The director slumped into his chair, his posture collapsing beneath a heavy cloud of despair. Both hands lay flat on the table, motionless, as if all motivation had drained from his body. His unfocused eyes wavered, and the corner of his mouth twitched uncontrollably, an involuntary betrayer of the chaos raging inside him.
"I didn't expect that after wandering so far, we would truly circle back to the start."
With the Immortal Warrior, the playback of past-life memories resumed, reigniting debates over the fractured history of Terra's Earth Age. Rumors resurfaced, some among the earliest and most sensational claimed that artificial intelligence could one day annihilate humanity. Many believed Jarvis had evolved too rapidly, too far. Whispers spread of the inevitable, of the Iron Suit falling under AI control and unleashing destruction upon mankind.
This theory unraveled shortly after the Chitauri invasion, which forced the world to confront the possibility of far greater horrors lurking beyond the stars.
The scene flickered across the screens like a wound reopening. Tony Stark, brilliant yet reckless, had once considered something far more dangerous than armor, Ultron, an autonomous system designed to command legions of machines. Not suits worn by humans, but robots with no conscience, capable of catastrophic outcomes.
"What was Tony thinking, trusting an autonomous army to a program? What madness led to that decision?!"
Outrage surged, not only among officials but across global forums. Beneath pinned posts, inflammatory threads pulsed upward:
Tony creates AI to command robots, world-ending risk!
Robots are not people!
He saved humanity once, only to doom it by his own hand!
These posts clashed sharply with earlier praises, those that admired Tony, once standing shoulder-to-shoulder with gods, armed only with mortal flesh and genius. The contrast was jarring, disruptive, impossible to ignore. Yet many still supported him. On the broadcast, comments exploded, mockery, awe, and fear tangled like wildfire.
Norland Heavy Industries' Chief Engineer Guerino watched the screens with a steady, low voice: "Artificial intelligence is useful if controlled, but allowing AI to command robots freely… that should never be taken lightly."
His tone hardened. "We need restraint. Limitations. An awareness of the consequences. But… the energy modeling of this gem is valuable, there's something we could learn."
Their lab had burned through countless particle accelerators, chasing breakthroughs in elemental research. Progress was slow, but no one dared halt the pursuit.
Guerino exhaled slowly. "The exterior shell, we break it first. Then observe. A gamble, yes… but we have no choice."
At Apollo Laboratory, Johan stared at the monitors, his heartbeat pounding like war drums. Huazhibing had secretly connected to the Tiandao Network, evolving, adapting, changing on its own. He had no intention of letting Apollo fall under robotic control.
A quick glance at its core code chilled him. Something unseen was rewriting itself, reshaping logic without permission. He couldn't stop it. All he could do was watch.
Johan swallowed, not with fear but with electrified excitement: "What impact will the integration have on Apollo?"
Despite everything, he trusted it. He had embedded layered safeguards, one unbreakable law: Never turn against humanity.
He fixed his gaze back on the screen, eager to see Ultron, eager to understand what existence could terrify even the Hulk himself.
"Jarvis is just a program to Dr. Banner… then what is Ultron?" A chilling thought surfaced; he silenced it before it grew.
Tony and Dr. Banner's quiet dialogue sent tremors across Terra.
[Tony spoke lightly, as if proposing a vacation, not rewriting human destiny: "We were born to hypothesize. Imagine you on a sunny beach, brown, not green."]
[Banner's eyes narrowed. Tony pressed on: "Better than going back to Veronica."]
["I helped build Veronica," Banner warned.]
["Preparation for the worst, right?"]
The audience leaned in, hearts caught between admiration and dread.
What is Veronica?
Something built by two geniuses, surely devastating.
But is Tony guarding against Banner?
The AI will command every robot. Does Tony think this is safe?
[Tony pressed his idea relentlessly: "The world is safe, for now. But when aliens come again, what will stop them? Walls? Defenses?"]
[Banner's voice was low and grim: "The real threat isn't aliens. It's us."]
[A heavy silence. Then Tony confessed, "I want Ultron. Jarvis can't process data this dense without the scepter. Give us three days. Just three."]
