C15: Duel Hulk
Ow~~
Tearing through the wreckage of a downed S.H.I.E.L.D. Quinjet, Hulk flung its twisted remains aside like paper and raised his head with a thunderous roar, sending shockwaves that rattled the remaining gunships circling above.
"He's taunting us," General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross muttered grimly aboard the lead VTOL aircraft, his square jaw clenched.
Among Hulk's long list of adversaries, none knew him more intimately than Ross, the very man whose pursuit of Bruce Banner had begun in the Nevada desert and spanned incidents from Harlem to Sokovia. Years of relentless tracking had made Ross a reluctant expert in gamma mutation behavior and Banner's transformations.
"Compared to the last data collected during the New Mexico containment breach, Hulk's physical metrics are off the charts," Ross barked, scanning live telemetry from the onboard Stark-Tech interface. "Muscle density has increased. Dermal regeneration is accelerated. And he's developed a vertical leap estimated at over 20 meters. This is beyond the iteration we fought in Harlem."
"Hulk's evolution is accelerating," he growled, tossing a glance at the Stark-labeled display pad handed to him. For a moment, rare apprehension flickered in his weathered eyes. "If we don't contain him soon, he'll surpass anything even Extremis-enhanced operatives can manage."
Yet as he gazed below at the devastation where Hulk stood, surrounded by shattered pavement and wrecked vehicles, Ross couldn't ignore the tactical disadvantage.
The location, downtown Manhattan near Fisk Tower had been strategically chosen by a third party named Li Ran. The density of skyscrapers hindered Hulk's maneuverability, but the same vertical sprawl restricted helicopter formations, preventing air support from launching a coordinated salvo.
"What's the status of the ground units?" Ross barked, turning to his comms officer.
"On route, sir. Armored transport units from the 108th are rerouting due to collapsed overpasses and traffic gridlock. Estimated ETA is three minutes."
"Three minutes?" Ross turned sharply, eyes narrowing at the soldier. "You expect that beast to stand still and wait for us like it's under Kryptonian arrest protocols?"
The soldier glanced at the emerald behemoth below and shook his head. "Negative, sir."
"Then tell those armored cowboys to get their gear in motion. Now."
"Yes, General!"
"Sir—"
"What now?" Ross snapped, his irritation boiling.
"A call from Central Command."
Ross sighed, jaw tightening. Another bureaucratic distraction.
The U.S. military's chain of command fractured between hardline factions like Ross's Gamma Command and moderates tied to S.H.I.E.L.D. oversight had always wavered on how to handle beings like Hulk. As metahuman incidents skyrocketed post-Avengers Initiative, Ross's camp had grown increasingly influential.
"I'm Ross," he snapped, accepting the encrypted satellite call.
"General Ross," a cold voice replied, "do you have any idea how much political hell you and your 'green monster' have just unleashed? The President's liaison is breathing down our necks. You've just turned midtown Manhattan into a no-fly zone."
"The 'green monster,' as you call him, is codenamed Hulk," Ross said curtly, eyes drifting back to the chaos below.
---
Below, Hulk having hurled aside the last Quinjet, turned his primal gaze toward the figure he'd been chasing earlier.
Amidst the rubble, Li Ran stood, not fleeing, not hiding but planted in full view, ragged coat whipping in the wind.
"Hey!" Li Ran cupped his hands like a megaphone and shouted, "Big guy! Over here! You missed a spot!"
In any other context, this might've seemed comical or even heartwarming like a scene out of a bizarre superhero buddy movie. But Li Ran looked like a vagabond pulled from Arkham's alleys, and Hulk, a snarling rage-fueled juggernaut, was anything but endearing.
Still, the contrast made the spectacle impossible to ignore.
On the aircraft, Ross caught a glimpse of the scene through HUD-linked drones and immediately cut off the line. "I'll explain it all in person," he said tersely before dropping the comm.
Li Ran's antics had worked.
Hulk paused, nostrils flaring, processing the unexpected challenge. Primitive as his cognition was in this form, he understood when someone wanted to throw down.
And someone wanted to throw down.
A warcry tore from Hulk's throat as he dropped to all fours like an enraged animal, smashing concrete beneath him, then charged.
Here he comes.
Li Ran turned on his heel, revealing a red fire hydrant directly behind him. Crouching low, he summoned the full strength of his Vajra Legs, one of the unique abilities bestowed by the mystical Prayer Order System that had bonded with him since his soul transmigration into this universe.
CLANK—
With a sound like adamantium striking steel, his heel crushed the fire hydrant's cap, and a pressurized jet of water hissed out in a tight arc.
The hydrant groaned under the pressure, bending further as Li Ran pressed down harder. Thin cracks spidered along its body as water streamed faster just as Hulk came thundering toward him.
Closer… closer…
The ground shook violently under Hulk's bare feet, and Li Ran's adrenaline spiked. He couldn't tell if the wetness on his face was sweat or mist from the spraying hydrant.
"RAAAAAARGH!"
With a fury only gamma radiation could birth, Hulk launched himself into the air, arcing forward in a leap that could shatter tanks.
BOOM—
Just as Hulk reached the apex of his jump, Li Ran delivered one final blow with his reinforced Vajra-enhanced leg and the hydrant burst. A geyser of high-pressure water erupted straight into Hulk's chest like a cannon shot.
While the water was no vibranium weapon, its force was enough to halt Hulk's trajectory mid-leap. Staggered by the blast, Hulk lost momentum, crashing onto his side and skidding across the pavement.
And then true to his single-minded nature—Hulk's rage redirected.
Instead of continuing after Li Ran, he roared at the hydrant itself, confused and infuriated, and lunged straight into the torrent.
Perfect.
Li Ran watched as Hulk fought the water like a wild animal, muscles flexing, tearing concrete in chunks, ignoring him completely.
No genius intellect. No strategic awareness. Just rage.
Without hesitation, Li Ran adjusted his stance and using the enhanced momentum from his Vajra legs, he shot forward, and with a spinning heel, launched a ferocious kick aimed squarely at Hulk's exposed side.
---