Iron Man hovered mid-air, the six-barreled mini-guns on his shoulders trained on the Hulk below...
He had just arrived in time to witness the green behemoth decimating government forces.
The NYPD, nearly fully mobilized, had blocked the Hulk's path with over a dozen wailing police cars. But standard-issue firearms were useless against the bulletproof green giant. Bullets ricocheted off his hide like peas, not even leaving a scratch.
The Hulk's emerald eyes burned with fury as he glared at the dozens of gun barrels firing at him.
With a grunt, he grabbed a car at his feet and hurled it through the air, smashing into the barricade of police vehicles. The twisted wreckage erupted in a fireball as sparks ignited the ruptured fuel tank.
New York's finest, accustomed to dealing with robbers and rioters, were utterly helpless against this incomprehensible monster...
Just as despair set in, a dozen anti-tank missiles streaked in, their fiery trails slamming into the Hulk's massive frame. The deafening explosions rocked half the block.
It was the National Guard, dispatched by General Ross. A convoy of armored vehicles rolled in, reigniting a glimmer of hope among the terrified onlookers.
Yet through the smoke and flames, the Hulk stood unshaken. Each thunderous step made the ground tremble as he crushed abandoned cars underfoot like soda cans.
Bullets rained down in vain as he reached the lead armored vehicle and punched it with enough force to flip it onto its side.
His fist sank into the alloy plating like a hammer through tin. With a wrenching screech, the Hulk tore open the vehicle's hull, exposing the pale, terrified soldiers inside.
A searing blue energy beam struck the Hulk's back, momentarily diverting his attention. The painful impact enraged him further. He lifted the wrecked armored car overhead and hurled it at the convoy behind him.
Another series of explosions lit up the sky. Bathed in the golden glow of sunset, the Hulk appeared unstoppable... He was like a force of nature incarnate.
"Fall back! Fall back–!"
"Requesting fire support!"
"It's moving toward East District! Deploy the sonic weapons!"
Two armored trucks sped alongside the Hulk, their prismatic sonic emitters humming to life. As the National Guard lured the beast into position, visible shockwaves rippled through the air, forming a trap of oscillating pressure waves.
High-intensity infrasound triggered violent organ resonance, enough to rupture blood vessels. The Hulk staggered as if caught in quicksand, his movements sluggish despite clamping hands over his ears. The vibrations squeezed every cell in his body, his veins bulging like writhing snakes beneath his skin.
"Bruce…" A faint, familiar voice cut through the torment.
Rage reignited...
Kneeling under the sonic assault, the Hulk ripped a door off a nearby Ford Mustang and hurled it like a discus. The projectile sliced through one emitter truck with terrifying precision, cleaving it in half.
Freed from one sonic prison, the Hulk leaped onto the remaining truck, demolishing Stark Industries' prized weapon like a child smashing toys...
...
The battle's rapid escalation defied General Ross' plans...
Watching from the command post, the old soldier oscillated between awe and fanatical desire.
"Focus fire! Vulcan barrage!" he roared after a stunned pause.
The air reeked of cordite as a helicopter gunship circled overhead. Its GAU-2 rotary cannon, nicknamed "Grim Reaper", unleashed a hailstorm of 7.62mm armor-piercing rounds at 3000 rounds per minute.
The sustained fire turned storefronts and parked cars into Swiss cheese, secondary explosions lighting up the street.
The Hulk shielded his head, forced backward by the kinetic onslaught. With a roar that shook buildings, he burst through the smoke and leaped...
*BOOM!*
One punch obliterated the helicopter mid-air.
Landing like a meteor, the Hulk plowed through National Guard lines like a runaway freight train. Nothing, not even Ross' elite forces could halt his rampage.
"Ladies and gentlemen, no need to panic. Your friendly neighborhood Iron Man's got this."
Stark's amplified voice echoed as his shoulder cannons blazed, drawing the Hulk's attention before repulsor beams struck the brute's face.
Having witnessed the Hulk's jumps, Tony maintained careful distance while peppering him with micro-missiles. The green giant swiped at the air, growling in frustration as the armored nuisance darted just out of reach.
"Can't have just anyone causing mayhem where Iron Man patrols!"
Weaving through the sky, Tony fired his unibeam, the concentrated blast further enraging the Hulk. With a bellow, the brute suddenly lunged...
"Oh shi–"
Iron Man found himself trapped in a crushing bear hug.
*CRUNCH!*
Max thrusters failed to break the Hulk's grip.
Grinning savagely, the monster body-slammed Tony into concrete hard enough to crater the road, then raised a foot to stomp...
Boosters flared at the last millisecond, shooting Stark skyward. Every joint screamed in protest.
Iron Man's second appearance had ended as embarrassingly as the first. Tony seethed but admitted defeat... even with his upgraded arc reactor and Mark VII armor, he stood no chance against this walking natural disaster.
Neither repulsors nor missiles could seriously harm the Hulk, whereas one solid hit would hospitalize Stark for life.
Just as he pondered next steps, a streak of fire blazed across the sky.
"Green and ugly? Not exactly my aesthetic," declared the Human Torch, Johnny Storm, hovering atop a pillar of flame.
He smirked at Iron Man, "Retire already, old man. Let real heroes handle this."
Without waiting for a retort, Johnny unleashed a firestorm that engulfed the Hulk in a swirling inferno...