Marvel: Rise of the Ultimate AI

Even Reed's advanced aircraft wasn't spared.

A blinding crimson beam of energy enveloped the ship as Susan struggled to protect it with her force fields. But the firepower of the Atlantean battleships was too much. Her energy shield shattered like a fragile eggshell.

BOOM!

The ship took a direct hit. Its exterior melted away, revealing exposed wiring and smoking machinery. The entire craft spiraled out of control, black smoke trailing behind as it plummeted to the ground.

Reed and Susan, though resilient, were now on the battlefield—facing wave after wave of Atlantean troops. While they were individually stronger than their enemies, the sheer numbers were overwhelming.

"I'm coming, sis!"

Johnny Storm, flaming and furious, streaked through the sky. The intense heat pouring off his body incinerated the surrounding Atlanteans, their armor sizzling as they fell in heaps.

Up above, Namor hovered, silently watching as this so-called Avengers alliance clashed with his army.

"Initiate Tsunami Shockwave."

Namor's voice was calm, yet chilling.

Far beneath the waters near Manhattan, several Atlantean warships powered up. Scarlet lights flared to life across their hulls. The ocean began to recede unnaturally—then churned, as if boiling from within.

Waves surged violently against the banks of Manhattan.

Then, the red lights vanished.

Replaced by a towering, cataclysmic wall of water.

The tsunami roared toward New York's Manhattan district, vast enough to engulf skyscrapers.

"Sir, we've detected a massive tsunami heading straight for New York!" Jarvis's voice echoed urgently inside Stark's helmet. He was still busy repelling waves of Atlantean foot soldiers.

"F—What the hell do these Atlantean fish-heads want!?" Tony cursed, blasting another soldier into the pavement. He rocketed into the sky and caught sight of the sky-darkening wave bearing down on the city.

"Reed! They're launching a damn tsunami!" Stark's voice was tight with tension.

Reed, currently stretching his body like a living rubber band to crush an Atlantean's helmet, froze mid-motion. "What did you say?!"

"No time to explain—grab on, I've got an idea!"

Tony flew over and hovered just above Reed. The scientist extended his elastic arms, gripping Stark tightly around the waist.

Together, the bizarre duo blasted skyward.

"Hey Reed, you know this pose is wildly inappropriate, right?" Tony quipped, glancing down at Reed's grip.

"Trust me, this gives me a better sense of security," Reed shot back without missing a beat. "Unlike you, I don't wear a suit that could survive a missile barrage."

Still clinging to each other, the two of them soared back toward Avengers Tower.

__

"Oh man, this is getting wild!" Peter Parker's voice was filled with awe as he watched the chaos unfold on the holo-screens inside one of S.W.O.R.D.'s observation vessels.

The feed showed Stark and Reed mid-flight, clinging to each other in a rather awkward position.

"Kids shouldn't watch stuff like this," Mandarin said dryly, covering Pietro's eyes.

"Hey! That's discrimination! Just because I'm younger doesn't mean I don't deserve full trauma access!" Pietro protested, squirming.

Black Widow raised an eyebrow at the group's antics. "Aren't we supposed to be preparing for war? We're on the verge of a major crisis and you're all acting like it's a sitcom."

"Daisy," Wanda whispered softly beside her, "you'll get used to them. This is… just how they are."

The two women—Wanda and Daisy—had quickly bonded. As the only two women on the recon team, they'd developed a sisterly camaraderie. Daisy admired Wanda's calm confidence, though ironically, Wanda was actually younger.

__

"Enough!" Steve Rogers clapped his hands, pulling the team's attention back.

"We all know what's at stake. Our mission is to drag that overly-gilded, outdated fashion victim back into the ocean where he belongs."

Everyone looked at the giant screen showing Namor—hovering in mid-air, resplendent in his extremely golden armor.

"Got it!" the team answered in unison.

"But before that," Steve said, turning to the massive tsunami countdown now flashing on the screen, "we have an even more urgent task…"

"Disperse that tsunami."

__

Back at Avengers Tower, Stark and Reed were now in the thick of strategy talks.

A holographic display counted down the seconds to impact.

"There's only one option left—the Galactus-Class Destruction Array," Tony said grimly. "But it takes time to charge, and we won't make it in time for the first wave. Best case, we use it to stop the ones that come after."

He ran a hand through his hair, visibly agitated.

Reed's voice was low. "But that's all we've got, right?"

This tsunami wasn't just a natural disaster—it was a weaponized cataclysm. Every passing second meant lives lost. The weight of that knowledge crushed Reed's usually composed demeanor.

"We've done everything we can," Tony said quietly. "We've already saved more people than most would even try to. Don't beat yourself up."

"…Let's hope that's enough," Reed murmured, eyes still on the countdown timer ticking away like a death knell.

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