"Great, no one's sick. That's wonderful."
He laughed unusually cheerfully.
For some reason, Banner's sudden smile made Natasha feel immensely guilty.
But duty came first. Natasha steeled herself.
"You don't need to be angry. We mean no harm, or else it wouldn't be me here."
"So?" Banner was nonchalant.
"Just us two, you and me. Let's talk, okay?"
"Hmph, maybe. But don't do anything rash. I don't want this already scarred land to bear the cost of that guy's rampage!"
"OK!"
Natasha readily agreed.
Banner made a gesture of attentive listening.
"This time, no one wants to capture you. I'm not from the damn American military. I'm with SHIELD!
In the past seventy years, SHIELD has countless times secretly saved the world. We mainly deal with disasters the real world can't handle.
Now, we've encountered an almost unmanageable problem. We need your power!"
"No, you just need his power!"
Banner looked annoyed. He despised the power within him, hated and feared that monster.
But it was this monster that made him admired—an admiration he didn't want!
His talent was unmatched by almost anyone in the world. After all, he was once the world's foremost expert in radiation studies!
But now, his savage, ugly alter ego threatened to bury his true value. He wouldn't accept it!
For a moment, the veins in his neck began to turn green.
In the Avengers movie, Banner agreed to Natasha's invitation mainly because Natasha's noble reason was that they needed his deep understanding of radiation to track the Cosmic Cube Loki had taken.
That was recognition of him, not the monster!
He!
Bruce Banner!
Not the monster!
Never!
"Fuck, damn it, Banner, calm down. At least look at the information I'm giving you.
I understand your frustration, but we have to admit, what we're facing is an uncontrollable beast.
We need another beast to counter it. But aside from that, the beast inside you is worthless to us.
On the contrary, your mind might find us another way!
I believe in you. Calm down. You've gone seven months and eighteen days without losing control. Just like you said, don't hurt this land. Please!"
Under Natasha's persistent persuasion, Banner barely controlled his emotions.
He frowned and took Natasha's phone.
Moments later, he understood.
On the phone, numerous videos were playing.
Heisenberg descending from the sky, Heisenberg leaping into the sky, Heisenberg flying at high speed, his heat vision, freezing breath, and that crucial punch!
Of course, there was also him smashing Kingpin's head!
"He's different from you. Earth is your eternal home, but he's just a visitor.
Super strength, super speed, supersonic flight, and his radiation and breath—he's a true monster we can't stop.
Even if he has a body like ours, he's the real monster!
And you can see, he's arrogant, irritable, rude, and cruel!"
As Natasha spoke, she extended her seemingly fragile right hand toward the Hulk.
"We need you, Earth needs you, Banner!"
…
Meanwhile, Coulson was thrown out of Stark Industries for the fourth time by the new manager, Pepper Potts.
Despite Tony Stark's severe palladium poisoning, despite his need for SHIELD's help, despite Coulson's intention to offer assistance.
But with everything unable to be made public, Tony's arrogance kept him from even meeting Coulson!
Even though Tony had reluctantly accepted the role of SHIELD advisor.
It seemed Tony didn't take SHIELD or his advisory role seriously at all!
As Coulson walked out of Stark Industries in frustration, he complained inwardly.
He wondered who could drag this self-destructive Iron Man out of hiding!
…
Meanwhile, in Stark's lab, Pepper Potts stormed in, displeased.
From a distance, she shouted at Tony:
"Over twelve board members have moved to impeach me. My proposals were all your decisions, yet you've never said a kind word in my defense!
I know you're Iron Man, but you're not just Iron Man. You shouldn't pour all your energy into your armor. That will make you miss out on a lot!"
"Including the elf named Pepper by your side?"
"No, it's an invitation from the Academy of Sciences!"
"Oh?"
Hearing Pepper's explanation, Tony looked up, slightly puzzled.
"Oxford's invitation was supposed to be next month. Which academy is this?"
"I don't know, but it doesn't seem like a joke. The invitation was delivered by the Mayor of New York."
Tony took the invitation and glanced at it. In moments, he became very interested.
"I think this is a joke. The address on the invitation is in New York, at the top floor of the Brooklyn Golden Tower. I've been to that damn place!"
Tony laughed as he began packing up.
"But even if it's a joke, I must go see what genius would put the Academy of Sciences' invitation address in a nightclub?"
"So, you've been there?!?"
Pepper Potts suddenly realized something, and Tony's spine subtly chilled.