"Warning! Armor damage at 13%!" Jarvis's alert echoed as Tony Stark's armor crashed into the dirt, jolting Tony. This damage was significantly more severe than his previous solo encounter with a hellish demon, indicating that Serdar's power far surpassed that of the demon he had faced before. Tony couldn't afford to be careless now.
Seeing Tony Stark so forcefully knocked away, the Avengers became even more vigilant. Hellboy took the lead, charging at Serdar. Having agreed to hold the frontline, Hellboy refused to let Steve Rogers and the others take the brunt of the attack. Despite his injuries, Hellboy wouldn't allow Steve, his childhood idol and a known super-soldier, to bear the primary assault.
"Boom!" Hellboy launched an attack, drawing Serdar's attention and preventing Tony Stark from taking further damage. Unfortunately, Hellboy's punch had little effect on Serdar, much like Tony's earlier laser attack. Hellboy's blow seemed to be absorbed into Serdar's body, distorting his form but causing no real harm.
"Boom!" Serdar retaliated swiftly, his grotesque fist striking at Hellboy. At the last second, Steve Rogers intervened, his vibranium shield absorbing the impact. Though Steve was sent flying, he managed to block the attack, saving Hellboy.
"Swish!" Bucky Barnes quickly followed up, firing a repulsor blast from his mechanical arm. Facing such a formidable opponent, Bucky didn't hold back. Even if his energy reserves were depleted, he was prepared to use his vibranium arm to defend against further attacks, never expecting to be the main offensive force in this battle.
"Slash!"
"Slash!"
"Slash!"
As Bucky's attack landed, Morbius also engaged, moving like a shadow. His fighting style resembled that of speedsters like Quicksilver, albeit slightly slower and with his unique methods. Despite the previous failures to injure Serdar, Morbius's strikes left small but telling wounds on Serdar's body, drawing blood again—a feat that surprised Serdar.
"Hmm?!" Serdar's alien-like eyes narrowed as he locked onto Morbius. Despite Morbius's bat-like agility, he couldn't evade Serdar's focus. Just as Serdar was about to retaliate, Tony Stark returned to the fray, his armor's integrity still largely intact. Tony could withstand several more of Serdar's blows before his suit would be rendered inoperable.
"Target his real wounds!" Steve shouted to Tony upon his return, hoping to break Serdar's focus on Morbius.
This coordination was the strength of the team. Serdar's power exceeded that of the Avengers, but his attention and energy were limited. He couldn't simultaneously track and combat each member effectively.
In contrast, the Avengers could work together, sharing the burden and redirecting Serdar's focus. Whenever one member was in danger, others could intervene, attacking from all angles and keeping Serdar off balance. This collective effort was crucial in overwhelming powerful foes like Serdar, underscoring the importance of teamwork in such battles.
The battle between the Avengers and Serdar raged fiercely. Apart from Constantine, who was somewhat shirking, everyone was fighting with all they had. Peter Parker, meanwhile, watched from a distance, unable to join due to his ongoing symbiosis with Venom.
Peter wanted to jump into the fray, but Venom was clearly uncomfortable with the chaotic battle environment. This hesitation kept Peter from fully utilizing his abilities and Venom's powers.
Given Serdar's current monstrous form, Venom could potentially neutralize much of Serdar's attack power. Both Venom and Serdar were less affected by physical attacks. However, the sheer chaos and intensity of the battle made Venom instinctively wary of friendly fire, frustrating Peter.
"Come on, can't you control your instincts a bit? That's Iron Man's energy blast, not fire. If you're scared of that, how will you fight in the future?" Peter pleaded with Venom, trying to convince it to overcome its fears and join the battle effectively.
Despite their research, Tony Stark and Peter hadn't made significant progress in overcoming Venom's inherent fear of fire and sonic attacks. These vulnerabilities were deeply embedded in Venom's DNA, affecting all parts of its body.
Overcoming these fears would be a long journey for Venom. Peter didn't expect Venom to suddenly conquer these issues but hoped it could at least contribute meaningfully in the current fight.
