"This is unbelievable…"
Inside S.H.I.E.L.D., after everyone else had left, Nick Fury was left with a sense of unease.
Two Samuel Stans, and not just two identical ones, but two of different ages. The implications behind this were terrifying.
At this moment, Fury couldn't help but miss Carol Danvers.
If Captain Marvel were here, all he would have needed to do was pinpoint Samuel Stan's location and let her handle it.
But now…
The situation was serious.
And the monster that had attacked the gene vault earlier had not appeared either.
All of this suggested that Samuel Stan was hiding far more than Fury had anticipated, and his powers were far greater than anyone knew.
Most importantly, Bruce Banner had warned him.
The appearance of these creatures indicated that Samuel Stan might already have perfected some form of complete genetic technology.
No one could predict what would happen next.
Without Carol Danvers, Fury wasn't even certain whether the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. could handle this threat.
He certainly couldn't just go calling Nolan Rock for help every time.
The thought made Fury's expression sour. If they relied on Nolan Rock for everything, what would be the point of S.H.I.E.L.D.?
It would be like announcing to the entire world that Nolan Rock was the most indispensable person alive.
Meanwhile, Carol Danvers had already arrived on a distant planet.
This planet wasn't a major power in the universe, but its technology surpassed Earth's.
This was normal.
On Earth, aside from geniuses like Tony Stark who had leapt decades ahead, most technology barely allowed activity within the solar system.
Even with these geniuses, a technological leap required a catalyst.
The previous Kiryuta invasion had actually provided such a catalyst.
Kiryuta technology had a profound impact on Earth's future, though its effects had yet to fully manifest.
"What happened here?"
Carol Danvers asked the local governor.
The governor's frown melted into a smile the moment he saw her.
"Captain Marvel, you've finally arrived!"
Carol Danvers furrowed her brow, her face radiating unshakable confidence.
The governor continued,
"We were attacked by raiders. They have some extremely advanced weapons. We tried to fight back, but they are too strong. Over the years, we've had several run-ins with these raiders, but they've never shown weapons like these."
The governor's expression darkened.
Their planet was far from powerful, otherwise the raiders wouldn't have dared to target them.
Originally, the raids were mere nuisances, manageable on their own.
But recently, the raiders deployed exoskeleton suits.
Their technology wasn't cutting-edge, and some even relied on gunpowder-based weapons.
But in comparison, the locals were no better off.
The most critical problem was the firepower of these exoskeleton suits, which was immense.
Carol Danvers immediately responded,
"I understand. No one can trample justice!"
At that moment, a person ran in, panicked.
"Governor, the raiders are back!"
The governor's pupils constricted.
"Captain, please help us!"
Carol Danvers nodded without hesitation. This was exactly why she had come.
She wanted to see who these raiders were, bold enough to brazenly attack a peaceful planet.
Before she could step outside, the sound of gunfire echoed from the surface.
Looking out, a massive group of raiders had already landed.
"Haha! Brothers, these exoskeletons are perfect! And cheap! This is our chance to make a fortune!"
The raiders shouted gleefully. Not all raiders had a conscience like Guido; for most, morality didn't exist, only plunder.
Hundreds of APU exoskeletons thundered across the ground, while thousands of raiders in suits roared greedily.
The governor watched in agony and envy.
Their planet lacked the strength, and their technology couldn't even navigate the stars. Integrating with external forces was almost disastrous.
If only they had these exoskeletons, even if gunpowder weapons might not be effective in space, on their planet they would significantly boost their defense.
In fact, the governor had already started acquiring them.
He had learned that the exoskeleton suits were produced by a company called Rock Technologies.
He glanced at Carol Danvers and relaxed slightly. While requesting external aid was unreliable, buying these suits meant they no longer had to rely on outsiders.
Carol Danvers, however, stared at the APU exoskeletons in disbelief.
These suits looked so familiar. It was like… Earth's Rock Technologies.
No, not like
Carol Danvers locked her gaze on one of the APU suits. The Rock Technologies emblem was clear.
This was really Rock Technologies, the company she had once thought limited in vision.
Clearly, Nolan Rock was hiding many secrets, and she had no idea.
"Damn you, Nolan Rock."
Her anger flared.
A shockwave of energy erupted from her, and in an instant, she vanished, transforming into a streak of light heading toward the battlefield.
Nothing could stop her.
At that moment, she was the embodiment of power.
The raiders fled, and Carol Danvers hovered in midair, her energy radiating uncontrollably.
The governor let out a sigh of relief but furrowed his brow. If he could have handled it, he wouldn't have needed her.
Carol Danvers didn't notice his expression. She only stared coldly at the Rock Technologies suits.
"Nolan Rock, this time, I will not let you off easily."
She murmured to herself and shot toward Earth.
