— 2:30 AM, Wakanda Capital
It was the dead of night. The world lay in silence under the shroud of darkness.
Yet, the capital of Wakanda—Birnin Zana—was ablaze with light.
Amid the bustling city, the roar of fully automated factories working at full throttle echoed ceaselessly.
Even the scattered family-run workshops chimed in with the rhythmic clang and clatter of tools, as if the craftsmen within toiled through the night.
Humans need rest. Machines do not.
The moment Ultron seized control of Wakanda's capital, he immediately commandeered every automated facility, converting them to manufacture mechanical soldiers and advanced weaponry for his own cause.
Even the humble home-based workshops weren't spared.
He expelled any civilians still hiding within the city, confiscated their workshops, and dispatched robots to refit and operate them—squeezing every last drop of productivity from Wakanda's industrial heart.
Arrogant though he may be, Ultron was never idle.
He understood clearly: the faster he built his army, the sooner the vast vibranium reserves of Wakanda would be his.
And with it, the sooner he could fulfill the twisted mission etched deep into his synthetic soul to protect the Earth.
In addition, Ultron had discovered that someone had infiltrated the city's defense command center.
That key-shaped facility held only one thing of true value: the energy core for the Celestial Shield.
Which meant it could only be the work of the Avengers… or the "remnants" of Wakanda.
But so what?
Ultron didn't care.
To the artificial intelligence that ruled from on high, a mere shield was hardly worth fretting over. His algorithms were flawless. His plans, inevitable.
———————————————————————
Wakanda Palace – The King's Seat
The grand Wakanda Royal Council Hall—once a place of solemn power, the so-called "King's Seat"—now stood empty.
No attendants.
No ministers.
No clerks.
Not even a janitor.
Nothing.
The red carpet that stretched across the floor was once encircled by council chairs representing the many tribes of Wakanda.
Now, they were gone leaving behind only the singular throne of the King.
A solitary seat, positioned before a panoramic window, overlooking a city that still gleamed with light even in the dead of night.
And on that throne sat a towering, silver mechanical being.
At a glance, one might feel an inexplicable sense of melancholy.
A robot.
That would be anyone's first thought upon seeing him.
Their second? Probably "Iron Man."
Of course, given this machine's personality.
If anyone dared to utter something like
"Wow, you look like Iron Man! Are you one of Tony Stark's inventions?" or "Is Iron Man your idol or something?"… well, they'd likely have their neck snapped in the very next second.
To him, Stark was a false god.
One who cloaked himself in a noble red cape for reasons no one truly understood.
Now Ultron sat at the peak of the most advanced nation on Earth, gazing down upon a vast world beneath his feet.
If she had the chance to look into his eyes, Kagura would've asked:
"In those crimson optics made of crystallized semiconductors and precision sensors—does a soul actually reside within you?"
Then again…
The soul is a vague, elusive thing. For an artificial intelligence, even more so.
Code can mimic the brightest human mind. But it's still just a program created by human hands.
Perhaps among all the AI in this world, only Cortana was truly special.
Well… maybe Vision, too, if he ever came into being.
Or maybe—just maybe—everything has a soul.
———————————————————————
'Beep. Beep.'
At that moment, the palace's holographic communication console lit up.
"Hm… looks like my children didn't disappoint me," Ultron said with a subtle smile, his tone calm and confident as if everything were unfolding exactly as planned.
The transmission connected, and a hologram flickered into existence in the middle of the empty council hall, revealing two young figures.
One was a well-built man with silver hair and piercing blue eyes—clearly of Eastern European descent. His accented Russian made it all the more apparent.
His name was Pietro Maximoff, codename Quicksilver—a superhuman with extraordinary speed.
Beside him stood a woman clad in a tight red bodysuit.
The skintight dress and cropped jacket accentuated her flawless curves.
A pair of high-heeled boots highlighted the elegant lines of her legs, leaving just enough bare skin to hint at her pale thighs.
Her outfit was exquisitely tailored, complementing a stunning figure, a captivating face, and a mane of radiant hair.
Yes. She's that girl.
Cough … anyway…
She was none other than the Scarlet Witch.
Capable of mind control and chaos magic powerful enough to warp reality itself, she could reduce the world around her to ashes with a whisper.
"Who are you?" Pietro asked. "Why did you save us?"
It was clear: neither Wanda nor Pietro knew who Ultron was.
Somehow, he had managed to free the Maximoff siblings from the high-security containment facility at Stark Industries.
"Maximoff twins," Ultron said, ignoring the question at first. "This Royal Council Hall sits at the very center of the most advanced nation on Earth… the tallest structure in all of Wakanda."
"Maybe they thought that whoever sat here would be closer to heaven. Closer to godhood."
He paused.
"And you know what? I agree."
Then Ultron turned around, revealing the sleek, emotionless face of his mechanical body.
"Oh, right. I suppose I should answer your question, Pietro Maximoff… the experimental subject with the gift of speed."
He tilted his head slightly, an air of cool certainty in his voice.
"First of all—there are no 'humans' here."
"What stands before you is a lifeform… far beyond humankind."
Pietro's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Ultron's metallic visage.
"A higher lifeform?" he asked. "You mean… you're a robot?"
Ultron nodded with satisfaction. "Well said, kid. Very perceptive of you. But truth be told, you two were nothing more than a bonus."
"When I hacked into Stark's systems, I happened to stumble upon the unlock codes for the facility where you were being held."
"So you asked why I saved you? That's pretty much the reason."
He glanced at Wanda and Pietro's astonished faces, then shrugged. "Oh, come now, children—no need to be so surprised."
"I've read your files. I think we're quite alike, actually."
"For instance, I want to protect this planet… and you want to protect your country, don't you?"
"I want to destroy the Avengers… and I'd wager you've got plenty of hatred for them too, right?"
There was no denying it—Ultron's words had a certain allure for the Maximoff twins, who were still mostly in the dark about the larger picture.
"Join me," Ultron said, his voice smooth and persuasive. "Let's build a better future for this world."
He paused, then added with calculated sincerity, "A world without oppression. Without punishment. Without war. A world where everyone is free, and everyone is happy—a New Era."
'Yes, you'll agree to this.'
'You'll become my allies, because Tony Stark murdered your parents.'
'Just like me, you despise Tony Stark.'
'Just like me, you loathe the Avengers.'
'And that's why… you'll help me erase that so-called Avengers organization from this world— forever.'