The Way We Get Along

When Banner saw Oaks use nature magic to rapidly accelerate the growth of a large patch of saplings, he nearly transformed again.

"This is a Druid?"

Banner pointed at the lush green saplings before him, gesturing wildly:

"Celtic Mythology is real?"

"An experimental accident, just an experimental accident, though the abilities are indeed quite similar. Perhaps I should return to Ireland; I might discover something, who knows."

Oaks gave a light cough and crooked his finger. A patch of fine vines rose beneath Banner's feet, wrapping around them and weaving into a pair of vine shoes.

"The comfort level is a bit lacking, but at least it's much better than you being barefoot, right?"

Banner was silent for a moment, then nodded heavily:

"Science truly has no boundaries. You are truly fortunate, Oaks, to possess power that you can completely control."

He had to believe it, even if he didn't want to, because he couldn't explain it.

Just as he couldn't explain Hulk.

"Uh... how do we get out of here? How far is it to a human city?"

If it were in Hulk form, Banner knew he would reach the vicinity of a human settlement with abnormal speed and strength before turning back.

But now, even if Oaks could turn into a bird and fly, he couldn't carry a person...

Huh? If he turned into a leopard, could he ride on his back? The speed wouldn't be slow, right?

"Dr. Banner, are you thinking about something rude?"

Oaks's mouth twitched; he understood the look in Banner's eyes at a glance.

Don't even think about it, no way, forget it!

No one is going to ride a noble Druid!

"We're taking a boat."

Oaks waved his hands, and a mass of thick vines grew out, quickly forming a crude boat hull.

Then, the vines hardened rapidly. Banner stepped on and pulled at them, but couldn't budge them at all; the hardness of this material was comparable to raw timber.

"What a convenient ability, just like in cartoons."

"It's only useful in the forest; I can't be this casual outside."

Oaks shrugged, transformed into bear form, grabbed the long vine at the front of the vine boat, and dragged it into the nearby river. Banner followed.

"ROAR—"

Oaks's shout nearly scared Banner green. A moment later, the water rippled, and half a head emerged from the surface.

"A crocodile!"

Banner pressed a hand to his chest, struggling to breathe. Oaks had shouted and summoned a crocodile?

The giant brown bear that Oaks had transformed into stared at the crocodile for a while. The crocodile slowly swam to the front of the vine boat, opened its mouth wide to bite the towing vine, and looked back at them.

"Let's go, Dr. Banner."

Oaks transformed back into human form, jumped onto the vine boat, and beckoned to Banner:

"With this Caiman pulling the boat, we should be able to reach a human city by tonight—you definitely wouldn't want to spend the night in the rainforest."

"..."

Banner carefully jumped onto the vine boat. He had become numb to the effects caused by Oaks's so-called "experimental accident."

You can even command wild beasts? Fine, whatever you say.

"Set off!"

The Caiman's swimming speed was indeed very fast. Before the sun set, they reached their destination.

This was where Oaks had ordered his experimental equipment, a paradise for adventure enthusiasts, located in the heart of the Amazon Rainforest: Manaus, the capital of the Amazon state and the largest city in the Amazon River basin.

"Aha, there are actually Nokia and Siemens factories here, and a duty-free zone too. This is really not bad."

Finally back in human society, Banner was in a great mood, especially with Oaks around; he didn't have to worry about a potential transformation at any moment.

"I've been here a few times, but this is a free trade zone in Brazil. If you want to hide your identity, this isn't a good place."

Now, Oaks and Banner had arrived at the hotel Oaks had booked. They had a nice shower, changed clothes, filled their stomachs, and retrieved Oaks's experimental instruments.

After three days of testing, they finally had a clue about Banner's blood.

"Dr. Banner, what is your take on the existence of Hulk?"

After using pure plant essence combined with nature magic to attempt to purify Banner's blood, Oaks discovered that the activity of Banner's blood cells was indeed being suppressed.

When the power of nature was exhausted, the blood activity would return, but it was calmer than it had been at the start.

However, this was limited to the blood outside the body.

They also experimented with injections and oral administration; the effects were similar, with the only difference being the speed of onset. The common denominator was that once the natural power contained within the serum was exhausted, the blood's activity would rapidly return to its original state.

"Have you ever considered mastering this current state?"

"I want to excise him! Not master him!"

Banner was happily observing his purified blood sample under the microscope. Hearing this, he blurted out without a second thought:

"He has brought me too much misfortune!"

"But based on current research, I can tell you with certainty that Hulk is an independent consciousness distinct from Bruce Banner."

Oaks shrugged. Banner was currently very resistant to Hulk, but there was no helping that.

After all, Hulk had injured his girlfriend, Dr. Betty, and his father-in-law, General Ross, had never given up on hunting him down, coveting Hulk's power.

"I can find a way to help you suppress the abnormalities at the blood level—at most, you'll just need to drink more of the special serum I've concocted—but as for the independent personality at the mental level, that is something you must resolve yourself."

Watching Banner's expression turn helpless as the natural power in the observed sample depleted, Oaks took out a large bottle of emerald-green serum and handed it to him:

"Dr. Banner, when your blood is inside your body, there is a trigger guiding it to rapidly restore its activity. I believe that is Hulk's hidden consciousness—much like how the subconscious mind manages human breathing, heartbeats, and metabolism."

Banner sighed, moved his eyes away from the microscope, and took the serum from Oaks:

"I've realized this too, but I really can't accept his coexistence with me for the time being!"

"Perhaps these serums will allow you to carefully experience this state of coexistence in a peaceful frame of mind. I can't stay here too long; I have an intern at my shop, and if the stock runs out, he won't know how to restock it."

Cracking a small joke, Oaks smiled and patted Banner on the arm:

"Take one capful of these serums daily, and it should be enough to continuously suppress your blood's activity. But if you encounter extreme circumstances, such as a threat to your life, Hulk will still come out on his own."

"Ha, a subconscious self-preservation mechanism, I suppose."

Banner shrugged and sighed with emotion:

"When I fled to the Arctic Circle before, I tried to commit suicide by putting a gun in my mouth in despair, but Hulk came out immediately and spat the bullet out. I've had a vague realization since then... I just haven't been willing to accept it."

"Thank you, Oaks... you've given me new hope!"

Banner looked at Oaks earnestly, stood up, and gave him a solemn bow:

"I think I should reconsider how I coexist with Hulk."