"Ultron is assembling a body for himself!" The moment that thought surfaced, a chilling ripple went through everyone's mind.
This time, the nightmare was real, bone-chilling in its intensity. That fragile, patchwork body from before had merely been a trial run. But now… Ultron had pinpointed the laboratory, and he was determined to craft a true body, using everything at his disposal.
"Those things are from the Chitauri!"
"There are massive mechanical whales over there!"
"He… he wouldn't turn one of those mechanical whales into his own body, would he?!"
Panic instantly gripped the crowd.
Tonio turned to the others, speaking softly, "If he really turns that mechanical whale into his body… that could spell disaster. That thing is enormous, impossible to hide! And whether it's Tony or the Hulk, they might not stand a chance!"
Darwin nodded heavily. "Likely so. Most of the constraints that hold him back in the network mean nothing here. All kinds of materials… everything he needs is within reach now."
Johan's face was grim as he said, "What I want to know is, what method does he plan to use to wipe out mankind? Even when the population was smaller in the past, there were still countless people across the globe. Can humanity truly be eradicated by nothing more than machines?"
A heavy cloud of unease hung over everyone's hearts.
In the High Council chamber, this time, unlike during the first artificial intelligence crisis, the response was markedly different. Many Councilors hesitated to immediately order the shutdown of all AI systems.
Sith spoke calmly, "Our current technological level has not yet reached that extreme. We must approach this rationally."
The room nodded in agreement.
"Indeed. Most of our focus should still be on those projects. Artificial intelligence alone won't cause a wave of chaos in the short term. Still, the growing panic must be managed carefully."
Gladwin nodded. "I've already arranged for people to dispel the rumors for now. Additionally, we'll wait to see how the Avengers handle this incident. If they manage it well, it could even promote beneficial development in this field."
At Norland Base, Guerino stared at the image of Ultron constructing his new body in the underground lab. His expression was utterly absurd.
"Damn it… an AI trying to build its own body? Look at Jarvis, he just wants peace! This thing is downright terrifying!"
In the Training Ground, Ren and others wore serious frowns.
Louis couldn't help but ask, "Why does he insist on building a body for himself?"
Ren paused briefly before replying slowly, "Maybe… he wants to change people in his own way."
Suddenly, the screen switched.
[Near a former base, Wanda and her brother arrived under cover of darkness. They moved through rubble and entered what appeared to be an abandoned church.]
[Under the night sky, they squeezed through a restless crowd and stepped inside. At the center of the church sat a lone chair, with figures draped in red cloaks nearby.]
[Wanda said coldly, "Speak. If you're just wasting our time,"]
[Before she could finish, Ultron's voice interrupted her, "Do you know why this church stands in the very heart of the city? It was meant to ensure that everyone is at the same distance from God. I like that. Before faith… everyone is equal."]
[Wanda and her brother moved closer.]
[Ultron extended his arm. "You must be wondering why you cannot perceive my heart."]
[Wanda's pupils flared red. "It is… difficult."]
["But sooner or later, everyone reveals their true face." Ultron suddenly rose and lifted the cloak from his body. A towering silver figure, over two meters tall, was fully revealed.]
[Every inch of his frame was forged from strange, silver-colored metal, radiating power.]
The chat erupted.
"Damn, his body is solid!"
"It's the same material as the Chitauri!"
"This is insane!"
"The ones who threaten humanity are always humans themselves!"
"That thing looks indestructible!"
"No wonder Ultron knows so much!"
"Do you think he inherited these memories?"
"What if he creates another Ultron?!"
"Stop jinxing it, please!"
In the Federal Hospital, Tetsuo stared at Ultron's new body on the screen, hands trembling uncontrollably.
Jay was equally shaken. "Boss… is that pure steel? But it moves like a real human! The coordination between structure and motion is perfect, just like muscles and bones! This level of strength is alarming!"
Tetsuo spoke with determination. "I want to meet the Immortal Warrior. It's groundbreaking for medicine!"
