Although the underground lab's research on cracking Ultron's networking mechanism remains inconclusive, it is progressing steadily.
The situation now resembles a secret invasion of Earth by the Skrulls.
Just as humanity could dismantle the Skrull threat by cracking their shapeshifting ability, the same applies to Ultron:
If his networking mechanism can be decrypted, it would be possible to effectively limit his creations. Even if Ultron gains self-awareness and slips out of Tony's control, he wouldn't be able to escape Anton's grip.
Of course, that idea is simple in theory—much harder in practice.
After exchanging information, Eddie continued monitoring Stark Industries' activities, tracking experimental progress through an informant within the company.
Three days later, with Tony Stark's help, the first-generation Ultron chip was successfully developed.
However, this version wasn't immediately used on human test subjects—it was instead installed into the Iron Man soldiers currently under military control.
With the Ultron chip upgrade, the Iron Man soldiers exhibited dramatically improved performance and intelligence. They were able to adapt to varying mission parameters and make decisions much like human agents.
To test this, the military arranged a live training exercise, pitting a special forces unit against ten Iron Man soldiers.
The outcome stunned many.
The Iron Man soldiers rescued the designated hostages with minimal losses, while the special forces unit suffered heavy casualties during the exercise.
Though the special forces were clearly frustrated, the military viewed the operation as a resounding success.
Not only had they acquired a powerful new combat unit, but they also gained full control over its behavior and operational logic.
When Anton received the news, his expression darkened.
There was no undoing any of this.
Now that the military had become deeply invested in the project, it was no longer possible for Anton to persuade them to abandon the Iron Man soldiers—let alone sway Tony Stark, who now harbored open hostility toward the Justice League.
Realizing this, Anton chose to stop interfering for the time being and let things unfold naturally.
Since the wheels were already in motion, anything he tried now would be futile.
He would wait for Tony to make a mistake—
And that mistake, Anton knew, would be Ultron.
Time passed quickly.
The Flash movie was successfully released amid great anticipation. Within just a few days, Anton's system panel showed that the Flash's fan value had reached an astonishing 50 million.
DC had scored yet another major success.
Still, this was exactly the result Anton and his team had expected. They didn't celebrate wildly—they had already moved on mentally to the next objective.
After redeeming the Flash's power for himself, Anton stopped paying attention to the movie's performance. Instead, he turned his full focus back to Stark Industries.
Tony Stark made his first public appearance since the Washington Special Forces incident and his confrontation with Captain America.
The occasion was a Stark Industries press conference.
Tony was set to unveil a new product tied to the Ultron project.
Anton and Eddie already knew what it would be:
The Ultron Chip.
This version would be considered the second-generation Ultron chip.
While the first-generation chip had been designed for use in Iron Man soldiers, the second-generation chip had broader—and far more alarming—applications.
It inherited all the strengths of the first version while adding new enhancements.
But most importantly—
It was designed to be implanted in humans.
Military volunteers had already been inoculated with the Ultron chip, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive.
With Tony pushing hard, the eager military swiftly approved a proposal to expand the program, planning to select elite soldiers for large-scale inoculation.
At the same time, Stark Industries received the green light to move forward with public distribution, securing the necessary regulatory approval to roll out Ultron chip inoculations nationwide.
Of course, the Ultron chip used by the military differs slightly from the version being introduced to the general public.
The military-grade version allows users to control the Extremis Virus through their brains, enhancing physical capabilities and pushing the human body to superhuman levels.
The civilian version, however, lacks this functionality.
In other words, ordinary users won't gain extraordinary abilities. But by receiving the Ultron chip, they gain the virus's regenerative properties—granting enhanced immunity and protection from most modern diseases.
At the press conference:
Tony's appearance—and the unveiling of Stark Industries' Ultron chip—instantly shot to the top of the trending charts, dominating the number one spot.
Public awareness of the Ultron chip skyrocketed.
