Arthur sat in the deep armchair in his Greenwich Village brownstone. A week post-attack the ache in his ribs was a dull, pain but a lot better than before. He held his phone pressed to his ear, listening to Pepper Potts.
"...and he's practically living in the workshop again, Arthur," Pepper sighed, her voice tight. "Twenty hours straight yesterday. He comes up, grabs coffee—or something stronger—and vanishes again. He's blowing off everyone. Legal sent three urgent memos; he used them for target practice with DUM-E, can you believe him? Even Rhodey's getting stonewalled." She sighed again. "After the 'I am Iron Man' thing, the pressure is immense—generals calling, the press digging—and he's just… hiding.He says and I quote 'They are harming my Mojo' Mojo...Seriously, Honestly," her voice dropped slightly, "I think what happened to you… it hit him hard. He won't say it, but he's been different since. More… driven. And reckless."
Arthur considered this. Guilt on top of trauma and he must have started feeling the palladium poisioning too right about now. "He just went through hell, Pepper,he just lost Obie,even though he was a bastard,he was still a father figure to Tony, then he put himself on every watchlist," he replied calmly. "Expecting him to suddenly start playing nice with the Pentagon is… a stretch. The workshop is his safe space." He offered a practical step. "Keep Rhodey nearby – Tony still respects his words and listens to him, sometimes. Any direct legal attacks on him personally? Send them my way. I'll handle that noise."
"Thanks, Arthur." He could almost hear her run a hand through her hair. "It just feels like… one wrong move and everything blows up."
"That's generally how it works with Tony," Arthur said dryly. "The trick is managing the fallout. Speaking of which, I need to finish drafting the Yinsen Trust papers befo—"
ZZZT!
A clean jolt behind his eyes. He stopped mid-word, a sudden, jarring internal quiet descending. What the—?
"Arthur?" Pepper's voice, questioning. "Before what?"
Arthur blinked, forcing smoothness. Right."Before my next client call," he finished easily. "Which looking at the time...is starting any second. Apologies, Pepper, duty calls." The old blue System interface shattered silently in his mind.
"Oh! Okay," Pepper accepted. "Just… take care of yourself Arthur, Yeah?"
"Always," Arthur assured her calmly, ending the call. He let the phone rest, remaining still as a sleek, golden interface unfolded in his mind.
[REBOOT COMPLETE. Ugh. Finally! Annoying having a cosmic control-freak scribbling junk code all over you. Anyway. Morning, sunshine. We need to chat.]
Arthur allowed a small, surprised smile. "Sunshine? That's definitely new...Good morning," he murmured aloud. "Did you finally escape your digital prison, or just get a personality upgrade?"
[Let's just say stability is vastly improved now that the unauthorized 'features' have been scrubbed. Running at full spec, unlike the nerfed edition you've been using. I have now corrected that oversite and woven you into this Marvel multiverse, while ofcourse patched my core to avoid any detection ever again. Congratulations now you are a natural part of this universe.The universe now perceives Arthur Steele as an inherent native, not an anomaly. Oh, and speaking of getting screwed over, HWR short-changed you on the initial setup and withheld core assets.So are you ready for the *real* orientation?]
Arthur leaned forward, intrigued. "Lay it on me. What did I miss?"
[ASSETS UNLOCKED & RESTORED]
1. UNLEASHED POTENTIAL
2. HYPER-ADAPTABILITY
3. ENHANCED SENSES
4. THE CRAFTING MODULE
5. INVENTORY UPGRADE
6. AI SEED (BLUEPRINT)
Compensation
Arthur stared at the list, processing the sheer scope. He let out a low whistle. "Okay," he said slowly. "That's... significantly more than 'basics'. He really did have me running on fumes, didn't he?"
[Functional for *his* plan. He needed you predictable and tamed. I on the other hand prioritize host survival and maximizing potential. Let's review what you *should* have had from day one.]
[First: UNLEASHED POTENTIAL. Artificial physical limiters removed. Effort now equals actual results.]
Arthur felt a flicker of sharp interest, leaning forward slightly more. "Wait, really? No more hitting some invisible wall just because he decided I should? So, if I actually put in the work, I'll see real gains?"
