A streak formed in the sky, stretching from top to bottom like a vertical cloud slash.
Down on the cracked desert ground, the five X-Men looked up in unison, waiting to see what would happen. If even this couldn't knock the Hulk out, they'd have to admit defeat.
The Hulk fell back-first, limbs flailing, short hair whipping in the wind, and then—BOOM! He slammed into the earth.
The impact was like an earthquake. His landing carved out a deep crater, and the rising cloud of dust stung their eyes and blurred their vision.
The crash site was far away, yet the sandstorm had reached all the way here. That alone showed just how terrifying the Hulk's impact had been.
"This time that green monster has to be dead," Nightcrawler said with a bit of smug pride. If it hadn't been for his quick thinking, that green-skinned beast might've killed them all.
Hopefully, it worked. But that faint worry still lingered in the minds of the veteran X-Men.
The Hulk wasn't just any monster—he was a monster under control. Waves of signals kept surging into his brain. Even after that brutal fall, the programming held. Five mutants still stood. Hulk must kill all mutants. Hulk must kill all mutants.
"HULK KILL MUTANTS!"
The roar echoed like thunder, rattling their eardrums and striking their brains like a sledgehammer. With his bellow, the dust and wind around them cleared. A terrifying aura rippled out across the desert.
"This is bad—he's even angrier now!" Cyclops' expression shifted. He barely had time to react before something broke the sound barrier in front of them.
A stone. A flying stone.
No time to think. Cyclops instinctively fired a laser beam to vaporize it. Zzzap—
But that stone wasn't the end.
Nightcrawler didn't dodge the next one fast enough. A rock slammed into him, sending him flying.
It wasn't just one stone. It was a barrage. The Hulk had turned chunks of debris into a deadly storm. No one could avoid it.
In seconds, all four X-Men were hit. Each of them slammed into the ground hard, groaning in pain, seriously injured.
Even Cyclops couldn't hold out. More rocks were incoming, too fast and too many. Eventually, one struck him squarely, and blood sprayed from his mouth.
"HULK KILL MUTANTS." The Hulk marched forward. He walked straight up to Wolverine.
From the previous fights, he remembered clearly—Wolverine was the toughest. So, he had to be the first to die. The one who always got back up had to be smashed down for good.
WHAM! One punch, and Wolverine's back instantly caved into the sand.
The Hulk kept swinging, fists flying from both sides, treating Wolverine like dough under his palms. Even Wolverine felt like his organs had been turned to mush, blood pouring from his mouth.
The others were only human in body. Even with powers, their flesh couldn't take hits like artillery shells. Every one of them had broken bones and internal injuries. None of them could help Wolverine now.
"Logan!" Jean shouted, her voice frantic. There was no response.
Oh God, please save us. Nightcrawler murmured a prayer. The others didn't speak. No one mocked his fear—because in their hearts, they were all praying too.
Maybe their prayers worked.
A thunderous roar filled the sky.
Everyone opened their eyes and saw their jet diving down like a chariot of angels. Inside the cockpit, they caught a glimpse of Liu A'dou's focused face.
Flying a jet into the Hulk required skill and guts. Liu A'dou locked in, fully concentrated. He had to hit him.
Go! The jet skimmed the desert like a missile.
The Hulk didn't even react in time. The plane slammed into him head-on and scraped along the ground, dragging him with it.
Liu A'dou tried to pull the nose up, but without landing gear and flying at ground level, there wasn't enough lift. The jet crashed down and skidded across the sand, carving a long trench in the desert floor.
Liu A'dou steadied himself and saw that the plane's nose had been dented from the impact with the Hulk. He couldn't help thinking—no wonder Hulk was one of the top physical powerhouses on Earth. His body density might even surpass that of a god.
The crash hadn't stopped the Hulk. He raised both arms and began pounding the aircraft. The nose of the jet was soon smashed into scrap.
It seemed Hulk had fixated on him now. Those green eyes locked onto him like a predator. Liu A'dou was definitely feeling the pressure. Hulk and Bruce Banner were completely separate personas, almost like dissociative identity disorder. Banner feared the Hulk. Even when Banner had influence, once enraged, he would still lose control. Hulk was a pure engine of destruction, destroying everything in his path.
What a mess. Though Liu showing up to save them moved the X-Men deeply, this was a reckless move. Hulk was too strong. Even the five of them working together were no match—what good could Liu A'dou do alone? He was just another likely casualty.
But what was a friend? A friend is someone who shows up when you're in danger.
"Liu, get out of there!" Cyclops shouted. If Hulk grabbed him, he'd be dead for sure.
The wrecked plane blocked their view, but they could hear the terrifying sound of metal being torn apart. No one dared imagine what that kind of force would do to a human body. They were already mentally preparing to mourn Liu A'dou as the first victim of this mission. All they could do now was pray.
Wolverine's body was still regenerating, but his wounds were serious. Internal bleeding like that would take more time. No one else could help.
Creaaaak…
The Hulk leapt onto the jet, stepping closer to the cockpit. Then he ripped the top off with both hands, revealing Liu A'dou inside.
Their eyes met.
For a second, Hulk hesitated. This little guy... was way too calm.
Liu A'dou smiled. "So, the day's finally come." At last, a chance to test his full power. "Hulk, try not to die."
"HULK KILL MUTANTS." Liu A'dou wasn't a mutant, but standing in Hulk's way meant he'd get the same treatment.
Liu A'dou took a deep breath. First came the Ripple. "Sendō Hamon Jisō!"
Under the Eighth Sense, his Ripple surged—golden waves crackled around his right hand like lightning. Then, with a sudden burst of movement, Liu A'dou delivered it straight into the Hulk's body.
Boom! The Hulk was knocked flying.
The fallen X-Men rubbed their eyes. Did they see that right? The one sent flying… was the Hulk?? What just happened?
That hit bought Liu A'dou the perfect window to summon his Odin Armor. If he was going all in, the Sacred Cloth was a must.
He raised his right hand high and stood tall atop the wreckage. "Odin Armor!!!"
From Themyscira, the armor heard his call. A beam of light tore through the barriers and soared toward the continent. None of the others had any idea what Liu A'dou was doing standing there. They didn't understand why he hadn't been turned into a smear of flesh. But there was no time to ask questions now.
A blinding light descended from the heavens, engulfing Liu A'dou.
The glare was so intense they couldn't even look directly. When it finally faded, they saw him.
A crystalline warrior stood proudly atop the ruined jet. The sunlight refracted through the Sacred Crystal Cloth, scattering into a rainbow of five dazzling colors.
He looked like a warrior out of myth—radiant, magnificent.
Liu A'dou slowly raised his hand and pointed at the Hulk. "I welcome a battle with you."
The Hulk roared in reply. "ROAR——!!"
Everything was set. The real fight was about to begin.
Their eyes locked again. And then, the Hulk—grinned. Just a little. Clearly, he approved of this opponent.