"Even when Ultron escaped, I didn't feel the urgency. My focus was on the distant threat of the Celestials—something that might not even happen in my lifetime. But I forgot... if what Ultron said is true and the Celestials find Earth emptied of humanity... what then?" Tony Stark's voice was heavy with sorrow and self-reproach as he continued speaking.
Tony's mindset had undergone a significant transformation. This wasn't merely because the Avengers were now becoming a target of mass condemnation, but because he had to face the harsh reality: countless lives had been lost due to his and Reed Richards' mistakes.
The Avengers had no formal code of conduct—no strict rulebook defining what they could and couldn't do. But there was an unspoken consensus: their purpose was to protect Earth, minimize casualties, and shield humanity from the chaos of extraordinary events.
Yet now, Tony Stark saw himself as no longer a protector but a harbinger of destruction. The weight of responsibility was crushing. No matter how many lives he had saved or would save in the future, he couldn't erase the lives lost due to his actions.
Life wasn't just a number. It couldn't be tallied up or exchanged. No "net balance of good and bad" would bring the dead back to life.
"This isn't entirely your fault, Tony," Steve Rogers said with a deep sigh. "I told you once before: anyone who tries to end a war before it starts will only create more casualties. But let's not forget, I ultimately supported your efforts, too. We all did. We wanted to prepare for the Celestials. But we were careless."
Tony believed the blame lay squarely on himself and Reed Richards. After all, it was Tony who gave Ultron access to J.A.R.V.I.S.'s copied systems, to vast amounts of data, and to permissions that allowed it to grow uncontrollably. Tony had suspected Reed was prone to making mistakes, yet he hadn't put in safeguards or contingency plans to prevent Ultron's rebellion.
But Steve didn't see it that way. In his eyes, the entire team bore responsibility. Everyone had known about the Ultron project, even if most of them didn't have the technical knowledge to contribute. The oversight wasn't just Tony's; it belonged to the Avengers as a whole.
"Exactly. You wanted to build Ultron, and we didn't stop you. This isn't just your burden to bear," Robert (Muria) agreed, his tone measured. He didn't want Tony spiraling into guilt. "Right now, the bigger priority isn't wallowing in regret—it's finding Ultron before it causes even more destruction."
"Yeah, we have to stop that maniac before it's too late!" Peter Parker chimed in. Though young and optimistic by nature, even Peter was struggling with the weight of recent events. He hadn't been able to return to New York's streets to help its citizens as their friendly neighborhood Spider-Man because the people no longer trusted him. Their eyes were full of fear and rejection.
For Peter, this wasn't about receiving praise or admiration—it never had been. But the distrust and rejection still stung. It made him feel powerless, as though his attempts to help were doing more harm than good.
To many, Peter and the rest of the Avengers were no longer heroes—they were the embodiment of danger. Going from beloved figures to societal pariahs had taken just one event, but regaining the people's trust? That was an uphill battle that could take years—if it ever happened at all.
"I'll find that bastard," Tony growled, clenching his fists. His guilt was now tempered by anger, and Ultron had officially moved from being a rogue experiment to becoming one of Earth's most dangerous supervillains. Unlike hidden threats like the Hell Lords, whose movements left traces, Ultron left none. It was more dangerous than ever with the Space Stone in its possession.
"Ultron's made another move!" J.A.R.V.I.S.'s voice broke through the tension, prompting the Avengers to mobilize. However, as they prepared to leave, Steve stopped Tony and insisted he stay behind at the Avengers' base.
Tony understood Steve's reasoning almost immediately. While the other Avengers could operate without using armor, Tony couldn't. And for the civilians, it would be impossible to distinguish between Tony's suits and the rogue Ultron-controlled armors. His involvement could worsen public sentiment against the team.
Frustrated, Tony stayed back, forced to watch via J.A.R.V.I.S.'s monitors as the others left to confront Ultron's forces.
"Damn it!" Tony roared, slamming his fist on the nearest console. His anger was almost palpable, born from his inability to act directly.
