Chapter 14

One of the main reasons I agreed to address the Hulk problem was to study Bruce Banner during combat. My task was not only to find a way to stop his destructive outbursts but also to understand the essence of his transformations. This was a unique opportunity to study Bruce Banner when all his senses and emotions were heightened to their limits.

"Hmm, time to think this through," I muttered, watching the footage of the Hulk's battle.

I needed to come up with a viable countermeasure against his current powers.

Thanks to the AI, I could analyze the Hulk's strength, speed, and endurance in detail. I needed to know the baseline of what the Hulk could do.

"Hmm," I murmured as I saw the numbers.

There were no exact figures, only fluctuating numbers, which were pointless to work with.

"In that case, it's time to move on to the next option," I said, considering other alternatives that didn't require precise measurements of the Hulk's strength, speed, and durability.

Given my advancements in studying psionic energy, it was feasible to create a weapon based on this energy.

"Kronos, show me all the information on psionic energy, particularly its effects on the human brain," I instructed.

"Do you want to use the principles on which the mind cocoons were built?" Susan asked me.

My team was currently in the Kronos dome. Thanks to Pym's subatomic particles and my research on the fabric of space-time, I managed to create a spatial distortion, thus increasing the area inside the dome.

Because of this, Ben and Johnny could train without any inconvenience. At this time, Sue and I were also training in our way. Specifically, Sue was creating complex force constructs and lifting artificially weighted objects.

"Yes," I nodded. "As you can see from the data, which can't be erroneous due to the AI's structure, the Hulk's physical data are highly variable."

Sue frowned, understanding what I meant.

"Which tells us that his strength fluctuates."

"Exactly," I nodded. "And this leaves a small number of means to interact with him."

Kronos, my trusty AI, responded immediately to my request. The screens in my lab came to life, filled with diagrams, graphs, and texts describing various aspects of psionic energy.

In theory, if we correctly adjust the frequency and power of the energy, we could not only calm Bruce Banner during his transformation into the Hulk but also possibly find a way to control these transformations. Although I was somewhat skeptical about this, as the Hulk's origin might have more mystical roots.

"I'm sure if anyone can find a solution, it's you," Sue said, reinforcing my confidence.

"Thanks for believing in me," I said, kissing her.

The sweet smile that appeared on Sue's face told me I did the right thing.

With renewed energy, I doubled down on my work.

—= Some Time Later =—

"Kronos, start the simulation," I commanded.

"Starting the psionic weapon simulation..." Kronos responded.

Then numerous tests began on the weapon I had created.

The virtual model of the Hulk, created based on data stored in the S.H.I.E.L.D. database, experienced the capabilities of my weapon.

After a few dozen successful simulations, I could breathe a sigh of relief, knowing the weapon worked as I had intended.

"Congratulations, Dr. Richards," Kronos said.

"Thank you, Kronos, but this is only the beginning. Now we need to ensure our weapon is just as effective in real conditions," I replied, unable to hide my optimism. My thoughts were already racing ahead to practical tests and potential improvements to the device.

"Dr. Richards, should we begin preparations for real-world testing?" Kronos inquired, his voice emotionless yet seemingly sharing my excitement.

At this moment, it was just me and Kronos in the dome. The rest of the team decided to stay outside, opting to enjoy some fresh air.

"Yes," I nodded. "Begin assembling all the necessary equipment."

—= General Ross =—

"Repeat what you just told me?" Thaddeus Ross demanded, glaring at the director of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Nick Fury sat at Thaddeus Ross's desk, his single eye fixed on the old general.

"I'm saying the Hulk matter falls under S.H.I.E.L.D. jurisdiction."

"The hell it does!" Ross shouted in fury.

"This decision has been approved by the Council," Fury responded simply.

"I won't accept this! The Hulk is a military project, and it should remain under the army's control," Ross insisted, his voice growing more resolute.

Fury, despite Ross's outrage, remained calm. His demeanor was unwavering, reflecting his experience and confidence.

"Unfortunately, the Council thinks otherwise," Fury concluded, putting an end to the discussion.

—= The Fantastic Four =—

"I sincerely hope you succeed, Dr. Richards," Natasha Romanoff said to me.

The Black Widow was assigned to us by S.H.I.E.L.D. as their liaison for this operation.

"Don't worry, gorgeous, Johnny Storm's got this!" Johnny said with a grin.

Judging by Natasha's expression, his response didn't inspire much confidence.

"Don't worry, Agent Romanoff," I reassured her. "We've got this. I'm ready for the upcoming confrontation."

"So am I," Ben said, cracking his stone knuckles.

The red-haired spy looked at us for a few moments, then sighed and said, "The Hulk was spotted an hour ago in this area."

She pointed to a region marked in red. It was a deserted area with no signs of civilians for miles.

"Considering his movement," she continued, "he'll be here in ten minutes."

She pointed to the edge of the red area where the Hulk seemed to be headed.

"Have you figured out why he's heading there?" I asked Natasha.

She shook her head.

"Hm," I said, looking at the map. "Alright, this marks the start of Operation Hulk."

Ben smirked and looked at me with a challenge in his eyes, Johnny grinned widely, readying himself for the battle, and even Sue felt a thrill from the upcoming confrontation.

"We'll manage," I said with a slight smile.

—= Asteroid M =—

Max Eisenhardt watched the footage his subordinates had brought him. The broadcast showed the newly formed team of heroes. Magneto would have found this uninteresting if not for what happened on that show.

Reed Richards had revealed to the world the story of Magneto that he had preferred to keep hidden.

