Marvel Template System:Spectrum

Quietly pushing the door open to the hospital room, Chris stepped inside with a bag in one hand and a robe draped over his shoulders. He glanced around, spotting the only person present—Jessica, lying on the bed.

It had to be said, Jessica had seen better days. Her neck was in a cast, supporting her "colorful" face, which was covered in bruises and stitches. The swelling had gone down—her face no longer resembled a victim of a bee hive—but it was still hard to tell if she was asleep or not.

Chris had suppressed his rage, as the doctors had already assured him that most of her injuries were superficial, with only a few scars likely to remain. And given Jessica's "superhuman" nature, even those scars might not stick around.

Tiptoeing to the nightstand beside the bed, Chris opened the bag of groceries...

"Did you bring booze?" Jessica's voice, as grumpy as ever, came out slightly lisping due to the missing teeth.

"Jessica," Chris sighed, pulling items out of the bag. "You've got a broken nose, jaw, and several neck injuries. You're lucky you're not eating through a straw, so..." Chris winked and pulled out a piece of fruit. "Oranges for energy, apples for... uh, also energy. And bananas for good measure..."

Jessica groaned, either from pain or the mention of her annual fruit quota.

"At least some beer!..."

"I've got a *biba*," Chris replied calmly.

"A *biba*?"

Chris nodded.

"Suck the *biba*."

"Bitch!..."

"Hahaha..."

Chuckling, Chris pulled up a chair and sat down next to his friend. A couple of times, he wanted to start a conversation but ended up closing his mouth. There was an awkward tension between them.

"Thanks," Jessica finally broke the silence. "Though I didn't really need the help..."

"Oh?" Chris raised an eyebrow. "Was the purple 'signals' on your face supposed to mean everything was fine? And the blood was just your 'battle paint'?"

"I would've taken that asshole down," Jessica rasped, slightly embarrassed. "I could've handled him with one hand... Just wasn't in the mood..."

"Sure, sure," Chris smirked sarcastically but didn't push the obvious argument. He decided to save face, so to speak.

Once again, they fell into silence. It seemed like they were deliberately ignoring the elephant in the room—their conflict over collateral damage. Neither of them had the courage to bring it up, fearing it would lead to another fight.

"You were right," Chris finally spoke up. "There's a difference between indifference and... what I was about to do."

Not that Chris had suddenly developed empathy for all living things, but Jessica's clear rejection had reminded him that there should be clear boundaries. And for now, Chris wasn't willing to sacrifice those boundaries for the sake of his friendship.

"I'm glad," Jessica snorted. "That my healing uppercut knocked some sense into your thick skull."

"Caught me off guard," Chris frowned. "Didn't even feel it, honestly."

"Sure, sure..." Jessica croaked. "You're still a kid... a punk."

At first, Chris sighed in irritation, but a second later, he burst out laughing.

And Jessica joined him.

---

**SYNCHRONIZATION [1] [Berserker ???] [Rank: Legendary]: 43%**

**SYNCHRONIZATION [2] [Dominic Toretto] [Rank: Rare]: 48%**

Now it was obvious that the higher the rank, the harder it was to fill the synchronization bar. Comparing the "Berserker" and "Dominic Toretto," it was clear that the first template had been with him for almost a month—and he'd used it multiple times—while the second had reached 48% after just one wild ride.

What's more, the higher the percentage, the harder it became to increase it! So, it was almost certain that he'd max out Dominic before the Berserker!

At certain thresholds, Chris noticed qualitative changes. The first stage covered the first 10%, the second from 11% onward. Chris suspected there was at least one more stage, but he didn't have enough data yet.

For example, with the Berserker, the first stage granted him the "Twelve Labors" and a slight power boost. But at the second stage, he gained "Mad Enhancement," and his strength jumped significantly.

Dominic Toretto confirmed the "staged" nature of the templates. At first, Chris got "It Doesn't Matter What's Under the Hood, It's Who's Behind the Wheel," and at 11%, he unlocked "Screw Physics! We're in a Multi-Million Dollar Blockbuster!"

