Delayed May 2024 Prompt: Ulrich's Revenge.

Ulrich Wernerstein.

A powerful man who had once been a universally known bodybuilder. Winning awards in competitions both in body displays, strength, and even doing a brief stint in acting. Ulrich had been an almost household name with his career shining bright like a burning beacon. However, after his fame began to gradually diminish, some even commenting how Ulrich was getting too old for bodybuilder, Ulrich’s ego couldn’t face the potential being forgotten. Of becoming another washed up man who is remembered only by the most devoted fans. He shuddered at the thought of winding up on one of those ‘Where Are They Now?” shows that bored housewives watch. His once illustrious career ended as a sputtering joke or niche trivia night question.

Most men in Ulrich’s position would have done some introspection. Maybe do B-movies before moving up in quality, passion projects that will bring in more high ranking people, maybe even going into politics like some other celebrities.

But Ulrich instead secluded himself within his family castle estate, dusting off his old biochemistry degree and crafting a way to return to the bodybuilder circuit with a guaranteed win. His creation; ‘Bulk Bars’. The stimulant would cause those who eat even one to grow to Herculean proportions, increasing muscle mass and bone structure as they become effective giant hulking brutes. 

Most would think with such a product, Ulrich would use it to make himself larger and thus more exotic for the bodybuilding circuit, maybe even grow to break records. 

Instead, Ulrich made the bars addicting before sending samples to potential rivals.

His goal of having them gorge on bars till they either became immobile with mass, or just blew up with their bodies unable to cope with the extreme growth. Either way, leaving the aged man to take his position of victory in competitions.

Course, hindsight being what it is, Ulrich did realise his plan had flaws. Thinking it over in his head as he sat in the WOOHP cells, the defeat became more bitter as that spy had used his own Bulk Bars to overpower and subsequently defeat the man. 

Waiting in his cell, the older bodybuilder would lay on the basic bed. The fear of becoming irrelevant came front and centre as the world moved on all whilst he stayed in the WOOHP prison complex…

… until he was let out.

Ulrich should have realised the law firm he had on retainer would have been working on getting him out whilst he was arrested. Although, he didn’t expect much considering the scale of the entire Bulk Bars fiasco. However, through political deals, heavy fines that would have made certain nations baulk at the price, and the confiscation of his Bulk Bars formulae, Ulrich Wernerstein was once again a free man.

Returning to his castle with a new ankle tracker, Ulrich considered this chance he had now. The time in prison showing just how bad his potential irrelevance could be. Walking into one of the well kept living rooms, mentally planning a gift for the housekeepers, Ulrich grabbed the tab remote.

Maybe the news will help show Ulrich how he can use his now slightly dented fortune to improve his image. Maybe there were some charities or organisations he could work with? Or some tragedy he could use for a photo op? Maybe even-

The train of thought came to a screeching crack as the flat screen turned on, the news displaying a bodybuilding competition. The men posing on stage as the media spoke about being the best line up and display of masculinity. The aged bodybuilder let out a frustrated roar of a shout, throwing the cracked remote at the screen when the announcer went on about no other bodybuilder ever being on level with the men on stage.

Letting out a deep breath, Ulrich stared at the now flickering tv with the frozen bodybuilder’s body warped against the broken screen. The briefly humbled bodybuilder’s ego burned with what he saw, all ideas of trying to better his image thrown out as all Ulrich wanted was to remind the world how great he was. How those young men on screen were nothing compared to him.

Glaring at the screen, Ulrich took in how the men’s body seemed bulkier with the warped display. Almost looking… fat. 

The new idea entering his mind, Ulrich felt a smile stretched over his face. Bringing a hand to stroke his silver moustache before making way back to his lab.

Yeah… he can work with that.

