In a Manhattan apartment in New York City, Bruce Banner sat on the couch across from Noah, trying to recover from his recent experience. Just a few minutes ago, this man in high-tech armor had shown him what real magic looked like.
For a scientist accustomed to a scientific worldview, the appearance of magic was an event that turned his usual understanding of the world upside down. He suddenly realized that perhaps science wasn't the only way to explain the reality around him.
"How are you feeling, Dr. Banner?" Noah watched with interest as Banner, lost in thought, tried to make sense of what was happening. Scientists, as a rule, adhered to materialism, and encountering magic could be a difficult experience for them. But he thought it would be different with Banner.
After all, he had seen Loki and Thor and hadn't seemed that surprised. Or perhaps he perceived them as aliens rather than gods? However, their behavior indeed bore little resemblance to that of mythical deities.
"I'm fine, I'm okay. Just a little surprised. But if you think about it, I have the Hulk living inside me, and you and Tony Stark are no less unusual creatures. So your statement about the existence of magic doesn't seem so incredible anymore," Banner, possessing remarkable composure, quickly recovered from the shock.
"That's good. In the future, the world will change in ways you can't even imagine. The more you learn now, the easier it will be to adapt."
Banner nodded thoughtfully, although he didn't fully understand what changes Noah meant. He couldn't even begin to imagine the horrors that lay ahead: an alien invasion, an attack by an interdimensional demon, a mad titan destroying half the universe, and the awakening of a Celestial threatening Earth. If not for his knowledge of future events from the movies, Noah would never have believed that so many catastrophes could occur on such a tiny planet like Earth.
The sun slowly began to set, painting the streets in golden hues. The noise of cars and the quiet conversations of passersby merged into a single symphony of the city. Banner, watching this scene, briefly immersed himself in memories of peaceful and happy times.
"So, Dr. Banner, what have you decided?" Noah interrupted his thoughts.
Banner returned to reality, realizing that the most important task now was to deal with the hidden enemy. Noah's magic had momentarily distracted him, and then the calmness he witnessed rekindled a longing for his former life.
"I apologize, I was lost in thought," he replied, his expression becoming more serious.
"Mr. Storm Swordsman, you probably already know about yesterday's events. Someone used technology similar to gamma radiation to create monsters and send them after me."
"Yesterday, I transformed into the Hulk again to deal with the attackers. But I have a feeling the enemy won't stop there, so I need your help," he recounted yesterday's incident and looked intently at Noah.
"I agree to help, but afterward, you'll work for me. In return, I'll fulfill my promise: I'll rid you of the pursuit by General Ross and others. I'm sure you also want to live a normal life, with your girlfriend," Noah leaned forward and looked directly into his eyes.
"Betty..." Remembering the woman who held a special place in his heart, Banner resolutely replied, "Alright. If you can help me, I agree. I've long wanted to end this life."
He thought that perhaps Noah could truly help him get rid of this nightmare once and for all. After all, he possessed not only incredible technology but also magical abilities. And all Banner had to do was use his knowledge, not transform into the Hulk for battles. This would be the life he had long dreamed of: working on scientific research and being with Betty.
Be that as it may, he decided this was an opportunity he couldn't miss.
"Excellent. Follow me, I'll show you something," seeing Banner's resolve, Noah rose from the sofa and drew a circle in the air, opening a new portal. This time, Banner felt a warm breeze against his face, carrying the scent of the salty sea.
"The ocean? What is this place this time?" he stepped through the portal after Noah.
"This is an island in the Atlantic Ocean."
Banner looked around. A beach, waves, and the sunset stretched before him. It was indeed an island, and apart from the endless horizon, nothing else was visible.
"So, why are we here?" he asked, stepping back from the wave washing ashore as they started walking along the beach.
"Follow me."
They walked inland, and Banner followed. Passing through a dense palm grove, they came to a small area with buildings. Banner approached and saw before him... a resort? Yes, it looked like a resort, with small houses, swimming pools, various entertainment facilities, and a bar. Had the Storm Swordsman brought him here on vacation?
"What is this?"
"Don't rush, the most interesting part is yet to come. All of this is just a cover," Noah replied and continued walking, entering one of the houses. Banner followed him, and they found themselves in a small room. Suddenly, the interior began to change: the wooden walls transformed into white metal panels, and the floor began to descend, turning into an elevator leading underground.
A few days ago, Noah instructed Lissandra to acquire this island, and the paperwork was quickly completed. After that, he immediately brought all his nanobots here and began construction. The efficiency of the nanobots was undeniable, and he had ample supplies of building materials. Therefore, in less than two days, a resort was created on the island, serving as a cover for the real underground base. The design took a little longer, but the result was worth it.
"Is this... a laboratory?" Banner asked when the white metal elevator doors opened, and he saw what surrounded them. Numerous robots moved metal structures using methods unfamiliar to him. The setting resembled an industrial factory, but there was also a lot of high-tech equipment for experiments. Therefore, he concluded that it was a laboratory.
"Correct, but don't rush. Blitzcrank, come here," Noah waved to one of the robots that was busy working. A white robot, designed after the iBlitzcrank skin, approached them. Previously, it served as the manager in his mansion, but now it had been transferred here, as a construction robot was needed on the site.
"Blitz, scan Dr. Banner," Noah nodded to Banner. "Doctor, after the scan, you won't be considered a hostile target, and the defense system won't threaten you."
Banner nodded and watched as the robot, over two meters tall, aimed a scanning beam at him. At the same time, Bruce studied his surroundings: the level of technology was even higher than he expected, and even the robots seemed very advanced.
"Alright, let's discuss how we'll act against the enemy."
"Excellent, but how did you… What?!" Banner turned and saw something that shocked him once again.
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