Theoretically, a "third" stage would bring another power spike...

Just thinking about it filled Chris with anticipation.

Even though Dominic Toretto was a bit of a "specialist," that didn't diminish his usefulness. Chris didn't have a driver's license, but this template gave him insane driving skills. And that was far from useless!

All in all, the future might smell like trouble, but it had a bright side!

"Coffee?" A woman's voice, with a flirtatious tone, snapped Chris out of his thoughts. But the appearance of the waitress who asked the question left him speechless.

She wasn't just pretty—she was stunning. A redhead with green eyes, her uniform was just a bit too short, leaving little to the imagination. And her smile... Oh, Chris was completely smitten.

Of course, Chris knew that places like this hired attractive staff, but this girl belonged on the runways of global fashion giants, not here!

No wonder Chris couldn't find the words to respond. But the girl wasn't fazed; she just smiled, refilled his coffee, gave him a subtle wink, and walked away.

Chris couldn't take his eyes off her perfectly shaped backside...

"Ahem, ahem..." A cough snapped Chris out of his daydream, drawing his attention back to his companion. A neatly dressed man in a black suit, who had invited Chris to a family diner near the hospital, where they were now seated.

"Sorry," Chris said, slightly embarrassed. "Again, who are you?"

"We met about a week and a half ago," the man smiled easily. "Phil Coulson. You jumped in front of my car and took all my money."

A moment of silence as Chris processed this...

"Ah..." Chris replied thoughtfully. "Ah!" Then came the realization, along with a bit of horror. "I... don't know what you're talking about."

"As you say," Phil pursed his lips but didn't press the issue. "I'd like to reintroduce myself. Phil Coulson, SHIELD."

"SHIELD?" Chris repeated, confused. "Weren't you with the FBI?"

"Our organization operates under a highly classified mandate," Phil continued patiently. "And for optimal efficiency, we often borrow credentials from more... well-known agencies."

"If I'm not mistaken," Chris frowned, "forging documents from law enforcement is a pretty serious crime."

"The documents aren't forged," Phil smiled tightly. "There's a certain law that allows us to do this..."

"I've never heard of it..."

"It's not widely known to the public..."

"A secret law is still a crime!..."

"Nevertheless..." Phil's calm smile didn't waver. "It is what it is. Our organization has broader authority, but that comes with greater responsibilities. Certain... internal workarounds are simply necessary."

"Alright," Chris said cautiously. "But what does this have to do with me?"

"Mr. Wallace, doesn't it strike you as odd that your... exploits haven't landed you in jail or at least in court?"

"I..." Chris coughed slightly. "I don't know what you're talking about..."

"Mr. Wallace," Phil pressed on more firmly. "In the past month, you've been involved in the deaths of dozens of people. Your... episodes..."

"It was self-defense!..."

"Your 'self-defense episodes' have cost the city millions of dollars," Phil didn't blink. "And you've never wondered why no one's come after you?"

Not that he hadn't thought about it, but he just... didn't care. If they came, they came; he'd deal with it as needed. It was a completely irresponsible approach, but with everything that had happened in his life lately, even such matters often slipped his mind. Besides, even if he did think about it, what could he do? He had no connections, no family, no-thing! All he could do was react as needed!

Like now.

"Mr. Wallace," Phil softened his tone slightly. "We know your entire past. We know you possess... extraordinary talents that you're not afraid to use. And even your... frequent 'self-defense' episodes, we've turned a blind eye to. Mr. Wallace, I'll be honest," Phil's demeanor showed he didn't want to provoke him. "With your level of knowledge and skills, you'd be in jail for stealing a bag of fries from a fast-food joint. And believe me, when someone takes out an entire gang and wrecks a squad of professional hitmen, it gets noticed. VERY noticed. And it's only our protection that's kept you from facing more... serious questions."

And Chris...

Was floored.

Of course, it was logical to assume that his "adventures" would eventually come to light, but...

Chris felt like he'd been caught with his pants down!

"So..." Chris replied awkwardly. "Cops aren't stupid?"