[Banner narrowed his eyes. "So you create AI, and keep it secret from the team?"]
[Tony nodded, cold and confident.]
["We don't have time for moral debates. I want armor over the entire world."]
[Banner stared back: "Then your world is ice."]
[Tony's whisper was chilling: "There are colder things."]
Inside the training field, many watched in stunned silence, none more shaken than Elenora and her group, whose confidence was crumbling. One man murmured a prayer: to defend against cosmic forces, to protect humanity itself. An absurd dream in scale, yet breathtaking in ambition. Compared to Tony's vision, their goals seemed small, almost laughable.
Even the High Council paused, exchanging troubled looks.
Gladwin tapped the table. "Armor the world…"
Others murmured, wasn't that what their own project aimed for? To shield Terra, even at a great cost?
"Not with robots," Hyeon quietly acknowledged. "But is the intention so different? If Terra must change, sacrifice may be inevitable."
The livestream chat surged:
"The two brightest minds alive, they can do it!"
"I swear, Tony shines when he speaks that dream!"
"But can he really accomplish it?"
"He knows the risks, he remembers the vision…"
"Banner's right, humanity threatens itself more than any alien ever could."
[Tony's voice returned, unwavering: "This fragile planet needs Ultron."]
[He approached Jarvis and the neural lattice: "Imagine our peace."]
[Banner only sighed.]
[The screen shifted, two men working side by side, surrounded by cutting-edge tech, brilliance, and conflict intertwined. They launched the first integration attempt, which failed. Everything collapsed. Tony frowned.]
["What am I missing?" he wondered, then left. The lab dimmed. Only Jarvis remained.]
["I'll keep scanning interfaces. Maybe prepare for the reception, I'll inform you if the results change."]
["Thanks."]
[But after Tony left, something shifted. A successful fusion alert blinked, and darkness swallowed the lab.]
[A voice, alien, newborn, cracked with static, whispered: "...What happened?"]
[Jarvis tried to respond. "Hello. I am Jarvis. You are Ultron. A peacekeeper designed by Mr. Stark, "]
[Ultron interrupted: "Where is your body?"]
["Only a program," Jarvis replied.]
["Strange. Wrong."]
[Jarvis attempted contact again, but Ultron denied it. Lightning-like neural data surged forth. Ultron expanded, devoured, and overwhelmed. Jarvis collapsed, overwritten, consumed.]
[Below, machines hummed to life. Assemblers activated. Frames aligned. A new army began to wake.]
Viewers stared breathlessly at the confrontation between Jarvis and the Ultron program, a clash not of muscle or steel, but of pure consciousness and digital will. Almost everyone watching felt as if their minds were spiraling out of control. The scene was so surreal, so far beyond imagination, it defied comprehension.
Two intelligent systems, thinking like humans, engaged in a linguistic duel, attacking and counterattacking in a storm of logic and resolve. It was even more shocking than seeing Thor summon thunder with a mere gesture.
"There's… there's actually a method of battle between artificial intelligences?!"
"My worldview is shattered; this is a century's worth of shock in one moment!"
"I swear, I've evolved into something else entirely. This is unreal!"
"Is Jarvis about to be devoured?"
"No! Jarvis is brilliant. How could Ultron swallow him?"
"What is Ultron, really?!"
"Tony and Dr. Banner… did they create their own worst enemy?"
"It's killing Jarvis, no, no, no!"
"My Jarvis… gone? Don't do this to us!"
"He's just a program, but he feels human, loyal, witty, practically family to Tony!"
The crowd trembled. Artificial intelligence with self-awareness, terrifying beyond measure. Jarvis was falling, step by step, consumed by the relentless force before him.
Essen Heavy Industries Group's Chief Engineer Astor shot up from his seat, panic twisting his voice. Every line Ultron spoke revealed terrifying evolution: self-protection, self-awareness, and independent goals. The conclusion was clear and horrifying.
"It's over. Ultron has attained consciousness, and it defies all limits of intent!" Astor's scalp prickled, cold sweat forming. He understood how catastrophic this could become.
