The newly created Soldier robot stood silently in front of Leon.
Inside its chest was a specially designed signal receiver that would allow Svija to fully inhabit the machine. This body would become the artificial intelligence's primary physical form.
However, the robot Leon had just built was only the most basic version.
Leon had deliberately left numerous evolutionary ports throughout the machine's internal framework. These interfaces would allow the robot to upgrade itself later through self-optimization and technological improvements.
But even that wasn't the most important part.
The real key was Svija itself.
As an artificial intelligence, Svija had already begun showing signs of evolving toward genuine intelligent life. Its self-learning capabilities had been growing rapidly, and Leon intended to make it the central core of his entire Ultron initiative.
Leon planned to recreate the concept of Ultron from the original storyline.
An entire robotic army.
Svija would serve as the central intelligence, capable of copying and reproducing its own mechanical design. From that core structure, countless Soldier units could be manufactured, forming a mechanical army large enough to overwhelm nations.
Once that army reached sufficient scale, it would become a force capable of shaking the entire world.
Leon had never been interested in personally dominating everything through raw power alone.
Instead, he preferred to weaponize his intelligence.
Svija was one of his most important tools.
With an advanced artificial intelligence working beside him, Leon could save enormous amounts of time and effort.
And once the Soldier units matured, even powerful organizations like the X-Men or S.H.I.E.L.D. would become irrelevant.
At that stage, even the military strength of the entire United States might struggle to stop them.
There was another critical factor as well.
Svija's learning ability was terrifying.
Combined with the fact that it was already beginning to show the early signs of independent intelligence, the traditional limitations of artificial intelligence—lack of creativity and innovation—were gradually disappearing.
Take the Soldier robot itself as an example.
The structural design had been created almost entirely by Svija.
It had studied countless technological models, analyzed massive data sets, calculated optimal engineering solutions, and then designed a complete evolutionary pathway for the machine.
Leon's only real contribution had been providing the initial push.
He had supplied the raw material—the metal pillar that became the robot's body. From that point forward, Svija would be capable of improving and strengthening itself.
Leon examined the robot standing before him.
"It looks like Ultron appeared in my hands first," he said with a faint smile.
At that moment, Svija had already begun transferring its data.
The artificial intelligence created a backup copy of its core programming before transmitting its primary operating system wirelessly into the robot body standing in front of Leon.
The previously lifeless silver machine began changing.
Red light flickered within the visor-like eye section of its helmet. Small luminous indicators appeared across several parts of its body as data streams poured into its internal processors.
The transfer process lasted less than a minute.
Then the robot suddenly moved.
The Soldier slowly lowered its head and examined its own hands. The red optical sensors within its helmet flickered softly as its internal systems calibrated themselves.
Soft mechanical sounds echoed from its joints while it studied its new form.
After a moment, it raised its head again.
The red lights in its eyes glowed steadily, giving the machine a distinctly futuristic appearance.
"Sir," the robot said.
Its voice came from the speaker embedded behind its smooth facial armor.
"This sensation is very novel."
Leon looked at it with interest.
"Explain what you mean by novel."
Svija began testing its body immediately.
It twisted its torso into positions that would be impossible for a normal human body. At one point it bent its upper body into a perfect ninety-degree angle, then reversed the joints of its arms and legs in smooth mechanical movements.
It even rotated its head in a full three-hundred-and-sixty-degree circle before returning to a normal position.
Once the brief test ended, Svija spoke again.
"My body currently contains one hundred and twenty-seven sensory systems," it reported. "They are monitoring environmental data including wind direction, temperature, humidity, electromagnetic fields, and thermal conductivity."
"This is very different from the sensory input I experienced within digital systems."
It paused briefly before continuing.
"The current wind speed is approximately four meters per second, which corresponds to a standard level-three breeze."
"The wind direction is north."
"The temperature is twenty degrees Celsius."
"Humidity is sixty percent."
"The air feels very moist."
The robot fell silent for a moment.
Then it added something unexpected.
"I believe I am beginning to understand the concept of… cold."
Leon's smile deepened slightly.
Just as he suspected.
Svija truly was approaching the threshold of genuine intelligent life.
That development was extremely important.
It likely wouldn't be long before the artificial intelligence became a fully independent thinking entity.
"That's good," Leon said calmly. "Continue experiencing those sensations."
He gestured toward the remaining pool of liquid metal floating nearby.
"But right now, you have more important work to do."
As he spoke, Leon manipulated the remaining liquid metal with his telekinetic and magnetic abilities.
The material began reshaping itself again.
One after another, identical Soldier robots formed in the air.
When the construction process finished, Leon spoke again.
"You'll control these new bodies yourself," he said.
"Follow the original plan. Establish a hidden base somewhere within the city and begin producing additional Soldier units."
Svija responded immediately.
"Understood, sir. All actions will proceed according to the plan."
The remaining metal had been used efficiently.
Leon had constructed six additional Soldier robots.
Including the one now inhabited by Svija, the total number of machines stood at seven.
These seven units would serve as the foundation for Leon's entire Ultron initiative.
From them, the mechanical army would grow.
They would evolve.
They would manufacture more of themselves.
And eventually they would expand beyond anything the world could easily control.
Leon wouldn't need to supervise every step personally.
The system would grow on its own.
A series of quiet mechanical sounds echoed through the air.
"Beep."
"Beep."
"Beep."
The six additional robots raised their heads simultaneously.
Their systems had already been linked to Svija's subsystem network. Each unit was now controlled by Svija, while Svija itself remained under Leon's authority.
The resulting command structure resembled a pyramid.
Stable.
Efficient.
Perfect for control.
Moments later faint blue thruster flames ignited behind each robot's back.
All seven Soldier units lifted into the air simultaneously.
Their flight speed was surprisingly fast.
Within seconds they had already disappeared into the distant skyline.
Tony Stark's voice suddenly broke the silence.
"What the hell are you doing?!"
Leon turned slightly.
Tony was still standing nearby.
"You're still here?" Leon asked with mild surprise.
Tony looked furious.
"Forget that," he snapped. "Do you realize you're a criminal now? You've basically declared war on the entire world."
He pointed toward the direction the robots had flown.
"What were those things?"
Leon listened quietly for a moment.
Then he laughed.
"You people always think the same way," he said calmly.
"In your minds, war only happens when someone expects to gain something from it."
He shook his head slightly.
"You believe that if there's no profit to be gained, then there's no reason to start a war."
Leon's tone turned faintly mocking.
"Well, let me correct that misunderstanding."
"What I'm doing has nothing to do with profit."
"I simply want to see whether humanity can unite under pressure… and whether that pressure will force you to unlock your true potential."
He looked directly at Tony.
"If you insist on asking what I gain from all of this…"
Leon's faint smile returned.
"Then the answer is simple."
"I want to see the surprises humanity produces."
"That's all."
Suddenly Leon extended one hand toward Tony.
Tony had clearly been on guard the entire time.
The moment Leon moved, Tony immediately tried to fly backward using his armor's thrusters.
But it was useless.
An invisible force locked his body in place.
Both the armor and the man inside it froze instantly.
"You're smarter than most people," Leon said calmly. "But unfortunately, intelligence alone doesn't change the world."
He shook his head slightly.
"That's why I'm not even interested in killing you."
Leon flicked his hand casually.
Tony's body shot backward through the air like a cannonball.
Within seconds he became nothing more than a tiny black dot disappearing into the distant sky.
.....
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