"It's about time."
Senju Haruto glanced at the clock. Less than twenty minutes remained before the sign-in prompt.
If his guess was correct, Dr. Banner should already have completed the injection with Stern. General Ross and Blonsky were probably on their way.
Of course, that was assuming the original plotline unfolded without deviation. Reality had a habit of shifting in unpredictable ways.
"Well, either way, I should head to Broadway first."
With Haruto's current abilities, all it would take was a flick of his wrist. The Sling Ring could open a portal straight to Broadway.
"Or… maybe I should drive there."
Relying on magic for everything wasn't all that satisfying. And being in the Marvel universe was, in its own way, like returning to modern society.
Cars—Haruto had always loved them, even before crossing over.
After all… what boy doesn't like driving? In every sense of the word.
As for picking a ride…
Haruto twitched his wrist again and opened a portal into Tony Stark's garage.
"You again?"
Stark froze mid-movement. He was in the middle of testing a new generation of Iron Man armor when Haruto suddenly appeared in his garage.
The billionaire's expression was complicated. This constant intrusion left him feeling like he had no privacy whatsoever. One thought from Haruto, and it was as if his whole life could be laid bare. No secrets.
"Haruto, you do know that trespassing into private property gives me the legal right to shoot you on sight, right?" Stark asked, deadpan.
Haruto nodded calmly. "Broadway's in trouble. As guardian of New York's Sanctum Sanctorum, I need to be there."
He chose honesty without hesitation. If Abomination was going to be born tonight, it was bound to hit headlines.
Stark: "???"
Why was this kid coming here if it was Broadway that had a problem? This wasn't Broadway. And didn't he have portals? Couldn't he just teleport straight there?
"I haven't driven in a long time," Haruto said lightly. "So I thought I'd try it out."
With that, he drew upon the power of the AllSpark, directing it toward a sleek blue supercar.
The machine shuddered, metal flowing like liquid as life surged into it. Moments later, the sports car pulled free of the row and rolled up to Haruto's feet, its door swinging open automatically.
Stark: "???"
Since the day he bought these cars, not one had treated him with that level of enthusiasm.
For a moment, he couldn't tell if he should be jealous or furious.
Then again, with his current wealth, a supercar was little more than pocket change. Even limited editions could be acquired with ease. That was the privilege of money.
But Haruto? Haruto didn't even need money. He could just… borrow one.
"When this is over, it'll drive itself back home," Haruto assured him, slipping into the driver's seat as the door closed on its own.
A portal shimmered into existence in front of the car, though not directly to the sign-in site.
No—this time, Haruto wanted the thrill of driving before work called.
"Hold on."
Stark stared at him for three long seconds, then stepped forward and pressed both palms on the hood.
Their last encounter hadn't ended well, but Stark didn't hate Haruto for it. Ross had been the aggressor in that fight.
If Stark had been in Haruto's place, he might've made the same choice—though perhaps with less brutality.
"What's going on at Broadway?" Stark demanded. His voice was firm now.
Part of him—the part slowly turning into Iron Man—refused to ignore disaster if it truly was unfolding.
Another part wanted to see Haruto walk the path of hero, not villain.
Not because Haruto had saved his life.
Because his abilities were terrifying.
When Haruto had unleashed the Mechanical Scourge and then vanished, Stark had bought up several of the cars affected by his power.
He'd dismantled, studied, rebuilt them countless times.
But no matter what he did, he couldn't figure out the principle behind their transformation. It wasn't advanced technology. It wasn't science at all.
It was something else entirely—supernatural magic.
A field Stark had no experience in, no way to understand.
If Haruto ever chose tyranny over justice, resisting him would be… nearly impossible.
And Haruto looked young. A teenager, maybe. If guided right…
But Stark also knew better than to take appearances at face value. A boy who could create something like the Mechanical Scourge would have no problem hiding his true age.
All this left Stark conflicted, torn between wariness and reluctant trust.
"If you're interested," Haruto said with a smile, shifting gears, "come along."
Seeing Haruto dodge the question, Stark grimaced and went to suit up. Broadway would have to be checked out.
Meanwhile, Haruto slammed down on the accelerator.
The car roared through the portal and burst onto the streets of New York.
He glanced at the countdown. Still plenty of time.
But he wasn't about to let traffic spoil his fun.
Calling once more upon the AllSpark, Haruto spread its power outward, awakening car after car along the roadside.
Engines rumbled as vehicles pulled aside, making way for him like subjects bowing to a king.
His private highway to Broadway.
At the same time, Dr. Banner had already fallen into General Ross's hands.
It had been Stern, indirectly, who helped Ross capture him.
After attempting the neutralizing serum, the Hulk's gamma energy had vanished from Banner's body.
Now, he was little more than a regular man. Against Blonsky, he didn't stand a chance.
"If that monster's gone, then I'll gut you myself!" Ross barked from an armed helicopter, eyes blazing at Banner.
He had no use for weaklings like Banner. He wanted soldiers like Hulk—unstoppable, weaponized titans.
In Ross's eyes, Banner lost control every time he transformed because of his weakness.
A real fighter, like Blonsky, would've mastered that power and bent it to his will.
Banner, though, remained calm in the face of Ross's fury.
So long as the Hulk was gone—so long as the military couldn't harness that power—it was enough.
"What a foolish choice, Dr. Banner."
From the shadowed corner of the helicopter, a smooth, cold voice cut through the tension.
Nick Fury.
He had always held high hopes for Banner.
And now… Banner had extinguished them.