Chapter 265: Chapter 265: The Power of the Vibranium Armor
"Let's see how well you can control your strength after all your hard work," Tony said, a mix of admiration and competitive spirit in his eyes. "Don't hold back. I'm not as fragile as you might think."
Bruce felt a surge of excitement in response to Tony's challenge. "I've been waiting for this," he replied, his battle-hardened resolve showing.
For over a year, Bruce had been living on Tony's private island, training relentlessly. The peaceful life on the island, with no fear of accidentally losing control and causing destruction, allowed him to hone his abilities. Yet, the immense power of the Hulk, always simmering beneath the surface, left Bruce craving a worthy opponent to truly test his limits.
Though Steve's strength and combat skills had improved, his foundation simply couldn't match the Hulk's raw power. Bruce knew Steve wasn't ready to handle a full-on confrontation with him. But with Tony back, he finally had an opponent who could handle the Hulk's true strength.
As Bruce's muscles swelled, his skin began to turn green. Within moments, he transformed into the Hulk, standing over three meters tall. With a single stomp, the ground beneath him cracked, sending rocks flying into the air. The transformation unleashed a terrifyingly primal energy, his sheer presence causing the earth to tremble.
Tony, watching the transformation, tightened his focus. Gone was the casual demeanor—he now wore a look of intense concentration. Bruce flashed a wild grin and vanished from sight in an instant, reappearing directly above Tony. With a powerful roar, he brought his massive right fist down, aiming for Tony's head, while his left hand swung wide to block any chance of escape.
But Tony, unfazed, dashed forward, narrowly avoiding the crushing blow. Bruce's fist slammed into the ground with an earth-shaking BOOM, leaving a crater five meters wide. The force of the impact sent a shockwave through the area, launching debris into the air like a hailstorm of deadly projectiles.
"Not bad," Tony thought as he launched himself skyward to dodge the oncoming barrage of rocks.
As the debris rained down on the forest behind him, trees splintered and toppled with loud cracks, the sound of destruction echoing across the island. Bruce, now fully transformed into the Hulk, was like a living weapon of mass destruction, his every move carrying the power to kill.
"Impressive, Tony. You managed to dodge all of that," Bruce said with a grin, his voice full of raw, unrestrained power.
"I won't lie, this fight's going to be tough," Tony replied with a smirk, feeling the weight of the challenge. "Jarvis, activate the Vibranium Armor."
Tony had designed his Vibranium Armor specifically with opponents like Bruce in mind—those with overwhelming strength and near-invulnerability. He'd anticipated needing it against someone like Kael, whose immense power and defense posed a serious challenge. However, his time in space had delayed its use, and now he found himself calling on it to face the Hulk.
"Affirmative," Jarvis responded, and soon after, the armor launched from Tony's ship, speeding toward him.
Bruce smiled. "I figured fighting you wouldn't be easy, either. Let's give this everything we've got."
"Trust me, this will be one for the history books," Tony said, his eyes glinting with excitement.
While waiting for the armor to arrive, Tony summoned Void energy to his hands, refusing to back down. He knew Bruce's potential was immense, and one day, Bruce might even surpass him. But that day wasn't today.
In a flash, Tony darted forward and threw a series of punches at Bruce. Not one to back down, Bruce met the challenge head-on, his massive fist crashing into Tony's. The collision produced a thunderous explosion, sending shockwaves through the air. Bruce took only a half-step back, while Tony was forced several meters away, his feet carving deep grooves into the ground.
Tony felt a sharp pain in his hands, but he ignored it. He channeled his internal energy, quickly healing the damage. As the Void energy he'd placed on Bruce's fist exploded, Bruce staggered, his right hand now bleeding green from a torn knuckle.
"Your control over Void energy has improved," Bruce remarked, licking his lips. "But that won't stop me."
In front of Tony's eyes, Bruce's wound closed rapidly, healing in seconds. His regenerative abilities were on full display.
"How many times have you evolved your healing factor?" Tony asked, his voice calm, though he was impressed.
"I've focused mainly on improving my speed and regeneration. I've evolved my healing ability thirty-seven times. Regular injuries heal in a matter of seconds," Bruce said confidently. "So don't hold back, Tony. If you don't put on that armor, you won't be able to hurt me."
Tony whistled in appreciation. "Smart thinking. You chose exactly the right evolutionary path."
While Bruce had incredible endurance and strength as the Hulk, he'd wisely focused his evolution on speed and regeneration, allowing him to quickly recover from any attacks. It was a strategy designed to wear down faster opponents like Tony or Reno, even if they could land a few blows.
"Jarvis, how's that armor coming?"
"Arriving now, sir."
A crimson battle-axe fell from the sky, embedding itself in the ground with such force that it split the earth like butter. Bruce felt a momentary chill seeing its sharpness, but his focus shifted when Tony's new Vibranium Armor descended from the sky. Piece by piece, it assembled around Tony until he stood fully armored, towering at two and a half meters tall. The crimson glow of his visor pulsed ominously as Void energy radiated from his frame.
"This is Vibranium Armor, optimized for direct combat and brute strength. Let's see if you can keep up," Tony said, gripping the massive axe with one hand.
Bruce's eyes widened at the sight. "Fine by me, Tony. I want to see what that armor can do."
With that, Tony shot forward, his axe slicing through the air like a force of nature. Bruce instinctively raised his hands to block, but as the blade neared, he felt a sharp danger. He quickly leaped back, narrowly avoiding the deadly swing. The axe cleaved through the ground, leaving a massive trench in its wake.
Tony, hovering above the battlefield, smiled as Bruce reconsidered his strategy. Deciding the axe was overkill for their sparring match, Tony tossed it aside and ignited the Void energy in his gauntlets.
The two clashed once more, their blows shaking the earth as each tried to overpower the other. But Tony, empowered by his Vibranium Armor, had the upper hand. He spun midair, delivering a powerful kick that sent Bruce flying into a nearby mountain. The impact was so fierce that it left a massive crater in the rock face.
Moments later, Steve and Peggy arrived on the scene, hearing the commotion from afar. They saw Tony, fully armored and radiating power, standing over the now-injured Bruce.
"Bruce, you're incredibly strong. Even among superhumans, few can match your raw power," Tony said, his voice calm yet authoritative. "But right now, you're still not a match for me."
Bruce, clutching his shattered arm, struggled to his feet. Despite the pain, he managed a small smile. "Thanks for holding back, Tony. I've learned my lesson."
Bruce had thought his enhanced healing and control over the Hulk would be enough. But he hadn't anticipated Tony's newest armor, nor the sheer precision with which Tony wielded it. He now knew how dangerous real battles could be.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
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