Counting spoils(chapter 88)
A/N: Sorry for the late upload. I had to travel for two hours on a train to get back home from my holiday. Anyways, although the beginning of the chapter is about Avengers: Age of Ultron, it won't be just about that.
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prevouslty in chapter 87
Natasha, her face a mask of concern, added, "He's been in everything. Files, surveillance. Probably knows more about us than we know about each other." James Rhodes, ever the pragmatist, voiced the worst of their fears. "He's in your files, he's in the internet. What if he decides to access something a little more exciting?"
"Nuclear codes," Maria Hill said, her tone sharp. "Nuclear codes," Rhodes echoed. "Look, we need to make some calls, assuming we still can." Natasha's voice was steely. "Nukes? He said he wanted us dead." Steve corrected her, "He didn't say dead. He said extinct." Clint Barton, always perceptive, added, "He also said he killed somebody."
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Chapter 88
Maria Hill frowned. "But there wasn't anyone else in the building." Tony brought up a now-destroyed 3D image of JARVIS' consciousness. "Yes there was."
Bruce, his voice filled with disbelief, said, "This is insane." Steve's voice was firm. "JARVIS was the first line of defense. He would've shut Ultron down, it makes sense." Bruce shook his head. "No, Ultron could've assimilated Jarvis. This isn't strategy, this is... rage."
Thor, driven by his anger, grabbed Stark by the throat, lifting him effortlessly. "Woah, woah, woah!" Clint tried to intervene. Tony, struggling for breath, managed to say, "Come on. Use your words, buddy."
Thor's voice was a growl. "I have more than enough words to describe you, Stark." "Thor! The Legionnaire," Steve intervened, his voice a commanding presence. Thor released Tony, his face still stormy. "Trail went cold about a hundred miles out but it's headed north, and it has the scepter. Now we have to retrieve it, again."
Natasha, her mind racing, stated, "The genie's out of that bottle. Clear and present is Ultron." Dr. Helen Cho, her voice trembling with confusion, asked, "I don't understand. You built this program. Why is it trying to kill us?" Tony's laughter was bitter, a defense mechanism. Thor's glare could have melted steel. "You think this is funny?" he demanded.
"No," Tony replied, still half-laughing. "It's probably not, right? Is this very terrible? Is it so... is it so... it is. It's so terrible." Thor's fury was barely contained. "This could've been avoided if you hadn't played with something you don't understand."
Tony's voice was sharp with sarcasm. "No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It is funny. It's a hoot that you don't get why we need this." Bruce tried to calm things. "Tony, maybe this might not be the time to--"
"Really?!" Tony snapped. "That's it? You just roll over, show your belly, every time somebody snarls." Bruce's voice was quiet but firm. "Only when I've created a murder bot." Tony was relentless. "We didn't. We weren't even close. Were we close to an interface?"
Steve's voice was calm but firm. "Well, you did something right. And you did it right here. The Avengers were supposed to be different than SHIELD." Tony, his frustration boiling over, shouted, "Anybody remember when I carried a nuke through a wormhole?"
James Rhodes' voice was calm, a counterpoint to Tony's anger. "No, it's never come up." Tony's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Saved New York?" "Never heard that," Rhodes replied evenly.
"Recall that? A hostile alien army came charging through a hole in space. We're standing three hundred feet below it. We're the Avengers. We can bust arms dealers all the live long day, but, that up there? That's... that's the end game. How were you guys planning on beating that?" Steve's answer was simple and profound. "Together." "We'll lose," Tony said, the frustration clear in his voice.
"Then we'll do that together, too," Steve replied, the conviction in his words unshakable. Tony looked at Steve for a moment, then turned away. "Thor's right. Ultron's calling us out. And I'd like to find him before he's ready for us. The world's a big place. Let's start making it smaller."
-scene change-
Back at Henry's hideout, Henry could be seen looking at vials of two different blood samples. Both of these vials were filled with Thor and Hulk's blood, which were then turned into essences.
[ Name: Asgardian Thunder Blood Essence ]
[ Grade: 6th ]
[ Description: Extracted from the blood of the mighty god of thunder, this essence is infused with divine energy and immense power. It grants exceptional enhancements to strength, endurance, and control over lightning and storms. ]
[ Effects: +500% increase in physical strength, +500% enhancement in endurance and resilience, +500% amplification of lightning manipulation abilities, +500% boost to storm generation and control, +500% resistance to electrical attacks, +500% regeneration rate ]
[ Deterioration-Rate: 0% ]
[ Name: Gamma-Infused Blood Essence ]
[ Grade: 7th ]
[ Description: Extracted from the blood of the Hulk, this essence is charged with intense gamma radiation and unparalleled strength. Consuming this essence grants immense power and resilience, with a chance of transforming into a Hulk-like being. However, there is also a significant risk of permanently becoming a tumorous creature. ]
[ Effects: +1,000% increase in physical strength, +1,000% enhancement in endurance and resilience, +1,000% boost to healing and regeneration, +1,000% amplification of rage-induced power, +1,000% resistance to physical damage, +1,000% enhancement in gamma radiation absorption, +1,000% increase in durability and toughness ]
[ Deterioration-Rate: 0% ]
That is when Henry suddenly had a feeling, "Oh, the illusion was broken," he thought. That is right, what just happened at the Avengers Tower before Ultron crashed the party was all an illusion caused by the Reality Gem. "I just didn't expect them to break the illusion so soon, and that darned Mind Stone nearly killed me." This whole event started when the party at the Avengers Tower began. Henry disguised himself as one of the unassuming guests to get a layout of the place, but while he was wandering, he passed by a lab, allowing him to see Ultron killing JARVIS. But what he didn't anticipate was the Mind Stone releasing a pulse of psionic energy the moment it sensed him. It still held a grudge at the fact that he had used the essence extraction skill on it.
This meant he couldn't go and extract it again, so he left it be. Plus, he was here to get Thor and Hulk's blood. He didn't bother with the stone since that thing might expose him if it attacked constantly. So he waited until the Avengers were all alone, and once they were, he activated the illusion skill on the Reality Gem. While under the illusion, Henry extracted their blood before teleporting away. Both of them had already healed the moment he took the needle out, and it wasn't an ordinary needle. Henry used the syringe made from a piece of the Destroyer armor. Once he got the blood in his hand, he teleported away.