I sparked a mysterious resurgence in Marvel.

Chapter 176 A Fateful Choice

Thinking about this...

Dr. Banner exclaimed, "What a realistic illusion! If you were to perform on stage, the world might have another magician..."

He was only halfway through his sentence.

Dr. Banner, sensing that his words were somewhat inappropriate, suddenly stopped talking and then glanced at Erin somewhat awkwardly.

These days...

The status of magic masters is not high.

Even the most accomplished among these magicians are only comparable to some big stars.

For a mysterious figure like the Joker, would comparing him to a magician be considered an offense?

Dr. Banner swore he really didn't mean it that way.

The last sentence was just a subconscious exclamation he made after seeing the clown Erin, reaching out and grabbing at the air, and a real set of clothes appeared in his empty hand.

That kind of miraculous performance, which took place almost entirely under his nose.

It really surprised him.

However, to Dr. Banner's surprise, the mysterious man wearing a clown mask opposite him did not get angry after hearing this; instead, he showed an unusually pleasant expression.

He even bowed slightly to Banner as if he were a magician who had truly won the audience's praise, giving him a magical bow of thanks.

It seemed as if she was thanking him for his praise earlier.

"That's the best thing I've heard all day."

"Well, because of what you said, I'll give you another option!"

At this point, the clown Erin removed his clown mask, revealing a face smeared with paint underneath.

Upon seeing the Joker Erin remove his mask, Dr. Banner instinctively looked at his face.

But when he saw what was still a clown face painted with greasepaint, Dr. Banner's lips twitched slightly.

I resisted the urge to complain.

Dr. Banner, recalling Erin the Joker's words, paused for a few seconds before asking, "Another option... but what is that option?"

"very good!"

With a smile, he snapped his fingers and said, "I suppose you told me when you came that I can use special means to help you suppress the anger in your heart and let you live a normal life."

Upon hearing this, Dr. Banner's heart skipped a beat, and his powerful heartbeat quickened slightly.

To live the life of an ordinary person.

This was the thing Banner most desired and looked forward to after the accidental experiment.

Dr. Banner, who possesses extraordinary academic skills, has tried many methods.

But all those methods ultimately failed. He still couldn't suppress his anger and truly eliminate the monster within him that had been distorted by massive amounts of gamma rays.

If Banner hadn't been utterly powerless against the monster inside him, he wouldn't have followed Bucky to this cold storage facility as a last resort.

Therefore, Banner couldn't help but get excited after hearing the news he most wanted to hear.

The clown Erin, sitting opposite Banner, seemed to sense Banner's excitement and said with a smile:

"Dr. Banner, calm down. I don't want to fight the Hulk right now."

After making a joke, the Joker, Erin, continued, "There are actually quite a few ways in this world to stop the Hulk inside you from bothering you, but I only know two at the moment."

"One method is to use deep hypnosis to put the Hulk inside you into a deep sleep, and then set a seal deep in your mind to temporarily seal the Hulk's will."

"Hulk's mind isn't strong; with my power, I can put him into hibernation for a long time."

"However, this power has a drawback. Hypnotic sealing cannot completely solve the Hulk problem. On the contrary, prolonged forced dormancy will make the Hulk inside you even angrier. One day, its accumulated anger will break through the seal I set up and awaken again. At that time..."

The clown, Erin, didn't say anything more.

But with Dr. Banner's intelligence, he certainly understood.

After the endless sealing, a grand explosion will surely follow.

When Hulk's will breaks free from the seal and awakens once more, he will face an incredibly angry and powerful Hulk.

By that time...

It's hard to say whether this body is Hulk's will or his will is dominant.

Before Banner could think for too long...

The clown, Erin, continued, "I won't go into the side effects of this method. Even if I reinforce the seal for you every now and then, it's only a temporary fix. Of course..."

At this point, the clown Erin suddenly changed his tone, speaking in a relatively cheerful voice: "Although this method has its flaws, it's still much better than how you are now. At least, it can allow you to live a normal life for the time being."

"This was also the bargaining chip I originally intended to use to recruit you."

"However, I liked what you just said, so I'm giving you another option now."

Banner, who was already somewhat tempted by the first method mentioned by the Joker, took a deep breath after hearing the Joker's words and asked, "What is the second option?"

"The second option is to join us completely. Once you have joined us, I will do my best to help you sort out and guide the Hulk power within you. Of course, compared to the previous method that can show results immediately, this option will take a long time. Even until the very end, I cannot guarantee that you will be able to fully control the Hulk power."

"However, it's better to guide than to suppress. If you suppress it for too long, the anger within the Hulk will eventually overwhelm your power. But guiding is different. When you are able to completely control the Hulk power within you, Dr. Banner, you will find yourself becoming the perfect embodiment of both power and wisdom."

"By then, you won't have to worry about the Hulk going out of control anymore..."

After Banner roughly understood the method he had described.

The Joker, Erin, leaned back, crossed his legs, and said, "Let's make this clear beforehand. If you choose the first option, Dr. Banner's relationship with us is basically like that of a company and its employees. You help me with the research, I'll pay you a salary, and I'll also help you strengthen the seal on your body every now and then. At the same time, I'll provide you with some basic protection, such as trying to keep your existence from being discovered by the military... but that's all."

"In the second scenario, you will truly become one of us. I will do everything in my power to help you resolve your problems. Even if the military discovers your whereabouts, we will do everything in our power to protect you, help you resolve your troubles, and even... risk becoming enemies with the military."

