A Quinjet streaked across the skies above Seoul, South Korea.
Inside the aircraft, the Avengers—who had been healed at Fury's secret base—were gathered in the conference room, their faces solemn as they discussed countermeasures.
The injuries they had sustained earlier were now fully recovered thanks to the medical pods in Fury's facility.
"Damn it… if the enemy can predict the future, no matter how we plan, he'll always be one step ahead."
Tony Stark's face was grim as he stared at the battle deployment map before him. Anxiety clouded his eyes.
Swish.
Lost in thought, Tony suddenly saw the vision again—the same phantom he'd witnessed before. In the sky, an enormous vortex appeared. From within it, countless Leviathans poured downward. On the ground lay a shattered battlefield, the corpses of Avengers scattered among the ruins of a ruined city.
"Tony! Tony!"
Captain America's voice snapped him back to reality. Steve Rogers had called out twice before Tony finally shook free of his trance.
"Yeah… I guess this is something the future Avengers will have to face."
Tony spread his hands, masking his unease with a forced casualness. His words, however, left the room in silence.
"Hey, man… aren't we the future Avengers?"
Thor frowned at Tony. Ever since learning about the vision of the future, the God of Thunder's heart had grown heavy.
"No. Strictly speaking, those Avengers aren't us. Quantum theory—"
Tony was about to launch into an explanation when Natasha Romanoff cut in.
"Guys, enough theory. It's time to get ready for battle."
Her calm, firm voice ended the debate. Through the Quinjet's viewing port, they could see their target: a high-tech laboratory by the sea.
"With Hulk gone, our odds look even worse."
Tony shrugged, raising his right hand. Pieces of his armor flew to him and quickly assembled, encasing him in the Iron Man suit.
"What we can do now is stick together."
Steve Rogers' tone was heavy, his expression resolute. He gripped the Vibranium shield lying on the table.
"Or… we could try thinking outside the box."
Tony's voice came again, this time through the comm system.
"It's time we showed our hand. Friday—bring the Quinjet's weapon systems online."
Obeying the command, Friday took control. At the bottom of the Quinjet, two missiles detached and streaked toward the regeneration lab below.
"Tony! What are you doing? Dr. Helen Cho is still inside that building!"
Steve's voice was sharp. Though he'd only met the scientist once, he remembered her well.
"Relax, Cap. Friday ran a full thermal scan—there's no life inside."
Tony gave a quick explanation, eyes fixed on the ground below.
Whoosh!
From the lab, two Ultron drones burst into the sky, energy blasting from their shoulders as they intercepted the incoming missiles.
Boom! Boom!
The missiles exploded in mid-air. Fire and shockwaves engulfed the drones, but more soon emerged.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
A squadron of Ultron robots launched upward, one of them larger and more heavily built than the rest.
"Oh, Tony Stark… I could smell your stench from miles away."
Ultron's cold, mocking voice echoed into the Quinjet through the network.
"Ultron, you ungrateful brat. Strictly speaking, you should be calling me Father."
Tony's biting sarcasm came sharp as ever. Even as he taunted, Friday unleashed a barrage of micro-missiles. They streaked toward the swarm of Ultron drones.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The robots raised their palms, blasting the missiles from the sky with precision energy fire. Explosions lit up the clouds.
"Boss, we've located Dr. Helen Cho. She's in a truck leaving the facility."
Friday's report made Tony grin. He immediately turned the Quinjet toward the vehicle's signal.
But Ultron wasn't about to let them leave. His drones shot into the air, giving chase.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Missiles fired from the drones' arms, streaking toward the Quinjet. Tony's expression hardened.
"Friday, activate the energy barrier."
A shimmering field enveloped the Quinjet, detonations pounding against it harmlessly.
"Cloaking device, now."
With another command, the Quinjet vanished into thin air. Ultron's optics flared as his consciousness extended beyond his body, scanning for the invisible craft.
"The Avengers are here."
On Seoul's highway, a truck bearing the Regeneration Lab insignia roared down the road. Ultron, guarding the cradle within, opened his eyes and issued the alert.
A second later, the robot at the wheel sparked and collapsed—an arrow had pierced its core processor.
Hundreds of meters away, Clint Barton lowered his compound bow on the Quinjet's ramp.
"Ultron, shoot those flies down."
Nearby, one of Allens' duplicates—the Absorption clone—spoke coldly, treating the Avengers as nothing more than pests.
"Understood, Mr. Duplicate Dog."
Ultron's reply was laced with disdain. From the truck, more advanced drones deployed, stronger and faster than the ones left in the lab.
Bang! Bang!
In a blur, the drones closed in on the Quinjet. They extended their hands, activating built-in magnetic projectors. A crushing magnetic force gripped the aircraft.
Rumble!
The Quinjet had no defense against the pull. Its fuselage twisted violently before being dragged down. It smashed into the highway with a deafening explosion.
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