The changes in Hulk began to stir up long-buried memories in Parallax's fragmented consciousness, drawing forth the ancient awareness of a Guardian of the Universe. Long ago, the Guardians had stumbled upon the fear energy purely by chance—a tragic accident, in fact.
Before the existence of the fear energy, the Guardians wielded only the Green Lantern energy of willpower, often seen as a symbol of the courage to face all odds. This is why willpower and courage were vulnerable to the power of fear, its natural counter. Interestingly, fear energy's creation was intricately connected to the Celestial beings, who had once crossed paths with Robert.
Back then, the Guardians had believed they could protect the universe's many civilizations. But when they encountered a civilization targeted for extermination by the Celestials, they realized how powerless they were against beings that could eradicate entire societies without hesitation.
The Green Lantern Corps and the Guardians tried to resist but were utterly outclassed. Their wills were crushed, and they no longer dared to defy the Celestials. This overwhelming terror mutated the energy of willpower, giving birth to the yellow fear energy.
As the entire Green Lantern Corps was steeped in fear, the growth of this energy outpaced the willpower energy itself. While the Guardians coveted the power of fear energy, they feared its uncontrollable nature, sealing it away in a forbidden zone, forbidding themselves and others from approaching it.
This secret remained for ages, through countless generations of Green Lanterns. During this time, some Guardians left the Corps, hoping to find a way to resist the Celestials, but they never returned.
Over time, the Corps grew stronger, and notable figures like Abin with unshakable will emerged. The Guardians even managed to siphon a small amount of fear energy without fully unlocking it. However, one Guardian succumbed to temptation, entered the forbidden zone, and was consumed by the fear energy, transforming into what is now Parallax.
The memories didn't soothe Parallax but instead disrupted his already fragile mind. His consciousness, painstakingly unified, became chaotic again, stirred by deep-seated fears and memories of past defeats.
Parallax realized that Hulk's rage wasn't merely a personal emotion but an emerging form of rage energy. Hulk was the embodiment of this energy, a creature born of pure fury, a perfect symbiosis of being and emotion.
As Parallax pondered this disturbing revelation, Hulk's roar reverberated through space, reaching the minds of every being present, including Parallax himself.
"What's going on?" The Avengers were momentarily stunned by Hulk's roar, feeling a surge of rage within themselves. Even Parallax, initially terrified by Hulk, now felt anger bubbling up within him.
"Rage energy? So what? I refuse to believe rage is stronger than fear!" Parallax, forgetting his prior fear, became emboldened by the wave of fury. His entire collective consciousness seethed with anger, intent on proving himself superior to this newly formed rage energy.
Determined to confront Hulk head-on, Parallax dismissed his fear. His confidence surged, feeding off his anger, driving him into an even more powerful state. This shift bolstered him beyond his usual capabilities, making him stronger than ever.
But Hulk wasn't the only one feeling a surge in power. Some of the Avengers, influenced by Hulk's energy, also experienced a boost, their rage amplifying their combat effectiveness. Others, encased in armor, remained stable as their machinery operated at a set capacity.
"This is interesting. Hulk seems to have unlocked an energy output ability," Robert observed, noticing the shifts in Hulk and the Avengers. Hulk's energy level was now comparable to Parallax's, bolstered further by his unique influence over the team's mental state. But the difference lay in Hulk's familiarity with fighting in a state of unbridled fury—a mode of combat that Parallax couldn't master as effectively.
Under Robert's watchful eye, Hulk underwent a physical transformation, his body growing even larger, reaching a towering three meters. His entire form radiated with a fierce aura, flames of rage enveloping his body.
Unlike Johnny Stone's elemental flames, Hulk's flames were an external manifestation of pure energy, an extension of his wrath. Yet, Robert couldn't help but be amused. Hulk's fiery form was a strange sight—a blend of green, red, and yellow that made for an unusual combination of colors.
As Robert looked on, Hulk launched himself toward Parallax. With no telekinetic assistance, Hulk was now flying under his own power, his flaming form barreling toward Parallax like a meteor. If Johnny Stone had any plans to provoke Hulk, he'd better watch out; Hulk didn't forget grudges easily.
"What's that? Hulk?" The Avengers looked up, initially thinking it was Johnny in his fiery form, only to realize it was an enormous, blazing Hulk. This strange sight jolted them from their own rage.
"Hulk smash!" With a thunderous double-fisted slam, Hulk crashed into Parallax, his fiery fists adding a searing effect to his blows. The impact sent Parallax reeling, flames licking at his body and burning away his fear energy.
This unexpected assault not only inflicted physical pain but reignited Parallax's fury, pushing him to counterattack instead of retreat. Channeling fear energy, Parallax steadied himself and charged Hulk.
In a flash, the two titans clashed, their fists colliding in a furious exchange. Each punch was a collision of unimaginable strength, interwoven with the energies of rage and fear.
In terms of raw physical power, Hulk dominated Parallax. While Parallax's fear energy was potent, Hulk's overall strength still surpassed his. Although Hulk sustained injuries, Parallax's wounds were far worse.
The mounting injuries and the widening power gap began to affect Parallax's consciousness. Driven by uncontrollable rage, the countless entities within his mind yearned to destroy Hulk. However, unlike Hulk's nearly limitless capacity for rage, Parallax's chaotic collection of consciousnesses could only reach a certain threshold. Hulk's fury was a singular, focused force, whereas Parallax's amalgam of fragmented minds had limits.
In his rage-induced state, Parallax's consciousness burned away, shrinking as each fragment of his mind exhausted itself, weakening his overall will. Yet he fought on, trapped in an endless loop of rage.
"This was supposed to be my fight, so why can't I find a way in?" Kara, watching from the sidelines, glanced over at Robert and spoke with frustration.
"If you're so keen, you could jump in," Robert smirked. "But I suspect Hulk might turn on you too. He's become fully consumed by rage and won't snap out of it until Parallax is dead."
"Besides, Hulk's power in this state has surpassed yours and possibly even Diana's," Robert added with a grin. "The angrier he gets, the more powerful he becomes, whereas your combat skills are difficult to use effectively in such a state. Hulk, however, thrives in it."
"Humph! Could you use battle skills while that angry?" Kara shot back, slightly annoyed.
Robert chuckled. "I'm different. My skills are ingrained in my instincts. Even if I were as enraged as Hulk, I'd still be able to fight effectively."
"Moreover, Hulk's rage doesn't affect me," Robert continued. "Even if it could, my rate of improvement would outpace his."
Kara rolled her eyes, knowing Robert's penchant for battle. His combat ability would spike when truly angry, but neither he nor Kara wanted him to reach that level of rage.
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