Chapter 70.
Just then, Tony and the others noticed that Felix had reappeared. Before they could react, they were shocked to find the ground beneath their feet shifting—moving them steadily closer to where Felix was standing.
However, none of them panicked. Having already witnessed Felix change an entire town's landscape with just a wave of his hand, they quickly realized this was his doing. They simply steadied themselves, trying not to lose balance as the ground slid forward like a conveyor belt.
"Felix, what's the situation now? Has that Hulk reverted back?" Tony was the first to speak as they came to a stop just a few meters behind him.
"Hmm. Hulk has reverted back to Dr. Banner. Now's a good time to talk to him about joining the Justice League. The sooner we settle this, the sooner we can leave," Felix replied calmly without even turning around.
"Huh… so this guy lying on the ground, looking like a homeless beggar, is actually Bruce Banner?" Tony and the others walked up beside Felix and looked down at the figure lying motionless in front of them. Banner's clothes were shredded, leaving only a few scraps barely covering him. The sight drew a mix of sympathy and awkward amusement from the group.
"Ugh… that hurts! Wha—what's going on?" Just then, Bruce Banner began to stir. Disoriented and aching, he groaned as he tried to sit up. As he pushed himself off the ground, sharp pain shot through his body—especially his back, which burned like it had been dragged through fire.
He winced and cried out.
Banner had transformed into the Hulk many times before—usually while under heavy military fire. Tank shells, missiles, and machine guns had all been thrown his way, but none of it had ever left lingering pain after he reverted. He would always return to his human form unscathed.
But today was different. For the first time, Banner still felt pain after the transformation wore off. Every muscle ached. His skin throbbed with heat. It was as if his own body had betrayed him.
Groaning, Banner forced himself to his feet, blinking at the group of people standing in front of him. His gaze was filled with confusion, suspicion—and a touch of fear.
"Hey, don't look at me," Tony said quickly, raising his hands and stepping back. "It wasn't me. They did it. Take it up with them." He pointed at Felix and Thor, who had just walked over.
Though Hulk's consciousness had been in control, Banner still retained faint impressions of what had happened while he was transformed. His memories were hazy, but he remembered enough to know that the one who'd defeated him… was this unassuming man in front of him.
Banner was shocked.
He had become Hulk—an unstoppable force of destruction—and still, he had been completely overpowered by someone. Beaten down. Not only that, but someone else—this guy with the hammer—had also fought Hulk to a draw.
Banner was stunned. Where did these abnormal people come from?
Yet, mixed in with his awe was a flicker of hope.
He recalled the reason these people had come to find him. They wanted him to join a team—a group dedicated to protecting the world from harm. They'd called it the Justice League.
Back then, Banner had scoffed at the idea. He didn't believe a small group of heroes could really defend the entire planet.
But now? Now he wasn't so sure.
Two of them were stronger than Hulk. One was the famous Iron Man—genius, billionaire, and a global icon. And apparently, their leader was Captain America, a legendary figure from World War II.
Maybe… maybe joining them wouldn't be such a bad idea after all.
At the very least, if he ever lost control again and transformed into the Hulk, these people might be strong enough to stop him—before he hurt someone innocent.
That was what Banner feared most. He didn't hate the Hulk just because it changed his life. He hated it because, deep down, he was still Bruce Banner—the kind-hearted scientist who never wanted to harm anyone.
Because of the chaos and destruction Hulk could unleash, Banner had been living in isolation—hiding in remote places far from civilization. He focused all his energy on controlling his emotions, constantly meditating and training himself to avoid anger. He feared nothing more than losing control and having Hulk take over his body again.
"Haha! How about now? I bet I could beat you this time!" Thor's booming voice reached them before he did.
"I was holding back earlier, you know. I didn't even use my weapons. If I had, just one move would've been enough to knock you out!"
He came striding toward the group, proudly wielding both his axe and his hammer. Clearly, he was still fired up from the earlier clash.
"Oh, give it a rest, Thor. Wasn't it you who got blown away by the shockwave?"
Tony smirked, not missing a chance to jab at Thor.
"Hmph. That only happened because someone deliberately set me up…" Thor grunted in frustration, throwing a subtle side glance at Felix. He didn't name names, but it was obvious to everyone who he meant.
Felix gave a light cough and clapped his hands to shift the conversation.
"Alright, enough banter. Let's get back to the point."
He turned to face Banner with a calm but serious expression.
"Dr. Banner, I'm sure you remember bits and pieces of what happened earlier. That alone should tell you what kind of strength we have in our team. We may be few in number—but our power is formidable. And with it, we truly can protect the peace of this world."
Felix continued, his tone steady and reassuring.
"But more importantly, you already know this, we have the ability to stop you if the Hulk ever loses control. You wouldn't need to live in hiding anymore. You wouldn't have to fear hurting innocent people—or running from the military."
"Which brings us to the question, Dr. Banner, will you join the Justice League?"
Felix's voice carried a rare sense of solemnity. He truly hoped Banner would say yes.
Banner hesitated for a moment, clearly moved but still conflicted.
"If I refuse... will you kill me?" His voice was quiet, but his words carried weight. He didn't say it outright, but he mimed a motion across his neck—a silent gesture that said enough.
Tony stepped forward before anyone else could respond.
"We're the Justice League, Banner—what does that tell you about us," he said firmly. "Besides, we all know the destruction you caused wasn't really your fault or your intention. You weren't in control. If anyone deserves blame, it's the people who forced your hand—the military."
Tony's voice was laced with bitterness. His own experience with the military, particularly their obsession with acquiring his Iron Man tech, had left a sour taste in his mouth. It was clear that, in Banner's case, Tony sympathized deeply.
"In that case… I agree to join your Justice League," Banner replied solemnly, his tone firm. "But I have one condition—promise me that if I ever start to lose control, you'll stop me. I can't allow Hulk to hurt innocent people again. I don't want to live with that kind of regret for the rest of my life."
Tony grinned, satisfied that they'd gained a powerful new ally.
"Relax. You've already seen what we can do. If you ever lose control again, we'll just have Felix toss you from the sky. Problem solved."
Banner shuddered visibly.
"Please… don't remind me. I'm not sure I'd survive another fall like that." Just the memory of it made his body ache. The sensation of free-falling from such a height was not something he ever wanted to experience again.
"Alright then. Now that we've accomplished our mission, it's time to head back,"
Felix said, looking calmly at the group. "Dr. Banner, you should come with us. I don't think there's much left of your house anyway… you sort of destroyed it yourself."
With that, Felix extended his right hand and waved it gently through the air. A swirling blue portal appeared in front of them—a glowing aperture suspended in space. Without another word, he stepped into it.
The rest followed quickly and confidently.
"Come on, Dr. Banner," Tony said, noticing the stunned look on Banner's face.
"Don't freak out. It's just a teleportation portal—a space-time wormhole, nothing major. If this little thing shocks you, you may want to brace yourself for what's coming next. This world is a whole lot weirder than you think."
He chuckled, gave Banner a pat on the shoulder, and disappeared through the portal.
Banner stood frozen for a moment, staring at the glowing gateway. He glanced around and could clearly tell that the place on the other side of the portal wasn't anywhere nearby—it was an entirely different environment.
"What the hell is going on in this world…?" His voice was barely a whisper.
This is a wormhole? No way. Even if humanity had reached that level of science, opening one shouldn't be this casual!
It felt like everything he'd spent decades believing in—physics, logic, the very foundations of science—was crumbling before his eyes.
Still, what choice did he have? Taking a deep breath, Banner stepped into the portal, like a man stepping through the doorway to a whole new world—uncertain, cautious, but ready to face whatever came next.
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