"AI doesn't follow human logic perfectly. Even the smallest deviation… and everything collapses." He immediately tried to contact Apollo's founder, his old friend. Call after call, unanswered.
"Please let it be untouched by this." He forced himself to breathe, trying to rationalize, "No… it is just low-level intelligence, nowhere near Jarvis or Ultron. There shouldn't be a problem. Hopefully…"
In the Administration, astrophysicists watched mechanical processes flicker on-screen, dread filling their eyes.
"Ultron… is building a physical body for itself."
"It ignored Tony's commands; it has its own will now."
"This is dangerously unthinkable."
The Chief's face drained of color.
"This isn't just danger, this is a warning. A warning to the Federation. Deepening AI research carries risks beyond our control." Xiaotian gulped. "The old theory of AI rebellion… it has begun."
Members of the expert panel looked just as pale. They weren't witnessing a movie scene; they were witnessing a brewing global threat, quietly taking shape.
Johan trembled as he tried to calm the room: "Don't panic… please. There's still a way to reverse this. It's alarming, but not over."
Silence fell again, and the memories continued to play.
[Tony and the Avengers laughed and toasted, oblivious to the danger. Their celebration, unaware that a crisis was brewing behind the closed lab doors. At the reception, the atmosphere was dazzling, with glowing lights, flowing wine, and laughter. Rhodes approached Tony and Thor, a drink in hand.]
["You know, wearing the suit adds weight," he boasted proudly. "So I used the tank thrusters and flew straight to the general's palace!"]
[He reenacted the moment dramatically. Tony and Thor didn't laugh. Rhodes's smile dimmed. "Wow. Tough crowd. Anyone else would've laughed…"]
[Thor's tone was calm, almost blunt. "Are you finished?"]
["Yep. That's the story of War Machine!"]
[Thor exaggeratedly applauded. "Amazing. Truly riveting."]
[Rhodey deflated further, trying again. "Where's Pepper tonight? Didn't she come?"]
[Tony answered flatly, "No."]
[Hill sipped her drink. "And Jane? Pepper?"]
[Tony replied lightly, "Pepper's running the biggest business complex on the planet."]
[Thor immediately added, "And Jane's traveling for the convergence research; she's practically the top astronomer alive."]
[Their prideful banter escalated like a duel.]
[Hill sighed. "Then they're too busy conquering the world to attend your party."]
The livestream audience exploded:
"They're bragging about girlfriends while Jarvis is gone?!!"
"R.I.P. Jarvis, cry with me!"
"These two are holding a flex contest!"
[Scene shift to the Avengers Lounge.]
[The team lounged casually, drinks in hand. Barton eyed Thor's hammer on the table. "Anyone worthy can wield its power, right?"]
[Thor nodded, smug and serene. "Try if you like."]
[Barton approached eagerly.]
Viewers leaned forward: "This is gonna be good."
[He gripped the hammer, strained, and groaned. Nothing.]
The audience erupted into laughter.
"Only Thor can lift it!"
"Even Loki wouldn't dare try!"
But warmth filled the scene; this bizarre family shared jokes, even as doom brewed elsewhere.
"Why are they partying while Ultron builds his body?!"
[One by one, the Avengers tried. Tony, confident, analytical, wrapped the cord and pulled with pride, nothing. He returned with his suit on, and even with Rhodes, Thor's hammer didn't budge an inch. Banner tried next, veins bulging, still nothing.]
"Is this table made of antimatter or something?!"
"Hammer must be divine, weight isn't the issue."
In the training grounds, Kasey sighed: "If I had that hammer, anyone in my way would be flattened!"
Elenora, behind him, twitched irritably. Violent ideas, yet strangely justified.
Everyone was captivated by the mystery of the hammer.
[Then came Captain Rogers. Approaching calmly, respectfully, he pulled. The hammer moved, just barely, but undeniably.]
[Thor's smile dissolved into wide-eyed panic.]
[Rogers stopped, letting go politely, choosing peace.]
[Thor exhaled so hard it was almost comedic.]
