Kino fell into thought. Seeing his hesitation, Gwen couldn't help feeling a little disappointed, and her eyes dimmed slightly.
However, just as Gwen was secretly nursing her hurt feelings, Kino suddenly reached into his pocket and pulled out a cyan ring. "The Whirlwind Ring. I feel this ability suits you best."
Gwen stared at the ring in Kino's hand, standing there in a daze and failing to react for a moment.
Seeing her adorably dazed expression, Kino's lips curled upward. With a hint of teasing, he said, "Would you like me to put it on for you personally?"
Gwen came to her senses, snatched the ring away, and said, "Who wants that? Hmph!" With that, she ran toward the door.
Just as she was about to leave, she hesitated and stopped.
Then she ran back, kissed Kino on the lips, and said with a flushed face, "Don't get the wrong idea. This is a thank-you gift."
With that, she ran out without looking back, leaving Kino standing there with a smile on his face.
One ring in exchange for Ghost-Spider. What a steal.
After running out of the estate, Gwen slowly crouched down beside the gate, her face overflowing with irrepressible joy.
She carefully slipped the ring onto her middle finger. Looking at the ring, she smiled like a child who had received her favorite toy.
"Hehe, I actually have a ring now." Gwen muttered to herself, unable to tear her eyes away from it.
Only after quite a while did she finally come back to her senses as if awakening from a dream. She looked around and saw that no one was paying attention to her. Only then did she hurriedly rein in the overly obvious joy on her face, stand up, and leave the estate with feigned composure.
However, her light, brisk steps still betrayed her excitement.
After Gwen left, Frank emerged from a corner with Blonsky and Banner. A trace of relief appeared on his usually stern face.
Banner sighed as well. "It reminds me of the time I spent with Betty."
Blonsky, however, completely failed to read the mood. "What's so good about women? Power is all that matters."
Banner and Frank couldn't be bothered to respond. Frank said, "Let's go. The Young Master is waiting."
The two men the Young Master had assigned yesterday were supposed to come find him together that morning.
The three of them walked into the estate together. As he walked, Banner sank into memories of the past, his expression tinged with sadness.
Blonsky, meanwhile, wore a resolute expression, as if constantly strengthening his pursuit of power in his heart.
Frank's steps were steady, and his thoughts were focused entirely on meeting Kino.
"Young Master, we're here."
Frank and the others entered the hall and greeted Kino in unison when they saw him sitting on the sofa. Kino waved a hand and motioned for them to sit.
"Frank, how's the alcohol I asked you to buy yesterday?"
"Young Master, it's already been arranged. It'll arrive this afternoon."
"What do you think of yesterday's battle?"
"Guns and cannons were completely useless against them. Young Master, I want to know whether their appearance was an accident or inevitable."
Since Frank had no Special Ability yesterday, Kino had sent him home. However, he had also seen their power on television.
Human weapons were no different from toys to them.
Blonsky and Banner also looked at Kino.
"Their appearance was inevitable. In the future, more and more people like them will appear."
Banner excitedly argued, "Impossible! I was an accident. How could so many Hulks appear in this world?"
His voice became shrill with agitation, and his eyes widened in disbelief.
Thinking about more and more Hulk-like monsters appearing on Earth in the future, Banner grew increasingly agitated. His body began turning green.
Before he could lose his temper, a large hand slammed him to the ground. It belonged to Blonsky, who had transformed into Abomination.
"Calm down, Banner! Don't go crazy here!" Blonsky said.
"Hulk..."
Banner... Hulk had already emerged. His gaze suddenly met a pair of scarlet eyes.
"Hulk, be quiet. My beloved is sleeping."
The scene froze. Hulk's powerful body trembled slightly, and fear appeared in his eyes for the first time. Under that scarlet gaze, he obediently retreated.
Banner panted heavily, his face covered in sweat. This was the first time he had successfully controlled Hulk's emergence without causing any destruction.
Kino quietly watched the scene unfold.
Frank's expression turned ugly. He hadn't expected the two monsters the Young Master had brought back yesterday to be them. He had even arranged for them to stay in the rooms next to his.
The hall fell silent. Only Banner's heavy breathing rang out clearly. After quite some time, Banner gradually calmed down and sat on the floor, looking exhausted.
"I'm sorry. I got too worked up."
"It's fine."
Kino looked toward Frank, whose expression was solemn, and said, "Just as I said, their appearance wasn't an accident, but an inevitability. I'm not saying there will be many Hulks, but there will definitely be plenty of people with all kinds of superpowers."
"Frank, do you want to obtain extraordinary power?"
Frank was silent for a while before saying, "I do. I want the power to protect my family, whether now or in the future."
Kino waved a hand, and a portal appeared in the center of the room.
"Come with me."
Without a word, Frank followed him through. Blonsky glanced at Banner and went in as well.
Banner worried that it might be a trap. While he hesitated, the portal began slowly fading away.
He clenched his teeth and finally rushed through at the very last moment before it vanished.
Banner opened and closed his eyes, finding himself in a black palace.
There was no one in front of him. Where were they?
Could this be a trap meant to imprison me?
Banner's heart jolted, and he instinctively assumed a defensive stance.
"Banner, what are you doing?"
Blonsky's voice came from behind him.
When he turned around, he saw Kino, Frank, and Blonsky looking at him strangely.
"I... cough, cough... I was performing Chinese martial arts." Banner even struck a pose like a soaring roc.
"Your Majesty, you brought a fool with you."
Yū stood nearby, unable to bear looking at him. She had no idea which demon would be unlucky enough to form a contract with him.
"Yū, have all the demons I asked you to arrange arrived?"
"They have, Your Majesty."
At that, Yū became serious as well.
Under Yū's guidance, they arrived at a raised platform. A metal throne stood there, overlooking a vast square filled with densely packed demons of all shapes and sizes.
Some were as huge as mountains, their bulging muscles covered in iron-hard scales, each one gleaming with a cold luster. Some had batlike wings, the feathers on them as sharp as blades. Others had enormous heads, blazing flames burning in their eyes and black smoke pouring from their mouths.
"Your Majesty, as you requested, all the elite combat demons have arrived!"
With that, Yū dropped to one knee.
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