Pale sunlight refracted through a cracked mirror, slipping in through the holes of heavy, filthy curtains. The boy's eyelids fluttered, then snapped open. The sudden light didn't bother his pupils. Nights in Sokovia were so silent they might as well have been death's domain—even a baby's cry would be muffled beneath thick blankets by cautious mothers. The shadow of the Avengers' recent departure, coupled with the return of the local government, lingered heavily in the air. Many still worried about where tomorrow's meal would come from.
Though he had not slept a second, the boy felt no fatigue. Not even in the dead of night did he relax his vigilance.
As the first subject of the gene alchemy and biological surgical augmentation program, his body carried enhancements that even future gene warriors and Royal Guard candidates would never possess. Like an artist splashing pigment across a blank canvas, his Monarch tailored every modification to suit his specific qualities. This profoundly obscure field of gene alchemy, known only to the Monarch, worked silently at a microscopic level, reshaping him toward perfection. More critical than any of the surgical procedures were the immaculate genetic implants—sacred coding stored in special glandular nodes that would, in time, integrate fully and become as innate as a heart or a brain.
These modifications would not only grant him a lifespan without end but also a permanent resistance to the maddening corrosion of the Outer Realms. He would be the sharpest weapon in the Monarch's conquest of the material world and his crusade against dimensional invaders. The process itself could take decades or even centuries to complete and came with high failure and mortality rates. But the boy believed he would survive those trials—because the Monarch had expectations for him and all future Royal Guards, because he was loyal to his mission.
The blood of the Macedonian dynasty ran through his veins. The traits of the greatest emperors of Byzantium's golden age had been fused into his genetic design, refined and sanctified into something beyond human—into a singular, unrepeatable instrument of conquest.
He moved to the dusty window sill and pulled aside the curtain.
From here, he could see the small Eastern Orthodox chapel in the city center. The building was rich in both artistic and religious value, and neither the rebels nor the returning government had dared destroy it. After his reconnaissance the night before, he'd discovered a massive machine being constructed underground—a hidden factory that worked without pause beneath Sokovia's soil, glowing with a kind of industrial splendor the city had never known. The faint tremors rising from the earth had already begun to haunt the dreams of its people. The steel once hoarded by Baron Strucker had become Ultron's weapon. By manipulating the network and the remnants of the Iron Legion, Ultron had gained access to high-tech electronic components that shouldn't have existed in Sokovia.
The boy had mapped out the approximate location of the construct through narrow tunnels, daring stealth, and calculated assassinations. But dense guard patrols of Ultron's robots kept him from obtaining more specific data. Ultron's manufacturing power was immense—but the Monarch's warning echoed in his mind: If we do not end the AI threat here and now, it will return stronger when humanity reaches for the stars. It will metastasize like a tumor and, eventually, take control of the body.
The Monarch's method was to lance the boil early—to squeeze out the pus, however vile, and give humanity a chance to heal, leaving behind a scar that would forever serve as a warning. Even so, the coming war was beyond what mankind had ever imagined. And no one would thank the Monarch for his mercy.
By the boy's feet lay several dismantled robot heads.
He wasn't especially adept at engineering, but he had received basic training. He extracted their storage units and uploaded the data to Immortal City through his personal terminal. The intelligence team would decode the visual data stored in their memory cores and analyze what the machines had seen. Those reports would then be sent to the Strategic Advisory Department for review before reaching the Monarch. Intelligence would be key to victory—but the boy himself was not the key to ending the war.
Perhaps once his transformation was complete, he might become that key. But for now, his mission was simply to gather intelligence and kill high-value targets. The real strike force would be the sky-carriers now preparing to launch, along with the fully armed mortal troops and Sisters of the Blade aboard them—and the heavy firepower waiting in the armories.
Victoria Hand, head of the Intelligence Department, had just been summoned to a strategic briefing. She and Tita were to offer final input that would directly affect battle doctrine. Agent Hand wasn't particularly thrilled—her agents had just located the Inhumans hiding in China, and one of Coulson's tech operatives had already "infiltrated" the group. She was coordinating a joint raid with Commander Gonzales and the remnants of SHIELD when the command from Immortal City recalled her to the mothership.
"So, we're facing an extinction-level threat now, huh?" she said, casting her gaze across the room. Standing around the holographic table were various figures—a stern-faced android clad in powered armor, a wild-eyed redhead with braided pigtails dressed in tactical gear, and the stoic head of internal affairs wearing a necklace personally forged by Solomon. Operations, intelligence, and logistics stood united under the secret orders of the Master, working to ensure the Sokovia operation would succeed.
"So this is the result of your handiwork?" Hand scanned their faces, then turned to the central hologram. "Dana, if BOSS said to stop the new Ultron from being born, then why didn't you call in backup?"
"If I couldn't stop him, your mortals would've been even less effective," Dana replied, expressionless from within the projection. She raised a small clay hammer inscribed with ancient runes. "I temporarily seized the power of Mjolnir, but I still couldn't stop Thor from powering the Cradle."
"The upper floors of Stark Tower are completely destroyed. According to our investigation, it looks like repeated electrical surges caused the damage. The tower was struck by lightning twenty-six times. You can see it on the news. Want to know what your fight did?" Hand looked visibly annoyed. "Not only did you fail to stop a new AI, you may have killed every Avenger except Thor. I don't know what BOSS's contingency plan was, but I'm sure even he didn't expect you to blow it this bad."
Tita remained silent.
"My fight didn't harm anyone else," Dana replied. "Wanda Maximoff was present. She ensured their safety... and I rather enjoyed wearing that armor. Thor isn't the God of Thunder—he's the God of Hammers." She tugged at the scorched fringe of her hair. The Witch had already booked her a salon appointment.
"Shattered glass falling from skyscrapers isn't my responsibility. I only care about the mission."
"And you failed the mission. A new Ultron was born."
"This was within the Master's expectations. Just one possible outcome." Dana waved her hand dismissively. "If necessary, we'll just kill the new AI. For now, it claims to be on our side."
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Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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