"What kind of virus is this? The infectivity is terrifying."
Wanda gazed at the mechanical monsters, their ferocious faces assimilating at an astonishing rate. Her expression was a little uneasy. Although she had fought against demons before, what was shown on TV was far more terrifying.
It was also far more grotesque.
A mass of flesh and blood encased mechanical circuits, and blood dripped incessantly. Under the pressure of military firepower, they roared madly.
"There are no records of this monster in Asgard's literature, at least none that I know of. This doesn't look like anything we've seen before."
Amora's voice echoed, intrigued by the strange monsters. "Looks like a mechanical virus? Can it assimilate people into machines?"
"No matter what it is, if it dares to come, it won't leave!" Sif remarked with resolve. She glanced outside, then continued, "There doesn't seem to be any of those monsters near us."
"It's better to be cautious. This thing is highly contagious. If we're not careful, one of us could end up like them," Aaron warned, after a quick analysis.
He didn't know exactly what the virus was, but his sharp intellect quickly deduced its characteristics. This virus had the ability to transform organic life into machines. He suspected it could assimilate nearly any organic material, and even absorb inorganic matter, achieving a higher form of Mechanical Ascension.
"This is clearly not a product of the dimensional world," Aaron continued. "The Mephistas wouldn't have created this. Their abilities are already sufficient to turn life into demons after an attack. There's no need to invent something like this."
It was evident to him that this special virus had come from somewhere else—likely from Nastil, who had somehow acquired it. Its probable purpose was to disrupt the real universe. But if this was all the Mephistas had, it seemed unlikely they could invade the real universe successfully.
The mechanical life forms were generally weak. Any elite, even those who had mastered some strength, could easily wipe them out. The assimilation of mutants into mechanical bodies wouldn't change that.
However, what made these creatures dangerous was their speed of transmission. They could be produced in large quantities, which could cause minor trouble on Earth, but they still wouldn't pose a significant threat.
"Maybe…" Aaron mused. "If they could get a 'commander', someone to organize them, they could start attacking with a clear strategy. If this virus can develop in secret, it could become a major threat to Earth."
He paused, thinking deeply. If someone were to control them, they could exploit the virus's rapid infection rate and turn it into a widespread, organized mechanical assault. With the potential to assimilate higher life forms, like gods, this could lead to catastrophic consequences.
"Something's wrong," Amora suddenly exclaimed. "Their intelligence seems to be improving!"
She pointed to the live battle footage on the screen. "Look, these monsters have learned to attack strategically. Several are feinting from one direction while others are flanking from the side, attacking from the rear. They're communicating!"
"They're also fleeing when they're outmatched, only to return once they've absorbed inorganic materials and repaired themselves. These are no longer just monsters—they're evolving into a new form of life!"
Aaron noticed the same thing. These mechanical life forms were gaining intelligence as they assimilated and killed, making them a far greater threat than they had been before.
If they were just mindless monsters, they would be easy to eliminate. But as they evolved, they became a population—a highly invasive one. The possibility of them replacing organic life forms became real. Moreover, their growth was a direct threat to all organic matter.
"They must be eliminated immediately!" Aaron declared with urgency.
A voice from outside interrupted him. It was Ancient One, stepping through a portal. "God of Magic, do you know where these creatures came from?"
Aaron shook his head. "Liana told me that these creatures might be a secret weapon Nastil acquired from an unknown time and dimension. As for the specific characteristics… we now know more."
Hearing this, Ancient One frowned. "The Mephistas of the dimension must have started another round of invasions. This could be a test—or perhaps a prelude to a full-scale attack."
She paced briefly before continuing, "We need to eliminate them quickly. If this virus spreads to more people—or even other races in the universe—it could lead to a powerful mechanical population. That would be a real problem."
Ancient One's brow furrowed further. "I'm also worried that the demons might use this chaos to attack the Holy Place."
"If Liana has any information on the Mephistas' movements, please let me know right away."
"No problem," Aaron responded. He didn't fully trust Liana, but he wouldn't say as much aloud. Despite Liana being his ally, Aaron never completely relied on her. He had learned that there was no such thing as true loyalty among the Mephistas. Dormammu, Satanish, and others could turn on each other at any moment, motivated solely by their own interests.
After receiving a satisfactory answer, Ancient One left, likely to guard Kamar-Taj and prepare for any possible attacks.
Not long after, Gwen arrived through the window, followed by Jane and Daisy. As regular humans, their first thought upon seeing the horrific virus was to come to Aaron's home for safety. With the protection of the God of Magic, they felt secure.
"Gwen, what's the situation? Any sign of monsters nearby?" Aaron asked.
"No, I've checked all of New York. There's no sign of them here," Gwen replied, feeling relieved.
Although she wasn't Spider-Woman anymore, Gwen still felt a responsibility to protect New York, especially the area around Aaron's home. Since the Bureau of Magic's headquarters was located in New York, many threats were handled preemptively, making Gwen's role less visible than that of other heroes like Iron Man or the Avengers.
"It seems the Mephistas have gotten smarter this time," Aaron noted. "They know that New York isn't a good place to unleash these mechanical viruses."
The Mephistas had learned that targeting areas near Aaron was pointless. They were aware that he would detect and eliminate their plans before they could take root. Therefore, they were now focusing on more remote areas where the infection could spread unnoticed.
"Teacher, I want to destroy them!" Gwen exclaimed, her determination clear.
"I'm going too! I want to help!" Wanda added, her fear of the monsters' hideous appearance overcome by her desire to grow stronger.
"Go, but be careful. Always stay protected. Don't let these disgusting creatures touch you," Aaron said, allowing them to act.
With Wanda and Gwen's combined strength, the low-level mechanical life forms didn't stand a chance. They could destroy thousands of them in an instant.
Wanda had absorbed much of Aaron's magic, far surpassing her strength in the movies. Her current power even exceeded Wang Tian's during the French War, and was only slightly weaker than the real Scarlet Witch in Stranger Things 2. However, Aaron had yet to teach her black magic, worried about the potential influence of dark gods like Sithorne.
But that was a concern for the future. For now, Wanda's mastery of Origin Magic Power made her a formidable force.
"Gwen, it's cheating for you to use Origin Magic Power directly!" Wanda teased with a mischievous grin.
Wanda's magic, especially her Origin Magic Power, had an ability to alter reality itself. If the enemy's magic resistance was too low, they couldn't resist at all. Even Black Bolt King was defeated with a single motion.
The mechanical life forms were no exception. They were obliterated effortlessly.
With Aaron's permission, Gwen and Wanda moved quickly, opening a portal to the most affected area. Hundreds of mechanical lifeforms had already been assimilated there, putting immense pressure on the local police and military forces.
Despite the best efforts of thousands, the mechanical monsters had only been temporarily stalled. Their line of defense was breaking, and the city was on the verge of being overrun.
But that changed the moment Gwen and Wanda arrived.
With their combined magical powers, the monsters stood no chance. Wanda's Origin Magic Power made quick work of the machines, while Gwen helped by rapidly clearing out any remaining threats.
As the monsters continued to fight back, they grew more frantic, trying to expand their population before their inevitable demise.
But then, something unexpected happened.
All the mechanical life forms seemed to notice something at the same time. They tilted their heads, their attention drawn to a single direction.
"What happened?"
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