Fifth Avenue.
Two green, musclebound monsters were brawling in the middle of the street, fists slamming into each other with bone-crunching force.
Around them, cars burned, armed soldiers scrambled, helicopters roared overhead, and terrified civilians scattered in every direction. Fire hydrants burst, spraying water into the chaos.
This was the scene Phil Coulson walked into with his team.
"Hulk…" Coulson muttered, his face grim.
Most people didn't know what Hulk really was, but Coulson did. Hulk wasn't born of magic or gods—he was the result of a military accident during their failed super-soldier program.
Director Fury had even considered recruiting Hulk—Bruce Banner—into S.H.I.E.L.D.
But this other thing?
That grotesque, uglier, meaner version of Hulk who was actually pushing him back?
Holy shit.
"Another military experiment gone wrong?" one of the junior agents muttered.
No one answered.
Behind them, Finnian Murdock tilted his head, watching the clash with genuine surprise.
If his memory was right…
First, Iron Man had his epic showdown with Iron Monger. And then it was Hulk versus Abomination.
But hadn't he already saved Tony Stark from the cave early? Could that butterfly effect have accelerated things?
Didn't matter.
What mattered was this: now was the perfect time for a hero to make an entrance.
It was the next step in Finnian's climb to power, fame, and influence.
He was practically buzzing with anticipation, but when he glanced around, he realized the TV crews hadn't arrived yet.
So, he waited.
Because if there were no cameras, there was no point in wasting energy.
Finnian knew the game: superheroes weren't about brute strength or sacrifice—they were about performance. Theatrics. The show.
And right now, Hulk and Abomination were just setting the stage for him.
Better yet, when he stepped in, there was a good chance both monsters would turn on him. Which was perfect.
Because if he didn't fight, nothing happened. But if he did? He'd make headlines worldwide.
This wasn't just about flexing his power—it was about shocking the world. About branding himself into the public's memory. About laying the foundation for politics later.
And nothing screamed "future President" like knocking around two green giants on live television.
Coulson's phone rang. He answered, listening briefly before hanging up.
The order was simple: "Don't intervene. Let Hulk finish his fight."
Nick Fury knew the truth—his agents weren't equipped for this level of combat. Better to sit back and let the monsters duke it out.
In the street, Hulk and Abomination ramped things up, their rage climbing.
Punches weren't enough anymore. They started tearing cars off the street and hurling them like baseballs.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
"Move back!" Coulson barked, ushering the team away.
But when he saw Finnian still standing there, not even flinching, Maria Hill went to drag him—only to freeze as Finnian suddenly stomped the ground and launched forward.
By now, the TV crews had arrived. Cameras were rolling, capturing every ounce of destruction.
Which meant…
It was time for the Guardian of the Big Apple to make his debut.
Hulk and Abomination roared, charging at each other with car-smashing momentum. Reporters braced for the inevitable bone-shattering collision.
Instead—
Gasps erupted.
"Oh my god! There's someone between them!"
A lone figure stood in the middle of the battlefield. Compared to the monsters, he looked tiny—almost laughably so.
Until—
BOOM. BOOM.
Two shockwaves blasted outward as both Hulk and Abomination were hurled back dozens of meters, skidding across the asphalt.
Coulson's team froze, wide-eyed, jaws slack.
In the center of the street, Finnian Murdock stood tall, striking a picture-perfect hero pose. His acting? Flawless.
In truth, all he had done was absorb the kinetic energy from both their punches and redirect it back at them.
It was like Hulk and Abomination had punched each other in the face simultaneously—only amplified by Finnian's powers.
The crowd didn't know that. The cameras didn't know that.
All they saw was one man knocking back two monsters like ragdolls.
And it was glorious.
Hulk and Abomination shook their heads, dazed but uninjured. But the damage to their pride was another story.
The live broadcast spread across America in seconds. In homes, bars, and streets, people were shouting.
"Who the hell is that?!"
"Holy shit, did he just—?!"
The air practically buzzed with disbelief.
Abomination recovered first. With a roar, he charged Finnian, murder in his eyes.
Why him?
Why did Emil Blonsky have to become a hideous monster just to gain strength, while this newcomer had it all—power and good looks?
It wasn't fair.
Fueled by rage and jealousy, Abomination swung a fist that could level a tank.
BOOM.
The shockwave cracked windows up and down the street.
Finnian didn't even flinch. He tanked the punch head-on. His energy absorption hadn't hit critical levels yet meaning he was effectively immune.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
Their fists collided again and again, each blow shaking the city block. Sonic booms rippled with every clash.
Up in a helicopter, General Thaddeus Ross watched, his breath quick and uneven.
Desire gleamed in his eyes.
This wasn't just a man. This was a weapon. A weapon Ross needed.
And he'd do whatever it took to make Murdock his.
Elsewhere, Nick Fury nearly broke his phone trying to get Coulson on the line.
"Answer the damn phone, Phil!" Fury barked, practically losing his one good eye as he saw the live footage.
Murdock trading blows with both Hulk and Abomination? Alone?
"Mine," Fury muttered. "Murdock is mine. All mine."
In a S.H.I.E.L.D. infirmary, Brock Rumlow groaned on his hospital bed, watching the same broadcast.
He snatched the phone off the side table.
"At all costs," he ordered into the receiver. "Bring Murdock to me. Whatever it takes. Money, power, woman—I don't care. Just do it."
Back on Fifth Avenue, Finnian switched tactics. He unleashed his hypnosis ability, locking Abomination into a dazed trance.
Then he turned, grinning, and went back to hammering Hulk.
"C'mon, big guy," he taunted between strikes. "I hear the angrier you get, the stronger you become."
He was grinning like a madman now—half-drunk on adrenaline, half-drunk on long-suppressed rage finally set free.
For the first time in years, he felt alive.
Fighting wasn't just survival anymore. It was fun.
Looking into Hulk's confused, almost retreating eyes, Finnian leaned close, whispering something only Banner could hear.
"Hulk… you don't want anything to happen to your girlfriend, do you?"
The effect was instant.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The Hulk roared to the heavens. His muscles ballooned, his frame swelling from less than three meters tall to nearly five. His eyes burned red with unrestrained fury.
For the first time ever, the world saw Hulk unleashed at full power.
"HULK—SMASH!!!"
...
PS: In the 2003 version of The Hulk, his first transformation was 270cm, and at peak rage, he hit 460cm.