Otto's escape wasn't particularly strange. What was odd was that while Otto was cursing Tony Stark and seemed ready to fight, his body, controlled by the mechanical tentacles, was moving away from Tony Stark and specifically from the Martian Manhunter.
It seemed the consciousness within the mechanical tentacles knew how to avoid danger. Even when Tony Stark donned his armor, the tentacles showed no fear, attacking Stark. However, after being flung away by the Martian Manhunter, the tentacles realized the Martian Manhunter's overwhelming strength and decided it was best to leave the dangerous area.
But the Avengers' base wasn't so easily escaped. While Tony Stark might have been some distance from Otto, the Martian Manhunter's speed far surpassed Otto's. No matter how many tentacles Otto had, his speed was limited, especially since he couldn't fly and was barely hovering with the tentacles' support.
Moreover, the Avengers' base wasn't only guarded by the Martian Manhunter and Tony Stark. Although Robert and the others weren't there, Morbius, Blade, and some vampires and werewolves were present and quickly noticed the commotion, heading over to investigate.
"Another mechanical monster?" remarked the Night Werewolf, somewhat lamenting as he saw Otto running away.
"Another?" Morbius caught the use of the word, looking at the Night Werewolf in confusion.
"It's nothing, don't mind the details. What's the situation here? Do we need to intervene?" The Night Werewolf waved his hand dismissively, eager to take action and prove himself after his previous defeat at Robert's hands.
"You can if you want..." Morbius glanced towards the base, understanding some of Tony Stark's intentions. The Night Werewolf's involvement might be a good start.
If Moon Knight were still here, Tony Stark would undoubtedly want to recruit him due to his unique resurrection ability, making him an ideal frontline shield. Moon Knight's crescent darts, empowered by Khonshu, made him nearly indestructible, valuable in buying time for the Avengers, especially for Robert or Clark to reach the battlefield.
However, Moon Knight had left after the werewolf incident ended. He needed to return to the ancient tomb in Egypt to connect with Khonshu and transfer the power obtained from the werewolves' bloodline and strength to Khonshu, fulfilling his god's command—a task that would take time.
Khonshu hadn't expected Moon Knight to complete his task so quickly and perfectly. As Khonshu absorbed the power from the crescent darts, he glimpsed a dark world whose strength made him tremble, realizing it far surpassed even the peak of their celestial city, Heliopolis. Amidst this darkness, Khonshu saw an eternal full moon whose light made him feel insignificant, yet it gave him hope for further advancement.
But those were matters for later. As Morbius pondered, the Night Werewolf charged towards Otto, causing the Martian Manhunter to halt and observe his performance. The Avengers' base was sturdy enough to withstand their fight, and any damage could be easily repaired.
"Stop right there!" The Night Werewolf, identifying Otto's weakness—his main body—leapt at him, intending to pull him down from the tentacles.
"Bang!" The tentacles reacted, one smashing into the Night Werewolf and sending him flying. The werewolf's inability to change direction in mid-air made him an easy target, a significant combat disadvantage.
Otto, however, didn't have this issue. As long as his tentacles weren't all occupied, he could maneuver effectively.
The tentacle strike didn't seriously injure the Night Werewolf. His chest wound healed instantly, and the wall he hit remained undamaged. Despite the tentacles' ability to lift eight tons, this strength wasn't exceptional in the world of superhumans.
"Quick reaction, but this time, you won't get a chance!" The Night Werewolf, unscathed, smirked as he charged at Otto again.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!" The tentacles struck the ground repeatedly, but this time the Night Werewolf dodged them, using his speed and agility to weave through the attacks, staying on the ground to avoid being an easy airborne target.
The tentacles paused briefly, seemingly unable to believe their attacks were so easily evaded. Without a perfect consciousness, the tentacles couldn't fully understand the situation's danger but decided to speed up their retreat.
"Smack!" The Night Werewolf, now beneath Otto, grabbed a tentacle, planting his feet firmly and pulling with all his might, yanking Otto and his tentacles back towards the base.
This throw nullified Otto's escape efforts, highlighting the tentacles' strength but limited weight. The Night Werewolf didn't even exert much effort to toss them.
"Come on, run! Attack me again!" The Night Werewolf taunted, dusting off his chest hair, feeling triumphant.
"Die!" Otto, enraged by the taunts, glared at the Night Werewolf, but the tentacles, sensing the threat, moved Otto towards Morbius and the other vampires and werewolves, avoiding the Night Werewolf.
"Wait, aren't you going to kill me? Why run?" The Night Werewolf was baffled, realizing Otto's actions reduced his chance to prove himself, so he hurried after them.
But he was too late. A blood-red energy enveloped Otto, binding him and his tentacles, suspending him mid-air and rendering him helpless.
Otto raged, cursing, but the tentacles dimmed, seemingly giving up resistance.
"Why run? I haven't even tried hard, and you're already down?" The Night Werewolf sighed, feeling he hadn't shown his full potential.
"Thanks for your help. Without you, he might have escaped..." Tony Stark, flying over, smiled at the Night Werewolf after removing his helmet. "You'll be rewarded for this!"
"Hehe, I didn't do much. Morbius could have stopped him without me..." The Night Werewolf, eyes lighting up, shyly reverted to human form, scratching his head. "Actually, can I skip the reward? I'd like to go home for a bit..."
"Of course! We're not imprisoning you, just asking for cooperation. You can leave anytime. JARVIS, make a note, let Jack leave freely..." Tony Stark laughed, instructing JARVIS.
The other vampires and werewolves, hearing this, were tempted but remained silent, knowing they lacked the opportunity to earn such rewards. Despite Stark's words, they knew better than to trust too easily, still wary after the power displayed by Robert and the deaths of many of their kind.
"Let's find a quiet place to talk..." Stark said to Morbius, who nodded, following Stark and the Martian Manhunter back to the lab with Otto, whose agitation grew, and the tentacles lit up again.
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