Ch. 142 King of Symbiotes

As Grendel returned to the S.H.I.E.L.D. base to "rescue" the remaining six second-generation symbiotes, Russell sat on a mountain top over a hundred kilometers away from the base. He was studying the newly activated reward, the "King's Serum." 

The appearance of the new reward, the "King's Serum," replaced his previous evolution reward, the "Anti-Venom Serum Symbiote."

From the indication of having evolved twice behind the name of the King's Serum, it could be inferred that this serum was evolved once more from the base Symbiote Serum.

In fact, even without the note of evolving twice, just by the name and the activation effect, Russell could tell that the King's Serum was an evolution of the original serum.

After checking the description of the new reward "King's Serum" in the system, Russell closed the system page directly.

Since the system wasn't willing to explain the King's Serum reward too much, he would figure it out on his own.

Closing his eyes, Russell started to sense the abilities granted by the King's Serum with the "King" prefix.

The abilities the serum originally possessed had been perfectly inherited and significantly enhanced. From this perspective, the King's Serum seemed like an upgraded version of the serum.

However, Russell was certain that the serum's evolution wasn't limited to this.

If it was just about enhancing the serum's original abilities, the system wouldn't have added the "King" prefix.

The system's attitude was indeed cold, unlike other transmigrators' systems that were more empathetic. Despite its chilly demeanor, the system had an incredibly reliable core.

Up until now, Russell hadn't found any instance where the system wasn't trustworthy.

After meticulously perceiving for a few minutes with his eyes closed, Russell frowned.

Apart from enhancing the serum's original abilities, he hadn't discovered any additional special abilities that the King's Serum had over the regular serum.

Was he approaching it from the wrong angle?

Russell began to doubt whether he had misunderstood the direction.

However, before he could think further, the mountain-sized Grendel sped towards him at high speed.

Seeing Grendel's massive black figure, he temporarily abandoned his exploration of the King's Serum's abilities. Russell stood up, awaiting Grendel's arrival.

In a short while, Grendel, resembling a mountain, landed in front of him with a booming sound. It left a large crater in the snow-covered ground.

After the slightly rough landing, Grendel didn't speak. It released the second-generation symbiotes that were bound to its body.

Nine second-generation symbiotes without hosts appeared like nine black slimes.

After releasing these second-generation symbiotes, Grendel even adjusted their positions, arranging them neatly in three rows.

Three symbiotes per row, three rows in total.

Grendel felt that this arrangement perfectly showcased its carefulness and cleverness.

Although Grendel had a fierce appearance and an astonishing size, for some reason, seeing its current behavior made Russell feel like Grendel was a pet dog.

Did this fellow's submissive attitude go a bit overboard?

After neatly placing the retrieved second-generation symbiotes, Grendel displayed a pleasing expression towards Russell.

Then, numerous black tentacles emerged from its chest.

A person wrapped in the tentacles emerged from its body, appearing in Russell's sight. The person looked like a mummy with the tentacles coiled around them.

What was this?

Seeing the unique black "mummy," Russell's expression turned somewhat strange.

What was Grendel trying to do?

Before he could ask, Grendel actively unraveled the black tentacles from the mummy-like person, placing them in front of the second-generation symbiotes.

What did this fellow want?

While the tentacles on the "mummy" hadn't completely unraveled, just as the head was exposed, Russell furrowed his brows.

The person that Grendel brought back was none other than Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff.

At the moment, both Russell and Natasha were surprised, and it wasn't just the two of them.

Natasha had initially assumed that Grendel's return was for revenge against the S.H.I.E.L.D. base, considering the inhumane experiments they had conducted on Grendel while it was frozen.

However, she hadn't expected that Grendel's purpose wasn't revenge, but to take away the symbiotes that had been recovered from it with so much difficulty.

If it had only been this point, Natasha wouldn't have been particularly surprised. After all, those symbiotes had been separated from Grendel's body, so it was reasonable for Grendel to want to take them back.

However, what surprised Natasha even more was that when Grendel took the symbiotes, it actually kidnapped her as well.

Although Natasha resisted, her combat skills and experience were useless against Grendel. With little effort, Grendel easily took Natasha away from Barton and the other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.

Being abducted by Grendel was already surprising enough for Natasha.

However, what surprised her the most was something else entirely.

What surprised her most was seeing Russell.

Though she hadn't seen Russell's face, just one look at the Endosymbiotic Battle Armor was enough to confirm that the person standing before her was Russell himself.

For the past few months, Russell had frequently flown around New York wearing the gleaming silver Endosymbiotic Battle Armor.

While both Russell and Natasha looked at each other in surprise, Grendel, in a manner completely inconsistent with its demeanor and size, spoke to Russell with a flattering tone, "Great King of Symbiotes, Grendel has completed your orders and presents this Earth woman to you."

At that moment, just as Grendel finished speaking, Russell raised his right hand and fired a pulse cannon at Grendel's head.

Boom!

Grendel's head was instantly knocked to the side by the pulse cannon.

Just as Russell was about to reprimand Grendel, Natasha, who had been kneeling in the snow, stood up. She faced Russell and said, "I didn't expect that the mastermind behind the invasion of the S.H.I.E.L.D. base to retrieve the symbiotes was you."

As Natasha spoke, Russell removed his helmet, calmly looking at Natasha, her attractive face and seductive figure.

"Even if I say I'm not, I doubt you'd believe me."

"Grendel, put her back!"

Grendel didn't hesitate and numerous tentacles sprouted from its body.

In an instant, Natasha returned to her "mummy" state and was pulled back into Grendel's body.

"In the future, do as I tell you. Don't take matters into your own hands, understood?"

Russell sighed helplessly and addressed Grendel.

"Yes, Master!"

Grendel hurriedly nodded.

"Bring those guys on the ground back too."

Russell pointed at the neatly arranged second-generation symbiotes on the ground.

After Grendel pulled back the symbiotes on the ground, Russell put his helmet back on.

Just as he was about to activate the engines and leave the area, he suddenly stopped.

"What did you just call me?"

Russell asked Grendel.

"Master!"

Grendel quickly responded.

"Not that, the phrase before that?"

Russell asked again.

"The Great King of Symbiotes…"

Grendel muttered quietly, its massive eyes fixed on Russell's right hand, as if afraid that Russell would fire another pulse cannon at it.

Although the pulse cannon from his palm couldn't cause fatal injuries to Grendel, the damage wasn't the point for it. The point was the attitude Russell's action represented.

"King of Symbiotes? Why do you call me that?"

Russell opened the faceplate of his helmet and asked Grendel.

"Why... um... because you are the King of Symbiotes!"