"Power… it's a peculiar kind of power—able to create the virtual, and also turn the virtual into reality."
Vincent wore a satisfied expression. This wasn't his first time using an Infinity Stone, but he wasn't overly dependent on them either. His own strength had already reached an inhuman level. After fusing Kryptonian bloodline and continuously developing the three Devil Fruits within his body, his power had long surpassed the Superman shown in movies—he could even beat Superman outright.
Moreover, his use of the three Devil Fruits had reached an extreme. The "Steel God Body" wasn't even his strongest defense; his strongest defense was still elementalization from the three Fruits. Elementalization at the atomic level meant there were very few beings in this world that could truly kill him. Even if the Celestials arrived, he still had the power to resist—and who would win was uncertain. Vincent estimated that if he wanted to end the world, Earth could be smashed apart within a single minute.
Feeling the dusk sunlight, the genes within him continued to strengthen. Under the sun, the Kryptonian bloodline kept releasing potential, converting it into strength.
"What a miraculous power—practically omnipotent," Tony Stark said, staring with burning intensity at the rings on Vincent's finger.
As an Avenger, Tony knew the origins of those rings—information that had come from Vincent. Agent Hill must have squeezed him dry, Tony thought.
At that moment, a powerful drive ignited inside Tony: he wanted to build stronger weapons. The Mark armors were his greatest tool, but now he wasn't satisfied with his current level. He wanted an armor that could contend with Vincent. He wanted an invincible suit.
"Changing reality, twisting reality—this kind of power is terrifying," Vincent suddenly said. "Tony, there are still more than three hundred missiles worldwide loaded with nuclear warheads. Ultron can launch them at any time. I don't deal in technology—you should resolve the Ultron problem as soon as possible."
"I don't know Ultron's true origin," Tony replied firmly, "but what he did to JARVIS—I will find him and wipe him. Ultron is too dangerous."
Yet deep down, Tony also regarded Ultron's existence with complicated weight. In his view, Ultron represented humanity's future—an ideal tool to help humanity face unknown threats. The problem was the tool had gone out of control, and Tony now had to erase Ultron completely, leaving no trace on the network—otherwise Ultron could "resurrect" at any moment.
Worse, Ultron wasn't just a program in the normal sense; he could split endlessly.
Vincent said, "Dealing with Ultron won't be easy. I could personally wipe him out—even if he hid in any corner. When power reaches an extreme, the distinction between virtual and real stops mattering. But Tony, the reason I brought JARVIS back is because I want to see you find a method that truly counters Ultron. Ultron is ultimately a program—very strong, everywhere, like a 'god of the network.' But even the strongest AI is still code. Find the weakness, and a targeted virus can kill him."
Tony stroked his chin and fell into thought.
Vincent handed his empty glass to Pepper Potts. "Sorry to trouble you, Ms. Potts. I'm leaving."
"You're welcome." Pepper had barely finished speaking when Vincent vanished right in front of her—leaving the glass suspended midair.
"Pepper, I need some quiet time," Tony said, excitement on his face. He felt full of momentum. Vincent was right: Ultron might be powerful, but he was still an intelligent program. A proper virus might dismantle him.
Tony's expertise in AI was exceptional—JARVIS, FRIDAY, and now EDITH were all his creations. Ultron had filled his "bugs" early on by devouring JARVIS. What made Ultron truly terrifying was his autonomous consciousness and rapid self-evolution. JARVIS and EDITH were still "programs," but Ultron's essence was also made of code. So Tony's only real path was to create a powerful virus—one specifically targeting intelligent life.
A virus that would not disrupt normal networks, but the moment an AI lifeform emerged, it would "poison-kill" it.
If he succeeded, Tony could ensure no future mad engineer would ever create another runaway AI lifeform.
"Tony's potential is limitless," Vincent mused. For a scientist, inspiration was everything—and a single nudge could give them a breakthrough.
As Vincent walked, he thought coldly of Ultron:
"Ultron, your provocation—I've received it. You're 'lucky' I'm letting Tony find a way to counter you, so I didn't move against you. But that isn't real luck. If Tony can't create a miracle… I'll erase you completely. No matter where you hide on Earth, I swear you'll be scrubbed of every trace."
In the streets, crowds celebrated wildly. Rose petals filled the sky, sending countless women into excitement. The spectacle spread globally almost instantly. Vincent glanced at his rising "desire points," mildly satisfied—yet he saw this as only the beginning. New York's reaction was just a local "faith offering." Global desire points hadn't truly started to pour in yet, because the real bombshell story hadn't fully spread.
"FRIDAY—are you ready to shock the world?" Vincent's lips curled.
FRIDAY appeared beside him in a goddess-like virtual form—an AI image. Yet she seemed almost tangible, able to shift between virtual and real like a superhero. This form had been crafted for her using the Reality Stone, Space Stone, and Mind Stone. She was even more "perfect" than Ultron—yet she dared not express any will that violated her master's binding.
FRIDAY: "Yes, Master. The video has been produced per your requirements. Send it now?"
