"Huh?" Robert was momentarily stunned when he saw Hulk turn and run. Just moments ago, Hulk was charging at him with great ferocity, eager for a fight. But before reaching Robert, he suddenly chickened out and fled.
While Robert was puzzled, he glanced at Clark, who had just arrived. Suddenly, he understood why Hulk was running away.
Hulk's sensory abilities were impressive. Even though neither Clark nor Robert looked the same as when Hulk last saw them, Hulk still vaguely recognized them. The impressions Clark and Robert had left on Hulk were too profound.
When Hulk first appeared, he hadn't been around long. His first formidable foe was Abomination, but Hulk didn't think much of him. To Hulk, Abomination's grotesque appearance was that of a defective product. If Hulk had been in better shape back then, he would have defeated Abomination much quicker.
Clark and Robert, however, were different, especially Clark. Clark had once sent Hulk flying, leaving a psychological shadow. Hulk felt confident enough to fight Robert, but the moment he sensed Clark's presence, his entire body filled with fear, urging him to flee as fast as possible.
In essence, it wasn't Hulk recognizing Clark; it was Hulk's instincts telling him to avoid Clark. It was like an elephant, conditioned from youth by a chain it couldn't break. Even as it grew strong enough to snap the chain, it believed it couldn't.
Whether Hulk could actually take on Clark now was uncertain. The fact remained that he didn't even dare to try. Instead, he ran in the opposite direction without looking back.
"Damn you! Now he's run away, how am I supposed to avenge Spider-Man?" Robert glanced at Clark and said.
"Huh? It's him? Still the same, always running," Clark remarked, quickly recalling Hulk and laughing.
With a swoosh, Robert vanished from where he stood. Determined to avenge Peter Parker, Robert wasn't about to let Hulk escape.
Although Hulk's strength was immense and his short-term burst of power terrifying, his speed couldn't match that of true experts. Even after gaining a head start, Hulk was quickly overtaken by Robert, who appeared in front of him, causing Hulk's eyes to widen in shock.
"Get... get out of my way!" Hulk stammered, swinging his fist at Robert, hoping to knock him aside.
"Heh, you run away from him, but dare to punch me. Quite the selective bravery," Robert sneered, catching Hulk's massive fist with both hands and using Hulk's own strength to slam him into the ground.
To Robert, Hulk's power was impressive and suited his massive frame. But Hulk lacked technique. Whether leaping to crush Peter Parker or punching at Robert now, his moves were full of openings.
Even without using his Oozaru transformation, Robert's base strength was vastly superior to Hulk's. With Hulk's current strength, achieved by countless rage boosts, he had reached a level comparable to a Hell Lord. Yet, Hulk's attacks, full of flaws, were easily neutralized and countered by Robert.
"Why... Hulk?" Hulk, lying in a crater, looked dazed. The weightless sensation and powerlessness reminded him of the time Clark had sent him flying. Back then, Hulk had felt equally helpless.
This brought back unpleasant memories, stirring both anger and fear. As Hulk tried to rise from the crater, a voice rang out: "If you continue fighting here, this entire area will be obliterated. Though it's already in ruins, there's still a chance to salvage it..."
The speaker was none other than Clark. As his words sank in, Robert surveyed the devastated surroundings. This near-wasteland was largely due to the rampaging Hulk and Peter Parker's battle, not his own brief involvement. Still, to prevent further destruction, Robert decided to move Hulk elsewhere for a proper beatdown.
"Wait!" A voice from above called out. It was Black Widow, piloting her aircraft.
Despite her extensive experience, Black Widow felt a rare mix of fear and confusion. Moments earlier, she had thought everything was lost, imagining the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. at war as Hulk prepared to crush Peter Parker. But now, Peter was miraculously healed by a mysterious man who had arrived just in time.
After briefly conversing with Clark, Robert had easily subdued Hulk, confirming to Black Widow his identity and formidable strength. Despite Hulk's rampage, she couldn't let him die at Robert's hands. Hulk was their only powerhouse, and his loss would be a severe blow to S.H.I.E.L.D.
Determined, Black Widow decided to intervene, even at the cost of her own life. She flew her aircraft over Robert and Clark, calling out again. However, neither looked up; Robert simply lifted Hulk's body.
"Let go of Hulk!" Hulk, momentarily dazed from being slammed, roared in anger, struggling against Robert's grip.
With a swift motion, Robert hurled Hulk into the air, then kicked him, sending him flying like a meteor. In mid-air, Hulk could only struggle futilely, unable to alter his flight path.
After a while, Hulk crashed into an uninhabited area, chosen by Robert for its suitability as a battlefield. Here, Robert wouldn't worry about further destruction.
Whether the ensuing battle would impact the Earth didn't concern Robert. He had noticed that Hulk, despite his Hell Lord-level strength, couldn't fly or project energy. His combat skills were rudimentary, not worth Robert's worry.
"Let's go..." Robert, after kicking Hulk away, turned to Peter Parker with a smile. "Watch how I avenge you!"
"Wait! You can't kill Hulk!" Black Widow urgently followed, her voice desperate. "Hulk is with S.H.I.E.L.D.! We have no conflict with you. You can have Dr. Lizard!"
"Dr. Lizard... Right! I came for Dr. Lizard! How did I end up fighting this brute?" Peter Parker, snapping out of his daze, began searching the ruins for the sewer entrance Dr. Lizard had used, but found only rubble.
"S.H.I.E.L.D.? So what? You think you're strong? Dr. Lizard was his target. If you're strong enough, take him. But do you have the strength?" Robert sneered at the aircraft. "By the way, Peter, did this guy attack you?"
"Uh, yeah, I think he did..." Peter muttered, distractedly searching the rubble. Realizing what Robert intended, he hurriedly shouted, "Wait!"
"Hmm?" Robert paused, holding his energy wave mid-air, looking puzzled at Peter.
"She did attack me initially, but she also tried to stop Hulk. She's not really an enemy. We shouldn't kill her," Peter quickly explained.
"Sorry, Hulk's actions weren't intentional. He lost control during the fight and attacked Spider-Man. It was S.H.I.E.L.D.'s mistake. We'll compensate you!" Black Widow, wiping sweat from her forehead, apologized, knowing she had narrowly escaped death.
"Heh, if I were late, Spider-Man would be dead. Killing Hulk wouldn't be enough. Your entire S.H.I.E.L.D. wouldn't escape. You're lucky you're not Spider-Man's real enemy and tried to stop Hulk," Robert sneered, retracting the energy wave and flying off with Peter.
"Wait, maybe we should let it go. I need to track Dr. Lizard. Hulk can wait. This fight helped me and Venom grow stronger," Peter said, floating in mid-air, looking thoughtful.
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