In the next second, Tony felt his body lurch as he was slammed straight to the ground. He didn't need to think twice—this had to be one of Hulk's tricks.
"Work with me, Banner…"
But Hulk wasn't listening. The lamppost was locked tightly against the Hulkbuster's arm, rendering it nearly useless. Seeing Tony momentarily subdued only made Hulk even more frenzied. His massive hands clawed and tore at the armor like a man trying to rip apart a house.
"Okay, don't make me hit you."
Suddenly, the arm clamped in Hulk's grip detached, becoming an independent flight module. The separated mechanical fist shot forward, slamming straight into Hulk's face. Forced to defend himself, Hulk had no choice but to release Tony.
"Veronica, help me!"
Damaged sections of the Hulkbuster began detaching automatically. In midair, mechanical components launched from Tony's "toolbox" satellite at rapid speed, replacing every destroyed piece in real time.
Hulk roared, refocusing on Tony, then charged with a running start.
With one arm still down, Tony fired his remaining laser cannon to slow Hulk's advance—but the blast barely fazed him. Hulk powered straight through, absorbing the hit and charging full force.
Fortunately, Veronica's replacement parts arrived just in time. As Hulk closed the distance, Tony's arm reattached—perfect timing.
Boom.
Their fists collided, neither willing to yield. The impact created a massive shockwave that shattered every car window and building pane in the area.
Tony seized the opening, flipping Hulk over with a brutal overhand throw. Pinning Hulk to the ground with one arm, he brought the other—just repaired—down on him like a hammer, pounding again and again. It looked almost comical, like someone mashing garlic at home, except this "garlic" was the Hulk.
"Sleep! Sleep! Sleep! Sleep!" Tony grunted with each blow.
But Hulk was far from helpless. The harder Tony hit him, the angrier—and stronger—he became. No one had ever dared to beat him like this. The fury blazing in his eyes said it all: Tony would be the first and the last.
Gritting his teeth, Hulk grabbed the Hulkbuster's armored fist and stopped Tony mid-swing.
Click.
Before Hulk could react, the mechanical arm he was holding retracted, transforming with rapid, clanking precision. In seconds, it reshaped into a steel restraint pipe, locking around Hulk's arm like a vise.
"Okay, big guy," Tony said, "I gotta get you out of downtown."
Engines roared to life across his back and beneath his boots. The Hulkbuster blasted upward, carrying Hulk with it into the sky.
"Oh, crap—no, no, no, not here—this isn't right…" Tony muttered.
Even midair, Hulk refused to stay still. His massive body twisted and thrashed wildly. Despite the armor's immense power, it couldn't fully counter Hulk's raw strength. With one violent jerk, Hulk sent Tony off-course, dragging him down and crashing them both into a nearby building.
"Please, Bruce—cooperate!" Tony shouted.
One arm still clamped around Hulk's, Tony aimed a nozzle at him and sprayed a chemical mist—a sedative designed to help Hulk sleep.
But the raging Hulk wouldn't be subdued so easily. Pressing his back against the wall, he kicked both feet into Tony's chest, sending the armor flying. The blow freed his arm from the restraint.
As Tony crashed backward, he saw an elevator shaft behind him—with people inside.
A hero's priorities came first. Grabbing a cable with one hand, he ignited his boot thrusters with the other, catching the falling elevator just before it hit bottom.
"Evacuate—now!"
The passengers scrambled out as Hulk lunged again. Tony barely dodged, flipping backward and countering with a powerful kick that sent Hulk staggering.
"Please, call me an athlete," Tony quipped.
He then grabbed the elevator car itself, swinging it like a giant hammer and smashing it into Hulk. The impact flattened the elevator instantly.
Hulk turned, glaring murderously at Tony before spitting on the ground—blood, saliva, and possibly a tooth flying out.
"Oh, my God. I'm so sorry," Tony muttered, genuinely embarrassed to have made him angrier.
A second later, Hulk leaped onto the Hulkbuster, mimicking Tony's earlier attack. He hammered down with both fists, tearing through armor plating and ripping pieces off the suit.
Tony boosted the engines, forcing himself upward to gain aerial advantage. The two titans climbed the face of the skyscraper, still trading blows as they ascended.
"Bad enough. Damage report!" Tony demanded.
"…That's too vague. I need something useful!"
Veronica's scanners continuously analyzed the suit, dispatching replacement parts wherever damage exceeded safe limits.
But Hulk wasn't mindless. He'd learned from their earlier exchanges. With one hand, he tore at the Hulkbuster's armor, and with the other, he smashed every new part Veronica sent down to repair it.
Then Tony spotted something ahead—an unfinished high-rise still under construction.
"How fast can we buy that building?" he muttered.
A familiar voice suddenly crackled through the comm.
"Hey, anyone need help with that?"
Tony blinked. "Mr. Hunter, you're finally here! Can you help restrain the Hulk? He's completely out of control."
"I'll do it—for five billion."
"Done!"
The fight between Tony and Hulk had been brutal, but far shorter than it felt. And now, with a contract in place, no Bounty Hunter worth his name would stand idle.
With a gust of air beneath his feet, Blaine stopped midair, his figure steady as a rock. He reached out, gripping Hulk's leg like a pair of steel pliers—and with one powerful motion, slammed Hulk straight down.
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