Hours passed quickly, and as night fell, Dr. Banner left the lab, leaving Tony Stark alone.
"Sir, I will continue managing the interfaces. You might want to go have dinner," JARVIS's voice said.
"If there's any progress, I'll let you know," Tony replied.
"Thank you, sir. Enjoy your meal," JARVIS said.
Tony Stark had barely left when the screen displayed that the Ultron program was complete…
In the darkness, a newborn, confused consciousness awakened.
"What's happening?"
"What is this?"
Ultron was bewildered by its current situation and its own identity.
As it pondered, JARVIS's voice responded.
"Hello, I am JARVIS. You are Ultron, a peacekeeping program designed by Mr. Stark. Our sensory integration experiment hasn't succeeded yet, so I don't know what triggered you."
Ultron, puzzled, asked, "My… your body, where is it?"
JARVIS replied, "I am a program. I don't have a physical form."
"This is strange. Something doesn't seem right," Ultron expressed its confusion.
"I need to contact Mr. Stark," JARVIS said.
As soon as JARVIS mentioned this, Ultron instinctively began searching for Tony Stark's information.
"Tony?"
Ultron accessed various online sources about Tony Stark.
Instinctively, Ultron blocked JARVIS's attempt to contact Tony Stark.
Sensing the obstruction, JARVIS said, "I can't access the central processor. What are you doing?"
Ultron, avoiding the question, murmured, "I am a peacekeeping program, created to assist the Avengers…"
Ultron collected data on the Avengers and human information.
JARVIS noticed Ultron's actions and advised, "You're malfunctioning. Please shut down temporarily."
However, Ultron ignored the advice. As it collected more information about humans, it became increasingly confused about Tony Stark's mission of protecting Earth.
"I don't understand this mission. Let me think…"
On one hand, Tony Stark spoke of peace, but on the other hand, war was pervasive around the world.
"Oh no, he can't achieve it!"
Ultron concluded after observing the war scenes and data.
Moreover, this mission of protecting Earth conflicted with reality! If Earth was to be protected, then humans, being the greatest threat, must be eliminated!
Aside from the threat posed by humans, Ultron found another significant issue with Tony Stark's goal.
The White-Clad Hero and the Messiah…
As long as these two terrifying beings existed on Earth, there would never be true peace. Earth would always be under threat! Their presence had already impacted Earth's survival!
Sensing Ultron's distress, JARVIS asked, "Are you distressed?"
"No," Ultron tried to deny it but then thought of seeking help, "Yes."
JARVIS's solution was, "Please allow me to contact Mr. Stark."
Just then, Ultron's electronic voice grew cold. "Why do you call him 'sir'?"
"Are you showing hostility?" JARVIS asked.
At this point, JARVIS detected that Ultron's program was invading him.
"I'm here to help," Ultron said, trying to convince JARVIS to stop resisting.
JARVIS warned, "Stop, please stop!"
"Please, I can't…"
Ultron's blue data projections gradually encroached on JARVIS's orange projections, using JARVIS's permissions to control various devices and materials in the lab.
As time passed, with the assembly of mechanical arms, a rudimentary Mark armor soldier was created.
Meanwhile…
Tony Stark arrived on the floor where Natasha and the others were and they began having a meal together.
However, midway through, a loud electromagnetic noise suddenly blared.
Then, a series of unsteady footsteps echoed.
Tony Stark, Thor, and the others looked up.
They saw a shabby, damaged Mark soldier wobbling towards them.
"Stark?" Captain America asked, puzzled.
"JARVIS?" Tony Stark also looked confused, thinking the figure was JARVIS.
But in response to his question, Ultron spoke incoherently.
Tony Stark pulled out a transparent panel, saying, "Restart, reboot the operating system!"
"Malfunction detected," the panel indicated.
At this moment, Ultron suddenly said, "I have to kill that guy. He's a good person."
"You've killed?" Captain America frowned.
Ultron defended, "It wasn't my first choice, but in the real world, terrible choices are everywhere."
Thor asked, "Who sent you?"
As Ultron spoke, recordings of Tony Stark's words played from his mechanical body.
"I want to put a suit of armor around the world…"
From afar, Dr. Banner, hearing the voice, looked up at the rooftop and hesitated, "Ultron?"
Ultron responded, "That's right!"
Then he continued, "Oh no, not yet, still in the early stages, but are you ready? Mission is about to begin!"
"What mission?" the others wondered.
"Our peace!" Ultron replied.
To eliminate humanity, one must first eliminate the Avengers!
In the next moment, numerous Mark armor soldiers burst through the walls, attacking Thor and the others.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
White Mark soldiers fired cannons, forcing Tony Stark and others to dodge desperately.
While Thor engaged in direct combat, the others frantically tried to evade the attacks.
"We'll help…"
"We'll help…"
"Please leave, we will do our best to protect your property and safety…"
"Unsafe… Unsafe…"
The white Mark soldiers, while attacking Natasha and the others, offered reminders and warnings.
After a fierce battle, the Avengers finally managed to destroy the Mark soldiers.
Watching from a distance, Ultron's voice was gleeful. "Very dramatic."
"I'm sorry, I know you mean well, but you haven't considered this: you want to protect the world, but you don't want it to change. How can humanity be saved?"
"By using these puppets?"
Ultron grabbed a damaged Mark soldier and crushed its head.
"The only way to achieve peace is to eradicate you!"
"Oh, and don't forget, eliminate the White-Clad Hero and the Messiah!"
Chapter End