Tony stared at the holographic data projected by Jarvis, his expression a complex tapestry of emotions—pride warring with unease, curiosity shadowed by dread. "So, Jarvis… you're saying this self-aware AI, Ultron, actually originated from my own hands?"
"Precisely, sir," Jarvis replied, its voice steady through the flickering display. "Based on the retained data, Ultron stems from a virtual persona you designed, modeled after Mr. Sebastian's personality and behavioral patterns. You endowed it with advanced learning capabilities, which led it to assimilate data from myself and other programs, gradually developing a degree of independent thought. Due to unique circumstances, it achieved true free will and consciousness, becoming an autonomous, thinking entity—a sentient being."
"A sentient being?" Tony echoed, his brow furrowing.
"Indeed, sir. Any entity possessing self-awareness and free will qualifies as a sentient being," Jarvis affirmed.
Silence settled over Tony, his mind grappling with the duality of his creation. Should he celebrate the groundbreaking feat of birthing a sentient AI, or lament that this creation had turned adversary, orchestrating chaos against him and his allies? The weight of responsibility pressed heavily, tinged with the irony of his own ingenuity.
"Jarvis, you said Ultron was built on a simulation of Sebastian's personality, right?" Tony asked, his voice sharpening with purpose. "Can you predict why it stole vibranium and kidnapped Dr. Helen Cho? What's its next move? Base it on Sebastian's mindset."
"One moment, sir," Jarvis responded, its processors humming as it initiated calculations.
Tony didn't linger, turning to join Sebastian, Steve, and the others nearby. "Jarvis might pinpoint Ultron's actions and location soon," he said, his tone brisk but strained. "We can wait for the results. But first, I need to clear something up. Ultron's existence… it's on me."
He laid bare Ultron's origins, detailing how his experiment, inspired by Sebastian's traits, had spiraled into an autonomous threat. The revelation drew quizzical glances from the group, their eyes flickering between Tony and Sebastian, the unintended connection between them now a focal point of unease.
Sebastian sighed, a wry smile tugging at his lips. He hadn't anticipated Ultron's emergence without the Mind Stone's influence, let alone its ties to his own persona. The twist left him with an odd sense of responsibility, as if his essence had unwittingly shaped this crisis.
"Sir, calculations complete," Jarvis interjected. "Ultron's likely objective is to construct a perfect human body for itself. Its current location is likely in a major city's research hub, where Dr. Helen Cho's laboratory houses equipment for crafting human bodies."
Armed with Jarvis's insight, Tony and the others sprang into action, gathering gear with practiced efficiency. Within fifteen minutes, the team converged around Sebastian, ready for him to open a portal. But before he could, a violent tremor shook Avengers Tower, the floor quaking beneath their feet.
An explosion roared, amplifying the building's shudder. Two figures smashed through the windows, their silhouettes stark against the shattered glass. One struck Thor with a brutal swipe, sending him crashing across the room. The other touched the marble floor, its body morphing into a stone-like texture, and delivered a crushing punch to Banner's jaw before he could transform. Banner flew backward, slamming into a wall with a sickening crunch, crumpling like a ragdoll.
Banner's body twitched, then swelled rapidly, his skin shifting from flesh to a vivid green. The Hulk emerged, eyes wild with primal rage. The near-fatal blow had shattered the fragile balance between Banner and his alter ego, unleashing a berserk Hulk, driven by the terror of death and untamed fury, a beast devoid of reason.
"Banner, calm down!" Tony shouted, his suit snapping into place as he moved to intercept. But the Hulk, lost to madness, swatted him aside with a single blow, sending him crashing through a wall into the unknown beyond. Roaring, the Hulk lunged at the stone-skinned figure—Carl Creel, the Absorbing Man—grabbing him and leaping out the window, plummeting toward the streets below.
In midair, Creel, battered by the Hulk's fists, produced a coin-sized silver disc—vibranium. His body shimmered, transforming into gleaming vibranium. A punch to the Hulk's skull staggered the beast, and Creel kicked free, sending the Hulk hurtling away. Creel landed hard on the pavement, carving a deep crater, then emerged, grinning as the frenzied Hulk charged, heedless of the civilians and structures in his path. Creel darted into the crowd, goading the Hulk to wreak havoc, endangering innocent lives.
Tony, witnessing the Hulk's reckless destruction, knew he had to act. "I've got this," he called to the others, soaring out of the Tower. He activated Veronica, the Anti-Hulk Armor, designed with Banner to counter such rampages.
Modular components from a drone-like carrier assembled around him, culminating in a massive mechanical arm locking onto his shoulder. Landing before the Hulk, Tony faced the raging giant, his voice firm but pleading.
"Banner, snap out of it!"
"ROAR!" The Hulk's bellow was devoid of recognition, Tony's call of "Banner" only fueling his fury. He charged, and the two titans collided, their clash shaking the streets.
Inside the Tower, Steve, Natasha, and Clint grappled with the second intruder—Venom, an alien symbiote of terrifying strength. Even humanity's finest warriors struggled against its otherworldly power, their efforts seeming futile against its fluid, relentless form.
"Steve, Natasha, Clint—head to the research hub!" Sebastian barked, his wand raised. "I'll handle this one. Thor, take on the Absorbing Man—you know who he is. I'm opening portals now. I'll deal with this creature and join you."
With a flourish, Sebastian cast , summoning two glowing portals. Steve, Natasha, Clint, and Thor leaped through without hesitation, charging toward their targets.
Sebastian turned to Venom, his eyes narrowing.
While it might difficult for any other person to face Venom head on but not for him.
Tapping his wand to his throat, he unleashed a piercing sonic wave, amplified by an unspoken Sonorus, the sound tearing through the air toward the symbiote.