"Shit."
Nick Fury stood in a room full of monitors. His hands were behind his back but the clenching of his fists were hidden. Bruce Banner had returned as expected. The Fantastic Four had predicted this. They were right. Damnit.
The results of this monster's return? Bodies of fallen heroes. Even the mutants couldn't keep the green man busy. He was tearing through them like paper. Killing them. Manhattan was turning into ruins. Every movement of Banner sent gamma radiation pouring through the city. It was like a green film that covered his body.
This wasn't the same Hulk that was tricked onto the ship. He was way too strong. Doctor Strange—on his way to becoming Sorcerer Supreme — was the only one able to keep him occupied as long as he could.
The Fantastic Four were swatted aside like leaves in the wind. Captain Carter and Susan Storm were fighting together with perfect synchronization and teamwork. Carter slid between Banner's legs before smashing the shield on the back of his knee.
It didn't even make the beast wobble. An immediate answer was his enlarged fist whistling through the air. Carter's eyes widened in fear upon seeing the power within. It was thrown too quickly! She hadn't even been able to react on time…barely raising her shield.
BOOM
A barrier formed around Carter and the shield. Susan to the rescue! Still, that wasn't enough to stop the force. Captain Carter's back slammed into the ground. A crater had formed below them. Hulk pushed his fist even harder, burying her under the rubble.
The ground shook like a high magnitude earthquake. Seismic shifting, more buildings crumbling down like broken legos. The remaining heroes had to grab onto things to remain steady.
"Aaaaaagh!" Carter screamed as she strained to survive the encounter.
Her body was trembling with effort, utilizing Susan's barrier to keep the fist away. Green energy engulfed Banner and Carter together…finally…Susan couldn't hold it anymore. Blood spurted from her pores as she fell unconscious.
The barrier disappeared and Hulk's fist pushed the shield into Carter's body. She only saw her vision turn to black. Cracks could be heard. It was ominous. Everyone else didn't see the aftermath until the dust cleared.
What they saw horrified them. Carter's shield had cut through her body. Her torso had been turned to mush the shape of a circle. The edges of the shield had decapitated her as well. It was a gruesome sight. She looked like roadkill.
"Not enough. Tony, come here." Hulk growled.
Iron Man felt his balls clench as the green beast called his name. All of Hulk's subordinates had been dealt with…but Banner couldn't be dealt with. It wasn't possible.
"Banner. I know. We were wrong. Let's end it here. Enough." Tony spoke as calmly as he could. He was pouring sweat.
"I said…COME. HERE." Hulk roared.
The ground cracked as he moved toward Iron Man. A single bound and his large green hands held the tin man in his grasp. Seeing Tony made the rage inside grow to unprecedented levels. Banner felt as if the rage he felt was a sickness. An incurable disease. He was drowning in it. Like a growing pressure on his chest.
VMMMMM
Green energy spilled out like a pulse, knocking Tony unconscious for a second. It was at times like this when he wished Thor was around. The Asgardian was too busy apparently. Couldn't reach him.
"I'm not going to kill you yet. I want you to watch. Observe the consequences. I'm going to kill everyone here. Then I'll go find the people you care about the most. Only then will I let you rest." Hulk commented with a blank face.
CRACK
"AAAAAAGH!"
Tony screamed as his bones snapped. Banner squeezed his suit into pulp. With broken legs and arms, his body was thrown to the ground like trash. Next on the list. Reed Richards.
The angry green beast turned to the bloody figure far in the distance. An injured Mr Fantastic was hiding behind some ruins in the distance, holding Susan in his arms. Begging her to wake up. Begging her to stay alive. Did they bother with such thoughts when Banner had a wife? Of course not.
"Reed Richards. It's not enough."
"Banner, stop. Wait!" Reed exclaimed.
"IT'S NOT ENOUGH!" Hulk roared to the sky. His roar charged the air with energy.
At this moment, a heavy stillness flooded the city. Dust particles froze in place. Debris started to levitate off the ground. The gravity had become lighter.
"It's not enough is it? Very well." A calm voice resounded throughout the ruins.
Buildings suddenly rose out of the ground. Earth and sky twisted in some strange distortion. Everything started to shift in a weird manner. The world had been cut off, something new forming in its place. Dr. Strange, who was leaning against a wall and coughing blood, recognized it instantly.
'Mirror Dimension!' He thought.
"You can't vent at all can you? They're too weak for it. I'll help you." The magnetic voice resounded again.