"Of course, I won't force you. If you don't like it, Dr. Banner, you can choose to leave. I can prepare some money for you to cover your travel expenses and even help you arrange your departure route. Consider it a gift for our meeting."

After saying that sentence.

The clown, Arryn, stretched lazily and then silently awaited Dr. Banner's choice.

········

Meanwhile, Dr. Banner, sitting on the other side, was caught in a dilemma.

Since Dr. Banner chose to leave with Bucky, the Winter Soldier, he certainly didn't just want to use Bucky's strength to escape the military's pursuit.

After all, he could do that himself.

It will be a little troublesome.

and so.

Almost without much thought, Dr. Banner rejected the third option of leaving.

The remaining first and second options each have their advantages and disadvantages.

The first option is quick and relatively free, but the downside is that it cannot cure the root cause and completely eliminate the monster inside him. Furthermore, if Hulk's will is revived and breaks the seal in the future, he will undoubtedly face even more troublesome problems.

The second option, according to the clown in front of him, although it might take a long time and the final result is uncertain, has a slight chance of completely getting rid of the Hulk, this big trouble.

Moreover, with the other party's protection, he was able to avoid being discovered by the military to some extent.

Reduce trouble.

The only problem, however, is that you have to completely integrate into the other party's group.

I don't know much about this mysterious clown or the organization behind him. What if...?

After thinking for a while, Banner said with a wry smile, "I really want to choose the second option, but I don't know much about you, so... could we compromise?"

"For example, we can agree on a timeframe, such as one month or three months, and use the first option to get used to it as a transition. Once the agreed time is up, I will decide whether to ultimately choose the first option or the second option."

clap clap clap!

Upon hearing Dr. Banner's suggestion, the Joker, Erin, clapped and laughed, saying, "A very good suggestion, but... you can't!"

Why?

"Hmm, let me think. The official explanation is that once the first method of hypnosis is used to seal Hulk, it will greatly arouse the other party's resistance. At that time, it will be much more difficult to guide and help you control the Hulk's power, and it may even cause some unpredictable changes."

As Dr. Banner looked on with a hint of realization, the Joker, Erin, suddenly changed the subject:

"The real reason, of course, is... I don't like it."

"I don't like changes that happen naturally."

"I believe that the choices that truly determine one's fate may only happen once or twice in a lifetime."

"Opportunities are fleeting; if you seize them, you seize them; if you don't, you don't seize them."

"This choice may take you to heaven or it may send you to hell, and it's all the path you chose."

"So, Dr. Banner, tell me your choice!"

·············

Just a second ago, the Joker Erin's explanation made Banner feel that the other party was thinking of him.

But the next second, the clown Erin's willful words made Dr. Banner inexplicably feel a bit wry and amused.

For the first time, he felt that the future boss, the Joker Erin, seemed a little unreliable. However, this unreliability actually brought Banner and the Joker Erin closer together.

The future boss.

That's right.

At this point, Dr. Banner had already made his decision.

In fact.

Dr. Banner, who had always wanted to completely get rid of the big problem inside him, had no other choice.

Thinking about this...

Dr. Banner said to Erin, "In that case, I'll choose the second one!"

Upon hearing Banner's reply, the clown Erin's face suddenly broke into a wide smile.

"GOOD!"

Almost the instant Erin finished speaking, a cannon, which appeared out of nowhere, appeared in the hand of the clown Erin.

It was accompanied by a soft "bang".

Fireworks made of colorful confetti filled the sky.

After the colorful fireworks faded, the clown, Erin, extended his right hand to Banner and said, "I'm glad you made the right choice, Dr. Banner!"

"I hope so!"

Dr. Banner, who inexplicably felt like he had boarded a pirate ship, smiled bitterly upon hearing this.

·············

Now that we have successfully recruited Dr. Banner, a super talent with seven doctoral degrees, a suitable office location must be put on the agenda as soon as possible.

Otherwise, he couldn't very well let Dr. Banner do his research in that cold storage room!

Ah!

A suitable office building or laboratory is clearly not available to the clown Erin.

and so.

He plans to approach his creditors and "borrow" a suitable office building or laboratory.

Ah!

His creditors were all incredibly wealthy.

Ask them for an office building or a laboratory to settle the debt.

There shouldn't be any problems!

·············

After leaving that cold storage building alone.

The clown Erin pulled the Question Notebook from the Ring of Greed.

Because he had many enemies to deal with, after his resurrection, the Joker Arryn obtained a lot of good things from the original.

For example, the "Greed Ring" that he used to assist in magic performances, and the "Question Notebook" that could answer questions.

After taking out the Question Notebook, the clown Erin wrote a question directly in the notebook with a pen.

Where is Alexander Pierce, the leader of Hydra, now?

Ah!

As a clown who isn't particularly magnanimous, Erin the Joker has always adhered to the principle of taking revenge without holding back overnight.

Last night, due to an accident, Alexander Pierce, the mastermind behind the assassination attempt, survived for another night.

Now, it's time for him to pay the price.

Ok.

By the way, the clown Erin also plans to see if he can "borrow" a suitable office building from him.

Or a fully equipped laboratory.

As the leader of the best-developed Hydra branch.

Alexander Pierce surely has no shortage of fixed assets such as laboratories or suitable office buildings!

(End of this chapter)