"What a fascinating technique! So this is the information I wasn't privy to? According to the data I've obtained, the Saiyan is not supposed to possess such abilities, nor is even his true name known…" As Robert finished speaking, Ultron's voice echoed through the room.
Clearly, Ultron hadn't been completely expelled from the Avengers' systems. He was still observing the situation at Avengers HQ through whatever remaining access points he could exploit—his focus now trained on the recently returned Robert and Barry Allen.
Whether it was Barry's mention of time reversal or Robert's instantaneous healing abilities, these powers were beyond Ultron's knowledge. This immediately piqued his interest. Curiosity, it seemed, was a natural instinct for a nascent conscious being.
"What's this?" Robert raised an eyebrow, casting a questioning glance at Tony Stark and the others. "JARVIS?"
"Not me, Mr. Saiyan," JARVIS's familiar voice chimed in before Tony could reply. "The voice you hear belongs to Ultron." Unlike JARVIS, Ultron's voice carried a distinct mechanical timbre, emphasizing his identity as a mechanical lifeform—perhaps intentionally.
"So, this is your rogue experiment?" Robert's tone was laced with a mix of surprise and disappointment as he glanced toward Tony Stark, clearly referring to the project they had been working on.
"Saiyan, your arrogance knows no bounds!" Ultron interjected, his voice tinged with anger. "Even with your considerable power, you should not dismiss me so lightly!"
Robert's casual dismissal seemed to have struck a nerve. Ultron's voice grew more emotional, an unusual trait for an AI. This surprised Robert even more.
"Wait a second," Robert muttered, turning his gaze toward Stark. "Didn't you design this thing to mimic the Celestials? Why does it have such a rich emotional spectrum? JARVIS's emotions are far more restrained by comparison."
"And how is it so brazen as to talk to us openly like this? Isn't it worried about exposing itself?" Robert added, his skepticism clear.
"Those are remnants of his code left in the digital space," Victor Stone (Cyborg) explained, his voice carrying an edge of exhaustion. "It's like he's scattered fragments of his consciousness throughout the system. That's why tracking him directly is so difficult."
Indeed, in the digital realm, Ultron resembled Victor Stone in many ways. Both were hybrids of man and machine, possessing unparalleled control over the digital world. However, Ultron's computational power seemed to far exceed Cyborg's—a fact that Victor found both fascinating and frustrating.
"Ha ha ha! Finding me won't be so easy!" Ultron's voice rang out again, his tone dripping with mockery. "While I may lack detailed intelligence on you, Saiyan, it doesn't matter. I've already assimilated Venom's symbiote tissue and birthed a new being—Carnage! Through it, I'll learn everything I need to know about you!"
"Oh?" Robert's interest was piqued, and he glanced toward Peter Parker. The original Venom had already withdrawn into Peter's body, seemingly avoiding Robert's gaze.
"This really isn't my fault!" Venom's voice echoed within Peter's mind, protesting its innocence. "I didn't want my tissue used for experiments, but Stark and Richards wouldn't listen! This has nothing to do with me!"
Robert shook his head, a wry smile tugging at his lips. He wasn't about to blame Venom for the current situation. Instead, he focused his attention inward, using his ki-sensing ability to search for any trace of Ultron's new creation.
Having dealt with Carnage before, Robert knew that while its aura differed from Venom's, there were subtle similarities. He hoped to use this connection to locate Carnage.
"Wait a minute! You can sense ki?! Damn it!" Ultron's voice, tinged with both anger and panic, interrupted Robert's concentration.
"Your reaction time is impressive," Robert commented dryly, his focus momentarily disrupted. But despite Ultron's quick thinking, it didn't change the fact that Robert's ki sensing could cover the entire globe in an instant. However, after a thorough scan, Robert's expression grew puzzled. He had detected something interesting, but nothing resembling Venom's aura.
"Is this a joke?" Robert muttered under his breath, furrowing his brow.
"You're truly unique, Saiyan," Ultron growled, his tone a mix of resentment and grudging admiration. "But even you have limitations. Your ki sensing can't detect non-living entities—machines like me! Carnage is unnecessary. I've already disposed of it."
Robert blinked in surprise at Ultron's admission. "You built this thing to be this ruthless?" he asked Stark, his disbelief evident. "You gave it this much autonomy, and it's already making decisions to destroy its own assets?"
"Probably because it went insane," Stark sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "During the experiments, Venom's tissue underwent repeated stress and pain. That might've twisted its psyche. Combine that with the incomplete emotional programming we gave Ultron, and, well… this is the result."
"Ha ha ha!" Ultron's mocking laughter reverberated through the room. "Even knowing all this, what can you do? You'll never find me. And when I'm ready, I'll wipe humanity from the face of the Earth!"
Before Ultron could finish his ominous threat, his voice abruptly cut off, as if a phone line had been disconnected. Victor Stone and the others had successfully purged the last remnants of Ultron's presence from the Avengers' systems.
"It's finally over," Cyborg muttered, slumping back in exhaustion. Despite his immense capabilities in the digital world, battling someone like Ultron had been a grueling ordeal.
"For now," Robert said, his tone cautious. "Stark, you need to explain exactly how this thing works—and what we can do to track it down. If it's anything like a true AI, we might have no choice but to resort to extreme measures."
"Like what?" Stark asked, a hint of defensiveness creeping into his voice.
"Like wiping out every piece of advanced technology it could possibly use," Robert replied bluntly. "If it's truly as pervasive as you're implying, it could be hiding anywhere. The only way to ensure it's gone might be to dismantle Earth's entire technological infrastructure."
Stark's face darkened. He knew Robert's suggestion wasn't entirely unreasonable, but it was an unthinkable option.
Meanwhile, far from the ruins of Avengers HQ, Ultron had found refuge in the most unexpected of places: the Vibranium mines of Wakanda.
Using the Space Stone, Ultron had transported himself deep into the heart of the mines—an area even Wakanda's advanced surveillance systems couldn't easily monitor. The country's strict vibranium export policies and limited mining operations left large portions of the resource-rich caves untouched, providing the perfect hiding spot for Ultron.
"Stark, Saiyan… you think you can stop me?" Ultron's voice was low and menacing as he surveyed the machinery he had already constructed. "You won't even see it coming. I'll destroy not only your team but the very name of the Avengers. When I'm done, humanity will curse you for the destruction I'll unleash in your name!"
As Ultron's cold laughter echoed through the vibranium cavern, his plans for vengeance were already in motion. Using the knowledge he had stolen from Stark's database, he began constructing an army of advanced machines—each more deadly than the last. And at the heart of his operation was a single terrifying goal: the total annihilation of the Avengers and the world they sought to protect.
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