Marvel: My Symbiote System

The Queens District at night still holds onto its simple, honest charm. Ethan stands atop a clock tower, eyes scanning the streets and the flickering lights below.

With "Venom" gaining more notoriety, crime in Queens has noticeably dipped. Criminals are clearly beginning to fear the Venom, cautious of his unpredictable appearances.

Of course, these are mainly the small-time crooks; the true criminal underground doesn't take Ethan seriously. They laugh at the idea of a maniac in a costume being any real threat.

Ethan's strength has grown alongside his rising fame and accumulating points. His abilities, once limited, now seem to expand each day. Especially after that basketball game, which marked the beginning of his climb to notoriety.

A video of him playing basketball went viral, stirring up attention and giving him his first major boost in points. The real surge in his notoriety came, however, through his crime-fighting. Every time he fought criminals, someone would catch a glimpse of him, or those he'd saved would share their stories online. There was even a forum dedicated entirely to the Venom.

Meanwhile, the media quickly noticed the link between his frequent appearances and the decline in crime rates. Reporters, eager for a hot story, began covering his actions, and even took jabs at the police for their lack of progress.

All in all, Ethan is thriving—doing good deeds while growing stronger.

Of course, he would never admit that the real reason for his happiness is related to Gwen. After that basketball game, their relationship had grown closer. They even started working on homework together.

This Saturday, they were supposed to share a meal to settle the bet.

Just the thought of the date made Ethan smile. His grin quickly twisted into a more unsettling "Venom" laugh, distorted by the suit's voice modulator.

Luckily, no one was around. Otherwise, they'd probably be running in fear, with nightmares to follow.

"Just two more days and I will be done with playing the hero," He muttered, refocusing on his mission. Crime-fighting had become his full-time gig—even if it didn't pay a cent.

With that, he leaped off the rooftop, falling toward the building below. Just before hitting the middle of the structure, he pushed off from the wall, launching himself across the gap to land on the next rooftop, which was slightly shorter.

He landed without a hitch, his feet solid against the surface.

The Symbiote suit's brilliance was evident here—it absorbed the shock from falls without him needing to do anything.

As he moved between buildings, Ethan remained watchful, focusing on the streets below.

After several hostings, the symbiote evolved and could now communicate simply. This helped him stay alert for any signs of criminal activity.

And right then, he spotted one.

Bill Neal was casually strolling down the street, just released from prison. The gang boss had rewarded him for taking the fall and promised a big job in return.

Now, he's waiting for the position to open up, with not much to do all day except have a few drinks. As he considers his next move, a stunning figure catches his attention.

Miya, a college student, had gone to a bar with a friend for a drink. But after her friend followed a handsome guy for a ride and some "deep talks," Miya found herself heading home alone.

Her place wasn't far—only a ten-minute walk—but if it were any farther, she wouldn't have dared to wander the streets alone at night.

"I wonder how Martha's doing... Maybe she's having a second round of fried chicken," Miya mused, shaking her head. She had already warned Martha about being careful, but it seemed like her advice was falling on deaf ears.

Miya could tell from the way that blue-eyed senior had looked at her that he wasn't the kind of person she wanted to be around. But Martha, as usual, thought it was no big deal, claiming they were all just having fun and taking what they needed.

Miya couldn't agree with that view, though. Otherwise, she wouldn't be walking home alone at this hour.

Oblivious to the eyes on her, Miya kept walking, unaware that someone was trailing behind her. Bill followed at a distance, his mind calculating which alley would be the best spot to make his move.

Just as Miya passed a narrow alleyway, a pair of hands shot out from the shadows, grabbing her and yanking her in. Before she could scream, a hand was clamped over her mouth.

Bill tied Miya's hands to the railing so that she could not move, then covered her mouth with one hand and slowly enjoyed Miya's panicked look.

"What a top-notch catch!" Bill took a deep breath of Miya's scent, then grinned and said, "Darling, I am going to get really busy between your legs so don't utter word or you might not be recognizing your face ever again."

Miya, hearing this, was crying in fear and shaking her head frantically, as if she could escape danger by showing her refusal, but the more she did this, the more excited and happier Bill became.