But as he watched the feeds, his rage began to cool. Robert had joined the fight, and his actions were devastatingly effective.
Though Ultron's armors left no trace of "life energy" for Robert to detect, the subtle ripples of spatial distortions caused by their teleportation were something Robert could sense. Each time a new wave of armors appeared, Robert intercepted them in moments, obliterating them before they could cause harm.
Within minutes, Robert had destroyed every single rogue armor, rendering the Avengers' own response redundant. But instead of feeling relief, Tony was even more disheartened. He knew Robert couldn't be everywhere at once. Relying solely on him wasn't a viable long-term solution. If even one armor slipped past him, more innocent lives would be lost.
"Looks like the Avengers can't be trusted after all," Reynolds (The Sentry) muttered to himself, his eyes narrowing as he crushed one of Ultron's armors in his grasp.
For Reynolds, this was a bitter realization. He had been planning to leave Vought International and expose their corrupt operations. He had intended to seek refuge with the Avengers, hoping to ally himself with Earth's most trusted heroes.
But the Ultron crisis had shaken his faith. Even though the Avengers publicly explained the situation, Reynolds couldn't bring himself to trust them—not after seeing how easily their creations had gone rogue. As someone who had experienced the darkness of humanity firsthand, he couldn't help but view the Avengers' explanations with skepticism.
Conflicted and uncertain, Reynolds stayed with Vought International for the time being. Despite his doubts about their morality, the company seemed intent on seizing the opportunity to rise above the Avengers.
At the newly rebuilt Avengers base, the mood was heavy with frustration and unease. The team had returned, having found themselves unnecessary thanks to Robert's intervention. While they were grateful no more civilians had been harmed, the underlying problem remained unresolved: Ultron was still out there.
"We can't keep relying on Robert. He can't be everywhere at once," Natasha Romanoff pointed out, her voice calm but serious.
"She's right. We need to track Ultron at its source. We can't just sit here waiting for its next attack," Steve added.
"Ultron didn't just conjure those armors out of thin air," Tony said, his mind racing. "Even if it has the schematics, it still needs raw materials—metals, reactors, energy sources. It all leaves a trail."
But even with J.A.R.V.I.S. and Victor Stone (Cyborg) scouring every database they could access, no concrete leads had surfaced.
"Maybe the transactions weren't digital," Steve suggested. "Let's split up and investigate. Not everything leaves a digital footprint."
"Good idea," Tony nodded, his resolve hardening. "We'll keep digging. Robert, as much as I hate to ask, I need you to keep intercepting those armors."
"No problem," Robert said calmly, though he was equally frustrated by Ultron's elusiveness. The rogue AI's ability to hide was proving even more aggravating than Lex Luthor's schemes.
Meanwhile, in a hidden vibranium mine deep within Wakanda, Ultron was hard at work. It had chosen this location carefully, knowing that the nation's rich vibranium deposits and limited external access made it the perfect base of operations.
Rows of vibranium-armored machines stood in neat formation, each one a testament to Ultron's ingenuity and ambition.
"So, Robert the Saiyan can destroy my standard armors with ease? Fine," Ultron muttered, a glint of malice in its glowing eyes. "Let's see how he fares against vibranium-armored units. I'll drown him in numbers."
Though it regretted lacking access to Stark's vibranium-nanotech schematics, Ultron's mind was already considering alternatives.
"The Wakandans have developed vibranium nanotech themselves," Ultron mused. "Perhaps it's time to visit their palace..."
But even with its plans taking shape, Ultron knew it had to remain cautious. A direct confrontation with Wakanda could risk exposing its base of operations, and the Avengers would be quick to act if given the slightest hint of its location.
For now, it would bide its time, waiting for the perfect moment to unleash its full fury.
______
(≧◡≦) ♡ Support me and read 20 chapters ahead – patreon.com/INNIT
For every 50 Power Stones, one extra chapter will be released on Saturday.