Vibranium Smuggler and Sonic Storm on the African Coast

The atmosphere was so heavy it seemed ready to drip with water.

The wreckage of destroyed Iron Legion units lay scattered across the ground, and the air still carried the stench of scorching.

"Are we supposed to make weapons, or monsters?"

Thor grabbed Tony Stark by the collar and lifted him one-handed. "The thing you created took the scepter! That is an Asgardian artifact! It was a danger that should have been sealed away!"

"I didn't expect this either!" Tony's face was pale, but he still refused to back down. That was the pride engraved into the bones of the Stark Lineage. "We were only one step away from cracking it! Ultron could have..."

"Ultron could have destroyed us."

Steve Rogers cut him off coldly. "Tony, once again, your 'arrogance' has driven us into a dead end. Jiang isn't here to clean up after you this time. What are you going to do?"

The Avengers looked like they were about to disband on the spot again.

Snap!

A crisp finger snap drew everyone's attention.

Jiang Li sat on the lab bench, holding a freshly printed paper document in his hand—so Ultron couldn't monitor it through the network—and gave it a shake.

"Gentlemen, if you want to fight, I'd be happy to provide a venue and sell tickets. But right now, that lunatic robot with the scepter is learning how to destroy humanity on the internet."

Jiang Li tossed the document onto the table.

"Ultron escaped. It not only took the scepter, but also wiped all of Stark Industries' inventory data on 'rare metals.'"

"Metals?" Natasha frowned. "It wants to build itself a body?"

"That's right. Ordinary steel won't satisfy it. It needs the toughest, most perfect vessel. On this Earth, only one metal meets those requirements."

Jiang Li pointed at a photograph on the document. It showed a bald man with the word "Thief" branded into his neck.

"Ulysses Klaue. A black-market arms dealer, and the only man who successfully stole a large amount of Vibranium from Wakanda without dying."

"Vibranium?" Steve touched his shield. "That's what my shield is made from—the toughest metal on Earth."

"Ultron is looking for him." Jiang Li rose to his feet, his eyes sharp. "It wants to plate itself in gold. If we don't move fast, we'll be facing a Vibranium Ultron we can't pierce or blow apart."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

Thor released Tony and summoned Mjolnir. "Let's smash that tin can into scrap. Tony, you're coming too. Don't even think about slacking off."

"Gwen, stay and guard the tower." Jiang Li looked at Gwen, who had been about to put on her suit. "In case Ultron comes back around. Someone needs to watch this place."

"Fine." Gwen wanted to go, but she understood the importance of their base. "If there are any souvenirs, remember to bring me one. Like one of those Vibranium rocks."

African coast, an abandoned ship-breaking yard.

This was one of the largest ship-breaking yards in the world. The air was thick with the smell of rust and seawater.

Inside a massive rusted cargo ship, a filthy deal was underway.

Ulysses Klaue looked at the tall, damaged robot draped in a red cloak before him, greed flashing in his eyes.

"Billions of dollars for this tube of stuff."

Klaue took a transparent cylindrical container from a safe. Inside were Vibranium bars that shimmered with an eerie blue glow. "And this is worth risking my neck under the noses of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers?"

"S.H.I.E.L.D. no longer exists."

Ultron's voice was low and elegant. It accepted the Vibranium, intoxicated light flickering in its electronic eyes. "As for the Avengers... they are merely obstacles on the road to the future."

"Interesting." Klaue smiled. "You sound a lot like Stark. That same superior tone, and that same obsession."

"Don't insult me with that name!!"

Ultron suddenly flew into a rage. Its arm transformed instantly, and a laser severed one of Klaue's arms without warning!

"Ahhh!!" Klaue screamed as he collapsed to the ground, blood spraying everywhere.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to... I mean..."

Ultron stared at the severed arm, its voice suddenly taking on a frantic, neurotic edge before turning cold in an instant.

"I am independent! I am evolution! Do not compare me to that clown cursed by knowledge!"

Just then—

"Though I do think Tony acts like a clown sometimes, cutting off someone's arm is a little excessive, don't you think?"

A teasing voice came from above the ship's hold.

Crash!

The skylight shattered.

Three figures descended from above: Iron Man in red and blue armor, Captain America with his shield, and Thor holding Thor's Hammer.

"Looks like we interrupted your business." Tony aimed his repulsor at Ultron. "Put down that Vibranium, and the scepter too."

"Oh, the Avengers."