Tony and Stark Industries presented the chip in glowing terms, drawing intense interest. However, the public remained cautious. Many were hesitant about injecting an unfamiliar technology directly into their brains.
On top of that, the Ultron chip came with a steep price tag, putting it out of reach for many.
Only middle-class and wealthy families were seriously considering the procedure.
So despite the intense buzz, the actual number of people stepping forward for inoculation was lower than anticipated.
Tony wasn't surprised.
The Ultron chip, after all, was like a revolutionary new drug: promising, but unproven. For people without serious health issues, the perceived risks outweighed the potential benefits.
But he knew this was only temporary.
As soon as the first few brave individuals showed off the results, others would follow.
One becomes two. Two becomes a hundred. Then a thousand.
Eventually, the whole world would be lining up to receive the Ultron chip.
"Batman…"
Tony sat on the couch in his high-rise apartment, gazing out at the blue sky and drifting clouds. His mood lightened with the view.
"Let's see how you compete with me this time."
"Once I finish transforming this world, there won't be a need for superheroes anymore."
"The world will spin in the palm of my hand—free from sin."
"I'll punish those who deserve it. I'll guide the rest toward virtue."
"Your dark knight ideals? I'll make them obsolete."
He spoke softly to himself, excitement glinting in his eyes.
He didn't notice the small surveillance camera—one he had installed himself—shifting slightly in the corner of the room, its lens quietly tracking the triumphant smirk on his lips.
Just as Tony had predicted:
Once Stark Industries launched the Ultron chip, early adopters became its most vocal supporters.
For them, the Ultron chip was the gateway to a new reality.
Gone were the days of clunky phones and computers. With just a thought, they could access the online world directly through their brains.
There was no need to speak aloud. Communication with other Ultron chip users happened instantly, telepathically—pure thought transmission.
This transformation made people feel almost superhuman.
But that wasn't the only difference.
The Ultron chip came with a built-in Extremis Virus function.
By paying an additional fee, users could unlock this feature, allowing the virus to reshape and enhance their physical condition.
Everyone became more attractive—more handsome, more beautiful.
Wrinkles disappeared. Even the elderly appeared noticeably younger.
Hospital check-ups revealed unprecedented health results, as if they'd been cured of every illness overnight.
This wave of transformation turned Ultron chip users into eager promoters.
Word spread fast.
Stark Industries' stock skyrocketed, surpassing all previous records and becoming the most valuable company in the world.
Tony's wealth grew like a snowball rolling downhill.
But for someone born financially free, the increase in wealth meant nothing to him.
To Tony, money was just a number.
What truly satisfied him was watching the inoculation counter climb higher and higher on his computer dashboard.
Through a secret platform he had built, Tony monitored the brainwaves of every Ultron chip user.
He used this data to subtly influence their thoughts, erasing the seeds of crime before they could sprout.
And he had already tested it in the real world.
In a robbery in Hell's Kitchen, the criminal involved had been inoculated with an Ultron chip.
He wasn't lacking money—he was simply addicted to the thrill of crime.
Especially after receiving the chip, the enhancements it gave him inflated his ego and appetite for risk.
He wanted to push boundaries.
But as he attempted the robbery, his brain was suddenly overwhelmed with excruciating pain.
Within moments, blood poured from his orifices, and he collapsed in front of his would-be victim—dead.
Later, the NYPD's forensic team listed the cause of death as a heart attack.
Although the man had no known history of heart disease, nobody questioned the incident too deeply.
People just assumed that karma had come swiftly for a criminal.
Only Anton, who had been keeping a close eye on Stark Industries—and Tony Stark in particular—noticed the deeper truth.
"Anton, did you see that? That guy Tony… he's starting to think he's a god. Killing whenever he feels like it!"
Eddie had found the obscure article buried in a lesser-known tabloid.
It didn't make headlines, but it caught his eye.
A criminal dying of a heart attack mid-robbery?
Many readers scoffed at the story. "Serves him right," they said.
