American Comics: Multiverse of Madness

167. 'Old Friend' Blood Baron.

Looking back, Alex and the others noticed a group of figures emerging on the desolate plain in the darkness of night. No, they couldn't really be considered people.

These humanoid creatures had ashen skin and eyes glowing with a pale light. They moved with incredible speed, covering the distance from afar to close proximity in an instant. Their mouths were filled with sharp, jagged teeth that sent chills down one's spine.

"I thought there wasn't a Batman in this world?" Pietro stammered, staring in disbelief at the monstrous figure leading the group.

At the forefront of the humanoid creatures was a figure clad in a bat suit, glaring intensely at Alex and his companions. The figure had pointed ears, similar to Batman's cowl, but unlike Batman, he had no cape. Instead, there were gliding wing structures under his arms, visible when he raised them.

"This world doesn't have a Batman, of course. And he's not Batman either. He's a bona fide vampire. I remember telling you guys about these dark creatures before," Alex said, looking at the vampires with a peculiar expression.

As Alex and his companions chatted, the vampires quickly closed in, splitting into two groups in an attempt to flank Alex, Pietro, and Kara, cutting off any escape routes.

"Look at this, my children. A feast. I didn't expect we'd get a meal before leaving the Red Skull's territory," the vampire leader said, stepping forward and eyeing Alex and his companions with bloodthirsty eyes, as if they were delicacies. However, both Pietro and Kara frowned upon hearing this voice.

After a moment, Pietro tentatively asked, "Blood Baron? John, is that you?"

Suddenly being addressed by his original name made the Blood Baron's excited expression freeze. He tried to recall with his nearly rusty brain and then blinked his eyes, trying to see the other's face more clearly. When he saw Pietro's silver hair and youthful face, the Blood Baron shuddered violently, taking several steps back in disbelief and growling, "Q-Q-Quicksilver!?"

"John, it really is you! I thought I was mistaken! And this outfit, it's way cooler than I remember!" Pietro exclaimed excitedly.

"Ah, is it? No one's ever said that before," John replied dazedly, but then he suddenly snapped out of it. "No, no, no, no! You're supposed to be dead! Atlas told me himself he killed you!"

"Life's full of surprises, John. I'm standing right here, alive and well. But seriously, you've outdone yourself. Are all these people your subordinates?" Pietro asked curiously.

"Uh, they're my thralls. But we've been driven out by the Red Skull recently. It's hard to hunt now. Drinking blood from corpses makes us sick, but all the living are controlled by those criminals. They don't let us near their cities."

"Well, I guess it beats scavenging. Feeding such a large group—if we can even call them people—must be tough," Pietro said sincerely.

"Tell me about it. We're born needing blood to survive. If we don't drink, we die. It's just like humans needing to eat animals. It's instinct," the Blood Baron replied, shrugging.

Listening to the conversation, Alex tried to interrupt several times but failed. The more he heard, the more bewildered he became, unable to understand how these two, clearly on different wavelengths, were chatting so happily.

Pietro, completely unaware of Alex's odd expression, continued talking with the Blood Baron. "I totally get it. Honestly, it's great to see an old friend here. By the way, have you eaten?"

"Thank you for understanding, Quicksilver. It's really good that you survived. I kind of miss the times we fought… I was just about to eat. See, I'm going to eat you guys," the Blood Baron suddenly roared.

"Oh… I see. Can't we talk about this?" Pietro asked, his lips twitching. But his words were met with no response as the vampire thralls, unable to suppress their bloodlust any longer, let out guttural growls and lunged at Alex and his companions.

"Alright, I guess not," Pietro muttered, licking his lips before turning to Alex. "Can't reason with them. What's our next move?"

Alex shrugged at the question, then sidestepped a vampire's swipe and swung his large black umbrella, sending another vampire flying.

"I've been meaning to say—"

Alex ducked to avoid another claw attack, then tossed a green magical energy ball, blasting another vampire away, before continuing, "The John you remember isn't the real John. That was a clone of Dracula. After most of the vampires were wiped out, the bored Dracula released a few clones. He absorbed John's memories and took on the Blood Baron's title, but in reality, they're still Dracula. John's been dead for a long time."

"Oh?!" Pietro, now a silver blur, darted around the vampires' attacks. With his speed, these long-starved vampires couldn't even touch the hem of his clothes.

After hearing Alex's explanation, Pietro came to a stop, turning his gaze to the bloodthirsty monsters. He smirked coldly. "So that's how it is. Well, that's great… If they're not an old friend, we don't have to hold back."

Without needing Pietro's reminder, Kara had already unleashed her heat vision. Though her power had diminished, the heat vision, powered by the sun, was still the bane of these dark creatures.

Every vampire touched by the heat vision let out a soul-wrenching scream. Just from the sound alone, one could imagine the excruciating pain they were enduring.

"What… What kind of monster are you!?" The Blood Baron watched in horror as his thralls were turned to dust under Kara's heat vision. He was utterly terrified. "How many heroes survived back then!?"

"Take a guess," Kara sneered, then leaped dozens of meters, crashing down where the Blood Baron had just been. If he hadn't moved quickly, he'd have been crushed into a bloody pulp. But that was as far as he got. After dodging Kara's attack, the next moment, he was caught by her hand, gripped by the throat. The immense strength left the Blood Baron helpless, only able to let out raspy, desperate howls as his hands flailed against Kara's arm, struggling futilely.

At that moment, Alex walked over.

"Don't kill him just yet. He might be useful."

...…..

📢20 advanced chapters on p@treaon📢
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168. Past Memories.
169. Unexpected Intel on the Bat.
170. Ashley Arrives.
171. The Symbiote, Venom.
172. "Pietro?"

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