Hunters Across Universes
Jiang Li's boots pressed firmly against Albedo's chest. The cracking sound of bones buckling under the weight made the white-haired boy with Jiang Li's face turn deathly pale.
"Cough..." Blood trickled from the corner of Albedo's mouth as he gripped Jiang Li's boots tightly with both hands, trying to move them away.
It remained completely still.
Jiang Li lowered his head, the Blade of the military dagger grazing Albedo's carotid artery.
"You couldn't have created cross-dimensional teleportation technology by yourself." Jiang Li slightly pressed his wrist, the Blade slicing through the skin, drawing blood. "Tell me. Who helped you?"
Albedo when he glanced at Gwen not far away and suddenly let out a maniacal laugh.
"You think... I went through all that trouble to come to this universe just to fight you?"
Albedo released his grip on the military boot and pointed at Gwen.
"I'm a businessman. Someone needs 'Spider,' and I need a universe without you. We hit it off immediately."
Jiang Li's eyes sharpened.
Click.
The sound of a bullet being chambered.
Chief George Stacy Stacy held his pistol, the muzzle moving back and forth between Jiang Li and Albedo. The old chief's hands were trembling; the two identical-looking teenagers before him rendered his prized criminal investigation experience utterly useless.
"Gwen, step back!" Chief George Stacy shielded his daughter. "Can someone explain to me what's going on?"
"Dad, put down the gun. The one standing is Jiang Li, and the one lying down is his clone." Gwen pressed down on her father's pistol and quickly walked to Jiang Li's side.
She stared at Albedo, a sudden, intense pain shooting through her mind from her Spider-Sense.
A sharp, stabbing pain.
"Jiang Li! Something's wrong!" Gwen suddenly looked up, staring at the end of the street.
Buzz--!
Space was forcibly torn apart.
Unlike the blue quantum portal of the Plumbers, this crack was a strange dark gold, like a giant spider web woven from some kind of energy.
A foot wearing a Victorian-era vintage leather shoe stepped out of the crack.
The newcomer wore a dark red velvet robe, had a pale face, and long hair that cascaded down his shoulders. He had no whites in his eyes, and his pupils were a bloodthirsty dark red.
He took a deep breath, as if savoring a delicacy.
"A genuine Spider-Totem."
The man ignored the rubble and ruins, the unconscious Sinister Six, and even Jiang Li, who was stepping on Albedo. His gaze swept over everyone and was fixed on Gwen.
"What a sweet scent. I can hear the lament of the totem in your blood."
Morlun
The most terrifying hunter in the Marvel Multiverse, the eldest son of the "Inheritors who feeds on the life force of Spider-Man from various universes.
"This is your partner?" Jiang Li glanced at Albedo at his feet.
"He will tear you to pieces," Albedo. "Morlun's power is invincible!"
Bang!
Jiang Li raised his right foot and stomped heavily on Albedo's left wrist on the red Ultimatrix.
Click!
The red watch face dented, sparks flew, and it went into a frozen, self-locking state. Albedo's eyes rolled back, and he fainted from the pain.
"Noisy."
Jiang Li kicked Albedo, turned around, and faced Morlun directly.
"Hey, you vampire in costume," Jiang Li cracked his neck, his knuckles popping, "The way you're staring at my girlfriend really bothers me."
Morlun finally turned his gaze to Jiang Li.
"Non-totem creatures, inferior prey. Get out of my way."
Morlun didn't draw any weapon. He simply lifted his leg and took a step forward.
Boom!
The asphalt road surface shattered instantly, and Morlun's figure vanished into thin air.
It wasn't teleportation; it was the terrifying speed unleashed by pure physical force!
A sonic boom cloud exploded in the middle of the street. Morlun's fist was already at Jiang Li's face.
There are no fancy energies, only the ultimate physical strength to smash Vibranium with bare hands. This is why all Spider-Man can only run away when they encounter Morlun —he cannot be defeated by physical means.
Jiang Li did not retreat.
A thought flashed through my mind.
Swish!
Blue crystals covered his entire body.
[Diamondhead]!
Jiang Li crossed his arms and held them horizontally in front of his chest. The high-density Tydium instantly condensed on his arms into a diamond-shaped heavy shield that was half a meter thick.
Bang!!!
Fist and shield collide.
