Natasha looked down at the corpse at her feet.
Even as a top operative of S.H.I.E.L.D., killing someone outside of official authorization was still illegal.
Yes, this was Hell's Kitchen. Yes, the man was scum. Yes, the system would likely shield her from real consequences.
But it would still be troublesome.
"Hey, do you have a way to deal with this body?" Natasha asked, tugging lightly at her skirt.
"First, I have a name. Ren. Please use it. Second, I am not a garbage disposal service," Ren replied irritably, his fanged face emerging from her shoulder.
"Fine, fine. Ren." Natasha rolled her eyes. "So? Can you make him disappear?"
She had to admit—after getting used to it—the hideous face was almost… amusing. They could argue, bicker, even negotiate.
And his abilities were undeniably useful.
"You're a top S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. You killed street trash. Why are you worried?" Ren asked.
"You alien creature don't understand Earth's laws," Natasha replied calmly.
"Even if he's scum, he still has to go through legal process. If I kill someone outside protocol, it's technically illegal. I might not face prison—but I'll definitely be suspended for investigation."
And if she were suspended?
She'd lose access to enhanced individuals.
Which meant Ren would lose opportunities.
Ren understood immediately.
She was testing him.
This woman wasn't naïve. She had lived too long and survived too much to be easily manipulated.
Of course, Ren had ambitions of his own.
He hadn't chosen her randomly.
At this stage of the timeline, Iron Man had not yet publicly emerged.
Tony Stark was likely still a billionaire playboy. Mutants were not publicly confirmed. The future Avengers were scattered.
Natasha was the safest entry point.
She had access.
And she wasn't blindly loyal to Nick Fury.
If he had better options—someone naïve and easier to influence—he might have chosen differently.
But for now, this was the optimal path.
"Troublesome," Ren muttered.
A portion of black fluid separated from her body and enveloped the corpse.
In seconds, the body dissolved at a speed visible to the naked eye. The mass collapsed inward, liquefied, and was fully absorbed.
Only a dark bloodstain remained.
Natasha's expression shifted slightly.
"Does this count as cannibalism?"
"No," Ren replied flatly. "I secreted corrosive compounds. The organic matter decomposed. Energy converted. That's all."
True or not—she couldn't verify it anyway.
Natasha simply nodded and moved on.
After walking a while, she suddenly asked,
"Do Symbiotes have gender?"
"Creatures that reproduce through cellular division don't require gender," Ren answered dryly.
The topic irritated him more than he showed.
He had once been human.
Now he was something else entirely.
"That's good," Natasha exhaled quietly.
If the Symbiote had a defined gender…
She remembered being completely enveloped earlier.
Her cheeks warmed faintly.
No man had ever been that physically close to her.
Not entirely.
Ren, however, could cover every inch of her body.
For a normal Symbiote, host gender wouldn't matter.
But Ren wasn't purely alien. His human psychology still lingered.
He could feel everything when he enveloped her.
Every sensation.
In a world of cold ambition and calculated power, even a former human had impulses.
"Ren," Natasha said casually after a pause, rubbing her chest slightly. "My bra feels tight. Can you adjust it?"
Ren paused.
"…Fine."
Black fluid shifted subtly beneath the fabric, readjusting tension and fit without altering the external appearance.
A moment later, Natasha straightened.
"That's better."
She tilted her head thoughtfully.
"Did I… grow again?"
Her clothes felt smaller lately.
Fortunately, she no longer needed to go shopping.
Ren remained silent.
Some questions were better left unanswered.
...
Author's Update 18+ 📢
The fanfic Naruto: Raised by Kushina, Took His Brother's Wife – Part 1 is now officially fully completed!
It is now available on Patreon for all tiers, including the lowest Tier 1.
The complete Part 1 has been uploaded on Patreon.
📚 Category: Naruto 18+
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Thank you all for your continuous love, support, and patience for this story 💙