Caught… caught it?
The Hulk's round eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the man before him.
Though the Hulk always seemed to be in a state of unbridled rage—appearing mindless, no different from a primal beast—his mind was not truly without thought. It was simply underdeveloped. Like a newborn child, he would get angry for no reason, fly into fits of destruction, and see nothing but targets to smash.
For example, in Thor: Ragnarok, after spending time among others, he learned to suppress some of that fury and even communicate. Back in his first clash with Abomination, the Hulk had also felt fear when faced with overwhelming power.
This moment was no different.
Seeing Senju Haruto effortlessly block his punch left the Hulk shaken to the core.
He knew very well the weight behind his fists. Even in his base state, a single punch could carry the force of hundreds of tons—enough to shatter tanks like toys. Yet this man, this mere human of flesh and blood, had just taken that blow head-on.
No heavy breathing. No strained expression. Just a casual deflection, as if it were nothing.
Who the hell is this guy?
"Hulk! Smash!"
But though shocked, the Hulk did not retreat. He didn't run, and he didn't quell his fury. His other hand clenched tight, fist swinging down toward Haruto's skull.
No one—no one—could block the Hulk's path!
Or so it should have been.
"Hulk, is it?"
Haruto glanced at the towering brute. In his palm, a crimson magic circle flared into existence. As he caught the Hulk's second punch, he redirected the unleashed force, rebounding it in an instant.
BOOM!
The Hulk staggered, his feet leaving the ground. His massive body was launched backward like a kicked football, smashing into the street and leaving a deep crater in his wake.
Arthur and the other mages watching all gasped sharply. Relief at being saved mixed with awe and even envy toward Haruto's power.
Especially after facing the Hulk themselves, they knew better than anyone just how terrifyingly strong the creature was. Even five Temple Magi working in unison had failed to restrain him.
Measured against that benchmark, Haruto's might was nothing short of monstrous.
"HULK ANGRY!"
The guttural roar came again. Arthur and the others instinctively turned to see the Hulk hauling himself upright from the rubble.
Haruto's display had been overwhelming. But the Hulk was not someone who admitted defeat. His power only grew the longer he fought—the angrier he became, the stronger he became.
The Hulk's strength had no ceiling.
"VERY SERIOUS!"
The beast's roar was like the voice of a demon from hell, shaking the air. The sheer pressure of it eclipsed even the dimensional horrors Haruto had faced in New York.
If not for all the battles he'd fought, all the power he'd earned through countless trials, perhaps Haruto wouldn't have had the courage to stand here now and provoke the Hulk head-on.
But there was no "if" in this world.
At this moment, Senju Haruto stood far beyond the Hulk—even beyond the legendary "Worldbreaker Hulk."
If he wanted, he could rip the Hulk's soul straight out of Banner's body, just like the Ancient One could.
But where was the fun in that?
As the Hulk roared and charged again, Haruto neither dodged nor flinched. A small smile curved his lips.
He drew out the chakra of the Ten-Tails, sheathing his body in it. This was raw, terrifying physical power—monstrous strength.
And Haruto chose to meet the Hulk's challenge head-on.
Both clenched their fists. Both struck forward.
Only Haruto, fueled by Six Paths chakra, could rise into the air as his transformation began.
In that instant, his black hair grew at a wild pace, flowing past his waist in just a breath or two, its color turning snow-white. His mage's robe shifted, transforming into the robes of the Sage of Six Paths.
The Six Paths Senju Haruto!
Until now, Haruto had never had the chance to test the full scope of this power. No opponent had been worthy.
But the Hulk? The Hulk was a perfect punching bag.
BOOM!
Their fists collided. Neither gave an inch. Neither yielded.
A deafening sonic boom erupted, the shockwave spreading in all directions. This time, it wasn't just glass windows shattering—it was entire buildings collapsing like they'd been struck by controlled demolitions.
The Hulk gritted his teeth, his face twisting in strain. Not from hatred, not even from the desire to kill Haruto, but from the sheer agony tearing through him.
The power of Six Paths was overwhelming.
The force of Haruto's punch traveled straight through the Hulk's body. His hand bones cracked first, shattering under the pressure. The shock tore through his skeleton, his organs, his muscles, his nerves—everything.
And it all happened in the instant of their clash.
Once more, the Hulk's massive body was hurled into the air, a green blur crashing down a hundred meters away.
RUMBLE!
The earth shook as he landed.
"Truly worthy of being called the Hulk."
Haruto exhaled deeply, acknowledging his opponent's raw strength. Only an Avenger of this caliber could force him into unleashing his Six Paths mode.
Iron Man? Captain America? An unawakened Thor? Even combined, they could never have pushed him this far.
But Haruto wasn't satisfied.
He hadn't ripped Banner's soul free. He hadn't used his deadliest ninjutsu or magic.
The truth was, he wanted to draw out the Hulk's ultimate state.
Yes. What Haruto craved now was to face the Worldbreaker Hulk.
To sink into the thrill of battle. To savor the clash of equals.
Just like Boros against Saitama in One Punch Man.
"Worldbreaker…"
Haruto rolled his shoulders, loosening his body, preparing himself to go all out.
Susanoo. True Thousand Hands. The Eight Gates.
He wouldn't mind using them all against the Worldbreaker.
Perhaps even—
"Byakugan—open!"
Haruto activated his dojutsu, piercing through the smoke rising from the rubble to track the Hulk's next move.
But what his Byakugan revealed was not what he expected.
It wasn't the Hulk at all.
It was Dr. Bruce Banner, lying unconscious in the debris.