CHAPTER 149: A WITCH BY NAME, SCARLET BY NATURE

Venom answered with a furious roar instead of words. His claws, sharp and gleaming, slashed toward Jessica with a gale-force wind.

With agility honed by years on the streets, Jessica sidestepped, slipping beside the symbiote and driving a punch into Venom’s ribs. The sensation of hitting the slick, gelatinous mass churned her stomach with disgust.

Venom shifted slightly from the blow, his claws tearing into the concrete floor with a screech that echoed like a demon’s scream. Deep gouges marred the floor as though a bulldozer had raked through it.

Jessica didn’t need to imagine what would have happened if those claws had landed on her. The damage was written in stone—literally.

Infuriated, Venom raised his massive arm overhead. His hand morphed into a hammer-like weapon, and with a roar, he brought it crashing down toward her.

"Damn it!" Jessica cursed, her eyes widening at the sight of the descending hammer. There was no world where getting crushed by that thing would end well.

She twisted her body just in time, dodging to the side. Using all her strength, she shoved Venom off balance. His momentum caused the hammer to miss its target and smash into the machine behind her with a thunderous clang.

The impact didn’t faze Venom in the slightest. He swung his arm horizontally, and the elongated limb slammed into Jessica’s ribs like a wrecking ball.

Pain exploded through her chest. The hit landed squarely on her still-healing ribs, forcing her backward and stealing the breath from her lungs. She nearly blacked out on the spot.

Biting her tongue, the pain grounded her consciousness. Gritting her teeth, she scrambled behind the machinery, seeking a moment’s reprieve.

Venom’s clawed fist came crashing down on the equipment, throwing up sparks and thick smoke.

Seizing the moment, Jessica lunged forward, her fists pounding repeatedly into Venom’s face like guided missiles. Each hit landed with the force of a rocket punch, her knuckles sinking into the creature’s gooey façade.

She gathered every ounce of remaining strength into her final blow and drove it straight into what she assumed was Venom’s nose.

Panting, Jessica watched as Venom’s head twisted to the side. Exhaustion dragged on her limbs, the unhealed wounds sapping her strength faster than she liked to admit.

But then—slowly—Venom turned his head back toward her. His snake-like tongue slithered across his jagged teeth, and that mocking grin returned.

"Strong punch," he rasped. "Almost makes me regret wanting to eat your brain."

Jessica’s expression twisted. She gritted her teeth, raised her fists again, and charged—but before she could strike, tendrils shot out from Venom’s body and wrapped around her arm.

With a sickening force, the tendrils lifted her off the ground and slammed her back-first into the floor.

A shockwave of pain wracked her body. She cried out despite herself.

Venom loomed above her, pinning her down with his inky black tendrils. His clawed hand lifted into the air—executioner-style, ready to strike.

Well, this is it, huh? she thought bitterly. Jessica Jones, crushed under a living oil slick. Satisfied now?

Oddly, in the face of death, her mind felt calm.

She raised her arm on instinct, shielding her chest as if it would somehow stop the killing blow.

Then—boom.

A brilliant crimson beam of energy surged past her, slicing through the air with godlike force.

Venom was thrown off her like a rag doll, flung across the warehouse.

Jessica blinked, disoriented. Turning her head, she saw the figure standing a few feet away.

A young woman. Couldn’t be older than twenty. Red hair spilled over her shoulders like fire. A crimson jacket framed her slender figure, long legs planted firmly on the ground. A glowing aura of scarlet magic shimmered around her.

The Scarlet Witch.

Jessica groaned as she picked herself up from the ground, still clutching her side. She stared at the magical newcomer and couldn’t help but mutter, "Well... this just keeps getting weirder."

She wiped the sweat from her brow and staggered closer, taking in the glowing red energy dancing around the girl. "Who the hell are you?"

The woman turned to her with a calm expression. "Scarlet Witch."

Jessica raised an eyebrow. "Wait... so, is that your first name? Witch? Last name Scarlet?"

Wanda Maximoff rolled her eyes.

"Okay, fine, just messing with you," Jessica said with a half-hearted chuckle. Her face turned serious again. "What are you doing here?"

"That’s my question, actually," Wanda replied, arching a perfectly shaped brow. "What are you doing here, Detective Jessica Jones?"

Wanda had been assigned to this case by Gene earlier. Initially, she wasn’t planning to interfere any further. Gene had said he was sending in professionals. But earlier that day, she’d sensed a surge of dark magic—similar to what she’d felt when Jessica fought those shadowy attackers days ago.

Despite Gene’s orders, Wanda had decided to investigate. After all, she was part of S.W.O.R.D.—and someone had to keep the world from falling apart.

Following the magical residue, Wanda had tailed Jessica across half of New York, and it had led her straight here—just in time to stop the brain buffet.

"Hey, watch out!" Jessica suddenly shouted, eyes wide with alarm.

Venom, downed but not defeated, had risen again with a roar—and now, he was charging straight for Wanda.

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