"No, Mr. Wallace," Phil answered patiently. "We're not stupid."

"So..." Chris continued thoughtfully. "Jessica's the stupid one?"

"Not for me to judge," Phil replied diplomatically.

"What do you want from me?"

"As I said, Mr. Wallace..."

"Just Chris is fine."

"Chris," Phil corrected with a smile. "SHIELD deals with matters of a more... global nature. And we think there's potential for a fruitful collaboration between us."

"You're recruiting me?" Chris's mood instantly soured. "Like, I'll become a fed, spend my days buried in paperwork, get a pension, a subsidized mortgage, and all that crap? So in twenty years, I can take out another loan for my idiot son's college, where he'll realize he's bisexual and become a DJ?"

This time, it was Phil who was caught with his metaphorical pants down. It took him a moment to find a response.

"Recruitment isn't on the table yet," Phil finally said. "But I think there's room for some initial steps."

"What do you mean?" Chris frowned.

"We've found Kilgrave. And we really didn't like what we found," Phil's lips tightened. "I'm afraid your involvement is necessary. New York is already burning, but it doesn't know it yet."

Well...

That sounded ominous.

--- 

"Yeah, a sexy and very noticeable assassin-spy," Chris shrugged. "Well... I guess something like this was to be expected."

In response, the girl he was following just winked.

Natasha Romanoff, one of SHIELD's most experienced and dangerous operatives, was a lethal combination of sex appeal, implied danger, and, oddly enough, competence.

As it turned out, Phil Coulson had been urgently called to Los Angeles to deal with Tony Stark. Something about a new type of weapon, a flying suit, and intrigue at Stark Industries. In short, SHIELD's higher-ups decided Phil was needed there more. Well, yeah, Phil was always the guy to send when negotiations were required. Chris understood why. Phil had this natural charm of a... diplomat. But it was clear he knew his job inside out. In short, a highly competent and likable agent.

When Chris naturally asked who he'd be working with, the answer came just as naturally: Natasha, the "I'll seduce you and then kill you" Romanoff. Yep, the very same waitress who'd nearly made Chris dislocate his jaw. But when she came out to meet him, she was, so to speak, in full combat mode.

Dressed in a tight black suit with plenty of pockets for knives, guns, and all sorts of other deadly gadgets, it had to be said that the suit did nothing to diminish her... beauty. If anything, it made things harder. Sure, it was nice to be working with a bombshell, but having a constant tension in your groin 24/7 was going to be tough.

"And Natasha—damn her—was fully aware of her beauty and the particular effect it had on one budding superhuman. So, the winks, poses, and innuendos came pouring out like water from a bucket... In short, Chris felt like, at this rate, he'd sign away his soul and body to SHIELD without a second thought."

When they reached the car, Natasha paused for a moment and twirled the keys in front of Chris.

"Want to?"

"Do you even need to ask?" Chris snorted as Natasha walked around the car.

It was some kind of modified Audi, judging by the interior and digital displays.

Chris's eyebrows shot up as soon as he started the engine—the roar was no joke.

"SHIELD has the best toys," Natasha said, amused by his expression. "But only if you're a good boy..."

Another attempt to test his libido—which worked about... ten times out of ten—this time flew right over his head.

Because once he was behind the wheel, Chris felt an unprecedented sense of control. He was the boss as long as he was in the car, period.

"Remind me," Chris glanced at Natasha, who didn't even flinch as the speedometer shot past 100 kilometers per hour. If anything, she seemed more interested in watching him. "Where are we headed again?"

"Graeburn College," Natasha replied, though even she seemed a little queasy at the speed they were weaving through New York traffic. The cautious click of her seatbelt did wonders for Chris's ego. "Forty minutes..."

"Ten," Chris smirked.

It should be noted that Natasha quickly recovered and flashed her smile again.

"Where did you learn to drive like this?" she asked with genuine curiosity. "You don't even have a license or a car..."

"Racing sims," Chris replied casually. "Forza, NFS, and Mario Kart..."

