The screen flickered, then jumped again.
[Tony and Dr. Banner were deep into the Jarvis implant process, surrounded by a storm of flashing instruments and humming machines. Every piece of equipment in the laboratory had been fully mobilized, operating at maximum capacity.]
[Tony frowned at the data stream and said, "The framework is incompatible."]
[Dr. Banner glanced at the progress bar in his hand. "The genetic dataset is already at ninety-seven percent."]
[He turned and walked toward the cradle of regeneration, studying the interface carefully. "Then you have to upload that schematic within three minutes."]
[As Dr. Banner examined the connection ports of the cradle, the heavy door slid open. Rogers and Wanda stepped inside.]
["I'll only say this once," Rogers declared.]
[Before he could finish, Tony cut him off impatiently. "Can you just not say anything for once?"]
[Rogers snapped back, his voice sharp with authority, "Shut it down. Now."]
[Tony shook his head without hesitation. "No. That's impossible."]
[Rogers stared at him. "You don't know what you're doing."]
[Dr. Banner stepped forward, eyes burning as he fixed Rogers with a fierce gaze. "And you do? Or are you still under her control?"]
[Wanda stepped out from behind Rogers, her voice trembling. "I know you're angry with me."]
[Dr. Banner sneered. "Angry? That's putting it mildly. I could swallow you whole without changing my expression."]
[Rogers tried to reason with him. "Banner, after everything that's happened…"]
[Tony slammed his fist onto the console. "It's not worth bringing that up anymore!"]
["You don't know what's really in there," Wanda said urgently. "This is not a game!"]
[Nearby, Pietro watched the argument helplessly. Then his gaze sharpened. Without warning, he accelerated. In a blur of motion, he sprinted across the lab, twisted through several turns, and ripped the connector straight out of the regeneration cradle.]
["Alright," Pietro said casually, stepping back. "Now we're done."]
[Dr. Banner stared at the cradle in shock. With the energy supply severed, the regeneration cradle began to emit a sharp, urgent beeping sound. Tony's face shifted through disbelief, anger, and pure frustration.]
Across the world, the audience in the live broadcast room stared at the screen in stunned silence.
"Unplugged?"
"Wanda must've made him do it."
"But…"
"I honestly don't know what to say."
"It's good that it was unplugged. At least another Ultron won't fully appear now."
"But I still feel like Tony was right."
"If Tony really could create a version of Ultron that met everyone's expectations, wouldn't that help the Avengers instead?"
"I don't know the full picture, so I won't judge."
"But the way Rogers and Wanda treated Banner just now was way too much!"
"You were the ones who pushed him first. How can you still act like you're in the right?"
"And Rogers, trusting outsiders over his own teammates…"
"A captain? He doesn't look like one!"
"Have you forgotten how much Tony already paid for all this?"
The screen cut again.
[Deep within Sokovia's underground base, countless machines operated automatically under Ultron's command. On the cold steel floor, Black Widow lay motionless. Then her eyes snapped open.]
[Nearby, Ultron was manipulating a set of mechanical components with precise, inhuman movements. When he noticed her awakening, his mechanical voice echoed through the chamber.]
["I wasn't sure you would wake up. But I hoped you would. I wanted you to see this. I am… alone." In the entire base, aside from Ultron himself, every other presence was a machine, cold, obedient, flawless.]
[Without pausing his work, Ultron continued calmly, "I've been thinking a lot about meteors. They are so pure. Boom. It ends everything. And from the ruins… a new world begins."]
[Ultron turned and faced Black Widow directly. "Rebuilt by new humans."]
[He lifted his head slightly, as if gazing toward an invisible sky. "I am the new kind of human. I can be perfect."]
[Black Widow stared at him in disbelief. "When people look up at the sky, they see hope. They see mercy. But because of you… all they'll see is fear."]
[Ultron stepped toward her, his voice growing distorted, almost feral. "Because of you, I learned awe. But humans also say… if you want to destroy something, you must love it first." Before the words even faded…]
[Boom! His mechanical body burst violently.]
[A heartbeat later, a new, far more powerful Ultron stepped out from behind the explosion, his form refined and terrifyingly perfect. Black Widow recoiled instinctively.]
[Ultron advanced again. "Destruction doesn't end me. It only makes me stronger."]
[He tore open a steel barrier with one hand and sealed Black Widow inside the chamber.]
