Two monstrous figures rampaged through the city, leaving destruction in their wake and drawing ever closer to the luxury hotel. On the balcony, a terrified socialite screamed as she witnessed the chaos below and hurriedly ran downstairs. Others, equally unaware of the full danger, scrambled to the elevators, plunging the entire hotel into chaos.
"Damn it! I didn't bring my Iron Man suit," Tony Stark muttered in frustration. Who would have thought a simple gala could turn into such a disaster?
Clearly annoyed, Tony vented to Garus, his companion. "Well, there goes the party, and my evening plans, too. I need to finish the remote control system for the armor or make it more portable. This is getting ridiculous."
Just then, Nick Fury's phone buzzed. He glanced at the caller ID—it was General Ross.
"General Ross," Fury said curtly as he answered. "What can I do for you?"
"Director Fury, I know you're at Stark's gala. There's chaos erupting near your location. The military will handle this; S.H.I.E.L.D. is not to interfere."
Fury's expression turned sardonic. "The military? Handle it? You mean the mess you created while trying to recreate Captain America's super-soldier serum? And now you've turned New York City into your personal battleground."
There was a pause on the other end. "Blonsky and the Hulk are military assets. We'll deal with them."
With that, Ross hung up. Fury smirked. He understood Ross's real fear: that S.H.I.E.L.D. might seize the Hulk and Blonsky, wasting the military's efforts and resources.
Suddenly, Garus's system chimed in:
[Mission issued: Difficulty B. Objective: Obtain Hulk's blood. Reward: 7,000 exchange points.]
Initially, Garus had no intention of getting involved. Against the Hulk, his current abilities were woefully inadequate. But the system's task intrigued him. Was it the inherent value of Hulk's blood? Or was he simply a glutton for punishment?
"Garus, Tony, we need to leave now. They're heading this way," Fury said, clearly exasperated as he watched the two behemoths battle in the distance.
S.H.I.E.L.D. lacked the capability to subdue the Hulk or the Abomination. If Fury acted without a proper plan, Ross's blunder might become his burden to bear.
"Tony, hurry up!" Pepper Potts called out from a makeshift stage, pushing through the chaotic crowd to reach them.
"Hey, Garus," Pepper said, noticing him. Remembering how he had inexplicably helped resolve the Obadiah Stane crisis near Stark Tower, she asked, "Is there any way you can stop those monsters?"
Fury also looked at Garus, clearly hoping for the same.
Seeing their expectant gazes, Garus shrugged helplessly. "Those lunatics? Not a chance. Let's get out of here while we still can."
As the group exited the hotel, they saw a military convoy approaching. Soldiers worked to evacuate civilians from the streets. Reaching a temporarily safe area, Pepper informed Tony, "I've called someone from the company to send a helicopter. We'll wait here for now."
Tony's eyes narrowed as he spotted a series of strange white vehicles that resembled tanks but lacked cannon barrels. When debris—chunks of concrete and cars—was hurled toward them, invisible forces deflected the projectiles effortlessly.
"That's Azeroth Technologies' sonic tanks," Fury explained, his tone tinged with displeasure. He still resented Stark for shutting down Stark Industries' weapons division, which had once supplied S.H.I.E.L.D. "Even if you're out of the weapons game, others aren't. Hammer Industries, Azeroth Technologies—they're filling the void you left."
"I just don't want to be attacked with my own creations," Tony shot back, the bitterness still fresh.
Before long, a helicopter approached from the distance.
"Garus, aren't you coming?" Tony tried to sling an arm around Garus's shoulder, but the latter dodged it deftly.
"Not this time. I've got something to take care of. You go ahead," Garus replied, resolute.
After all, he had a mission—the potential reward of Hulk's blood was too enticing to pass up.
"Leave him. Let's go," Pepper said, pushing Tony into the helicopter as it lifted into the sky.
On the battlefield below, Bruce Banner, as the freshly transformed Hulk, was struggling against the Abomination. Blonsky, now grotesque and overpowered, sneered as he dominated the fight. He relished his newfound strength, a stark contrast to his previous helplessness when facing the Hulk.
"Attack Blonsky! Support Banner!" Ross barked from a military transport helicopter circling above. The destruction in New York's streets would surely bring consequences he couldn't avoid.
On the ground, Hulk's power grew with his fury, slowly turning the tide. But the process was agonizingly slow. Neither combatant seemed able to decisively defeat the other.
Blonsky finally managed to knock Hulk down. Leaping high, he aimed to crush Banner beneath his massive foot, only to be struck midair by concentrated sonic blasts from the tanks. Unable to stabilize himself, he was sent flying into a convenience store, reducing it to rubble.
"You annoying pests!" Blonsky roared as he emerged from the debris, his humanity long forgotten in his rage-fueled obsession to defeat the Hulk. Yet before he could retaliate against the tanks, Hulk tackled him again, and their brutal struggle resumed.
Watching from a distance, Garus realized his dilemma. He couldn't pierce the Hulk's nearly impervious defenses. Even after such a prolonged fight, neither combatant was visibly wounded—let alone bleeding.
Then it hit him. Logan. And his adamantium claws.
Garus quickly dialed a number. "Logan, meet me at my office. I need your help."
With Tony and Fury gone, Garus slipped into a deserted alley and opened a Death Gate—a shimmering portal of dark energy. This time, it didn't lead to his usual villa but to the X-Academy in Westchester.
The Death Gate's markers allowed Garus to set up to three fixed destinations. Aside from his villa, the other two were the underground vault in Azeroth Technologies' headquarters and the headmaster's office at the X-Academy.
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