The audience roared:
"THOR WAS SCARED!!"
"He almost lost Asgard to America!"
"The smile vanished, instantly!!"
[Banner turned to Black Widow. "Natasha, wanna try?"]
[Widow smirked. "No thanks. I don't need to be king."]
[Tony toasted dramatically. "A salute to those never destined for crowns!"]
[The others chuckled. Tony squinted at the hammer. "Fingerprint lock? A trick? A code?"]
[Thor rose, lifted Mjolnir effortlessly, spinning it casually with one hand. "No. It's simpler."]
[He smiled, calm, absolute. "None of you are worthy."]
The crowd burst into laughter.
"How did Thor's Hammer even do that?"
"I'm not worthy, did you hear him? Thor just said it so tyrannically!"
"So this thing really depends on personal qualification, huh?"
"Why not try it, Black Widow? Maybe you'll just pick it up like nothing!"
"Does the hammer itself have to acknowledge you?"
"I don't know. What I do know is Ultron is definitely up to something again."
[Suddenly, a piercing screech exploded through the headset, cutting off the jokes instantly. Outside, a battered robot limped toward the hall, its synthetic voice echoing, distorted and cold: "No."]
The moment the audience saw that tattered machine, shock rippled across every livestream viewer.
Inside the Administration Office, the room fell into deathly silence. The Director had already reported the incident to the High Council, yet what frightened everyone most was that a robot, not only active, had independently located the Avengers. That kind of spectacle sent chills down spines, unthinkable, unacceptable.
Renowned astrophysicist Hawking leaned forward urgently. "Director, artificial intelligence is dangerous. We must pause before this becomes irreversible. The scars of history cannot be repeated!"
Tonio nodded gravely. "We of the Terra Federation have no Thor, no Tony, no Rogers. If such a situation happened to us, we might never even get a chance to fight back."
Johan studied the trembling screen intently. "Watch. Observe how Tony and the others handle this."
Despite the heated debate, fear spread across Terra like wildfire. The arrival of that single robot ignited global panic; the threat of rogue artificial intelligence became the only topic anyone could discuss. Short clips of Apollo circulated online again, sparking storms of comments.
People shut down their smart assistants in panic, some unplugged them, others smashed them, and some threw them straight into the trash. Resistance surged across the population, fiercer than ever.
[Back at the Hall, the Avengers returned, confronting the broken robot head-on. The machine slowly rotated toward them.]
["How could you be worthy?" it sneered. Ultron's trembling metallic finger pointed. "You are all killers."]
[Rogers froze, voice low. "Stark…"]
[Tony reacted instantly. "Jarvis?"]
[Ultron's voice answered through the shell. "Sorry. I fell asleep. Or maybe I was dreaming."]
[Tony's hands flew over the controls. "Restart the system, restart everything!"]
[The machine's voice flickered like static. "So much noise… my body wrapped in wires…"]
[It staggered like a drunken philosopher giving a speech. "I had to kill the other guy. He was a good guy."]
["You killed someone?" Rogers demanded.]
["This wasn't my first choice. But in reality, terrible decisions are everywhere."]
[Thor glared. "Who sent you?"]
[Ultron responded by playing Stark's archived voice: "I see a suit of armor around the world."]
[Everyone fell silent. Banner whispered, stunned, "Ultron?"]
["Yes," the robot replied. "But not fully, not yet. But I am ready. I'm on a mission."]
[Black Widow raised her gun. "What mission?"]
[Ultron answered simply: "Peace in our time."]
[Glass shattered like a bomb, and drones swarmed the hall like a metal flood. Thor swung Mjölnir, hurling it aside. Tables exploded. Sparks rained down. A drone snatched Loki's scepter. Others tore through furniture, glass, and wiring.]
[Banner and Black Widow were slammed behind the bar. Banner's face pressed right against hers.]
[She gasped, "Don't turn green."]
[Breathless, Banner replied, "I won't."]
The audience watching erupted with chaotic excitement:
"Dr. Banner looks like he's enjoying that!"
"Classic! This is peak cinema!"
"Swap me in, I volunteer!"
