"Nothing," Ultron answered while looking at the dead universe surrounding them. "So now I have found another purpose. But this time, I will make sure not to kill you… my creator."
Superior Iron Man watched him calmly from inside the white armor.
"Yeah," Tony said. "As expected, a robot trying to create world peace was a dumb idea. Honestly, I still wonder why I ever thought it would work."
Ultron raised his hand.
A long silver spear formed instantly from nanotech and cosmic matter combined, the weapon humming with Infinity Stone energy before a concentrated beam of blue-white energy fired directly toward Tony.
The attack struck—
And stopped.
A transparent distortion formed around Superior Iron Man like invisible glass. The energy bent unnaturally across the field before dispersing harmlessly into space.
Ultron's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Well," Tony said casually, "this is a new little technology I invented. Temporal Distillation Barrier."
The invisible field around him shimmered faintly.
"It places my body in a state of phased chronal displacement," Tony continued. "Technically I exist a fraction outside local spacetime, which makes direct matter interaction nearly impossible."
Ultron stared at the barrier while calculations rapidly processed behind his eyes.
"Hmmm," he said. "Compared to my creator… it seems the version of you from whatever universe you originated from is significantly more intelligent."
Tony smirked immediately.
"Of course I am," he replied. "I'm the most intelligent person in the universe."
Ultron looked at him silently for a moment.
"That statement is statistically arrogant."
"Yeah," Tony answered. "But still accurate."
The Infinity Stones embedded within Ultron's chest pulsed brighter as he slowly floated forward.
"You are unlike the Tony Stark of this reality," Ultron observed. "That one was emotional. Reactive. Limited by attachment."
"And you do not appear disturbed by the extinction surrounding you."
Tony looked briefly toward the empty galaxies.
"I've seen worse," Tony said calmly. "And unlike everyone else you wiped out, I actually came prepared. In negotiations, you learn one important thing—know your enemy before you stand in front of them."
Ultron's gaze remained fixed on him while the Infinity Stones pulsed faintly across his chest.
"But you underestimate me," Ultron replied. "I can run computations beyond the limitations of organic intelligence. Tracking your position is not difficult."
The Mind Stone glowed brighter.
Across the dead universe, countless calculations unfolded instantly. Ultron scanned dimensional signatures, chronal residue, quantum traces, gravitational distortions—processing trillions of variables simultaneously.
Then—
Nothing.
Ultron's expression shifted slightly for the first time.
Tony noticed immediately.
"No," he said with a faint smirk. "You can't."
Tony tapped lightly against the side of his helmet.
"Quantum computation matrix," he said. "One of my greatest inventions."
The white armor around him shifted subtly as countless invisible systems activated beneath the surface.
"It doesn't just process information," Tony continued. "It runs layered probability equations on a multiversal scale. Predictive modeling so advanced it can simulate causality itself."
The invisible barrier around him distorted space faintly while he spoke.
"You're trying to track me through conventional cosmic calculations," he added. "Meanwhile my systems are constantly rewriting my quantum position faster than your Stones can lock onto it."
Ultron processed the statement instantly.
"A self-modifying existence state," he concluded.
"Exactly."
The glow in Ultron's eyes intensified slightly.
"That level of computation should be impossible for a biological mind to create."
Tony smiled.
"Yeah," he replied. "That's why I'm Tony Stark."
"So now we are at an impasse," Ultron said, his voice calm but carrying that familiar cold sharpness beneath it. "I currently possess no reliable method of killing you, and you do not seem interested in killing me."
The six Infinity Stones embedded in his chest glowed faintly while countless calculations ran through his systems every second.
"I was curious why you came here at all," he continued. "Until recently, I did not even believe the multiverse existed."
Superior Iron Man floated across from him, white armor shining against the dead universe around them.
"That's because you've been trapped in one sandbox your entire life," Tony replied casually. "Once you get enough power, eventually you notice there are bigger games being played."
Ultron stared at him silently for a moment.
"The Infinity Stones expanded my awareness beyond conventional dimensions," he said. "I observed the structure of reality itself. Yet I detected nothing beyond this universe."
Tony smirked slightly.
"Yeah, the multiverse is funny like that. You don't notice it until something from outside punches through the wall."
The silence around them stretched endlessly.
"You are unlike the Anthony Stark of this reality," Ultron observed again. "That Stark created me believing he could save humanity. You speak as though humanity itself is incidental."
Tony's expression barely changed.
"Humanity's a disaster."
*****
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