After becoming a new type of Super Soldier, Emil thought he had surpassed the summit and reached that unattainable pyramid in the sky. Then, all his confidence, enthusiasm, fantasies, and dreams dissipated like smoke under Hulk's single punch.
His physical injuries were trivial; the most significant impact was on his once proud soul, which felt like it had been slapped hard, leaving him with a broken pride.
"This isn't the script I wanted!"
Emil was filled with anger and humiliation. He felt depressed and spat out thick, sticky blood as hot rage surged in his chest and throat. He slumped against the tree roots and lost consciousness.
From Emil's imposing entrance onto the battlefield to his humiliating retreat after Hulk's punch, the entire process took only about ten seconds.
The scene became extremely awkward in an instant. Not only were the armed soldiers left bewildered, but even the commanding General Ross forced a strained smile, concealing his disappointment.
General Ross had greatly overestimated the combat capabilities of the Super Soldier while severely underestimating the power of Hulk and Kyle.
At present, looking across the whole planet, it was hard to find anyone capable of directly confronting either of them with physical strength alone.
Emil was merely a small episode for Hulk, who continued to display his overwhelming and destructive power, engaging in a chaotic battle with the surrounding armed forces.
Observing the retreating military forces, a subordinate officer fell back in fear, gazing anxiously at General Ross, who remained composed. He urgently said, "General, at this rate, we might be wiped out! Due to the university's location, we can't deploy many heavy combat weapons. What should we do now?"
"What else can we do?"
General Ross sighed, took a deep breath, and firmly stated, "Hurry and summon the Symbol of Peace."
Meanwhile,
**New York, Empire State Building's Top Floor Office**
The private dining table was adorned with steaming delicacies and rare wines. Raina was leaning against it, serving as a charming backdrop.
Kyle, with a napkin around his neck, cut into a medium-rare steak and savored the rich juices as he chewed thoughtfully.
*Ding, Ding...*
The smartphone on the table vibrated slightly, followed by Vis's report, "Master, General Ross called again."
"At least let Boss finish his lunch?" Raina raised an eyebrow, sounding a bit displeased.
Kyle, as if he hadn't heard both of them, continued eating until he had consumed the entire plate of steak. He then picked up a glass and sipped some red wine before clapping his hands. "If it were someone else, I'd agree, but Ross is the son of my former instructor. We shouldn't keep him waiting."
Raina took a step forward and carefully removed his napkin.
"Is everything ready, Vis?" Kyle calmly inquired.
"Of course, everything is prepared," Vis responded promptly.
"Then, let's get going," Kyle shrugged and headed up the stairs toward the rooftop of the building.
In less than half a minute, an eagle-shaped Interstellar aircraft lifted off from the rooftop of the Empire State Building. Its cold, metallic hull turned semi-transparent and disappeared into stealth mode. The advanced engines at the rear emitted a faint roar as it accelerated at Mach speeds, surpassing all other Earthly aircraft.
Like a streak of silvery light, the Interstellar aircraft left New York, heading at breakneck speed toward California.
Perhaps passing directly over Stark Industries' building, J.A.R.V.I.S.'s anti-aircraft surveillance systems detected this, and he reminded through the loudspeaker, "Sir, your Godfather seems to have left New York again."
"He's probably busy dealing with the guy called Hulk," Tony wiped the sweat from his forehead as he replied. He was shirtless and focused on manipulating various pipes and instruments. His expression was serious and determined. "I can't afford to lose either."
Inside the vast industrial building, countless complex acceleration instruments and pipelines were interconnected, and the framework for creating Kryon was almost complete.
It had to be said that Tony was indeed a unique genius engineer on Earth and in the universe.
At Culver University, the expansive grassland had turned into a battlefield.
*Boom!*
Hulk was like an enraged rhinoceros as it charged forward with fury. The armed soldiers scattered in panic. Armored vehicles left in place were flung into the air, tumbling through the grassland and flying ten meters away.
The vice-commander reported with near despair, "General, I tried to contact him, but the Symbol of Peace is currently in New York. Even if he flies here at top speed, the university will be reduced to rubble by the time he arrives."
"Then buy me some time!" General Ross replied with determination.
"Yes," The vice-commander replied, his voice bitter, as he directed and encouraged the soldiers at the scene.
No one noticed that hundreds of meters above their heads, wisps of extinguished white smoke lingered in the air.
An Interstellar aircraft, now invisible to everyone, hovered in mid-air. The rear hatch slowly opened, revealing Kyle fully covered in Venom.
His crimson, narrow pupils blinked indifferently, like a dark creature looking down from above.
"Raina, wait for me here for a moment," Kyle said in a hoarse and sharp voice. He took a step and leaped from the deck, plummeting down into the strong wind.
Raina smiled, leaning against the edge of the deck, her long black hair fluttering in the gusty wind.
*Sizzle!*
Hulk, having just torn an armored vehicle in half with his bare hands, was about to strike again when he suddenly stopped as if he sensed something. He looked up, somewhat curious, to the sky.
In his field of vision, there was an incredibly familiar figure and a dark hammer that was unforgettable, quickly and infinitely enlarging...
When Hulk attempted to react, it was already too late. Kyle, with his vast combat experience, was not going to give it a chance.
*Thud!*
Leveraging his descent from the sky, Kyle raised his left hammer, fully charged with power, and struck down violently on Hulk's forehead.
This blow felt like a divine force delivering an earth-shattering blow.
Hulk's knees abruptly buckled, and the force transmitted downward, sending invisible shockwaves rippling across the earth. The ground beneath the grassy field couldn't withstand the impact and cracked open under Shock Girl's violent winds.
Clumps of soil and grass were uprooted, scattering in all directions within Shock Girl's maelstrom.
Soldiers and officers who witnessed this scene stood there, their gazes vacant, overwhelmed by shock.
Only General Ross, staring at the dark monster that had arrived on the scene, spoke calmly, "He's here!"
Ignoring the armed soldiers around him, Kyle landed on the ground. He lifted the hammer form of his left fist and ruthlessly struck Hulk in front of him, who was momentarily stunned. Kyle had no reservations as he unleashed a barrage of hammer blows.
The hammer-form consumed a lot of stamina, so it was essential to finish this quickly. Kyle understood this well. He treated Hulk like a massive punching bag, relentlessly striking the only weak point—his brain—leaving Hulk in a dazed state.
For a moment, Hulk rolled helplessly on the ground, from the sky to the earth, completely powerless to resist the beating.
*(End of this chapter)*