"Alright... I'll try," Venom finally conceded after Peter's persuasion, though its voice carried a hint of uncertainty. "But if things get dangerous, I might retract. You better be ready to run fast."
Before coming to Earth, Venom hadn't realized its intense fear of fire and sound. Even without these elements present, Venom remained cautious, unsure of what powers enemies might wield. Earth seemed far more perilous than its home planet, teeming with extraordinary abilities and constant threats like dimensional invasions.
Even the distant battle between Robert and Kaire was unsettling for Venom. The sheer intensity of their clash was a stark reminder of Earth's dangers. Venom's decision to engage now was driven by a desire to help end the fight with Serdar quickly, fearing that if the battle with Robert and Kaire escalated further, it might spread too far, leaving Venom completely unable to act.
"Buzz!" With a swift motion, Venom formed a suit around Peter Parker. Feeling the surge of strength, Peter propelled himself towards Serdar, firing webs from his wrists.
This time, the webs were different. Previously, they were plain white, similar to regular spider silk. After acquiring the power of Thor's hammer and the Thunder Force, Peter's webs could carry electric damage, extending their range and adding stunning and damaging capabilities.
Now, merged with Venom, Peter's webs were a mix of black and white. These webs not only retained Peter's inherent abilities but also integrated Venom's properties. As they ensnared Serdar, it felt like a swarm of tiny Venoms was working together to restrain him.
"Great job!" Steve Rogers shouted when he saw Serdar momentarily ensnared by Peter's webs. "Everyone, attack!"
"Zing!"
"Slash!"
"Boom!"
Following Steve's command, the Avengers unleashed their respective attacks. With Serdar temporarily immobilized by Peter and Venom, they inflicted numerous wounds. Morbius's unique abilities caused Serdar's dangerous demon blood to flow again, slightly diminishing Serdar's formidable aura.
"Everyone's pitching in. If I don't join, it wouldn't look good, would it?" Constantine muttered to himself as he watched the battle intensify. Sensing Serdar's waning power, Constantine's eyes gleamed with a calculated determination.
Though he struggled with balanced or disadvantageous situations, Constantine excelled at capitalizing on advantageous ones. He didn't hesitate long before deciding to strike.
Besides, if Constantine didn't act now, it would be harder to justify sacrificing Serdar to settle his debts once the battle was nearly over.
"Buzz!" Constantine's intervention added further pressure on Serdar, already reeling from the Avengers' onslaught. Constantine's ability to deliver finishing blows and disrupt a weakened enemy was on full display. Working alongside Morbius, he intensified Serdar's wounds, rendering Serdar's regenerative abilities almost ineffective, speeding up his march towards defeat.
The battlefield stabilized. Though the Avengers couldn't kill Serdar immediately, they had gained the upper hand. However, the fight between Robert and Kaire on the other front was far from over.
Clark's earlier intervention had allowed Robert to wound Kaire and shift the battle's dynamics. Yet, Kaire's immense power remained daunting. Despite Robert's increased strength from his berserk mode, he still hadn't surpassed Kaire. The gap, though narrowed, remained.
Robert's combat skills and aggressive tactics compensated for much of the power disparity, making it difficult for Kaire to secure a victory. However, this wasn't enough. As the fight dragged on, earthquakes were reported across America, prompting evacuations in nearby cities and states due to the escalating danger.
If the battle continued, the destructive force would only grow. Should Robert eventually outmatch Kaire, leaving Kaire without hope of winning, Kaire might resort to desperate measures, potentially endangering the entire planet.
Robert couldn't worry about these broader consequences. His focus was entirely on the fight. Handling the fallout and protecting civilians was left to Clark, who had disappeared earlier, presumably to seek help.
Arriving at Kamar-Taj with his super speed, Clark found himself at a loss. The Ancient One was nowhere to be seen. Without her, Clark had no idea whom to approach. Initially, the disciples of Kamar-Taj tried to prevent Clark from entering.
Unfortunately for them, none were powerful enough to pose a threat to Clark, even with their magic. Clark effortlessly pushed through their defenses.
Just as a confrontation seemed inevitable, the Kamar-Taj disciples suddenly halted, as if responding to an unheard command…
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