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*****
This situation was clearly abnormal. It was the first time Feny had ever experienced a portal being forcibly closed; that place was undeniably problematic.
Fortunately, the brief opening had left him with a set of coordinates, meaning he wouldn't have to rely on blind luck to find that location again.
However, despite having the ability to reopen it, Feny didn't act rashly. The place was obviously unstable and unnatural. He wasn't about to engage in such dangerous exploration without being certain of his safety—at the very least, he didn't feel secure doing it without the Ancient One by his side.
Because of this accident, Feny grew a bit hesitant to experiment further. Though the odds of stumbling upon such a place again were likely millions of times lower than winning the lottery, the experience had rattled him.
The next day, he went to Kamar-Taj with the intention of reopening the portal in front of the Ancient One, but he was surprised to find that it simply wouldn't open.
"Why is this happening?"
Feny was stumped. It was as if a layer of power was actively blocking him from probing that specific location. This was a first for him. To make matters worse, he couldn't even describe where it was, which meant he couldn't ask the Ancient One to open it herself.
"You're saying it was pitch black? And now your attempt to open a portal is being obstructed?" The Ancient One's gaze grew thoughtful.
"Master, I didn't accidentally open a door to Dormammu's backyard, did I?" Feny asked, feeling a bit jittery. He knew the Ancient One wouldn't interrogate him on how he knew so much, so he tended to be direct with his questions.
"Not quite," the Ancient One shook her head. If Feny had truly opened a path to the Dark Dimension, it would actually be easier for her to deal with. "However, that place is likely quite dangerous. You would be wise to be cautious."
Feny felt a quiet sense of relief. It was a good thing he hadn't gone charging in blindly; if the Ancient One labeled a place "dangerous," it was guaranteed to be lethal.
"What exactly is that place?" Feny couldn't help but ask. Even with his knowledge of Marvel lore from his previous life, there were still many unknowns in this reality.
"I cannot be certain for now. Furthermore, it may involve someone else's family affairs, so it is not my place to say." The Ancient One shook her head and offered no further explanation, which only served to pique Feny's curiosity even more.
But the Ancient One was a vault. If she didn't want to speak, there was essentially nothing that could compel her to compromise.
---
Back at school, Billy was still hounding him about the Knight of Divine Punishment. Feny was reaching the point where he genuinely considered if a desk would fit in Billy's mouth just to stop the noise. Had it not been for the fact that the holidays were starting, he might have actually taken "drastic measures."
Summer break arrived right on schedule.
Feny finally breathed a sigh of relief. Billy, however, was undeterred, cornering him on the very last day of school.
"Feny, come on! For the sake of our years of friendship, just take me to meet the Knight. I just want to see him up close. I won't even say a word, I promise!"
"Shut up! We've known each other for less than two years!" Feny glared at Billy, who was practically stuck to his arm. "And as for 'up close,' you couldn't be any closer. As for not saying a word—you've said about a thousand just in the last few days."
"I've told you already, I can't help you with this." Feny looked at him helplessly. While Billy's persistence was almost touching, meeting him as the Knight would be a disaster. It would bring unnecessary trouble to both of them, and Billy would likely just become even more clingy. It was better to stay firm with the rejection.
Seeing Feny's unwavering stance, Billy finally gave up. He gave Feny a lingering, piteous look but didn't harbor any real resentment. In his heart, he suspected that Feny's relationship with the Knight wasn't actually close enough for him to just hand out invitations.
---
Having finally shaken off the annoying Billy, Feny felt significantly lighter. With the holidays here, his mood began to soar.
He noted that Banner had gradually adapted to the villa life over the past few days, so Feny decided it was time to put "Hulk XP Farming" on the schedule.
Interestingly enough, Feny discovered that Banner and Tony had actually become quite good friends. Perhaps it was because Banner was so mild-mannered and Tony genuinely respected Banner's genius.
When Feny arrived at the villa, Tony happened to be there as well. They were huddled around a computer, discussing a holographic model that looked suspiciously like Stark Tower. The building had been heavily damaged by Ivan Vanko and was currently undergoing round-the-clock repairs.
Feny didn't interrupt. He planned to sit aside and eat a chicken roll until they finished, but the moment he summoned the food, the two stopped their discussion and looked over, clearly expecting to be fed.
Thus, the three of them sat together, drinking and eating fried chicken rolls.
"What brings you here today?" Feny asked Tony.
"The Tower is getting a new self-sustaining power system based on clean energy. I wanted to run some ideas by Bruce," Tony replied.
"Oh." Feny wasn't particularly interested in engineering, so he didn't press for details. He looked at Banner, who was quietly eating, and didn't bother to filter his words despite Tony's presence. "Dr. Banner, I want to talk to you about the Hulk."
Banner's expression shifted slightly. But, just as Feny had hoped, the comfort of his new life made him desperate to maintain the status quo. He had to engage. "What do you want to talk about?"
Tony watched with curiosity. He was still fascinated by the Hulk, and he knew Feny didn't bring things up without a reason.
"Eliminating the Hulk is an almost impossible task. I think you need to understand that first," Feny began, setting the premise. "In my view, there are only two eventual outcomes: integration or separation."
"Integration means the two of you become one. Perhaps you maintain your consciousness and intellect while possessing the Hulk's body and strength. Or, it could be the opposite—Hulk keeps his mind but controls your body."
Banner's face paled. Neither option was acceptable to him.
"And separation?" Banner asked. He didn't truly believe the Hulk couldn't be destroyed, but he had no current alternatives.
"Separation means you have your body and your mind, while the Hulk has his own body and his own mind."
This was the ideal scenario for Banner. If that could be achieved, it was functionally the same as destroying the Hulk as far as he was concerned. He leaned in nervously. "You've found a way?"
"I need your cooperation," Feny said.
Feny didn't have a clue how to do it yet, but that didn't stop him from stabilizing Banner. By offering hope, he could ensure Banner's active participation.
And strictly speaking, he wasn't lying. He did hope to separate them eventually. However, there was one detail he omitted: if they were separated, it wouldn't be about pulling the Hulk out of Banner. It would be about pulling Banner out of the body—because Feny felt that the body, permanently altered by gamma radiation, was much better suited for the Hulk.
(End of Chapter)