"Come on, Hulk, you can do it!"
"Go, Mr. Hulk, go!"
"Let's go, Hulk!"
The enthusiastic shouts echoed across the training field. The soldiers, cheering from a makeshift bleacher, roared with contagious energy as Hulk prepared for his next challenge. They looked more like cheerleaders than military men, but no one dared to joke about it. After all, when you've got a several-meter-tall green giant on your team, it's best to keep him happy.
The day's challenge was to throw a metal ball into a circle painted a hundred meters away.
Of course, Nathaniel had a standard training ball.
Hulk, on the other hand, held an actual wrecking ball, weighing several tons. Still, he seemed excited about the challenge.
Though it looked like a silly competition from the outside, it was actually part of a meticulous training plan. For almost a month now, Nathaniel had been challenging Hulk daily with different tests—races, object throwing, balance, memory, even yoga once (and Hulk had broken three mats).
The idea was simple: disguise emotional self-control exercises as competitive games. Nathaniel knew this. Hulk, not so much.
But the results spoke for themselves. Hulk, who used to refuse being near other soldiers, now walked among them with confidence. He even accepted snacks — sometimes as gestures of affection, other times probably so he wouldn't accidentally crush them.
Now, Hulk didn't just tolerate their presence. He enjoyed it.
"Begin!" Owen announced, acting as referee and raising a makeshift flag made from a white T-shirt tied to a stick.
Nathaniel went first. He gripped the ball with both hands, bent his knees slightly, and threw it with all his strength. The sphere flew through the air and landed a few meters short of the target. Not bad… but not impressive either.
Hulk looked at him with a mocking smile, though something else glinted in his eyes: focus. He was no longer the mindless brute of the past. Spending so much time with Nathaniel had started sharpening his mind. Like a child learning to manage his emotions, Hulk was maturing at his own pace.
The giant lifted his wrecking ball, held it with both hands, and threw it with a controlled roar. He didn't want to overdo it. Not this time.
The ball slammed into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. It also landed just a few meters from the target.
Hulk frowned and looked at Owen, demanding with his gaze that he measure the distances. Owen, already holding a laser measurer, checked both throws… and smiled mischievously.
"Winner: Hulk," he declared without hesitation.
"GRAAAAAA!!" Hulk roared with his arms raised, as the soldiers erupted into cheers from the bleachers. The giant's pride swelled like a balloon. He was happy. And that was good for everyone.
"What do you want to eat this time?" Nathaniel asked with a patient smile.
"Ice cream!" Hulk replied, as if he had just won the best prize in the universe.
Nathaniel nodded.
"Alright. We'll send someone to get it."
They no longer prepared the rewards in advance. That was also part of the training. Making Hulk wait, even if just a few minutes, helped him manage his impatience. They started with short waits… then doubled them… and now sent someone from the main complex, which took even longer. But Hulk accepted it. Most of the time, at least.
Because, of course, you can't spank a three-ton toddler.
Just then, Owen's phone started ringing. He answered without looking at the screen.
"Ah, you're done already. You're fast. We're at Hulk's training field. Want to come over?"
There was a pause.
"Since you're already on your way… bring ice cream. About ten kilos," he added casually, and smiled as Hulk turned toward him with bright eyes. "What flavor do you want, Hulk?"
"Chocolate!" the giant roared without hesitation.
Owen nodded with a smile.
"You heard him. Hurry up or the grumpy guy's gonna get upset again," he said before hanging up.
Hulk sat on the ground, happily waiting for his reward.
Nathaniel crossed his arms. He knew exactly who was coming, so they waited calmly while some soldiers returned to their posts and others stayed to watch.
A few minutes later, a metallic figure appeared in the sky. Red and gold, descending fast.
"I better be getting a huge tip! Not everyone gets Iron Man to deliver their ice cream," Tony shouted as his helmet opened to reveal his face. On his back, he carried a massive container.
He tossed the container to Hulk, who caught it effortlessly with one hand.
A group of soldiers approached, carrying a giant steel spoon strong enough to withstand Hulk's strength. Though small compared to his hands, it took four men to bring it over.
Tony already knew Hulk. He'd arrived unannounced a week ago, nearly causing a disaster. Hulk had leapt at him immediately, but Tony managed to take off just in time. Nathaniel and Owen calmed him down by promising that Iron Man had brought food.
For half an hour, Hulk stared at him without blinking, waiting for him to deliver. Tony had no choice but to order an entire food truck.
Nathaniel gestured. Some soldiers brought over a case and handed it to Tony.
Tony opened it. Inside were green capsules and a metal syringe.
"You know this isn't a cure. It only delays the symptoms," Nathaniel said seriously.
