"What... what did you do? Why did the Hulk vanish like that?"

Dr. Bruce Banner slowly regained consciousness, dazed and disoriented, only to realize what had transpired. His eyes scanned the ruins, then settled on the man in front of him. His heart sank in disbelief.

The Hulk had retreated.

Not out of exhaustion. Not by force. But seemingly out of fear.

Banner stared at the young man who stood calmly amid the destruction—composed, quiet, and far too ordinary-looking to have driven the Hulk into hiding.

The realization struck him like thunder: this man had beaten the Hulk into submission.

"Dr. Banner, you're awake," said Kurogai, a tinge of regret in his voice. "Looks like the Hulk really went dormant."

He had been hoping for more. But now that Banner had reemerged, it meant Hulk had sealed himself away.

Banner was speechless for a long moment, still trying to comprehend what had just occurred.

"Who are you? What did you do to him? Why would the Hulk... be afraid of you?"

His voice was urgent now, not angry. Desperate, even. Banner had spent years trying to find a way to control the Hulk. He'd looked for suppressants, anchors, solutions. But nothing ever worked.

Now here was someone who had managed to do what science, sedatives, and SHIELD containment protocols never could.

Kurogai didn't answer. Not because he was hiding anything, but because the answer was simple—too simple to make sense.

He had overwhelmed the Hulk with raw speed.

Before Banner could ask more, gunfire suddenly rang out—metal tearing against metal. A shredded car sparked near them as bullets clanged against its frame.

"This is the Canadian Armed Forces! You there—stand down and surrender your weapons immediately!"

A military chopper hovered in the distance, its mounted gun spinning from the recent warning burst. Its sights were trained on Kurogai and Banner.

The aftermath of the battle had attracted attention fast. Townsfolk had fled and made emergency calls. The destruction of half the town left no question that something catastrophic had taken place—and the government was responding accordingly.

Dozens of police vehicles had already been dispatched. Now helicopters circled the sky, keeping the two suspects in their crosshairs.

"We've got to go!" Banner said sharply, tugging at Kurogai's arm. He knew how this played out. Wherever Hulk went, soldiers followed, and things got worse.

But before Banner could pull him away, Kurogai was already acting.

A wave of ethereal light pulsed in his hand as intricate magic circles spun into existence. The air warped around them, and a vortex of wind formed almost instantly.

The whirlwind shot forward, striking the military helicopter with pinpoint precision. The craft trembled, spinning wildly in the air before being gently forced down into a controlled landing nearby.

Not a crash. Not a destruction.

A controlled takedown.

Kurogai's eyes narrowed.

"My magic condensation… it's faster now," he murmured to himself.

It was a revelation. Thanks to the speed boost from [First Bullet], his casting had improved dramatically. Even natural elemental magic—which usually required build-up—now flowed instantly through his hands.

He had rarely used natural magic in combat for that very reason. But now, he could harness wind, flame, or earth like a trained sorcerer mid-fight. It was a breakthrough—and it thrilled him.

"You… what did you just do to that helicopter?!" Banner gasped, his scientific mind trying and failing to explain what he'd witnessed.

But Kurogai didn't stop to explain. He turned to Banner with calm resolve.

"If you want to get out of here safely, come with me."

As he spoke, a glowing portal began forming in front of them. A golden ring of light shimmered with magical energy—one not unlike those conjured by Masters of the Mystic Arts.

Kurogai had already made his decision. He couldn't let Banner walk away—not yet. Not after discovering that the Hulk could enhance the power of his Fifth Eye Ring.

He had to push that power to its peak.

"Wait, you're taking me with you?" Banner asked, hesitant. "Why?"

"Let's just say… you're important for an experiment."

"You mean… I'm the experiment?"

Kurogai only offered a faint smile.

Banner hesitated. He had spent years running from governments, organizations, and people trying to contain or control the Hulk. And yet, something about Kurogai's calm demeanor didn't feel threatening.

This man wasn't trying to suppress him. He was trying to understand him.

And for Banner, that was a welcome change.

"Alright," he said quietly. "I'll go."

They stepped through the portal together. In a shimmer of golden light, they vanished.

The next moment, they emerged in an isolated desert. Red sand stretched endlessly across the horizon, untouched and silent.

Kurogai had chosen the location carefully. He couldn't risk bringing Banner—or worse, the Hulk—back to his main lab. If Hulk emerged mid-transit, the spaceship would be torn apart.

"That tornado back there, that portal… and whatever you did to make the Hulk retreat. What is all this?" Banner asked, overwhelmed with questions.

"We've got time," Kurogai replied with a soft laugh. "You're probably exhausted after what happened. Take a breather. I'll have questions of my own soon."

Kurogai's plan was simple. Continue fighting the Hulk—on his terms, in his terrain. Let the Fifth Eye Ring evolve with every clash. Use the Hulk not as a threat, but as a training partner.

A green, furious, nearly indestructible training partner.

Banner sighed, still confused but too tired to argue.

Meanwhile, back in the devastated town…

One person had been left behind.

Wade Wilson—Deadpool—still lay tied up, groaning dramatically under his breath.

He flailed on the ground, finally managing to raise a single hand and flip the bird at the sky.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! YOU LEFT ME HERE?!"

His words, of course, were muffled through the gag still bound across his mouth.

But he would be fine. Eventually. Probably.

---

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