took the serum despite his assistant's warnings.
• Connors injected the lizard serum into his severed right arm.

Dr. Curt Connors transformed into Lizard Doctor and rampaged through New York, where rookie Spider-Man tried to stop him but was badly wounded. Gwen arrived to rescue her student and easily outmatched Lizard Doctor, leaving Spider-Man stunned by her strength.

• Dr. Curt Connors injected himself with lizard serum, transformed into Lizard Doctor, and rampaged through New York.
• Spider-Man attacked Lizard Doctor but was wounded and pinned beneath him.
• Gwen struck Lizard Doctor away from Spider-Man and reminded her injured student to be more careful.
• Gwen fought Lizard Doctor with ease while Spider-Man watched in amazement.

Spider-Woman and Little Spider battled Lizard Doctor until he grabbed Eddie Brock as a hostage, but Eddie transformed into Venom and overpowered him. Venom left Lizard Doctor unconscious, while Gwen and Little Spider watched in confusion.

• Gwen repeatedly struck Lizard Doctor, forcing him to realize he could not defeat her.
• Lizard Doctor lunged into the crowd and seized Eddie Brock, threatening Gwen with him as a hostage.
• Eddie transformed into Venom, broke free, and punched Lizard Doctor away from him.
• Venom fought Lizard Doctor head-on and quickly pinned him down.
• Venom knocked Lizard Doctor unconscious as Gwen and Little Spider stood by, unsure what to do.

Gwen stopped Venom from killing the defeated Lizard Doctor, and Venom backed down after sensing Mr. Li on her. Meanwhile, Mr. Li expanded Planet Group by launching a video website and imposed an absurd new overtime schedule.

• Venom beat the Lizard Doctor unconscious and prepared to kill him, but Gwen confronted him and Little Peter backed her up.
• Venom threatened Gwen, then left the Lizard Doctor alive after saying he had lost his appetite.
• Eddie asked Venom why he had retreated, and Venom admitted Gwen smelled like a person he feared; Eddie realized he meant Mr. Li.
• Mr. Li and Planet Group's executives decided to create a video website called Pili Pili, with a system to reward original videos.
• Mr. Li upheld the 996 work schedule, then responded to concerns about late-night overtime by ordering employees to work until midnight and begin overtime afterward.

Planet Group’s video site faced an infringement accusation from the European anime site Night Family, so Richard went to its headquarters to meet its executives. He discovered they were pureblood vampires and mocked their threats, leaving the vampires’ response unresolved.

• Planet Group launched its video website with exclusive Ultraman broadcasts, and Richard rejected a proposed paid-membership system before suggesting Xinyue membership levels instead.
• Night Family accused Planet Group of infringement and invited Richard to its European headquarters for talks.
• Richard arrived by helicopter and entered a conference room filled with executives whose seat at the head of the table was still empty.
• Using Ultraman Vision, Richard identified every executive in the room as a pureblood vampire.
• A vampire threatened Richard and pinned him to his chair, but Richard laughed at the vampires for acting like gangsters while working in animation.

Richard confronted the vampires who ran the Night Family anime website, killed one of them, and demanded to speak with someone in charge. Their demon leader recognized Richard as Ultraman and warned him that a catastrophe was approaching.

• The vampires’ anime website had become profitable as their traditional businesses declined, leading their elders to consider shifting the clan into entertainment.
• Richard burned the vampire who had put a hand on his shoulder to ashes, terrifying the others.
• Richard refused to negotiate with the inexperienced vampires and waited for someone with authority to arrive.
• A composed, human-looking man entered, and he and Richard recognized each other as a demon and Ultraman through their psychic exchange.
• The demon warned Richard that a catastrophe was coming and advised him to keep a low profile.

Richard confronted a devil who warned him that vampires might be serving as pawns in the devils’ schemes, but Richard overpowered him and drove him away. After eliminating the vampires in the building, Richard reconsidered how to deal with vampires worldwide and recalled that he possessed Zola’s algorithm.