"Noted," Natasha chuckled. "Don't you have any questions?"

"Oh-ho-ho..." Chris laughed mischievously. "I've got so many questions, I don't even know where to start. For example, how long have you been a top-secret agent?"

"As long as I can remember," Natasha smiled. "But I credit most of my skills to Hitman, Max Payne, and Metal Gear..."

"Hahaha..."

Truth be told, Natasha was... fun. She was open—or at least projected that impression—with a sense of humor and, of course, stunningly beautiful. Sure, you shouldn't judge people by their looks—especially when they're aware of how attractive they are—but you can't deny that beautiful people have a way of unconsciously drawing you in.

Chris knew better than to trust Natasha, but... she was just so damn charming. And Chris, being a fully grown heterosexual male... was susceptible to that kind of thing.

As they chatted about trivial topics—Natasha was way better at keeping a conversation going than Chris—the discussion eventually turned to work.

"SHIELD isn't all-powerful," Natasha said matter-of-factly, scrolling through photos of their target on a tablet. "But Kilgrave... Honestly, I still can't wrap my head around how we missed him. It's just... strange."

It was true. Kilgrave had never really hidden himself. For an organization as "all-knowing" as SHIELD—Chris wasn't entirely convinced yet—to overlook someone as flamboyant as Kilgrave was almost criminal.

"The boss is still fuming," Natasha smirked. "Especially since the evidence from your little chase revealed that the Winter Soldier knew exactly where he was going and why..."

"Who?"

"The guy with the metal arm," Natasha clarified. "The Winter Soldier is... a legend. A very dangerous legend. A boogeyman for seasoned veterans and assassins."

"I must've missed how dangerous he was while, you know..." Chris shrugged with deliberate nonchalance. "Turning the Winter Soldier into Winter Steak..."

"Hahaha..." It was hard to tell if Natasha was genuinely laughing at the situation or at Chris's clumsy attempt to brag—like an elephant in a china shop. "That's impressive..."

"So, what's the plan?" Chris pretended not to be flustered. He just wasn't good at talking to women! "We get to the college and..."

"Deal with Kilgrave, take General Ross and Emil Blonsky into custody, and try not to provoke Bruce Banner," Natasha reported the plan with businesslike efficiency.

"Are you prepared for Kilgrave?"

In response to Chris's question, Natasha simply exposed her elegant neck, where a small device—either a beacon or a bomb—was attached.

"One hint of mind control, and it'll deliver an electric shock," Natasha said, seemingly unbothered by the precaution. "Every operative on this mission is wearing one..."

"Thorough," Chris admitted, genuinely impressed. "By the way, who's Bruce Banner?"

That question made Natasha freeze.

Yeah...

Even a secret agent can't plan for and remember everything.

---

*****

---

"It's... it's working!" Samuel Sterns watched in awe as the transformations on the surgical table unfolded. "IT'S WORKING!..."

Kilgrave was so captivated by the spectacle that he didn't even bother punishing his puppet. After all, he was in complete agreement with the scientist.

It all started with their swift expedition to Graeburn College. And the most important thing was that they managed to capture all the key players!

Samuel Sterns, the leading expert on Hulk biology.

Betty Ross, the daughter of Thaddeus Ross and Hulk's love interest. In short, a useless puppet.

But the crown jewel...

They had captured the Hulk! Or rather, Bruce Banner, who had been injected with a serum that prevented him from transforming to defend himself.

But Samuel—now under Kilgrave's control—admitted that the serum was only temporary. If Bruce really, really wanted to become the Hulk, it would stop working altogether.

The ultimate jackpot!

And just as Kilgrave was planning to send the Hulk to fight Chris, Emil Blonsky spoke up. The enhanced superhuman reminded Kilgrave of his—and Emil's—desire to become... better. To become a second Hulk.

Kilgrave was so inspired that he ordered Samuel to inject Emil with the Hulk's blood immediately.

And the result...

Exceeded even the wildest expectations.

As soon as the Hulk's blood entered Emil's system, he began transforming... into an Abomination.

