The Avengers unleashed their powers, each using their own methods to destroy the incoming Ultron drones without sustaining any injuries. Back when Renzo had watched this in a movie, he'd complained about it. Now, fighting side by side and witnessing it with his own eyes, a strange frustration burned in his chest.
"Why do I feel like you guys are tougher than me?" Renzo muttered. 'Except for Pietro, of course.'
He wisely kept that last part to himself. Even with a vibranium body, he wasn't eager to find out what Wanda might do if she got angry.
"Who's taking on Ultron?" Steve smashed a robot apart with his shield, his face smeared with grime, chest rising and falling with exertion.
"I'll go!" Renzo volunteered. Seizing an opening, he broke through the encirclement and shot straight toward Ultron.
He intercepted Ultron midair, wrapping his arms around the robot and forcing it away from the core machine.
"We are the same kind!" Ultron roared, its mechanical voice trembling with rage. Its hands reached out, struggling to grasp Renzo.
From beginning to end, Ultron believed it was facing an intelligence like itself—a creation born from its own existence. It had no idea that beneath the metal shell was a human soul.
"Don't compare me to you!" Renzo shouted. He snapped his head forward and fired a laser point-blank into Ultron's face.
Enraged, Ultron seized Renzo's cloak. The two clashed in midair, trading blows—punches and kicks in a raw, almost primitive fight.
It was almost absurd. These two creations, representing the pinnacle of Earth's technology, were brawling like street fighters.
Renzo's body might have been superior in every way, but he lacked real combat experience. Ultron's sudden punch sent him flying, crashing into the ruins below.
"I can give you one more chance… submit… to me… or… die!"
Ultron hovered high above, its tone dripping with arrogance.
"You should know something—I'm not alone."
Renzo shot Ultron a disdainful glance. In the next instant, a bolt of lightning struck Ultron's body. Thunder roared as its systems short-circuited.
"Now!"
Renzo shouted as Thor and Tony arrived from the church, unleashing everything they had.
Tony fired twin repulsor blasts. Mjolnir surged with power in Thor's grip as he called down a torrent of lightning. Renzo climbed from the rubble, the Mind Stone on his forehead blazing with intense light. The three attacks struck Ultron simultaneously.
Even with its incredibly durable body, Ultron seemed fragile under the combined assault.
Moments later, the barrage ceased. Half of Ultron's body had been melted and destroyed. Its glowing eyes flickered erratically, on the verge of shutting down.
"Do you know? Judging from the current situation—"
Before it could finish, the Hulk appeared out of nowhere and smashed Ultron with a furious punch, sending it hurtling into the sky like a meteor, vanishing into the distance.
"Well done, Banner!" Thor laughed, grinning broadly.
"Wait," Renzo said, frowning. "Ultron's gone—but how do we stop this thing?"
He pointed down at Sokovia beneath their feet. Thor's smile froze. In his excitement, he had completely forgotten they were standing on a flying city.
"Mr. Stark, any ideas?"
Renzo didn't wait for Thor to answer. One look at his expression told him enough.
"Blow it up!" Tony replied without turning around, already flying off in his suit. He needed to figure out exactly how to do it.
"Take the Captain and the others and get out of here. The altitude's too high—they'll pass out," Renzo told Thor as he lifted into the air. He needed to search for any remaining survivors—someone had to have missed the lifeboats.
Please, Pietro… slow down.
Renzo steadied himself, scanning the area. He was determined to find the child from the original timeline first—if he could save him, Pietro wouldn't have to die.
"Mr. Stark, power levels are low…" FRIDAY warned.
"Reroute everything. This is our only shot!" Tony cut her off sharply.
Elsewhere, Clint Barton moved just as he had before. He spotted the trapped child and ran toward him.
Suddenly, a fighter jet swooped in, targeting the Avengers—and angling toward Barton.
Inside, Ultron piloted the aircraft, its expression cold with irritation. The Gatling gun beneath the jet roared to life, unleashing a storm of bullets toward Clint.
Clint glanced down at the child in his arms. In that moment, his mind filled with thoughts of his family—his wife, his two kids, and the one who hadn't been born yet.
He let out a quiet, bitter smile. Then his expression hardened.
Turning his back to the enemy, he shielded the boy with his own body.
He was ready to die.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
A series of metallic impacts rang out—then silence.
Clint blinked, confused. He looked down at himself. No wounds.
"Why doesn't it hurt?" he muttered. "Did I turn into Thor or something?"
"Close."
Clint spun around at the voice, only to see Renzo standing behind him—Pietro slung over his shoulder.
"This is…?"
Clint pointed at the unconscious speedster.
"He tried to take the bullets for you," Renzo said. "Forgot he's still flesh and blood."
Renzo glanced apologetically toward Wanda in the church. When Ultron had opened fire, Renzo had rushed in without hesitation, placing himself behind Clint to take the barrage. Pietro, reckless as ever, had tried to do the same—relying on his speed.
But the uneven ground and his momentum worked against him. He slammed straight into Renzo. And no human body could compete with vibranium.
Pietro had knocked himself out on impact.
Fortunately, Renzo reacted fast enough to catch him.
"At least he's alive," Renzo added quietly.
"What?!"
A surge of scarlet energy exploded outward from the church.
"Wanda!"
Renzo turned in shock. Wanda had collapsed to her knees, grief and rage pouring out of her. The surrounding robots were torn apart instantly, reduced to scrap by the violent wave of energy.
"Wait! Wanda! Your brother's okay—"
Renzo barely got the words out before an enraged blast of telekinetic force slammed into him, hurling him off Sokovia.
So much for trying to reason with someone in the middle of a breakdown.
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