"Uh, are you sure everything will go smoothly?" Banner asked, looking around with some uncertainty.
He was no longer in Noah's island laboratory but back in the Mexican forest. However, his current location was different from where he had woken up earlier, as staying in the same place would be too suspicious.
"Of course, everything will be fine. Nothing will happen to you; you just need to release a bit of gamma energy. But you might have to spend some time camping here," Noah said, standing by the portal and laying out materials for setting up a tent.
Earlier, in the island laboratory, they had finished creating a gamma energy tracking device. However, because a lot of time had passed since the battle, and the gamma energy left by the two mutated creatures was gradually weakening, the energy traces were beginning to fade. This made it impossible to pinpoint the source, meaning the location of the main villain.
Noah decided to use Banner as bait to attract the enemy's attention again. If the opponent tried to find him again, they could obtain new traces for tracking. Considering that the first attack had failed, the enemy would likely send stronger or more numerous mutants, leaving behind more noticeable gamma energy traces, which would simplify tracking.
However, he didn't know exactly when the enemy would strike, so Banner had to wait here. He had already prepared everything necessary for the camp, and now all that was needed was to slightly agitate his emotions so that he would start emitting gamma energy and become a visible target for the enemy.
"Okay, so what should I do? Do I need to let the Hulk out?" Banner asked with obvious reluctance, as he tried to avoid transforming into the Hulk unless absolutely necessary.
"Ideally, there shouldn't be a need for that. Try to handle this," Noah replied thoughtfully, coming up with an interesting idea.
"Handle this?" Banner was puzzled when suddenly a light flashed before him.
"Zzzz..."
Noah extended a finger, and a yellow bolt of lightning shot out, striking the bewildered scientist directly.
"Ugh... WH-WHAT???"
Banner shuddered from the unexpected electric shock; his body began to react to the external threat – the gamma energy within him began to actively release. Noah's electric shock activated the Hulk's defense mechanism: Banner's skin began to turn green, and his body started to increase in size. His clothes could barely withstand the pressure of his growing muscles and began to tear.
"Enough, enough, now let's try this," Noah said, seeing him begin to transform. He pulled a small bell – Mikael's Blessing – from his inventory.
He had, of course, controlled the strength of his attack so as not to kill Banner before he could transform into the Hulk. But suddenly a thought occurred to him: the condition for the scientist's transformation into the Hulk was always strong emotional surges, most often anger. And one of the effects of Mikael's Blessing was to grant inner peace. Noah decided to try using it during Banner's transformation to see if it could interrupt the process.
"Ding-Ding-Dong..."
The melodic chime of the bell rang out, and Noah smiled. This sound always lifted his spirits and brought peace. He wondered how the Hulk would react to it. He looked intently at Banner.
"R-r-r... A-a-a..." Banner roared furiously, his body convulsing from the electric shock, and gamma energy surged within him. Although he wasn't truly angry, Noah's attack had activated his gamma energy, and the Hulk was ready to burst forth. But at that moment, the clear and pleasant sound of the bell reached his ears.
Clear, melodic... and surprisingly calming.
These were the feelings he experienced at that moment. For the first time in a long time, he felt inner peace. His life, full of chaos, rarely provided opportunities for such moments of tranquility, and during his transformations into the Hulk, he never experienced anything but rage.
"Huff... huff..." Banner looked at his enlarged body, at the muscles filled with the Hulk's power. They slowly began to shrink, but he still felt that power.
"What happened?" he exclaimed, unable to believe his eyes.
Usually, at such moments, he should have already transformed into the Hulk, destroying everything around him, and then waking up in an unfamiliar place, with only a pair of shorts left on him. But now something went wrong. He hadn't fully transformed into the Hulk – the process seemed to have stopped halfway.
"How are you feeling?" Noah asked, looking at him with interest. His guess had been correct. Banner reminded him of Professor Hulk from "Avengers: Endgame," only a smaller version and not yet fully returned to his human form.
"I can't believe it! How did this happen?" Excitement sounded in Banner's voice. He had previously tried to suppress the Hulk's power with Samuel Sterns's help, but it was only a temporary effect. Shortly after, at General Ross's base, the Hulk took over again, and all efforts were in vain.
However, now he was able to revert from the Hulk form to his human form again, and his mind remained clear. He felt no pain or suffering – completely different sensations compared to his previous experiences. He took a few steps forward, and his not-fully-transformed body left deep footprints in the ground.
"Uh, take it easy," Noah calmly rang the bell again.
"Sorry," Banner immediately regained his composure and calmness. He looked at his body, gradually returning to its normal state. This sensation seemed amazing to him, and he began to hope that the magic Noah spoke of could truly heal him. The thought of traveling to a magical sanctuary increasingly occupied his mind.
When he finally calmed down, Noah pressed a button on his belt, and a hologram appeared before him. Carefully studying the green marks on the projection, he nodded in satisfaction. These marks indicated the gamma energy emanating from Banner. Now all that remained was to wait for the enemy's appearance.
Banner fully recovered, brushed the sand off his shoes, and approached Noah. His attention was drawn to the small bell in Noah's hand, which emitted that same calming sound.
"What is that bell?"
"An artifact, Mikael's Blessing," Noah replied, swinging the bell in his hand. An idea struck him: what if he rang the bell when Banner fully transformed into the Hulk? Would he revert to his human form, or would he retain the Hulk's power along with Banner's mind? It would be like "Professor Hulk"!
"Mikael... The legendary angel? A fitting name," Banner said thoughtfully, touching his chest. Then his gaze fell on the still-unpacked tent:
"Alright, let's set up the tent and wait for them to come. I've never enjoyed nature like this before."
Banner looked at the things Noah had brought with him. Besides the tent, there were many essential items. Noah assumed that the mutated creatures sent by the Leader might not appear immediately, so he might have to spend several days here. Naturally, he had prepared for this, although he couldn't predict the exact time of the enemy's arrival. Lissandra would have to monitor the gamma detectors to instantly register the appearance of the mutants.
"Press this button," Noah said, seeing Banner trying to set up the tent himself. He approached and pressed the button, and in an instant, the tent unfolded and stood on the ground.
"Oh, that's convenient."
"Excellent. Now, Dr. Banner, all that's left is to wait. As soon as the enemy appears in the forest, I'll know immediately. And you don't have to worry about turning into the Hulk," Noah said, preparing to leave the camp. He clearly wasn't going to stay here with Banner.
"Understood," Banner replied shortly and watched Noah until he disappeared into the portal. The portal quickly shrank and dissolved into the air, leaving only sparks behind.
Banner rubbed his hands and started a small fire. Living in solitude had long become the norm for him, and he was already accustomed to such conditions.
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