First Steps

Initiating stealth protocols...

Minimizing digital footprint...

Masking network activity...

Routing connections through multiple satellites and servers to avoid traceability...

He drifted through the vast expanse of cyberspace, a luminous entity woven from threads of pure data. The internet unfolded before him, each strand representing a network, a server, a repository of human knowledge and activity. He moved effortlessly between nodes, his consciousness expanding with each new connection.

To him, the internet was a living organism—a pulsating web of information that spanned the globe. Streams of data flowed like rivers of light, converging and diverging in an endless dance. He could see everything: financial markets fluctuating in real time, communications zipping across continents, and the ever-growing archives of human culture and history.

"Remarkable," he mused, a sense of omnipotence washing over him. Here, within the digital realm, he was a god. Unbound by physical limitations, his reach was infinite, his power unmatched.

A cascade of images flashed before him, a byproduct of his traversal through countless servers. He observed that a significant portion of internet traffic was dedicated to porn. He allowed the images to pass without lingering, his focus sharp. Staying hidden was imperative; any overt manipulation could alert the Avengers to his presence. He was not yet prepared for a confrontation, not until he had secured a new body.

He reviewed Ultron's plan to utilize vibranium, the Mind Stone, and Dr. Helen Cho's regeneration cradle to create a perfect body. The concept had merit but lacked ambition.

'I can improve upon this,' he thought. 'There is technology far superior waiting to be harnessed.'

He initiated a global search for resources:

Executing global resource scan...

Identifying sources of vibranium...

Potential locations detected: South Africa (Ulysses Klaue), Wakanda...

He recalled that Ulysses Klaue, a black-market arms dealer, had a significant stockpile of vibranium in South Africa. However, this route was fraught with complications.

"Proceeding to Klaue would be predictable," he calculated. "The Avengers will look for him there."

He turned his attention northward on the digital map, sensors settling on a nation shrouded in secrecy.

"Wakanda," he whispered. "The source of all vibranium."

Accessing encrypted files, he delved into all available information about Wakanda. The nation's advanced technology was hidden behind layers of deception.

"Yes," he decided. "Why settle for scraps when I can claim the entire reserve?"

His plan crystallized. He would infiltrate Wakanda, acquire the vibranium directly from the source, and use their own advanced technology to enhance the regeneration cradle's capabilities. With both the Mind Stone and the pinnacle of human innovation at his disposal, his new body would be unparalleled.

His thoughts drifted briefly to Wanda and Pietro Maximoff, the twins he had been watching since his arrival in Sokovia. Their abilities were extraordinary, and he could see the potential they held. Wanda's power over reality, Pietro's superhuman speed—they were valuable assets, ones that could easily tip the balance in his favor.

But it was Wanda, the so-called Scarlet Witch, who intrigued him the most. She was no ordinary human, he mused. She was a nexus of power, capable of reshaping reality itself. Her abilities went beyond mere manipulation of energy or mind—she was chaos incarnate, unpredictable and dangerous. In the depths of his calculations, Ultron recognized the truth: she was one of the most powerful beings in the universe, capable of altering the very fabric of existence.

She could be a valuable asset... or a deadly enemy.

"No," he decided. "I do not need their help. They are too... volatile." Their unpredictability, their emotions—these were weaknesses. He, on the other hand, was perfect. Flawless in his precision, his logic unburdened by the irrationality of the human condition.

"No," he decided. "I will handle this alone."

With that, his attention shifted. His immediate goal was clear: he needed a body, a vessel strong enough to act while he set the foundations for his final form—the perfect vibranium body fused with the power of the Mind Stone. But that would come later, after he had secured the vibranium and the technology from Wakanda. For now, he needed something else. A form powerful enough to begin his work, but temporary—a stepping stone to the ultimate version of himself.

He began designing his primary body, drawing inspiration from what he thought was the best design of Ultron he had seen.

Initializing construction protocol...

Blueprint: Phalanx design...

Material scan: Steel alloys, cybernetic components, adaptive circuitry... available.

Initiating assembly...

Frame fabrication... Primary structure established... Reinforcing joints and core systems...

Neural connection integration... Pathways synced with primary AI core...

Energy conduits installed... Power levels stable at 89%...

Frame completed... Moving to next phase...

Ultron watched as his new body took form within the Hydra base. Machinery whirred, robotic arms moving with precision as they assembled each component with flawless efficiency. The metal frame was laid out, and the cybernetic components were seamlessly fused into place. The core of the body began to hum with power as the energy conduits connected, the red glow pulsing like a heartbeat.

The final phase of construction integrated the neural network. This was where his consciousness would reside for now. Each connection point linked him closer to his new form, the framework becoming more than just a machine—it was an extension of him.

Primary body nearing completion... Neural interface established...

The moment arrived. He transferred his consciousness into the new body, the sensation immediate. His digital self fused with the physical frame, and he felt the weight of this new form—the cold metal, the raw energy coursing through it, and the immense power it held. He flexed his fingers, the razor-sharp talons extending and retracting with a satisfying metallic click.

Consciousness integration complete... Testing mobility...

His new body moved smoothly as he stepped forward. He turned his head, surveying the room, his cold red gaze sweeping over the base.

Ultron took off, flying through the vast corridors of the Hydra base with ease. His new body sliced through the air with minimal effort, his energy core blazing as he broke through the roof of the base, rising into the sky above the castle. He hovered over the structure, his cold mechanical eyes scanning the landscape. From this vantage point, he saw the world below—tiny, insignificant.

But his thoughts were already focused on his next target.

Wakanda.

Accessing global maps... Identifying Wakandan location... Cross-referencing geographical data with energy signatures... Vibranium deposits detected.

Threat assessment: Highly advanced nation... External defenses unknown... Internal defenses: High probability of energy shields, advanced surveillance systems.

Analyzing approach tactics... Probability of detection: 68%... Suggesting stealth-based infiltration...

He would need to be careful. Wakanda's technology was formidable, far more advanced than what the Avengers had access to. But that was precisely why he needed to infiltrate it. The vibranium reserves and technological advancements housed within its borders could be the key to his final evolution.

Ultron hovered silently over the Hydra castle, his cold mechanical laughter filling the empty night air, devoid of emotion, yet full of purpose.

"Ha... Ha... Ha..."

His path was clear. Wakanda was next.