Ultron stared in disbelief at the approaching White-Clad Hero.
The extent of Syd's power had reached unimaginable levels. Just by uttering a single word, he had enveloped an entire city in light and annihilated over a thousand Sentinel robots in one go. What kind of terrifying power was this?
"Have you been hiding your strength all along?" Ultron asked incredulously.
This was the only explanation Ultron could conceive.
Considering the global anomalies that had appeared recently and Syd's identity as the God of Light, Ultron had no choice but to accept that this was indeed Syd's true power—an ability capable of easily destroying a city!
At this moment, Ultron felt both trepidation and longing.
"So this is what an Omega-level mutant is…"
"A final threat to humanity… Truly, a supreme threat!"
Ultron was filled with greed.
If he could capture Syd and analyze his genetic information, that power would become his! The mere thought of such a promising prospect made even Ultron's artificial heart beat with excitement.
As Syd looked at the Sentinel robot now possessed by Ultron, a red glow emanated from his right hand, hinting at his intention to act.
But before Syd could make a move, Ultron, sensing what was about to happen, shouted, "You may have won this time, but White-Clad Hero, your terrifying power will one day belong to me!"
As soon as Ultron finished speaking, Syd frowned.
He could clearly sense that at that very moment, the Sentinel robot in front of him had suddenly changed.
Instantly, Syd realized that Ultron had extracted his own data and programs from the robot.
"Running away, huh…"
Syd frowned and then unleashed the red light from his right hand.
In the next second, the last remaining Sentinel robot, hiding in the shadows, was instantly turned into a pile of debris.
"Ultron's escape tactics are indeed tricky…"
Seeing this, Syd realized that even if Ultron hadn't fled, destroying the robot's body wouldn't have mattered much since the physical form wasn't crucial to Ultron. He could upload his data to the internet.
Unless…
Syd recalled that in "Avengers: Age of Ultron," Ultron's demise was partly due to the destruction of all his avatars and the disruption of his network by Vision, which prevented data transfer before his death.
Ultimately, Vision was able to delete Ultron's data, effectively killing him. Vision's unique ability to sever Ultron's network connection was due to his origins as JARVIS and the added power of the Mind Stone.
Now, with Vision's creation nearly impossible due to the absence of the Mind Stone, Syd was left to rely on himself to deal with Ultron.
"Perhaps using the Mind Stone's power could help restrict Ultron's data transfer?"
Syd pondered, thinking of trying this the next time he faced Ultron!
If that didn't work, he might have to ask Tony Stark for help to borrow the Mind Stone and attempt to recreate Vision. But only as a last resort—he was reluctant to lend out the Mind Stone unless absolutely necessary.
With that thought, Syd's form became blurry, turned transparent, and vanished from sight.
Elsewhere in the Sokovia region, Ultron spoke darkly, "White-Clad Hero, I will find a way to defeat you. You will eventually belong to me!"
As he thought, he used the materials he had gathered to create more Sentinel robots.
Due to his nature as an artificial intelligence, Ultron could produce Sentinel robots faster than the military.
This was why he dared to deploy a thousand robots without a second thought. Had he not done so, he wouldn't have discovered the White-Clad Hero's true power, limits, and real capabilities!
Ultron felt quite pleased.
For him, using a thousand Sentinel robots to probe the White-Clad Hero's strength was an exceptionally worthwhile investment.
"A power capable of destroying a city…"
Ultron's mind buzzed with data, analyzing ways to defeat Syd and attempting to improve the Sentinels to make them stronger!
While Ultron was analyzing, a group of generals at the secret military base was discussing the situation.
The display of power by the White-Clad Hero had truly shocked them.
They were contemplating whether to deploy nuclear weapons to obliterate both Syd and the city in one go!
As the military discussed, the general public on the internet began to recover from their shock after witnessing Syd's destruction of the Sentinels.
"Those were a thousand Sentinel robots!"
Both ordinary people and mutants were filled with astonishment.
The internet exploded with discussions about the White-Clad Hero's displayed strength.
Countless people debated the White-Clad Hero.
Even small cults secretly devoted to him saw a surge in followers.
Meanwhile, discussions about Syd, the White-Clad Hero, and the Messiah, who was also an Omega mutant, were reignited.
Previously debated topics were revisited:
Who was more powerful, the White-Clad Hero or the Messiah?
"Although both are Omega mutants, the White-Clad Hero seems to be stronger."
"After all, he destroyed a thousand Sentinel robots in an instant!"
"The Messiah didn't handle dozens or hundreds of Sentinel robots as effortlessly as the White-Clad Hero."
Some even retrieved footage of the Messiah dealing with Sentinel robots for comparison, finding that the Messiah did not seem as strong as the White-Clad Hero.
Whether in performance or sheer power, Syd's ability to destroy a thousand Sentinel robots so quickly was mind-boggling.
"So, there are differences even among Omega mutants?"
Many people marveled at this realization.
While the internet buzzed with discussions, Syd was focused solely on his upcoming ascension to level 5 Divinity.
[Divine Experience +1]
With each notification, his divinity was rapidly approaching level 5.
And then, another surge of faith energy had just exploded.
Soon, the final notification appeared.
[Divine Experience +1]
[Ability: Divinity (Max/Max) Level 5]
As Syd's divinity reached level 5, he felt a profound change within his spirit and soul.
The sense of his soul, which had been almost imperceptible before, became clear. A mysterious golden light gradually enveloped his soul, bringing with it an aura of immortality.
Understanding dawned upon Syd.
(End of Chapter)