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*****
Emil Blonsky was once a commando in the Special Forces—one of the absolute best. However, his advancing age meant his body was no longer what it used to be; he was beginning to lose his edge and was becoming less exceptional by the day.
Yet, he insisted on remaining in the military. He believed he was still elite, right up until the day his knee gave out... er, no, until the day he encountered that green creature.
Blonsky had never considered himself weaker than anyone else. Even regarding Iron Man and the Silver Knight, he dismissed them: one relied on a machine, the other on unknown weaponry. Neither represented true power in his eyes.
It wasn't until he met the Hulk that Blonsky understood the true meaning of strength. From that moment on, he realized he was no longer the apex predator.
Not unless he could defeat the Hulk!
To achieve this, Blonsky risked death and accepted General Ross's enhancements. Regrettably, his second defeat was even more miserable than the first. Later, when he learned that the Silver Knight had managed to fight the Hulk to a standstill, his rage boiled over. It implied that he was inferior even to the Silver Knight.
Thanks to the initial serum injection, he made a full recovery despite having nearly every bone in his body shattered by the Hulk. However, upon waking, he learned that Ross had also been sent flying by the beast.
At first, the news confused him; Ross didn't seem like the type to try and arm-wrestle the Hulk. Was the old man trying to prove he was still tough? Later, he found out the Silver Knight was the cause.
But with Ross out of commission, Blonsky wasn't sure how to continue pursuing power. His thoughts turned to the serum he had taken previously. Ross had once shown him the stockpile and mentioned that his initial dosage had been very low.
Determined to defeat the Hulk at any cost, Blonsky located the serum again and administered a second injection.
Through sheer willpower and his already mutated physiology, he survived the procedure and emerged stronger than ever. He couldn't wait to find the Hulk for round three. Blonsky was going to prove that he was the strongest creature on Earth!
Of course, if Finny knew about this ambition, he would happily drag Blonsky before the Ancient One to teach him the true definition of being a "little brother."
Unfortunately, Finny and the Hulk had departed together, causing the military to lose their trail. Blonsky couldn't find them anywhere.
That was when he thought of the only person with a connection to Banner: Ross's daughter, Betty.
If General Ross were still standing, interrogating Betty would have been impossible. But with the General absent, there was no one left on the base capable of restraining Blonsky.
Blonsky threw Betty onto the floor with one hand, staring down at her coldly. "He did that to your father, and yet you still protect him?"
Betty clutched her neck, which was red from Blonsky's grip. Her eyes were swollen, and she wept silently without speaking.
Seeing her refusal to answer, Blonsky's rage intensified. The side effects of his mutation left him with a singular obsession: find the Hulk. Nothing else mattered anymore.
"If you won't talk, then die."
Blonsky advanced toward Betty, a ferocious look in his eyes. The palpable killing intent told Betty this wasn't an idle threat.
"You won't find him," Betty finally spoke under the pressure of death, glaring back at Blonsky. "You will never find him again."
"What did you say?"
Blonsky stepped forward, hauling Betty up from the ground, his face twisted in madness. "What is he doing?"
Betty looked at him, realizing Blonsky wasn't hunting Banner, but the Hulk. "He's found a way to cure the Hulk within him. You'll never see the beast again."
"Impossible!"
Blonsky roared. Unless he personally defeated the Hulk, simply making the monster disappear did not count as a victory.
"He cannot do that!"
Blonsky applied pressure to the arm he was holding, causing Betty to scream in pain.
"Where is he? Where is he right now?!"
The serum's side effects were making Blonsky increasingly terrifying. Betty, unable to withstand the fear any longer, gasped out, "Gray... Grayburn College!"
After speaking, Betty collapsed on the floor, burying her head in her arms and sobbing.
Her answer wasn't driven solely by fear. Betty had always believed she loathed her father, even wishing at times that she didn't have one. Yet, seeing his wretched state earlier had filled her with uncontrollable grief. Perhaps she didn't hate Bruce Banner, but her feelings regarding the Hulk were quietly shifting.
In truth, Betty didn't know for certain if Banner was at Grayburn College at that exact moment, but she knew that was his destination—to find the "Mr. Blue" who could cure him.
Blonsky immediately rallied a squad to intercept Banner. The Hulk could not be erased—at least, not before Blonsky defeated him.
With Ross gone, Blonsky operated with virtually no oversight, and the squad members obeyed his orders out of sheer terror. Consequently, the operation was exceptionally efficient. By the time they arrived at the Grayburn campus, Finny was still processing the massive quantity of blood samples.
Since Samuel Sterns had refused to cooperate, Finny had been forced to use the 'Golden Great Magic' to put him into a deep sleep while he and Banner handled the destruction of the samples.
"Something is wrong!"
While in the 'Incursio' state, Finny's senses were significantly heightened. The moment Blonsky's squad began their search, Finny detected the anomaly immediately.
Finny signaled Banner to continue the destruction while he moved to the window. One glance revealed a group of soldiers armed with assault rifles stealthily searching the area.
Finny's expression shifted slightly. He was puzzled; he couldn't figure out how the military had located them. They hadn't exposed themselves along the way.
There was no time to analyze where the leak had occurred. Finny turned to alert Banner. Originally, he had wanted to use 'Explosion Magic' to incinerate all the blood at once, but Banner hadn't felt safe doing so and insisted on doing it manually. That hesitation was why they were still here.
However, just as he returned to Banner's side, a figure suddenly burst into the laboratory. Upon seeing Banner, the intruder let out a happy, savage grin. "Finally found you!"
"And you, Silver Knight!"
Blonsky didn't feel threatened by Finny's presence; instead, he felt a surge of unexpected delight. After the serum injection, his mind was consumed with thoughts of combat and becoming stronger. He feared no one.
"You take him and get out of here. Leave this to me. There are soldiers downstairs, so be careful. If it comes down to it, call the Hulk out!"
Finny ignored Blonsky and issued instructions to Banner, reminding him not to leave Samuel Sterns behind.
Banner was actually quite decisive when it came to retreating. Unless absolutely necessary, he had no desire to fight. He also knew Finny was powerful; in this situation, it was best if he didn't interfere.
"Then I'll deal with you first, and then call that guy out!"
Blonsky seemed even more exhilarated by Finny's decision. He made no move to stop Banner, charging straight at Finny instead. His agile body moved with a speed that completely transcended human limits.
(End of Chapter)