Shane Freak
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Chapter 679: Father's Big Brawl (Part 2)
🕑 Added 2023-10-24 10:50:49 +0000 UTCIn DC World With Marvel Chat Group : Table of Content/Chapter List
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In a concealed space within the Multiverse, there stood a blood-red Gothic Castle. Inside, the lighting was dim, and an elongated carpet stretched from the staircase all the way to the main hall.
Torches hung on the walls, emitting a faint cold glow, illuminating the oil paintings, making the figures depicted therein appear especially sinister and terrifying.
This castle, reminiscent of those described in vampire literature, was the abode of the Heir Family, or as they were also known, the Morlun Family.
Though the Morlun Family had been introduced once before, they hadn’t left much of an impression. However, in the Spider-Man comic series, they had risen to become primary antagonists.
The Morlun Family, also termed the Heir Family, were codenamed "Spacevampires." They hunted Spider-Man within the Multiverse, seeking the power of the Spider Totem. Yet, their pursuit was not solely for power but was also driven by a prophecy.
The prophecy was simple: it foretold the Heir Family's destruction at the hands of Spider-Man. To prevent their family's downfall, the Morlun Family began a relentless hunt for Spider-Man across the Multiverse.
In the comics, Spider-Man’s frequent disappearances alerted other Spider-Men. Consequently, they formed an army to combat the Morlun Family, though their efforts met with limited success.
The Morlun Family had the capability to counteract the Spider Totem. The once formidable Spider-Man, when faced with them, was rendered utterly defenseless. Most times, in one-on-one combat, Spider-Man was at a distinct disadvantage.
Among the Heir Family's notable achievements was grievously wounding the Black Panther. However, the Black Panther they injured was actually the leader of Wakanda, not the Panther God Bast residing in the great plains.
In the context of the Spider-Man comic, the Morlun Family indeed posed a formidable threat. After all, most readers perceived Spider-Man as New York's friendly neighbor, whose primary adversaries were the Sinister Six, making the comics light-hearted and suitable for all ages.
Thus, the Morlun Family, adversaries requiring multiple Spider-Men to unite against, were indeed menacing.
However, when viewed in the broader Marvel Universe, the accomplishments of the Morlun Family seemed somewhat lacking. Aside from effortlessly defeating Spider-Man, their notable achievements included injuring Black Panther and swiftly defeating a version of Wolverine. Their most impressive feat was perhaps defeating the Toei Spider-Man.
At this moment, within the Morlun Family's castle, the typical scenes found in vampire literature, such as members dancing under the moonlight or plotting by the fireplace, were absent.
Instead, the vast hall was littered with Morlun Family members, all exhausted but alive. Their once pristine formal attire was now in disarray, and their meticulously groomed hair had become unruly, a far cry from the formidable antagonists depicted in the comics.
The cause of their current state could be traced back to a previous invasion by bats.
A dark power from Batman had infected one of the Morlun Family members. This member then accessed the family's psychic communication network, causing the power to spread uncontrollably.
All the Morlun Family members connected to this network were infected. However, not all of them were always connected, allowing some powerful members to narrowly escape.
Upon the return of these bat disciples to the Morlun Family, a massive battle ensued. In the end, the uninfected members gained the upper hand. Despite heavy losses, they defeated the infected bat followers, uncovering a new, unfamiliar Totem power.
It was well-known that the Morlun Family and the Spider Totem were arch-enemies. They were intimately familiar with Totem powers and were excited to discover this emerging Beast Totem, which momentarily alleviated the gloom from their recent losses.
Frequently dealing with Totems, they realized this was a nascent Beast Totem. Moreover, they knew that such a new Totem was unstable and could be controlled.
In their quest against the Spider Totem, they had contemplated numerous strategies. Now, with a new Totem at their disposal, they sought to control it, viewing it as a tantalizing delicacy.
The power of the Beast Totem could be gauged by looking at all the Spider-Men across the universe. If they could control a new Totem, they could amass an army of bats, akin to the Spider-Men.
The Morlun Family was ambitious, aiming to expand their influence and enhance their strength. While their achievements might stand out within a singular universe, they paled in comparison to the accomplishments of powerful entities within the Multiverse.
Owning a complete Totem would greatly amplify their strength, making hunting Spider-Man easier. This was the plan of the Morlun Family's patriarch, Solus.
As for controlling the Totem, they had their methods. They knew that Totems drew strength from the Power of Belief. A new Totem would mature as it absorbed sufficient power.
However, the Power of Belief could also influence Totems in reverse. If a group could provide ample Power of Belief to a Totem, they could harness this force to control it.
Once they controlled a new Totem, they could continuously feed it the Power of Belief. Upon maturity, the Totem could then select disciples across the Multiverse, and through the Totem, the Morlun Family could control these followers.
