Chapter 737: Peril, Thanos, Peril (Part 2) (Patreon)

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"Professor Charles, I have some bad news."

In the office of Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, Schiller, holding a medical file and frowning with a serious expression, said, "Yesterday, I conducted another round of re-examination on Dr. Bruce Banner. The situation with the personality inside him is not optimistic."

"What happened?" Charles asked with concern.

"Do you remember? We guided Dr. Banner to build his own Temple of Thought. However, Dr. Banner is a scholar, and the mental construct in his ideal... is relatively dull and boring."

"In his mental world, he built a steel city, similar to Tony's. However, such an environment easily agitates the unstable personality."

Schiller sighed, looking at the file, "Last night, I visited his mental world. The personality known as Hulk lives in a room in a skyscraper, surrounded by robots, almost like being caged."

"Earlier, we advised treating Hulk like a child. Dr. Banner even made a playground for him. But perhaps because Dr. Banner never visited a playground himself, the toys in there, with mechanical parts and rockets, are not suitable for Hulk to relax and release pressure."

"As a result, Hulk, confined in this mechanical prison, has worsened. Recently, he has begun to destroy buildings in the city. Last night, I tried to calm him, but this is not a long-term solution."

Charles, too, shook his head and sighed, "An adult's personality cannot be easily altered, no matter how much external influence is applied. Ultimately, they have to change through their own motivation."

"It's obvious that Banner is unwilling to change his current lifestyle. He doesn't want to spend a lot of time playing or visiting paradise-like places. He has devoted his life to scientific research."

"Yes, correct," Schiller affirmed. "However, Dr. Banner is an adult and can accept this lifestyle, but Hulk inside him cannot."

Schiller sat opposite Charles, gently tapping the file with his finger, "Hulk is the childhood version of Bruce Banner."

"During that time, he suffered too much violence, resulting in a personality filled with destructive desires. Banner grew up, but Hulk did not. He remains like a child, without a mature mind, a manifestation of his despair and rebellion against childhood violence."

"Such a personality should live in a comfortable, happy environment, not surrounded by dull materials and cold steel."

"Have you not persuaded Bruce?" Charles asked Schiller.

"I have, but perhaps due to the shadows in his heart, he has been avoiding things related to childhood, like toys and playgrounds. His eye contact when seeing these things reminds me of many children I diagnosed who suffered from domestic violence."

"They long for these things because they never had them, but they are also afraid, knowing that expressing such desires would lead to terrible abuse."

Schiller and Charles sighed in unison. As Charles said, deep-seated shadows in one's personality can be influenced and fade, but the formed personalities are hard to change.

"We have to implement the other plan we discussed," Schiller said in a low tone. "It won't cure the root cause, but at least it can reduce the destruction."

"You mean, letting Hulk vent his destructive urges in uninhabited areas of the universe to minimize the damage?" Charles pondered, "That's an option, but will Bruce agree?"

"Last time I asked his opinion, Dr. Banner is a good man. He doesn't want to destroy the city. If there's an uninhabited planet for Hulk to use as a toy, he has no objections. But when the time comes, we might need your power to lure Hulk out, Professor."

"Don't worry, tell me the time and place, and I'll be there," Charles said with a warm smile.

Leaving Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, Schiller discussed the location for Hulk's venting and destruction with Stark and Strange, then went to find Banner.

When Schiller arrived at Banner's laboratory, he was busy with an experiment. The laboratory was very bright, filled with a soft glow.

Hearing the noise, Banner turned his head and seeing Schiller, he showed a surprised expression. Before Schiller could speak, Banner approached excitedly:

"Dr. Schiller, this halo of yours is so useful! Very bright, it makes every object shadowless, which greatly helps in observing mechanical structures. Um... it's a bit embarrassing, but can you lend it to me for a few days?"

"Absolutely no problem," Schiller nodded. "It has other functions too, which I can show you. Like this..."

As he spoke, Schiller took the halo, shrank it, and put it in his pocket, then took it out again. The light turned off, and the halo disappeared.

Schiller made a gesture of handing something over, and Banner instinctively reached out, feeling the halo.

