239
Chapter 239
Vision's mind is a complex amalgamation of elements: the thoughts of Jarvis, Ultron, the Mind Stone, Tony Stark, and Bruce Banner, all intertwined.
Without the Mind Stone, Vision would at most become a completely emotionless robot, much like White Vision in the comics. This change would have minimal impact otherwise.
Ultron's creation was similarly influenced. The Mind Stone wasn't the primary material for Ultron's development; it was merely a catalyst. Without the stone, Stark could likely find other suitable catalysts.
For instance, remnants of the Mind Stone's power were present in the weapons and equipment from the Hydra base in Sokovia...
However, there's a more significant reason behind this.
The Council in this world is vastly different from the Security Council of Earth from Thor's previous life. It is predominantly controlled by Washington, essentially acting as its spokesperson. This is why the top leaders in Washington are eager to transform the Avengers into a force under their control. In other words, they want to wield this power themselves.
They'll use lofty rhetoric—such as "for world peace!"—to justify their actions.
The catalyst for all this was the Sokovia incident.
Thor could easily resolve this and extinguish the cause of the Avengers' split. However, Washington would not relinquish its goal easily. They would find other excuses to interfere in the Avengers' affairs.
As long as the Avengers remain active, there will be inevitable losses. Thus, even if there were no "Sokovia Act," there would still be "New York Act,"... .
Thor can only delay this, not avoid it. If such a civil war among heroes occurs during a critical time, like Thanos's invasion, it could spell disaster.
Thus, the best approach is not to evade but to actively provide these politicians with opportunities to escalate the crisis during this relatively calm period.
After all, it's Stark who will take the blame.
...
"Stark, you know the Infinity Stones are highly dangerous, so..."
Thor deliberately paused, keeping Stark in suspense.
Even though he planned to lend the gem, he couldn't make it too easy or Stark might become suspicious.
"Oh, don't worry, I'm not using it to create weapons! You know I haven't dealt in weapons for a long time!"
Stark was anxious. Without the Mind Stone, his Ultron project would be indefinitely delayed!
However, Stark, being sharp, quickly deduced: "Tell me what the conditions are. If you didn't agree, you would have ended the call already!"
It's easy to converse with intelligent individuals. Thor nodded in satisfaction: "It's simple. Hand over the data card on the top of the second drawer on the left side of your desk! Just give it to Skye."
"In the second drawer on the left side of the desk, on top of that data card..."
Stark initially looked puzzled, muttering to himself, before his expression changed: "Damn it, you really have a thing for my Friday!"
Stark's face darkened. This wasn't the first time Thor had targeted his artificial intelligence. Stark had invested considerable effort into developing three AIs in total.
Jarvis was an old butler and a good friend, making him reluctant to part with it. Friday was intended as a backup, and Thor had no appreciation for Edith, leading to ongoing friction...
Observing Thor's smug grin in the video, Stark controlled his rising frustration, weighed the pros and cons, and ultimately made his decision.
"Alright, I agree. I'll deliver it this afternoon!"
Stark felt he was gaining something valuable, trading Friday for the Ultron data...
Thor felt he had also gained. He had examined the artificial intelligence offered by the system. It was emotionless and highly functional, yet too rigid, only responding to commands without independent thought.
Perhaps this rigidity was an advantage in the system's view? They are completely obedient, eliminating the risk of rebellion like Ultron.
But Thor preferred not to deal with such a cold, impersonal AI.
...
Stark acted swiftly, delivering Friday's database in under half an hour, and Skye quickly integrated it into the entire castle's network.
A capable female voice soon emanated from the communicator: "Hello, boss!"
"Friday, from now on, you will fully manage the castle's attack and defense systems. You will be stationed in the unmanned operations room with full autonomy. You can make decisions and execute actions independently!"
"Yes, boss!"
Thor nodded.
The safety of his family was paramount.
He wasn't concerned about Asgard's Golden Palace, protected by a large army, barriers, and Heimdall's vigilance.
The palace on Earth presented more challenges. With fewer Asgardian soldiers and many inaccessible areas within the castle, the situation was more complex.
Moreover, what he distrusted even more than villains were the politicians in Washington.
A location within New York, marked as "Asgard Embassy," was a constant thorn in the side of Washington's top leaders.
Politicians in the US are essentially terrorists. They might even destroy the embassy and claim it was an accident, justifying their actions with false pretenses...
With Friday managing the palace's defense system, integrating both magic and technology, it was expected to be secure.
Thor planned to use the ultimate artificial intelligence, awarded by the system, in a more useful way rather than at home.
For instance...
"Ding! Mission - Galaxy Overlord: Defeat the two major antagonists from the Guardians of the Galaxy series! The second stage has commenced!"
"Current progress: Ronan 1/1, Ego 0/1."
"Mission Reward: A fortress-level interstellar battle fortress!"
A super space battleship, purportedly as powerful as Sanctuary II, would require numerous professional operators. Asgard would struggle to assemble such a crew.
Other races with larger populations might have more qualified personnel...
But trusted individuals were rare.
...