The night wind swept across the empty rocket launch site, dispersing the lingering warmth and scorched smell left by Black Flame Lightning's explosion. The entire site fell utterly silent.
Eddie stood in the shadows, looking at Riot, who had collapsed completely into a puddle of black sludge on the ground. A belated cold sweat broke out all over him, and he felt nothing but relief.
He glanced down at the black Symbiote markings on his arm, which had settled down, and sighed inwardly.
Luckily, Rimuru had stopped them in time and kept him and Venom from recklessly charging in to snatch the credit.
The method had looked simple and brutal, swift and clean, without an earth-shaking, protracted battle, but its terrifying destructive power was plain to see. First, Black Flame Lightning had violently destroyed Riot's energy foundation; then ultrasound had precisely sealed off all his activity. One attack and one restraint, perfectly executed-precise and ruthless.
If the two of them had gotten too close, their constitutions would never have withstood the shock waves of that lightning and black flame. They would have been grievously injured on the spot, ending up severely wounded and broken apart.
[That was close, that was close... The boss's power is terrifying. Good thing I didn't charge in, or I would've been roasted too.]
Venom's shaken voice rang out in Eddie's mind. His earlier restless arrogance over claiming credit was completely gone, replaced by nothing but awe. [Riot's so stupid. He actually dared to ambush the boss. He was just asking to die.]
Eddie nodded silently, in complete agreement.
The subdued lump of black sludge before him bore no trace of the savage madness with which Riot had fought back so desperately moments ago. He had become a soft lump entirely at their mercy.
Before long,