Marvel's Strongest Mage

Chapter 20: Chapter 20 – Power Measured



With a thunderous boom, Blonsky's hulking body was hurled over Daniel's shoulder and slammed violently into the pavement.

The impact cracked the concrete in a spiderweb of fractures, shockwaves tearing through the street and even extending beneath the foundations of nearby buildings. Cameras aboard the approaching news helicopters caught it all in crisp, broadcast-ready detail.

Daniel lifted his head slightly, casting a glance toward Blonsky, who was already scrambling to his feet.

To be fair, Blonsky was powerful—far more agile than the Hulk and terrifyingly brutal—but his strength had limits. And now, after this prolonged confrontation, he was nearing them.

Daniel could've ended the fight much earlier. He'd already locked onto Blonsky's vital energy—his biological "lifeline"—and with a single gesture, he could've ended him.

But he didn't.

Because Daniel wasn't here to show off brute force. He had an objective. He needed to stage a spectacle—one that would send a message to the U.S. military and their watchers across the world.

He needed a worthy opponent to validate the level of threat. And that opponent wasn't Blonsky.

It was Hulk.

This, all of this, was just the warm-up.

And more importantly, Daniel needed time to recalibrate his magic to Earth's environment. He had only recently returned from Jotunheim—a frozen realm where water was scarce and had to be isolated under special conditions to avoid immediate freezing. It was there that Daniel had climbed to the edge of legendary power, his ice magic evolving under that harsh, crystalline pressure.

If he were to return to the legendary realm, it would have to be through the path of ice once more. But that path was tainted by Odin's shadow. Daniel didn't want to walk it again—not now.

So instead, he turned to water.

Water was close to ice, malleable and adaptive, and by showcasing water magic now, Daniel could mislead potential enemies. This would become his hidden card—his ace in a future reckoning.

And right now, he didn't even need to show all of it.

Blonsky couldn't tell the difference. He rushed forward again, snarling, only to have Daniel dodge effortlessly and hammer a punch straight into his chest. Blonsky's muscles froze up mid-charge. Daniel shifted, tossed him over his shoulder, and slammed him to the street once more.

If there was one thing the Hulk and the Abomination had in common—aside from their origin—it was resilience. Blonsky could take a beating. His body recovered rapidly. In fact, Daniel suspected that was part of the core formula behind the super soldier serum. A dangerous feature—but perfect for a public demonstration.

Again and again, Blonsky lunged forward—only to be thrown aside like a ragdoll. Each time, Daniel grew stronger, drawing on the nearby water flow. His presence amplified.

At one point, Daniel paused and looked up at the buzzing skies.

There were now three news helicopters circling overhead, alongside two government choppers—one marked with FBI insignia, the other military-grade. General Ross, Betty Ross, and Bruce Banner were onboard the lowest one.

It was almost time.

Blonsky charged once more—and this time, Daniel added some flair. With a pivot and twist, he tossed the brute like a rolling boulder, sending him crashing into a nearby utility pole.

Don't be mistaken—Daniel was a mage, yes—but years in Jotunheim had toughened him. The Frost Giants hadn't exactly shown him courtesy. They'd pummeled him senseless in the early years, and he'd only survived by adapting. Even before breaking through as a legendary mage, Daniel had trained his physical combat to brutal proficiency.

So no, Blonsky was no challenge.

Blonsky slammed into the pole hard. This time, he didn't spring up immediately. Instead, he reached out and wrenched the metal pole from its base.

A shower of electric sparks exploded. High-voltage cables snapped and whipped through the air, crashing into cars, sending arcs of electricity crackling across the asphalt. The entire block was plunged into darkness.

Only the searchlights from the helicopters illuminated the area now—and those had to drop lower to maintain visibility.

Blonsky roared and hurled the utility pole at the water giant Daniel had conjured.

The water construct didn't flinch.

From TV screens across the nation, viewers screamed. Some covered their eyes. Others leaned forward, mesmerized.

The pole struck Daniel's figure squarely—but passed through him.

Cleanly.

Slicing the water giant in two.

Gasps echoed from living rooms and command centers alike. Had Daniel been skewered?

No. He was gone.

Which meant...

He was intangible.

Physical immunity?

That was the most terrifying implication of all. It meant that most standard U.S. military weapons would be useless against him.

But then someone remembered—he was wearing the uniform of an American soldier. That bought a bit of peace. If he were an enemy, this would be a very different situation.

Blonsky didn't stop to ponder. But by now, a rope of water had coiled around the utility pole, pulling it backward. It began slithering toward Blonsky's arms like a living serpent.

Blonsky recognized the danger.

With a surge of instinct, he yanked the pole back—and then released it, flinging the weapon into the air before the water could trap him.

The airborne pole spiraled violently—then tore straight through one of the circling helicopters.

The rotors shattered. Debris scattered.

Loose wires struck another nearby chopper—General Ross's.

Chaos erupted in the skies.

Ross's aircraft managed to engage its emergency protocol, making a rough—but controlled—descent.

CNN's news helicopter wasn't so lucky. It spiraled out of control, heading straight for the pavement.

That was when Bruce Banner moved.

He tore free from the restraints holding him, bolted toward the edge of the cabin, and jumped—leaving only Betty Ross's scream trailing behind him.

"Bruce—!"

"Careful!" General Ross grabbed his daughter before she could follow, his face dark. He cursed silently. Betty still didn't understand. She thought Bruce was leaping out to save others.

But Ross knew better.

Banner was trying to escape.

And even if he transformed in time, it wasn't a guarantee that he'd save anyone. If anything, they'd be lucky if he didn't make things worse.

Daniel had already anticipated this.

The moment Banner leapt, Daniel's body shifted—melting into a rushing stream of water that surged upward like a tidal snake.

It intercepted the falling news chopper just in time.

A five-meter-thick cushion of water swelled beneath the aircraft, absorbing the impact. The chopper slammed into it, bounced slightly, and then settled.

Even then, the passengers inside were rattled. If they had fallen from a higher altitude, even water wouldn't have saved them. It would've been like crashing into concrete.

Daniel didn't stop there.

He flowed again, this time toward General Ross's chopper. He didn't create another cushion—but instead wrapped himself around the hull, synchronizing with the propellers and helping guide the vehicle safely to the ground.

Then, just as smoothly, Daniel reformed beside Ross.

"General," he said with a curt nod.

Ross stared at him, half-stunned. But Betty wasn't even looking. Her eyes were locked on the street.

Because Hulk had arrived.

He was already engaged with Blonsky.

Despite having injected himself with an antidote, Hulk's strength was still immense—but clearly diminished. And it showed. Bronski was pummeling him, driving him back, blow by blow.

Betty took a step forward instinctively.

Then she stopped.

She turned to Daniel. To Ross. Her breath caught in her throat.

And finally, she reached out and grabbed Daniel's arm.

"Daniel," she whispered urgently. "Please... save him."

Daniel paused.

He didn't hate Betty. But he didn't love her either. This wasn't his loss to mourn or his love to win.

Still, her plea put him in a frustrating position. If he saved Hulk, Betty would be grateful—grateful to the very man who stood as a rival to her heart. If he didn't, he'd seem cruel. Selfish. Insecure.

He glanced sideways at Ross.

"General?"

Ross's face was grim. "Do it," he said. "If you wait any longer, Hulk might recover fully—and then we'll all have a bigger problem."

Daniel nodded.

He stepped forward, ready to end this second act.

Behind him, Betty stared, her expression caught between confusion and awe.

Could it be… that everything Daniel had done—was leading to this?


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