Banner looked in all directions while trying to find the source. The temperature was starting to increase. Looking up to the sky, he noticed the sun splitting into two. Then three. Then four. Then eight. Then sixteen. It split faster and faster until there were more than a hundred thousand suns blanketing the sky.
He didn't know…there were a million. Some of the suns were low enough to touch the buildings, burning a hole wherever it reached. The sheer destruction of a sun's rays were held at bay, only serving to raise the temperature.
With the arrival of so many celestial bodies, a golden tsunami of flames washed over the city. Everyone was suddenly standing in a golden hellscape. The sky had changed colors from blue to golden orange. Like an infinite dawn.
"Bruce Banner. If it was up to me, I'd let you roam free." Val-Ul said.
Hulk found the speaker. A man was floating slightly above the ground 60 yards away. He wore a skin tight grey suit that seemed like a second skin. Crystal-like armor sat on top of the suit, catching rays and refracting light. A deep velvet cape flapped behind him calmly. His entire body was outlined in solar energy. Chunks of rock and debris orbited him as if he was a planet.
"Meaning?" Hulk asked.
"Meaning…that it doesn't bother me what you do here. The problem is that I made a deal. No hard feelings."
Understanding what Val was saying, Hulk's eyes glowed with gamma radiation. He could tell that this newcomer was strong. The question was…how strong?
"You don't want this." Banner growled.
"Same to you."
Val-Ul raised his arms. He loved gesturing like a gladiator. As if it was glorious. It was in his DNA.
In front of the eyes of everyone else, it was as if a god had arrived. His image was too distinct. Too unique. Any surviving heroes would remember this for life.
Val and Banner charged each other. One flying, the other sprinting. They collided like two freight trains. The shockwave demolished the newly created buildings in their vicinity.
Power vs power. The confrontation ended quickly. Val was the victor. He continued to fly forward, their speed increasing as he pushed Bruce through multiple buildings. Only after they'd completely left Manhattan did he stop.
Now in Jersey City, Val-Ul's feet touched the ground. No more hindrances. He could cut loose a bit. It was long overdue.
Hulk rose to his feet with a newfound understanding. He didn't need to hold back…no need to underestimate. He could vent! A dark smile rose on his lips. Cracking his neck and knuckles, he walked out of his pit.
Val-Ul smiled…then he moved. Each step shattered the ground. His cape lifted as he accelerated, the air whistling in reaction. His fist connected with Banner's, and the second fist came right after.
Ducking under the second blow, the son of Ul reared back his right side. Air currents swirled around his fist. Golden energy surged as well, his golden eyes shimmering with power. He struck Banner's waist.
KABOOM
Hulk sailed across the horizon like a baseball. Val didn't fly to catch up. Instead…he ran. His first step brought him halfway. The second step and he was beside the travelling beast.
Bruce was quick to react. Forcefully rotating his body in midair, he met Val's glowing fist. Another collision. Two different energy shockwaves were emitted. They mixed like a symphony of colors.
Green and gold aura flooded the surroundings. It rushed into the sky like a pillar of light, revealing their location to the resting heroes. Tony had seen the man who arrived. He remembered. The same guy from the pool party! Did that mean the woman was nearby as well? He couldn't see past the countless golden stars in their surroundings. It was too bright.
Not only was it too bright. It was too hot…and only getting worse. Every second, the intensity of the heat rose to a new level. The golden flames didn't burn them, but it sure as hell made everything hotter. This was ridiculous. It was like all the stars in space had gathered to watch them.
Shockwaves resounded constantly. The wind was constantly flowing with force and weight. It took effort just to watch.
Banner wasn't done. Not by a long shot. Every injury healed quickly. His rage was unending. Pain wasn't enough to get rid of it. He feared nothing.
More gamma energy surged within him. He couldn't contain it this time. His eyes glowed with power. He roared. His foot stomped the ground…and a crack opened up beneath him.
The rift spread quickly, spanning the entire realm. The ground had been cracked open like a watermelon! Everything within was revealed. Below the planet, a film could be seen. It was the edge of the current dimension.
Val-Ul nodded in appreciation. This was how Hulk should be. Let everyone know the true strength of the being they deceived. New ground and new buildings formed to cover the rift. The stakes had just risen to a higher level.
"Incredible." His calm voice reached Bruce's ears.
"This is nothing. I'm still angry."
"It's time I beat that anger out of you."