But Eddie saw something in Anton's cold, unreadable expression.
He knew Anton understood exactly what had happened.
"He wants to rebuild order. We expected this, didn't we?"
Anton's tone was calm, unmoved.
The sewer lab's work to crack the Ultron network mechanism had yielded no results yet.
There was nothing he could do—nothing that would matter.
Eddie didn't grasp the full picture the way Anton did, but he knew enough to understand they had no way to stop the momentum.
There was no evidence they could show the public to prove Tony Stark was playing god behind the scenes.
Tony's fight with Captain America over the Winter Soldier's death had once hurt his public image, but now—with the Ultron chip—he was once again being hailed as the smartest man alive.
His fanbase exploded.
His reputation was being restored, bit by bit.
Now wasn't the time to throw accusations.
Any attempt to smear Tony would backfire under the weight of public opinion.
Worse, with elite soldiers gaining superhuman abilities thanks to the Ultron chip, nobody would view criticism of the program as anything other than jealousy—jealousy of Tony's success, and of Stark Industries' greatness.
You know, as the wave of the Ultron chip continues to rise, even the White House and high-ranking military officials are starting to covet it.
Of course, they are well aware of the potential dangers of the Ultron chip.
There's no rush to inoculate the public with it—unless the control of the Ultron chip can be transferred from Tony's hands into their own.
And they are already working on making that happen.
Tony, however, is simple.
After receiving subtle hints from the officials, he took the initiative to transfer control of the Ultron chip. But he also left a backdoor for himself to ensure that his influence would always outweigh theirs.
The White House and the military may not be oblivious to Tony's little maneuvering, but as long as he's willing to relinquish some control, they consider it a win.
They've backed off, step by step, without crossing Tony's bottom line.
New York, Sewer Laboratory
"The Ultron chip is a great invention. Combined with the Extremis Virus, it can indeed unlock more human potential and open up limitless possibilities for mankind."
Dr. Curtis Connors, also known as the Lizard, said, "However, Tony's ambition could make the Ultron chip dangerously unstable. Once tainted by ambition, it becomes impure and prone to change."
"Yes, the Ultron chip is a brilliant concept, and Tony Stark deserves credit for that."
Reed Richards acknowledged with a nod.
"If there were no Ultron involved, I'd be the first to get inoculated with that chip!"
Bruce Banner shrugged, watching the news on TV. People were flocking to Stark Industries, forming long lines and even setting up tents outside, eager to be among the first to get the Ultron chip inoculation.
In no time, the Ultron chip had become a societal trend.
Across the United States, the conversation was dominated by the Ultron chip.
People from other countries were already itching to come to the U.S. and get inoculated, hoping to experience the advancements in human evolution that technological progress could offer.
These individuals largely ignored the possible risks of the Ultron chip.
In other words, the potential benefits of the chip far outweighed any concerns they had about its dangers.
And especially for women—after seeing how inoculated individuals became younger, more beautiful, and slimmer due to the Extremis Virus—many couldn't resist the urge to get vaccinated themselves, becoming Tony Stark's most ardent followers.
As for the cost?
What cost?
Some financial companies, in collaboration with banks, had even set up loan programs to help people finance their Ultron chip inoculations.
The buzz was unstoppable.
"Enough with the small talk. Have you made any progress in your research on the Ultron chips?"
Anton suddenly asked as he faced the three scientists.
Through the New York Police Department, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles had recovered the Ultron chip implanted in a criminal who had died suddenly of a heart attack—an autopsy had confirmed it was the cause of death—and brought it to the sewer laboratory for further study.
Anton had come this time to see whether the trio had made any breakthroughs in their research.
"There's some progress,"
Reed Richards, also known as Mr. Fantastic, nodded and smiled.
"From this chip, we've already grasped part of Ultron's operating mechanism. Plus, with our prior research into Ultron, cracking its network mechanism will no longer be a problem."
…
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