Kilgrave was witnessing history. The history of his ascent to the top of the food chain...

Emil loomed like a living nightmare, his massive body covered in scaly, armor-like skin. His grotesquely swollen muscles pulsed beneath thick flesh, ready to tear through anything in their path. His face was a twisted snarl, with fangs protruding from a torn mouth, and his eyes burned with cold, inhuman malice. Sharp bone spikes jutted from his elbows and back, adding to his terrifying presence.

The sight was so horrifying and awe-inspiring that even Kilgrave's pride-swollen mind began to waver.

"STOP, EMIL!..."

The monster, oddly enough, obeyed. Kilgrave's heart pounded, his body drenched in sweat, but he knew this moment would change his life.

"NOT EMIL!" The creature's voice was like the screech of metal against metal—low, grating, and utterly terrifying. "I AM THE ABOMINATION! THE ABOMINATION! AHHH!..."

The Abomination's roar froze everyone in the room—Kilgrave, Bruce, and Samuel. Glass shattered, furniture shook. Everything about this monster screamed inhuman power.

"You and the Hulk..." Bruce Banner, still groggy from the serum's effects, began to listen to Kilgrave's commands. "Will work together! You will obey me!"

The Abomination paused for a moment...

Then, with a roar, it slammed its massive fist into the helpless Bruce. The poor man's body smashed through several walls and flew out of the third-floor window.

To Kilgrave's relief, the Hulk's thunderous roar echoed just seconds later. At least he hadn't lost one of his two trump cards.

"NO, ABOMINATION!" Kilgrave's anger began to override his fear. "I SAID YOU WILL WORK TOGETHER! Under my control!..."

"TOGETHER..." The Abomination stared at Kilgrave with predatory interest. "UNDERSTOOD..."

"And now..."

**BOOM!**

Kilgrave never finished his command. The Abomination closed the distance with terrifying speed and...

Crushed Kilgrave's head between its hands like an insect.

And so, Kilgrave died, a victim of his own pride and greed.

But his power still left its mark. The words he spoke before his death echoed in the minds of the Abomination and the Hulk. Not as a command, but as a single thought cutting through the haze of rage and bloodlust.

"You must work together..."

And they roared in unison.

The Hulk and the Abomination.

Chris and Natasha stopped all meaningless chatter the moment they heard the roar. A sound unlike anything else, carrying traces of endless rage.

Chris had to suppress his instincts and slow down as they approached Graeburn College. Because...

The square in front of the institute... was on fire.

A massive gray monster with bone spikes on its back and elbows was tearing SHIELD operatives apart.

Once, Jessica had mentioned how unnaturally Chris moved. A lanky figure, standing at 180 cm, shouldn't be able to move at speeds barely perceptible to the eye, let alone tear apart objects many times larger and heavier than himself. But Chris could.

Yet, seeing a four-meter-tall monster with muscles a meter in diameter leaping dozens of meters and ripping cars apart... Oh... Chris realized that his "unnatural" movements were far from the limit. It turned out that everything would seem alien to the eye when one super-strong opponent and dozens of his victims were in action.

"...Copy that!" Natasha was shouting into her comms, trying to coordinate SHIELD teams around the building. But...

What kind of "coordination" could save them from this creature? What tactical maneuvers could make high-caliber bullets bounce off its skin? Were there any pre-planned strategies that could add firepower to their already substantial arsenal?

To Chris, any tactic other than retreat seemed pointless.

The monster merely grinned mockingly—but no less terrifyingly—as it absorbed rockets and machine-gun fire that wouldn't have left a scratch on Chris. Exotic grenades with noise, smoke, and high-voltage effects were equally ignored. It seemed there was no weapon in the world capable of harming this creature.

"...Chris!" Natasha snapped him out of his trance. "Chris, we need your help!"

"Me?..."

Yes, Chris had grown bolder over the past month. No wonder, when you suddenly gain the ability to bend metal like clay, your courage naturally increases. But...

All the enemies he had fought were... much weaker than him. Sure, they had weapons that could send Chris to the afterlife, but he was confident that if any of them faced him one-on-one, they wouldn't stand a chance. But this monster...