• The devil warned Richard that the vampires might be part of the devils’ plans and tried to intimidate him.
• Richard overwhelmed the devil with psychic power and ordered him and the other devils to leave the human world.
• The devil left, and Richard used the Energy Blaster and Light Power to destroy every vampire in the building.
• Richard departed by helicopter and reflected on how his greater resources and changed outlook might let him address the global vampire population.
• Richard remembered that Zola’s algorithm was stored among the data he had set aside.

Richard used Hydra’s influence to convince governments that vampires were about to spread an airborne infection, prompting a worldwide campaign to eliminate them. By the end, an international anti-vampire front had formed and was preparing silver weapons for the hunt.

• Richard captured a vampire connected to the Night Family website and brought it to Hydra headquarters.
• Richard ordered Gideon Malick to eliminate vampires and rejected using their flawed genes for human enhancement.
• Malick used his political connections to spread a false warning that vampires could soon infect millions through airborne transmission.
• World leaders sought confirmation through their spies, accepted the warning as true, and began coordinating a response.
• Nick Fury agreed that S.H.I.E.L.D. would support the effort, and governments formed a united anti-vampire front within three days.
• Richard reflected that Hydra had been saving the world instead of advancing its goal of world conquest.

Nick Fury approved Agent Garrett’s plan to use the Insight Project and S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarriers to purge vampires after Mister Fantastic developed a way to identify them. The coordinated worldwide assault devastated vampire populations, leaving the species close to extinction.

• Nick Fury gave Agent Garrett command of the vampire purge and approved using the Insight Project, with orders to avoid harming civilians.
• S.H.I.E.L.D. recruited Mister Fantastic, Reed Richards, to devise a way to distinguish vampires from humans in satellite images.
• Reed Richards created a spectral-filtering method, which S.H.I.E.L.D. integrated into its Helicarriers to locate vampires worldwide.
• At dawn two days later, Agent Garrett ordered the Helicarriers to strike isolated vampires and major vampire gathering places.
• Military forces followed the strikes, raiding vampire hideouts with ultraviolet grenades and silver ammunition.
• Modern weapons overwhelmed the vampires, and the purge brought their race to the brink of extinction.

Humanity’s coalition army advanced on Demon City while Blade’s demon hunters entered the city and confronted Count Dracula. Dracula defeated the hunters, but Hulk crashed through the castle roof and faced him.

• S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Insight Project revealed Demon City, and nations formed a coalition army to attack it.
• The vampire elders denied mass-producing vampires, but humanity ignored their protests and continued its advance.
• Blade led a squad of demon hunters into Demon City, believing they could defeat its vampire leaders.
• Count Dracula unleashed his powers and overwhelmed the demon hunters, then boasted that no one could enter his castle and do as they pleased.
• Hulk smashed through the castle roof and confronted Dracula, who was left stunned.

Dracula fled Hulk during the assault on Demon City, while Richard encountered a devil who blamed him for attacking the vampires. The devil’s nineteen companions attacked Richard, who countered with a burst of azure power and struck them all at once.

• Dracula escaped Hulk by turning into mist, leaving the demon hunters to recover from Hulk’s devastating punch.
• The Avengers helped humanity’s forces advance through Demon City, where the vampires offered little resistance.
• Richard received an update on the battle, then sensed magical energy keeping people away from the street around him.
• A black-coated devil confronted Richard and accused him of provoking Hell by attacking the vampires.
• The devil surrounded Richard with eighteen other devils and ordered them to kill him, claiming his soul for himself.
• Richard unleashed azure energy, shattered the devils’ magic, and struck all nineteen devils at once with Evolution Trust.

Richard destroyed the demons attacking him, then faced Marduk, a fallen Babylonian god who tried to stop him with time magic. Richard transformed into Ultraman and struck Marduk, leaving the Devil Lord crashed into the road.

• Richard killed eighteen demons with rapid attacks and blasted the last one into ashes with the Energy Blaster.
• Richard called for the hidden figure to emerge, and Marduk introduced himself as a demon and former Babylonian god.
• Marduk used powerful time magic to immobilize Richard.
• Richard released intense light, transformed into Ultraman, and punched Marduk through street fixtures and into the road.

