Chapter 264: I'm Afraid I Might Hurt You

After spending a few intimate days with Pepper, Tony decided to visit his private island, where he expected to find Bruce Banner and Steve Rogers. Upon arriving, Tony was greeted by a refined, short-haired woman with an elegant aura.

"Peggy Carter?" Tony asked, unsure.

Peggy Carter was from his father's generation, technically making her one of his elders.

"That's right, Tony Stark. It's me," Peggy replied with a charming smile as she greeted him.

"Steve's always spoken so highly of you. I figured you had to be quite the beauty," Tony said with a grin. "And, well, I wasn't wrong."

"Not sure if that's flattery or honesty, but I'll take it," Peggy replied, smiling. "You're here to see Steve, right? He's swimming at the moment."

"Steve's swimming, huh? Guess I'll catch up with him later. What about Banner?" Tony asked.

"Dr. Banner is training over there," Peggy said, pointing in a direction.

"Thanks, I'll talk to you later," Tony replied before heading off.

A few minutes later, Tony found Bruce Banner standing under a waterfall, fully transformed into the Hulk. He watched as Bruce, now the Hulk, gracefully caught falling rocks with his massive hands, deftly controlling his strength so as not to crush them. It was clear that Bruce had reached an impressive level of control over the Hulk's immense power.

"Steve, is that you? Finished training already?" Bruce asked, sensing someone watching him.

"Seeing you like this puts me at ease," a familiar voice replied.

It wasn't Steve—it was Tony.

"Tony?" Bruce turned and looked, surprised. "What are you doing here? I thought you were off in space!"

Tony smiled. "I was. But no matter how far I go, Blue Star is still home. I had to come back and check in on you and Steve. After all, I was the one who introduced you guys to the Void."

Bruce, having reverted to his human form, scratched his head sheepishly. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense."

Suddenly, Tony pinched Bruce's side.

"Ow! What was that for?" Bruce yelped, rubbing the spot where Tony had pinched him.

"Just making sure. Looks like you've mastered control over the Hulk," Tony said, grinning. "Let's grab a drink. You can handle alcohol now, right?"

"Yeah, I've been able to keep my mind intact even in Hulk form for about six months now," Bruce replied, walking alongside Tony. "But I didn't want to risk going out too much until I'd completely mastered my strength."

Bruce had always known the Hulk was strong, but now that he had control over the transformation, he realized just how terrifyingly powerful the Hulk truly was. He could punch through solid rock, reduce stones to dust, and hurl debris with the force of artillery. His physical power was nearly unmatched. His earlier losses in fights weren't due to a lack of strength but a lack of technique.

"And how's the Hulk doing? Did he just disappear?" Tony asked, curious about Bruce's progress.

"No, the Hulk didn't disappear. We've merged. We can talk to each other directly, but most of the time, he's asleep. He only takes over when I'm extremely angry," Bruce explained.

"When are we sparring again?" Tony asked a playful challenge in his voice.

"Anytime you want. I'm just afraid I might hurt you," Bruce replied with confidence.

Tony laughed. "Hurt me? Are you sure about that? How about we test that right now?"

Bruce smirked. "Sure, why not?"

Without warning, Tony launched a quick kick at Bruce. In the past, such a move might have caught Bruce off guard, but now he swiftly blocked the kick with his hand. The impact sent a gust of wind through the trees, rustling the leaves and branches around them.

"Not bad," Tony said, his eyes gleaming with excitement. Bruce had blocked the attack without flinching, his green Hulk arm emerging instinctively. But instead of feeling disappointed, Tony was impressed.

He knew how powerful the Hulk was, and now that Bruce had gained more control and had undergone Void training, his strength was only growing.

Just as Bruce reached out to grab Tony's leg, Tony effortlessly withdrew and retreated several meters in the blink of an eye.

"Impressive. Looks like you've been putting in some serious work," Tony said, nodding in approval.

"I've been through a lot, but all that hardship was necessary if I wanted to live freely," Bruce replied with a calm smile.

Unlike before, Bruce's confidence and tranquility were now clear for all to see.

Note: If you are interested, read up to chapter 335 at patreon.com/MythicForge11