—//—

The Fantastic Car, the latest marvel of engineering by Dr. Reed Richards, gleamed under the laboratory lights. The upgrade it received was not just an improvement; it was a revolution in quantum mechanics and thermodynamics. Its sleek surface reflected the revamped engines, now operating so quietly that they were barely audible even up close. The speed promised by this upgrade could cut travel time through Earth's atmosphere in half, and the energy efficiency meant longer flight durations.

"The drones have found him," I said, watching the screen displaying data from my robots. "We'll be there in about thirty minutes."

Ben grinned and clenched his fists, saying, "I'm ready."

I glanced at him and, ensuring he was equipped with the necessary gear, nodded and said, "Don't hold back."

—= Benjamin Grimm =—

Ben Grimm, also known as the Thing from the Fantastic Four, felt a slight nervous excitement about the upcoming battle. Since becoming part of the Fantastic Four, his life had changed forever. Becoming the Thing, he gained incredible strength but also great responsibility for his team.

Today, he was about to face the Hulk. Thanks to Reed's data, he understood that the Hulk was an extremely powerful being. That's why he took his training in the Kronos capsule very seriously.

"Ben, are you ready?" Reed asked.

Grimm grinned and said, "I was born ready, Stretch."

"Let's stick to the plan."

Ben nodded and stretched his limbs. Even in his stone form, his body experienced some issues typical of his regular body.

"Yeah, yeah," Ben said. "I'm gonna brawl with the green giant to study him, and once you've got all the data, we move on to phase two, where we work together to calm the Hulk and bring Banner back."

"Exactly," Reed confirmed. "See you soon."

Ben smiled and said, "See you soon, Stretch."

—= Some Time Later =—

Ben Grimm found the Hulk rather quickly. Fortunately, the Hulk emitted a specific type of gamma energy that Reed had learned to identify.

Besides, it was hard to miss a massive green colossus.

As Ben approached a certain distance, the Hulk turned his attention to the Thing.

"Hello, Hulk," Ben said.

Seeing that the Hulk didn't attack him immediately, Ben continued, "Can you turn back into Banner?"

"HULK NOT BANNER!" the Hulk roared. "HULK IN CHARGE! NOT BANNER!"

"I see," Ben replied. "So you're not going to listen to me?"

"HULK IN CHARGE!" the Hulk growled.

The two giants stood facing each other, filled with determination and power, their shadows intertwining on the ground, creating a scene of impending chaos.

Ben took the first step, his massive, stone legs trembling slightly with tension. The Hulk responded with a roar, his green skin tightening in anticipation of the blow. In the next moment, the air exploded from the collision of the two giants.

The Hulk, using his incomparable strength, landed a powerful blow on Ben, who struggled to stay on his feet under the force of the attack. The Thing countered with a strong punch to the Hulk's jaw, making him step back. The ground beneath them cracked and crumbled, unable to bear the weight of these titans.

The battle raged on, each blow thundering like a storm, echoing through the surroundings. Ben, despite his superhuman endurance, felt the Hulk's punches breaking through his defenses. He knew he couldn't afford a single mistake.

In the midst of the fight, the Thing gathered all his strength for a decisive blow. He lunged forward, breaking through the Hulk's defense and landing a series of quick, precise punches, each aimed at weakening his opponent. The Hulk retaliated with equal fury, his blows just as powerful as ever, but Ben began using his agility to dodge and counterattack.

At that moment, Ben realized the fight would be long and grueling.

—= Reed Richards =—

While Ben and the Hulk exchanged blows, generating explosions of power that echoed through the area, I was engrossed in analyzing the data from the scanners. The computer, equipped with the latest scientific advancements, worked flawlessly, gathering valuable information about the Hulk during the fight.

The screens before me flashed, displaying complex graphs and models showing changes in the Hulk's biochemical composition, his physiological response to stress, and even the very structure of his cells. It was like a puzzle, each piece slowly fitting together to form a complete picture, allowing me to understand the Hulk's nature more deeply.

Meanwhile, the battle between Ben and the Hulk reached its peak. Each blow they landed on each other was so powerful that the ground beneath them cracked, creating craters. Dust and debris swirled around them, forming an aura of destruction. Despite his stone skin, Ben began to feel fatigue, his movements slowing, but he was determined not to give up. The Hulk, on the other hand, seemed to grow stronger with each hit, his green eyes blazing with fury and determination.

As soon as I realized I had gathered enough data, I said, "Initiate phase two."

—= The Battle Site =—

The sudden appearance of Reed Richards and his Fantastic Four team on the battlefield introduced a new element to the already tense confrontation between Ben Grimm and the Hulk. Using innovative teleportation technology, they arrived at the epicenter of the battle, surprising the green giant and giving the Fantastic Four the advantage of surprise.

"I was wondering when you'd show up!" Ben said with a hint of irony, continuing to fend off the Hulk's powerful blows. Despite the incredible fatigue and numerous bruises, he smiled, seeing his teammates.

Johnny Storm, known as the Human Torch, wasted no time and burst into bright flames, becoming a living beacon in the middle of the battlefield. He soared into the sky, creating a halo of fire around him. Streams of flame erupted from his hands, aiming at the Hulk, trying to distract him and give Ben a moment to catch his breath.

Susan Storm, the Invisible Woman, was focused and calm. She expanded her force field, creating a protective barrier around the battle zone to prevent the spread of destruction and protect the innocent. This dome became a witness to the grand confrontation, containing the energy of the fight within its bounds.

"Time to end this," Reed Richards said, holding the psionic device.