Poor Guy

He didn't know at first, but after Tony Stark learned about S.H.I.E.L.D.. and investigated it, he discovered how broad the organization's responsibilities were. As the highest-ranking person in S.H.I.E.L.D.., Nick Fury's late-night phone call to him couldn't have been without purpose; he must have something to ask for.

"Can you still fight in the Iron Man suit?" Nick Fury asked.

The Black Eggplant's voice was unusually serious when speaking to Tony Stark, forcing the young master to also become serious. "I've already prepared the design blueprints for the Mark IV Iron Man suit, but it's based on the original Arc Reactor's output power and endurance. My body also doesn't allow me to run around in the Iron Man suit, so it hasn't been officially produced yet. We're just waiting for the new reactor to be developed so we can modify it. With Stark Industries' capabilities, we can complete production, assembly, and debugging in half a day."

Tony Stark held back. The research into the New Element was not smooth sailing. Even though he relied on the notes and video materials left by his father Howard Stark, and kept pushing towards that goal, he was ultimately missing the last and most crucial step, a step that seemed like an insurmountable chasm.

So, to avoid getting frustrated when his mind was stuck, Tony Stark took some time to upgrade his Mark series Iron Man suit, and the blueprints have already been completed up to the Mark VIII... but production will not begin until the new Arc Reactor is successfully manufactured and its parameters are measured.

"I need you to produce it immediately and upgrade its firepower as much as possible!" Nick Fury thought for a moment, preparing his words for a possible but not yet happened event. "A military experiment went wrong, creating a monster, and they're about to create a second one. Your strength is indispensable."

"What about Kent Clark? Isn't he one of your S.H.I.E.L.D.? With his research and development capabilities, he shouldn't be unable to develop the corresponding weapons and equipment." Tony Stark said as he woke up J.A.R.V.I.S., instructing it to search the internet for any recent military activity, and also to access some classified information using the temporary access granted to him by the Department of Defense.

Soon, General Ross's "Super Soldier Serum" program appeared on the virtual projection screen in front of him, and the information of Bruce Banner, the main technician, was also listed, including the scientist's failed experiment on himself, the creation of the Hulk, and the final battle at the University of Virginia.

Based on the information in the video, J.A.R.V.I.S. quickly calculated Hulk's resilience, punching power, and jumping ability, which were truly astonishing figures.

Nick Fury said, "He had already begun research and development when he received this intelligence, but he probably couldn't handle two monsters on his own."

After ending his call with Black Eggplant, Tony Stark got out of bed, had J.A.R.V.I.S. control the smart home system to make him a pot of coffee to perk him up, then slipped on his slippers and went to the basement to begin his research.

The heart beating in his chest was no longer his original one. Tony Stark wasn't worried that staying up late and consuming large amounts of caffeine would cause him to collapse due to heart problems. Even before that, the palladium in the Arc Reactor would take his life.

Since there's a possibility that he might be killed by palladium before he discovers the New Element, why not use this time to leave a lasting legacy in the world and have the title of Iron Man written into history textbooks—just like Captain America, who was constantly mentioned by his father before his death.

"J.A.R.V.I.S., create a new file, codenamed Hulkbuster Armor Version 1.0 -- retrieve the blueprints for the Mark I."

When dealing with tough, thick-skinned monsters, your own fancy toys are definitely not going to be effective; a durable and sturdy military-grade model is more suitable.

As the center of the storm, Bruce Banner seems oblivious to the situation, currently enjoying a romantic moment with his ex-girlfriend in a motel.

Of course, since any form of emotional excitement could turn one into the Hulk, Bruce Banner and Betty Thaddeus Ross's relationship was limited to holding hands, perfectly meeting the PG-13 censorship standards.

Transforming into the Hulk is no easy feat. When Bruce Banner reverted to his human form, the immense burden caused him to faint. It was Betty who dragged him from the desolate wilderness to a populated area, where they found a hotel and booked a room.

Bruce Banner didn't wake up until dawn the next day. When he opened his eyes and saw Betty Thaddeus Ross preparing breakfast and a change of clothes for him, he thought he was dreaming. After closing his eyes for a couple of seconds, he suddenly opened them again and said incredulously, "Is all of this real?"

Betty placed a set of clothes next to Bruce Banner and said, "Of course it's true."

"Betty ..." Banner looked at his ex-girlfriend, whose face was haggard and who clearly hadn't slept well all night, and asked with concern, "How did you buy all this stuff—breakfast and clothes? Did you pay by credit card or cash?"

"Whether it's credit cards or cell phones, these will allow us to be tracked, so we need to get rid of them immediately!" Bruce Banner suddenly sat up. His long life on the run had made him extremely sensitive, as if General Ross and his team were already outside the motel.

Betty picked up the handbag that had saved her face, opened it, and dumped its contents in front of Bruce Banner: "Makeup case, tissues, lipstick, and some cash—that's all I have. Counter-surveillance—I've seen it in movies, and I already thought of that. I threw them away before we got here—they can't possibly put a tracking device in my lipstick, can they?"

Relieved upon hearing this, Bruce Banner slumped back onto the bed, but Betty urged him to quickly go to the bathroom to clean himself up, then change into new clothes and eat.

Betty bought scissors at the supermarket. After dinner, she planned to give Bruce Banner a haircut, hoping to restore Banner to his former confident state as a nuclear physicist, a man who had neglected his appearance during his long exile.

Bruce Banner didn't notice that the ring Betty had been wearing was gone—according to American spending habits, especially for people of Betty's social class, very few people carry enough cash on them; the money for motel rooms and clothes was paid for with that engagement ring.

Poor Betty's fiancé didn't even leave a name; he only appeared in the background. He wasn't even given the villainous role in the movie where he became jealous after seeing his fiancée reminiscing about her past with her ex-boyfriend and tipped off General Ross.