[Third Person POV]
"My money's on red!" Peter shouted as he waved a crisp fifty-dollar bill in the air. His grin stretched ear to ear, eyes glimmering with the anticipation.
"Sorry, bro, I gotta go with the home colors. My money is, of course, on green," Harry countered, holding up a couple of crumpled twenties he had pulled out of his back pocket. He flashed Peter a cocky smirk, as if the outcome were already obvious to him.
"Color has nothing to do with this!" Felicia interjected sharply, flipping her hair over her shoulder as she stepped closer. She crossed her arms, her eyes glued to the fighters ahead. "Red clearly has the edge. She's trained, she's disciplined—Green doesn't have that kind of experience. Statistically, Red is the one with the upper hand, so of course my money's on her." With a dramatic flourish, she pulled out a thick roll of cash. "I'm putting my entire week's allowance on you, Red. Don't let me down!"
MJ smirked as she slid into the conversation, her arms folded with relaxed confidence. "I just love the underdog in any scenario. Since you're all doubting Green, my money's on her." She fished out her folded paycheck from her jacket and waved it in the air. "Green, my entire salary rests on you. Don't fail me—I believe in you."
The four of them had their attention locked on the spectacle ahead. Inside the expansive VR space, Betty and Jennifer towered in their She-Hulk forms, every movement shaking the simulated ground beneath them. Their fists clashed like thunder, each strike accompanied by violent shockwaves that rippled through the air.
"Would you all… SHUT IT!!" Jennifer bellowed, her rage echoing like a cannon blast. She took a thunderous stride forward, her massive green frame coiling with strength before unleashing a devastating punch across Betty's face. The blow cracked like a gunshot, sending Betty skidding backward, her head snapping to the side as her feet carved trenches into the arena floor.
A spray of yellow blood burst from Betty's mouth, sizzling as it hit the ground. The molten liquid hissed violently, the floor beneath it bubbling and melting as if acid had been poured across stone.
Betty caught herself just before collapsing completely, dropping to one knee with her fist planted firmly against the scorched ground. Her breathing was heavy, but her spirit burned hotter than ever.
"You okay?" Bruce called from the sidelines, his voice tight with concern as he watched the two titans tear into each other.
Betty let out a low laugh. She flipped her hair back with deliberate flair before flashing a savage grin. Her eyes gleamed with madness as she dragged her tongue across the corner of her lip, licking away the sizzling blood like it was nectar. The sight was both terrifying and seductive. "My blood is boiling… This is addicting."
Jennifer hissed in pain as she recoiled slightly, staring at her own hand. Betty's acidic blood had seeped through the padding of her fingerless gloves, burning the flesh beneath. Her knuckles were raw and blistering, skin peeling red with the fresh sting of the burn.
"Arghhh!" Jennifer snarled, shaking her hand before forcing herself through the pain. Sweat clung to her face, dripping down her brow and into the shallow cuts scattered across her cheeks. Green blood mingled with the sweat, staining her skin with battle scars that only fueled her fury.
Betty didn't waste a second. With a predator's grin stretched across her face, she launched herself forward, crouched low. Her fists shot out in rapid succession, every strike like the crack of a rifle, slamming into Jen's ribs and stomach with merciless precision. Each impact forced guttural groans from Jen's chest, though instead of slowing her down, the punishment only stoked her rage further.
"AHHHHHHHH!!" Jennifer roared, her face twisting with primal fury as she swung back with terrifying force. Her punch smashed into Betty's jaw, snapping her head to the side. Before Betty could recover, Jen leapt into the air and unleashed a devastating dropkick, her legs slamming into Betty's chest like a wrecking ball. The impact sent Betty hurtling across the arena, her massive frame disappearing into the digital distance with a thunderous crash.
The earth shook as Betty's feet finally dug into the ground, halting her momentum after tearing up yards of terrain. Her fists clenched tightly, muscles trembling as she forced herself upright. She leaned forward, lips peeled back in a savage grin, then burst into a sprint that made the ground quake beneath her.
With a thunderous roar, Betty tackled Jennifer head-on, wrapping her arms around her thighs, hoisting her clean off the ground, and slamming her into the earth so hard the entire arena rattled. Dust and debris exploded around them like a bomb. Betty straddled Jen's waist, raising her fists high before unleashing a relentless barrage of brutal strikes across her face, each one echoing.
But Jennifer's fury was endless. Snarling through the pain, she summoned her beastly strength and twisted her body, reversing their positions with explosive force. She pinned Betty beneath her and began raining down savage punches of her own, ignoring the way Betty's acidic blood seared her skin with every hit. Her fists kept coming, fueled by blind determination.
Finally, Jen rose to her feet, her chest heaving with ragged breaths. She towered over Betty, her eyes blazing as she lifted one massive foot. With a roar that shook the arena, she brought it crashing down toward Betty's stomach, stomping with enough force to crack the very earth beneath them—as if she were trying to squash an insect beneath her heel.