"Although it's invisible now, you can still touch it," Schiller explained. "It can expand, shrink, and turn the light on and off at will, just by thinking about it."

Banner took the halo, concentrated, and found it worked as described. He was even happier, saying, "Perfect, I was just worried about how to carry it to and from work."

"Thank you for trusting me so much..." Banner said, somewhat stammeringly, "Thank you for not treating me like a monster."

Schiller shook his head, patted Banner's shoulder without saying anything. After a silence, he said, "About what I discussed with you last night..."

Banner nodded, "It's indeed the best way, but I'm sorry to trouble so many people with me..."

"It's no problem, Doctor. You're not only a treasure of human civilization but also our friend. See you in a week."

"See you in a week."

The chosen location for Hulk to unleash his fury was a galaxy not far from the Solar System. This galaxy, dark but not desolate, teeming with celestial bodies, provided an ideal setting for Hulk's destructive tendencies.

Once everything was set, the team assembled. Charles was responsible for drawing out the Hulk from within Banner, while Schiller monitored the psychological states of both Banner and Hulk. Strange was tasked with cleaning up any mess, and Stark was there just for the spectacle.

Or rather, it was Venom within Stark who was eager for the show.

As the neural implant system had not yet fully adapted, Venom was confined within Stark's body, helping him cope with the rejection reaction. Stark, weary of Venom's constant chattering, decided to take him out to see the 'Cigarette' flower.

Finally, Banner arrived at the pre-arranged life-support base. At Schiller's command, a roar full of rage shattered the base into pieces.

The green giant leaped up, smashing a fist into a small asteroid, sending it hurtling away. For Hulk, bursting stars with a single punch was just the basics.

Despite the spectacular scene, the process was not particularly entertaining. It was akin to watching one's Husky play: an innocent, illogical destruction, not an art to be appreciated by humans. The onlookers soon found it boring.

"I'll take a look around, see if there are any resource-rich planets nearby," Stark said, shaking his head before flying off.

The others, bound by their duties, stayed put. Stark, alone in his search, found nothing but barren planets.

Just as he was about to return, disappointed, JARVIS sounded an alarm:

"High-energy life form approaching the Solar System! High-energy life form approaching! Alert! Alert!"

Reacting instantly to the sudden alarm, Stark sped towards the Solar System, only to encounter a purple figure.

Venom, inside Stark, cried out, "Don't go there! That's the Eternity Titan, you'll die!"

"Eternity Titan? What's that?" Stark asked, pausing.

"The Eternity clan from Titan, extremely powerful, also known as Titan Giants. Not well-regarded in the symbiote gene pool. I remember my host visiting a Titan Giant's territory, but I've forgotten which," Venom recalled.

Stark hesitated, realizing the giant seemed lost. The Titan pulled out a communication device, apparently contacting someone. Stark decided to act. "I must lead him away, now, or he might contact his spy on Earth and create a mess."

"Don't! Are you insane? You can't defeat him!" Venom protested. "Don't drag me into your death!"

Ignoring Venom, Stark flew towards the Titan. Venom, seeing no other choice, covered Stark's chest and joints with black symbiote to protect vital areas.

Thanos, busy contacting his subordinates, sensed someone approaching. He turned, expecting an ally, but instead saw a stranger.

"Hey, big guy! Over here!" Stark gestured provocatively. Thanos, not understanding the words but recognizing the attitude, grunted coldly, consumed by rage.

Thanos was known for his pride and caution, always traveling with a full entourage of weapons and troops. But this time, blinded by rage, he came alone. He believed his strength, along with Black Dwarf from the Black Obsidian Generals who had previously arrived in the Solar System, would be enough to annihilate these weak humans.

"He looks furious! Why don't you run?" Venom kept insisting. "Now, I'm starting to like that coward better. At least he wouldn't get us killed together!"

"Shut up, coward!" Stark retorted.

As Stark drew closer to Thanos, Venom had no choice but to emerge fully, enveloping Stark.

Thanos, initially indifferent to Stark, changed his attitude when Venom appeared. His roar of fury echoed through space:

"Venom! Was it you who threw filth at the star port of the Dark Dimension?!"

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Next Chapter>>Chapter 738: Buzzing Mind (Part 1)