[Third Person Pov]
As Tony and Melissa pushed deeper toward Ultron's central core, the space behind them writhed with chaos. A massive tide of purple, virus-ridden drones surged after them, swallowing every circuit, conduit, and energy line in its path. The infected segments of Ultron's inner network glowed like veins filled with poison, each strand of once-pristine light turning a sickly, pulsing violet.
The prism-like lattice that surrounded Tony and Melissa—normally a shimmering tunnel of refracting colors—was fading rapidly, patches of violet infection spreading through it like rot through crystal.
"Uh, Tony?" Melissa called, her voice tight as several holographic screens blinked into existence around her. Each screen showed their rear view, all angles displaying the same nightmare flood of corrupted drones. "They're catching up to us…"
"Let them," Tony said without a hint of fear. His focus remained entirely on the controls of their sleek nano-scooter. "They've already tried chewing through this ride. Didn't work the first dozen times."
Melissa shot him a sharp look. "Yeah, I'm not worried about us, genius." Her expression twisted into a grimace. "I'm worried about Ultron's core. If it gets infected before we reach it, it's game over. We won't be able to access his central processing systems at all!"
Tony blinked. "Why didn't you open with that?"
"I did. You just didn't listen."
Rolling his shoulders, Tony leaned forward and tightened his grip on the steering handles. "Alright, alright—hold onto something. It's about to get real bumpy."
Before Melissa could protest, Tony cranked their speed even higher. The acceleration snapped them forward like bullets shot through a barrel, and in an instant, the smooth tunnel became a wild obstacle course. Their vehicle ricocheted off circuit walls, rebounded off glowing plates, and slid sideways along data conduits. They bounced, swerved, and jolted with enough force to rattle their teeth—like a pair of unwilling passengers trapped inside the worst pinball machine ever designed.
"Tony!" Melissa shouted, every muscle in her body straining as she fought to stay anchored. "We're supposed to be outrunning the virus, not joining it!"
"I warned you to hold on!!" Tony yelled back, laughing with manic delight as they clipped another wall and spun briefly sideways. "Hahaha—come on! This is awesome!"
"You're insane! And you called me weird!" Melissa snapped. Liquid metal poured from her suit, reshaping itself into a harness and sealing her tightly to the seat. "I swear, if we survive this, I'm filing a complaint with… with someone!"
---
Meanwhile, in the physical world, mere seconds had passed—yet the battlefield had shifted dramatically.
The students and Pro Heroes of U.A. had barely begun to relax, their strategy seemingly successful, when Ultron's fury erupted. Seeing their relief only fed his outrage. His metallic frame was already writhing with arcs of violet malware, the virus crawling into every joint and seam like parasitic tendrils.
Sparks snapped violently across his body as he seized, systems glitching under the internal assault. 'I don't know what they expect to accomplish by invading my body,' he snarled internally, 'but whatever their goal is, I will not permit it!'
With a grinding whirr, Ultron lifted himself from the crater. 'This is only one of countless bodies I command. I'll simply detonate this one—with them inside—and take everyone around me as well.'
His armored plating split open with sharp, cracking sounds. Through the fractures burst searing beams of light and energy, slicing outward and carving molten lines into the earth. The ground vibrated violently, trenches forming in the blink of an eye.
"Look out!!" multiple voices screamed at once as heroes and students scrambled to flee from the deadly rays.
Ojiro wasn't fast enough. One beam grazed his tail, and a cry tore from his throat as blood sprayed across the dirt.
Shoji staggered back as one of his limbs was severed cleanly, the appendage falling uselessly to the ground. Several students from Class 1-B were also struck despite Pixie-Bob and Monoma's combined effort to raise protective walls using Earth Flow.
Baymax stood immovably in front of Kota, shield plates sliding into place. "Warning," he said calmly, scanning Ultron's blazing form. "Ultron has initiated a self-destruct sequence."
"What?!" Momo gasped, horror flooding her face. She immediately activated her comms. "Tony! Melissa! Whatever you're doing—do it faster! Ultron is going to detonate!"
Tony's voice came through, maddeningly steady. "Roger, roger."
"Based on the current energy output," Baymax reported, voice flat and analytical, "the resulting explosion will be powerful enough to eradicate the entirety of Japan."
The words hit the students like a physical blow.
