Marvel: My Symbiote System

Ethan opened the window to his room, slipping in quietly without a sound.

"Ugh~ I'm so drained," Ethan muttered as he set aside his combat suit, took a quick shower, and collapsed onto his bed in relief.

"Ha~" he suddenly chuckled. "So this is what it feels like to be a hero."

He never expected that in this new life of his, he'd end up becoming a masked hero.

Lying on his bed, Ethan raised his hand and clenched his fist.

"Since I have this power, I might as well use it wisely," he thought to himself.

[Congratulations, Host, you have earned 10 points.]

The system's voice echoed in his mind.

[Host has earned Prestige for the first time, rewarded with a newbie gift pack and 100 points.]

"Points earned, unlocking the system store and other features," the system continued.

Ethan couldn't hide his excitement at the announcement and immediately sat up.

"I knew it! With a system like this, there's no way there wouldn't be a newbie gift pack. And now it's finally here!"

The system came with a space—a pretty large one, though not infinite. It measured about a hundred meters in length, width, and height. Though not endless, it was more than enough for his needs.

Ethan located the glowing newbie gift pack and, with a focused thought, opened it.

The glowing package shimmered for a second before vanishing, and several glowing items appeared in its place.

[A set of combat gear (can merge with Symbiote, unaffected by sound waves or flames, protects identity when Symbiote is suppressed).]

[Two pistols (system-produced, guaranteed quality. Regular or special bullets can be bought in the shop).]

[A dagger (made of special metal, indestructible).]

[Mind technique: 'Free Breathing Method.']

[50 points.]

Ethan's eyes widened in excitement as he examined the items, eagerly pulling them out of the system's space.

Everything had a physical form except for the mind technique. The technique appeared as a tiny light dot and merged into his body.

Ethan closed his eyes to experience it, and after a moment, he opened them again, grinning with satisfaction.

This technique was exactly what he needed. Not only did it restore his energy, but it also improved his control over his powers.

With regular practice, his physical abilities would steadily grow stronger too.

After familiarizing himself with the technique, Ethan turned his attention to the physical items.

The combat suit provided by the system, like Symbiote, was initially a round, liquid-like sphere. As soon as he touched it, it seeped into his body.

With a thought, it merged with Symbiote, instantly forming the combat suit.

"The system really thought this through," Ethan muttered. "It's worried that my identity might be exposed if Symbiote is suppressed by sound waves."

He then turned his focus to the pistols and dagger, slotting them into the designated spots on his combat suit.

Ethan stood with his hands on his hips, eyeing his reflection in the mirror. The black combat suit wasn't just functional; it was sleek and stylish.

Especially once he pulled the hood up, leaving only his narrow, pale eyes visible. It was the perfect look for striking fear into criminals.

"This is a real combat suit," Ethan thought with satisfaction, admiring himself in the mirror.

Earlier, when the woman he had just saved had asked for his name, he had felt caught off guard. After all, it was his first time appearing like this, and he hadn't quite decided on a name yet.

After a moment of contemplation, he finally settled on the name "Venom," feeling it fit both his look and his mission. I mean, what else he should choose. It didn't matter if the name sounded good or not. What mattered was that he would become the nightmare of all criminals—the evil spirit rising from hell to collect their souls.

Once he had checked over his gear, Ethan turned his focus to his total points. With the 10 points he'd earned today, the 100-point reward, and the 50 points from the gift pack, his total had now reached 160 points.

He wasn't sure whether 160 points was a lot or not, so he opened the system store. It was divided into different sections: skills, movement techniques, items, and more.

Since the system had only just merged, Ethan hadn't accumulated points before, meaning many features weren't available yet.

He browsed the store carefully, only to come to a disappointing realization: no matter how many points he had, it never felt like enough—kind of like how you could never have too much money.

Ethan glanced at the prices of the items and then back at his points.

"Ugh, just looking is painful. None of this is within reach," Ethan sighed, his gaze flicking between the items in the store.

After a while, he picked a few items he urgently needed.

He bought three skills: Close Combat, Firearm Mastery, and First Aid Mastery. Each cost 20 points, and they were all at the basic level. Upgrading them would require more points in the future.

After those, he spent a hefty 100 points on a movement skill called "Treading the Waves."

The skill, true to its name, was as elegant as it was practical.

"Treading the Waves," Ethan thought, already imagining himself using the technique in future battles—gracefully weaving in and out of the action.

But then, as he thought about how his points were now completely drained, his excitement began to fade.

Still, he didn't feel too discouraged. After all, this was his first battle, and with all the rewards and upgrades, having a total of 160 points wasn't too shabby at all.

It was just unfortunate that Ethan couldn't save a bit more. He didn't even have enough points to buy any bullets.

The system offered a variety of bullets. Regular ones were priced at 1 point for 10 rounds, while others with special features, like tranquilizer or explosive rounds, cost a little more—1 point for only 5 rounds. The exchange rate seemed quite fair.

In addition to bullets, the system store also carried a range of weapons, though most were far out of Ethan's price range at the moment.

Right now, the only items within his budget, besides the bullets, were hand grenades and smoke bombs.

Ethan flipped through the system store for a while. Although he wanted to buy almost everything, his lack of points meant he could only browse for now.

With a reluctant sigh, he closed the store and sat cross-legged on his bed to practice his technique.

The "Free Breathing Method" was designed to calm the internal breath, aligning the body's power with the spirit. Though it wasn't particularly effective at directly enhancing his strength or spirit, it was unquestionably the most suitable technique for Ethan.

The reason for this was the symbiosis with Symbiote, which granted him periodic power boosts. However, this sudden surge in strength came with both advantages and drawbacks. The benefit was the rapid growth in power, but the downside lay in the very speed of that growth.

Gaining immense strength suddenly could be overwhelming for anyone. It would be like a normal person suddenly becoming a bodybuilder, able to crush rocks as easily as crumbling soft dirt.

In this case, the person would first need to learn how to control that newfound strength to avoid accidentally hurting loved ones. Even something as simple as a hug could become dangerous if done with too much force.

Ethan silently chanted the mantra of the "Free Breathing Method" in his mind, and soon, a cool, refreshing energy began to flow from his Energy Points, spreading throughout his body.

As the energy made a full circle, it returned to his Energy Points, forming a continuous, smooth cycle.

As he continued, the energy flow became more fluid, and he began to empty his mind, allowing the technique to progress more easily. He could feel his control over his strength growing, and both his mental and physical abilities seemed to improve, even if only slightly.

'At this rate, I should be able to fully absorb this power by tonight,' Ethan thought to himself, pleased with the progress.

The meditation had also eased his earlier exhaustion, leaving him feeling much more refreshed. He sat cross-legged on the bed, continuing to meditate into the late hours. Even though his fatigue had completely disappeared, the habit of resting by lying down for so many years couldn't be changed so easily.

Besides, he didn't want to rely solely on meditation for rest. Sometimes, lying in bed wasn't just about sleeping—it was also a time for mental relaxation and contemplation.

As he lay there, Ethan reflected on the day's battle, his new gains, and his plans for the future. His thoughts meandered as he slowly drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

That night, Ethan slept soundly, his mind at ease and his body rejuvenated.