The street trembled beneath the fury of two colossal figures locked in brutal combat. Hulk and Abomination tore through cars, buildings, and asphalt like they were paper.
From a rooftop nearby, Kurogai Alexander Blackwood watched with a faint, knowing smirk. This wasn't about heroics—never was. He had no intention of saving the city or playing the noble champion. The real reason was far simpler: both of these raging monsters could provide him with exactly what he needed for his fifth Pupil Ring to evolve. That alone made it worth stepping into the chaos.
The ultimate Ring had always been Kurogai's greatest priority. Everything else was secondary—trivial distractions. And tonight, Hulk and Abomination had unknowingly become his perfect targets.
Especially Abomination. Hulk? He'd already fought Hulk enough times to know how that usually ended. Fun, yes, but repetitive. The Abomination, though—fresh, untested, dangerous. Exactly the kind of change in pace he was looking for.
"Then we should get out of here," Susan said after glancing between him and the destruction below.
Kurogai didn't argue. "Yeah. Go on ahead."
She hesitated, sensing there was more to his plan, but didn't push. She had seen enough tonight to know he wasn't like ordinary people—more like the two monsters down there than the humans on the sidewalks. Jonathan, who had been itching to get a closer look at the fight, suddenly found himself yanked away by Susan, who twisted his ear until he got the message.
Once they were gone, Kurogai turned his attention back to the street below. His smirk deepened. He stepped forward, the flames that had been curling around his body fading away, his eyes shifting from a menacing blood-red to a molten gold.
"Hey, look! Someone's on the street!" a soldier shouted from a distant barricade.
"Hold fire! Civilian in the combat zone!" another barked.
Several soldiers tried to wave him back, but Kurogai ignored them completely, walking straight toward the two giants as though he were out for a casual stroll.
"Hahahaha!" Abomination bellowed, smashing a car aside like it was nothing. "Hulk, you think you're strong? I'm stronger! Strongest there is!"
The power coursing through him made him feel invincible—like a god in flesh. Tanks, buildings—nothing looked beyond his ability to crush.
But Hulk's gaze shifted, ignoring the taunts. His green eyes narrowed on the golden-eyed man approaching through the smoke.
"You," Hulk growled. "Hulk doesn't like you."
Kurogai tilted his head, feigning hurt. "That's a shame. I've been calling you out for ages, and you keep hiding. Now I find you here playing with someone else. I might get jealous."
Hulk grunted, memories flashing of their previous battles—memories that still made his muscles ache. He took a step back and jabbed a thumb toward Abomination. "You fight him."
It was the gamma-powered equivalent of selling out a friend. Hulk had had enough of trading blows with this new monster, and if Kurogai wanted in, he was more than welcome to take over.
Abomination snarled at the exchange. "Enough! You think I'm just going to let some crawler wander in here? You're in my way, little man!"
Without another word, he ripped a car from the street and hurled it straight at Kurogai. The vehicle spun through the air like a missile—only for Kurogai to vanish from its path entirely.
In the blink of an eye, he reappeared directly in front of Abomination and struck.
The blow landed with a sound like an artillery shell going off. Abomination's massive body was hurled backward, smashing through the nearest building, then another beyond it, leaving a trail of destruction.
The Fifth Pupil Ring: Clock of Time.
One trigger—time acceleration.
In Kurogai's hands, it was a devastating advantage. The move amplified strength and speed to levels most beings couldn't survive. Someone like Quicksilver could run fast, sure—but without the body to withstand such acceleration, the backlash would destroy him. Kurogai's immortal physiology, reinforced by the Phoenix's blessing, allowed him to unleash it without consequence.
"Didn't your parents ever teach you not to interrupt when adults are talking?" Kurogai said coldly. In his mind, Abomination was a child compared to him—a tantrum-throwing brute born out of Hulk's shadow.
"Hah! Hulk likes you better now," the green giant rumbled with a grin. Abomination had given him trouble earlier, and watching the creature get flattened was more than a little satisfying.
Rubble shifted. A massive, scaled hand pushed through, followed by Abomination's furious glare. "You dare!" he roared. "I am the most powerful being alive! And you… you made me feel pain!"
His voice was a shockwave, shattering glass for blocks around. He charged, determined to tear Kurogai apart and devour him if that's what it took to erase the insult.
Kurogai didn't move. His golden eyes glinted. "Come then. Let's see if your roar is louder than the sound of your bones breaking."
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