Chapter 40: Venom's Wrath
The lab shook as the symbiote consumed Norman Osborn, engulfing him in its liquid, nightmarish form. Peter's instincts screamed at him to move, to act, but the sheer size and power of Venom—once Norman Osborn—was overwhelming. The black, writhing mass covered his body like a second skin, morphing into jagged shapes that screamed of pure malice.
"Spider-Man!" Venom's voice was a dark, distorted growl. "I remember you. I remember the pain. You will suffer. You will all suffer."
Peter's stomach twisted with dread, but he refused to back down. He couldn't. Not now.
Harry was frozen in place, his eyes wide with horror. "Dad… what have you done? What is that thing?"
Peter didn't have an answer. The symbiote, now fully bonded to Norman, had transformed him into something else entirely. Something monstrous. Venom's massive form loomed over them both, towering and alien. His eyes, once human, were now glowing, predatory.
"I've embraced true power, Harry," Venom said, his voice thick with the dark influence of the symbiote. "Your father tried to control it. I've let it control me. And now, I'm going to control everything."
Peter's spider-sense blared in warning as Venom launched himself at him with terrifying speed. Peter barely had time to react, swinging out of the way just in time. Venom's massive fists slammed into the concrete, sending shockwaves through the lab, and cracks spread across the floor like spiderwebs.
Peter gritted his teeth and swung back into the air, narrowly avoiding another crushing blow. "I'm not letting you destroy everything, Osborn!"
Venom roared, his form shifting and contorting as he followed Peter's every movement. "Destroy? No, Spider-Man. I'm not here to destroy. I'm here to rule. I'm here to consume."
Peter flipped mid-air, landing on a nearby platform and firing a web at Venom's chest. The sticky substance only clung for a second before being torn away by the symbiote's immense strength.
"This is insane," Peter muttered, narrowing his eyes. I can't let this thing get out of here. It's too dangerous.
Venom grinned, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth. His voice was like a hiss, both human and alien. "You think you can stop me, Spider-Man? You don't even know what you're dealing with. The symbiote feeds on fear. On pain. And I am all of it."
Peter's mind raced. He had fought symbiotes before—he knew their weaknesses. Sound. Heat. But this wasn't just some random alien creature. This was Norman Osborn, twisted by the symbiote's influence. And that made him more dangerous than anything Peter had ever faced.
Venom lunged at Peter again, his body stretching unnaturally, his claws swiping through the air like blades. Peter barely managed to dodge, but the force of Venom's attack sent him crashing into the side of a steel table, the impact rattling his bones.
He shook off the pain and quickly got to his feet, his mind working furiously. I need to get Harry out of here. I can't fight this thing with him in the way.
"Harry, get back!" Peter shouted, but Harry was already backing toward the door, his eyes never leaving his father's new monstrous form.
"I—I don't know what to do!" Harry shouted back, panic in his voice. "This isn't my dad, Pete! This thing… it's taken him!"
Peter's heart clenched, but he knew there was no time for hesitation. Venom was gaining ground, his movements fast and brutal. Peter needed to act fast.
"Get to safety, Harry!" Peter yelled, knowing there was no way Harry could fight this on his own. The lab was too dangerous, and there was no telling what Venom could do if he caught them both alone.
But as Peter turned back to face Venom, the symbiote shot a tendril of black goo at him, catching him off guard. It wrapped around his body, constricting like a living chain. Peter struggled to break free, but the more he fought, the tighter the symbiote's grip became.
"You think you can escape me?" Venom's voice was twisted, filled with dark glee. "You are mine now, Spider-Man. You are nothing compared to the power of the Void."
Peter's thoughts raced. He had to weaken Venom somehow—get him off balance, create an opening. He couldn't just fight raw power with more raw power. He needed strategy.
Think, think! What works on symbiotes? Sound, heat, vibrations…
Peter's eyes darted around the lab, and his gaze fell on a set of high-frequency speakers mounted on the walls. A plan formed in his mind. It was risky, but it was the only way.
"I've had enough of your games, Osborn," Peter spat, his eyes narrowing. "Time to put you down."
With a burst of strength, Peter tore one of Venom's tendrils from his chest and fired a webline at the speaker system. The symbiote screeched in fury, but Peter didn't wait. He swung toward the speaker bank, using his webbing to pull the panels off their mounts.
"What are you doing, Spider-Man?!" Venom roared, charging at him with ferocity.
Peter quickly yanked a wire free, creating a short circuit and sending a burst of electricity through the speakers. The sound was deafening—high-pitched, almost unbearable. Venom screamed in agony, recoiling as the sound waves pierced the symbiote's form. His body writhed, the black goo splattering as the sonic shockwave tore through him.
Peter didn't stop. He kept his focus, amplifying the sound with each burst of electricity he triggered. Venom was weakening, his movements becoming slower, more sluggish. The symbiote seemed to be in pain, writhing and bubbling like it was fighting to stay intact.
"No!" Venom howled, rage building in his voice. "You can't…"
Peter pressed his advantage, launching another webline to bind Venom's limbs, trapping him in place as the sonic barrage continued. For a moment, there was silence, save for the hum of the damaged equipment.
Venom, now barely able to move, glared at Peter with pure hatred in his eyes. "You think you've won, Spider-Man? This isn't over. The Void will come… and you will fall."
With a final, desperate roar, Venom's body collapsed into a heap, the symbiote seemingly retreating from Norman's body. The room fell still.
Peter breathed heavily, his chest heaving as he lowered his guard, glancing at Harry, who had watched the entire battle unfold from the doorway.
"Is it over?" Harry asked quietly, his voice barely audible.
Peter nodded, though the uncertainty lingered in his heart. He knew this wasn't the end. It couldn't be.
The symbiote was far too dangerous, far too connected to the forces Peter had yet to understand. And as he looked down at Norman Osborn—who was now unconscious on the floor, free from the symbiote's control—he realized that this was just the beginning of something far bigger than anything he could have anticipated.
End of Chapter 40