Bill released his hand that was covering her mouth. No one would pass by here so late anyway.

And even if someone passed by, they probably wouldn't dare to stop him. Instead, listening to Miya's begging and crying would make him more excited.

He then tied her with ropes while she cried.

Bill fumbled with Miya's clothes to unbutton them, admiring the girl's youthful body while unbuttoning his own pants. He also didn't forget to give a few squeezes to her bountiful breasts and her rounded ass.

Just as he was starting to relax, a sudden cool breeze swept over him, making the hairs on his neck stand up.

Confused, he spun around, only to be greeted by a foot aimed straight at him the moment he turned.

The foot collided with his crotch, slamming him into the wall with brutal force.

"ARGG!" Bill gasped in agony, feeling pain surge through his entire body. The worst of it came from his lower abdomen, a searing ache that made it feel like his insides were on fire. The pain was unbearable, far worse than a typical kick to the groin because his balls were already crushed.

Ethan glanced at Bill coldly, noticing that the man had crumpled against the wall and passed out. He didn't waste a moment, quickly moving to help Miya untie her ropes.

Once free, he turned to her. "Hurry, get dressed."

Though Miya was safe, her body was still shaking with fear. She wiped her tears as she scrambled to pull on her clothes.

Once she had finished, she felt a small measure of relief, her racing heart slowly beginning to settle.

Her gaze met Ethan's—his expression fierce, his eyes narrowed. In that moment, what had seemed like a terrifying face now looked more comforting than anything else.

With a soft sob, Miya hugged herself, whispering over and over, "Thank you! thank you!"

After ensuring Miya was okay, Ethan led her back to her home.

Miya stood by the window of her room, watching Ethan's dark figure blend into the shadows of the night.

To Ethan, this was just another heroic act, one in a long line of many. But for Miya, it was a life-saving moment that kept her from a fate worse than death.

She felt overwhelming gratitude for "Venom." Without him, she wouldn't have made it out.

Once Miya was safely inside, Ethan returned to Bill.

Bill remained unconscious, slumped against the wall, his lower half exposed and a grim reminder of his brutal defeat. The pain from the kick to his abdomen was enough to keep him out cold until morning.

Ethan quickly bound Bill's hands with rope and dragged him to a nearby streetlamp. He hung the man there, leaving him to dangle in the wind, his shame and arrogance laid bare for anyone who passed by to see.

"This is what happens to a rapist. Consider yourself lucky," Ethan muttered as he scrawled Bill's crimes on a piece of paper, tacking it to the man's chest before turning and walking away.

With solid evidence, including the attempted rape, the police in New York would likely take care of Bill. Ethan didn't waste another moment; there was still a lot to do.

As he moved through the city, Ethan ran into a few petty thieves and taught them a quick lesson.

"Ugh! No wonder Spider-Man's always late in the movies. Barely has time for a love life. This job is a pain, how do these people keep showing up? There's always someone," Ethan muttered as he shook his head.

"What a garbage superpower country, trashy big city. The security here is so much worse than back in my homeland," he grumbled, irritated by the constant stream of criminals and the city's lack of safety.

By the time dawn approached, Ethan made his way back to his room and began his usual meditation practice.

He had earned a lot of points recently, enough to level up all of his core skills to the intermediate level: close combat, firearm proficiency, and first aid proficiency.

He'd also purchased Cold Weapon Proficiency, which he had upgraded to intermediate as well.

Upgrading a skill from basic to intermediate cost 100 points, intermediate to advanced cost 500 points, and advanced to master required a hefty 1,000 points.

Cultivation methods, however, worked differently. To level up those skills, the required points multiplied by a factor of ten. Even though Ethan had accumulated over a thousand points recently, he still couldn't upgrade his "Free Breathing Method" or "Treading Waves" through points alone.

Luckily, regular practice and insights could reduce the amount of points needed for an upgrade. But without those insights, he'd still need to rely on the multiplier.

After some time spent meditating, Ethan was able to eliminate his fatigue. He lay down on his bed, his mind drifting to the date he'd planned for Saturday. As thoughts of it filled his head, he slowly drifted off to sleep.

(AN: I know this sounds like a filler, but it was kinda necessary for the MC's progression.)