In the live broadcast room, chaos erupted among the viewers.
"I thought someone was finally going to save Black Widow!"
"Ultron's insane, just like that, he makes a new body?!"
"He even says destroying him only makes him stronger. This guy is terrifying!"
"Still… when you think about it, Ultron is kind of tragic. He's just a mistake in creation."
"Too bad the new Ultron failed. Otherwise, maybe they could've coexisted."
Inside the Administration.
Xiaotian let out a soft chuckle. "This Ultron understands human nature surprisingly well. It's just that what he understands is the most extreme version, cold, literal, and stripped of everything that makes humanity truly human."
The others didn't refute him. It was now clear: Ultron intended to destroy the Avengers, obliterate the world, and rebuild it under his rule. As he said, a world for 'new humans.'
Hawking suddenly frowned. "He mentioned meteors earlier. That implies great destruction followed by rebirth. Wasn't Earth's last mass extinction caused by a meteor impact?"
Several physicists stiffened.
"If a large enough meteor hit Terra," one of them said seriously, "a mass extinction is absolutely possible."
Hawking nodded. "No large meteorites have been detected near Terra in recent years. If Ultron's words reflect past events, then meteor fragments from that catastrophe might still exist. If we find them and conduct deep analysis, we may discover something extraordinary."
The director's eyes lit up. "I'll arrange an investigation immediately."
[Meanwhile, imprisoned, Black Widow did not remain idle. Using scraps of crude equipment left behind, she assembled an electromagnetic wave transmitter and secretly sent layered Morse code signals. Before long, Barton intercepted her transmission and pinpointed her location.]
[Back at the Laboratory, Pietro had just finished unplugging the cable when...]
[Bang! A sniper round shattered the glass beneath his feet, and he dropped straight down. From below, Barton smirked coldly. "So… did you uncover the truth?"]
[At the same time, the regeneration cradle flashed a brutal warning: ENERGY LEVEL CRITICALLY DEPLETED. PROCESS FAILURE IMMINENT.]
[Tony gritted his teeth. "I'm changing the upload path."]
[Rogers instantly hurled his shield, which slammed into Tony's side with explosive force. Tony reacted immediately, summoning armored components to his arms and firing an energy cannon that sent Rogers flying across the lab.]
[Dr. Banner locked Wanda in a chokehold. "Go ahead," he growled. "Make me angry."]
[The air inside the laboratory grew oppressive and volatile. Rogers smashed Tony straight through a wall of glass.]
The live broadcast room erupted again.
"Why does Rogers feel… off?"
"He'd rather trust outsiders than his own teammates?"
"Thor's still in the Water of Vision, right?"
"I think Tony pushed things too far; Rogers just wanted to stop him."
"I'm telling you, Thor is coming!"
[Boom! Blazing lightning ripped through the sky. Thor descended like a living thunderbolt, landing directly on the regeneration cradle with his hammer raised high.]
["Wait!" Rogers shouted.]
[Too late. Thor brought the hammer down, and lightning poured into the cradle. The entire laboratory was bathed in blinding white electricity; overload warnings screamed across every screen.]
[Moments later, Thor cut off the out, and silence returned. Everyone stared at the cradle.]
["Did it fail? Did it succeed?" Suddenly...]
[BOOM! The regeneration cradle exploded violently, and Thor was blasted backward. From the wreckage, a figure rose, a dark red and silver humanoid form, half-kneeling at the edge of the shattered cradle.]
The entire world fell silent, then the broadcast erupted:
"It worked!"
"It's a real human body!"
"Tony… actually did it!"
"It looks completely human!"
Even the Administration was stunned. This was no longer the mechanical Ultron; this was a new lifeform, born before the eyes of the world.
Kayden gasped repeatedly. "It's unbelievable… absolutely unbelievable."
Ashton's expression darkened slightly. "I just don't know… whether this Ultron will be a protector of humanity… or its executioner."
[He lowered his head, staring intently at his palms and his body; a flicker of confusion crossed his face. He looked up at everyone, then, without warning, he suddenly charged straight toward Thor.]
[Thor staggered backward from the impact, twisting his shoulders to hurl the figure away with brute strength. Layer after layer of reinforced glass shattered as the figure was propelled backward.]
