"Well, at least you didn't say you'd kill me—just that you'd knock me out. Fine, let's see if you can do that," Robert said with a satisfied nod, watching Hulk charge toward him. Though Hulk was in a rage, it was clear he hadn't completely lost control and could still distinguish friend from foe.
With a loud bang, Hulk's massive, flame-wreathed fist connected with Robert, creating an explosion of fire that lit up the surrounding space as if a planet had exploded. But this was only the beginning, as waves of fiery bursts spread through the cosmos, resembling a series of planetary explosions igniting the starry void like fireworks.
"Is this really okay? Aren't they on the same side?" members of the Green Lantern Corps murmured, bewildered by the scene. The battle between Robert and Hulk was making even more of an impact than Hulk's recent fight with Parallax. The Green Lanterns couldn't comprehend how the Avengers could remain so calm watching two teammates clash so violently.
"It's fine. Just a small sparring match," Kara responded coolly, unfazed by the scene.
In Kara's mind, there was no need to worry about Robert. As Robert had once explained to her, Hulk's rage wouldn't affect him much, and even if it did, the one who should worry wouldn't be anyone else—it would be Hulk himself.
"I thought I was the strongest with fire, but it looks like I'm only third best now," Johnny Storm sighed, watching the battle unfold.
Robert, who was now unleashing his own fire powers, matched Hulk's flames with a fury that set off a chain of explosions in the nearly empty space. Though in a vacuum, the supernatural flames—beyond the constraints of physical law—continued to burn and explode intensely.
After a while, a massive flash filled the cosmic expanse, forcing the Green Lantern Corps and many Avengers to avert their gaze. As the light dimmed, Kara could see Robert still standing in the same spot, while Hulk's figure had vanished, and the blazing inferno had died down.
"Where's Hulk?" the Avengers asked in confusion, noticing only Robert remained in the scene.
"He's been knocked far off. Looks like Hulk tapped into a bit of Saiyan-like fire, but that punch from Robert exceeded what Hulk could handle," Kara explained, having observed the entire fight. Hulk, now clear-headed, floated in space, his fury extinguished, his eyes filled with an innocent, if somewhat bewildered, expression.
"Not bad," Robert said as he appeared beside Hulk, speaking directly to his mind. "This anger energy of yours doesn't make you lose control, and it doesn't suppress your natural ability to get stronger as you grow angrier. As long as you're not up against an overwhelming force, you're ready for higher-level battles."
"Enemies above demi-father god level are rare, but that doesn't change the fact that you're now Earth's second-strongest. Don't tell me you have a problem with that title?" Robert asked, amused.
"No, Hulk isn't angry anymore!" Hulk replied, snapping out of it and shaking his head. But then a thought struck him, and he asked, "Does this mean Hulk is stronger than Superman?"
"So, you're still not satisfied, huh? You wanted to hit me, and now you're thinking of challenging Superman too?" Robert squinted at Hulk, amused by his ambition.
"No, Hulk was just wondering why he's only second..." Hulk mumbled, counting on his fingers. He thought he should be ranked third, after all. But if Robert said he was second, then it had to be right.
"He's not on Earth right now. When he returns, you'll be third," Robert said with a smirk. "Of course, you're free to challenge him when he gets back to secure your place."
"Hold on to second place?" Hulk's eyes gleamed with newfound resolve. Even though his new power couldn't match Robert's, it didn't mean he hadn't improved at all. Otherwise, what was the point of gaining new strength?
Hulk's thoughts had evolved since his inception, thanks to his time with the Avengers. His mental age was maturing, albeit at a faster rate than normal—after all, he was no ordinary being. Given enough time, Hulk's intelligence could even surpass that of average humans, potentially growing into something extraordinary.
As for the shadows of fear Hulk carried from his early days—Robert and Superman—he yearned to conquer them. Defeating Robert was a daunting goal, but Superman seemed more achievable. Hulk believed that Superman's powers were fairly common, as several Avengers had similar abilities, while Robert's powers were unique. Thus, he was determined to reclaim his title as the second-strongest when Superman returned.
Watching Hulk's barely concealed eagerness and excitement, Robert smirked. When Clark returned, he'd surely face a grand "welcome" from Hulk—if not become a convenient outlet for Hulk's pent-up frustration.
Shortly afterward, Robert and Hulk returned to Oa, where the Green Lantern Corps eyed them with a mix of respect and trepidation. After all, both of them possessed the power to destroy Oa and the Green Lantern Corps with ease. Knowing this, the Green Lanterns struggled to remain calm, though they were somewhat reassured that both were allies. Even with Hulk's intense aura, his energy now seemed stable.
The Avengers didn't linger on Oa, except for Hal Jordan, the first Green Lantern from Earth, who stayed behind to strengthen ties with the Corps. The rest contacted Kamar-Taj to open a portal back to Earth. It turned out that Oa had its own wormhole system that allowed quick travel to Earth, proving that their prior lack of assistance was not due to time constraints but rather a deliberate choice to prioritize Oa's safety over Earth's.
With the death of Sinestro—who had advocated sacrificing Earth to gain time against Parallax—the animosity between the Avengers and the Green Lantern Corps was somewhat alleviated. However, as the Avengers were leaving, a few yellow rings forged from fear energy shot out of a forbidden palace on Oa, infused with the power of fear. Like the Green Lantern rings, they were now searching for new bearers who could truly harness fear.
"So, there's a new member in the Avengers? We've only been gone a few days!" Tony Stark exclaimed, surprised when Reed Richards briefed him on the latest addition.
"Yes, though he gained divine powers, his abilities resemble Superman's in many ways. In a sense, calling Superman the 'God of Earth' isn't too far off," Reed said, pulling up Frank's profile.
"Though, unlike some other Superman-types, Frank doesn't have heat vision. Instead, he channels energy like lightning, which actually mirrors a certain superhero's spouse…" Reed added slyly.
"Hey, that's uncalled for!" protested Hancock, feeling a bit defensive. His performance in the space battle had been underwhelming, but it was hardly his fault. Fate, it seemed, had cast him in his wife Mary's shadow. Her thunderstorm powers far surpassed his own abilities, easily enough to defeat two of him.
Hancock now found himself awkwardly positioned within the Avengers' ranks, which were increasingly filled with superhuman figures. With Frank joining, he felt even more overshadowed. In a way, Hancock was like the most "low-cost" version of Superman.
Hancock's abilities were straightforward—flight, strength, and high defense—a classic Superman template but without any energy projection abilities. In a sense, Hancock resembled a flying Hulk more than a fully equipped Superman.
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