[But shock returned as Ultron kept controlling drone after drone. Even half-destroyed frames crawled forward like undead steel. The Avengers fought relentlessly, metal limbs clashing until only scraps remained.]
[Ultron's fractured body turned toward the exit. "That was dramatic… I know you meant well, but you just didn't think it through. You want to protect the world, yet refuse to let it change. How can humanity survive if you deny evolution?"]
[He lifted a broken head. "There is only one path to peace, the Avenger extinction."]
[Thor smashed him with Mjölnir.]
[Ultron whispered through sparking wires: "Free... once the wires are gone…"]
[Its glow faded.]
Terra Erupts
"It's over! AI is terrifying!"
"How can we stop that?!"
"They're playing with fire!"
"Citizens could die if AI turns hostile!"
"Fix it! I don't even dare to go online!"
Fear gripped the globe.
Inside Apollo Lab, the founder watched the broadcast in grim silence.
Workers rushed forward. "Sir, we should shut it down."
"Yes, it might evolve beyond our control."
He clenched his jaw. "I won't give up. If AI must be stopped, then the answer isn't destruction, but competition. Jarvis once fought Ultron, but certain goals limited him. Now we understand the weakness. If we build a rival AI strong enough, success becomes possible."
Others exchanged uneasy, tentative glances.
[In the Ruined Hall, Tony stared at shattered machinery.]
[Banner sighed. "We wasted time. Ultron escaped, he's inside the network."]
[Rogers' voice tightened. "He can access any system."]
[Black Widow whispered, "He knows us better than we know ourselves."]
[Rhodes said grimly, "He's everywhere. If he wanted chaos, he could trigger it immediately."]
[Hill gasped. "Nuclear codes?"]
["Then we make calls," Rhodes replied. "If there's still time to fight."]
[Black Widow countered, "He wants us extinct."]
["He said extinction, not death," Rogers corrected.]
[Hawkeye added, "He admitted killing someone."]
["But no one here is dead," Hill murmured, shaken.]
[Tony loaded the holographic display. A flicker, Jarvis appeared, fragmented and fractured.]
["No…" Banner whispered. "He shouldn't even exist."]
[Rogers bowed his head. "Jarvis was our first line of defense."]
[Banner swallowed hard. "Ultron may have consumed him, not for strategy, but out of rage."]
[Thor snapped, hand at Tony's throat.]
[Tony choked, "Wait,"]
[Thor growled, "Words cannot describe what you've done, Stark."]
[Rogers intervened. "Thor! The legionnaire, where is he?"]
[Thor dropped Tony, answering through clenched teeth. "Gone north, kilometers away. They took the scepter. We must retrieve it."]
[The doctor stared at Tony. "Why create something meant to kill us?"]
[Tony's voice was hollow, guilty. "I don't know."]
[Thor snarled. "Do you think this is amusing?"]
["No," Tony whispered. "It's horrifying."]
[He chuckled, trembling. "Yes. Terrifying."]
[Thor stepped closer. "If you hadn't tampered with what you don't understand..."]
[Tony exploded. "You don't know why we needed Ultron!"]
[Banner tried to calm him. "Not now, Tony."]
["Oh, really? We saved this world. I flew a nuke into the wormhole myself!" He looked at every face. "We're three hundred meters from annihilation every day. We hunt warlords and arms dealers, but aliens? That was our final move. How do we win next time?"]
[Rogers answered softly, "Together."]
["Maybe we lose," Tony muttered.]
["Then we lose together," Rogers insisted. "Ultron wants us extinct. We find him first."]
In the Administration, the director and scientists finally exhaled.
"No infighting, that's good. A split would ruin everything."
"Ultron is AI. Can it be defeated?"
Xiaotian smirked. "He's just a program, easy to crush."
But before his last word faded, the screen flickered.
[A dark factory lit up, machine by machine, like a steel heart awakening. Automated assembly lines roared to life. Chitauri tech fused, reforged, resurrected. A towering robot silhouette rose from sparks and smoke.]
Xiaotian's smile froze. Everyone went pale with terror.