——-

Even with the loss of the Bulky Bars formulae, Ulrich worked to recreate a similar concoction to be distributed. Though, unlike how the Bars would increase muscle mass and size, Ulrich figured weight gain would be more useful for taking out his competition. He had to thank the Inga for the idea when he and the other villains were ‘suggested’ to take part in group therapy. Working over the formula, Ulrich instead went with crafting a protein powder both due to how the powders weren’t as scrutinised as other food items, but also because gaining weight through them was common knowledge.

Ulrich was still taken aback when he came across that corner of the internet.

Of course, making the powder and its effects, the former bodybuilder needed to ensure it couldn’t bite him in the back as he derived the mixture to be ineffective with women. The fact WOOHP used women barely out of college as their agents made that previous loss feel all the fresher. 

Whilst the powder containers promised growth and size, Ulrich hadn’t been entirely honest on what kind of mass it would give the consumers. Course, most bodybuilders wouldn’t be thrilled to gain a gut, but the addictive properties, significantly less than the Bulky Bars, would help keep them from giving up the shakes.

So looking over one of the large tubs, smirking at the name he chose for his latest endeavour, Ulrich knew Uber-Mass would help get him back on top.

—--

Considering how his plan with Bulky Bars ended so spectacularly, Ulrich expected to get stopped when he began to work. Even when he got to the point of actually marketing his new product and distributing it, he expected to suddenly have WOOHP agents bust down the door. Ulrich even expected it when users of the bulking powder began to swell with rounding guts and a thickening layer of fat, fully preparing for complaints and lawsuits that’ll bring the agents at his door again.

He, however, did not expect the reaction to be so… positive.

Ulrich’s eyes looked over the various social media profiles of many bodybuilders that had purchased the corrupted protein powder. Ulrich came across them following the tags the young men had used on photos. 

The men’s posts showed a timeline that Ulrich followed on their journeys with the Uber-Mass.

The first few posts were mainly talking about the protein, going over how it feels to get stronger even as their chiselled abs began to bloat and get covered. The once waxed body hair returned with most of the bodybuilders commenting they were bulking and letting hair grow a bit before trimming back.

The tainted bodybuilders would go silent for a week or two, no photos as they seemed to realise the expansive growth going over them. A couple even commenting on changing powders and going on diets.

That would have been an issue for Ulrich… if not even the next week said bodybuilders would post about getting a new batch of Uber-Mass and continuing their bulking period.

The newer photos of the growing men showed the addiction taking over as they grew and gorged. One having a video of a larger man mixing high calorie drinks with the protein before chugging it, shaking his growing hairy gut.

Though the plan was to have the men grow into immobile blobs of fat, it seemed the protein had a similar effect of the Bulky Bars as the bodybuilders grew into oversized powerlifters.

--------------------------------

The lab was gone, replaced with a makeshift gym that was quickly becoming too small for his new size. The once gleaming chrome bars of his gym equipment were now bent and bowed under his ever-increasing weight. His grip strength left dents on the bars as some of the weights were replaced with car engines and actual stone boulders.

Ulrich looked into the mirror, a shadow of his former self. The protein powder had transformed him into a monstrous giant of a man, his body bulging with unnatural mass. The veins popped out of his skin, threatening to burst as he flexed his thickened arms. He could feel the throb of his enlarged heart, pumping blood to his bloated muscles and fat stores. Yet, the power was addictive. He had grown so large that the mere act of walking was a feat of strength, his legs threatening to collapse under his weight with every step.

The once grand halls of his castle were now crowded with his new disciples. The men he had once seen as rivals now worshipped him as a god of strength. They had all followed his lead, consuming the Uber-Mass until their bodies swelled to massive proportions. They competed with each other in feats of power, lifting cars and bending steel bars as if they were made of paper. The air was thick with the scent of sweat and testosterone, the grunts and roars of exertion echoing through the once-elegant space.

Even with how immense Ulrich had become, edging closer to immobility, the giant power-lifter wanted more and more. Made easier as his worshipers mixed Uber-Mass into all their foods, giving the most to the growing man.