[Third Person's PoV]
"FATHER, STOP THIS IMMEDIATELY!"
The loud shout cut through the chaos of the battlefield, causing both Spider-Man and General Ross to instinctively turn toward the source of the voice. Betty Ross, the daughter of Thunderbolt Ross, was standing on the edge of a helicopter as it descended, her face a mixture of determination and concern.
The Hulk, who had been locked in a brutal fight with the Abomination, froze as the familiar voice reached his ears. His green, rage-filled eyes softened for a moment as he recognized the woman who had called out to him. "Betty..." he rumbled softly, the single word holding a wealth of emotion.
But the Abomination, seeing his chance, took advantage of the Hulk's distraction. With a powerful punch, he struck the Hulk across the face, sending him crashing to the ground. The sudden force, combined with the calming effect of Betty's presence, caused the Hulk to momentarily lose consciousness.
The Abomination, seeing his enemy down, smirked smugly, gloating over his apparent victory. However, his moment of triumph was short-lived. The Hulk's eyes suddenly snapped open, his pupils dilating with a burning, uncontrollable rage.
"ROAHHHHHHHHH!!!" The Hulk roared, surging to his feet with renewed fury. His muscles swelled as he grew taller, the rage within him fueling his power. Without a moment's hesitation, he delivered a devastating punch to the Abomination's face, lifting the monstrous creature off the ground with the sheer force of the blow.
In a display of overwhelming strength, the Hulk slammed the Abomination's head into the ground, creating a crater from the impact. The Abomination lay unconscious, but the Hulk was far from finished. Letting out another roar, he leaped high into the air, soaring past the helicopters before plummeting back down like a meteor. He landed on the Abomination with bone-crushing force, causing the creature to howl in pain as he snapped back to consciousness.
Sitting on top of the Abomination, the Hulk unleashed a savage barrage of punches. His fists, covered in green blood, rained down with relentless fury, turning the battlefield into a scene of carnage. Blood flew everywhere, covering the Hulk's skin in a gruesome layer that wasn't his own. Each punch seemed more ferocious than the last, driven by a primal need to protect those he cared about.
But in his blind rage, the Hulk didn't notice Betty approaching. When he felt a hand on his back, he swung his fist in a powerful backhand, intending to swat away the perceived threat.
Ghost-Spider, who had quickly intervened, caught the Hulk's fist just in time, preventing it from landing. With one arm, she held Betty close, shielding her from the force of the shockwave that rippled outwards, causing Betty's hair to whip around wildly.
"Careful, big guy," Ghost-Spider said softly, her voice soothing. "That could have gone bad."
The Hulk's eyes widened in horror as he realized what had almost happened. "Hulk almost hurt Betty," he said, his voice trembling with guilt. "Hulk almost hurt Hulk's friend."
Betty stepped forward, ignoring her father's angry shouts. She smiled gently at the Hulk, extending her hand toward him. "It's alright... I know you didn't mean it. It was an accident, right?"
Ghost-Spider, sensing the personal nature of the moment, stepped back, giving them space while staying close enough to intervene if necessary.
The Hulk hesitated for a moment, then slowly met Betty's hand with his own massive one. "Hulk doesn't like to see Betty hurt. Hulk is ashamed..."
Betty squeezed his hand reassuringly. "I'm alright, aren't I?"
Meanwhile, General Ross seethed with frustration, his jaw clenched as he watched the scene unfold. He hated seeing his daughter so close to the Hulk, knowing the danger she was in. Yet, despite his anger and fear, he could do nothing but watch as the monster he despised showed more humanity than he ever expected.
Betty's gentle touch and soothing words seemed to calm the Hulk, his enormous frame gradually relaxing. The rage in his eyes dimmed as he focused entirely on her, the blood on his hands and the destruction around him momentarily forgotten.
"Betty… safe," Hulk rumbled, his voice filled with both relief and sorrow.
"Yes, I'm safe," Betty reassured him, her voice soft and caring. She squeezed his hand, trying to convey all the comfort she could. "You don't need to be ashamed, Hulk. You saved everyone."
Hulk blinked, his massive brow furrowing as if trying to understand her words. "Hulk… saved?"
"Yes," Betty affirmed, nodding. "You stopped the Abomination. You protected people."
For a moment, the Hulk remained silent, his gaze locked on Betty's. Slowly, his massive green shoulders slumped as the tension drained from his body. The monstrous anger that had driven him moments ago ebbed away, leaving a more subdued and almost childlike version of the Hulk.
Ghost-Spider watched the scene unfold, a small, relieved smile on her face. She knew how dangerous the situation had been, but seeing how Betty managed to calm the Hulk reminded her of the humanity that still existed within the creature.
General Ross, however, was less convinced. He marched forward, his face a mix of anger and desperation. "Betty, get away from that thing! I won't lose you to it!"
Betty turned sharply to her father, her eyes flashing with defiance. "He's not a thing, Dad. He's a person—Bruce is still in there! And he's not a monster; he just needs help!"
"Think about your next actions very carefully, Ross," Spider-Man had warned as his superior Spidey-sense had let him see Ross' next move, but it was clear the General had made up his mind. The web-slinger's mind raced as he assessed the rapidly deteriorating situation.
"I have no time for your threats, Spider-Man. I'll rescue my daughter from that monster even if I have to go through your little group of friends. Not to mention, the Hulk was already planning on handing himself over to the government, thus that makes him property of the government. You're sticking your nose where it doesn't belong," Ross declared, his tone harsh and unyielding.
