In the year 2009, New York.
Since 2008, when the Symbol of Peace, Kyle, returned, up until the time he departed for space once again, the older generation of heroes, such as Steve, returned to the 21st century with a youthful vigor. Meanwhile, the newer generation of heroes, like Iron Man, emerged rapidly.
Of course, Tony's financial power allowed him to rival the legendary hero Steve in terms of popularity.
The name of heroes became a unique benchmark of the new era and a perennial hot topic.
The most famous celebrities at present were not actors or singers but heroic figures with extraordinary abilities fighting for justice. Their posters adorned every corner of the streets, and almost every printed newspaper featured gossip news related to the heroes.
With the rapid rise of the urban economy and technology, many evils were bred and thrived. However, after Kyle eradicated the anti-social personality Hydra organization, New York, once known as the city of sin, gradually transformed into the city of heroes.
Coupled with the openness of Lifeform Genetics and Stark Industries to the outside world, advanced phenomena such as superpowers, black technology, and aliens permeated daily life in New York...
Although Kyle had left Earth with Tony six months ago, his feats and the impact he left behind in New York continued to reshape the city.
It was late at night, the neon lights on the streets of downtown New York were illuminated, and the working-class people who had toiled all day finally found liberation. Most chose to release their emotions by gathering with friends and companions, perhaps heading to places like bars.
Located in the bustling area of Brooklyn, this late-night bar and eatery named "District Nine" was naturally a good choice. After all, with its exterior and interior design leaning toward a futuristic metallic style, coupled with the recent popularity of aliens in New York, it was deeply loved and sought after by some youngsters.
Sure enough, even though it was already ten o'clock at night, there were still many customers dining at District Nine.
However, tonight, two unusual customers arrived at the late-night eatery.
Eddie, wearing a jacket, with his hands in the pockets of his jeans and a lit cigarette dangling from his mouth, exuded a cold and ruffian vibe due to his half-year experience working at Lifeform Genetics. He looked like a typical street tough, a delinquent youth.
What caught people's attention was the robust Caesar sitting on his left shoulder, wearing a hooded toddler's outfit. Caesar had a lollipop in his mouth, and his bare feet dangled in front of Eddie's chest, observing his surroundings with lively, big eyes full of freshness.
"Hello, sir. Welcome to District Nine for dining. Are you dining alone... or with someone else?" The female receptionist at the entrance spoke, but her gaze couldn't move away from Caesar after falling on him. To her, the child in front of her was just too perfect, with flawless features like a finely carved angel untouched by any impurities or contamination of the world.
In contrast, Eddie seemed rough and distant, like heaven and earth.
"Pardon me, but we are dining for two," Eddie replied helplessly, knowing that he had unintentionally been looked down upon again. Clearly, he was the victim here, but it seemed like the harmless Caesar on his shoulder was the demon.
Poor child.
The female receptionist sighed softly, glanced disdainfully at Eddie, and then looked at Caesar with an incredibly compassionate gaze.
"For two."
Eddie answered, knowing that he had unintentionally been looked down upon again. Clearly, he was the victim here, but it seemed like the harmless Caesar on his shoulder was the demon.
Thinking of the potato chip wrappers he had swallowed earlier, Eddie's face turned green again. It took him who knows how long to finally retrieve them all in the bathroom.
Guided by the receptionist, Eddie, with Caesar, deliberately chose a dimly lit corner. Despite the late hour, there were still a dozen or so other tables occupied in the dining area, making it seem lively with the sounds of whispered conversations.
When ordering, the waiter who came to serve was also surprised because Eddie handed the menu to Caesar, who was sitting at the seat next to him, barely reaching the height of the table.
Caesar didn't hesitate to take the menu booklet, holding it solemnly in his arms, and began to order the dishes earnestly.
After ordering enough food for five people, Caesar closed the menu. Eddie let the waiter leave and smiled at Caesar, saying in a relaxed tone, "Master, it's a good thing you stopped at five servings, or you would have scared the people in this restaurant."
"Is that so?" Caesar scratched his head and said bluntly, "That was just the first round. I thought this table wasn't big enough, so I could only order five servings."
Eddie: "..."
Black liquid surged from his arm under the table, forming a small black monster head. Venom licked its lips with its crimson tongue, expressing joy and excitement, and said hoarsely, "You even ordered sashimi that I like. Thank you, Master!"
"Stick with me, and you'll get meat, with your own soup to drink."
Caesar nodded in agreement, extending his small hand to affectionately stroke Venom's head, causing Venom to squint with an unprecedented docile expression.
Eddie nearly choked, whispering to Venom in a voice only he could hear, "I'm the one paying for this meal, you know! And just a moment ago, you were asking me to assert dominance. How come you're so quick to switch sides?"
Venom smoothly melded back into Eddie's body, replying, "I don't know what happened either. But I increasingly feel a strange sense of affinity and attraction towards Master."
"Are you trying to change hosts?" Eddie asked, annoyed.
"I dare not," Venom replied succinctly, implying that his hesitation stemmed from Caesar's status as Master. Not to mention Kyle, whom Caesar represented, and Raina alone was enough to intimidate Venom.
After the dishes arrived, the aroma of the predominantly meat-based cuisine filled the air.
With Eddie seated on the outer side of the table enjoying the breeze, Caesar simply sat on the tabletop against the wall, swiftly grabbing a chicken leg and voraciously tearing into the meat.
Eddie stared in disbelief as Caesar finished a serving meant for one person without showing any signs of fullness, his stomach not even slightly bulging. Caesar then reached for a second serving with eager anticipation.
"Master, how can you eat so much?" Eddie exclaimed, glancing around discreetly, thankful for the dim lighting that concealed their unusual scene from the other diners. Otherwise, they might have caused a commotion.
"I'm growing," Caesar retorted coldly, continuing to eat. With his extraordinary taste buds, he could discern the flavors and nutritional content of the food, even calculating the proportions of salt and vitamins in his mind.
Caesar keenly felt his body functioning like a massive furnace, swiftly converting food into nutrients that were eagerly absorbed by his insatiable cells.
"But growing doesn't necessarily mean eating this much," Eddie retorted under his breath, providing cover for Caesar by pretending that he, too, was responsible for finishing the meal.
As Caesar dined, he quietly practiced releasing his extraordinary senses. Even the slightest movement or sound in the vast restaurant, from the conversations at nearby tables to the sizzle of the kitchen, flooded into his ears.
In an instant, the world seemed to be turned upside down.
(End of Chapter)
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1. I am not Interested In Devil Fruit
2. Marvel Disassembler