Betty snarled, her muscles flexing like coiled steel as she caught Jen's leg mid-stomp. Without hesitation, she twisted her body and wrapped her own legs tightly around Jen's, locking them together in a crushing hold. The pressure was immediate and vicious—Betty dragged Jennifer off balance and slammed her down to the ground with a bone-jarring thud, keeping her in place as she wrenched the joint with expert precision. Jen roared in defiance, pounding her fists into the ground as Betty tightened the submission hold, the veins in her arms bulging as she tried to force her cousin into tapping out.
On the sidelines, Bruce and Gwen both shared the same look—equal parts irritation and disbelief—as they turned toward Peter and the others. To them, the group didn't look like concerned allies or scientific observers. No, they looked like overexcited fans at a cage fight, cheering on bloodsport.
"What the hell are you guys doing?" Gwen asked, her eye twitching as she caught sight of Peter holding up his hand like a bookie at a racetrack.
"What does it look like we're doing?" Peter replied casually, leaning back and flashing a thumbs up. "We're betting to see who wins. Don't worry, Bruce—my money's on Betty."
Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose, his irritation seeping into every word. "This isn't some kind of sport. We're conducting extensive research."
"I don't know," Felicia said slyly, leaning forward with a glint of amusement in her eyes as she watched Betty tighten the leg lock. "Doesn't really look like research to me."
Gwen, still trying to keep her patience, stepped in with an explanation, her voice calm but edged. "We're analyzing how their spike in adrenaline affects both their physiology and their mental states. From the looks of things so far? Betty's becoming bloodlusted—battle-hungry, even. Jennifer, on the other hand, gets more enraged and loses control the longer she fights."
MJ perked up at that, her interest immediately piqued. She leaned forward, eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Okay, now that's interesting. What else have you been able to find?"
Bruce, still watching the fight intently, gave a slow nod before speaking. "From what I've gathered, Jen is very similar to me. She isn't at Hulk's level yet, but the potential is there. She's enhanced in every measurable aspect—strength, speed, durability—and her instincts in combat are improving rapidly. Right now, she's maxing out around fifty tons, but with training and experience? That number could climb much higher."
"Betty, though…" Gwen picked up the explanation smoothly, her gaze never leaving the brawl. "She's another story entirely. She's been enhanced to Hulk-like levels, yes—strength, regeneration, durability, the standard package—but with something extra layered on top. Betty appears capable of absorbing energy into her body and then discharging it back. We still don't know the full range of energy types she can take in—whether it's kinetic, thermal, electrical—but the potential is… dangerous."
Bruce added, almost absently, "There's also the matter of her blood. It's corrosive. From what we've seen, it eats through almost anything it touches. Fortunately, it doesn't seem to hurt her, but that just makes her even more dangerous to anyone else." His tone was clinical, but his eyes followed every movement with sharp intensity.
Peter leaned in closer, his mask hiding his grin but not his tone. "So based on all that you know… who do you hypothesize wins this round?"
Bruce turned his head slowly, his expression flat, eyes twitching slightly at the sheer absurdity of the question.
Peter smirked beneath his mask and went full devil's advocate, whispering temptingly into Bruce's ear. "Come on. You could place a bet and actually win something. We're already doing it—look."
With a snap of his fingers, a holographic betting board materialized in the air beside him, names, odds, and wager amounts glowing in neon-like letters. Each person's choice was proudly displayed alongside their contribution.
"Just imagine it, Bruce," Peter said in a low, tempting voice, curling his words like smoke. "All the money you could win… All the date nights you could afford… Think about how much easier it would be to take Betty somewhere nice."
Gwen glared at him in clear disapproval. "Stop trying to corrupt him. He isn't like you. Bruce isn't going to gamble—"
"Two hundred on Betty winning," Bruce said suddenly, his voice sharp and decisive.
"BRUCE?!" Both Jennifer—locked in combat—and Gwen shouted his name at the same time, outrage and disbelief crashing together in perfect unison.
"What?" Bruce said, his tone utterly deadpan, as though his decision were the most logical conclusion in the world. "Do you guys have any idea how expensive date nights are? I've got a lot of making up to do. The money would really help."
Gwen groaned, dropping her head into her hands, her shoulders sagging with exasperation. "Unbelievable…" She sighed, rubbing her temple before finally lifting her gaze to the others, who were all smiling at her expectantly, silently inviting her to join their ridiculous little wager.
She held their stare for a long, painful moment, then muttered through clenched teeth, "Fine. A hundred on it being a tie."
Peter's head snapped up with wide, impressed eyes. "What a bold move. I like it." He wagged his finger at her approvingly, the holographic board updating instantly. A new column appeared labeled DRAW, and beneath it appeared Gwen's Ghost-Spider mask logo with "$100" glowing proudly.
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