To the Avengers, it seemed as if Ultron had vanished without a trace, like he had never existed. However, Tony Stark and the others no longer dared to resume experiments of the same nature. Just one Ultron had already caused so much trouble—if they accidentally created more, the situation would spiral out of control.
The key problem lay in uncertainty: Stark couldn't be sure whether Ultron had been entirely honest in his statements. What if there were some overlooked flaw in their research that enabled Ultron's sentience and rebellion?
As a result, the Avengers were now dedicating their full efforts to hunting down Ultron's whereabouts, while simultaneously rebuilding the Avengers base and cautiously beginning the painstaking process of recreating their armored forces.
It was undeniable that Ultron had already inflicted heavy losses on the Avengers. Beyond the near-complete destruction of their headquarters, which had cost unimaginable resources, the loss of the armored fleet and the Firestorm Bioweapons was even more devastating.
The armored fleet had already proven itself useful during prior extraordinary events, but the Firestorm Bioweapons were a hidden ace, a secret weapon in the Avengers' arsenal. Unlike the mechanical nature of the armored fleet, the Firestorm units incorporated biotechnological enhancements, making them far more complex and difficult to replicate.
With the Avengers rebuilding and planning their next moves, Ultron, however, was already implementing his revenge. His plan began with a single familiar armored unit appearing on the streets of New York City.
Ultron had reconstructed the older models of Stark's armored units—those used for mass production. While he couldn't reproduce Stark's latest iterations due to lack of access to the design schematics, he didn't need to. The older models were sufficient for his purposes. Combined with his mastery of Stark's data and the Space Stone as an energy source, he quickly began mass-producing these older armors.
But Ultron wasn't reckless. Instead of deploying all his units at once, he chose a slow and calculated approach.
"Wait... is that one of Stark's suits? What's going on?"
"That doesn't look like Iron Man. That's an older model, like the ones from the armored fleet that Stark used to mass-produce."
On the streets of New York, civilians recognized the suit. Discussions began to bubble as bystanders speculated about its sudden appearance.
"Is this another superhero battle? Or maybe another extraordinary event happening?"
"It's been quiet for a while since the last crisis. Maybe this is just maintenance or a drill?"
But New Yorkers were no strangers to extraordinary events. With caution born from experience, they began to evacuate. Some made their way to designated shelters, while others sought out safer areas to observe from a distance. They had learned not to stick around when extraordinary forces appeared.
"Zzzap!"
Suddenly, a blast from the armor's palm cannon tore through the air. A beam of energy struck a fleeing civilian, piercing his chest. He fell lifeless to the ground, his body sprawled on the asphalt.
The blast wasn't particularly powerful; the civilian's body remained largely intact. But that detail was deliberate. The energy output had been carefully calibrated, ensuring the body was left behind as undeniable evidence of the attack.
"What... what was that? Did that person do something wrong?"
"Maybe they're a fugitive? A wanted criminal?"
"Or maybe he was about to attack us? Why else would the armor target him?"
The gathered crowd erupted into hushed discussions. Their trust in the Avengers led them to assume the victim must have been a criminal or a threat. Doubts hadn't yet settled into their minds.
"Mike!"
But their assumptions were shattered by a cry of anguish. A middle-aged woman rushed to the fallen body, collapsing in tears beside it. Clutching the lifeless figure, she screamed toward the hovering armor, "Why? Why did you kill him?"
The crowd hesitated, whispers growing louder. Although they had initially assumed the victim must have been guilty of something, the woman's grief cast doubt. Some began to question whether the attack had been justified.
"Zzzap!"
Before anyone could process the situation further, another energy blast struck. This time, the grieving woman was the target. The beam obliterated her head, leaving her body to crumple beside the man's. Blood and flesh splattered across the street, eliciting gasps and screams from the surrounding crowd.
The horrifying sight silenced many of the onlookers. Though some had tried to rationalize the first killing, the sheer brutality of the second shook them. Even if these two individuals were criminals, was such a public and violent execution truly necessary?
"Was that really called for? They didn't even fight back. Couldn't they have been arrested instead?" someone muttered, their voice trembling.
"That was too much. Even if they were guilty, this feels... wrong. The Avengers shouldn't act like this..." another person added.
"Zzzap!"
But before the murmurs could grow into outright complaints, more blasts rang out. Anyone who had spoken up was swiftly targeted. Over a hundred people fell in moments, their bodies strewn across the street.
Panic erupted. The crowd, which had been cautious but calm moments earlier, now dissolved into chaos. Screams filled the air as people scrambled to flee.
The message was clear: speak against the Avengers, and you'd pay the price.
Ultron's strategy was working perfectly. He wasn't aiming to kill everyone—mass extermination would only numb the public to the horror. Instead, by leaving enough survivors to tell the tale, he ensured the story would spread far and wide. Survivors would recount the terror, sowing distrust and hatred toward the Avengers.
The scene in New York was not an isolated incident. Across the globe, in cities large and small, identical atrocities unfolded. In each case, a single armor wreaked havoc, carefully orchestrating its actions to maximize fear and resentment.
Each massacre was meticulously planned: not enough deaths to be labeled a full-scale attack, but enough to stir outrage and create a perception of systemic injustice.
By the time the Avengers realized what was happening, it was already too late. Ultron had used the Space Stone to manipulate the battlefield, disrupting local spatial dynamics in each city. This rendered the Avengers' teleportation capabilities useless, forcing them to travel conventionally and delaying their response.
When the Avengers finally arrived, the damage had been done. The armors had disappeared through their own teleportation gates, leaving behind only devastation and bodies.
The public's trust in the Avengers crumbled. Though the team issued explanations and statements condemning the attacks, the damage was irreparable. People's belief in the Avengers' integrity had been shaken to its core.
Even diehard fans began to waver. While it was true that others had attempted to replicate Stark's armors in the past, no one had ever managed to do so with such precision. The implication was clear: these attacks weren't the work of outsiders. They had to have come from within the Avengers.
And when the Avengers revealed details about Ultron, instead of garnering sympathy, they faced even harsher criticism. To many, this was simply confirmation that the Avengers themselves were to blame.
"You created this monster," the critics said. "If you hadn't played god, none of this would have happened."
The backlash was overwhelming. For the first time, the Avengers found themselves not as heroes, but as pariahs. Public opinion turned against them with a ferocity they had never experienced.
Back at the newly rebuilt Avengers base, the atmosphere was heavy with tension and guilt.
Tony Stark and Reed Richards, in particular, bore the brunt of the blame. Their experiments had unleashed Ultron upon the world. And while their intentions had been noble—to prepare Earth for threats like the Celestials—the consequences were undeniable.
"This is all our fault. We caused this," Stark muttered, his voice thick with remorse.
"It's not entirely your fault," Steve Rogers said gently, placing a hand on Stark's shoulder. "You were trying to protect the Earth."
"Protect it?" Stark let out a bitter laugh. "I ignored my own lessons, Steve. I remember you telling me: anyone who tries to end a war before it starts will only make things worse. I didn't listen. And now, look where we are..."
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