"He's massive… doesn't that make him clumsy?"
"Not at all." Natasha Romanoff's eyes sharpened. "The Hulk's agility has nothing to do with his size. Normally, the bigger the body, the slower the movement. But with him? The rules don't apply. Be careful. Very careful. Otherwise, I'll have to step in beside you. Maybe I can help."
Ryuuto smirked. He wasn't worried about whether he could beat Hulk—his only concern was whether the green brute was worth the hype. Still, having a chat partner on the battlefield didn't sound too bad, so he nodded.
Thus the two of them set out, weaving into the damp maze of the tropical rainforest. Back at camp, Tony and Steve remained behind, their conversation circling endlessly around the mystery called "Jiang Li."
Mosquitoes swarmed like living clouds, the kind that could drive a man mad. Without a word, Ryuuto pulled out a small bottle of mosquito repellent.
Natasha chuckled softly. "Didn't think you'd be the thoughtful type."
"You're overestimating me," Ryuuto said dryly, glancing her way. "Doesn't look like you've got much exposed skin anyway. Though, leather pants in a rainforest? Guess rashes aren't your biggest enemy."
"I wear this for missions," Natasha explained evenly. "Durable fabric, tough enough to block cuts and scrapes. Short sleeves would just get me torn up. And this material breathes better than it looks. I'll be fine." She gave him a sideways look. "By the way—you're Asian. How'd you end up in Axville?"
"Ten years back, my parents brought me to the States. Accident happened. Professor X found me, called me a Mutant, and stuck me in his school. Been there ever since."
Natasha's gaze softened. "Yesterday he told me your ability awakened. Convenient, don't you think? Maybe fate decided I needed you, so it handed you to me."
"Who knows?" Ryuuto shrugged.
"Either way, I'll take it as destiny." She smiled, just for a moment.
They pressed on.
Suddenly, Ryuuto raised his hand. "Stop."
A collapsed elephant blocked their path. Its massive body was cracked open, its lower jaw ripped clean off. Around it, the ground was tattooed with overlapping prints: some wide and round, belonging to the elephant; others deep, massive, unmistakable—Hulk's.
"Found him," Ryuuto muttered. The trail was obvious. Hulk was too heavy, the rainforest too damp. Every step he took was a crater.
Natasha knelt by the elephant, her voice grim. "Jaw torn off. Abdomen crushed. No saving it." She pressed her pistol to its skull. Bang! Bang! Bang! Mercy over sentiment.
"Better this than more suffering," she murmured. "If we don't stop Hulk soon, the rainforest will become a graveyard."
Ryuuto said nothing. He stared at the carcass, expression unreadable. To him, it was just another truth of this world. Winner takes all. Loser gets trampled.
Superpowers or not, the law of survival never changes.
And Ryuuto's only answer to that law was to become stronger. Strong enough to step over both heroes and villains alike.
Ten minutes later, the trail ended.
Ryuuto frowned. "The prints… gone?"
Then—hsshhh.
A faint gasp from above. His instincts screamed. Ryuuto snapped his head up.
There he was.
The Hulk, crouched high in the canopy like some monstrous predator, eyes burning with rage.
The green giant leapt. A shadow swallowed the clearing. His landing target? Natasha.
"Shit—!"
Ryuuto hurled himself forward, wrapping his arms around her waist and rolling her out of the kill zone.
BOOOOM!
The ground split where they'd stood, Hulk's foot creating a crater like a meteor strike.
Natasha blinked, wide-eyed, still in Ryuuto's arms. "Thank you… I thought I came to help you, but it looks like you saved me instead. Maybe I should just wait back at camp."
Ryuuto scoffed. "Relax. You can watch from the sidelines. Bring popcorn next time."
She smirked, dusting herself off. "Fine. Don't get yourself killed."
Then the roar shook the trees.
"RRRRAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!"
The Hulk bellowed, veins bulging, muscles writhing like chains.
Ryuuto's gaze turned sharp as a blade. He stepped forward, shadows at his back. "Alright, big guy. Today—I'll show you what true taijutsu looks like."