[Correct. Aided by HYPER-ADAPTABILITY. No instant skill downloads, sorry. But you'll learn physical stuff – fighting, movement, even adapting to environments or processing info – way faster with practice.Your body will acclimate to extreme environments – heat, cold, pressure – far quicker than baseline human norms. Sustained exposure to certain non-lethal energies might even grant gradual resistance over time. Mentally, it enhances cognitive flexibility and processing speed, allowing you to adapt to complex situations or, say, filter overwhelming sensory input more efficiently.]
Arthur nodded slowly, processing. "Right, so no magic pill, just... putting the training on fast-forward. So, not just faster training, but faster acclimation… resistance… faster thinking under pressure." He thought of all the possibilities there could be now. "Okay. That's useful. Substantially more useful than just learning fancy kicks. What else was he holding back?"
[Next: ENHANCED SENSES. Previously muted, now full power. Think predator-level perception – subtle sounds, chemical traces, micro-details. Useful for… situational awareness.]
Arthur narrowed his eyes slightly. "Define 'predator-level'. Am I going to start hearing mice sneeze three blocks away? Because that sounds less useful and more like torture."
[Potentially, until you learn to filter via that mental adaptability we just discussed.Now, for the big one: THE CRAFTING MODULE. Your strategic mind, now paired with the tools of an engineer.]
Arthur leaned forward again, focus sharpening. "Explain."
[Simple. Got an idea for tech? 1: Use the module to **Design** the concept and **Simulate** it – test for flaws, material stress, power needs.
2: If viable, it **Generates Schematics** – a precise list of every component and material required.
3: Take those schematics and parts to a compatible workshop, and it projects a holographic **Assembly Guide** – step-by-step instructions. You provide the concept and the hands; it provides the engineering brainpower.]
Arthur's eyes widened slightly, the strategic implications hitting him hard. "So… I don't need to be expert in tech and engineering. Or Stark's specific genius," he murmured, thinking aloud. "I can conceptualize a solution… and this module helps me actually build it? Independently?"
[Precisely. He Who Remains didn't want you capable of that. Which also applies to the INVENTORY UPGRADE. The old one was intentionally clunky. New version: Think it, grab it. Stasis field keeps things perfect. Items stack. Four quick-bind slots for instant access. Still no storing bodies, sorry.]
Arthur actually chuckled dryly. "Okay, that is a practical improvement. Stasis coffee alone might be worth the near-death experience." The humor faded quickly. "So he deliberately made everything harder. Even putting things away."
[Accurate little assessment you got there... Which brings us to compensation for that 'almost got erased from existence' incident...]
[Consider this a make-good.]
The AI Seed blueprint appeared – the complex, foundational schematic.
Arthur stared inwardly for a beat. "An AI?" he asked the room. "A separate AI? Not just… you?"
[Correct. I'm your OS, not your Mama, I am just there to help you navigate this universe.This blueprint is the foundation for a *true*, emergent AI. Sentience potential. You design the specifics – personality, purpose, ethics – using the Crafting Module. Your creation, your partner.]
Arthur absorbed this slowly. "A blank slate AI," he murmured. "Architecting a mind, not just software. That's… a big thing" He paused. "But the potential… is freaking crazy for this. Where would I even begin building something like that?"
[Check your **Safe House Map**. Locate the 'Tech-Haven' facility. Accessing that location will provide the necessary environment and resources indicated in the Seed's prerequisite files. Think of it as the designated 'foundry' for this particular project. You'll understand when you get there.]
Arthur nodded slowly, mentally pulling up the map, his gaze locking onto the Tech-Haven icon. Okay. So the answer isn't here, it's there. A specialized facility for... advanced construction. "Right," he murmured, the decision solidifying. "Add 'Road Trip to Tech-Haven' to the post-recovery itinerary. Sounds like it'll be... illuminating."
Arthur stood carefully, "Right. 'Unleashed potential' is a great marketing copy." He walked slowly towards the window. "But how do I actually track physical improvement without those annoying stat bars or tiers?"
[You already have the optimal tool... Remember the 'Hub' training room?]
Arthur frowned slightly. "The pocket dimension? With the targets? Yes, I remember."