This gray abomination was much, much stronger than him. Bigger, oddly faster, and... more ferocious. Every move the monster made radiated boundless rage, something that fueled Chris as well. But this monster... This monster was on a whole other level.

And so, the scared little boy inside Chris suddenly spoke up.

"Chris," Natasha pursed her lips and cupped his face in her hands. Judging by the sweat dripping down her face and her trembling pupils, Natasha wasn't in the brightest state of mind either. "Chris, I'm scared too..."

In the background, another specialized vehicle exploded. A vehicle that was supposed to be a mobile fortress, not a walking bomb in the hands of this monster.

"But you know who's even more scared?" Natasha glanced toward the chaos. "The operatives who didn't expect this... this slaughter! Chris, I know many of these guys, and believe me, they're weaker than you, less experienced than me... They're much, much more scared..."

Natasha's intense speech helped Chris focus on the task at hand.

"Chris, you're the only one here who can distract the monster," Natasha tried to smile to encourage him. Key word—tried. "We need five minutes to retreat and regroup! Believe me, SHIELD has already sent reinforcements, but it won't do any good if we lose all the specialists involved in this operation! Chris, we can't afford to lose this many people!"

Chris took a deep breath, trying to regain the confidence that had been draining from him. Things weren't going well, but...

There was no other choice.

---

*****

---

Chris tried to imagine the monster as some... thug. Another lunatic, one of the many whose fingers he had broken. What was so hard about that? Just replace the image of a four-meter-tall, gray monster moving at the speed of a race car with that of a drunk from the alley...

Okay, that was MUCH harder than he thought.

But he still had to do something.

As they say, the eyes are afraid, but the hands do the work.

Step by step, Chris picked up speed, never taking his eyes off the monster, which casually tossed aside an armored operative, instantly turning him into a broken doll. It seemed the monster didn't notice him until the last moment, when Chris was within ten meters.

The speed he had built up tore his sneakers to shreds, and his pants were barely holding on. But all these signs pointed to an excellent acceleration, which Chris decided to cap off with a leap.

In one moment, the ground he pushed off from cracked, a loud clap echoed through the air, and Chris...

Closed in on the Abomination.

"Mad Enhancement!"

**BOOM!**

**SYNCHRONIZATION [1] [Berserker ???] [Rank: Legendary]: 47.08%**

Chris had never hit anyone this hard before. He put everything into it—the inhuman acceleration, the hellish leap, and the punch that nearly broke his arm when it collided with the creature's jaw!

But all that effort paid off.

With a deafening crash of an impossibly dense fist meeting an equally dense skull, the Abomination was sent flying, tumbling through the air before crashing into a pile of wrecked cars with a metallic screech.

Chris's fist burned with an inhuman pain, whether from internal bruising or the sheer force of the impact, but...

Chris was satisfied.

"Alright," Chris smirked, unable to believe his own eyes. "You're not as tough as you look, huh?!"

**"AAAAH!"**

The inhuman roar froze Chris's smirk. In the next moment, he had to dive to the side as a sharp piece of shrapnel tore through the asphalt where he had just stood.

Chris barely had time to recover from the first attack before the second one came. The monster's body launched toward him at incredible speed. Chris reacted instinctively, shifting slightly to the side and driving his fist into the creature's torso.

But things didn't go as planned. His fist connected, yes, but... it didn't stop the monster. The creature's loud grunt made it clear it felt the blow, but its momentum barely slowed. And it certainly didn't go flying in the opposite direction, as Chris had hoped.

The monster kept moving, but not before... grabbing Chris's arm and hurling him forward.

Chris barely processed what happened. One moment, the monster had his arm, and the next, he was lying dozens of meters away, his arm shattered from the creature's grip.

Spitting out a mouthful of dirt, Chris rolled onto his back, trying to regain his senses, but all he managed was to widen his eyes in terror as...

The monster loomed over him, roaring at the top of its lungs.

