Before long, Morbius had taken a shower in Blade's bathroom and came out wearing Blade's clothes, with Tony Stark stifling laughter and Blade looking embarrassed.
Blade now understood the purpose of Morbius and Tony Stark's visit. They were there because of his recent battle with March, and Robert, the terrifying one who could transform into a giant ape, was also a member of the Avengers.
This revelation made Blade relax a bit. At least Morbius wasn't an enemy, and the frightening Robert didn't seem like a major villain, given the positive image of the Avengers.
However, Blade was still unsure if Morbius was a vampire. Despite Morbius's appearance, which still looked very much like a vampire to Blade, he couldn't figure out Morbius's exact nature.
"So, we Avengers also believe that vampires are a threat, not only in the USA but also the vampires in Europe..." Tony Stark, upon Morbius's return, instantly turned serious and began discussing with Blade.
If Tony Stark had only seen Blade's battle with March, he might have just paid some attention to vampires. But Robert's analysis made him highly alert.
Tony Stark, being naturally cautious, feared a repeat of the Spider-Man and Spider-Demon Naxhi incident. Although the infected Spider-Men were eventually cured, the trauma remained, and many were targeted by various factions, suffering greatly, with some even losing their lives.
The Spider-Men's situation was dire enough; if people were turned into vampires, it would be even worse. Vampires, unlike the Spider-Demon, could irreversibly transform humans, with no known cure.
The potential global spread of vampire infection could cause a greater catastrophe than the Spider-Man incident, which was confined to a few states in the USA. If vampires caused an issue worldwide, even ten times the number of Avengers wouldn't be enough to handle it.
"The Avengers want to deal with vampires?" Blade's eyes flashed with understanding, but then he hesitated, looking at Morbius. Although he didn't voice his thoughts, Tony Stark and Morbius knew what Blade meant: If the Avengers wanted to deal with vampires, they should explain why there's someone who looks like a vampire among them.
"In a sense, I am a vampire," Morbius admitted reluctantly. "But not the kind you're thinking of. From the footage sent back by the Saiyan, I'm not of any vampire lineage."
"I am my own lineage. I had a rare blood disease and experimented with bats and electricity to cure it, which turned me into this."
"So you can call me a vampire, but I'm not one of those filthy dark creatures. I'm a scientific vampire!"
"Scientific vampire?" Blade was taken aback. Despite his extensive knowledge of vampires, he had never heard of a connection between vampires and science.
From Blade's perspective, the closest link between vampires and science was that modern technology could create more weapons to kill vampires.
"But do you need to drink blood to survive?" Blade quickly refocused on a critical issue, the main reason he despised vampires.
"I did crave blood initially, buying blood packs to suppress my urges..." Morbius explained his past experiences honestly. "But as a scientific vampire, I always researched ways to normalize myself. With Tony's help, I overcame my blood dependency."
"So, besides your appearance, you're not much different from hybrids like me..." Blade relaxed a bit, speaking without thinking. Realizing what he'd said, Blade's face turned awkward.
"..."
"..."
Tony Stark and Morbius fell silent, with Tony's twitching lips indicating he was holding back laughter.
"Ahem, are there many hybrids like you?" Morbius quickly changed the topic, not wanting to discuss his appearance. He'd seen vampires who looked charming and gentlemanly until they revealed their true form, which resembled his current look.
"There are many hybrids because some people are blood fetishists who offer everything to vampires, becoming their slaves. Some even want to become vampires themselves or bear vampire children," Blade explained.
"Vampires can't infinitely turn humans, so there aren't too many true vampires. Most are blood slaves or pleasure tools, leading to many hybrid births."
"Most hybrids, unlike me, don't gain vampire powers without their weaknesses. They usually end up as lower-ranking members of the vampire society, stronger than blood slaves but still under vampire control."
"So, hybrids mostly serve vampires, striving for more power within the vampire ranks. Even daywalkers like me, who don't despise vampires, exist. Some consider themselves superior bloodlines."
"In short, the vampire structure is complex, involving many humans, including officials and local elites. I've encountered many such cases over the years."
"Don't worry, once we start working together, it doesn't matter who's behind the vampires. If they show up, we'll take them down too!" Tony Stark's eyes gleamed with determination. Despite Blade's relatively brief explanation, Tony sensed a lot of bloodshed and deceit, with many innocents falling victim to vampires.
The Avengers had always dealt with extraordinary events but hadn't focused on vampires, even with Morbius among them.
Now, with the vampire issue highlighted by Robert and Blade, Tony knew the Avengers had to act. Vampires posed a significant threat that needed to be eradicated.
"So, you came to me for cooperation because I'm a vampire hunter? There are other bounty hunters specializing in vampires in the grey world..." Blade hesitated.
"As long as you know vampires well, it's enough. It seems your hunts cost a lot, right? I'll cover all expenses for future vampire operations and help you develop anti-vampire weapons. Deal?" Tony Stark, noticing Blade's hesitation and mistrust, looked around Blade's old house and used his wealth to persuade him.
"Covering expenses?" Blade's eyes sparkled. The temptation was strong, given the high costs of his vampire hunts. Unlike regular bounty hunters, Blade didn't always hunt vampires on contracts, leading to financial strain.
"Deal!" Blade agreed almost instantly, impressed by Tony Stark's offer. Blade, unlike Deadpool, didn't show overt excitement but remained stoic.
But under his sunglasses, Blade's eyes were shining with anticipation, unlike his outward calm demeanor.
By the way, Deadpool had also taken vampire hunting contracts before, making him half a colleague to Blade.
Soon, Blade packed his few belongings and followed Tony Stark and Morbius, with Morbius flying them to the Avengers' base.
Tony Stark assured Blade that his house door and broken windows would be repaired, and funds were already transferred to Blade's account, easing his mind.
Arriving at the Avengers' luxurious base, Blade couldn't help but marvel at Tony Stark's wealth, feeling hopeful about his new weapon research.
The base was relatively empty, with only Martian Manhunter and Peter Parker present, working on venom-related research. Martian Manhunter was more interested in extraterrestrial symbiotes than vampires, given his own alien nature.
Martian Manhunter's vast knowledge surpassed Tony Stark's, given his Martian background. Despite Tony's genius, his knowledge was Earth-bound, limiting his understanding of space entities.
With Martian Manhunter's help, Venom felt somewhat evolved. While not immune to sound and fire, Venom no longer fled at their presence, a significant improvement.
Next, Martian Manhunter aimed to ensure Venom could still empower Peter Parker without becoming a Spider-Man suit. If Venom faced fire or noise, it would retreat, leaving Peter vulnerable. The goal was for Venom to stay within Peter, providing strength even during such threats.
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