Camper swore that from this day forward, he would proudly declare himself a Nolan fanboy.
Because in this world, there could be no superhero greater than Nolan.
"Perhaps many people don't understand," Camper's voice rang out. "But Nolan isn't just a superhero. He is also a hero for the common people."
Only a short while ago, Lock Industries had announced the release of a groundbreaking household assistance robot, a creation designed to free countless families from worry about the future.
At first, Camper had thought Nolan was nothing more than a wealthy philanthropist, a businessman with a soft heart. But now he realized how wrong he had been. Nolan wasn't just generous. He was a true hero an unparalleled, unmatched superhero.
The crowd surrounding the battlefield heard Camper's words, yet not a single soul objected. Nolan's performance had been too domineering, too dazzling. He exuded both power and charisma in a way that left people breathless.
When compared to Tony Stark's battered and nearly ruined Iron Man armor, the difference between the two was as clear as day. Their ability to attract admiration was no contest.
On the battlefield, Nolan raised his Stormbreaker-inspired battle armor blade, pointing it directly at the Hulk. From the outside, it looked as though Nolan carried himself with complete ease. But only he knew the truth he quietly exhaled, the faintest sigh escaping his lips.
The Thor's Hammer Battle Armor was indeed extraordinary. It gave him peerless speed and devastating offensive strength. Yet, even with all of its enhancements, there were still limits.
That last strike, where he had taken Hulk's rage-fueled smash head-on, had left his entire body tingling and numb.
Inside the armor, the auto-repair system was already pumping restorative liquid into his bloodstream, nourishing his body and mending his injuries. Even so, Nolan knew he had nearly reached his limit. His role in this clash was coming to an end.
"Red Queen," he commanded coolly, "begin the plan."
This was the reason Nolan had personally taken the field not only to make a flawless and dramatic entrance, but also because Abomination had to be eliminated. Without his direct intervention, his machines alone never would have succeeded.
But with Abomination gone, the real plan could unfold.
At his command, every Terminator T-1000 unit activated simultaneously and surged forward into the fray.
Hulk, however, wasn't about to sit idly by.
Yes, Nolan had slain Abomination. But to the Hulk, none of that mattered. His heart knew only fury and defiance. The Hulk had never bowed before anyone… unless the opponent's power was overwhelming beyond doubt.
And Nolan, in Hulk's judgment, was not that strong.
With a bellow, Hulk hurled himself toward Nolan.
Meanwhile, the APU exoskeleton mechs that Nolan had deployed earlier struck at Hulk, forcing him to stagger and roar in pain. But instead of slowing him down, their attacks only stoked his anger further.
Back near the sidelines, Tony Stark's armored helmet flipped up, revealing his furrowed brows and disbelief. He turned to Nolan with a sharp look.
"Nolan," Tony asked, his tone dripping with suspicion, "how exactly am I supposed to rate your Thor's Hammer armor? Want my honest take?"
Nolan smirked, eyes glinting with amusement.
"Tell me."
Tony snorted, the corner of his mouth twitching. "It's nothing but a flashy target dummy compared to my Mark V."
Nolan chuckled, savoring the jab. Tony Stark's stubborn pride was legendary, his refusal to give credit where it was due unshakable. But that, in itself, was what made it all the more satisfying. Making Tony admit defeat was difficult so provoking his sharp tongue was its own kind of victory.
As Hulk barreled through the exoskeleton mechs, smashing them one after another, Tony dropped his faceplate into place, prepared to charge into battle. But Nolan stopped him with a raised hand.
"They've got this handled," Nolan said calmly.
Tony's expression twisted in disbelief. "Handled? You do realize those mechs of yours are little more than toys against that monster? And you've got actual people inside them!"
Nolan didn't answer. He only let a quiet smile play across his lips.
"Just watch."
The hesitation cost precious moments. In that time, Hulk had already reached the nearest APU unit. With one brutal swing, his massive fist reduced the towering exoskeleton to a crumpled pile of smoking metal.
"Damn it!" Tony cursed. His chest tightened with anger. He had assumed Nolan had some hidden strategy, some countermeasure up his sleeve. But this? This was nothing short of sending his men to their deaths.
"Nolan, that's enough! We need to step in now!" Tony barked, his anxiety mounting.
Even General Ross stormed forward, his face dark with impatience. His jaw tightened as he muttered a stream of curses under his breath.
In Ross's mind, Nolan Lock had already proven himself by killing Blonsky. If he could defeat Abomination, then he should easily be capable of putting Hulk down as well. But instead, Nolan was standing aside, letting men and machines be torn apart. Was he mad?
And still, Nolan remained unshaken. His gaze was steady, his face serene, even as a third exoskeleton mech fell apart under Hulk's rampage.
But then, something extraordinary happened.
From the wreckage, figures began to rise.
At first they looked human, their silhouettes eerily familiar. But when one of them charged Hulk head-on, the monster smashed half its skull away with a single punch.
Yet the figure did not fall.
Instead, its head regenerated before everyone's stunned eyes.
The crowd gasped in shock.
"What the hell is that?!"
Nolan finally spoke, his voice calm but edged with triumph.
"This is Lock Technologies' newest product the second generation in the Terminator line. Behold, the T-1000."
Gasps and whispers rippled through the crowd.
"The T-800 was the first generation of the Terminator project," Nolan continued, his tone confident. "But the T-1000 surpasses the T-800 in every possible way. Its strength is formidable, but its true advantage lies in its body. Constructed entirely from liquid metal, the T-1000 can regenerate from any wound. So long as its internal power core remains intact, it cannot die."
Liquid metal.
The words alone made Tony Stark's blood run cold. He wasn't hearing this for the first time; he had toyed with the concept himself. But he had never dreamed someone would actually bring such technology into reality.
As for General Ross, his jaw nearly hit the ground. When the implications finally sank in, his eyes blazed with raw desire.
An immortal soldier. A perfect weapon.
The battlefield shifted dramatically.
Every T-1000 abandoned the exoskeleton mechs, surging directly toward Hulk. They had no need for armor. Their greatest weapon was their undying nature.
The clash that followed was nothing short of chaos incarnate.
Hulk tore through them again and again, his fists turning their bodies into molten splatters of metallic sludge. Yet every time he crushed one, another reformed, surging back into the fight.
Minutes passed. Dozens of blows were exchanged.
And slowly, Hulk's body began to falter. His shoulders slumped, his movements lost their explosive power. His strength was tied to his rage, but against these immortal foes these pests who could not hurt him yet refused to die his fury had nowhere to go. He could grow frustrated, he could feel disgust, but true rage would not come.
Without rage, Hulk weakened.
Before the eyes of every stunned witness, Hulk's body shrank, his monstrous frame diminishing little by little until he stood less than three meters tall.
The unthinkable was happening. Hulk was losing.
Nolan turned to Tony Stark, his smile faint yet cutting.
"Now," he asked lightly, "do you still think my creations are nothing but trash?"
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