Jay nodded firmly. "I'll contact my friend immediately."
At Essen Heavy Industries, inside Astor's office, silence reigned. Everyone stared at Ultron's body projection as if they had seen a monster. Only one word could describe their reaction: shock.
A researcher stammered, "Perfect power transmission. Flawless fusion of muscle simulation and mechanical structure. It's even better than the configuration of the iron suit. There's almost zero resistance in movement, just like a real human! With Ultron's intelligence added in… it's unstoppable!"
Astor nodded, his face a mixture of awe and bitterness. The technical depth of this body was simply outrageous; it far surpassed what the Federation could currently achieve, even by several generations.
"Our… current technology… compared to this… is just junk," Astor said with a bitter smile. At this moment, he desperately longed to speak with the Immortal Warrior himself. He needed to understand how such technology was even conceived.
[Back in the church, after witnessing Ultron's true form, Wanda and her brother both stepped back in shock.]
[Ultron said calmly, "I think they will come. But people alone are not enough. So you let Stark take the scepter."]
[Wanda scrutinized him. "Unexpected, but I see Stark's fear. That fear will control him and drive him toward destruction."]
[Ultron replied calmly, "Everyone creates their own fears. Peacemakers create war machines. The invaders become the Avengers. Adults create… smaller people."]
[He paused. "Ah, what was the word again… right. Children. Children are born in the place of their parents, and they end their lives."]
[Wanda tilted her head slightly. "Were you also born for this?"]
["To end the Avengers?" Ultron turned sharply. "I was born to save the world… but yes."]
The viewers nearly suffocated. Ultron's worldview was utterly incomprehensible to ordinary people.
"The older give birth to the younger? That's the most twisted logic I've ever heard!"
"Is his world made up only of destruction and peace?"
"Children end their parents' lives?!"
"He's just a program! He doesn't understand the meaning of life at all!"
"He's nothing but scrap metal compared to Jarvis!"
"This isn't artificial intelligence, this is madness!"
"You want to destroy the world? F*ck you!"
Ultron's philosophy ignited public fury across the Federation. In his worldview, human life held almost no intrinsic value.
[Ultron soon led Wanda and her brother deeper into the underground lab. "Let's leave this place. There are things in the real world that will interest you far more."]
[Before them stretched a colossal underground mechanical city.]
[Wanda stared in shock. "All of this is…"]
[Ultron replied calmly, "All of this… is me. They lack what I possess, harmony."]
[Flames erupted from Ultron's back as he rose into the air.]
[Across the entire underground base, countless robots worked tirelessly.]
"They don't trust each other. They're chaotic. Stark created suspicion among them. Once I control their consciousness,"
Wanda interrupted, "But no one wants to destroy them."
Ultron floated before the twins. "Let people dedicate themselves. That requires patience. The bigger picture."
Her brother sneered. "I don't want the big picture. I only want my small pictures, and to look at them every day."
Ultron looked at him calmly. "Your parents were killed by bombs. I've read the records."
"That's not the whole story," he replied.
Wanda whispered, "Pietro…"
Ultron said, "Let him speak."
[Pietro continued: "We were ten years old. Our family of four was eating when the first shell crashed through the floor below us. My parents fell into the hole as the building collapsed. I pulled her under the bed. The second shell landed right beside us. It didn't explode. It had one word written on it: Stark. We were trapped for two days, waiting to die at any moment."]
The twins' recounting plunged the broadcast into silence. Finally, the audience began to speak again.
"It wasn't Stark alone… it was war."
"His weapons were bought by others."
"But still… this responsibility can't be entirely erased."
"That's why Stark turned against his own weapons."
"He sold weapons once, now he's breaking every weapon he made."
"I don't even know who to blame anymore."
"And that missile… would Stark's really be a dud?"
Throughout the live broadcast, debate about war reignited. The Terra Federation had enjoyed long-lasting peace, and now everyone was reminded of just how profound their fears ran.