The Hulk's massive frame loomed closer and closer, his enormous, pot-sized fist filling Leo's vision.
At that critical moment, Leo reacted calmly—sliding a step sideways to dodge the blow, then lunging forward to grab hold of Hulk's gigantic arm.
"Get up, damn it!!"
Rip! Rip!
Leo's clothes tore apart inch by inch, revealing a silver, steel-coated body beneath!
In an instant, his power surged—rising from over thirty tons to nearly a hundred.
Still, that was nothing compared to the Hulk—who in his base form could weigh nearly 800 tons of raw, living muscle.
But a hundred tons of strength was enough!
Taking advantage of Hulk's unstable stance, Leo wrapped his arms around the giant's limb, dropped his right knee, and delivered a brutal strike straight to the back of Hulk's leg—right in the popliteal fossa.
The popliteal fossa—one of the body's most complex and vulnerable spots—was packed with vital nerves and arteries. A single blow there could cripple even the strongest fighter.
Bang!
Unable to react in time, Hulk collapsed to one knee with a deafening roar, clutching his leg in pain.
"ROAAAR!!"
That agony—it was real.
Not even Vulcan Gatling fire or a barrage of rockets could pierce his skin. Yet this one hit sent a wave of pain deep through his nerves.
Leo smirked coldly and, taking advantage of Hulk's stunned state, flipped him with a vicious over-the-shoulder throw. The desert exploded in a storm of sand as the green giant hit the ground hard.
Leo didn't move again. He simply stood there, breathing evenly, watching Hulk. After all, they had no personal grudge.
[Ding! Detected plot character: Hulk. Do you wish to extract? Due to Hulk's multiple abilities, one extraction requires 1 million points.]
Of course. The Destroyer System always showed up at moments like this.
"Extract."
This time, multiple options flashed before Leo's eyes:
Hulk's Strength, Hulk's Defense, Hulk's Regeneration, Hulk's Speed, Hulk's Stamina, Immunity to Diseases and Toxins.
Each ability alone was enough to make a superhuman. No wonder the system separated them.
The slot machine spun wildly—biu, biu, biu!—before coming to a screeching halt.
Boom!
Leo looked closely. The cursor stopped on Hulk Regeneration!
[Ding! Congratulations, host, for extracting Hulk Regeneration! The next extraction can occur after contact with Hulk in one month.]
[Ding! Extraction complete. Host, do you wish to fuse?]
"Not yet," Leo muttered. "No rush."
Fusion would take ten minutes. This wasn't the right time.
Meanwhile, Hulk's leg—nearly crippled a moment ago—had already healed, the flesh knitting back together before Leo's eyes.
Drooling with rage, Hulk's eyes glowed red. He was furious.
"ROAAAAAAR!!"
His roar shook the sky.
Each of his thunderous steps sent tremors through the ground. Sand blasted into the air as the Hulk charged again like a one-man freight train.
Leo whistled. "Damn! The big guy's like an entire motorcade!"
Then, in a flash, he teleported away.
"ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!!"
The Hulk swung wildly, but the man in front of him had vanished.
Confused, he froze, looking around. "Where—?!"
Too late.
Leo reappeared behind him—then slammed down both metallic fists in a devastating overhand strike!
BOOM!!
The impact made Hulk's vision spin. His massive body staggered, then crashed face-first into the sand.
"Ptooey! Ptooey! Ptooey!" Hulk spat out sand, groaning as he stood. His wounds healed instantly.
He roared again—stronger, angrier, bloodshot eyes blazing. His power skyrocketed, his muscles swelling even more.
Leo smirked. "So, the madder you get, the stronger you become… what are you now? Fifteen hundred tons?"
'Whitewashed Hulk weakens by nine points, blackened Hulk strengthens tenfold,' he thought. "Guess we're fighting the strongest version."
Then it began. Hulk unleashed a storm of punches, hooks, and kicks—wild, unstoppable, chaotic. Each strike blew the air itself apart.
Leo dodged and countered, but even avoiding him felt like standing inside a tornado.
Then Hulk threw a massive straight punch—aimed right for Leo's skull.
Leo deflected the blow with his left hand, grabbed the green giant's forearm with his right, spun around, and—
THUMP!
Delivered a brutal, steel-plated Son-Shattering Kick straight between the legs.
For a second, the desert went silent.
Then—
"OOOOOOOOOWWWWW!!!"
Hulk's scream shook the heavens. Clouds scattered.
Every soldier watching from afar instinctively crossed their legs in pain. Even the helicopter pilots winced.
Hulk rolled across the sand, clutching his groin, moaning in agony.
Leo just winced sympathetically. "Amitabha… that one's gonna sting for a while."
Moments later, the transformation faded—Hulk shrank back into Dr. Bruce Banner.
But the pain didn't fade.
"Ohhh F***! F***! F***!" Banner screamed, clutching his crotch and rolling on the ground.
Leo sighed. "A sin, a sin… this humble man went too far."
But from a distance, General Ross wasn't sympathizing at all. His eyes burned with obsession.
"What a perfect experimental subject," he whispered. "What incredible genes… Catch him. Study him. Even if he's not as powerful as Hulk, he's still top-tier."
Now, Leo was on his list too.
Leo could feel that predatory gaze even from a kilometer away.
"So, General Ross, huh?" he muttered coldly.
"You dare set your sights on me?"
"If some people are so eager to reincarnate…" His silver eyes glowed faintly. "I don't mind sending them on their way."