When Korin said he couldn't plant Senzu Beans, Smith Dole's heart sank for a moment—until he heard the reason was simply a lack of seeds. Then, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Just moments ago, he had been annoyed at drawing only a single Senzu Bean from the lottery, thinking it a wasted opportunity. But now he realized—it was a treasure. Without it, Korin wouldn't even be able to start planting.
Smith quickly took out the Senzu Bean and asked,
"I have one here. Can it be used for planting?"
Korin accepted the bean, examined it carefully, and nodded.
"Yes, it can."
"Senzu Beans need Super God Water to grow and have an extremely slow growth cycle. Even when cultivated, the yield is very low."
Smith waved it off.
"As long as it's possible to grow them, that's enough. Keep one or two from the first batch as emergency life-saving tools. Use the rest as seeds to expand the crop."
Korin nodded but reminded,
"Even so, the scale will remain small. My ability to synthesize Super God Water is limited."
Smith now understood why, over centuries, Korin had only managed to store a single jar of beans—only to have them eaten by Yajirobe.
"I'll leave the rest to you."
···
Elsewhere.
It had been a confusing day for the citizens of New York. First, they witnessed the sky go dark in broad daylight. Then came an overwhelming pressure that made people feel like their hearts might explode.
Countless residents called 911. Others rushed to their doctors for emergency checkups, fearing something had gone seriously wrong with their health.
At that moment, Bruce Banner and Betty Ross had arrived at the university where Mr. Blue worked. As students began pouring out of the lecture halls, Betty spotted Samuel Sterns and called out to him.
"Excuse me! Are you Dr. Sterns?"
Sterns stopped and looked at her.
"Yes, I am."
"I'm Elizabeth Ross."
After a brief pause, Sterns remembered her.
"Oh! Dr. Ross!"
"There's someone who wants to meet you," she said.
"No problem," he replied.
Then Bruce Banner stepped forward.
"You're Mr. Blue, right?"
Sterns looked him over carefully, hesitating.
"And you must be Mr. Green?"
Once their identities were confirmed, Sterns led them to his lab. He turned to Bruce and said,
"I've often wondered if you were real…"
"If you were, what would you look like?"
"A man with such immense energy, yet you look so… unassuming. I'm honestly shocked."
"I even once suspected you were Smith Dole. That guy's body also harbors terrifying power. If not for the fact he has his own company and ties to Tony Stark, I might've believed it."
Bruce just smiled. He couldn't deny he had envied Smith. That man didn't need to transform, didn't lose control of his body—he was basically perfect.
Sterns then added,
"I reviewed your data, but I need to make something clear."
"There's no precedent for this treatment. Even if the calculations are right—dosage, parameters, blood exchange ratios—there's no guarantee this will heal you. It might just temporarily stabilize you."
"And if the dosage exceeds even slightly, it could generate a highly toxic reaction."
Betty quickly asked,
"Are you saying he could die?"
Sterns nodded.
"Yes, that's a real possibility."
But Bruce didn't flinch.
"You do realize if the dosage is too low, or if the procedure goes wrong, Hulk will emerge—and then you'll be in danger."
Sterns smiled.
"Listen, I've always been more curious than cautious. If you're not afraid, then I'll give it my all."
With that, they ignored Betty's protests and began prepping for the procedure.
Bruce feared that if they delayed any longer, General Ross would catch up to them. They had to act fast.
And sure enough, General Ross was already en route, bringing troops to surround Sterns' lab.
This time, Ross was fully prepared. He was confident he could subdue Bruce before he transformed.
Back in the lab, Bruce's treatment had begun. The moment the antidote was administered, Hulk's transformation was suppressed. His massive frame shrank back down into Bruce Banner.
Betty was overwhelmed with joy.
"You did it, Bruce! You really did it!"
But they had no idea the military had already taken positions around the lab. Snipers were locked in and ready.
As Bruce caught his breath, he noticed something that alarmed him—samples.
In the lab, he discovered countless containers of cloned blood—his blood—filling an entire room.
Shocked, Bruce turned to Sterns.
"These all need to be destroyed."
Sterns looked confused.
"Wait, what are you talking about?"
"My blood samples. They must be destroyed—tonight."
Sterns was baffled.
"But they're all here! With this, we could win a Nobel Prize!"
Bruce understood the temptation.
"You don't realize how dangerous this stuff is. It's uncontrollable."
"We have the antidote now," Sterns replied. "It's no longer a threat."
But Bruce shouted,
"That's not what they want! They're not looking for a cure—they want to turn it into a weapon!"
"If we don't destroy it now, we'll lose our chance. You don't know what this can do!"
Sterns remained indifferent.
"You hate the government too, but aren't you overreacting a little?"
Just then, a sniper pulled the trigger. A tranquilizer dart hit Bruce squarely in the back.
The sudden turn of events left Betty and Sterns wide-eyed in shock.
(End of Chapter)
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