Chris raised his arms, trying to activate the only Noble Phantasm that could give him even a sliver of a chance.

**"MAD ENHANC—"**

**BOOM!**

Two massive hands, like artillery shells, slammed into Chris's body. In one moment, he felt the creature's hammers crush his raised arms, then his ribcage, and finally his spine. One incredible blow...

...That killed Christopher Wallace.

---

**SYNCHRONIZATION [1] [Berserker ???] [Rank: Legendary]: 50%**

**Noble Phantasm [Rank: A]: God's Hand: Twelve Labors [4/12]**

**"AH!..."** Chris screamed as he sat up. "Holy shit, that hurt!"

A close encounter with a creature of this level had sent Chris to the afterlife in just three exchanges. Everything about this situation screamed for Chris to run. But...

Chris was insulted. Insulted by how quickly this creature had killed him.

This time, the angry pride in his head overshadowed the scared little boy.

**"MAD ENHANCEMENT!"**

**Noble Phantasm [Rank: C]: Mad Enhancement**

**WARNING! YOU HAVE USED THE MAXIMUM ENHANCEMENT COEFFICIENT!**

Chris's maddened mind quickly located the creature. It had returned to destroying the SHIELD operatives who hadn't evacuated in time. But...

This time, the initiative was his again.

The acceleration mechanism was the same as the one he had used to send the monster flying the first time. Only now, "Mad Enhancement" made his strike...

Faster.

Stronger.

More furious.

**BOOM!**

The blow landed squarely on the back of the monster's head, catching it off guard. This time, the rage from the skill allowed Chris to pour everything into the strike, without caring about his own well-being. The impact was much, much more effective, though equally painful. His own arm twisted grotesquely from the force of the blow, but...

The damn monster spun like a top. Its roar turned into a pained screech, and a moment later, it almost went silent.

A massive, bleeding wound appeared on the back of the monster's head as it tried to stand, groaning deeply.

"Creature..." Chris breathed heavily, clutching his mangled arm to his chest. "I'LL KILL YOU!"

And just as Chris was about to make good on his promise...

**"AAAAH!..."**

A roar, eerily similar but not identical to the monster's, echoed right behind him.

Even the maximum level of "Mad Enhancement" couldn't suppress his shock as he turned around.

Slightly—almost imperceptibly—smaller than the first monster. Green, with fewer mutations, but no less terrifying in its raw power. The first monster, born from a genius scientist's experiment on himself...

The Hulk.

**"AAAAH!..."**

Chris wasn't even surprised when a roar came from the opposite direction, where the first monster had finally regenerated enough to rejoin the fight.

In one pitiful moment, Chris found himself between the Hulk and the Abomination.

Between a rock and a hard place.

And...

**SYNCHRONIZATION [1] [Berserker ???] [Rank: Legendary]: 50%**

He had no means in his arsenal to survive this encounter.

**BOOM!**

The next moments of Chris's life were seared into his memory forever. Even under the maximum level of "Mad Enhancement."

Two massive monsters turned him into a literal punching bag. In one excruciatingly painful span of time, Chris experienced the full spectrum of broken bones, torn organs, and severed limbs. The only solace in this execution was that his body couldn't withstand the two incredibly strong creatures for long.

Christopher Wallace died.

**Noble Phantasm [Rank: A]: God's Hand: Twelve Labors [3/12]**

The next awakening happened just as suddenly as the "shutdown." One moment, he was unconscious; the next, he was awake!

Only this time, Chris wasn't in a hurry to rush back into the fight.

With a blank expression, he processed every second of the last moments before his latest death.

Chris sat up and looked around.

Two monsters, now rampaging toward the city.

Crushed bodies.

Burning vehicles.

And numerous imprints of his own body, one of which he had just "awoken" from.

Chris struggled to his feet and...

"Screw this."

...headed in the exact opposite direction of the monsters.

**SYNCHRONIZATION [1] [Berserker ???] [Rank: Legendary]: 50%**

Note from the translator 

I'm raising money to fix my laptop. I need 60 dollars in my patreon.com/Kotvslape.