Kota's throat tightened. "C-Can you… do something about it?" he asked, fear trembling through his voice.
"Yes." Baymax's visor slid shut with a soft metallic click, transforming his gentle expression into a determined, featureless mask. His wing units unfolded from his back, humming as power surged into them. "I was created with the primary purpose of helping those in need. Therefore, I will simply follow my programming."
He took three heavy steps forward, then sprinted—his massive armored feet digging into the dirt—before launching himself skyward in a burst of blue flame.
"No…" Kota whispered as the realization struck him like lightning. He knew exactly what Baymax intended. It was the same thing his parents had once done—a hero's choice, a selfless choice.
Baymax's blue exhaust painted a streak across the sky. But then Kota noticed something else—another trail, fierce, violent, neon orange cutting upward like a screaming comet.
A voice roared after it.
"KACCHAN!!"
Bakugo tore through the air, explosions cracking behind him like artillery fire. He and Baymax spiraled through debris and shockwaves, weaving around the beams erupting from Ultron's unstable form. They reached him almost simultaneously—but Bakugo, powered by fury and pride, thrust himself ahead.
"What the hell do you think you're doing, you oversized Pillsbury doughboy!?" Bakugo barked, explosions flaring so bright they reflected in Ultron's metallic body. "I'm the hero here! YOU'RE JUST A GLORIFIED WET NURSE!!"
Baymax attempted to respond, but Bakugo cut him off with a feral, toothy grin. "There are injured people down there! Go patch 'em up!! DO YOUR JOB AND I'LL DO MINE!!" Bakugo roared, baring his teeth in a feral grin.
Before Baymax could argue, Bakugo's wings flared explosively. His suit blazed with the collective force of every explosion he'd saved, every ounce of sweat and stubborn will condensed into raw combustion. He unleashed all of it at once.
The sound barrier cracked apart around him, detonating into a shockwave that rippled through the sky like the fist of a god. Bakugo blasted upward with enough force to tear clouds in half.
Ultron turned his flickering, glitching gaze downward. "Who do you think you are—"
"I'M THE GREAT EXPLOSION MURDER GOD—DYNAMIGHT!!" Bakugo roared, laughter ripping from his throat like a battle cry. "HAHAHA! AND THERE IS NO UNIVERSE WHERE YOUR PATHETIC LITTLE FIRECRACKER OUTDOES ME!! TOUGH LUCK, YOU TWO-BIT ROOMBA!!"
---
Inside Ultron's collapsing system, Tony and Melissa bobbed and weaved through a hurricane of light.
Bolts of lightning screamed past. Energy beams stabbed out from collapsing conduits. The virus—now a solid purple tsunami—crashed behind them, devouring everything in its wake.
Melissa squinted ahead. "There! The clearing—Tony, look!" A blinding white radiance pulsed at the center of the network. "Ultron's core! Once we cross that threshold, we're out!"
"HRAAAAH!!" Tony roared as he slammed the thrusters to maximum. The vehicle jolted violently, becoming little more than a streak of motion hurtling through total chaos.
Every direction exploded with light. Circuits shattered. Reality flickered. They were racing a collapsing digital world itself.
And then—just inches from reaching the luminous core—
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
A shockwave tore through everything.
---
Outside, the world froze.
Everyone watching from the ground gasped, hands flying to their mouths, eyes widening as Bakugo's silhouette vanished into the largest explosion Japan had ever seen. A colossal bloom of violet energy swallowed the sky, expanding outward like a dying star.
For a brief, horrifying moment, the entire nation was bathed in purple light.
Then the shockwave hit.
The ground quaked. Buildings trembled. Heroes stumbled, bracing themselves as heat washed over the forest like an open furnace. Even from miles away, the air felt scalding.
Momo felt her heart lurch into her throat. She lifted her communicator with shaking hands. "Tony…?"
Static crackled.
Then—
"…Roger, roger. Can't talk right now, Momo. We're riding the connection through the digital world! This is trippy as fuck!"
A breath escaped her lips—a shaky, relieved sound. Despite everything, she caught herself smiling.
Maybe it was harsh… maybe it was selfish… but after losing Tony once, even for a few moments, she refused to let that happen again. The fact that his voice still reached her—even amid catastrophe—was enough to steady her trembling heart.
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