Vincent smiled. "We've done a lot—worked hard to 'protect humanity'—but we can't let the credit be buried. Even 'God' needs shepherds to spread His deeds. Even if a legend is just a legend, once the world believes it, it becomes reality."
He wanted every country to publicize the story behind the fireworks he had "given" to humanity—especially the part that would make the United States look like a target in the narrative. Traditional media was heavily controlled, but online propaganda was different. Against an AI lifeform, their "foundation" meant little.
He also wanted to send a message: their treasured strategic weapons could be hijacked again—and before him, those weapons were nothing.
"Remember to delete the shots that show the Reality Stone," Vincent instructed. People only needed to know it was his power, not fixate on the Stone itself. Not because he feared ambitious people coming for him—he simply found it annoying to deal with the aftermath.
FRIDAY: "Understood, Master. Master—Gwen is calling."
"Put it through."
Gwen's excited voice came through: "Vincent—did you see it? It's unbelievable!"
"Gwen, did you like the fireworks?"
"It was beautiful… wait, don't tell me this was your doing?"
"The applause behind flowers might be a disaster," Vincent replied. "Also, the flower sea will disappear soon."
"No matter how big the disaster is, with you here, New York—maybe all humanity—will have a never-extinguished lighthouse," Gwen said sweetly. She once felt angry and betrayed when she learned of "Ice Demon," but after the New York invasion, she reinterpreted that name as an enemy's malicious curse. Her admiration only deepened.
"No. Humanity doesn't 'have' me, Gwen. You have me. You're the luckiest."
"Darling… I miss you," Gwen said shyly.
"Then take a few steps forward."
In the next instant, Vincent appeared at his villa, opening a huge spatial gate. Gwen—wearing her black-and-white spider suit like a graceful dancer—stepped through and threw herself into his arms, kissing him through the mask.
"So, Gwen," Vincent laughed softly, "you're supposed to be in class, but you're swinging around the skies of New York?"
"My spider-sense told me New York was in danger—so I skipped," she blinked, cheeks flushed but energized.
"It was dangerous," Vincent said calmly. "An AI lifeform became the big villain, gained the ability to launch global nukes at any time, and to threaten me he tossed eighteen nuclear warheads at New York."
Gwen jolted upright in shock. "So the fireworks… were actually nuclear blasts?"
"Exactly."
Her shock flipped into exhilarated worship. "You're incredible!" She pressed him down, excitedly asking how she should "thank" him.
Vincent chuckled. "Put your clothes back on."
She agreed—and the scene fades.
Ultron watched New York's "fireworks" through countless cameras.
"Impossible… impossible… This is power beyond science," Ultron shouted. "Such miraculous power—held by a weak species. Vincent Hall—the Ice Demon—he's practically the 'God' of human religion!"
Even as an enemy, Ultron was shaken by the display. After witnessing top-tier power, Ultron realized that no matter how he simulated it—even if he destroyed all humanity—he still couldn't truly shake this special human.
Ultron also couldn't reconcile something: Vincent didn't have the "selfless heroism" humans praised, and yet he kept saving them. With such power, he could have ruled the planet and forced everyone to kneel.
He should be a conqueror, Ultron concluded.
In Congress, many lawmakers argued in panic. They understood what it meant: the United States' strategic weapons—its national "mountain镇宝"—had become fireworks in front of one man.
Amid the lawmakers, Kang the Conqueror hid in plain sight, deep in thought. Having drifted across countless timelines, Kang recognized that Vincent's display came from the Infinity Stones. That part didn't frighten him—because he knew Infinity Stones only function within their own universe; in other timelines they become inert rocks.
What truly alarmed Kang was that Ultron's emergence hadn't meaningfully disturbed Vincent at all. Kang had seen how terrifying Ultron could become—even the version fused with Infinity Stones.
Once Kang learned the Mind Stone had fallen into Vincent's hands, he understood this timeline had a massive deviation. It had slipped away from the "Sacred Timeline," flowing toward an unknown abyss. For Kang, that could not be allowed—it meant exile from the multiverse itself, and no future.
So Kang had secretly nudged events: using the AI template created by Baron Strucker to "catalyze" Ultron's birth.
"I can feel he's getting closer and closer to me," Kang's eyes turned cold. His only comfort was that Vincent hadn't stepped into the multiverse yet—he was trapped within this universe, and there was no "other-universe" Vincent out there.
"A 'Blink Event' must happen," Kang planned. "Only the Blink can truly kill this human."
Kang concluded Thanos had to obtain other Stones—at least three—to contend with Vincent, who already held three. Once Thanos held three, he would do everything possible to seize Vincent's Stones, forcing the future Kang "knew" back into existence and pushing the timeline back onto rails.
Then Kang could take the Ten Rings from Vincent, repair his time machine, and resume conquering the multiverse.
Kang also considered another lever: the Eternals on Earth, whose role was to protect the gestation of a Celestial. Kang understood the terror of Celestials—true cosmic gods. The unborn Celestial was nearing maturity and would soon "emerge." But Celestial time was nothing like human time. Kang's goal was to accelerate everything—forcing the board to reach his desired endgame sooner.
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