From beginning to end, Duncan never positioned himself as the "good guy."
It was simple: he wasn't cut out to be a superhero.
This wasn't because he lacked a basic understanding of right and wrong, but rather due to the nature of his power—his connection to the Xenomorph species. The moment the truth about his ability to parasitically consume a host and transcend its power through chest-bursting reproduction came to light, he would never be accepted by certain groups in this world.
If exposed, even the most righteous of superheroes would fear and remain vigilant against him.
That was why, from the very start, Duncan had half-heartedly joined this operation, his sights set solely on Abomination.
Blade—or more accurately, S.H.I.E.L.D., which was currently assessing him—would undoubtedly believe that this mission was Duncan's way of accepting their extended olive branch. They'd see it as him showcasing goodwill and drawing closer to them.
According to the usual trajectory, a morally inclined individual like Duncan, willing to risk himself for S.H.I.E.L.D.'s mission, would be evaluated and deemed a potential candidate for one of their specialized teams. Perhaps, one day, Duncan might even join the ranks of their elite squads—not necessarily the Avengers, as S.H.I.E.L.D. managed numerous special teams, with the Avengers being just one of many initiatives in the works.
This was the normal course of things, and Duncan indeed matched the "special aesthetic" some individuals sought: possessing exceptional powers, intelligence, and a clean background. He was, in theory, the perfect candidate.
Unfortunately, it was all a façade—predicated on the assumption that they remained ignorant of the horrifying reproductive methods of the Xenomorph species and their unquantifiable growth potential.
"Becoming a superhero is impossible for me, but that doesn't matter. There's no need for me to waste energy kissing up to people who don't matter. Instead, I'll carve out my own path... I might not earn the world's respect, but I can command their fear."
Duncan's thoughts were crystal clear: as long as he wielded sufficient power, nothing else mattered.
Abomination was the key. As long as he could seize control of Abomination's body and use it to nurture his first warrior-class Xenomorph, Duncan's overall power would soar to new heights.
Of course, should he succeed, the results would shock the world and expose both Duncan and the Xenomorphs to numerous dangerous entities. But those were mere details—problems for the future. For now, his focus remained fixed on Abomination.
As long as his strength grew faster than the crises that followed, any risky action would be worth it. Xenomorphs, by their very nature, possessed an extraordinary ability to evolve rapidly when the right host was found.
...
Swoosh.
Duncan took out an egg.
The egg's four petals opened, and a facehugger quietly crawled out.
Abomination didn't see this, but hidden in a corner, praying to God to spare him from being crushed by flying debris, was Mr. Blue. He did see it.
What was that? From its size, it looked like an ostrich egg, but the shell was soft, and a strange creature had crawled out of it. Agile and quick, its target was clear: Abomination.
Mr. Blue was stunned, unable to believe his eyes. How could such a tiny creature, freshly hatched no less, dare target Abomination?
"It's impossible," Mr. Blue thought. "There's no way it'll succeed. Abomination is my greatest creation! Even if he were swarmed by creatures capable of secreting strong acid, he wouldn't fall to something so small."
...
On the battlefield, though Abomination was battered and bruised, his powerful body was healing rapidly thanks to the Hulk-derived blood coursing through him. His anger was also slowly boosting his strength.
Although his growth soon plateaued, likely due to the blood serum reaching its limit, he could still casually deliver punches with a force of over 100 tons. Any Xenomorph hit by him would be either killed or gravely injured.
As the battle raged on, more and more Xenomorphs were killed, their acid blood leaving no intact corpses behind. Yet, even in death, they expended their last ounce of strength to ensure their blood splashed onto Abomination, leaving increasingly horrific wounds.
The attrition was taking its toll, and even Abomination began to falter.
"Not bad, little bugs, but it's still not enough! You think you can stand against me with this kind of power?!"
Abomination sneered. In this short time, he had already killed five of the strongest Xenomorphs. The remaining ones were smaller and weaker in comparison.
Even though one of his arms and part of his shoulder had been corroded to the bone, he managed to hold on.
Victory belonged to the strong. To the mighty Abomination.
That was what he thought, determined to destroy these bugs, find Duncan, crush him, rest a little, and then go after the Hulk to prove that his pursuit of power had never been wrong.
But just as he felt a sliver of exhaustion, alongside the joy of impending victory...
The facehugger seized its chance. Hitching a ride on the back of a messenger Xenomorph, it leapt onto Abomination's outstretched hand, demonstrating extraordinary agility as it scurried up his fingers and landed squarely on his face.
"What the hell is this?!"
With a burst of strength, Abomination ripped the messenger Xenomorph in two—child's play for him, as these Xenomorphs were designed to parasitize ordinary mammals.
But his arrogance betrayed him. Who would have thought that the real danger would come from such a tiny creature?
Even a being as strong as Abomination experienced a moment of dizziness when the facehugger latched onto him. Although his rage soon dispelled the sensation, and he used two fingers to crush the facehugger against a wall, smashing it into pulp...
Sizzle!
The remnants of the facehugger burst apart, corroding the wall as its acid blood oozed out.
"A creature this small contains such blood? Whoever created this thing must be insane. But power obtained through such methods could never compare to mine."
True power lay in pure strength—this was the conclusion Abomination had reached after observing the Hulk and gaining some of his power himself.
Now, he was even more determined to wipe out these disgusting creatures before hunting down the mysterious young man opposing him.
Yet, just as Abomination prepared to attack, he noticed something strange.
The Xenomorphs were retreating. Gathering together.
And the young man had reappeared, standing farther away with a calm expression.
"Blonsky, we'll meet again soon—in another form."
A smile spread across Duncan's face. The moment the parasitism succeeded, he felt a profound sense of relief. No matter how loudly Abomination roared or how violently he thrashed, Duncan found him... endearing.
The more majestic and powerful Abomination appeared, the more satisfied Duncan felt, like a proud father.
...
Furious, Abomination hurled a chunk of steel-reinforced concrete at Duncan, but the five remaining Xenomorphs moved in unison. Their claws deflected the debris with ease, sending it crashing aside with a loud boom.
Amid the dust, Duncan stood unmoved, serene and composed.
With elegance and poise, he radiated confidence.
Abomination roared, charging forward in rage. But Duncan leaped gracefully, landing dozens of meters away with a physical prowess that stunned even Abomination.
When Duncan successfully escaped, Abomination was left bewildered.
"The next time we meet, I'll kill that bastard!!"
Abomination muttered as he worked to repair his injuries. Frustrated, he punched a wall, sending part of the ceiling crashing down onto his own head.
"But we don't even know who he is," Mr. Blue remarked.
Abomination responded with a brutal kick, nearly obliterating the poor man. By some twist of fate—or misfortune—Mr. Blue collided with a carefully stored vial of unused Hulk serum.