The entire city had already risen hundreds of meters into the air. The glowing blue device beneath it stood out starkly now. Those lucky enough to escape to the ground could only watch helplessly, silently praying that their family and friends were still alive.
In Sokovia—
The Avengers continued clearing Ultron's army piece by piece. But there were too many. For every one destroyed, more replaced it—an endless tide.
Wanda was guiding a frightened child through the chaos, red energy flickering unsteadily around her hands.
"Boom!"
She raised her arm and blasted an incoming robot apart, but staggered from the effort, nearly losing her balance. She was still far from the Scarlet Witch she would one day become.
Right now, she was like a rookie thrown into battle—powerful, but inexperienced. She could only lash out, smash, and throw.
"Move, move, move!"
Clint Barton saw more robots converging and quickly pulled Wanda into a small building. Outside, Ultron's drones unleashed a barrage of fire, forcing them to stay inside.
"How did this happen…?"
"Hey—are you okay?"
"I'm fine. This is all our fault…"
"Look at me."
Barton steadied her, locking eyes with her as she trembled on the verge of tears.
"Whose fault it is doesn't matter right now," he said firmly. "Did you come here to fight?"
He gestured outside. "Our city is in the sky. We're out there fighting robots."
"And me? I'm using a bow and arrow. Who am I supposed to argue with about that?" he added dryly.
Even with his skill, a bow was still a primitive weapon against an army like this—limited ammo, lower efficiency.
"I have to get back out there. That's my job. I can't stay here protecting you and fighting at the same time."
As he spoke, another blast tore through the building, making Wanda flinch.
Barton immediately fired an arrow. Silence followed.
"I don't care who you are," he continued, his voice steady. "If you step outside, you fight. If you stay here, you're safe. Wait for your brother."
He paused at the doorway.
"But if you walk out that door… you're an Avenger."
His tone was unwavering.
Wanda stared at him, her breathing gradually steadying.
Barton gave her a moment, then opened the door, adjusted his gear, and rushed back into the battlefield without hesitation.
Wanda was left alone in the dim room, curled in silence.
...
Outside, the Avengers fought with everything they had, cutting through wave after wave of Ultron's forces.
Thor smashed a robot's head with Mjolnir—only to be blindsided the next instant as Ultron slammed into him.
"That one's mine!"
Renzo finally located Ultron. Rage burned in his eyes as he shot forward at incredible speed.
"Thor… my greatest obstacle…" Ultron pinned Thor down, beginning to speak—
A beam of yellow energy struck him mid-sentence, blasting him away.
"I'm the one who's going to end you, Ultron."
Renzo appeared beside Thor. The two exchanged a brief glance—then moved together in perfect unspoken coordination.
"Ah—!"
Ultron barely had time to react before Mjolnir crashed into him, hurling him into a concrete wall and leaving him momentarily stunned.
Renzo seized the opportunity, grabbing Ultron's head.
"You shouldn't have pushed me this far."
His fingers dug into Ultron's cranial structure. Ultron's eyes flickered wildly as corrupted data surged through him, his voice distorting with something close to pain.
"—Agh!"
"Go repent… if you even have a soul."
Renzo prepared to erase him completely—
But before he could, a swarm of drones slammed into him.
Renzo was thrown backward, crashing into the twisted frame of a destroyed bus.
In the distance, Ultron rose slowly, clutching his head, his systems still unstable. He stared at Renzo coldly.
"You should have joined me. Together, no one could have stopped us."
He raised a hand.
"Unfortunately… you didn't."
A swarm of drones descended, pinning Renzo in place.
"Go on," Ultron said. "You'll see hell soon enough."
The machines lifted Renzo and carried him away from the battlefield, dragging him toward the edge of the city.
"Bastards!"
Renzo struggled, destroying one drone after another—but more immediately replaced them. Gradually, they encased him completely, forming a dense sphere around his body.
He was dragged downward, away from the fight.
"Damn it…!"
His control over the Mind Stone was still imperfect. He had already expended too much energy. Even phasing couldn't free him in time.
He could only watch as he was forced away.
Then—
A blue beam streaked in from the distance, tearing through the swarm and destroying the drones surrounding him.
Renzo stabilized himself midair and looked toward the incoming figure in red and gold.
Tony's voice crackled over the comms.
"Don't waste a body like that. Or I'll melt you down for parts."
True to form, his tone was as sharp as ever. Without waiting, he sped off again, diving back into the fight.
Renzo hovered alone for a moment.
For the first time, doubt crept in.
"If it were the real Vision… would he have done better?"
He knew how everything would unfold—every major event, every turning point.
And yet… he couldn't stop any of it.
No matter what he tried, events still bent back toward their original course.
Renzo stared at his hands, confused.
The Mind Stone pulsed faintly, as if responding to his thoughts.
...
Inside the small building, Wanda stood frozen, Barton's words echoing in her mind.
"If you walk out that door… you're an Avenger."
Images flashed through her thoughts—terrified civilians, displaced families, frightened children staring at the sky.
It reminded her of herself… hiding beneath a bed, staring at a missile that never detonated.
Her eyes hardened.
"I won't let them go through that."
She kicked the door open.
A robot turned toward her—but before it could react, she raised her hand. Crimson energy tore it apart instantly.
Then she screamed, and power exploded outward—thick, violent, overwhelming.
Every Ultron drone nearby was ripped to pieces, leaving only shattered components behind.
Clint stared, momentarily stunned.
"We're clear here," Wanda said calmly into the comm.
"Not here," Steve replied between breaths, slamming a robot aside and cutting another down with his shield.
Wanda gestured to Barton, then prepared to move.
"Whoosh—!"
A blue-white blur swept past, scooping Wanda up and vanishing in an instant.
Clint raised his bow in mock protest, aiming after them as if to shoot.
Then he lowered it, shaking his head as he moved forward again.
"No one's gonna notice… no one… Last I saw, Ultron was riding him… we're all gonna miss that kid… already do…"
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