Marvel: Rise of the Ultimate AI

The massive Eagle-class fighter jet was spewing black smoke, one wing completely torn away, making it look like a crippled black bird plummeting toward the earth. Air currents swirled violently into the cabin through the torn hatch, as if the very atmosphere inside the craft was being sucked out into the void.

The onboard computers screamed with piercing alarms, red warning lights flooding the cabin in a blood-colored haze.

Wanda gripped a seat for balance, her Chaos Magic swirling around her like a storm. Her long, striking crimson hair whipped wildly in the air. She wasn't sure if she had enough magic left to pull this off—but she had to try.

The magic, like an immense invisible hand, began to cradle the falling aircraft, slowing its deadly descent toward the ground. The jet's speed and altitude loss began to ease, and eventually, the fighter plunged into a dense rainforest with a violent crash, sending mud and foliage flying in all directions. After uprooting countless trees and gouging deep trenches in the earth, the Eagle finally came to a grinding halt.

Light-years away from Earth, Gene's V-shaped visor flickered with an unstable glow.

Not far from him loomed a massive planet. Within its atmosphere, there seemed to be… a face—vast, faint, yet unmistakably human-like.

Then, a silver spacecraft emerged from the planet itself, vanishing in an instant into the endless void of space.

"Creator, I believe the reason you arrived here is because the Uru-alloy reforging of your armor overlaid the original Earth anchor point you had marked. That's why you ended up here instead," Skynet's voice explained, tinged with a hint of barely suppressed amusement.

Earlier, back in Asgard, Gene had intended to use the Earth anchor point embedded in his armor to instantly teleport home. But unexpected interference had thrown him off-course, depositing him in an unknown region of the universe.

"Miss Wanda and the rest of the Sharp Blade Squad were attacked aboard the Eagle just moments ago. This is the footage."

Strangely, despite being light-years from Earth, Gene was still able to speak with them in real-time. By all laws of physics, even electromagnetic waves traveling at light speed should have taken years to cross the distance.

And yet… there was no delay.

Through his neural network, Gene saw the battle play out—the Sharp Blade Squad trapped in the pitch-black cabin of the Eagle as a hulking, shadow-black figure tore through them with overwhelming force, seizing the Ancient Ice Casket they were protecting.

Gene recognized the intruder instantly. It was the Destroyer—the legendary Asgardian weapon. He had no idea how it had reached Earth.

"The Destroyer…" Gene murmured.

"Creator, do you wish to return to Earth?" Skynet asked.

Gene's armor now contained the Space Stone, its power amplified by the reforged Uru-alloy plating. It could easily handle long-distance traversal, meaning he could return to Earth at any moment.

But he didn't move.

His eyes—hidden behind the flickering visor—remained fixed on the massive planet before him. Ego.

In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Ego had scattered his "seeds" across countless worlds, impregnating female inhabitants in hopes of producing offspring who could wield his godlike powers. Those who failed were disposed of, their energy consumed. Only Peter Quill—Star-Lord—had survived the test.

Ego had tried to lure Peter into helping him activate the seeds across the universe, transforming each planet into an extension of himself and conquering all existence. Of course, the Guardians had ultimately stopped him.

But Gene saw something different. The planet itself was a treasure. Letting it be destroyed as in the movie would be… wasteful.

"Tell the Sharp Blade Squad I'll return to Earth in three days," Gene said calmly.

With that, the thrusters on his armor roared to life, blazing with a deep cerulean glow as they propelled him toward Ego's world.

Meanwhile—

"Damn it, these people are insane!" Rocket Raccoon snarled as he blasted another mercenary to the ground with his energy rifle.

"This is your fault! You just had to steal those power cells!" Drax bellowed, taking a shot square to the chest before cleaving his attacker in two.

"Hey! Don't tell me you're not interested in the Sovereign's energy cells!" Rocket snapped back, nimbly dodging enemy fire.

"Both of you—shut it!" Star-Lord shouted, scanning the tightening circle of enemies. "We've got big trouble here!"

Earlier, the Guardians had negotiated a deal with the Sovereign, trading services for mutual benefit. But Rocket, in typical fashion, had decided to play both sides—secretly swiping the Sovereign's priceless power cells.

Now the Sovereign's entire fleet was on their tail.

The noose was tightening. The enemy numbers kept swelling. And soon, escape would be impossible.

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