He immediately turned his gaze instinctively toward Mark, who looked deeply uneasy.
Mark was staring at the Green Goblin, fear welling up in his eyes.
[Green Flame Demon Dragon] [Level: Elite] [HP: 300]
The enormous green demon dragon was wreathed in green flames, its wings blotting out the sky as it radiated overwhelming power.
Against the night sky, the health bar above the green dragon's head stood out glaringly.
"ROAR!!"
The demon dragon roared, and Mark trembled.
Damn it, what a terrifying demon!
He gritted his teeth and held on.
Beside him, Professor Connors gave him a strange look.
Was he scared?
He really did have a histrionic personality.
After a moment's thought, he turned and shrugged at Norman.
"All right, I've come to my senses. I'm willing to apologize. Will you keep funding my research?"
The Demon Eye in Norman's eyes flickered. "Of course. But that strange fellow you brought... consider him a gift. I'm very interested in this toy."
He had set his sights on Mark.
Professor Connors nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes, of course. I agree. He was always the gift I prepared for you."
With that, he turned and vanished into the darkness without hesitation.
He showed not the slightest reluctance.
He could not have been happier with the arrangement.
Seeing Bruce flee, Mark grew even more anxious.
"Bruce, what are you doing? Come back! Don't underestimate our eggs... pfft, I mean, our bond!!"
He called helplessly after Bruce.
Norman found this even more entertaining.
"I think I understand now. You're sick, just like me."
Norman flicked his arm, and a blade sprang from his armored forearm.
That giant lizard's sudden provocation had left him unable to contain his rage and murderous urges any longer.
"Rat-tat-tat..."
Just as he was about to strike, gunfire erupted in the night sky.
Natasha finally arrived in a helicopter. Seeing the demon about to attack, she opened fire without hesitation.
"Clang, clang, clang..."
In an instant, machine-gun fire hammered the Green Goblin's armor. Sparks flew as the relentless impacts forced Norman backward.
But that level of force could not damage his Green Goblin Armor at all.
"Heh heh heh, you found me again, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent."
Norman calmly raised a hand to shield his mask while throwing a Pumpkin Bomb at the helicopter.
"BOOM!!"
An explosion erupted in the night sky. Amid the brilliant flames that spread like fireworks, a shapely figure dove down, escaping the blast wave.
"Oh, shit! That makes no scientific sense!" Norman cursed under his breath at the sight.
A moment later, the helicopter wreckage crashed down, erupting into flames again.
Against the firelight, Natasha landed in a textbook superhero pose.
She confidently raised her head to look at the vicious Green Goblin, a faint smile curling her lips.
"Green Goblin, you're coming with me to S.H.I.E.L.D..."
Before she could finish, a pair of large hands suddenly grabbed her in a tight embrace.
"Boohoo, Bruce, thank goodness! You didn't leave! I knew we were the best partners... that's strange, Bruce. You smell so nice!" Mark hugged Bruce excitedly.
Natasha: "..."
Furious at the sudden ambush, she immediately used Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to twist around and clamp her legs around Mark's head.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
Mark remained as immovable as a mountain, and Natasha's expression turned to astonishment.
She could not budge him.
What terrifying strength.
"Bruce, stop fooling around. We have to defeat the demon."
Mark set Bruce down, then gave her a hard shove.
"Bruce, use your Super Special Move!"
"Super Special Move?"
Natasha froze. What was that?
She did not understand.
But Norman would not let the opportunity slip away.
"Heh heh heh, damn S.H.I.E.L.D. agent! You can die now!!"
The Green Goblin swooped down on his Glider, and Natasha instinctively drew the small pistol at her waist.
"Bang!"
The instant the bullet shot out, holy light enveloped it, transforming it into the shape of a dart.
Demon-Hunting Dart!
Stamina -100!
"Humm..."
"Shhk!!"
With the Holy Light Dart locked onto him, the Green Goblin let out a piercing scream in midair.
"Aah!! What is this?"
He stopped in midair in disbelief and looked down at the blood on his abdomen.
That strange glowing object had pierced his armor in an instant!
What had just happened?
Beneath his demon mask, Norman's face filled with terror.
