chapter - 016

- Citadel at the End of Time -

[He Who Remains POV]

As I look at him run around with Hulk chasing him, I can't help but laugh. But my laugh is short-lived, as I see another branch forming in the Sacred Timeline.

I sigh in relief as the branch starts to merge again with the main line but find the process slower than the last one.

It has been the first time I have seen this type of thing happening. Usually, Rovanna has to send her Time Keepers to correct the sacred timeline by pruning that reality but in this case, someone more powerful is intervening to correct it making only minor but significant changes in that universe.

The first time this new person appeared on that planet, I thought he would be dealt with by the Sorcerer Supreme because she is quite obsessed with keeping the flow of things the same as me.

I mean, that is why I was thinking of allowing them to use that time-travel concept in the future against Thanos, even if there were some risks to it. But she did not move. I wanted to tell Rovanna to forth with the usual methods but the timeline was suddenly corrected.

While checking the cause for it, I found other new things popping up in the universe like the existence of Ghost Rider and the others. That universe is changing in a way that I only have a few options left.

Either I let it happen, and wait for the others to come into this multiverse or I can just cut off this universe from the sacred timeline. But I don't know what effects it will cause. Pruning that reality is also not possible as every time I think about it, knives are thrown out of nowhere at my desk like the one in front of me. (we don't want the story to end too early!!)

I would have not taken this seriously if I knew where these knives were coming from but I can't even analyze the materials they are made up of.

Well, I will try to keep that reality as long as I can and try to find other methods to solve this problem while the Sacred Timeline still has that being's protection.

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- Virginia -

[Ethan POV]

Bruce had turned into the Hulk. I watched as he came out of the building blasting through the walls. As I see behind him, all I find is destruction amidst which seven people are lying around. No one is dead but all are injured with three being in severe condition.

Among the seven people, I know only Betty Ross and Thaddeus Ross.

"Rrghh" Hulk roars to the sky and jumps in the air.

I had my focus on the condition of the people as I saw medics rush there when I find myself covered in a large shadow.

Scared shitless, I immediately summon the project of the moon and smash it into Hulk, sending him flying back to he came from.

I just had to wait in the direction he was going to escape, my luck!

As I look at the place I had sent Hulk flying, I find it empty. I quickly become alert because I know a fight was going to start. Sensing something, I turn toward my right and see a big green fist right in my face.

It hits me and I go rolling on the ground and smash into a car. The smash has he disoriented as I try to stand up.

Feeling pain in my left arm, I find twisted backward. Even with my faster regeneration at night, it's going to take a long time to come out of this one. At least half an hour. What happened to my 5 minutes of healing? Well, who would twist their arm to check the time. I had just made cuts on my arm to check it before.

I close my eyes as I bear the pain, to set the arm straight but suddenly find my leg being grabbed and I fly through the air.

I quickly open my cloak completely and narrowly avoid the building I was going to hit. This Hulk is stronger than I thought. No wonder, he could take down a Leviathan in a single punch.

I should start training again. I don't want to be too much behind Hulk in physical strength. I wonder if physical exercises will help in increasing my strength limits.

Clearing my mind off the random thoughts, I focus on my fight. Seeing Hulk running towards me and jumping, I dodge by gliding to the left and kick him on the back of his head. He shoots down and falls on the road.

As he attempts to stand, I fall on his back and punch him with my right arm. His arms slip and I try my best to keep him down while he dodging his tries to grab me.

All it took was Hulk smashing his hand heavily on the ground for me to lose my balance and Hulk to escape my attacks. And the same cycle of Hulk trying to beat me and me trying to dodge his hits took place.

As we were fighting, I noticed Hulk stop his attacks suddenly and look behind me. Shifting my gaze behind, I saw Betty leaning against a soldier trying to walk up to us.

As she got close, Hulk started taking some steps back, which made her stop.

They keep looking at each other and treating me and the soldier as some background character.

"Bruce. I know you can hear me. Please, come back with me." Well, he is going to go back but not like when he is like this.

Hulk shakes his head and steps back.

"Bruce..." She begins but stops when Hulk just jumps and escapes.

I too take my cue to leave as I don't know if she will blame me for this. Technically, I am to blame because, without my intervention, he would have found it easier to return but I don't know if anything else will change.

Betty standing there is a change in itself as she should have been in the hospital right now, lying unconscious. Well, no need to fret about it anymore. My existence has been the biggest change in the plot too.

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