"Consuming 60,000 Special Popularity Points… Initiating draw…"
Inside Antony's consciousness, the two familiar blind-box orbs surfaced once more—spinning, humming—then detonated in a burst of light.
The first blind box exploded.
A streak of silver-blue light flashed.
Ding! Congratulations, Host!
You have obtained a Special Building/Facility:
Cyberdyne T-850 Terminator Fully Automated Production Line
Item Description:
A complete industrial production line capable of continuously manufacturing T-850 Infiltrator Units, provided sufficient metal raw materials and energy supply are delivered.
Performance Overview:
Model: T-850 Terminator
Ultra-alloy endoskeleton
Resistant to plasma weaponry
Dual hydrogen power cores
Operational lifespan: 120 years
Exterior: active living tissue skin
Exceptional combat and infiltration capabilities
Current Output:
10 units/day
(Output decreases with higher-grade materials, but individual combat performance increases accordingly.)
Included Technologies:
Skynet Basic Fire-Control Algorithm (self-awareness fully stripped; absolute loyalty guaranteed)
Synthetic Skin Cultivation Technology
Warning:
This facility requires deployment in real-world space, occupying approximately 5,000 square meters.
Once placed, it cannot be retrieved or relocated.
Antony's eyes lit up.
"T-850… Arnold with a cigar."
Sure, in a Marvel world where gods walked among mortals, a single T-850 might get torn apart by the Hulk or used as a lightning rod by Thor.
But that wasn't the point.
The value lay in mass production.
Absolute loyalty.
No fatigue.
No salaries.
Twenty-four/seven operation for 120 years straight.
And if upgraded with vibranium—or other exotic alloys?
"Worth it," Antony muttered, already planning where to drop the production line.
Then he turned to the second orb.
Ding! Congratulations, Host!
You have obtained a Special Item:
Paramecia-Type Devil Fruit
Item Description:
A rare specialty from the Grand Line. Consuming it grants a rule-breaking superpower.
Side Effects:
The consumer will be rejected by the sea, becoming a permanent non-swimmer.
Seastone exerts extreme suppression effects.
Note:
This world's seawater composition also contains trace elements capable of partially suppressing Devil Fruit abilities.
The glow faded.
A strange fruit appeared in Antony's hand.
It looked like a cross between a cantaloupe and a pineapple, its surface covered in unsettling spiral patterns, glowing a sickly purple.
"Devil Fruit…"
He rolled it in his palm, frowning.
Sure, he could fly—falling into the ocean wasn't likely.
But this was a world with Namor and Atlantis.
Voluntarily becoming a landlocked duck here?
That was just stupid.
Not to mention… the taste.
He asked the system which Paramecia it was.
After hearing the answer, Antony didn't hesitate—he tossed the fruit straight into the safe and forgot about it.
"Ashley."
He tapped the intercom.
Less than ten seconds later, Ashley rushed in, yawning, heels clicking.
"Sir? Heading out? I'll have the car ready."
"No rush," Antony said, walking toward the floor-to-ceiling windows. "I need you to handle something. Find a secluded location in upstate New York. Old bunkers, abandoned mines—I don't care."
"How big?"
"At least 10,000 square meters. Independent nuclear power. Top-tier security. Core area access—me only."
Ashley froze for half a second, then nodded without asking questions.
"Understood. Project codename?"
Antony gazed into the night, crimson light flickering briefly in his eyes.
"Codename… Skynet."
-----
With Skynet underway, Antony dropped back onto the couch.
Just then, Ashley—who'd already left—hurried back in, tablet in hand.
"Sir, you need to see this."
"Our commercial satellite picked up an anomaly in London. Hillingdon District…"
Antony took the tablet.
The footage showed an abandoned industrial zone.
A multi-ton cargo truck floated in midair like a balloon.
Nearby, a group of children played—tossing concrete blocks into an invisible "hole."
The blocks vanished… then reappeared hundreds of meters away, falling from thin air.
Spatial overlap.
Gravitational distortion.
Antony's pupils contracted.
The Convergence.
Once every five thousand years—nine realms aligning.
And sealed deep within the void…
The Aether.
The Reality Stone.
The most twisted Infinity Stone of them all—turning lies into truth, matter into dark energy.
"So… Thor 2 has officially begun," Antony chuckled softly.
He was powerful now—but not yet ready to wrestle cosmic gods head-on.
And if he wanted to stop Thanos someday, he needed that stone.
In the original timeline, Jane Foster wandered into the folded space, got possessed by the Aether, kicked off a cosmic mess, and woke up that dark-elf Teletubby-looking nightmare.
How she survived was anyone's guess—pure protagonist plot armor.
But Antony wasn't gambling with an Infinity Stone eating him alive.
"That thing needs… a vessel."
He picked up the office phone and dialed a familiar number.
"Beep… beep…"
"What?" came Jessica Jones' groggy, alcohol-soaked voice. "It's the middle of the damn night. If this is about another stupid ad, I swear I'll crawl through the phone and beat you to death."
"Good evening, Queen," Antony said smoothly. "Still drinking? Not very superhero-approved behavior."
"I'm off work, asshole. It's 1 a.m."
He laughed. "Put the bottle down. Get ready."
"For what?"
"London. Tomorrow morning."
"Not happening. Why would I go? Bad fish and chips and endless rain?"
"Vacation," Antony lied without blinking. "You've been stressed. Ashley says you nearly crushed a makeup artist's wrist. Also—local charity gala. They specifically want Queen Jones."
"Appearance fee… 2 million."
Silence.
"…Dollars?" Jessica asked.
"Pounds."
"…What time's the flight?"
"Eight a.m. Dress warm. London's cold." The line went dead.
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