The son of Ul was enjoying this. This new dimension that he'd created. He planned on perfecting it until it was absolute. He could already decide if the millions of suns would burn or not. He'd chosen not to, as these celestial bodies would kill the heroes as well.
"I've already tried." Bruce revealed.
"That was before you met me. It will be different this time."
"Enough talk. Break for me!"
The battle had begun anew. Cataclysmic fist met cataclysmic fist. Their fight brought them out of New York altogether. From Pennsylvania to Ohio, they completely skipped Indiana and landed in Illinois. Val showed incredible martial prowess, evading what didn't matter and attacking specific joints. He was no longer throwing only punches.
Chopping the neck, kicking the back of the knees, slamming a knee into Banner's chin, dragging his face through the ground, etc. He fought like an MMA specialist. One with overbearing power.
A powerful elbow to the lungs caused Hulk to stop for a moment. He took a knee and faltered. As if clarity had reached his mind for the first time in a while, he took a shaky breath. Val-Ul floated with his hands behind his back.
"Now that you are listening, I'd like to tell you something." He stated.
"......................."
"This has been an immense joy. It goes along with the wishes of my childhood. To be able to face you this way. It's been a pleasure." Val continued.
It was unknown what type of childhood he was referring to. Almost as if it was a different time. A different life.
Banner pulled on the anger that had been blown away by that sharp elbow. He tapped into the flowing river of gamma. It filled him once more…then he was back in full.
"Always talking. Buzzing like a fly." Hulk growled.
"Hahaha! Forgive me. I can't help it. This is such a great moment for my legacy." Val chuckled.
Seeing the man laughing with his eyes closed, Hulk tried to take the advantage. He leapt with incredible speed and strength reaching Val in a blink. Still…it was futile. Utilizing the full 3D space of the air, the son of Ul circled around him.
Val's body rotated like a drill. Utilizing his bioelectric field, his leg whipped out like a blade. The blow connected with Banner's ribs, shattering them like glass. That wasn't all. Part of his spine had fractured.
The Incredible Hulk crashed into the ground like a beam of light. He laid there while immobile. He couldn't move until his spine healed. As it slowly snapped into place, he felt his rage ebb away once again. This flying man was doing something weird. Grabbing his anger as if it was tangible. Snatching it away.
The son of Ul teleported in front of the beast's crouching form. Both arms raised high, his muscles bulging beneath the suit and armor. His hands came down like the hammer of judgement.
KABOOM
Armageddon. Pure solar radiance covered the realm. Heroes all the way in Manhattan were blown away. Their backs crashed into walls and debris. The sky roared with the cackling of thunder. It blew out their eardrums.
The endless ground rose and fell like waves. Undulating like an ocean. Raging streams of vibrations were sent out in every direction. Buildings fell down like dominos, or like loose grass. From the point of impact, everything started to sink downward. The edge of the realm had been revealed once again.
Before everything could be covered in dust, the golden sea of flames burned it away. Bruce Banner was revealed in the crater flattened against the ground. He was back in human form.
His shattered body had already started regenerating…but the power. The rage. It was gone. He carefully rose to his feet, body trembling in exhaustion. Pupils still gleaming in green though there was no real energy behind it.
Val-Ul was standing in front of him. Hands behind his back. Spotless. Clean. Free of blemish and dust. It was almost as if he'd never fought at all.
"I don't like that the realm's edge can be found so easily. Next time, I'll make it the size of a solar system." He muttered to himself. Bruce spoke up.
"...Do you think this will fix everything? The rage will return." His expression was cold. He would most likely never smile again. He was broken.
"If that same level of rage comes back…it won't be my problem." Val exclaimed with a smile.
He'd done his part of the deal. Aftermath? Cleanup? Not his concern. For starters, he would pick up Kara and return to his universe. Just to check on it. After that, he would return and explore this universe's deep space.
"Not your problem? I see. You aren't a hero."
"That's right. I'm just a man on vacation."
"A violent man. One that's willing to battle a world destroying green beast." A feminine voice spoke up.
Banner looked up to see another figure with a cape descending from the golden sky. A beautiful woman dressed similarly to his recent foe. She hovered right beside Val-Ul with her hands behind her back. Val shook his head.
"Violent? That's not true. I'm a pacifist." He declared.
".........."
".........."
Both figures looked at him as if he was crazy. Val-Ul scratched the back of his head. Without an iota of shame, he spoke.
"What?"