"You can let me kill him."
Arakawa Zenkichi's voice cut through the tension, his gaze shifting briefly toward Thor, who remained silently stoic.
He was offering an alternative. A final option. Loki's continued presence was becoming increasingly irritating—so much so that even Zenkichi's initial plan to use him for experience and growth was starting to feel like a chore.
"There's no need," Thor replied firmly, shaking his head. "He's still my brother, and a member of the God Realm. He may have made mistakes, but I will take him back myself. He will atone for his sins in Asgard, not fall to a human's hands."
Zenkichi shrugged. "Alright. Hope that works out for you."
With that, he turned to leave, but paused mid-step. Something had changed. The ground trembled beneath his feet, as if something enormous had just landed from the sky.
He raised an eyebrow and looked out into the distance. A massive figure was closing in.
Not walking—leaping.
His eyes narrowed.
"…Hulk?"
Zenkichi tilted his head, confusion creeping into his expression. According to the normal progression of the Marvel Universe, the Hulk shouldn't be anywhere near here. Not right now. And yet, here he was.
And the big green brute didn't look like himself.
"Ho… ho… ho…!" the Hulk growled with a wild glint in his eyes. Something was off. He looked unstable, berserk.
And he was heading straight for Zenkichi.
Despite the chaos he caused, the Hulk didn't randomly smash the nearby buildings or attack others in the vicinity. He had a target—and that target was Zenkichi.
"Does he… hold a grudge?" Zenkichi mused aloud, his tone dry but intrigued.
It was possible. After all, the last time they crossed paths, Zenkichi had snatched away the monster Hulk was about to pummel. Maybe that didn't sit well with the green giant.
"Ho… ho…!" the Hulk roared again as he launched himself into the air, his body cutting through the sky like a missile. In mere seconds, he was directly above Zenkichi.
With a thunderous crash, he brought down his sandbag-sized fist.
Zenkichi's eyes gleamed. "Guess it's true, then."
Rather than dodge, he welcomed the challenge.
A grin curled across his face as he raised his own hand to meet the Hulk's strike. He didn't rely on the Rinnegan or any form of ninjutsu. No techniques. No flashy power-ups.
Just raw strength.
Still, he wasn't careless—he reinforced his body with a thin layer of defensive energy, hardening his skin like tempered steel. It was subtle, just enough to prevent his bones from shattering under the impact.
Boom!
Their fists collided in mid-air with a sound like two planets colliding.
A wave of kinetic force exploded outward from the impact, sweeping through the area. Dust and debris scattered as nearby trees bent under the pressure. A visible shockwave rippled through the air, rolling across the ground like a tsunami of pure force.
Even those monitoring from afar—heroes, governments, or hidden organizations—were stunned by the collision. They couldn't believe what they were seeing.
This wasn't magic. This wasn't technology.
This was a raw, brutal contest of physical power.
Two titans meeting fist to fist, shaking the earth beneath them.
Many of the onlookers watching via satellite surveillance struggled to believe the readings. Some even thought the sensors were malfunctioning.
But the evidence was right in front of them—two monsters clashing in a battle of strength that defied explanation.
Zenkichi held his ground with ease. The Hulk, for all his fury, couldn't overpower him.
"You're stronger than last time," Zenkichi admitted, holding back Hulk's punch with just one hand, a thin smirk playing on his lips.
The Hulk growled louder, pressing harder, clearly not satisfied.
Zenkichi, on the other hand, remained unfazed. "Still not enough."
Another blast of pressure erupted from the clash as Hulk tried to overwhelm him. Zenkichi leaned in slightly, his eyes sharpening.
It was time to turn the tables.
---
Milestones
100 Power stones = 1 Bonus Chapter
200 Power stones = 3 Bonus Chapters
___
My patreon link : patreon.com/Zphyr_
Support me, thank you.