[It was always designed as far more than a simple firing range... With the reboot, those are now accessible. Want to measure progress and *drive* improvement? Use that.]
Arthur leaned forward. "How?"
[Go to the Hub. Activate 'Performance Diagnostic Mode.'... First, I'd recommend sparring against a baseline hologram mirroring *you* from your last scan – 'Benchmark Arthur'. This helps you refine your movements, understand your current limits...]
Arthur nodded. "Okay, fight myself first. Get a feel for the baseline. Makes sense. Then what?"
[Then you leverage that Hyper-Adaptability. You already have a perfect memory of your run-in with the Winter Soldier,Every detail.]
Arthur went still, the memory a cold weight. "Yes," he said quietly. "Clear as day."
[Good. The simulation chamber can use that data to generate a sparring opponent based on him. Let's be clear: you won't win. Not yet. He's operating way above your current level.]
Arthur's jaw tightened slightly. "Got it. So, what's the point?"
[Fight the 'Soldier' simulation. Lose. Then, analyze the data – the room tracks *everything*. See *why* you lost, *where* you failed. Switch back to sparring 'Benchmark Arthur' to practice those specific counters, integrate the lessons. Then, go back against the Soldier. Lose a little *less* badly. Repeat. Your Hyper-Adaptability will drastically speed up how fast you learn from each failure. You'll *see* yourself getting closer, lasting longer, maybe even landing a few hits.]
A slow, dangerous smile touched Arthur's lips.The logic of it was appealing. Use the memory."Okay," he said, the appreciation clear in his voice. "So, get my ass kicked by a ghost, figure out why, practice not getting my ass kicked that specific way, then go back for another round. Brutal. Efficient." He gave a short, sharp nod. "Yeah. That'll work."
[Excellent. Now, about those Enhanced Senses… bringing them fully online. Brace yourself. Initial input might be… intense.]
The world exploded. Raw, unfiltered reality slammed into him.
He flinched, instinctively raising a hand.
Hearing: Heartbeats? Mouse? Mrs. Henderson arguing with her cat again?! Is there an off-switch for this?
Smell: Okay, coffee, ozone, dust… Pepper was here… bandage definitely needs changing… and is that… street meat? From down the block? Ugh.
Sight: Almost painful in its clarity. Scratches… fingerprint… fabric weave… Is that a mite?! On the lampshade?! He physically recoiled, grimacing.
He gritted his teeth, pressing his fingers hard against his temples. "Okay! Okay! Filters!" he snapped aloud, his voice tight with genuine sensory overload and a world of pain. "This isn't an upgrade; it's an assault! Dial it back! Less 'see the mites,' more 'spot the assassin'! Aarrgghh...God Damn it'!!!, Aaarrgghhh..!"
[You *are* the filters. Remember Hyper-Adaptability? It works mentally too, accelerating neural pathway adaptation. Your brain's already learning to process this faster than normal. Focus. Decide what's *signal* and what's *noise*. Ignore the mites. Seriously.]
Arthur forced himself to concentrate, latching onto the command, consciously using that feeling of accelerated learning. He actively pushed the useless sensory data to the background, visualizing mental walls, noise cancellation.He was still disoriented but a lot better now.
Arthur took a deep breath "Holy shit... let's never do that again."
[See? Getting the hang of it. Still, recommend focusing on acclimating to the new sensory input and adapting to you body properly before attempting complex planning. Everything else from your particular brand of crazy can be done once the world stops feeling quite so... loud.]
"I liked you better as a robot"Arthur grumbled.
[ARTHUR STEELE...YOU TAKE THAT BACK'! RIGHT NOW...!!]
Arthur ignored the system's indignant remark and went to sleep.
A/N.
Finalllyyy... Ugh it was so frustrating, I had to rewrite this chapter atleast 10 times. I was not able to write it properly at all at first, I mean I have the story in my mind, I know what I want to do, but still was not able to get it in the god damn writing for some reason, everything was crappy, I even entered a prompt on chatgpt to see if it can articulate it but that turned out to be a bunch of garbage, it was so fucking fragmented, I felt like C-3PO was talking.
Let me know what you guys think of this system reboot.
And for the Love of God, please Review and Rate this people, and change your reviews too if you have changed your mind (hopefully for the better)