"Who is she?" a soldier asked in disbelief. "A new superhero?"
Inside an armored vehicle parked at a distance from the crumbling university courtyard, General Ross stood grimly with his hands behind his back. His eyes narrowed as he watched the armored girl in medieval knight garb standing in the impact crater, her posture regal, unwavering.
He didn't know who she was.
But he knew what she had just done.
Ross turned to look at the crater where the Hulk now lay embedded after being kicked clear across campus like a ragdoll. It was a move only one other had ever accomplished before.
The Goddess of Judgment.
But this armored girl didn't look like the sleek, shadowy figure in the black mask who had single-handedly destroyed the Abomination. No—this one looked like she'd ridden straight out of Arthurian myth, all silver armor, white boots, and a crimson cape.
Still, Ross couldn't ignore the feeling in his gut. Something about her… those eyes. Cold. Sharp. Calculating.
He didn't trust it.
And then—the Hulk moved.
The unconscious green monster groaned, muscles tensing, and began to rise. His shoulders bulged larger than before. Veins like coiled cables pulsed across his body. His eyes snapped open, glowing with fury.
ROAAAAARRR!
The sonic bellow tore through the school, louder than anything before. It shook windows, echoed through every hallway, and made even the soldiers outside the gate flinch.
The power radiating off the creature was terrifying.
This wasn't Abomination's brute fury.
This was pure primal rage.
Across the city, people watching from rooftops or livestream feeds held their breath. Even those far from the battlefield could feel the tension. Something unnatural was happening at Yeshiva University. Something dangerous.
The students outside the campus froze in fear.
Inside Hulk's mind, Bruce Banner screamed against the tide, but the beast refused to relinquish control.
And Hulk saw only one thing in front of him: the armored girl.
Her presence burned in his senses like a threat. A challenge. A force that dared to stand in his way.
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
The ground trembled beneath Hulk's thunderous footfalls as he charged. Each impact cracked the pavement, his arms swinging like battering rams.
In that moment, Bella—disguised behind her knightly armor—shifted her attention from Ross to the charging behemoth.
She moved.
Graceful, fluid.
As Hulk's massive fist came down like a collapsing building, Bella stepped into the attack.
With one sharp breath, she ducked under the swinging arm, her metal-booted foot grinding against the terrazzo as she slid forward. Her right hand snapped out—fingers extended like a spear—aimed with surgical precision.
She struck Hulk squarely in the liver.
THUD.
The impact was like a gunshot. Hulk's entire body jerked, his breath caught mid-roar, and his glowing eyes rolled back. A grunt escaped his lips as his knees buckled.
And then—he collapsed.
The air seemed to suck inward as Hulk's massive form hit the ground.
In moments, the transformation began to reverse.
Muscles shrank. Green skin faded. Bones realigned. His terrifying frame reverted, shrinking until only Bruce Banner remained—bare-chested, unconscious, and barely breathing.
The battlefield was silent.
Ross and his men stood in shock.
None of them moved.
It wasn't just that she had stopped Hulk—it was how she had done it. No dramatics. No massive explosions. Just a perfectly timed, expertly placed strike.
Effortless.
Ross swallowed hard, his mind racing.
She's more than a vigilante.
She's a tactical threat.
A woman who could kill any one of them with a flick of her wrist.
Suppressing the churn in his stomach, Ross stepped forward and called for his transport.
Minutes later, his armored vehicle rolled to a stop beside the crater.
He stepped out slowly, the heat of the battlefield washing over him. In front of him stood the girl in armor, still calm, still dignified—Banner's unconscious form slung effortlessly over her shoulder.
Ross cleared his throat.
"Thank you," he began, keeping his voice neutral, "for your assistance."
But he didn't get to finish.
"You created a monster you couldn't control," Bella said coldly, her voice cutting through the air. "And nearly sacrificed hundreds of innocent lives in the process."
Her words hit like a slap.
Ross stiffened.
"That's just like you," she added, "treating lives as expendable."
The silence that followed was deafening.
Even the wind seemed to pause.
Ross clenched his jaw. He had built a career on command. On respect. No one, no one, spoke to him like this—let alone a girl who looked barely twenty. But he held back his anger. Barely.
Because he didn't know what else she could do.
Her abilities—her power—remained unknown. That made her the most dangerous person on the battlefield.
"I admit… this operation was mishandled," Ross said finally. "We'll ensure compensation for the students and their families."
Bella didn't blink.
"Hulk is the military's target," he continued. "With your help, we can contain him safely."
"No," Bella replied sharply. "He's not yours to keep."
Ross's eyes narrowed. "He's a threat to national security."
"You're the ones who made him a threat."
Her voice wasn't raised, but it was firm.
Immovable.
She turned to leave.
Ross reached out instinctively. "Wait—"
KACHA.
The sound of dozens of guns cocking echoed instantly as the soldiers around them raised their weapons in unison. Even the tanks swiveled their turrets to aim at the lone girl.
For a moment, no one breathed.
Bella paused.
She slowly turned her head to look at Ross, her emerald eyes burning beneath her helmet's shadow.
"If any of you pull that trigger," she said coldly, "this field will be littered with bodies."
Ross's throat tightened.
But then Bella took a breath and slowly relaxed her stance.
"I'm not your enemy. Not unless you force me to be."
Ross saw his chance.
His tone softened. "We're not trying to escalate this. The Hulk is dangerous. We've developed a device to suppress his transformation—if you hand him over, we can ensure he won't hurt anyone again."
He was bluffing, of course. They hadn't developed anything that worked longer than ten minutes.
But Bella tilted her head thoughtfully, as if considering.
He pressed on. "The military is willing to offer full transparency. We'll guard him around the clock. The public will be safe. And you… you'll be helping save lives."
Bella was quiet.
Then she nodded. Slowly.
"Fine. But this is your last chance," she warned. "If another incident like this occurs—there will be consequences."
Ross barely held back his smirk.
"Of course. You have our word."
But he didn't notice the smirk that tugged subtly at Bella's lips beneath her visor.
As soldiers moved to collect Banner and secure the area, Bella stood in place, arms folded behind her back like a statue of justice and resolve.
But inside, her mind moved quickly.
She hadn't truly surrendered Hulk to Ross.
She had temporarily sealed his transformation using magic—an enchantment that would weaken gradually and disappear within a few hours.
When it broke, and Hulk woke inside Ross's secure facility?
That would be his problem.
And as chaos unfolded, she would be far away.
But most importantly, this moment marked the beginning of something new.
Bella had created a second identity—separate from the shadowy Goddess of Judgment. One that walked openly. That could speak to the public. That could interact with institutions without fear.
A Knight.
A protector. A symbol. A name the world would come to recognize.
And when the world's darker corners stirred again?
She would be ready.
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