Just because Tony Stark had agreed to work with the Avengers didn't mean he trusted S.H.I.E.L.D. Far from it.
If anything, he found most of their tactics intrusive and annoying. The only reason he had entertained the idea of joining was because the initiative reminded him of something his father once dreamed of—a united defense against threats no single hero could face alone.
But his distaste for S.H.I.E.L.D., especially for Director Nick Fury, was always bubbling beneath the surface.
"You know," Tony muttered as they all stood in Henry's living room, "you guys really have a talent for only showing up when things go sideways."
He turned toward Henry and added with a roll of his eyes, "Seriously, I don't like how S.H.I.E.L.D. operates. Remember Natasha? That 'bodyguard' I hired? Turns out she was a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent sent to spy on me. Lovely, right?"
He gave Fury a pointed look. "You couldn't just call. No, you had to sneak a spy into my company. Don't you think that's a bit much?"
Fury didn't flinch. "Tony, we're here to help."
"Help?" Stark let out a sharp laugh. "That's not help. That's manipulation. You think I'd trust someone watching me behind my back?"
"It was necessary," Fury replied evenly. "And we have bigger concerns now."
Tony crossed his arms. "Oh? What now? Another alien invasion? A flying robot bent on global destruction?"
"No," Fury said grimly. "This time, it's the Hulk. He's out of control."
At the mention of the name, both Henry and Stark froze.
Henry's expression darkened. The Hulk—Dr. Bruce Banner's monstrous alter ego—was a name etched in fear and destruction. The green giant wasn't just powerful; he was uncontrollable. Raw strength, endless stamina, and increasing fury that multiplied his abilities exponentially.
"Banner joined the Avengers already?" Henry asked.
Fury nodded. "He agreed to consult with us. But something went wrong. He lost control during containment transport. Right now, he's leveling one of our S.H.I.E.L.D. storage depots."
Tony's sarcastic facade dropped completely. His posture straightened, eyes narrowing. "Where is he?"
"Downtown," Fury said. "Near the old military warehouse district."
Tony didn't hesitate. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go."
He turned to Henry. "I'll head there now. Henry, thanks for the talk earlier—I owe you."
With that, Tony rushed out of the villa with Fury and Natasha in tow.
Once they were gone, Polaris stepped into the room, arms crossed. "That Nick Fury guy is seriously unpleasant."
Henry nodded in agreement. "That's putting it mildly."
He checked the time. The sun was starting to dip behind the skyline. Somehow, the day had flown by between Tony's arrival, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s visit, and the unexpected guest in his bathroom earlier.
"Well, it's almost dinnertime," Henry said casually. "Go prepare dinner."
Polaris blinked, caught off guard. "Wait—you seriously want me to cook?"
"That was the deal," Henry replied, raising an eyebrow.
Polaris smiled awkwardly, scratching her cheek. "Yeah, I did agree to do housework as punishment... but I've, uh... never cooked before. I might burn down the kitchen."
Henry stared at her for a beat, then sighed. She was just eighteen. It wasn't surprising that cooking wasn't part of her survival skillset.
"Okay. Then just go out and buy something."
Relief swept over her. "Got it! I'll hit the market and bring something back."
She grabbed her jacket and hurried out, leaving Henry alone in the study.
He returned to his desk, opened the worn cover of the Book of the Emperor Weishan, and resumed his studies. With Tony's reactor issue resolved and his meeting with Fury finished, the initial reason for his trip to New York was done.
But Henry didn't feel ready to return to Kamar-Taj.
Not yet.
He needed more than just theory. He needed field experience. Magic couldn't just be learned from books—it had to be used, tested, sharpened. And New York, chaotic and unpredictable, was the perfect place for that.
Little did he know, an opportunity for that exact kind of experience was already on its way.
Just as he reached the section on multi-dimensional tethering, his phone buzzed violently on the desk.
Tony Stark.
Henry frowned. "Didn't he just leave?"
He answered the call—and was immediately bombarded by a cacophony of chaos.
Screams, crashing metal, emergency sirens, explosions. The sounds of a warzone.
Then Stark's strained voice came through the static:
"Henry! Can you hear me? I need backup!"
"What's going on?" Henry asked, but Tony was already shouting over the noise.
"I'm sending you coordinates! It's bad—REALLY bad! Hulk's gone berserk!! I don't know how much longer I can hold—"
The line crackled, buzzed, and cut out with a harsh SZZZT!
Henry stood immediately, brows furrowed.
He didn't need the rest of the call to understand the situation. The Hulk was loose, Stark was in over his head, and backup was needed—now.
Henry summoned a portal with a flick of his wrist, targeting the location Stark had pinged moments before the line went dead. The circular gateway shimmered to life with golden runes, revealing a scene of pure devastation beyond.
Without hesitation, Henry stepped through.
What he saw made him stop in his tracks.
A massive green titan, easily three meters tall, stood in the middle of a wrecked city block. His body bulged with impossible muscle, veins like steel cables pulsing across his skin. The Hulk stood like a mountain, fists clenched, chest heaving as he roared at the sky.
The surrounding area was chaos.
Civilians fled in all directions, screaming. Police barricades were shattered. S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and city SWAT teams had set up a perimeter, firing uselessly from behind cover.
Bullets bounced off Hulk's skin like rubber pellets. The more they fired, the angrier he got.
Above, Iron Man flew in tight circles, trying to distract him, occasionally blasting repulsor beams to little effect.
And then—
WHAM!
One of Hulk's swings connected.
Iron Man went flying through the air, sparks showering from his armor, and crashed in a heap—right at Henry's feet.
"Hey," Henry greeted. "You doing okay?"
Tony groaned, the faceplate of his helmet retracting to reveal a bruised and sweaty face. "No. No, I am not okay."
He sat up slowly. "This guy… He's not a man—he's a walking earthquake!"
Henry offered him a hand. "Then let's settle him down."
Tony looked at him like he was insane. "Settle him down?! You see that thing? You don't settle the Hulk. You just try not to die."
Henry cracked his knuckles. "Good thing I'm not just anybody."
With that, he turned toward the beast.
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