Chapter 112: The Caged Beast - Hulk

The helicopter landed amidst the rubble of a devastated area, where broken concrete and shattered stones littered the ground. Standing there was an elderly bald man wearing a hood, his expression cautious as he surveyed the surroundings. When he saw Nick Fury disembark, he gave only a slight nod of acknowledgment.

"Master Mahala, this is Mr. Garus. Please open the door to the Mirror Dimension for him," Fury said with a respectful tone.

"Hmm," Master Mahala responded calmly. Using the finger adorned with the Sling Ring, he made a motion through the air, tracing patterns into the space before him.

In an instant, the air in front of them cracked like shattered glass, forming a rotating portal to the Mirror Dimension. Garus, followed by Blonsky, stepped through the gateway, and the distant sound of Hulk's furious roars and the crash of collapsing buildings immediately reached their ears.

"Garus," a voice suddenly spoke beside him.

It was the Ancient One, who had appeared silently, startling Garus so much that he almost drew his sword on reflex.

"Follow me," the Ancient One said, unfazed. "Hulk is over there. We can only subdue him temporarily; we've been unable to awaken the other soul sealed within his heart."

As the distant sounds of destruction grew louder, the Ancient One added with a trace of helplessness, "Hulk's strength is still increasing."

Hulk's power grew in proportion to his rage, with no known upper limit. The sorcerers of Kamar-Taj were not without options to resolve the situation permanently, but the Ancient One hesitated. She foresaw the impending invasion of the Chitauri and understood that Hulk's unparalleled strength would be critical in the battles ahead. Banishing him to the Dark Dimension, while a solution, would mean losing a valuable ally.

"By the way, Fury mentioned you're proficient in soul magic?" The Ancient One's eyes showed curiosity. To most sorcerers, soul magic bordered on forbidden arts, but she seemed unconcerned. "Can you awaken Banner?"

"I'd better not," Garus replied. "Banner needs a woman to calm him down. All I can do is beat him into submission."

Fury had clearly misunderstood Garus' abilities. Many of them stemmed from Frostmourne's dark powers, not conventional magic.

"I see," the Ancient One said, disappointed. Neither she nor her fellow sorcerers had succeeded in reaching Banner's consciousness.

Nearby, dozens of Kamar-Taj sorcerers wielded golden, sparking whips of energy that wrapped tightly around Hulk's massive frame. They relied on constantly shifting the Mirror Dimension's terrain to contain him. Yet, it was clear that maintaining this effort was taking its toll.

"Blonsky," Garus called to his companion.

Hearing the voice of his old nemesis, Blonsky could barely restrain himself. His humiliation from their previous encounter burned fresh in his mind. Now, empowered by the Blood God Crystal, he felt invincible, though he was unaware of just how much stronger Hulk had become in his current enraged state.

"HULK! I'M GOING TO TEAR YOU APART!" Blonsky roared, transforming into a blood-red colossus. Without hesitation, he charged forward, smashing through every obstacle in his path.

"Get out of the way!" Mordo shouted to the sorcerers.

Recognizing the incoming giant, the sorcerers quickly released their spells and scattered. Moments later, Blonsky collided with Hulk, the impact raising a massive cloud of dust. The ground trembled as the two titans clashed in a brutal, raw contest of strength.

"Hulk! I'm far stronger now than I was before!" Blonsky taunted. Empowered by the Blood God Crystal, his confidence soared, but reality was less kind.

"Damn it!" Blonsky growled as the blood runes across his body flared ominously, exuding a thick, oppressive aura. The bony spikes protruding from his frame made him appear even more menacing.

The Kamar-Taj sorcerers watched in disgust, but seeing no reaction from the Ancient One, they held their tongues and remained at a safe distance.

As the two monstrous adversaries exchanged blows, their punches landed with devastating force, shaking the unstable fabric of the Mirror Dimension. Though Blonsky fought fiercely, he couldn't resist his penchant for mockery. "Hulk! Is that all you've got? You're weaker than last time!"

From a distance, Garus noticed something unusual. Behind Hulk, lying motionless, was someone familiar. Though their condition was uncertain, it was clear that Hulk was fiercely protective of them, staying close and fighting anyone who approached.

"Is that General Ross's daughter, Betty?" Garus asked.

"Yes," the Ancient One confirmed. "Hulk has been carrying her while rampaging and hunting down Ross's forces. We've tried to treat her injuries, but he won't listen to anyone."

"She's alive?" Garus was astonished. Fury had told him she was dead.

"She is gravely injured, barely clinging to life. If we don't treat her soon, she won't survive," the Ancient One explained. They had only recently discovered her condition and were desperate to stabilize her so she might calm Hulk.

After battling for some time, Blonsky also noticed Betty. His eyes lit up. "Hulk! I recognize her. That's Ross's daughter!"

"ROAR! I WARN YOU. DON'T COME NEAR HER!" Hulk bellowed, finally speaking. His rage intensified, and his expression twisted with fury.

Blonsky ignored the warning and leaped high into the air, aiming for Betty.

"Damn it!" Mordo shouted as he saw Blonsky's trajectory.

"HULK SMASH!" Hulk clapped his massive hands together, creating a shockwave that hurled Blonsky mid-air, sending him crashing into the distance.

"You're all going to die!" Hulk roared, lifting a massive slab of concrete and hurling it toward the sorcerers.

"I'll stop him. Get Betty out of here!" Garus commanded. Drawing his frost-rimmed sword, Frostmourne, he swung it with precision, slicing the flying debris in two.

"It's you!" Hulk growled, recognizing Garus from a previous encounter. Seeing him here only fueled Hulk's wrath, and he charged like a tank.

"Your opponent is me now, Hulk," Garus said, eager for the challenge. It had been a long time since he had faced a worthy opponent. His last major fight, against Apocalypse, had required the aid of Sindragosa's power.

"RAAAH!" Hulk's massive fist came crashing down, aiming for Garus's head.

"CLANG!" Garus raised his weapon just in time, blocking the blow. The ground beneath him cracked and caved under the force, leaving him slightly injured.

Channeling a sickly green energy, Garus cast Death Coil. The spell struck Hulk, leaving behind patches of decayed, rotting flesh and forcing the behemoth to stagger back.

"Time to get serious," Garus muttered as the runes on his body flared to life. Red blood runes, icy blue frost runes, and sickly green unholy runes glowed in unison.

As Hulk charged again, Garus infused his weapon with blood magic.

Death Strike!

Frostmourne slashed across Hulk's arm, siphoning life energy from him and healing Garus's previous injuries. Hulk's green blood splattered everywhere, some of it landing on Betty. The blood seeped into her wounds, flowing into her mouth and nose.

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