American Comics: Multiverse of Madness

"I need to inform Nick Fury."

"No, wait. This isn't a technological creation; it's something far more bizarre. Without specialized energy detection devices, I can't observe it properly. Maybe…"

"Stephen Strange… He might… be able to glean some insight. But…"

"I need to eliminate these viruses and solve these problems."

Inside the laboratory aboard the Helicarrier, Reed Richards muttered to himself, his face contorted with a grim expression.

If this scene involved an ordinary person, they might simply seem like a schizophrenic madman. However, Reed Richards was no ordinary man—he was the leader of the Fantastic Four, a superhuman genius.

His rubber-like body appeared as though some force was pulling it apart, twisting him into grotesque and unnatural shapes. Even his face had been stretched into something unrecognizable.

It was as though multiple personalities had emerged within Reed's body, each fighting for control. His nervous system seemed to have splintered, with every nerve acting on its own accord, leaving him unable to maintain control.

Yet, Reed himself seemed entirely unaware of this. He continued researching the zombie specimen in front of him, hoping to find a way to create a cure.

"If we could gather all the sorcerers, perhaps we could find a way to break this curse…"

As his eyeballs dripped from their sockets like melting wax, Reed's voice remained eerily calm, oblivious to the changes in his body.

"These viruses are incredibly active. But… but maybe I can find something to suppress them."

Suddenly, a spark of clarity flashed through Reed's mind, cutting through his murky thoughts. He realized he had stumbled upon a key insight.

"Yes! I can control them… as long as I suppress that hunger."

"Just a little bit of flesh."

"With just a few compounds, I could suppress the hunger of these viruses… and achieve eternal bodies. Yes… yes, just a few serums…"

"What?"

Abruptly, Reed's body trembled. One of his eyes turned to look at his other eye.

"Who's speaking?"

"…"

"This… is evolution."

--------------------------

Outside the laboratory, two veteran agents remained steadfast at their posts.

They understood the gravity of their mission. The entire world was on the verge of collapse. Outside, everyone—heroes and villains alike—had turned into raving lunatics.

The only person who could save the world now was Reed Richards, Mr. Fantastic, who was in the room behind them.

As his guards, their orders to protect him were paramount. This was a matter of life and death for the entire planet, possibly the entire universe.

"Did you hear? I heard Captain America was the first to get infected. He's now leading the Avengers around, hunting people to eat. Not even other heroes can stop them."

"I heard that in the cafeteria earlier. Apparently, there's no safe place left except here. Honestly, I'm not sure this place is entirely safe either."

"Don't jinx it. We're in the sky, and Thor is protecting us. It should be fine. Didn't you see how he struck down those flying zombies with his lightning?"

"But we can't stay in the air forever. Our supplies won't last. Those zombies are intelligent; they've taken control of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s supply depots. We can't replenish anything."

"That's true…"

"Exactly. Once we run out of fuel, the Helicarrier will crash. When that happens, we're done for."

"Stop it. We have Mr. Fantastic and Stark. They're the smartest people on Earth. They'll find a way to fix this."

"Do you really believe that?"

"Of course. I have complete faith in them. They've saved the Earth from countless disasters. They'll overcome this, too. They're superheroes. They'll find a way. We'll make it through this."

"Yeah, you're right."

One of the agents smiled slightly and turned to look toward the laboratory.

"They'll succeed…"

But before he could finish speaking, his expression suddenly froze.

"What's wrong?" The other agent noticed his odd expression and curiously turned to look at the lab.

To provide better visibility into each room, the doors to rooms like the lab on the Helicarrier were made of high-grade, transparent glass. The agents had always been able to see Reed Richards working inside, which gave them a sense of hope.

But now, the glass had abruptly turned opaque. It was as if someone inside the lab had deliberately blocked the view, preventing anyone outside from seeing what was happening.

The two agents exchanged glances, their eyes filled with confusion.