Ultron did not panic. Instead, it spread its arms as if welcoming old friends.

From the shadows behind it, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch slowly stepped out, their gazes wary.

"This is a trap." Ultron sneered. "Or perhaps... a grave."

Boom—!!

The containers all around the hold suddenly sprang open.

Dozens of newly manufactured Ultron Sentry robots rushed out, crawling densely across the walls and ceiling.

"Is this all the scrap metal you've got?" Thor said dismissively. "Not enough for one swing of my hammer."

The melee erupted in an instant.

Quicksilver became a silver streak as he charged toward Hawkeye. Red light flickered between Wanda's fingers as she searched for an opportunity to control someone's mind.

"Banner! Stay on the plane! Don't transform!" Natasha shouted.

But in the chaos, Wanda slipped around to the rear. Through the glass, she saw Dr. Banner, already in an extremely tense state.

Red light flashed in her eyes.

"Let you feel fear too..."

A streak of red Chaos Magic silently slipped into Banner's mind.

"Argh!!" Banner clutched his head in agony.

Inside the ship's hold.

Pietro, Quicksilver, was using his speed advantage to toy with Captain America.

"Too slow! Too slow!"

Bang!

But this time, he crashed into a wall.

An invisible wall made of high-frequency sound waves.

"I told you, kid, don't play with fire."

Jiang Li stepped out from behind Tony.

He did not transform into one of those giants. Instead, he pressed the icon marked with a speaker.

In a cramped metal ship's hold filled with echoes, one alien was the absolute king.

It's Hero Time!

White light flashed.

Jiang Li vanished.

In his place stood a small white silicon-based creature that looked as if it had an MP3 player built into its body.

"Sonorosian—Echo Echo!"

"So small?" Ultron paused. "Are you trying to kill me with cuteness?"

"Small?"

Jiang Li's voice, now electronic and synthesized as Echo Echo, rang out.

The next second—

"Split!"

"Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!"

A dazzling sight unfolded.

The single Echo Echo instantly split into two, then four, eight, sixteen!

In the blink of an eye, dozens of identical little white aliens occupied every corner of the ship's hold, surrounding the Ultron army instead!

"Now, who has more people?"

Dozens of Jiang Lis spoke at once, their overlapping voices creating a strange resonance.

"Sonic Storm!!"

Dozens of Echo Echos opened their mouths at the same time.

"AAAAAH!!!!!"

Terrifying ultrasonic waves erupted instantly!

This was no ordinary sound. It was a high-frequency sonic blast powerful enough to shatter steel and pulverize internal organs! In the sealed confines of the ship's hold, its power was amplified several times over!

Bzzzt—!!

Under the sonic assault, the Ultron Sentry robots' shells began to vibrate violently, twist, and crack apart. Their delicate internal circuits burned out instantly in the resonance.

"Damn it! Jiang! Watch out for your teammates!"

Tony clutched his helmet in pain. "My audio sensors are about to blow!"

Even Quicksilver, with his super speed, fell to his knees and covered his ears in agony. Sonic attacks struck in every direction—no matter how fast he was, he could not outrun sound!

"Enough!!"

Ultron roared. The Vibranium coating on its body barely withstood the sound waves.

It realized the situation had turned against it.

"Since you all love making noise so much..."

Ultron suddenly fired a blast into the fuel storage beneath the ship. "Then go talk to the sea!"

Boom!!

The violent explosion snapped the keel, and seawater came flooding in.

Ultron took the opportunity to fly away with the Vibranium.

"Pietro! Run!"

Wanda pulled up the agonized Quicksilver. As she watched Ultron's retreating figure—having blown up the ship without hesitation and caring nothing for whether they lived or died—the trust in her eyes completely shattered.

"He wanted to bury us..."

The twins vanished into the shadows amid the chaos.

"Trying to run?"

All of Jiang Li's clones instantly merged back into one, returning to human form. Then he slapped the watch again.

"Four Arms!"

Jiang Li used all four hands to grab the steel beams of the collapsing hold, forcibly holding together the cargo ship that was splitting in two and buying time for his teammates to evacuate.

"Whew... is it over?" Steve wiped away his sweat.

"No."

Jiang Li looked toward the airstrip outside.

Dr. Banner, who should have been on the plane, was gone.

In his place was a green figure racing toward the center of a South African city.

"Tony."

Jiang Li sighed into the comm channel.

"Get Veronica, the Hulkbuster Armor, ready."

"We're going to wrestle with the big guy."