Nexus fought Marduk, whose magic from Hell injured and restrained him before Nexus broke free with golden light. Marduk summoned his true body and unleashed a combined blast of spiraling flames at Nexus.

• Nexus's light-powered punch injured Marduk's true body through the old man's vessel.
• Marduk drew magic power from Hell and attacked Nexus with black fire erupting from the ground.
• Marduk created a tentacled monster that bound Nexus and squeezed the space around him.
• Nexus unleashed golden light that cut through the tentacles and fire, then charged at Marduk.
• Marduk summoned his true body from Hell and fired a converging pillar of flame at Nexus.

Nexus easily defeated the devil lord Marduk, then Richard met the archangel Gabriel, who warned him that heaven and hell were about to go to war. Gabriel ended by asking whether he had heard of Ghost Rider.

• Nexus shattered Marduk's magical attack with one punch and destroyed the devil's body in the human world.
• Marduk recognized that he was no match for Nexus and decided not to seek revenge or bring his brothers into the conflict.
• Richard noticed the lingering disturbance after the battle, canceled his transformation, and summoned the hidden figure to reveal herself.
• Gabriel identified herself as an archangel and acknowledged Richard's strength after he drove off Marduk.
• Gabriel told Richard that heaven and hell were about to go to war, then asked whether he had heard of Ghost Rider.

Gabriel told Richard that Ghost Rider’s power came from the fusion of the original Spirits of Vengeance and the demon Zarathos, and warned that Mephisto planned to summon Zarathos at full strength. Richard left the conversation making clear that he expected compensation before helping Heaven.

• Richard asked Gabriel whether Heaven’s looming war was connected to the San Venganza Contract, and she said that issue had already been handled by Ghost Rider’s current host.
• Gabriel explained that the original Spirits of Vengeance had sacrificed themselves to defeat Zarathos and seal away his power, which later fused with their own.
• Gabriel revealed that Mephisto had taken fragments of Zarathos’s power and might use Ghost Rider’s host as a sacrifice to summon the demon at full strength.
• Richard suggested contacting Nick Fury and Stark, but Gabriel said human forces and the Avengers were unlikely to help in a conflict between Heaven and Hell.
• Richard said he lacked the magic and weapons to fight demons, and Gabriel realized that he was looking for compensation.

Richard agreed to help Gabriel find Ghost Rider and stop Mephisto’s plans after she offered him powerful heavenly artifacts as compensation. Gabriel left him with a shape-shifting mass of holy water and Heaven’s promise of support, while Richard prepared to search for Ghost Rider.

• Gabriel gave Richard the Angel Scepter, and he accepted it despite doubting that a magic staff suited him.
• Gabriel warned Richard that Zarathos might return at full strength and threaten the human world, and Richard agreed to help find Ghost Rider.
• Richard hinted that he needed a weapon capable of harming demons, so Gabriel gave him shape-shifting holy water that could form weapons and empower mortals.
• Richard tested the holy water by turning it into a longsword and promised to find Ghost Rider as quickly as possible.
• Gabriel said Heaven would remain Richard’s ally if Mephisto’s scheme was thwarted, then prepared to leave the human world.

Richard juggled Hydra’s vampire cleanup, the search for Ghost Rider, and financial opportunities before visiting Skull Island after Mothra’s egg hatched. He left the Mothra larva in Little Godzilla’s care, then Hydra reported that they had found Ghost Rider.

• Richard tasked Hydra with finding Johnny Blaze, the current host of Ghost Rider, while the vampire campaign entered its final cleanup phase.
• Richard took advantage of turmoil in global markets caused by vampire executives’ deaths and pocketed some money.
• Hydra staff on Skull Island reported that the egg labeled Mothra had hatched, and Richard went to see the larva.
• Little Godzilla welcomed the female Mothra larva as its little sister and guarded her, while she gradually trusted Richard after Little Godzilla introduced him.
• Richard examined Mothra, fed Little Godzilla light energy, and left the larva in its care.
• Hydra reported that they had found Ghost Rider.