Marvel's Iron Lady

Imagine watching someone in front of you, as if in a fantasy film, casually rub their hands together to summon a sword of light, then advance toward you with that sword raised to strike. What would go through your mind? Shock, horror, maybe a sense of fear or sheer disbelief at the impossibility of it all?

People could accept superheroes running around everywhere, a hulking green monster ripping armored vehicles apart, and even a billionaire dropping down from the sky. But magic? The kind seen only in children's fairy tales? That was far harder to rationalize in the real world.

This scene also played out before Miss Stark, who was observing from the rooftop. She was slightly surprised, though only slightly.

She was unconcerned about Banner's blatant exposure of the magical world to the mundane public. If he had returned to the United States, then it was almost certainly with the Sorcerer Supreme's approval.

After all, the Sorcerer Supreme wielded the Eye of Agamotto, watching the ebb and flow of future possibilities. There was no way she hadn't foreseen what might happen once Banner returned to the U.S., and yet, she had allowed him to go. What did that suggest?

It suggested that the Sorcerer Supreme did not prohibit him from revealing magic in the mortal world; this implicit allowance was, in fact, a form of permission.

Miss Stark was less concerned about this breach itself and more interested in the golden sword in Banner's hand. That was no ordinary weapon, nor any common spell—it was the Sacred Sword of Vishanti.

The Vishanti were three ancient gods merged as one, a triune force from Earth's distant past. Although these gods had perished, many powerful spells they once wielded had been rediscovered by human sorcerers in ancient ruins. The Sacred Sword was one such spell.

A formidable offensive spell, it appeared to be no more than a glowing sword, yet each swing of its blade released spell strikes capable of splitting mountains, shattering earth, and decimating foes.

Banner looked down at the Sacred Sword in his hand, his expression hardening as he suddenly charged forward.

Beneath his feet, his leather boots shimmered with a pair of red-glowing wings. With each step he took, a small magic circle would bloom underfoot, propelling him higher like an arrow shot from a bow, straight into the ring of soldiers around him.

The soldiers, having never seen anything like this before, were at a loss until one of them fired a shot, and then all hell broke loose as they opened fire. Yet, not a single bullet touched Banner.

As bullets flew toward him, layers of radiant shields appeared around Banner's body, deflecting each bullet right back in the direction it had come from.

The returned fire instantly felled a squad of unsuspecting soldiers, while Sorcerer Banner, sparing no effort, slashed forward. Every strike saw another group of unlucky soldiers collapse to the ground.

Although his enemies were trying to kill him with each bullet, Banner chose not to deal lethal blows to his fellow countrymen. It wasn't out of naivety but a matter of pride befitting a true warrior. After all, they were only following orders. Although he knew it was foolish—thinking that every soldier didn't deserve death just because they were following orders was, in many ways, a naïve and misguided view.

As a member of the order of sorcerers who protect human civilization, Banner would not kill them simply because they attacked him on orders. He merely rendered them unable to continue resisting.

The Sacred Sword of Vishanti was the strongest among white magic spells, usable both for offense and protection.

Every strike from Banner's sword released a white arc that stripped enemies of their souls, sealing them within the sword itself.

Once a body lost its soul, resistance was impossible, and they fell where they stood. After the battle, Banner would release them—but not now.

As he watched his forces drop one by one, General Ross's expression froze. He yanked free from his guard's grip and seized his communicator again.

"Push forward, don't let up, stall him—activate the sonic weapons! I want him alive! Bring him in alive!"

For Ross, Banner was no longer just a simple test subject. In mere months, he had acquired new abilities, an almost magical power that Ross found both enticing and envious.

Ross was already imagining the discoveries Banner's body could yield if dissected. The mysteries within Banner's cells increased his value exponentially.

If he could capture Banner, the insights gained could drive the United States to greater power, perhaps even establishing Ross himself as the one who led America to new heights. But all this hinged on his ability to successfully capture Banner.

The guards sensed the danger, swiftly pulling Ross back, while the nearby tanks finished their aim, and within moments, shells fired with thunderous roars, streaking toward Banner, who hovered mid-air.

Explosions erupted in brilliant fire and thick smoke. Yet as the smoke cleared, there he was—Sorcerer Banner, unharmed.

He had paused in place, still gripping his sword without continuing the attack, standing calmly while the air around him fractured like a shattered mirror, covered in fine cracks.

These fractures in the air spread and deepened until the surrounding space itself crumbled—the unique Mirror Dimension technique of Kamar-Taj's sorcerers. Banner had mastered this technique with ease, blocking even the high-velocity tank shells with it. Observing from the rooftop, Miss Stark's expression grew thoughtful.

"Damn it! Full power on the sonic weapons—keep bombarding! I refuse to believe he can just close his ears!"

Perhaps it was the continuous loss of soldiers in the past few minutes, while Banner remained unscathed, that made Ross's face turn beet-red. Following his furious bellow, several modified armored vehicles reached the battlefield.

The infrasonic suppression system, provided by Stark Industries and based on Howard Stark's designs, was reconstructed and upgraded by Miss Stark herself. While intended as a non-lethal weapon system, it could serve in a variety of suppression operations.

