Chapter 175

Hearing this, Dr. Banner couldn't help but sigh in admiration. "That was an incredibly realistic illusion. If you ever decided to perform on stage, the world might just gain a new master magician…"

Halfway through his sentence, he suddenly realized something was off.

He fell silent and awkwardly glanced at Eren.

These days, magicians didn't hold much prestige.

At most, even the most successful magicians were on par with celebrities.

Would a mysterious figure like the clown Eren consider being compared to a magician an insult?

Banner swore that wasn't his intention.

That comment had just slipped out in amazement after watching Eren pluck a full set of clothes out of thin air as if it had been there all along.

That kind of performance—seamless, without any apparent tricks—was truly mind-blowing.

However, to Banner's surprise, the clown Eren not only didn't get offended but actually seemed delighted.

He even gave a small, theatrical bow, just like a magician receiving applause from an audience.

"It's the best thing I've heard all day."

"In fact, because of that, I'll give you an extra option."

With that, he removed his clown mask, revealing the face beneath—painted with oil-based clown makeup.

Seeing this, Banner instinctively looked closer.

But when all he saw was another clown-painted face, his mouth twitched slightly.

Holding back the urge to comment, he took a deep breath and considered Eren's words.

After a few seconds of silence, he asked, "An extra option? What is it?"

"Good."

With a satisfied snap of his fingers, Eren continued, "I assume you were already told that I have a special way to suppress your anger, allowing you to live like a normal person?"

Banner's heart pounded at those words.

Even his heartbeat slightly accelerated.

A normal life.

Ever since that fateful accident in the lab, that had been his greatest wish.

As a scientist with extensive knowledge of the extraordinary, Banner had tried countless methods to control the monster inside him.

But all of them had failed.

No matter what he did, he could never suppress the fury that lurked within, nor could he rid himself of the gamma-induced abomination inside him.

If he hadn't been so utterly helpless against the Hulk, he wouldn't have agreed to follow Bucky to this cold storage hideout in the first place.

So now, hearing someone tell him that his dream could actually be realized—it was impossible not to feel some level of excitement.

Sensing Banner's reaction, the clown Eren chuckled.

"Relax, Dr. Banner. The last thing I want right now is to have a fight with the Hulk."

With that joke out of the way, Eren continued.

"There are actually quite a few ways to keep the Hulk from interfering with your life. However, I currently have access to only two methods."

"The first option is deep hypnosis. I can put the Hulk into a long-term slumber and seal his consciousness deep within your mind."

"Hulk's intelligence isn't particularly strong. My power is more than enough to keep him asleep for a very long time."

"But there's a drawback—this isn't a permanent fix. In fact, the longer he remains forcibly suppressed, the more furious he will become. Sooner or later, all that pent-up rage will explode, breaking through my seal. And when that happens…"

Eren trailed off, leaving the rest unsaid.

But Banner, being the brilliant mind that he was, understood perfectly.

A seal can only hold for so long.

Once it breaks, it'll be like a dam bursting—uncontrollable and catastrophic.

If the Hulk woke up after years of forced suppression, he would likely emerge as an even stronger and angrier monster.

At that point…

Would this body still belong to Bruce Banner?

Or would it become entirely the Hulk's domain?

Before Banner could dwell on it for too long, Eren continued.

"I won't go into more detail about the side effects of this method. Even if I reinforce the seal periodically, it's still just a temporary solution."

"However…"

At this point, Eren's tone shifted slightly, becoming lighter.

"Despite its flaws, it's still much better than your current situation. At the very least, it would allow you to live a normal life for now."

"This was the deal I originally planned to offer you."

"But…"

Eren smirked. "I liked what you said earlier. So, I'm giving you another choice."

Banner, who had already been considering the first option seriously, took a deep breath.

"And what is the second option?"

"The second option is for you to fully join us."

"If you do, I will personally help guide you through the process of fully mastering the Hulk's power."

"Unlike the first option, which produces immediate results, this one will take time—a lot of time. In fact, I can't even guarantee that you'll succeed in the end."

"But…"

"Suppression is not always the right answer."

"No matter how tightly you seal the Hulk away, his rage will only grow over time. One day, it will inevitably break free."

"But if you channel it instead—if you gradually learn to control it, to redirect its fury—then one day, Dr. Banner, you will no longer be afraid of the Hulk inside you."

"You will become a perfect fusion of strength and intellect."

"At that point, you won't have to worry about the Hulk running wild ever again."

Once Banner had processed this, Eren leaned back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other.

"Just so we're clear—if you choose the first option, our relationship will remain strictly professional."

"You work for me. I pay you."

"In addition, I'll reinforce your seal periodically and offer some basic protection—like keeping the military off your back."

"But that's it."

