"Wait a minute, you mentioned before that my lightning power doesn't mix well with you. Could it be that you're actually afraid of lightning?" Peter Parker's expression froze upon hearing Venom's explanation. He quickly thought of something and looked at Venom with renewed curiosity.
"Um, compared to fire and sonic waves, my fear of lightning isn't as intense. However, lightning can also produce fire and sonic waves, so I am still somewhat repelled by it..." Venom looked at Peter Parker meekly as he explained.
"You're afraid of regular fire too?!" Peter Parker gritted his teeth, his face serious as he asked.
"Well, there's no such thing as ordinary fire," Venom responded innocently. "This isn't just a weakness of mine but a vulnerability shared by all symbiotes. Only our deity doesn't have such weaknesses. All other symbiotes are afraid of these forces. It's not something I can endure..."
"Then what use are you?" Peter Parker instantly saw Venom's Achilles' heel. If Venom only feared supernatural fire and sonic waves, Parker might have been more accepting. After all, he hadn't encountered many superhumans with sonic powers, and he only knew Johnny Storm among those with fire abilities.
Although there are plenty of demons in hell with fire abilities, Parker could avoid engaging those demons or keep his distance from fire-powered beings like Johnny Storm.
But Venom didn't just fear supernatural fire and sonic waves; even ordinary fire and sonic waves could affect him. This meant that something as simple as a flamethrower could completely restrain Venom!
Flamethrowers aren't advanced equipment. In organizations like Hydra, they are entry-level gear, not even as precious as some high-end firearms.
Sonic weapons are rarer than flamethrowers, and currently, they are large and cumbersome, rarely seen in normal combat. Yet, this doesn't mean Venom's weakness to sonic waves can be ignored, as sonic noise is so common. Peter Parker couldn't determine Venom's threshold for such sounds.
If explosions alone could repel Venom, Parker might not be able to share the battlefield with Johnny Storm, as he'd have to shield Venom from both the flames and the noise of Storm's explosive fire. That's just too much to handle.
Johnny Storm's flames aren't normal; they're explosive flames, known for their powerful blast and loud noise. Storm's abilities are practically a perfect counter to Venom and the symbiotes!
"Pfft!" Johnny Storm, who had been watching Parker and Venom's exchange, couldn't help but laugh.
Unlike before, where only Parker's voice was heard in his exchanges with Venom, this time Venom had extended his head out, making their conversation audible to everyone. This revealed the truth to Johnny Storm, who had been worried about Parker.
Not only Storm but also the Avengers outside the training room laughed. None of them had expected the fierce-looking Venom to have such a glaring weakness. If this vulnerability of the symbiote race were exposed, even ordinary people might have a chance against these superpowered beings.
"Great! Now everyone knows my weakness. How am I supposed to live this down?" Venom's head drooped as he heard the laughter around him. He looked at Peter Parker, slightly annoyed.
"Did you really think you could keep such a weakness hidden for long?" Parker retorted with a glance at Venom. He then looked towards the training room's exit, finally understanding why Venom had been so cautious and submissive in front of Robert. Robert had abilities that Venom feared—fire and sonic waves included. Beyond overwhelming Venom with his power, Robert's abilities could easily render Venom powerless.
"Hey, are we still fighting?" Johnny Storm asked with a grin. "Or are you ready to battle me with your own strength now? By the way, when Venom isn't transformed into combat gear and is just lurking inside you, does he still boost your power?"
"He does, but not significantly. Just a bit stronger than when I assessed my body's condition," Parker sighed, explaining softly.
Parker wasn't unwilling to fight Storm; it was just that his current power level without Venom's boost made it very difficult to win against Storm. Johnny's destructive power was immense. A single hit from him, and Parker wouldn't be able to take it.
Parker's only hope would be to strike first, as Storm's defense wasn't particularly strong. But that was easier said than done.
Even in the training room, Storm's attack range was greater than Parker's. Although Parker's body had gained some strength recently, without Venom, he couldn't properly utilize his lightning power, leading to a decline in his overall combat ability.
"Alright, let's call it a day then," Storm shrugged. "I told you to take time to get used to your powers first. Seems like my advice was spot on!"
