Karl took out the Resurrection Cross.
The small silver cross shimmered faintly with a soft, sacred glow.
Without hesitation, he bound it to himself and stored it within the system space.
There was no safer place.
With it, he had effectively gained an additional life.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
The cross could resurrect anyone who had died within twenty-four hours — not only himself, but also those around him.
It was insurance against mistakes.
Against regret.
Bat Mask Power
Next, Karl removed the Bat Mask.
With a single thought—
Shadows rippled across the room.
Several shadow ninjas materialized instantly.
Unlike before, each now possessed dark membranous wings sprouting from their backs.
They knelt on one knee before him.
Silent. Loyal. Deadly.
Karl nodded in satisfaction and dismissed them.
After storing the Bat Mask alongside the Ninjato Mask, he immediately sensed a change.
The dark energy flowing through him intensified.
Faster.
Denser.
Stronger.
It was clear the Bat Mask amplified his connection to the Shadow Realm.
Kaiōken Inheritance
Karl then took out the Kaiōken Training Inheritance.
It appeared as a golden sphere of light.
The moment it emerged—
It shot straight into his forehead.
A flood of knowledge erupted inside his mind.
Breathing patterns.
Energy compression.
Muscle reinforcement.
Cellular tolerance thresholds.
When Karl opened his eyes, he fully understood the technique.
He could now activate Kaiōken.
But only briefly.
And at a cost.
His current physique was not strong enough to withstand prolonged use. Even a short activation would strain his muscles, tear fibers, and stress his organs.
Still…
The power boost could be decisive.
The Purification Rune
Finally, Karl examined the Purification Rune.
Its faint glow pulsed like a heartbeat.
A thought struck him instantly.
What if I purify Hulk blood… and create a serum?
The rune removes harmful side effects.
Hulk blood was saturated with gamma radiation and unstable cellular mutation.
If purified…
Would it retain its regenerative and strength-enhancing properties without the uncontrollable transformation?
Karl narrowed his eyes.
Blood is a liquid.
In theory, the rune should work.
If successful…
his strength would increase dramatically.
Raven Awakens
"Ugh… Karl… why are you awake so early…"
Raven stirred beside him, her voice soft with sleep.
She had returned to a human appearance — blonde hair, gentle features — choosing to show him her most familiar form.
Karl leaned down and kissed her forehead.
"It's already late. You should rest. I made you work hard last night."
Her lips curved faintly.
"I'm fine… just a little tired."
She understood.
When Karl left the house, it was never for trivial matters.
"Rest, honey," he said softly.
Then he dressed and left the room.
Morning at the Manor
Downstairs, Aunt May sat at the table studying financial reports on a laptop.
Stark Industries stock charts filled the screen.
Karl couldn't help but smile.
May had insisted on "finding something to do."
A Stark Industries shareholder's wife looking for a job would be absurd — so he handed her authority over company decisions and contract approvals.
Pepper now communicated directly with May.
It gave May purpose.
And spared Karl endless phone calls.
"Aunt May," Karl said, leaning down to kiss her lips lightly, "please take care of Raven today. Her real name is Raven. She's a mutant shapeshifter."
"I know," May replied, rolling her eyes. "After the noise you two made last night, I think the whole manor knows."
Karl coughed awkwardly.
He chose not to respond.
"Christmas is coming," he added. "And the Spring Festival isn't far behind. Let's celebrate both this year."
May smiled softly.
"Just remember the children's gifts."
Karl nodded.
Then vanished from sight.
Target: Hulk Blood
This time, Karl's goal was clear.
He needed Hulk's blood, not Banner's.
Banner's blood alone might yield nothing but baseline human genetics.
Hulk blood contained the gamma-mutated regenerative factor.
The Purification Rune could only be used once.
He had to succeed.
He remembered:
During the Abomination battle, Hulk bled heavily.
That would be the safest opportunity.
If necessary, he could take blood himself.
Even the Hulk could not kill an elementalized Karl.
Harlem — Waiting
Karl appeared near Harlem's 121st Street, choosing a restaurant with a clear view of Samuel Sterns' laboratory window.
From here, he could observe everything.
Inside the lab, Banner would soon attempt treatment.
And Sterns would inject the sample.
The moment that transformation occurred…
everything would change.
Shadow ninjas slipped silently into Sterns' shadow, awaiting Karl's command.
Karl calmly ate his meal.
Moments later, military vehicles began positioning themselves nearby.
Banner had been exposed.
The operation was about to begin.
Karl left payment on the table, stood, and walked into a nearby alley.
Then he disappeared.
The hunt had begun.
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