Eren leaned back lazily, stretching as he finished speaking, then patiently waited for Banner's response.

Meanwhile, Banner found himself locked in an intense internal struggle.

When he had initially decided to follow Bucky, it wasn't just to escape the military's pursuit.

If all he wanted was to evade capture, he could have done that on his own.

It would have been troublesome, but still manageable.

So…

He immediately dismissed the third option—leaving—without hesitation.

That left him with two choices, each with its own pros and cons.

The first option would provide immediate relief and more personal freedom, but it wasn't a permanent solution. It wouldn't truly rid him of the monster within. And if the Hulk's consciousness ever broke free from the seal, the consequences would be disastrous.

The second option, according to this clown's description, would take longer and had no guaranteed success. But it carried a slim chance of permanently resolving his Hulk problem.

Moreover, under Eren's protection, he'd have a better chance of avoiding detection by the military.

It would mean fewer complications.

The only issue was that he'd have to fully commit.

And the truth was, he knew almost nothing about this mysterious clown or the organization behind him.

What if…

After a long silence, Banner sighed, forcing a bitter smile.

"I want to choose the second option," he admitted. "But I barely know anything about you or your organization. So… is there any way we can compromise?"

"For example, could we set a trial period—maybe one or three months—where I use the first method as a transition? Then, once the time is up, I'll make my final decision between the two options."

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Hearing Banner's suggestion, Eren burst into applause with an amused smile.

"That's a great proposal," he said. "But… no."

"Why not?"

"Well, if you want the official explanation," Eren mused, "once the first method is applied—hypnotizing and sealing the Hulk—it will drastically increase his resistance. If we later try to guide and integrate him, it will become exponentially more difficult. Worse, it could even lead to unpredictable complications."

Banner frowned, contemplating the explanation. It made sense.

But then, Eren's tone suddenly shifted.

"Of course, the real reason is… I just don't like it."

"I don't like these 'gradual changes.'"

"I believe that in life, there are only a handful of true defining moments—maybe one or two."

"And when they come, you either seize them or you don't."

"A single decision could lead you to paradise… or plunge you into hell. But whatever happens—it will be your choice."

"So, Dr. Banner…" Eren grinned beneath his mask.

"What's your decision?"

For a moment, Banner was taken aback.

Just a second ago, Eren's reasoning had seemed logical, even considerate.

But in the next breath, he sounded like an impulsive maniac.

For the first time, Banner began to wonder if this potential future boss of his might be… a little unreliable.

Still, there was something strangely personal about Eren's attitude.

It made him seem more… human.

A future boss…

Yes.

By this point, Banner had already made up his mind.

Truthfully, deep down, there had never really been another option.

Banner had always wanted to permanently rid himself of the Hulk.

Taking a deep breath, he looked at Eren and declared:

"In that case, I choose the second option."

The moment Banner said those words, Eren's face lit up with a broad smile.

"GOOD!"

Almost instantly, a party popper appeared in Eren's hand from out of nowhere.

Pop!

A spray of colorful confetti exploded into the air.

As the paper fluttered down, Eren extended a hand toward Banner.

"Welcome aboard, Dr. Banner. You made the right choice."

"…I hope so," Banner muttered, shaking his head with a wry smile.

For some reason, he felt like he had just stepped onto a pirate ship that was already sailing toward chaos.

Since he had successfully recruited Dr. Banner—a man with seven PhDs—getting him a proper workspace became an urgent priority.

After all, he couldn't expect Banner to conduct research in a freezing cold storage unit.

A suitable office or laboratory was needed.

But…

Eren didn't have an office or a lab.

So…

He figured he'd just "borrow" one from his debtors.

Yes.

His very wealthy debtors.

Asking them to hand over a fully-equipped office building or research lab in exchange for clearing their debt…

That shouldn't be a problem, right?

Leaving the cold storage unit alone, Eren reached into the Ring of Greed and pulled out his Question Notebook.

Since he had a long list of enemies to deal with soon, he had stocked up on some useful tools from his real body.

For example, the Ring of Greed, which he had originally used for magic tricks.

And the Question Notebook, which could provide answers to specific queries.

Taking out the Question Notebook, Eren picked up a pen and wrote a question on the first blank page.

"Where is Hydra's leader, Alexander Pierce, right now?"

Yes.

As a petty and vengeful clown, Eren had always followed the principle of never delaying payback.

The only reason Alexander Pierce had survived the night before was due to unexpected circumstances.

But now…

It was time to settle the score.

Oh, and while he was at it…

Maybe he'd see if he could "borrow" a well-equipped office or research lab from Pierce as well.

After all, as the leader of Hydra's most successful branch, Pierce had to own some valuable real estate.

(End of Chapter)

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