The unknown was the most frightening thing of all.
He looked at Natasha's small pistol and, overcome with fear, immediately fled into the night on his Glider.
This had to be S.H.I.E.L.D.'s secret weapon!
Damn agent. I'll be back.
This was his castle, after all. Of course he would come back.
Natasha could only watch helplessly as the Green Goblin escaped.
Her face was pale, and her stamina was severely depleted. She had no strength left to pursue him.
Finally, Natasha collapsed weakly and prepared to call for help.
"Nick, it's me..."
"Bruce, you're amazing!"
Mark's shout interrupted her call for help.
He gently stroked Natasha's head. "Bruce, thank you for saving me. We're the best partners."
Then he buried his face in Bruce's chest.
"Bruce, you smell so nice!"
Natasha's face darkened, but she could not resist.
"Holy shit! Get away from me," she said through gritted teeth.
Mark shook his head. "No. We're the best partners."
"Get lost!!"
"No, nooo~"
"Nick, come save me! I'm being violated."
In the command room, Nick Fury received her distress call, his expression unreadable.
"Violated? How? Where?"
Natasha finally could not hold back her swearing. "Motherfucker, are you deaf? Come save me! This weird guy is really weird."
"That's my catchphrase, Natasha."
Kni
Fury made that one complaint, then immediately dispatched agents to retrieve her.
Meanwhile, a finger pressed against Natasha's mouth.
"Bruce, don't swear," Mark said tenderly.
Natasha's expression grew even uglier.
If she could, she would have passed out on the spot.
"Bruce, even though the demon escaped, we still get rewards."
Mark spoke again.
He looked at the reward settlement screen before him.
[First demon defeated. Mission complete!] [Rewards: overall strength +1, overall speed +1, overall defense +1.] [You are qualified to become a Beginner Demon Hunter. Please visit the Demon Hunter Guild to collect your Junior Demon Hunter Badge.]
The moment the information appeared, Mark felt new power surge into his body.
"Haha, I've gotten stronger."
After receiving the infusion of power, he looked around and found a fairly large rock in the woods.
"Up!"
"Crack, crack..."
As Mark gradually exerted himself, the rock shifted slightly.
With a look of "strain," he lifted the huge rock, then gently set it down.
"This rock weighs at least two hundred and fifty kilos. Looks like that's roughly what two points of overall strength amount to," he guessed.
Overall strength represented the combined effects of explosive power, pulling strength, lifting strength, grip strength, punching power, and so on.
Under normal circumstances, the ratios between these strength attributes ranged from 1:0.5 to 1:1.5. More precise calculations and experiments would be needed to determine the exact figures.
It was a very complicated process.
The same applied to the other attributes.
Huh? Why was there a little kitty hiding behind the rock?
Noticing this, Mark reached out to play with the trembling kitty.
Professor Connors, who had been hiding in the shadows and watching: "..."
What a terrifying fellow. He found me even here.
Oh no, this guy looked like he was about to stick his finger up my nostril!
The Lizard Man fled through the darkness in a panic.
"Bruce, where are you going?"
Seeing Bruce vanish into the forest, Mark thought for a moment and decided not to follow.
Bruce was so strange.
Never mind. He had more or less figured out the game system.
That was enough for today.
With that thought, he summoned the Game Interface and clicked [Leave Game], and his consciousness vanished.
From Natasha's perspective, however, that infuriating Spider-Man had found another Bruce and silently left the scene.
She finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Soon, Coulson arrived with a group of agents to provide support.
Seeing only Natasha at the scene, Coulson asked expressionlessly:
"Where's Spider-Man?"
"He left."
Natasha struggled to prop herself up and looked toward the castle.
"This property belongs to Norman Osborn. Have a talk with him. He might know where the Green Goblin is."
"Mm."
Coulson's answer was simple.
"Oh, and keep an eye out for news about Spider-Man."
Natasha added the request, her voice full of helplessness.
"His strength is terrifying, and he has a very strange ability."
She looked at the small pistol in her hand, lost in thought.
"There seems to be magic involved."
"Magic?" Coulson frowned.
"Yes, magic. He said he was a demon hunter."
"I get it. He's a patient."