Chapter Ninety-Two: Tony and Arthur Face the Hulk

Countless steel robots flew in from outside into the ship’s hold, firing energy cannons at the Avengers without pause.

Natasha was the first to be hit, knocked down by a steel robot. Fortunately, Barton shoved her aside just in time, sparing her from the blast.

Barton and Natasha both drew their pistols and opened fire on the steel robots, while Bucky and Steve Rogers were also engaged in close combat with them.

Bucky drove a single punch with his metal right arm through a robot’s head, shattering it outright, but the headless machine kept attacking him.

Steve Rogers hurled his shield, striking a robot in midair; the shield ricocheted off, smashed into another, struck a pillar, and flew back into Steve’s hand.

Two falling steel robots were crushed by Thor’s hammer. Pietro vanished in an instant, then, in the span of a second, sliced three robots into scraps with a single blade.

Wanda’s hands flashed with crimson light, and one by one the robots were seized by her power and slammed hard into the walls until they were smashed to pieces.

At that moment, the African mercenaries in the hold also raised their weapons and opened fire on the Avengers, and in an instant the entire ship’s interior descended into chaos.

Outside the ship, Colonel Rhodes and Sam fired at the steel robots swarming in from every direction through the air.

Meanwhile, Hill and Dr. Banner waited aboard the fighter. Banner still could not fully control the Hulk, so it was better that he did not join the battle.

But then many steel robots appeared around the fighter. Dr. Banner glanced at Hill and said, “Stay here. I’ll handle them.”

Hill looked at Banner with concern and nodded.

Ultron shot upward, breaking through the ship’s ceiling and flying into the sky. Tony Stark and Arthur chased after him, while the others remained on the ship to deal with the robot legion and the mercenaries.

Tony and Arthur both kept firing energy beams at Ultron, but Ultron dodged left and right in the air, evading their attacks before turning to fire red beams back at them.

Arthur tried to use the Mind Stone to control Ultron, only to discover that his brain was composed of a chain of data and could not be controlled at all.

Dozens of steel robots appeared beside Ultron to cover his escape, and Tony and Arthur were both dragged down by them.

Seeing Ultron try to flee, Arthur said, “Trying to run? Not so fast.”

Red light flashed in his right hand, and suddenly the entire stretch of sky where they were was sealed off by crimson energy. Ultron slammed into the red wall and was knocked back.

“I’ve sealed off this sky. Let’s see where you run now,” Arthur said, staring at Ultron.

“The Reality Stone. Truly troublesome!” Ultron said, glaring at the red gem in Arthur’s right hand, irritated beyond measure. This Arthur was hard to deal with indeed.

“But I’ve prepared a little gift for you. That’s an African city over there, isn’t it? I’ve lured the Hulk into the city. Every bit of destruction this time will be laid at the feet of your Avengers!” Ultron shouted at Arthur.

“What?” Tony Stark was startled by Ultron’s words and immediately checked the reports on the Hulk. Sure enough, an African city was under attack by the green giant.

“Natalie, where are you?” Tony had just begun to call for Natasha so he could send her to calm the Hulk when Arthur stopped him.

“It’s too late. We’ll handle it ourselves,” Arthur said. Tony Stark nodded.

“I’ve already moved the vibranium! Now I am everywhere. You can’t kill me, hahah! I still win!” Ultron roared.

Arthur used red energy to detonate all the robots in front of him at once, and Ultron was blown to pieces as well.

“Quick! We have to stop the Hulk!” Arthur led Tony toward the city, flying at full speed.

“Call Veronica! I want the Hulkbuster armor!” Tony ordered Friday.

In space, a satellite launched a device toward Earth. It was the Hulkbuster armor, specially designed by Tony and Banner to deal with the Hulk’s rampages.

By then the city had already fallen into utter chaos. Local police were exchanging fire with the Hulk, but they were no match for him. Building after building was destroyed, and countless people suffered terrible casualties.

The Hulk let out a thunderous roar, smashing apart a military vehicle, while a group of police officers fired at him, only to only further enrage him.

He kicked a police car flying, then moved in on a cop—just as sheets of metal strips suddenly fell from the sky, forming a cage that trapped the Hulk inside.

Boom. Boom.

The Hulk kept pounding the metal cage, trying to break out, but he could not shatter its solid walls.

The surrounding police officers approached with guns in hand when Arthur suddenly descended from the sky, startling them all.

“I’m a member of the Avengers. We’ll handle the Hulk. You need to evacuate civilians and treat the wounded,” Arthur told them.

A leading officer was just about to say something when he saw the metal cage suddenly sink into the ground—the Hulk had punched through the earth and was trying to escape from below.

“Run!” Arthur shouted at the police. Only then did they react, turning and scrambling away.

The Hulk suddenly erupted from beneath a car and smashed at it, trying to flatten it.

Arthur saw that there was still a woman screaming inside the vehicle. He rushed forward and knocked the Hulk away with a single punch, saving her.

Tony Stark had also arrived, clad in a massive suit of steel armor, larger even than the Hulk. This was the Hulkbuster armor he had built.

“Everyone leave this area immediately!” Tony announced over the broadcast to the onlookers gathered at a distance.

The Hulk charged at Arthur and sent him flying with one punch. Arthur crashed heavily into a bus, punching a huge hole straight through it.

What monstrous strength. The Hulk was the strongest of everyone Arthur had ever seen; compared with him, the Abomination from years ago looked pitiful.

Arthur fired an orange energy beam from his trident that struck the Hulk and blasted him to the ground, but the Hulk seemed to suffer no injury at all. He rose and charged at Arthur once more.

Then Tony Stark descended from above, seized the Hulk by the neck, and forced him to the ground.

“Wake up, Banner! Don’t let the Hulk control you! Come back to your senses!” Tony shouted at him.

Arthur also took the chance to use the Mind Stone to invade the Hulk’s mind and awaken Banner’s consciousness, but it failed. The Hulk’s will was far too strong; Arthur could not control him at all.

This was the second time today the Mind Stone had failed to seize control of someone, and Arthur could not help but sigh at the sheer difficulty of every opponent he faced.

Roar!

The Hulk’s fury only grew stronger. He threw Tony Stark off him and lunged toward Arthur, seizing him and slamming him into the ground.

The Hulk’s right fist hammered down again and again on Arthur’s body. Golden light flashed over Arthur as golden armor appeared upon him. Against the Hulk’s assault, the armor forged from Uru could only barely hold.

Arthur caught the Hulk’s descending right fist with his left hand and brought his own right fist down with all his strength upon the Hulk’s jaw. The tremendous force sent the Hulk flying.

Arthur also rose to his feet, and several yellow laser beams shot toward the fallen Hulk. Tony had arrived again—he seized the Hulk’s right hand and flew upward, intending to carry him out of the city.

The Hulk struggled wildly, and Arthur rose into the air as well. Crimson energy surged again from Arthur’s right hand, binding the Hulk’s body and preventing him from breaking free.

Tony and Arthur carried the Hulk toward the Nile beyond the city. The Hulk wrenched free of Arthur’s red energy and smashed Tony’s grasping right hand with a single blow.

Breaking loose from Tony, the Hulk plummeted toward the ground. Tony and Arthur opened fire together, and countless energy blasts struck the Hulk’s body...

The Hulk slammed into the earth and was bombarded by endless energy. At last he lost consciousness, his body slowly shrinking back into that of Dr. Banner.

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