[Just as he was about to slam into the outermost bulletproof barrier, he abruptly regained control of his body. His form froze midair, suspended silently in front of the glass. Reflected through the transparent surface, he finally saw himself.]
[While the figure stared at his own reflection in shock, Rogers rushed in from behind, but Thor raised a hand to stop him.]
[The figure slowly turned around. The red glow on his body faded, transforming into a deep, dark blue. He landed lightly on the ground, disbelief evident in his voice: "I… I'm sorry. It feels… strange."]
[He looked at Thor, nodding sincerely, and said, "Thank you."]
[Noticing the red cape behind Thor, he gave a slight shake of his shoulders, and a flowing cloak unfurled behind him as well.]
The broadcast immediately exploded in excitement.
"Whoa! That's insane!"
"The new voice sounds like Jarvis!"
"Of course, it was imported from Jarvis!"
"But his ability is ridiculous; he's literally creating matter out of thin air!"
"He even copied Thor's cape, can't stop laughing!"
"So this is basically Jarvis becoming human?!"
"That's way too powerful!"
[Rogers stepped forward cautiously. "Thor… did you help shape him?"]
["I saw a vision," Thor said quietly. He scanned the crowd slowly. "A vortex swept away all hope. And at the center of that vortex… was him."]
[Thor raised his finger, pointing at the center of the figure's forehead. Embedded there was a yellow gem, the very gem taken from Loki's scepter.]
[Dr. Banner frowned. "Is that… the gem?"]
["It's the Mind Stone," Thor said gravely. "One of the six Infinity Stones. It contains the greatest energy in the universe. Its destructive power… is without equal."]
[Rogers stared at him. "Then why would you, "]
[Thor cut him off sharply. "Because Stark was right."]
[Dr. Banner let out a bitter laugh. "Oh… this really is the end times."]
[Thor said slowly, "The Avengers cannot defeat Ultron."]
[Vision added calmly, "You cannot do it alone."]
[Rogers snapped, "Why does your 'vision' sound exactly like Ultron's logic?"]
[Tony replied, "We restructured Jarvis's core framework to generate a new entity."]
[Vision stepped forward. "That 'entity' was decaying."]
[He looked at Rogers. "Do you think I am Ultron's son?"]
[Rogers shot back. "Aren't you?"]
[Vision shook his head. "I am not Ultron. I am not Jarvis either. I am… myself."]
[Wanda's voice trembled. "What I see in your mind is extinction."]
[Vision replied softly, "Try again. Now."]
[Hawkeye Barton sneered. "Sure. Whether she wants to or not."]
[Thor spoke seriously. "Their power… the fear in their hearts… and Ultron himself, all of it originates from this Mind Stone. Compared to what it releases, everything else is insignificant. And once it stands with us, "]
[Rogers cut him off sharply. "Wait… are you saying, "]
["On our side?" All eyes turned to Vision, who appeared thoughtful. "I don't think it's that simple."]
[Barton shrugged. "The simpler, the better."]
[Vision walked forward slowly. "I stand on the side of life; Ultron does not. He will destroy life."]
[Tony asked, "Then what is he waiting for?"]
[Vision answered quietly, "For you."]
["Where?" Rogers inquired.]
[Hawkeye replied, "In Sokovia. Natasha is locked there as well."]
[Dr. Banner stepped closer to Vision. "If we chose the wrong one… If you are a demon created by Ultron…"]
[Vision looked at him calmly. "Then what would you do?"]
[Dr. Banner stared at him in silence, while everyone else followed his gaze.]
[Vision blinked once. "I do not wish to kill Ultron. He is unique, and he feels pain. But he passed that pain on to Earth, so he must be purged, everything he created, every system he controls. We must act, now."]
[He turned to everyone. "None of us could accomplish this without the others."]
[He looked down at his hands. "Perhaps I am a demon. I don't know. I am different from all of you. I think differently. And I may never be able to make you fully trust me."]
[Then, suddenly, Vision turned and casually lifted Thor's Hammer with one hand. Handing it back to Thor, he said simply, "We must act."]
[A heavy silence fell across the laboratory, but Thor accepted the hammer in a daze. The atmosphere grew unbearably awkward. Hawkeye opened his mouth, then swallowed his words. Dr. Banner glanced at Vision walking away, then looked back at Thor.]
[Thor hesitated for a second, weighed the hammer in his hand, then forced a laugh. "Alright. Well done." He patted Tony on the shoulder.]
