Although Magneto had always been the undisputed leader of the Brotherhood of Mutants, his command over the group was far from absolute. The Brotherhood, in truth, was a loosely connected web of mutants scattered across the globe. Even his most loyal subordinates operated semi-independently, overseeing their own territories and missions rather than staying by Magneto's side at all times.
Magneto typically issued only broad directives, leaving the specifics of execution to his followers. His recent command—to "secure Wakanda"—was no different. If he gave clear instructions, his people would obey. If he didn't, they would rely on their own judgment and methods.
Upon arriving in Wakanda, Magneto had immersed himself in the nation's advanced laboratories, burying himself in scientific research instead of politics or military conquest. The actual management of the mission, including strategy and coordination, had fallen naturally to Mystique.
Mystique was, after all, a master of infiltration, manipulation, and improvisation. If Magneto had led the campaign personally, he might have tried brute force, perhaps even demonstrating his power by tearing a chunk of vibranium from the earth and dropping it upon the city to subdue them into obedience. Mystique's approach was far more subtle and calculated.
The Brotherhood had no intention of exposing Wakanda to the outside world, nor did they wish to destroy such a technologically advanced haven. Their goal was control, not devastation. Thus, Mystique's plan emphasized deception, patience, and infiltration.
When Shin's earlier report about the attack reached them, it only reinforced the notion that Mystique's hand was at play. The chaos perfectly aligned with her tactics... cause confusion, hide behind the smoke, and seize opportunities in the shadows.
Magneto, meanwhile, ignored the accusing looks from Ororo Munroe. He had seen that same look countless times from the X-Men before, disapproval, disappointment, distrust. In fact, he almost relished it. It meant his strategies were working, that he was shaping events beyond their control. Yet, this time, something else gnawed at him, the disapproving gaze of his own children.
Wanda and Pietro stood nearby, uncertain and uneasy. Though they had yet to become superheroes or fully embrace their mutant heritage, they clearly disapproved of Magneto's methods. Their eyes carried the weight of moral conflict, a mix of concern, fear, and reproach.
For them, the Brotherhood's operations had always been a distant matter, the business of radicals and terrorists. But now that their blood connection to Magneto had been revealed, everything changed. They could no longer pretend indifference. They did not want their newly discovered father to remain a symbol of tyranny.
Before the tension could escalate, Shin stepped in and calmly declared, "This has nothing to do with Magneto or the Brotherhood. The attack was carried out by robots."
"Robots?" Storm repeated, her tone filled with disbelief as she exchanged glances with the others.
The Brotherhood was certainly no stranger to advanced technology. Magneto, despite his lack of formal academic training, was a self-taught genius in multiple fields. His grasp of magnetism, materials science, and genetics rivaled that of Earth's top minds. By merging scientific theory with his magnetic abilities, he often discovered or intuitively understood physical principles that conventional science could not yet explain.
Mystique, too, possessed her own brand of intellect. Fluent in nearly every known human language, she was a master of psychology, manipulation, and infiltration. While not as gifted in engineering, she had a practical understanding of biology and genetics that complemented Magneto's scientific pursuits.
However, robotics was another matter entirely. The Brotherhood had no access to the ultra-precise manufacturing capabilities needed to build sophisticated artificial intelligence or autonomous robots. Most of their equipment was either repurposed or crudely assembled in secret facilities, nowhere near the refinement necessary for true AI constructs.
Magneto was momentarily stunned by Shin's words. His first thought was one of relief, it meant the Brotherhood was not to blame. His second thought, however, was of dread. If the Ultron attack had nothing to do with his followers, it also meant it was outside his control. Worse, it could jeopardize Mystique's delicate position inside the Wakandan royal court.
He knew well that the supposed "old king" was none other than Mystique in disguise. Any sign of inconsistency or exposure would unravel their entire infiltration effort.
Fortunately, Shin's account reassured him. Mystique had evidently not been compromised, which meant there was still a chance to steer events in their favor. Magneto's tension eased, and he allowed himself a small, calculated smirk.
As for the robots themselves, Magneto dismissed them entirely. To him, machines built from metal were nothing but pawns awaiting disassembly. Whether Iron Man's armor, Sentinels, or Ultron droids, they all shared the same fatal weakness... magnetism. Magneto had always considered it suicidal for anyone to challenge him using metallic constructs.
Yet, the truth was that these Ultrons were unlike anything he had encountered before.
...
Far away, deep beneath the earth, the captured Princess Shuri sat restrained in a dimly lit underground base.
The Ultron drones that had abducted her now stood motionless, their red eyes glowing faintly in the dark. Unlike humans, they needed neither rest nor sustenance. Their hidden manufacturing complex was nestled beneath layers of rock and steel, operating silently and efficiently. The constant hum of machinery filled the air like a mechanical heartbeat.
At the center of the facility stood Ultron's main body, towering above the others. This unit was forged from a refined secondary adamantium alloy far tougher than ordinary steel, and capable of withstanding even the direct strikes of vibranium weapons.
"The plan encountered setbacks," Ultron said coldly, his voice a chilling mechanical echo. "But the core objective was achieved."
He turned toward Princess Shuri, whose wrists were bound to a metallic chair by electromagnetic cuffs. "Show me your Wakandan technology."
Despite her fierce glare, Shuri was helpless against the machine's strength. One of the drones lowered a device resembling a steel crown, a neural scanner, onto her head. It looked almost like a polished round pot, but its function was far more sinister.
Ultron activated the machine, and bright tendrils of light flickered through the air as data streams flowed across its sensors. Shuri's memories, knowledge, and research on vibranium were being copied and analyzed in real time.
Though Shin once mocked her as lacking in creativity compared to geniuses like Tony Stark or Reed Richards, her intelligence was still extraordinary. The entire foundation of Wakanda's vibranium-based technology was embedded in her mind, its properties, its limits, and even its potential to interact with energy fields.
To make matters worse, the Kimoyo Beads, Wakanda's central data network, were also in Ultron's possession. Together, the two sources gave him unrestricted access to the kingdom's scientific secrets. For Ultron, it was as if Wakanda itself had been stripped bare before his eyes.
In the dim light of the chamber, Ultron's crimson optics flickered as he contemplated his next move. His clawed hand rested against his chin, tapping lightly in a rhythmic, metallic beat. The sound echoed like a countdown.
"Vibranium," he mused aloud, his voice filled with digital curiosity. "A metal of unparalleled strength and versatility. You humans forged weapons from it… but I will forge evolution."
Ultron's interest in Wakanda was no coincidence. To him, vibranium represented more than a powerful resource, it was the perfect material for robotic ascension. For humans, it was a shield. For machines, it was the key to immortality.
Once he mastered Wakandan technology and integrated it into his own body, Ultron believed he could challenge the entire world. No human army, no superhero, no god could stand against him.
The faint hum of energy grew louder as the scanners continued extracting data from Shuri's mind. Her eyes fluttered, struggling to resist the invasive force.
"Your people built walls," Ultron said softly. "I will build a new world."
The words hung in the air, mechanical yet almost prophetic. In that moment, the war for Wakanda's future, and perhaps the world's, had truly begun.
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Now available - Chapter 626: Shin Makes a Move