Spider-Man's response was immediate, his voice firm. "Bruce Banner gave himself up to the government, not the Hulk. And need I remind you, Ross—people aren't property. Slavery was abolished ages ago."
Ross's eyes narrowed, his frustration growing. "Are you an idiot? The Hulk and Bruce Banner are one and the same. If Bruce has given himself up to the state government, it's natural that the Hulk is included."
The web-slinger couldn't help but smile under his mask, a plan forming in his mind. "Hulk, buddy! Are you and Bruce the same person?" Spider-Man called out, raising his voice over the chaos.
The Hulk, still trying to keep his rage in check with Betty's calming presence, growled before shouting back, "No! Hulk is Hulk! Hulk hates Puny Banner! Puny Banner weak and pathetic!"
Spider-Man turned back to Ross with a smirk that could almost be felt through the mask. "See? Different people. The Hulk and Bruce Banner are two different people."
Ross sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose in annoyance. He could feel his patience wearing thin. "You truly know how to get under people's nerves. Do you truly expect to make it out alive after facing the entire U.S. military and becoming an enemy of the state? All for this monster you don't even know?"
Hulk growled again, clearly irked by being repeatedly called a monster, but Betty's gentle touch kept him grounded. Her presence was the only thing keeping the Hulk from losing control entirely.
Spider-Man didn't flinch, didn't hesitate as he looked Ross straight in the eyes. "Without a doubt in my mind," he answered confidently.
Ross's face hardened, any remaining trace of hesitation gone. "I see… I guess we share the same thoughts then. Since I don't possess a single doubt either. Men, take them down! Rescue my foolish daughter from the hands of this villain. From this moment forward, they're an enemy of the United States of America and are to be dealt with extreme prejudice!"
With that, the order was given. Helicopters roared to life, tanks rumbled forward, and soldiers charged ahead, weapons drawn and ready to unleash a torrent of destruction.
"Firestar, Nightwing—disable their weapons! Silver, Red—web down the aircrafts! Ghost—take care of the heavy vehicles!" Spider-Man ordered, his voice cutting through the chaos.
"On it!" they all shouted in unison, a determined grin spread across each of their faces as they charged forward.
"What about Hulk?" the giant green future Avenger asked, eager for action.
Spider-Man quickly glanced at him. "Keep Betty safe. If any bullets or heavy weapons get through, it's your job to shield her. And keep an eye on The Abomination—if he wakes up, take him down again."
Hulk nodded, rising from where he'd pinned The Abomination, and moved to stand protectively behind Betty, his massive form shielding her completely. With a grunt of affirmation, he gave Spider-Man a thumbs up, then focused his watchful eyes on his unconscious foe.
Firestar and Nightwing surged ahead with Ghost-Spider trailing close behind, their swift movements a blur of coordinated assault.
As bullets and rockets rained down, Firestar shot forward, her body radiating intense heat. She unleashed a wave of searing energy that melted the projectiles in mid-air, leaving the enemy's weapons glowing with residual heat.
"Now this is what I call a bonding moment," Firestar quipped, executing a graceful barrel roll, her smirk evident in her tone.
Nightwing became a streak of motion, disarming opponents and dismantling weapons with lightning speed. His escrima sticks crackled with green electricity, a mere flick of his wrist enough to shatter helmets and knock soldiers unconscious. He moved effortlessly, flipping adversaries with a quick swipe, leaving a trail of chaos in his wake.
"I'm not sure if fighting an army qualifies as a bonding moment, but I see the appeal," Nightwing replied, his voice laced with dry humor as he continued to take down enemies with ease.
Ghost-Spider suddenly propelled herself into the sky, flipping upside down as her eyes turned an icy blue. The air around her chilled instantly, frost forming as she exhaled a visible breath. Suspended in mid-air, she unleashed a flurry of webs, each one aimed with perfect precision toward the vehicles below. The sheer speed of her web-slinging made her appear like a turret, her every move calculated.
As she descended gracefully, Ghost-Spider landed upright, standing amidst a vast web that immobilized every vehicle caught in its intricate design. She released a burst of her chi, sending cold energy through each and every thread she unleashed, freezing the cars, tanks, and other heavy machinery solid.
"Freeze! None of you are going anywhere today," she declared, her posture elegant and commanding as she stood among the frozen battlefield.
Meanwhile, Scarlet-Spider and Spider-Kat were reveling in their task along the canyon walls. They swung in tandem, weaving a massive web between the rocks and pulling in helicopters like they were trapping flies.
Spider-Kat clung to the underside of one helicopter, shooting webs toward the canyon walls and constructing a large, centralized web to ensnare it. "Looks like I just caught lunch for the day!" she exclaimed, her excitement contagious.
Scarlet-Spider snared two helicopter propellers with her webs, yanking them together into the sprawling web they'd created. "I think this is what they call a honey trap, right?" she said, glancing over at Felicia with a playful smile.
Spider-Man just spread his arms out slightly, as if saying, 'look at all of this', "I believe in chess this is what they call a checkmate. And now I'm supposed to ask you, 'What's your next move?'" Spider-Man said teasingly looking at the general expression as veins protruded from his forehead and his eyes turned red from the veins popping out as well.
"You see, Ross, the last thing you want to do is make an enemy out of me. I barely moved a muscle during this whole exchange and I seem to have won. So let me ask you this, is declaring me an enemy of the state truly a wise move? Or do you perhaps want to rethink your foolish decision?" Spider-Man said as he continued to taunt.