However, if the power limits were lifted, this powerful sonic weapon could easily rupture eardrums, cause inner-body imbalance, and directly harm the brain and internal organs—lethal effects, which is why limiters were installed on the system.

Seeing the large speaker-like devices with Stark Industries logos in the distance, Banner shook his head in resignation. He knew well that her technology never followed ordinary rules, so he naturally raised his guard to the fullest.

He raised his arm, drawing a circle in the air before him. A dark red line gradually closed, forming a complex ring filled with ancient glyphs and a central pentagram—the Seraphim's Shield.

The Sorcerer Supreme had once used this defensive spell to deflect a meteor hurtling toward Earth. It was arguably the most powerful physical barrier spell known.

But no matter how formidable, Seraphim's Shield could only guard against physical attacks. Even if it could block an asteroid, it could not defend against intangible infrasonic waves.

The massive speakers emitted intense sound waves, distorting even the air between them and Banner.

The sound waves shattered the Seraphim's Shield instantly, and Banner dropped to his knees, clutching his head in agony as his spells faded, writhing helplessly.

"Not bad. Looks like this sonic weapon system does the job—maybe I should've asked for more."

From the rooftop, Miss Stark sighed as she observed Banner trembling under the sonic barrage. She prepared to intervene.

She hadn't expected Banner to kneel so quickly before her own weapon system, nor had she anticipated that he'd already mastered spells so intricate that most sorcerers would need a lifetime to understand.

It seemed that geniuses would shine regardless of the field—whether it was scientific research or the study of magic. Banner was a testament to this, and she suspected the future Dr. Strange would be no different.

Since she was the one who had sent Banner to Kamar-Taj, she naturally felt a duty to look out for him. Miss Stark was just about to step in when the scene on the lawn below took an unexpected turn.

"General, the sonic weapons are highly effective. We've successfully neutralized that monster and are regrouping the remaining troops—"

At seeing the successful outcome of the sonic weapons provided by Stark Industries, General Ross finally allowed himself a smile. They had managed to suppress a creature beyond scientific explanation.

"Excellent! I'll be sure to order more of these in the future."

He chuckled, reaching into his coat for a cigar, which his assistant dutifully lit for him.

But before he could savor the moment of his former son-in-law's suffering, Banner's pained face suddenly contorted, veins bulging as his once-gentle expression morphed into something terrifyingly savage.

When the Hulk reappeared, he was not quite the same as before—the once-bright green of his skin now carried a grayish tint. His entire body took on a muted gray-green hue, and his hair, like Banner's, was trimmed short in a clean-cut style.

"Is that… a gray Hulk?"

Even Miss Stark's face registered shock; in her memory, even in another world, the Hulk had never taken on this form. It seemed her intervention had altered things in unexpected ways.

Thanks to the forbidden spells of Kamar-Taj and the guidance of the Sorcerer Supreme, Bruce Banner had successfully merged with the Hulk's consciousness.

His reborn soul was stronger than ever, enabling him to achieve prodigious feats in sorcery even after only a few months at Kamar-Taj, advancing with incredible speed.

The figure that had been writhing under the sonic assault now expanded in size, with gray-green skin and explosive muscles. When the sorcerer vanished, what emerged was a monster combining brilliant intelligence, composure, and overwhelming physical power.

"Damn it! Where's the air support? Send it in! Tanks, keep firing, keep firing!"

General Ross's expression froze. He understood the Hulk's immense power all too well, and he suspected even the sonic weapons might not suffice.

The tanks raised their turrets again, firing rounds with thunderous booms, as the whir of helicopter blades filled the distance. Missiles fired from rocket pods and exploded on impact.

Special forces adjusted their weapons, adding grenade launchers and firing repeatedly into the smoke-filled area, creating a cacophony of explosions.

After a wave of bombardment, everyone thought the monster had perished in the flames. But as the smoke cleared, they were left speechless at what they saw.

The gray-green giant stood firm, with massive hands raised to shield his chest. Before him, layer upon layer of dark red energy shields held firm, blocking the military's firepower and protecting him entirely.

Miss Stark burst out laughing on the rooftop, entirely unladylike—she doubted Ross had ever dreamed that the Bruce Banner he'd once hunted down would someday become a master of mystical arts.

And certainly, he couldn't have imagined that Bruce Banner, who had embraced the path of the Kamar-Taj sorcerers, had not only fused with the Hulk's consciousness but could also transform into the Hulk and wield Kamar-Taj magic simultaneously.

This outcome was as much a surprise to her as it was to Ross.

She had sent Banner to Kamar-Taj only to fulfill her promise to help him resolve the Hulk issue. How far he'd go as a sorcerer was his own matter; Miss Stark had never intended to interfere.

Watching the green giant below wield thunder with his fists, Miss Stark clicked her tongue in wonder. Perhaps all those brilliant minds had a knack for sorcery. Maybe she should give it a try?

As she considered this, two red-tinged bolts of golden lightning surged from the transformed Hulk's hands, effortlessly tearing apart the rotors of the heavy-duty attack helicopters and obliterating the sonic weapons mounted on the armored vehicles below.

This was the Bolts of Balthakk—another legacy spell of Kamar-Taj. While not sealed like the Sacred Sword, it was powerful and available to all sorcerers, being the most potent area-wide attack in their arsenal.

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