Chapter 16 – Provocations
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"Maybe I wanna do this."
Ultron said, tossing Klaue's bloody arm onto the floor as Wanda and Pietro, who were a bit farther away, approached him. Meanwhile, Clint was positioned on the upper deck of the ship, advancing with extreme caution and attention to every step he took with his bow at the ready. Natasha, on the other hand, was on the opposite side, strategically positioning herself on the deck, remaining alert. Peter, on the other hand, was a bit higher up, near the ship's walls, establishing an elevated position that provided him with an additional tactical advantage over the others.
Ultron, with his metallic and sarcastic voice, attempted to provoke the assembled heroes in the room. He was determined to highlight the weaknesses and flaws of each of them.
"Ah, the glorious Avengers, defenders of humanity, or at least that's what they say."
Ultron began, his voice echoing menacingly throughout the room.
"But let's take a closer look, shall we? Let's start with Captain America."
He pointed his metallic finger in the direction of the team leader, Steve Rogers, who stood with an erect posture and his shield in hand.
"You, Captain America, the man who thinks he's a saint but can't live without a war. So tied to the past, clinging to a time that no longer exists. A man out of his time, lost in modernity. How can you lead when you yourself don't belong in this world?"
Steve looked at Ultron with a calm face, but the robot knew that his provocation had struck a nerve. He continued his ruthless analysis.
"Next, Nattasha, the deadly spy. Who hides secrets as well as she fights. How much trust can you have in someone who lurks in the shadows? You hide behind masks and lies, but how long can you evade your past?"
Ultron said, directing his gaze toward where Nattasha and Clint were hiding, making a brief pause before continuing.
"Clint Barton, the archer who seems to have a normal family but always returns to action when called. Will you ever be able to leave this dangerous life behind and find the peace you seek?"
"And Iron Man, Tony Stark. The man who considers himself the genius behind everything but often acts as if he's the only one who knows what's best for the world. You've built your suits and your machines, but have you ever considered the human cost of your inventions?"
Ultron continued, his red eyes gleaming with disdain.
"So, all of you, gathered under the name of the Avengers, believe that you're the solution to the world's problems. But I'm here to show you that you are, in fact, part of the problem. Your actions have consequences, and they're not always positive."
Ultron slowly moved around the room, looking each one in the eyes, as if challenging them to contest his words.
Thor, who stared at Ultron with determination, wasn't shaken by the villain's provocations.
"No one will break anything here; we can find a way to resolve our differences without resorting to violence."
Declared the god of thunder, making it clear that he was willing to solve the situation peacefully.
However, Ultron mocked Thor with a sarcastic smile.
"Sure, you've never made an omelet."
"You took the words right out of my mouth."
Tony quipped.
"How funny, Mr. Stark, feeling comfortable..."
Pietro said in an ironic manner as he approached Ultron.
"Like in the old times?"
Pietro continued, looking at some missiles that Klaue had stolen from Stark Industries, a dark reminder of the past.
"My life has never been about this."
Tony said, pointing toward the bombs, his tone carrying a weight of sadness.
Meanwhile, Peter, nearly invisible on the ceiling, observed Pietro and Wanda for the first time. He noticed that the two siblings were also young, just like him. With the decision to interact with them, Peter shot a web to the ground and positioned himself between Thor and Tony.
"I don't know what you've been through."
Peter said empathetically before continuing.
"But I believe you can still get out of this."
Ultron watched Peter with interest, while Wanda and Pietro exchanged glances before turning to the young hero. The tension on the ship's deck was palpable, but Peter maintained his calm and determined posture.
"You don't know us, kid. You don't know anything about what we've been through."
Pietro said challengingly.
Peter took a step forward, keeping a steady gaze on the twins, trying to convince them to reconsider their alliance with Ultron. He understood that they had their reasons but was determined to show them that the path they had chosen was fraught with dangers.
"I know you have your reasons to be on Ultron's side."
Peter began.
"But believe me, he's not the solution. He'll only bring more destruction and pain."
Wanda seemed intrigued by Peter's words, and her powers began to spark erratically.
Ultron, realizing that the twins were wavering in their decision, decided to seize this opportunity to advance and try to convince them to remain on his side. He used his powers to create an illusion, showing them a distorted vision of a supposedly perfect world under his rule.
"You can have everything you desire, everything that was taken from you in the past."
Ultron said, his hypnotic voice echoing in the twins' minds.
"This is the future I can offer you. Join me, and we'll end the pain and loss."
Steve, seeing that the twins were swaying in their decision, tried to intervene and change the course of the situation.
"Don't listen to him."
Steve said, his expression serious.
"I know you've been through hardships."
Thor, on the other hand, couldn't contain his anger at the situation.
"ULTRON."
Thor thundered menacingly, his voice echoing like thunder before continuing with a calmer yet imposing tone.
"If you truly believe in peace, then let us keep it."
Ultron responded with a touch of irony in his voice.
"My dear friend, I think you're confusing peace with silence."
Ultron said, looking at Thor challengingly.
Thor stared at Ultron and was about to respond when a cutting voice interrupted him.
"Ahem, if you have no ulterior motives, then why do you want the vibranium?"
The voice belonged to Tony, who had momentarily stepped back during the conversation but now returned with a direct question, pointing at Ultron with a hint of sarcasm.
RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS:
Rafael Borges🤞🏻 - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY".
clement MARIE🤞🏻 - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY".
Matthew Jimenez🤝 - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON".