Homelander puffed out his chest proudly. "Looks like my luck's pretty good. Natasha, Erik—just wait. I'll surpass you both soon enough!"
No one bothered responding to him, though both Natasha and Erik grew more alert.
Judging from the scoreboard, Homelander truly was a serious contender. He had stumbled badly early on, but had been catching up steadily ever since. If he managed to win the buzzer a few more times, a comeback wasn't impossible.
With the question resolved, the light screen resumed the future footage.
The Banner father and son were locked in a brutal, relentless battle—fighting from the sky to the ground, then from land into the water.
There was no denying it: David Banner's power was terrifying. He could absorb and assimilate virtually any substance—turning into a stone giant when encountering rock, or a massive water entity when submerged. Using softness to overcome strength, he bound the Hulk tightly at the bottom of the water.
Outside the screen, Homelander sneered. "Bruce, your father really doesn't hold back. I'm curious—how exactly is he going to kill himself?"
Erik Lehnsherr glanced at him and said thoughtfully, "David covets Bruce's power and wants to absorb it. My guess is… he won't be able to withstand the sheer amount of energy inside Bruce and will end up bursting apart."
As they spoke, the video showed David Banner restraining the Hulk and beginning to absorb his energy.
"If you want it—then take it! Take it all!" the Hulk roared.
He stopped resisting entirely. From the very start of their battle, David had been draining the Hulk's energy nonstop, and the Hulk was powerless to stop it. Instead of fighting back, he chose to give everything willingly.
Father and son held completely different views.
David Banner was obsessed with power, abandoning even his role as a father in pursuit of it.
Bruce Banner, on the other hand, saw that power as a curse. He would rather return to being an ordinary, unremarkable scientist.
In the footage, David Banner transformed into a massive sphere of water, enveloping the Hulk within it like an alchemist refining a pill, continuously siphoning off his energy.
At this moment, the military also intervened. General Ross ordered the launch of a gamma missile.
Fighter jets flew overhead and dropped the weapon directly onto the battlefield where the father and son were fighting.
"Do they never do their homework?" Tony Stark couldn't help complaining. "Gamma radiation is deadly to normal people—but for Bruce and David, it's not just useless, it actually makes them stronger!"
Erik Lehnsherr sneered. "The authorities are always this arrogant—convinced they can control everything. And every time, they end up making things worse."
He was reminded of Wolverine's past. The military had wanted to create a living weapon, only to hand over precious adamantium and gain nothing in return.
On the screen, a blinding green flash erupted. The water sphere vanished. David Banner was completely obliterated, while the Hulk reverted to Bruce Banner, slowly sinking into the lake below.
One year later, Bruce Banner appeared deep in the South American rainforest, entangled in yet another new set of troubles. The footage ended there.
In the Eternal Space, Bruce Banner let out a long sigh. "For me… this ending isn't all that bad, is it?"
Natasha smiled faintly. "You know, if I existed in your world—if there were Avengers—then after wandering for a while, you'd eventually join our family."
Bruce Banner shrugged. "Clearly, my world doesn't have you."
Tony Stark laughed. "Don't worry, Bruce. The Multiverse Defenders will help you. That promise still stands."
Erik Lehnsherr raised an eyebrow. "So Bruce's future footage is over. Does that mean it's my turn next?"
"Of course, Erik—it's your turn," Tony Stark said with a grin, sizing him up. "You've enjoyed watching long enough. Now it's our turn to watch you."
Natasha asked, "Tony, does that mean this quiz game is almost over?"
Hearing that, Homelander quietly perked up his ears.
Tony shrugged. "Yes. Based on previous games, we're nearing the end. There aren't many questions left. So, Natasha—even though you're currently in first place, every remaining question is critical. Think carefully before answering."
The scoreboard appeared on the screen. Natasha Romanoff still held first place, followed by Magneto and Homelander. Iron Man was only in third, and mounting a comeback with the remaining questions would be difficult.
Tony Stark pinned his hopes on Natasha. If Homelander ended up taking first place, things could get very troublesome.
Meanwhile, Homelander stood with his hands on his hips, burning with ambition.
'Just a few more buzzer wins,' he thought, 'and I can take first place. And then those bastards will all pay.'
The scoreboard vanished, and a new question appeared:
[Who among the following was the first mutant on Earth?]
[A: En Sabah Nur
B: Sebastian Shaw
C: The Ancient One
D: Odin, All-Father of the Gods]
"Whoa!" Tony Stark exclaimed. "The Ancient One and Odin are mutants too?"
He knew that was unlikely, which meant the correct answer was probably between A and B—though he couldn't rule out surprises.
Erik Lehnsherr frowned. "The earliest mutant in human history? Option A sounds like an Egyptian name. Ancient Egypt does go back very far."
Natasha Romanoff glanced at Tony Stark and said thoughtfully, "The Ancient One lived for centuries, and Odin is a mythological god. If either of them were mutants, I'd lean toward D."
She had caught Tony's subtle cue and began quietly playing along.
Soon, the countdown began. No one felt confident about this question, and they exchanged looks without rushing to the buzzer.
As the timer neared zero, everyone finally pressed the button.
This time, Natasha Romanoff won the right to answer. She stared at the four options, hesitated, then clenched her teeth and chose A.
Tony Stark chose A as well.
Erik Lehnsherr followed suit.
Bruce Banner, knowing nothing about mutants, simply went with the flow.
As for Homelander, he predictably copied them—and couldn't resist mocking them at the same time:
"You all see this, right? Every time Tony Stark and Natasha answer, they're trying to mislead the rest of us!"
..
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