Chapter 211: The Sun Also Rises
Red Hulk's capabilities exceeded normal Hulk's specifications comprehensively.
Superiority manifested across multiple parameters: strength, velocity, rational consciousness.
Even against Hulk directly, Red Hulk possessed confidence executing sustained engagement, ultimately dominating through pure combat effectiveness.
Against Batman—inferior even to baseline Hulk—Red Hulk should've resolved combat faster, as effortlessly as crushing insect.
Especially with Venom cowering within Batman's core from thermal fear, unable providing assistance—Batman presented zero genuine threat to Red Hulk.
Yet somehow this supposedly inconsequential opponent currently infuriated Red Hulk profoundly.
Red Hulk's eyes blazed almost literally. Every breath expelled twin smoke plumes from nostrils. Continuous roaring, fists and feet frantically tearing at adhered webbing layers.
After Batman lured him into prepared web network, Batman still evaded all contact—instead guiding Red Hulk through chaotic charging throughout webbing maze.
Consequently, Red Hulk's physiology accumulated layer upon layer—black, white, earth-toned webbing practically cocooning him completely.
Without The Leader's psychic control, Red Hulk genuinely possessed rationality. But that didn't guarantee maintaining rationality under Batman's web assault.
Five full minutes. Red Hulk had thrown countless punches, even deploying U.S. Air Force combat techniques desperately. Still never contacted Batman once.
Fury eroded Red Hulk's rationality. Webbing intensified unbearable frustration. Batman's endless harassment compounded effects.
Finally, at critical moment—THOOM!
Red Hulk's heartbeat suddenly erupted like heavy drum percussion. Batman oriented toward sound, actually glimpsing vascular structures beneath Red Hulk's skin—blood surging at extreme velocity.
His physiology blazed crimson. Temperature exceeded previous levels significantly.
Batman felt scorching wind assault. Red Hulk radiated heat like North Brother Island's artificial sun, unleashing thermal energy frantically. Both eyes transformed completely red, facial expression twisting further.
Batman suspected Red Hulk's dermal and adipose tissues contained specific compounds preventing combustion fuel properties while maintaining physiological activity.
Otherwise, given Red Hulk's current state, he shouldn't manifest towering rage—rather carbonized skin and rendered fat deposits.
"Continued provocation required. Plan B standby for immediate activation."
Batman launched additional webbing volleys plastering enraged Red Hulk's face while maintaining cautious distance.
If Red Hulk demonstrated any strength escalation post-temperature spike, Batman would immediately abort overheating provocation protocol.
After all, "overheating" remained Batman's hypothesis—existence unconfirmed definitively.
"ROAR! ROAR!"
Red Hulk roared continuously, eyes locked murderously on Batman, nearly grinding steel teeth to fragments, charging Batman with maddened desperation.
This iteration, he ignored webbing completely. Despite various web formulations plastering his entire physiology crackling audibly, Red Hulk never paused for clearance.
Red Hulk obviously exhausted tolerating Batman's constant evasion tactics. Committing maximum effort reaching Batman directly, pulverizing this insufferable opponent with bare fists into meat paste.
But without Venom, without heavy armor—Batman naturally refused direct engagement.
Facing Red Hulk's vengeful charge, Batman simply shifted footwork. Right hand fired webbing, pulling himself toward alternate vector.
CRASH...
Red Hulk lunged at empty space again. He stood at Batman's previous position, raising both fists, pounding ground repeatedly with continuous roaring.
Having ignored en route webbing, current Red Hulk bore adhesive entanglement throughout physiology—webbing endpoints connecting countless concrete fragments of varying sizes, further restricting mobility.
"I'VE HAD ENOUGH! ENOUGH!"
CRACK!
Mid-roar, Red Hulk literally shattered his own teeth from jaw pressure.
He glanced down at web-adhered concrete fragments dangling from his frame, casually grasping one chunk, raising overhead before hurling toward Batman viciously.
But the instant Red Hulk raised arm, countless webbing strands discharged from Batman's inner forearm, plastering across Red Hulk's face again while simultaneously binding concrete chunk to Red Hulk's palm.
Under fury's influence, Red Hulk couldn't release concrete projectile.
He ripped facial webbing away, preparing second throw attempt when Red Hulk suddenly experienced excruciating cranial pain.
This agony vastly exceeded Red Hulk's Batman-directed fury, causing ground-rolling torment. But accumulated webbing prevented rolling mobility.
From Batman's observation, Red Hulk's surface crimson rapidly faded. Physiology contracted. Black hair progressively grayed.
Several breaths later, Red Hulk vanished completely. Replacing him: unconscious human-form General Ross, completely naked.
"Hypothesis confirmed. Red Hulk possesses overheating critical threshold."
Batman observed General Ross, mentally assessing.
No elation from Red Hulk's defeat. Batman rapidly bound Ross with webbing, retrieving Blonsky and The Leader simultaneously.
Including cage-imprisoned Norman Osborn—four gamma creatures completely defeated through Batman's comprehensive methodologies.
Only now did Batman's footsteps stagger. Retreating several steps, he braced against broken wall section, breathing heavily.
New Mexico operation consumed virtually all Batman's resources beyond Alpha Protocol.
Disposable Batwing, three bat-pods, countless web formula capsules, dozens of specialized batarangs, one bat-cycle, plus composite waveform device and EMP charges, plus nearly all pharmaceutical preparations for this operation.
Even disposable Batwing's mounted Oracle AI vanished with aircraft destruction.
New Batwing's system couldn't qualify as true AI—merely basic command-execution programming.
Including Batwing Two, Batman's combat expenditure exceeded one hundred million dollars.
Fortunately, all creatures neutralized. New Mexico operation finally concluded. Batman could transport Norman Osborn back intact.
Leaning against broken wall, Batman observed horizon—pale fish-belly white emerging. New day approaching.
Minutes later, new Batwing descended slowly. Batman bound The Leader, Blonsky, General Ross, and Norman Osborn separately, loading them into cabin.
Then he inspected Ross's forty-eight personal guards, discovering all had perished from underground plaza combat shockwaves. Zero survivors.
Batman eliminated delay. After destroying underground plaza gamma apparatus, he boarded Batwing cockpit, aircraft tracing arc through atmosphere toward New York.
Behind Batwing, first sunbeam illuminated from horizon, gilding black aircraft's edges with golden radiance.
***
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