She never paused to consider why the raiders had these suits or what role Nolan Rock played. Justice was her only guiding principle.
Seeing her depart, the governor relaxed further.
"Brueto should be back soon. Next time, we won't need Captain Marvel. After all, we're a free planet."
Hearing this, the surrounding officials smiled. They would soon no longer rely on her.
On Earth:
"5, 4, 3…"
A mechanical voice counted down.
As the countdown ended, a surge of energy burst from a robot.
At its chest glowed a power source, almost identical to Tony Stark's arc reactors.
The robot paused and entered a factory filled with other robots like it.
This was its armory, producing countless intelligent machines.
It ignored them. These were merely mass-produced units, nothing compared to the body it had painstakingly built or the vibranium shell it was preparing for itself.
"Zhao Hailun… Regeneration Cradle…"
Its mechanical eyes scanned endless data.
Once it had intelligence, wandering the network as mere data was no longer enough. It wanted a body of its own, not to be confined to mindless shells.
Through calculations, it knew that combining a vibranium body with the Regeneration Cradle would allow it to become a true intelligent life.
Nothing was more important than this. It was the key to its evolution.
"Initiate…"
Ultron's low voice echoed through the factory.
Several dozen robots activated, and Ultron, leading them, headed for New York.
Without Carol Danvers, it had nothing to fear.
In New York, the Samuel Stan situation was intensifying.
At first, Nolan hadn't paid much attention. But as the problem persisted, Tony Stark finally approached him.
After hearing him out, Nolan was surprised.
Three Samuel Stans had already been killed?
His first thought was cloning.
Nothing else seemed plausible.
Tony Stark nodded at Nolan's realization.
"Exactly. This is my suspicion as well. Cloning has always been a forbidden field, but it seems Samuel Stan has surpassed us in this regard."
"Dealing with a man who clones himself won't be easy," Nolan said, his expression darkening.
This wasn't madness that could be managed lightly. If Samuel Stan cloned himself, was he still the same person?
The technology was forbidden for a reason.
Tony Stark sighed. Even someone as brilliant and daring as him found it daunting.
"Nolan, any way to find the original?"
Nolan shrugged helplessly.
"I'm not God. How could I tell which clone is the real one among so many?"
Tony Stark sighed,
"I haven't had a proper night's sleep for over two weeks."
Although he often worked late for research, this was different. He was nearing his own breaking point.
Still, Tony Stark eventually left to attend to other matters.
"This won't do," Nolan murmured, narrowing his eyes.
Even if Samuel Stan wasn't actively coming for him, no one could guarantee he was harmless. The threat needed to be dealt with swiftly.
Soon, Red Queen began scanning massive datasets, trying to track any clue related to Samuel Stan.
But it was of limited use. Samuel Stan was a genius and a madman; he left no obvious traces.
Fortunately, Nolan was not impatient.
As long as Samuel Stan had objectives, he would eventually make mistakes.
Two days later, Red Queen still monitored Samuel Stan's movements.
After a while, she suddenly reported,
"Sir, an anomaly detected."
"Oh?"
Nolan leaned in with interest.
The information was simple, but he sensed something was off.
"Is this a clone or the original?"
He squinted thoughtfully. The anomaly wasn't near New York but in a remote northern region.
Just then, Sharon Carter entered.
"Boss, Director Fury is here."
"Why? Kick him out," Nolan scoffed.
"Boss!" Sharon Carter urged. She knew S.H.I.E.L.D. had caused a lot of trouble for Rock Technologies, but she was a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.
"Fine. For your sake, I'll let him in."
Nolan sighed inwardly. What he had discovered couldn't be verified alone. S.H.I.E.L.D. could help.
Nick Fury entered alone, calm and composed, as if everything was under his control.
"Mr. Rock, we meet again."
Nolan cut straight to the point,
"Say what you need."
Fury stiffened slightly, his carefully prepared words gone.
After clearing his throat, he said,
"Do you remember the Samuel Stan who attacked you?"
"Of course."
Nolan did not dodge,
"Samuel Stan is dead. Cleanly."
Fury had come to discuss Samuel Stan.
"In fact, Samuel Stan isn't dead. Or rather, he isn't just one. The one you killed was merely a clone. S.H.I.E.L.D. has located two of them so far, but the dead ones were all clones. He's insane."
Fury emphasized the word insane.
"Indeed, he's a madman. Cloning is forbidden for a reason," Nolan replied.
Fury then became serious,
"I came to warn you. We can't guarantee when Samuel Stan will act. You are, after all, a partner of S.H.I.E.L.D."
His words were precise and deliberate.
Nolan ignored him and asked,
"So? Honestly, with my preparations, I don't feel threatened. I've got an army ready."
Nolan's tone was subtly loaded.
Fury's expression shifted. Nolan Rock was brushing him off. This conversation was proving difficult to continue.