They had never encountered anything like this before. Typically, if Reed Richards encountered any issues, he would come out and explain them. Blocking the glass like this was entirely unprecedented.

The two agents, puzzled but determined, didn't hesitate and stepped toward the laboratory.

Reaching the door, they observed the pitch-black glass. One of the agents couldn't help but knock on the door.

"Mr. Richards? Mr. Richards?"

"What is it?"

A response quickly came from inside.

Hearing Reed Richards' voice and noting that his tone was calm and as usual, both agents breathed a sigh of relief.

"Are you okay?" one of the agents asked.

"I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

Reed Richards' voice came again, prompting the agent to explain.

"Uh, about this… Did you block the glass on the door with something? We can't see inside, and that might not be in compliance with the regulations, sir."

This time, silence fell in the lab for a moment.

Then Reed's voice answered, "Oh, I didn't notice… It's probably because I needed the lab to be darker so I could better study the viruses. I'm testing if light has any special effects on them."

"Alright. How much longer do you need? I'll need to report to Nick Fury."

"Actually, I'm done, but I can't step away right now. If you don't mind, could you come in and help remove whatever's blocking the door?" Reed said apologetically.

Hearing this, the agent, though slightly exasperated, didn't think much of it.

As a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, he had encountered many eccentric scientists. Compared to them, Mr. Fantastic was relatively easygoing.

Taking out his identification card, the older agent swiped it at the door and twisted the handle, pushing the door open.

However, to his surprise, Reed Richards wasn't visible. Instead, the lab was in complete disarray. Beakers and instruments were scattered everywhere, and the place was a mess.

As for the zombie specimen on the lab table, it had been completely dismembered. Its organs and other parts were stored in jars beside the table.

"Mr. Richards?"

The older agent froze. Sensing something was wrong, his hand instinctively reached for the gun at his back.

"I'm here."

Reed Richards' voice came again. This time, it was crystal clear and unmistakably close.

Startled, the agent turned his gaze toward the door, feeling his breath quicken.

His hand gripped the doorknob again. Slowly pulling the door further open, he looked behind it. The next moment, Reed Richards' enormous face appeared before him.

Mr. Fantastic's entire head had stretched across the back of the door, perfectly molding to its surface. His grotesque and horrifying face was twisted, with his eyes unnervingly positioned—one in the lower-left corner and the other in the upper-right corner.

Now the agent understood what had been blocking the glass. It wasn't a curtain or cloth but Reed Richards' own head and hair.

His breathing became erratic. Looking down, he saw that Richards' body extended from the door to the floor, forming the shape of a large "4" at his feet.

The agent instinctively drew his gun, but Reed's movements were quicker. His stretched, carpet-like body suddenly launched an attack. Sharp, blade-like edges swiftly sliced through the agent's neck, sending blood splattering everywhere.

Outside, the second agent froze in shock as she witnessed the scene.

She was utterly stunned, unable to comprehend why Mr. Fantastic, Reed Richards, would suddenly attack their own personnel or what could have caused him to do so.

But her professional training helped her suppress her fear. Quickly drawing her gun, she aimed at the lab while retreating step by step.

She had to report this to Nick Fury. Whatever was happening, the fact that Mr. Fantastic had killed a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent was undeniable.

The next moment, a hand shot out from the lab. Like a spring, it stretched rapidly toward her.

Before the female agent could fire her weapon, the hand reached her, wrapping tightly around her neck.

Caught off guard, she froze for a moment, and immense force pulled her toward the lab.

"No—!!"

Her scream echoed through the corridor as her body was yanked through the air, dragged into the lab by the outstretched hand.

Bang!

The moment the agent disappeared through the doorway, the lab door slammed shut with a deafening crash.

And then, silence fell.

.....

📢30 advanced chapters on p@treaon📢

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391. Contamination and Counter-Contamination.

392. The Grave Situation.

393. Infiltration.

394. The Fantastic Four Corpses!!

395. Tearing the Timeline!