[Monster Eliminated ]
[40 Million EXP gained]
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
[You have reached Level 19]
The notification echoed sharply in Luke's mind, confirming what he already sensed—the Abomination was dead. He lowered his gaze to the street before him. It looked less like a city and more like a war zone, a hellscape carved in fire and destruction. Every surface was scorched, the pavement melting underfoot like molten tar.
"Hehe… worth it. 40 million EXP and five level-ups," Luke muttered, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. A tired but satisfied grin spread across his face.
Now that the adrenaline was fading, the soreness from his earlier crash began to set in. This battle had pushed him to his absolute limits. Without his intermediate fire skills, there was no doubt in his mind—he wouldn't have made it out alive.
Though the Abomination was undeniably strong, Luke knew the real reason for his victory. The monster had never expected a human to face him—someone who wielded flames hot enough to melt bone.
It was the Abomination's arrogance, his overconfidence in his supposed invincibility, combined with underestimating his unknown opponent, that ultimately sealed his fate.
Luke had won because he understood the Abomination's strength and weaknesses. He fought smart, using long-range attacks and calculated moves that kept him out of harm's way while slowly wearing the beast down.
With the surge of his level-ups, Luke could feel the soreness and internal injuries steadily healing, the power coursing through him knitting flesh and soothing pain. Physically, he was now fine—his body restored and ready for whatever came next.
But his mind was another matter. Despite the recovery in his body, his brain still felt overheated, buzzing with intense focus and strain from the relentless battle.
Luke stepped cautiously toward the grotesque, charred husk of the Abomination sprawled in the middle of the ruined street. The beast's massive frame was twisted and blackened, still simmering like a monstrous pillar of fire.
The ground beneath and around it glowed a threatening red—molten, blistering, and utterly unforgiving, like walking on a river of liquid iron. Luke definitely wasn't about to get within ten feet of that inferno unless he fancied becoming a human torch himself.
He paused, eyeing the fiery corpse with a mix of wariness and calculation. "Hmm... can I sacrifice this without actually touching the damn thing?" he mused, knowing that was the only way to harvest the rewards without roasting his fingers off.
As he focused, an interface popped up in his vision.
[Abomination Corpse]
[Do you wish to sacrifice?]
Luke smirked to himself, "Well, guess I don't have much of a choice."
He tapped Yes without hesitation.
In an instant, a blinding explosion of light and energy engulfed the blistering remains, swirling with fuming power as the sacrifice took effect.
[You got 50 Million EXP]
[Level Up]
[You have reached Level 20]
[Excess EXP stored — can't level up until Class Quest completed]
As Luke caught his breath, a low, thunderous roar rumbled through the ruins behind him. He didn't even have to turn to know who it was—Hulk had finally arrived. Predictably, the hero showed up a little late to chaos.
That always seemed to be the case. Heroes and police alike had a knack for arriving minutes after all hell broke loose.
Luke glanced over his shoulder briefly but didn't linger. The brutal fight with the Abomination was done, but his mission was far from over.
He had one more task ahead—he needed Hulk's blood, and he also had to deal with one lingering problem.
This "leader," as Luke called him, had been messing around with Hulk's blood, experimenting—and from what Luke knew.
The mutation of his brain by Hulk's blood must have already happened, making him a volatile and dangerous threat. Like in the comics and movies, this leader was destined to become a future menace—one too dangerous to be left alive.
Luke knew that eliminating him now was crucial to prevent catastrophe.
Following the trail of destruction left by the Abomination's rampage, Luke tracked the faint signs all the way to a lab hidden inside a college campus.
As soon as he stepped inside, the sharp, acrid stench of chemicals and burnt wiring slammed into his senses like a brutal punch.
In the middle of the sterile chaos, sprawled across the cold floor, lay a man clutching his head with trembling hands.
His skull bulged grotesquely at the crown as if his brain was trying to break free of its bony prison. His breath came shallow and ragged, his wide eyes darting desperately between confusion, shock, and pure terror.
Luke stepped closer, his voice cold and relentless. "Well, you didn't do anything personal to me... yet. But you're in deep, deep trouble now. Better to die here than suffer what's coming."
The man whimped, trembling violently. Desperation turned him into a frightened animal as he tried to crawl away, dragging his battered body across the cold floor.
His voice cracked with panic as he croaked out, "Please… don't! I didn't ask for this… I didn't want any of it! You don't understand what I'm dealing with—this blood, it's... it's changing me! Please... just give me more time!"
His movements were sluggish and erratic, as if his own body was betraying him. He glanced toward the lab's entrance, trying with everything he had to summon the strength to flee. "I—I can fix it. I swear! Just... just let me go! Please!"
Luke's expression softened just a fraction, a flicker of pity passing through his eyes. But it was fleeting, quickly replaced by cold determination.
This guy was destined to suffer—just like the countless victims of Ross's inhuman experiments in the MCU. If left alive, he would only become a twisted villain, consumed by the mutation gnawing at his brain. Better to end it now, before he turned into something far worse.
"I'm sorry," Luke said quietly, pulling a sleek, efficient handgun from his inventory. "It's for your own good."
The man's eyes widened in terror. His voice barely a whisper, "No… please... don't…"
Before the plea could even fully register, BANG! BANG!
The shots rang out sharply in the confined space. At such close range, the man didn't stand a chance. Even Luke—who wasn't exactly a marksman—couldn't miss this crucial target.
The man crumpled, his body going still as his ragged breaths ceased.
Holstering the weapon, Luke's gaze drifted over to a vial sitting on a nearby cluttered workbench. The label was unmistakable: Mr. Green – Blood Sample.
A slow, satisfied smirk crept onto Luke's face.
"Bingo," he whispered to himself, already thinking of the next step in a war that was far from over.