Chapter 82 - The true identity of the Red Hulk [1]

"I gotta say, I'm surprised you don't seem even a bit shocked to see me like this" Prime remarked, shooting a sidelong glance at Bruce. "I mean, last time we met, I didn't even have a proper body to show up without looking like a monster capable of chomping off a head with a single bite"

"Should I be offended by those words?" Sara asked, raising an eyebrow as she sat in the back seat of the car.

Hearing Sara's words, Prime let out a discreet laugh. After picking up Bruce from the airport, they quickly headed to Prime's place. Anyway, Prime wouldn't feel comfortable discussing something so serious in the middle of the airport. What surprised him even more was that Bruce didn't seem as surprised to see him in human form.

"Speaking of which, where exactly did you come from? You're dressed like a tourist heading to the beach" Prime remarked, shrugging.

"I was looking into some things that might help with my problem, but ended up finding out much more than that. Anyway, I'm surprised by your appearance. I learned to control my emotions because of the green guy inside me, so I can usually keep calm in most situations" Bruce said.

During the journey, Sara remained silent with her phone in hand. Occasionally, she glanced at the passing scenery. Although she was listening to the conversation between Bruce and Prime, she wasn't really interested. They were clearly discussing random stuff.

Time passed smoothly, and soon the car began to approach the luxury apartment where Sara and Prime lived.

"This neighborhood seems pretty expensive..." Bruce commented, more to himself than to others.

Hearing Bruce's words, Prime let out a short laugh, imagining that if Bruce was already impressed with the neighborhood, he would be even more surprised to find out where they actually lived. After a few minutes, the car parked in the underground parking lot of the apartment.

Prime, followed by Bruce and Sara, quickly entered the hotel lobby. Bruce let out an impressed whistle as he observed the interior, figuring that just from the lobby, the place was luxurious and expensive.

Upon reaching the top floor, the elevator doors opened and Prime and Sara led Bruce to their home. Upon opening the door, Bruce was greeted by a magnificent view of the city stretching out before them.

"Cool place" Bruce commented, carefully observing the city through the large windows.

"I know, I chose this apartment because of the view it had of the city... But I'm sure you didn't come here to admire the scenery. Let's get to the main point, the reason why I called you" Prime said, with a serious look.

Bruce nodded and Prime led him to the living room, where Sara was already seated, looking at her phone while munching on some cookies. Although Bruce felt a bit uncertain about having this kind of conversation with a young woman like Sara, he also knew that she could be as peculiar as he was in certain aspects.

After all, while Bruce resisted and tried to get rid of the monster inside him, Sara did the opposite, seeking to accept and live with hers. This, from Bruce's perspective, gave Sara a more mature appearance than her age and stature suggested.

"With all of us properly settled, it's time to begin. I believe this will be a long and complicated conversation" Prime said, letting out a brief sigh.

However, before they could proceed with the conversation, the front door opened, catching Prime and Sara's attention. While Bruce remained oblivious to the sound, since the living room wasn't so close to the entrance, for Sara and Prime, whose ears were quite sensitive, the sound was distinct and clear, as was the conversation that followed.

"I said I wanted the strawberry one!"

"I get it, but they were out of that flavor, so I had to settle for passion fruit..."

"But I hate passion fruit, and that bitter taste..."

Now, Bruce was also tuned into the conversation, wondering about the presence of the two girls there. However, any doubt he might have had was promptly answered when the younger girl ran towards Prime as soon as she saw him.

"Hey, Daddy!" Ema exclaimed, running towards Prime with her arms wide open and a bright smile on her face.

"Hey there, kiddo, where have you and your sister been?" Prime asked gently as he picked her up and settled her on his lap.

"Annie and I went to get ice cream. Daddy went to pick up his friend, so we decided to go out for a bit" Ema replied, smiling, then turning her gaze to Bruce as if she finally noticed him. "Daddy, who's this mister?" Ema asked.

Upon hearing the little girl's words, Bruce was taken aback. Was he really that old? Well, he knew he was old enough to be the girl's father, but he didn't consider himself that old. Bruce decided to chalk it up to his clothes making him look older than he actually was.

"Remember the video where daddy fought with a green guy? Well, that was the guy. Let's just say he's an old friend of daddy's" Prime replied, letting out a brief laugh.

Of course, Bruce was surprised to see Prime easily revealing his secrets to the little girl, and he was even more surprised to see her looking at him with puffed cheeks.

"You're the person who fought with daddy? I don't like you, hmph" Ema said as she climbed off Prime's lap and ran towards her room.

As Bruce looked bewildered at the little girl, he could hear Prime behind him, clearly holding back the laughter that would follow. Though initially surprised by Prime suddenly having daughters, everything happened so quickly that he simply accepted it in the end as just something odd.

"Well, jokes aside, those two just now were my adopted daughters. The younger one, who ran to her room, is called Ema, while the one who followed her is Annie" Prime explained, introducing them with a smile. "Anyway, we've strayed quite a bit from the main point. I'm sure you came here because of what we talked about on the phone"

Saying these words, Prime picked up the TV remote and turned it on. With a decisive gesture, Prime selected a previously recorded video. Bruce watched closely as the video started. In the beginning shots, a bridge was being completely destroyed, prominently displayed on the screen.

The perpetrators of the destruction were now fighting on the bridge: one of them was clearly Prime, using a variety of powers that Bruce had not yet witnessed. The other individual, Bruce couldn't help but notice, bore a resemblance to himself when transformed, yet there was something peculiarly distinct about his appearance.

"I recorded this from the news report about the incident on the bridge. I didn't notice at the time, but it seems we were being recorded. By the way, I've decided to nickname the other guy Red Hulk" Prime explained.

Bruce continued to watch the video closely. He didn't know exactly why, but the Red Hulk, as Prime called him, evoked a vivid memory of someone in his mind.

"I don't know why I was attacked, honestly. I'm still confused. I don't think I'd forget a two-meter-tall red monster that I knew before... no offense" Prime commented.

"I'm not offended, and the truth is, I am a monster. Anyway, did anything else happen in the fight? Did you notice anything? It could be anything" Bruce said.

Upon hearing Bruce's words, Prime delved deeply into his memories, each moment of the battle resurfacing in his mind. Being a symbiote, Prime had perfect memory, every detail of the fight recorded in his mind flawlessly.

"Ah! he was talking, keeping pretty much all of his lucidity even while transformed... well, he kept rambling about control the whole time, or something like that. Honestly, I couldn't quite understand what he meant by all of that" Prime recalled.

Upon hearing Prime's words, Bruce made a quick mental connection, recalling someone he had crossed paths with before. Furthermore, it came to mind that this person had a particular interest in the green monster, greater than any other.

"You may not have realized it, but I completely understood" Bruce replied, his serious expression revealing a newly acquired determination.