"Looks like it," Parker admitted, glaring at Venom's head in frustration.
"Don't you want to try again? How about a match with me? I won't use any fire or sonic attacks," Pietro suggested as he stepped in after the training room door opened.
Parker opened his mouth, initially wanting to accept the challenge, but seeing Venom's eager face next to him, he reluctantly backed down. "Maybe later. I'll have to study Venom's abilities first."
"What are you afraid of? It's just little Pietro! Do you really think I, Venom, am not a powerhouse? I'll show this little Pietro what I'm made of! Peter, if you won't fight, I will. Taking him down is child's play!" Venom shouted, his body extending out of Parker in a creepy fashion.
"Great! Sounds like fun!" Pietro's eyes lit up as he eagerly responded to Venom's challenge. "Let's head back to the training room and have a good match then?"
"What are you doing, Pietro?" Parker asked, his body still in control and not moving. Even though Venom extended himself, the symbiote couldn't force Parker into battle without his consent.
"Nothing, just curious about how strong you are with Venom's boost. Since Johnny's powers counter Venom, let me see what you can do," Pietro shrugged and smiled at Parker.
"Alright, let's have a match then. I'll explore Venom's abilities afterward," Parker finally agreed, influenced by Venom's enthusiasm and his own frustration from being countered by Storm earlier.
It wasn't just Venom's eagerness; Parker himself felt a bit stifled. He had been prepared to dominate Storm, but his abilities were negated. Now, with Pietro challenging him, Parker wasn't going to hold back. As long as Pietro didn't have powers that countered Venom, Parker felt confident in winning.
Parker knew that Pietro's abilities had evolved significantly, turning him from a mere speedster into a formidable superhuman. However, he still believed that Pietro's offensive power couldn't match Storm's.
Before the previous fight, Parker thought Storm's attacks couldn't breach his combat suit's defenses. Only because Storm's flames countered Venom did Parker misjudge. This time, Parker was determined not to make the same mistake unless Venom had more weaknesses yet to reveal!
"So, who's going first?" Pietro asked with a smirk, standing at the opposite end of the training room from Parker, who was now clad in his black combat suit again.
"Let's have someone outside give the signal. We'll start on the count of three," Parker suggested, not daring to underestimate Pietro. Winning would not only demonstrate his current strength but also help him regain his confidence after being countered by Storm.
"Three, two, one, start!" Robert's voice rang out, and in an instant, Pietro's figure vanished from view. To most outside observers and even Parker, it seemed Pietro had disappeared.
Of course, Pietro hadn't turned invisible; his speed created the illusion. Even with Parker's exceptional vision, he couldn't pinpoint Pietro's location. The slight wind noise around him wasn't from Pietro's movement but a deliberate distraction created by Pietro's abilities.
"Swoosh!"
"Swoosh!"
"Swoosh!"
In the next moment, feather-like energy blades flew towards Parker. Although he dodged some, a few cut through his combat suit.
"Argh!" Venom's pained screams echoed as the suit was slashed, reverberating around them.
"Shut up!" Parker snapped, clearly annoyed at Venom's loud outburst.
"Swoosh!" Just then, Pietro appeared beside Parker, throwing a punch at the exposed part of Parker's body where the suit had been cut.
"Bang!" Pietro's punch landed, sending Parker flying. However, Pietro's own body was also pulled along as the suit's tear quickly sealed, trapping his hand inside.
This was a deliberate trap by Parker and Venom, and even the earlier scolding was a ruse to bait Pietro. Normally, Pietro might have seen through such a ploy, but with Parker's temperament changed by the symbiosis, the outburst seemed genuine, and Pietro fell for it.
"Pietro, you're caught. Your arm is useless now. You can choose to break free by sacrificing it, but for the rest of this fight, you can't use it," Parker grinned, enjoying his tactical advantage.
Though it was just a spar, not a real battle, simulating such scenarios meant Pietro could only escape by metaphorically losing the arm, giving Parker a significant advantage in the duel.
"Who says I can't break free?" Pietro's lips curled into a confident smile. Despite being trapped in Parker and Venom's scheme, he had a solution ready!
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