Chapter 100: A Sleepless Night

What was transmitted into his mind was not fragmented, chaotic memories, but rather a carefully selected essence of information extracted from another’s memory sponge.

“Memory extraction?” Kyle was profoundly shocked. He hadn’t expected Venom’s auxiliary talent to have made such a breakthrough.

Venom, like a child, conveyed its excitement and joy while explaining: this was merely the use of its species’ symbiotic trait, temporarily attaching a part of its body to the skull of a smaller creature, dominantly ‘sharing’ and extracting that creature’s memory data.

“This can no longer be called simple symbiosis…” Kyle frowned.

The original concept of the Venom symbiosis was mutual benefit and assistance. It involved attaching to a host to learn its innate abilities to survive and grow stronger, while simultaneously reinforcing the host’s defenses and even emotionally protecting it.

This was the symbiotic state Kyle currently shared with Venom.

As the dominant host, Kyle prevented Venom from influencing or reading his thoughts, let alone extracting memories from his brain.

Until tonight, Kyle had regarded Venom merely as a biological battle suit with learning abilities.

But this new form of symbiosis—attaching to a smaller ‘host’ to invade and extract memories—was simple yet tyrannical. It transcended ordinary mutual benefit and instead relied on symbiosis to become the dominator of other life forms.

“Your evolution almost caught up with my card-drawing ability. I wonder how far you will grow in the future.” Kyle spoke softly to Venom, now transformed into his battle suit.

“?” Venom responded with a puzzled mental echo. Its intelligence was still at the level of a normal six-year-old child and clearly did not comprehend Kyle’s words.

“One day, you will understand,” Kyle smiled.

As the card master, he did not fear that a more powerful Venom might betray or harm him.

Moreover, as long as he maintained superior strength, he could eternally remain the dominant partner in their symbiotic relationship. Venom could not force him to yield.

Venom’s growing abilities were, for Kyle, more beneficial than harmful.

“All right, then let’s head to the Air Force Base in Tokyo, Nichiyama.” Kyle cast aside his tangled thoughts, patted Blue Eagle’s head, pointed to the left, and directed it toward the air force’s main base known to the Japanese pilots.

His intent was clear: he was here as an invader, applying pressure on Nichiyama.

Simply assassinating Nichiyama’s high-ranking officials was meaningless; killing one would only prompt the swift rise of another.

Thus, assassinating the Emperor was but a small step toward world peace. To make a nation wary, fearful, and ultimately forced onto the path of surrender, one must be more audacious, more tyrannical, and more merciless than it.

Therefore, the very first night after arrival was crucial. Something big had to happen to let everyone in this country know—he was here!

Kyle, the American Empire’s card master, had arrived!

‘Whoosh—’

Blue Eagle’s clear cry sliced through the air as it flapped its wings fiercely, stirring a small whirlwind that dispersed the clouds within thirty meters. Under the pitch-black night sky, it carried Kyle at supersonic speed toward the distance.

Nichiyama, Tokyo, the Air Force Base command center.

“R-report! Commander Okamura, we have a serious problem!” A Japanese sergeant in an ochre military uniform and white gloves hurried into the command room.

“Baka!” The commander, sporting a short beard and dozing in his chair, was startled by the sudden arrival and glared angrily. “Do you understand military protocol? To come into the command room in such panic—what kind of discipline is this?!”

“Yes, Commander.” The sergeant looked slightly aggrieved but stood at attention and saluted crisply.

“Speak. Has the elite squadron of Shiden fighters returned after completing their mission?” Commander Okamura asked.

In his view, sending the Shiden fighter team—known for the highest kill records—against a lightly armed transport plane was a sure thing.

Seven ace pilots had even pledged to commit seppuku if they failed.

“No, they haven’t.” The sergeant took a deep breath, voice trembling. “Just moments ago, the signals from all seven Shiden fighters disappeared.”

“What did you say?!” This time Commander Okamura lost his composure, springing from his chair and slamming the desk. “Explain! Could the intelligence from the American Empire be false? Was the target not a mere transport plane?”

“I don’t know.” The sergeant hesitated. “Before we lost contact with the seven fighters, an emergency distress signal was received, but its location vanished near the Nichiyama border. They were most likely all shot down.”

“Even the most advanced new fighters couldn’t be wiped out so quickly in full,” Okamura said confidently, trusting his nation’s aircraft. “Immediately contact all ace pilots in the base and authorize them to investigate the area where the signals ceased. If enemy aircraft are encountered, destroy them on sight!”

“I’ll arrange it at once!” The sergeant saluted and turned to leave.

At that moment, a communications soldier burst into the room, panic-stricken.

The two collided, both falling clumsily to the floor.

“What is this?” Commander Okamura, barely holding back his anger, flared up again.

But before he could question them, the frantic report from the communications soldier plunged the room into silence: “Commander! Enemy attack! The enemy has breached our Air Force Base!”

“W-what?” Both the commander and sergeant gaped in shock.

Just moments ago, the seven Shiden fighters were presumed lost near the Nichiyama border. Now, the main air force base in Tokyo was under enemy assault?

Commander Okamura, no stranger to warfare, quickly composed himself and asked gravely, “Explain clearly! What kind of attack? Where are the enemies coming from? How many?”

“From the main gate, the enemy… the enemy…” The communication soldier clenched his trembling teeth, lying prone by the door, shouting near his psychological limit, “There’s only one enemy! All our soldiers are dead… all of them…”

“He’s coming this way!” The soldier’s voice abruptly stopped as if hearing something. His eyes widened, face pale and bloodless, curling on the floor trembling.

‘Tap, tap, tap...’

In the deathly silence of the command room, the light footsteps echoed faintly from the corridor outside.

Terrified, the communication soldier crawled forward to clear the doorway, whispering barely audibly:

“He’s here… he’s here.”