At the exact moment Batman, out in the Adirondack Mountains, sensed that something was wrong, inside the Manhattan Batcave, a green figure stood with his hands behind his back.
He surveyed the long-unconscious Gamma monsters, nodding in approval.
Simultaneously, on South Brother Island, this same green figure stood with his hands behind his back, facing a highly vigilant group consisting of the Hulk and three others.
Batman's fears were not misplaced. Someone truly was pulling the strings from the shadows, luring Batman far away to seize the opportunity to strike at both the Batcave and South Brother Island!
At this moment on South Brother Island, Hulk and the Lizard had already fully transformed. Along with Professor Morbius, the three of them shielded Dr. Otto—who had only two mechanical tentacles left—behind them.
"Hulk, you handle him. I'll protect Otto. Otto, contact Batman," the Lizard hissed in a low voice, baring his sharp teeth at the green figure, a metallic glint flashing in his golden, slitted pupils.
The Hulk's muscles instantly tensed. Although he and the Lizard bickered constantly and couldn't stand each other under normal circumstances, at this exact moment, he didn't hesitate to follow orders.
He slammed both hands into the ground, effortlessly piercing the reinforced laboratory floor as if it were tofu. With a violent heave, he ripped up over half of the floor and hurled the massive chunk of concrete at the green figure.
A strike like this could have crushed Professor Morbius into a pancake, but the green figure proved entirely illusory. The debris passed right through him as if he had no physical form.
Or perhaps he was merely a projection.
"Don't be tense. As you can see, I am a god revered by mortals—one of a kind, in fact," the figure said, raising his hands with a warm, harmless smile. "I'm merely passing through, just catching the show."
"Roar!" Completely ignoring whatever gibberish the guy was spouting, the Hulk took a massive step forward.
Boom!
With just one step!
The entire South Brother Island shuddered as if struck by a sudden earthquake, visibly shaking!
And that was merely the momentum generated by the Hulk charging forward. Propelled by that single stride, the Hulk lunged at the figure and brought his massive fist crashing down.
Yet the figure didn't even bother to dodge. He simply stood his ground, letting the Hulk, carrying immense destructive force, pass straight through his body. Unable to stop his momentum, the Hulk crashed violently into the laboratory wall, smashing right through it, and plunged headlong into the East River.
The green figure glanced back in the direction where the Hulk had crashed out of control, then turned his gaze back to the now even more vigilant group of four.
"Don't be tense," he said, raising his hands again with that warm, harmless smile. "I'm merely passing through, just catching the show."
The Lizard staunchly shielded Dr. Otto behind his bulk.
He couldn't catch any scent from this figure, nor could he detect any body heat. Furthermore, the stranger had just passed through walls and the Hulk alike.
The Lizard couldn't fathom what kind of technology could produce such a lifelike projection.
Unable to come up with an immediate countermeasure, and wanting to buy time until Batman arrived, the Lizard chose to engage him in conversation.
"Who are you?"
"I am the protector of Asgard, the true master of the Nine Realms, the ruler of Jotunheim, and the rightful heir to the throne of Odin."
An elegant smile graced the green figure's face as he introduced himself in a slow, deliberate cadence:
"I am a master of magic, a poet of lies, an artist of chaos, and the God of Mischief and Wisdom."
"I am Loki."
A sudden chill filled the room.
The Lizard had no pores in his transformed state, but he could keenly sense the hairs standing up on Dr. Otto's arms behind him.
Before the Lizard could respond, an explosion erupted from the direction of the East River. A second later, the Hulk descended from the sky, smashing the laboratory roof to splinters as he landed with a heavy thud.
This time, the Hulk didn't attack blindly. Clenching his fists, he walked slowly up to Loki and reached out to swat at him.
Predictably, his massive palm passed right through Loki once more.
Realizing it was futile, the Hulk refrained from causing further collateral damage to the lab. Instead, he kept his fists clenched and began pacing in circles around Loki, his gaze locked onto the figure.
The Lizard was observing Loki as well. The man wore a green robe adorned with gold trim, and his shoulder-length, slightly curled black hair gave him a somewhat sinister appearance.
With his aquiline nose, deep-set eyes, paper-thin lips, and gaunt face, Loki looked like someone poised to hatch a sinister plot at any second.
"Your power is being squandered. Look at those clenched fists and tense muscles—you shouldn't be cooped up in a cramped laboratory like this," Loki said, completely unfazed by the Hulk's scrutiny as he continued smoothly:
"Do you know? I have encountered countless souls across the Nine Realms, yet rarely have I seen individuals like you—who have tasted true power, yet willingly put on a collar."
"Come with me. Become my subordinates, and I will grant you a world where you can attain strength, power, respect, and freedom—a world where you will never have to hide who you are."
"The Nine Realms will erect monuments in your honor, singing praises of your deeds as the heralds of the great Loki. You will become part of myth; you will become gods."
"You've said quite enough," the Lizard interrupted, his voice icy. "You expect us to just follow you based on a few pretty words?"
The corners of Loki's mouth curled upward.
"Oh?"
He waited for the Lizard to propose his terms.
But the Lizard merely snorted in disdain.
"I'm smart enough not to buy into your absolute nonsense."
The smile faded from Loki's lips. His gaze shifted across the Hulk, Dr. Otto, and Professor Morbius.
"Otto, have you contacted Batman yet?" the Lizard asked Dr. Otto out of the corner of his mouth.
Shielded behind the three monsters, Dr. Otto's face was somewhat pale from facing an overtly hostile deity like Loki for the first time, but his composure remained relatively steady.
Hearing the Lizard's inquiry, Dr. Otto shook his head.
"No."
"What?!" The Lizard whipped his head around to glare at Dr. Otto, a fierce glint flashing through his golden slitted eyes. "Are you planning to go with Loki?"
Seeing infighting on the horizon, the corners of Loki's mouth curled up once more.
"No. Loki, the God of Mischief in Norse mythology, builds his every move on lies and deception. He is trying to use us to distract Batman," Dr. Otto said, shaking his head slightly. "Trust my judgment."
The Lizard internally breathed a sigh of relief.
"No matter what you say or do, we will never go with you, let alone become your subordinates," Dr. Otto said, staring at Loki. "And don't expect me to contact Batman and send him on a wild goose chase back here, either."
"Your real target isn't this place!"
"How disappointing," Loki sighed. "What about you, Morbius?"
"As it happens, I'm probably the one here who knows the most about Norse mythology," Morbius said, adjusting his trench coat, which was black on the outside and lined with crimson. "Though the myths likely differ from reality, I also believe you're merely trying to use us."
"Batman is using you as well," Loki countered with a smile, entirely unbothered.
"I am curious about one thing. Since you, the God of Mischief, actually exist... what about Odin, the All-Father?" Morbius asked, changing the subject.
Loki's expression tightened. Choosing not to answer, he turned his attention back to the Hulk.
"Hulk, listen to me. There is a place where you can unleash your violence and rage, where you won't have to constantly suppress yourself and hide inside Banner's puny body. All you have to do is come with me."
The Hulk bared his teeth, splitting his mouth into a wide grin.
"Hulk don't understand!"
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