Not far away, the cameras on the helicopter captured this scene and broadcast it live on major television networks during prime time...
Countless viewers sitting in front of their screens held their breath, their minds simultaneously filled with the same thought: 'Is there truly no one who could defeat this green beast?'
Meanwhile, behind the scenes, powerful figures in the White House, the Department of Defense, and S.H.I.E.L.D. watched the chaos unfold.
Nick Fury, stationed by the Potomac River, frowned deeply. He had not anticipated that even Iron Man and the Fantastic Four would fail to stop the monster.
So far, the Hulk was the greatest threat S.H.I.E.L.D. had ever faced. Unless the World Security Council ordered a nuclear strike to level New York, who could halt this green beast's rampage and prevent it from wreaking unchecked havoc?
"Sir, the White House spokesperson is on the line," Agent Coulson said hesitantly after hanging up the phone, "The President is questioning whether we can handle this crisis and whether S.H.I.E.L.D. still serves a purpose... whether the shield that protects the United States and defends against enemies remains strong."
"Let them talk... S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't take orders from politicians. Give those people enough benefits, and they'd sell out the entire country," Nick Fury said grimly.
He pulled up holographic displays, syncing surveillance footage, recordings, satellite imagery, and drone feeds to show the chaotic scenes in downtown New York.
On screen, the superheroes who often graced newspaper headlines lay defeated at the Hulk's feet. Among them was the flamboyant Iron Man, as well as New York's most famous superhero team, the Fantastic Four...
At the start of the battle, Johnny Storm, the Human Torch and the team's strongest fighter, had been brutally hammered by the Hulk, ending up in a pitiful state.
The Thing, Ben Grimm, had also fallen victim.
Reed Richards and Susan Storm were unable to intervene, and even Tony Stark and War Machine (Colonel Rhodes) had been defeated one after another.
The one-eyed Director furrowed his brow...
If this incident wasn't resolved properly, S.H.I.E.L.D. would undoubtedly face even more criticism. After all, the agency received massive funding from the World Security Council every year. If it couldn't handle major crises and terrorist attacks, its operations would inevitably face restrictions in the future.
Just as he was caught in a dilemma, a golden figure descended from the sky in the footage. Under the dark canopy of night, dazzling golden flames flickered and rippled, emitting faint, shimmering waves.
"Sentinel," Nick Fury uttered coldly.
He certainly hadn't forgotten this high-risk individual listed in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s classified files.
The Sentinel had first appeared during Spider-Man's battle with Venom, effortlessly defeating Sandman before tearing Venom apart in outer space... an act that left an indelible impression on everyone.
Later, in a small town in New Mexico, this mysterious figure of unknown origin had clashed with the Asgardian Destroyer armor and even abducted Thor, the God of Thunder.
After disappearing for some time, the Sentry had now reappeared, this time to confront the Hulk head-on.
"Who are you?" Fury stared at the motionless towering figure on the screen, his eyes filled with doubt.
Who exactly was this person, who operated entirely outside S.H.I.E.L.D.'s surveillance?
….
Rewind the clock five minutes earlier...
Sean sat in a helicopter, watching as nearly every superhero in New York had already fallen...
The remaining Reed and Susan couldn't influence the battle's outcome, and Spider-Man (Peter Parker), who hadn't participated in the fight, had been living a blissful married life with Mary Jane ever since the Venom incident.
Rumor had it that the couple had drained their savings to embark on a honeymoon trip. By now, they were probably vacationing in Hawaii. Even if Spider-Man rushed back, the idea of stopping the enraged Hulk would be nothing more than a pipe dream.
"Boss, are you planning to step in yourself?" asked Emil Blonsky, who was acting as the pilot.
The recently retired soldier, now Umbrella Corporation's security chief after joining the company, often sparred with the Juggernaut in his free time.
Occasionally, Sean would join in. Even the immensely powerful Juggernaut and Blonsky in his Abomination form struggled to gain the upper hand against the young man.
Though all three held back during their fights, Sean's rapidly improving combat skills and unbelievable regenerative abilities made him virtually unbeatable.
At first, Blonsky could still rely on his superior combat experience to win a round or two, but as time passed, facing a young man whose progress was absurdly fast, he had completely lost confidence.
Sean's prowess was entirely due to the skill cards provided by his system. Fighting Blonsky and the Juggernaut was like having them personally impart their combat experience to him... of course, his progress was swift.
"Like you, I've been waiting for this moment for a long time." Sean sat in the helicopter's rear seat, gazing down at the ruined streets below, where the massive green beast stood tall.
Dark clouds blotted out the starlight, and a cold night wind carried scattered raindrops. Soon, lightning flashed, thunder roared, and a torrential downpour began!
Bathed in the icy wind and rain, the young man curled his lips into a satisfied smile...
Softly, he murmured, "The Hulk might be one of the few beings on this planet who can still threaten me right now. I've been looking forward to this fight… against a raging beast!"
Steadying himself on the rocking helicopter, a black sun emblem glowed on his chest. A streak of light flashed, and the Sentinel, wreathed in golden flames, emerged.
Sean spread his arms and plummeted straight down. Cold raindrops struck his face as a thunderous boom erupted in the air, halting the pouring rain midair. The sheer force of his high-speed descent tore through the dense, hardened air barrier, shattering countless droplets into a mist of sparkling ice crystals.
The fleeting golden figure seemed to rip apart the endless curtain of rain. With an explosive sound, he left behind a long white contrail, like a supersonic jet skimming low, carving out a vacuum-like path.
With a resounding crash, the Sentinel descended upon the earth...
The Hulk, lost in his fury, turned toward the sudden appearance of the golden figure. The green light in his mind swelled uncontrollably, his rage peaking as he unleashed a deafening roar.
The violent soundwave scattered the rain, creating visible ripples in the air and kicking up a massive wave of dust.
"You might be the only one on this planet who can make me throw a punch like this." Sean stomped the ground.
From his foot, spiderweb-like cracks spread outward, sending rubble flying in all directions. The sheer force blasted out a crater, followed by a muffled sonic boom as the golden figure closed the distance in an instant, tearing a human-shaped trail through the air behind him.
A punch carrying enough force to sink a ten-thousand-ton ship slammed into the Hulk's chest, driving the green giant straight into the ground!
The enraged beast snarled, swinging a massive fist, only for Sean to block it with both hands.
In the Hulk's furious green glowing eyes, a flicker of shock appeared... no one had ever withstood his punches head-on before.
Shaking his head slightly, Sean flashed a dangerous grin before driving his own fist into the Hulk's skull.
A trickle of blood seeped from the green giant's nose. Then, a colossal foot lashed out, sending the golden figure flying like a cannonball at full power, piercing straight through a skyscraper behind them.
The tremendous force propelled Sean backward until he crashed into a crumpled car, finally coming to a stop. The young man pushed himself up from the ground, his brain registering a long-absent sensation of pain.
His chest burned as if filled with fire, his stagnant blood boiling once more.
"This is what a real fight should feel like."
Before his whisper even faded, a sharp sonic boom erupted.
To the golden figure charging forward, the steel-and-concrete skyscraper might as well have been made of paper... They were easily torn apart.
With unstoppable momentum, his full-powered punch exploded like a barrel of gunpowder, unleashing a devastating shockwave...