The Chitauri commander barely had time to react before the white Symbiote latched onto his skin.
It sank in instantly, like liquid shadow burrowing deep into his body.
His first instinct was to resist—his muscles tensed, his body trembling as he tried to shake it off.
But it was too late.
A sudden wave of power erupted from within him, like a dormant volcano awakening.
The Chitauri gasped. His eyes widened as raw strength surged through his veins.
"W-What is this…?"
His fingers twitched. A strange sensation crawled beneath his skin, spreading faster than he could comprehend.
Then—
BOOM!
The very air around him shook as he clenched his fist.
A shockwave exploded outward, rattling the entire command room.
The other Chitauri warriors instinctively took a step back, eyes filled with fear and awe.
Lin Fan watched in silence, his gaze unwavering.
Slowly, the white Symbiote began to resurface, crawling out from the Chitauri commander's pores.
It spread across his body like a second skin, covering him entirely.
A monstrous form emerged.
A towering white giant, more than five meters tall.
Muscles rippled beneath the organic armor, his physique massive and defined, each fiber pulsating with new power.
In many ways, he resembled Venom, yet distinctly different.
Where Venom was pure black, this creature was a haunting white, marked only by a twisted, M-shaped black symbol running down his back—the mark of Majin Buu.
The Chitauri commander moved, testing his newfound form.
He clenched his fist again, then drove it into the floor.
CRACK!
The superalloy surface shattered like fragile glass, sending jagged pieces flying.
A deathly silence followed.
The surrounding warriors stared in disbelief.
This wasn't just an increase in strength.
This was monstrous.
A Chitauri commander—once formidable, but still within limits—had just exceeded those limits in mere seconds.
Even the strongest among them, those who had once fought alongside Black Dwarf, had never wielded this level of raw power.
And it didn't stop there.
The white giant moved again, his body suddenly elongating unnaturally.
With a single motion, his arm stretched upward, reaching the ceiling like an elastic tendril.
Then—
WHOOSH!
He launched himself, flipping effortlessly, landing upside-down, gripping the ceiling like a massive, humanoid spider.
Supergiant's eyes narrowed. "That's… not just strength."
Ebony Maw folded his arms, observing closely. "It's… perfection."
The transformation had granted both power and agility, blending brute strength with unnatural speed.
It was the perfect evolution.
Then, something unexpected happened.
The Chitauri giant turned his head toward Lin Fan.
And in that moment, his eyes changed.
Something deep within them shifted.
It wasn't just respect.
It was devotion.
A terrifying, fanatical loyalty burned in his gaze, as if Lin Fan had just become the center of his universe.
Lin Fan narrowed his eyes slightly.
He could feel it—a new mental link forming, a silent, unwavering obedience pouring into his consciousness.
This wasn't just power.
The Symbiote had done more than merge.
It had rewritten his very mind.
Lin Fan let out a slow breath.
He hadn't expected this.
Absolute loyalty.
A perfect soldier.
A slow smirk formed on his lips.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
For years, the Dark Quadrant had been filled with remnants of Thanos' former army.
Warriors who followed out of fear, who would turn if given the right reason.
Even with Lin Fan's overwhelming strength, loyalty was something that couldn't always be forced.
But now?
Now, the solution was right in front of him.
If the Symbiote could do this to one warrior—
Then why not all of them?
Lin Fan's fingers tapped lightly against the armrest.
Beneath Temple-One, an entire planet of Symbiotes remained.
Millions of them.
And now, he had a use for them.
His gaze swept across the command room.
One by one, the remaining Chitauri warriors averted their eyes, uneasy under his stare.
They had all seen it.
The power. The transformation.
And the undeniable loyalty it created.
Lin Fan's smirk widened—then faltered, just slightly.
Because in the back of his mind, something gnawed at him.
Knull.
The God of the Abyss.
The Symbiotes weren't just a weapon—they were his creation.
And right now, beneath the surface of that blackened world, Knull slept.
Lin Fan's fingers clenched slightly.
He had the power to create an unstoppable army.
But what if he woke something worse?
He exhaled slowly, forcing the thought away.
No.
For now, he would take what he needed.
But he would never set foot on that planet.
Some things…
Were better left buried.
---