[Everyone stood frozen, processing the moment.]
Across the world, viewers erupted in disbelief.
"I give up! Vision can lift Thor's hammer?!"
"Rogers used to barely move it!"
"What is this situation? Is Vision stronger than Thor?!"
"Did you hear? That's the power of the Mind Stone!"
"Thor was so embarrassed just now!"
"His face went totally stiff, hahaha!"
"Thor: I'm not special anymore!"
"The main body of Vision is literally the Mind Stone; of course, he can lift it!"
"Whoever wields the hammer rules Asgard!"
[While the laboratory still reeled in shock, Rogers was the first to snap back to reality. "Three minutes to deploy."]
[Everyone moved instantly; time was running out. Ultron had to be destroyed immediately, or the consequences would be catastrophic.]
[On the rooftop, Tony and Dr. Banner spoke in hushed tones.]
["There will be casualties," Tony said softly. "But as long as even one Ultron fragment remains, we lose. That'll be a river of blood."]
[Rogers smiled faintly. "I have no plans for tomorrow night."]
[Tony replied, "I'll deal with the big one. He's waiting for me."]
[Vision approached from behind. "Yes. You are the thorn in his side."]
["Ultron already knows what we're doing," Rogers said. "This war is inevitable, but the people down there don't know. So, we move them first."]
[With Pietro's speed, mass evacuation and real-time alerts began immediately. "All they want is a peaceful life. But today… That's impossible. We'll protect them with everything we've got."]
[The entire Avengers roared into motion with terrifying efficiency. Black Widow's location was quickly confirmed, and civilians were evacuated in waves. Soon, only two armies faced each other.]
The broadcast trembled with anticipation.
"The final battle is coming…"
"I'm so nervous I can't breathe."
"I don't know if Ultron will win… or the Avengers."
"But one thing is certain, Ultron already forced the entire Avengers to mobilize by himself!"
"Rogers' command ability is finally showing its worth."
"If you ask me, Wanda and the others accelerated this disaster from the start…"
"Another war… damn it, it's war again!"
Across the Terra Federation, the atmosphere grew unbearably heavy. Inside Apollo's laboratory, the Founder stared at the screen, struggling to suppress the wild excitement in his eyes. He was witnessing the birth of a new artificial intelligence. No one knew how powerful it would become, but one thing was certain: it would surpass everything before it.
Johan rapidly recorded everything. This moment might become one of Terra's greatest turning points, a future method for humanity to resist unknown artificial intelligence.
Across the entire Administration, silence reigned. Everyone stared fixedly at the screen, waiting to see, Ultron would fall… or would the Avengers perish?
[Inside the fighter jet, Rogers said gravely, "Ultron believes we are demons. The plague of Terra. We won't just defeat him. We'll prove him wrong."]
[Deep in the dark cellar...]
["Natasha!" Dr. Banner shouted. "Natasha!"]
[Black Widow answered immediately, "Bruce!"]
[He followed her voice urgently. "Are you okay?"]
[She nodded.]
["The Avengers have entered the city," Dr. Banner said. "The battle is about to begin."]
["I don't think you'll find the key to this door," Black Widow replied calmly.]
[Dr. Banner raised his weapon and smashed the cell door open in one swift strike.]
[On the streets, evacuation was in full swing. Hawkeye and Rogers led the retreat. High above, Tony flew through the clouds, wearing his newest suit.]
[Friday's voice echoed inside. "The target you're searching for is inside the church. He is waiting for you."]
[Boom! Dust exploded across the ground. The dark red battle suit landed heavily.]
[Ultron's voice echoed calmly. "Have you come to repent?"]
[Tony smirked. "I don't know. Depends on how much time you've got left."]
[Ultron stepped forward, his body now towering twice as tall as Tony's.]
["More than you," Ultron replied coldly.]
[Tony stared at the massive new form in disbelief. "Wow… what did you take, stimulants? A vibranium cocktail?"]
The broadcast erupted again.
"Holy crap! New suit!"
"Blood-red armor!"
"But Ultron's new body is terrifying; it looks like it'll crush Tony!"
"If it weren't for Tony, Ultron wouldn't even exist…"
"So this is a father-son showdown?!"
"Ultron is a hundred times uglier than Vision!"
"Tony's trash talk is lethal!"