Chapter 238: Eclipse Knight
After Batman discovered the vibranium isotope, it was originally intended for Tony Stark—replacing palladium elements for arc reactor upgrades.
But Tony, like Batman, had spent one night discovering the Tesseract isotope from materials his father left behind, using it as the reactor core instead.
This caused Batman's discovered vibranium isotope becoming shelved aside—temporarily possessing no utility beyond publishing papers and winning Nobel Physics Prizes.
At least that's how North Brother Island's three scientists viewed it.
As for Batman himself, he suspected Wakanda's energy, medical, and technological development foundations were precisely vibranium isotope-based. He'd considered using isotope properties to reverse-engineer confirmation regarding Wakanda's technological advancement level.
But with Khonshu's arrival and Batman proposing combining Venom with moonlight, after the scientists' comprehensive research revealed the two absolutely couldn't combine, Dr. Octavius redirected attention toward vibranium isotope.
"Worth attempting. I'll establish an isotope model first."
Banner replaced his glasses, once again throwing himself into work.
"I'll handle the symbiote model." Professor Morbius said.
"Moonlight portion's mine." Octavius also sat before his workstation.
Professor Connors stood in position somewhat awkwardly. His technological expertise couldn't quite match the other three scientists who'd reached pinnacle mastery in their respective fields.
"You mentioned future elements—'darkness approaches like a tide.'" Batman conversed with Moon God Khonshu. "You foresaw the future?"
"I cannot foresee futures." Khonshu maintained that full moon rising state. "I state present circumstances."
"I'm listening." Batman studied Khonshu's hollow eye sockets.
"Present circumstances—" Khonshu emphasized, "—among power-wielders, all represent darkness. Those qualifying as heroes number merely handful."
Professor Connors listened from the side, completely bewildered.
Limited by technological expertise, he could neither join others' research nor participate in Batman and Khonshu's conversation. Connors had momentarily become the laboratory's most idle member.
But at that moment, Banner suddenly spoke:
"Still missing one element... With vibranium isotope addition, Venom and moonlight symbiosis can undergo preliminary simulation."
"Professor Connors, I need your assistance."
Connors looked toward Banner, feeling faint relief internally. He finally wasn't invisible:
"What assistance?"
"I need your regeneration serum." Banner's statement startled Octavius.
"Stop, stop—you're certain?" Octavius quickly used tentacles supporting himself, positioning between Banner and Connors. "You know it's unfinished research, correct?"
Connors also nodded repeatedly. He was willing helping, but unwilling undertaking risky activities.
"I'm simply calculating formulas, attempting this possibility." Banner adjusted his glasses. "Vibranium isotope only provides stabilizing effects but cannot thoroughly resolve Venom and moonlight combination issues."
"Let me think... So you need regeneration serum's special proteins, constructing a co-survivable, semi-biological transitional matrix between Venom's biomass and moonlight's energy body?"
This involved Connors's regeneration specialty territory. He immediately understood Banner's reasoning requiring regeneration serum.
"Correct." Banner gave Connors a thumbs-up.
"But this won't work." Connors refuted Banner's concept. "I similarly participated in symbiote research. Their combination with regeneration serum will highly probably generate cancer-like consequences."
"How's that possible?" Banner's eyes widened.
"This is regeneration serum's fundamental framework. Try modeling it yourself and you'll understand." Connors approached his workstation, transmitting the regeneration serum's digital framework to Banner.
After attempts, Banner couldn't help scratching his head again:
"Indeed won't work... Adding regeneration serum not only doesn't perfect Venom and moonlight combination, but instead creates extremely high cancer probability."
Morbius and Octavius crowded over, observing the screen displaying failure-symbolizing red:
"Well then, experiment's stalled again."
"Wait—regeneration isn't limited to this single method." Connors pushed his glasses at that moment, eyes practically glowing. "Batman gave me something."
"What thing?" Octavius and others asked curiously.
Connors walked rapidly to a petri dish, lifting the entire container. Inside was a trembling gel mass.
"One week ago, Batman gave me this regeneration gel."
This regeneration gel represented one gift T'Challa had presented Batman. Batman had afterward delivered it to Professor Connors. After being shelved temporarily, it was now retrieved again.
"This thing's useless for us." Connors said. Everyone present represented self-healing-capable monsters, naturally not requiring regeneration gel healing themselves. "I conducted detailed research on it."
"It shares certain commonalities with vibranium isotope. If using it as foundation, with vibranium isotope as framework—"
The other three scientists' eyes brightened.
"Worth attempting."
After speaking, they rapidly threw themselves before their respective workstations, intensely busy again. This time even Professor Connors joined.
Due to possessing only his left arm, Connors appeared even busier than the other three, overwhelmed.
Finally another hour passed. North Brother Island's four scientists successively stopped simulations and calculations, redirecting attention toward Batman:
"Begin?"
Batman nodded.
Octavius picked up the phone, preparing to contact Metropolitan neurological surgeon Strange through private channels.
Last time extracting Venom from Batman's body, Dr. Strange had performed the procedure.
"If it's simple surgery, I can also manage." Professor Morbius stepped forward. "I was formerly also a physician. As long as Batman trusts me, I can completely accomplish Venom extraction."
Batman silently observed Morbius. After considerable time, he nodded solemnly:
"I trust you."
---
Moonlight. Venom. Vibranium isotope. Regeneration gel.
Four completely unrelated substances now combined together.
One minute. Two minutes.
Under observation by four scientists, one deity, plus Batman—the Venom symbiote gradually writhed, successively enveloping vibranium isotope and regeneration gel.
Under moonlight's illumination, a vicious, hollow-bodied humanoid gradually stood—composed of countless adhesive web-like symbiote strands. Sharp fangs and scarlet tongue appeared and vanished intermittently.
Its form remained extremely unstable, constantly wavering between reorganization and collapse, desperately attempting extending hands toward Batman.
Obviously, Venom still wanted returning to Batman's body, becoming that Robin who could constantly act cute and request chocolate.
"Thou providest its soul. I forge its form. This one shall bear thy discipline and my law, becoming bridge between realms."
Moon God Khonshu didn't immediately establish contracts with Venom, instead looking toward Batman and speaking slowly.
Batman regarded Venom. Regardless of Venom's reluctance, Batman had to sever this connection, letting Robin become independent existence rather than a symbiote capable only of depending on Batman.
"I taught you mastering darkness to protect light. Now you've found your own illumination." Batman watched Venom attempting to return to his side like a small dog, voice low.
Khonshu spoke no further, slowly addressing Venom to establish covenant:
"Thou acceptest bat's shadow as soul. I forge moonlight as form. Shadow eclipses light to manifest. Light depends upon shadow for existence. Covenant eternal. Thou shalt become my earthly-walking 'Eclipse.'"
"Thou art 'Eclipse Knight.'"
Under covenant, the Venom symbiote's physique rapidly shrank and solidified, transforming into approximately 1.4-meter adolescent proportions.
Its body consisted of pitch-black symbiote, wearing combat suit woven from mummy wrappings, cloaked in hooded cape.
Its eyes—like former Venom—extended wickedly toward diagonal upper directions. Forehead bore a pitch-black crescent moon symbol. But the chest displayed a sharp bat emblem.
It half-knelt on the ground. As its body formed, it gradually stood, gaze moving from Moon God Khonshu's falcon skull to Batman.
Its mouth slowly opened, revealing full complement of vicious fangs. An adolescent's crisp voice transmitted cutting sarcasm:
"Fuck Batman."
***
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