A deafening roar. A visible ring of shockwave swept away all the surrounding streetlights and abandoned vehicles.
Click click click...
The ground beneath Jiang Li's feet collapsed, creating a huge crater half a meter deep.
The Crystal shield, which had been impervious to even the Green Goblin Bomb, now had spiderweb-like cracks appearing in its center!
"Hmm?" A hint of surprise flashed in Morlun's eyes. "The hardness is good. But it's meaningless."
Morlun changed his fist into a palm, his five fingers gripping Jiang Li's Crystal arm like steel nails, and pulled it outwards sharply.
Click!
Large swathes of blue crystal were forcibly torn apart.
"Physical strength surpasses that of the Four Arms?"
Jiang Li quickly assessed the combat strength in his mind. He did not force a confrontation.
Swish!
The green light flashed again.
Jiang Li transformed into a pool of black and white liquid metal, sliding down Morlun's fingers and instantly breaking free from his restraints.
[Upgrade]!
The liquid metal stretched out in mid-air, like a giant net, and smeared directly onto Morlun's face.
"A useless trick."
Morlun snorted coldly, and suddenly shook his arms. A terrifying surge of blood energy erupted from his body, directly shattering the liquid metal.
But in the instant he shattered.
Swish!
Four thick, red arms tore through the afterimage of the liquid metal, and four Iron Fist slammed out simultaneously.
[Four Arms]!
Bang bang bang bang!
The four consecutive blows landed squarely on Morlun's chest, cheek, and chin.
Morlun staggered back half a step, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. But he suddenly raised his head, his eyes growing increasingly crazed. He reached out with both hands and gripped the wrists of the two arms above the Four Arms tightly.
"You're incredibly strong," Morlun grinned maliciously. "But do you know that I can absorb any life force I come into contact with?"
The red energy began to flow along Morlun's fingers, attempting to drain the Four Arms's life force.
"Star-Absorbing Skill?"
Jiang Li smiled.
"Want some? I'll let you smoke as much as you want."
The Omnitrix runes flowed at breakneck speed.
Swish!
The red flesh faded, and a dazzling white and green light rose from the ground.
An alien, whose entire body was covered in mechanical armor and whose chest and head were burning with high-pressure nuclear fusion reactors, stood before Morlun.
[Atomix]!
The surrounding air was instantly heated to the point of distortion, and the piercing Geiger counter alarm (if someone was carrying it) seemed to scream wildly between heaven and earth.
Morlun's expression changed drastically.
He no longer absorbed pure life force, but nuclear radiation and plasma flames powerful enough to instantly melt stars!
Is it hot?
Jiang Li's mechanical electronic voice rang out, carrying an undisguised mockery.
He grabbed Morlun's wrist with his other hand, and the reactor in his chest shone brightly.
"Then I'll add some more heat!"
"Nuclear Fusion - A Powerful Blow!"
Jiang Li pulled his right fist back, compressing the green nuclear fusion energy to its limit on his fist, as if he were holding a miniature sun.
He threw a punch.
Bang----!!!
The punch landed squarely on Morlun's chest.
There was no suspense whatsoever.
The dark red robe on Morlun's chest instantly vaporized, and the sound of his ribs breaking was still clearly audible amidst the roar of the nuclear explosion.
He was like an intercontinental ballistic missile launched from its barrel, blasted away by this nuclear explosion!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Morlun's body crashed through the foundations of three buildings, carving a charred trench a kilometer long, emitting green, radiant flames, before finally being buried under the ruins of a collapsed shopping mall.
Jiang Li maintained his punching stance, with hot white smoke billowing from the mechanical exhaust vents on his back.
He slowly withdrew his fist, turned around, and looked at Gwen and Chief George Stacy, who were staring in disbelief.
"Resolved."
Jiang Li transformed back into human form and dusted off his hands.
"This vampire from outer space feels alright to handle."
Deep within the ruins.
A concrete slab weighing hundreds of tons was suddenly lifted into the air.
Morlun staggered to his feet. A large chunk of flesh had been blasted away from his chest, revealing his beating heart. But the dark red light in his eyes did not dim; instead, it burned even more fiercely.
His wound is healing at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"It's not a totem..."
Morlun wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, stared intently at Jiang Li in the distance, and a cruel smile spread across his face.
"But this energy... is more delicious than the totem."