"Yeah, yeah. You tell me every week. But I'd rather take these concentrated chlorophyll capsules than drink that disgusting green smoothie. No offense," Tony said, glancing at Hulk.
The giant, too focused on his ice cream, either didn't hear or didn't care.
The chlorophyll capsules helped delay the palladium poisoning from the reactor in his chest. The injection cleansed his blood but had to be used monthly. The problem was that Tony's body had started developing resistance; eventually, it would stop working.
"With all the money you have, why don't you just create your own cure?" Owen asked curiously.
"Because if I had something that saved me easily, I'd get lazy… and stop trying. Besides, if someone else can do it for me, why bother?" Tony replied with a nonchalant smile.
Then he looked Owen up and down.
"So, my young Captain America clone, everything you requested is on the way. But we should wait for Banner to come out so he can show you how to use it all."
Meanwhile, Hulk stared sadly at the now-empty tub.
"…No more?" he murmured, like a child whose candy had run out.
Tony sighed.
"Alright, maybe I'll bring twenty kilos next time."
…
Banner, Tony, and Owen were walking through the base while Nathaniel had left to continue his work, leaving them alone.
The technicians Tony had brought had already set up all the equipment in a room before leaving. What they installed wasn't just any gym — it was a high-tech facility. Owen had reached a limit in terms of increasing his strength, endurance, and reflexes. Not because the serum was failing, but because his growth now depended entirely on training. According to General Nathaniel, his current level was on par with Captain America. From that point on, improvements would come more slowly, though they were still happening.
That's why they had asked Tony for more equipment. As Owen said: heavy-duty gear. But beyond that, they needed tech that could monitor Owen's body in depth and study his abilities in detail.
"Every device here has all kinds of scanners. It can even run a DNA test if you stand next to a kid. That way, you'll know if you're the father or not," Tony said with a grin.
"Have you used it already?" asked Banner.
"Yeah. And luckily, it wasn't my kid," Tony replied with relief.
"Uh-huh… sure. You know we'll say it was anyway," muttered Banner, shaking his head as he approached the computer hub connected to all the devices.
"While we're at it, let's run a test," said Owen with a smile.
"Then get into that pod. We'll see what your muscles are really made of. Oh, and please keep your underwear on," Tony said, pointing to a chamber in the corner of the room.
Owen undressed without worry and calmly stepped inside.
Tony watched for a moment before saying,
"I used to be just as ripped, but I hurt my knee and I'm taking a break right now…"
Banner gave him a quick glance before ignoring him.
Tony then explained how the chamber worked, and a series of laser beams began scanning Owen's body. After that, a liquid started to fill the pod slowly, stopping just at his neck.
Tony and Banner watched the data in real time. As the results came in, both of them widened their eyes in surprise and curiosity.
Owen noticed their expressions from inside the chamber.
"Well?" he asked.
"Your muscle structure looks fairly normal… at first glance," Banner began. "But some of your cells store energy like batteries. Not only that — they multiply rapidly without aging. And they absorb that stored energy as well."
"It's like you're evolving in real time," Tony added, astonished.
"And there's more. Your immune system… it's completely changed. It's in a constant combat mode. But it doesn't waste energy or harm your health. It's like your body is already adapted to reject anything foreign the moment it enters. Maybe that's what the report meant by 'adaptability.' Instead of waiting for an attack, your body responds before it even happens," Banner explained.
"To be precise, your cells are a lot like the samples we've taken from Hulk… but more stable," he concluded seriously.
Tony rubbed his chin, thoughtful.
"And what about what Victor said? That thing about maybe being able to release energy?" asked Owen, recalling the other scientist's words.
"Well… your body does absorb energy and stores it, but there's no clear indication it can expel it. Your whole physiology uses that energy to stay active. Maybe, if one day you surpass your storage limit, you could release the excess… but I wouldn't count on that just yet," Banner replied.
"Hey, hey… you're already a damn monster, and now you want to shoot laser beams? Leave something for the rest of us," said Tony quickly.
"It'd be cool… but I'd settle for being able to fly," Owen joked as the liquid began to drain, allowing him to step out of the chamber.
"By the way, let me ask you something… That syringe the general gave me — did it use your DNA to make it?" Tony asked seriously.
"Well, basically. You noticed that fast," Owen replied calmly.
"You trust the army a lot to be handing out your blood like that," Tony remarked, keeping his serious tone.
"I trust Nathaniel. And Banner was the one who made it," Owen replied.
"Yes. General Nathaniel is present for every experiment and makes sure all the samples are destroyed as soon as each injection is finished. That's why every two weeks we have to start from scratch. The assistants are constantly rotated. The only constants are the general and me," Banner explained, taking off his glasses.
"I see… well, I'm gonna go find a way to save my own ass real quick. I don't want your DNA inside me. Gross," Tony said before turning around and walking away.