Chapter 12: Perfect Timing
With a thunderous boom, the massive iron door thrown by the Hulk slammed into a transport vehicle carrying one of the sonic cannons.
The entire vehicle was crushed into the ground in an instant.
A moment later, it exploded.
A huge fireball erupted, forcing the stunned onlookers to instinctively close their eyes.
With one of the sonic cannons destroyed, the pressure on the Hulk dropped immediately.
The remaining cannon alone could no longer restrain him.
A massive shadow descended—
And the Hulk stomped down, crushing the second sonic cannon beneath his foot.
Watching this scene unfold, Lance Ryder nodded slightly.
The technological power of the U.S. military—and humanity as a whole—was impressive.
But these high-tech weapons also had clear weaknesses.
Ultimately, their effectiveness was limited by the materials they were made from.
Earth's technology could only go so far.
Unless someone could somehow seize Wakanda, acquire all of its vibranium, and use it to construct weapons—
Only then might humanity truly dominate the planet.
But even then, it would only dominate Earth.
In the vast universe, there were weapons capable of destroying entire planets in a single strike.
If humanity itself were wiped out, any remaining technology would become meaningless.
Still, the idea lingered in Lance's mind.
Seizing Wakanda's vibranium and forging both technological and magical weapons from it…
That might not be a bad long-term path.
He quietly stored the thought away.
For now, however, his attention remained focused on the battlefield.
On General Ross.
And the military forces surrounding the Hulk.
As the Hulk grew angrier—and stronger—
Lance suspected it would soon be his turn to act.
General Ross reacted instantly.
Despite the sudden destruction of his plan, his voice remained calm and decisive.
"Attack helicopters! Move in immediately!"
"Everyone else—retreat! Fall back!"
Ross understood that capturing the Hulk today had become nearly impossible.
Every specialized measure he had prepared had already failed.
If he wanted to stop the Hulk now, there were only two choices.
He could order tanks to fire recklessly across the university campus—
Or he could force the Hulk away from the city.
Toward a more controlled battlefield.
Somewhere open.
Somewhere where heavier weapons could be used.
Or—
He could swallow his pride and ask Tony Stark for help.
Ross was not a fool.
He knew that if he unleashed tanks across Empire State University, the damage would be catastrophic.
This was Manhattan.
Even if he managed to defeat the Hulk afterward, politicians would blame him for everything.
And the right to control the Hulk afterward would be taken from him.
The attack helicopters were the strongest weapons he could deploy openly.
The tanks and armored vehicles on the ground were mostly light units.
Their real value was intimidation, not firepower.
Ross had to admit something to himself.
Today's operation had nearly failed.
If he wanted to capture the Hulk in the future, he would need stronger weapons.
And that meant further cooperation with Stark Industries.
Beside him, Betty Ross heard the retreat order and finally breathed out in relief.
At the center of the battlefield, the Hulk stood roaring in fury.
But he had not launched another attack.
For a moment, the situation seemed to stabilize.
Then—
A figure suddenly rushed forward.
It was Emil Blonsky.
Dagger in hand, he charged straight toward the Hulk.
Blonsky had heard Ross's retreat order.
But he refused to accept it.
He had gained tremendous power through enhancement.
How could he simply walk away after facing the Hulk?
He stopped just a few steps away from the towering creature.
For a moment, he hesitated.
Then he looked up at the Hulk's massive form.
The monster had calmed slightly after venting its rage.
Blonsky's lips curled into a mocking smile.
"So that's it?" he sneered.
"Is that all you've got?"
"Blonsky, retreat. Now."
General Ross's voice came sharply through the communicator.
Blonsky's actions had completely violated his orders.
But Ross could do little about it.
Although Blonsky wore a U.S. military uniform, he technically served under NATO command.
He was a British soldier.
Ross had authority to deploy him in the operation—
But not to discipline him directly.
And it was obvious that Blonsky had no intention of obeying.
He ripped the earpiece from his ear.
His body looked relaxed.
But every muscle was tense and ready.
He stared at the Hulk with a taunting grin.
"What? Is that really all you can do?"
A flash of fury ignited in the Hulk's eyes.
The next second—
His leg shot forward like lightning.
Before anyone could react—
Blonsky was launched through the air.
He flew nearly sixty meters before crashing to the ground.
His body collapsed like a broken doll.
Even from a distance, Lance could tell.
Every bone in Blonsky's body had been shattered by that single kick.
The Hulk's rage surged once again.
Recognizing the danger immediately, General Ross shouted new orders.
"Everyone retreat! Retreat immediately!"
After fighting the Hulk so many times, Ross knew the best way to calm him.
Remove all threats from his sight.
If no one attacked him, the Hulk might eventually calm down.
But not everyone understood that.
And not everyone followed Ross's orders.
Including his own daughter.
As the soldiers pulled back, Betty Ross walked forward.
Step by step.
Toward the Hulk.
Vehicles blocked Ross's view.
He didn't immediately notice what she was doing.
Instead, he turned to the approaching attack helicopter and barked another order.
"Open fire!"
"Damn it, fire now!"
The Hulk standing idle was still a massive threat.
If they couldn't capture him, driving him toward the Hudson River was still an acceptable outcome.
But by the time Ross realized what was happening—
It was too late.
The helicopter had already begun firing.
Bullets rained down from the sky.
The ground erupted with explosions of dirt and debris.
Betty Ross froze in panic.
She had approached the Hulk hoping to reach Bruce Banner inside him.
But the sudden barrage terrified her.
She stumbled—
And fell to the ground.
Seeing her fall, the Hulk reacted instantly.
He lunged forward.
His instinct was clear.
Protect her.
But just as he moved—
An invisible barrier suddenly appeared in front of him.
At the same moment, a figure materialized beside Betty.
He grabbed her and pulled her into his arms.
Then he leapt backward through the storm of bullets.
It was Lance Ryder.
"Stop shooting!"
General Ross had just begun shouting the order when he saw something unbelievable.
The bullets striking Lance's back seemed to hit an invisible wall.
Every round was deflected.
None of them harmed him.
Before anyone could react—
The Hulk roared again.
With another explosive motion, he hurled the remaining iron door in his hand.
The massive slab spun through the air—
And smashed directly into the attack helicopter.
The helicopter exploded instantly.
A blazing fireball fell from the sky.
And it was falling—
Straight toward Lance Ryder and Betty Ross.
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