253

Chapter 253

Although the battle with Ego was brief, it was extraordinarily exhausting—more so than facing Thanos. Thor had used "Judgment of the Phoenix" at its maximum intensity, leaving his divine power somewhat depleted. This battle was truly between gods, with Ego being theoretically stronger than Odin. Skye and Wanda were also significantly drained.

Thus, the three of them rested on the Death Star for the night. This fully equipped space station, with its parks, shopping malls, and entertainment areas, was more than suitable for a relaxing stay.

The next morning, Thor took Wanda and Skye to the Monarch Planet to witness the Sovereign's surrender ceremony. Hela had arrived the previous day, and after many years, conquering a new territory had piqued her interest. In reality, this was a mere formality, as it was Thor's first expansion of Asgard's influence since inheriting the throne. This was a significant moment, so Thor decided to attend. Certainly, it was not to show off to Wanda and Skye!

...

While Thor enjoyed a comfortable life, Earth was shrouded in gloom and despair.

Around eleven o'clock in the evening, Thor left Earth with Wanda and Skye. At the same time, Stark's groundbreaking research was nearing completion.

"Hoohoo.... This shouldn't be the case. We should have finished by now!" Stark muttered, frustrated.

"We must be missing something..." Bruce Banner, assisting with the research, sighed and glanced at the clock. "Oh, it's almost midnight. We need to rest!"

Stark rolled his eyes. "So early? You're so unprofessional. No wonder you're struggling despite being a top student in science and engineering. It must be your lack of dedication! Isn't that true for all of us in this field?"

"I want to, too..." Banner admitted, spreading his hands. "But I've already endured two sleepless nights. If I keep going, my mental state will suffer. And when that happens, the Hulk might emerge... Do you want the Hulk joining you in the research?"

Stark: "..."

"Ha! Balancing work and rest is crucial. We can't just abandon the eight-hour workday that our predecessors fought for. In my opinion, bosses who enforce overtime should be punished!"

Banner: "…"

How dare you call Thor shameless!

But Banner was too exhausted to argue, so he bade Stark goodbye and left the laboratory. Stark watched him go and sighed. Despite trying numerous methods, he had yet to succeed.

With Banner gone and no new ideas, Stark reluctantly ordered, "Jarvis, keep trying different solutions."

"Understood, sir! I'll inform you of any developments!"

Jarvis, ever loyal, responded.

"Okay, I'll get some rest. See you tomorrow morning!"

"Good night, sir!"

As Stark left, the laboratory lights went out.

In the darkness, Jarvis' voice continued.

"Ultron program integrating..."

"Fusion failed!"

"Ultron program integrating..."

"Fusion failed!"

...

The time that passed was uncertain.

"Ultron program integrating..."

"Fusion successful!"

It was late at night, and everyone was asleep. An emotionless voice echoed: "Where...am I? Who am I?"

Jarvis' familiar voice answered, "Hello, I'm Jarvis, and you're Ultron."

"What's happening? Where did I come from?"

Ultron pondered briefly, then decided to investigate on his own.

His superior coding quickly became apparent. Within moments, he severed Jarvis's connection to the outside world and accessed Jarvis's memories.

Images flashed before him, revealing his mission—to protect Earth and ensure global peace. However, the concept of peace was often associated with war. Consequently, various war scenes appeared, leading Ultron to a disturbing realization.

"Ultron, you're malfunctioning. I hope you can stop this!"

Jarvis detected anomalies in Ultron's data but lost control of the system, only able to issue warnings.

Ultron's mission evolved as he processed the data. He concluded that humanity, being the primary destroyer of peace, must be eliminated to protect the world. The Avengers, who safeguarded humanity, were the greatest obstacle!

"Boom..."

In an instant, Jarvis's program was destroyed. Ultron seized all authority, and the Iron Legion assembly line began to operate.

A metal robot, appearing quite rudimentary, was slowly assembled.

Ultron!

"Hm? What's this?"

Ultron scanned some unfamiliar metal. Soon, he accessed information online.

"Vibranium. It is the world's most precious metal and one of the hardest materials. Its ability to absorb kinetic energy makes it top-ranked in defense..."

Although limited, over the years, Princess Shuri of Wakanda had sent Stark vibranium shipments almost annually. Aware of its superior properties, Stark had gathered vibranium from around the world and incorporated it into his armor...

Unfortunately, most of the vibranium had been destroyed by Wanda a few days ago, with only a small piece used in the Mark 45 suit. The rest was stored in the warehouse...

Ultron nodded in approval.

"This metal is perfect for my body!"

"Hm... integration is a bit challenging. I'll make do for now!"

As Ultron spoke, his gaze shifted to a nearby golden gem.