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"I mean..."
Banner hesitated before continuing, "Although it's not a human brain, it looks pretty similar."
He glanced at the yellow mass emerging from the scepter beside him and compared it to Jarvis's "brain." He couldn't help but sigh. "See? It's like a neuron discharge."
Both of them watched as the two cores pulsated, beating in tandem. Banner pointed out the shared trait.
Tony nodded, his eyes still locked on the mass. "When I was at Trishkel's test base, I saw some super advanced robots at work."
Banner raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. "He destroyed the data?"
Tony shook his head. "Of course not."
"But... I guess he's working on some advanced tech?"
As Tony spoke, Banner paced back and forth. When the conversation shifted to breakthroughs in tech, something clicked in Banner's mind. He stopped, turning to face Tony. "Artificial intelligence."
Tony nodded. "It's very likely, Bruce."
"But we already have Jarvis, Zola, and... Kai's Gear. Do we really need more research?" Banner asked, eager for clarity.
Tony took a moment before answering. "Yes."
"Gear is Kai's. He can't always be available for us. Jarvis has company operations and Pepper to manage." Tony paused, his eyes narrowing in thought. "And Zola... well, remember what we picked up from Xandar?"
Banner nodded, recalling their trip. "We've been there. What about it?"
Tony's voice became more serious. "We'll study the Xandar tech and build our own ship. Zola will be the AI onboard, handling that."
"So you're sending him off-world?" Banner asked, now understanding Tony's intent.
"Exactly," Tony confirmed. "Though someone's watching him, Steve's clearing Hydra, and no one can guarantee Zola's compliance forever. So it's safer in space."
Banner, realizing the reasoning, didn't argue. It was clear that such matters often fell under Tony and Kai's jurisdiction.
Tony then brought up his main point. "We're still missing something crucial: combat."
Banner's eyes widened in surprise. "You want to use AI for combat?"
Tony's voice was unwavering. "Exactly. Have you seen what's out there? The weapons in the universe are far ahead of anything we've got. If we want to compete, we need our own edge."
Banner absorbed the idea, surprised but understanding the logic. "AI for combat... that's a big leap."
"Don't be surprised," Tony said, sensing Banner's hesitation. "We're still at a disadvantage. The universe is full of advanced tech, and if we're not prepared, we'll be overrun."
Tony paused, allowing Banner time to consider. "What I'm proposing... it's not just a theory. We'll need your help to develop it."
After a long silence, Banner nodded. "Alright. I'll help."
Tony grinned, clearly relieved. The chances of Banner agreeing had been slim, but he'd pulled it off.
Tony eagerly led Banner toward the yellow core. "And this—this is the key to developing Ultron."
Banner frowned, confused. "Ultron? I thought that was just a name?"
"It was," Tony said, his excitement palpable. "But now, it's a real goal. If we can harness this energy, we can create a new generation of AI and integrate it into my suit."
Banner's skepticism was obvious. "That's a big 'if,' Tony."
Tony, undeterred, followed him. "That's why we're doing this. For the 'what if.' We need to push the boundaries."
Banner stopped in his tracks. "So you want to experiment with AI without telling anyone else?"
Tony faltered, caught. "I just didn't want anyone wasting time debating it," he admitted, lowering his gaze.
Banner shook his head. "No, Tony. If you're going to do this, you need to tell the team."
Tony, seeing that Banner wasn't backing down, sighed in agreement. "Alright, alright."
The two called Kai.
Kai, answering the call, said, "What's up, Tony?"
"It's Banner. Tony and I were talking, and he found something in the scepter. He wants to study it for—"
Before Banner could finish, Kai cut him off, his voice casual. "Can."
Banner blinked. "Wait... you're okay with this?"
"Of course," Kai replied, reclining in his chair. He knew exactly what they were aiming for. "With all the AI we have, I'm not worried about Ultron breaking free. Go ahead."
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