Hovering mid-air, Thor watched the chaos below, half-amused.
Banner, you're something else, he thought. You spend all your time treating Hulk like a monster and trying to rid yourself of him… but the second trouble strikes, you rely on Hulk to clean up the mess. No wonder the Hulk hadn't always been on the best terms with him.
Thor shook his head. And that stunt of falling from the sky to trigger a transformation? Keep it up, and it might just fail one day.
On the ground, Hulk climbed out of the crater, tearing off his shredded shirt and striking a powerful pose. He let out a roar that practically drowned out the street's pandemonium.
Across the ruins, Abomination's twisted face broke into a wide grin. He recognized the roar instantly. "Hulk… yeah!" he snarled.
The two giants charged toward each other, each step pounding the pavement, until they collided with an impact that sent shockwaves through the city, toppling nearby cars and cracking the ground beneath them.
The Hulk went flying backward, smashing into a newsstand before regaining his footing. Roaring with fury, he picked up a car, ripped it in half, and charged forward, swinging the two halves like massive clubs. He struck Abomination in the chest, staggering him, and then slammed one half of the car down on his head.
Under normal circumstances, Hulk would have taken down a defective version like Abomination with relative ease. But today, after Dr. Blue's treatment, most of Hulk's cells were weakened. Only the rush of adrenaline from the fall had triggered his transformation. This was, arguably, the Hulk at his weakest.
Abomination, meanwhile, was far from weak. His skin bristled with spiked bone spurs, and thanks to a dose of Extremis, his regeneration ability had become much stronger than before.
After absorbing several of Hulk's blows, Abomination grinned savagely. "Is that all you've got?" He kicked Hulk hard, sending him flying across the street.
The Hulk, infuriated, charged back, but Abomination's enhanced speed and strength let him evade Hulk's attacks and counter with brutal punches of his own. Within moments, he had Hulk pinned and was hammering him down.
"You're too weak," Abomination sneered, stepping on Hulk's chest. "You don't deserve this power!"
Hulk let out a furious roar, grabbing a fallen lamppost and swinging it into Abomination's temple.
...
High above, Thor watched the battle with growing curiosity. He remembered that in the original timeline, Hulk had managed to turn the tide by becoming angrier, which only made him stronger. But there had been one crucial element then: Betty Ross.
Without her presence, Hulk seemed unable to muster the same rage. He wouldn't be able to reach his full potential.
His phone buzzed, and he saw Peggy Carter's name flash on the screen.
"Aren't you going to step in?" Peggy asked. Having witnessed Thor's power firsthand, she was confident he could handle Abomination.
"Just a moment. I want to see what Hulk's capable of," he replied.
"Do what you have to. I'll focus on getting people evacuated and arranging medical support."
...
Back on the ground, Hulk's stamina was beginning to wane. Even with several bursts of strength, he couldn't overpower Abomination. His transformation faltered, and his strength waned, leaving him vulnerable.
Abomination seized the opportunity, pinning Hulk to the ground with a sneer. "Weakling!" he spat, pressing Hulk down with crushing force.
With one last growl, Hulk tried to free himself, but he was trapped. Abomination lifted his head, roaring triumphantly.
Suddenly, Abomination's gaze shifted toward Maya Hansen's research center. He began stomping in that direction, muttering to himself, "If I can get my hands on more Extremis, I'll become unstoppable!"
"You won't get that chance."
A golden portal materialized before him, and Thor stepped through, blocking his path.
Abomination glared at him. "Out of my way, little man. I don't have time to waste."
Without warning, he swung a massive fist at Thor, intending to crush him in one blow.
[Read up to 80+ chapter more on p@treon.com/goldengaruda]