Their plan was promising and initially executed smoothly. The Morlun Family had a unique talent: the ability to absorb the life force of other beings. This skill was particularly effective against Spider-Man but could also be used on other creatures, including various demon gods.
While they couldn’t contend with demon gods of the Multiverse, members of the Morlun Family, capable of traversing the Multiverse, could easily bully native demon gods of singular universes.
Especially the weaker demon gods or newly born ones. Morlun Family members could use Multiverse Portals to appear directly in front of these gods, swarm them, and use their talent to drain the gods of their life force.
If the Kree were termed Cosmic Locusts due to their combat style, the Morlun Family could aptly be dubbed... Space Mosquitoes.
While the power absorbed by a single member isn't much, if the number of members is sufficient, it can quickly weaken the demon gods, causing them to decline. This makes them much easier to deal with.
Over the years, the Morlun Family has stored a considerable amount of such acquired energy. They can transform the energy within their bodies into the Power of Belief through prayer, and then offer this Power of Belief to the Totem.
Currently, the Morlun Family members gathered in this hall are among the most powerful. They can store more energy, making their prayers more effective.
In the recent past, they had channeled a lot of energy to the Bat Totem through their prayers. A golden glow almost covered the entire bat. However, at that moment, Helen intuitively grasped the secret of energy theft, rendering all of the Morlun Family's previous efforts fruitless.
Following this was the equally unscrupulous Venom, who had previously absorbed Knull's energy and tasted its benefits. Venom did not hold back, engaging in various tug-of-war battles and psychological warfare, making the Morlun Family members willingly offer their last ounce of power.
It was then that the Morlun Family realized they might have fallen into a trap.
It's not that they were careless. They had fortified their stronghold because most wars in the Space were fought head-on. The battles between Cosmic Gods took turns, much like turn-based combat. The same rules applied across the multiverse.
Having witnessed many such wars, the Morlun Family prioritized physical defenses. They hardly expected someone to directly siphon energy through their network, let alone two successive thefts that were brazenly bold.
In the entire hall, only the Morlun Family's patriarch, Solus, stood firm. Slamming his staff on the ground, he exclaimed, "Damn thieves! They don't just want our power but the entire Totem! We cannot let them succeed!"
"Find out immediately where the Power of Belief has gone!" Solus demanded, enraged. "We must reclaim what's ours!"
The fallen Morlun Family members struggled to their feet and staggered back to their posts.
Venom's final pull had drained them completely in the fight for the Totem's ownership. Their energies were entirely depleted.
Yet, the work had to continue. Their sunk cost was already significant. After a significant battle with bat believers, they had lost about half of their members. The remaining half had lost all their power. The time needed to regain their peak strength was uncertain.
If they couldn't retrieve the Power of Belief and the Totem in one go, they would indeed be critically wounded.
In their vulnerable state, the Morlun Family had no choice but to take a desperate gamble. And once a gambler becomes desperate, it's hard to expect rationality from them.
Soon, they located the energy channel and traced the energy transfer. Solus led the team through the multiverse's Portal to the culprit's location.
Upon exiting the Portal, they were met with a loud explosion, followed by fighting noises and a roar:
"Ancient One! Are you intervening in Asgard's affairs too?!"
Another blast, and a planet shattered. Solus quickly guided his people away from the flying debris. A calm female voice said:
"No matter the reason, you can't fight here. Let's talk. Gentlemen should use words, not fists..."
The Ancient One's voice echoed through Space, followed by a sinister laugh. A shadowy Demon figure surrounded by flames appeared. Mephisto remarked, "Ancient One, you're still nosy..."
The same Ancient One, who had just preached about peace, retaliated with a powerful slap. Mephisto responded with a sky filled with fire. After a moment, a commanding voice rang out:
"Thor, Lady Loki, stop fighting! You bring shame to Asgard!"
A raven circled the battlefield as Odin arrived with a thunderbolt, Frigga following close. The Queen gently advised, "Lady Loki, perhaps you and young Helen should return to Asgard for a few days to cool off..."
Solus and his team, newly arrived, were taken aback by the bustling scene. Still, Solus said, "Ignore them; they're just trapped beasts in this Space. Let's find the energy source..."
Suddenly, a familiar figure caught Solus's eye. A agile figure in a red and blue uniform. It was Spider-Man from this Space. He held a strange energy core radiating magical light. Even from a distance, Solus could sense its potent magic energy.
Spider-Man shouted, "Mr. Stark! Here's your backup energy. Remember, the essence of magic is... wishes come true!"
The energy core flew to a figure on the battlefield. Immediately, a vast shadow enveloped the entire Space.
Solus looked up, seeing massive eyes made of steel, gazing down at him.
Aisha/Helen Secret Technique: Call of the Father
Aisha can summon one, Helen can summon three.
But it's better than having none... hehe.
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Next Chapter>>Chapter 680: The Salesman and the Porter (Part 1)
