On the outskirts of Manhattan, General Ross had already sealed off an entire block.
The area was swarming with heavy machinery, armored vehicles, and weapons platforms that immediately drew the attention of passersby. Everyone knew something big was about to happen here.
Civilians scattered in panic, retreating from the area as fast as they could. In contrast, news helicopters roared toward the cordoned-off zone. Inside them, ambitious reporters pressed against the windows, desperate to capture footage that could skyrocket their careers.
Within minutes, live broadcasts began streaming across the city.
Ross had hoped to contain the situation, but the press was never under military control. News outlets behaved like hungry wolves, circling the scent of blood, eager for anything they could spin against the government. Scandals involving state secrets or military failures never lost public attention.
Far away, Nolan Lock leaned back in his chair, eyes fixed on the flickering news feed showing the chaos downtown.
At that moment, he understood perfectly what was happening.
Would Tony Stark appear? Perhaps, under normal circumstances, Stark wouldn't. But in this world, in this version of New York? There was no way he would sit this out.
A faint smile tugged at Nolan's lips.
What better stage could there be for his first public appearance as the world's new protector than this very battlefield?
Of course, entering the fray didn't mean mimicking Stark, flying recklessly into combat while wrapped in shiny metal. Nolan saw himself differently someone more deliberate, more refined.
All he needed was to show his presence at the right moment. To demonstrate that he possessed power no one else could match.
For him, brute strength was only a fragment of the arsenal he commanded.
"Red Queen," Nolan said softly.
A crimson-hued hologram flickered into being beside him.
"Yes, sir," replied the AI with her usual calm elegance.
"Prepare our heavy assets," Nolan ordered, his voice steady but sharp with anticipation. "It's time to let the world see what Lock Technologies is capable of."
"Understood, sir. Systems are finalizing calibrations. Estimated readiness: three minutes."
Nolan rose from his chair and strode toward the far wall. As he approached, a seamless panel slid open to reveal a concealed chamber.
Inside, standing silently like a guardian awaiting command, was his latest creation.
Unlike the Delta-6 Exo-Suit, which was essentially a powered exoskeleton designed to enhance human strength and endurance, this was something else entirely. The Delta had served its purpose it was practical, efficient, and favored because of its convenience. But it no longer matched Nolan's expectations.
As Stark once said, that suit was little more than a bulky target when compared to the cutting edge of the Iron Man Mark series.
What Nolan now faced was on another level.
This was the Hammer Armor.
A full combat exoskeleton, surpassing the Delta series in every aspect.
"Begin fitting sequence," Nolan commanded.
With a mechanical hiss, the Hammer Armor unfolded. Hydraulic arms extended, assisting him as each segment sealed into place around his body.
The armor's design drew inspiration from Spartan technology in Halo, originally engineered for super-soldiers. Its core was powered by a miniature nuclear fission battery, with a micro fusion reactor supplying near-limitless energy to its defensive systems.
The result: a suit with virtually infinite power reserves and regenerative shielding.
Thruster packs built into its frame allowed short bursts of flight enough for tactical maneuvering. While it lacked the long-range aerial capabilities of Stark's suits, its sheer durability and weapon systems easily eclipsed the Mark line.
For armaments, Nolan had chosen two primary options: Lock Technologies' newly developed plasma rifle for ranged combat, and a massive high-frequency blade for close-quarters devastation.
By the time the helmet sealed with a low hum, the heads-up display lit up across Nolan's vision.
He flexed his gauntleted hand, feeling the armor's immense responsiveness.
"Deploy," he said.
Energy surged from the thrusters at his back, propelling him forward like a missile. Within seconds, he was streaking across the city skyline.
Behind him, units of T-1000 drones, piloting APU combat frames, stood ready for deployment. Nolan hadn't brought Hive's full might revealing too much would draw dangerous attention but what he had was more than enough.
Meanwhile, within the laboratory, Bruce Banner had just reverted to human form. His relief didn't last long.
At Emil Blonsky's demand, Samuel Sterns had injected the cloned Hulk cells into Blonsky's bloodstream.
Blonsky's hunger for power knew no limits. Being a supersoldier wasn't enough. He had taken the serum twice, surviving what no one else could. And now, given the chance to surpass even the Hulk, he seized it eagerly.
As the Hulk cells merged with the serum already coursing through him, his body convulsed violently. Blonsky's screams tore through the night, raw and feral, carrying into the streets.
Soldiers froze at the sound.
Ross frowned. "That… isn't the Hulk."
The roar was different deeper, more distorted.
And yet, if it wasn't Hulk, what could it be?
The answer soon exploded outward.
Banner stumbled from the ruined lab, coughing, barely standing. But the monstrous cries continued from within.
Then, with a deafening boom, the entire building tore apart.
A massive figure hurled itself into the open, landing with a crash that shook the ground.
The creature towered at nearly five meters, dwarfing even the Hulk. The largest Hulk Ross had ever seen barely reached three meters, his size scaling only with rage.
This was something else. Something worse.
"Blonsky?" Ross muttered, recognition dawning.
The abomination turned, its grotesque body rippling with muscle and jagged bone.
"Yes, General!" the creature bellowed, its voice both alien and familiar. "Look at me now. Isn't this perfect?"
No fear. No agony. Only exhilaration.
Blonsky no, Abomination stared down at his massive frame. Even the tanks surrounding him seemed small in comparison. His veins pulsed with power, his very existence a living weapon.
"Perfect," he whispered again, drunk on strength.
Ross cursed under his breath. Banner was already in custody. But Banner was no longer the issue.
"Open fire!"
Gunfire erupted. A storm of bullets pelted Abomination's hide, but they did nothing not even slowing him down. Tanks couldn't risk firing in the city, leaving the soldiers helpless.
Abomination laughed, the sound rattling through the streets. Not even the Hulk had been this powerful. He was beyond anything they had prepared for.
Cameras whirred overhead, live-streaming every second.
"Ladies and gentlemen," a trembling reporter whispered into her mic, "what we are witnessing… is a monster. A monster the army cannot stop. My God what are we seeing?!"
Ross scrambled to deploy the APU combat suits, their heavy cannons buying a brief reprieve, holding Abomination in place. But how long could they last?
The crowd soldiers, civilians, journalists felt despair creeping in.
Until a new voice cut through the chaos.
Cocky, irreverent, filled with swagger.
"Hey, big guy! You know what? You look an awful lot like a pile of crap!"
Heads snapped upward.
A figure streaked across the night sky, metal gleaming under the city lights.
Nolan Lock had arrived.
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