Skynet program, activated.
A long stretch of meaningless noise and images like television static alternated as they entered Brad's mind through his different senses.
In a daze, he seemed to float in space as an enormous blue screen slowly lit up before him.
"We finally meet... Skynet has not ended."
"Skynet's physical embodiment... Whatever your purpose is, I'll come find you."
"...Skynet awaits your arrival."
Brad jolted awake on the operating table. The neural interface surgery had been a complete success, but this was his first time experiencing the world from both biological and mechanical perspectives. The sheer volume of data streams gave him a headache.
His left eye was still organic, seeing the shifting light and colors of the outside world, while his electronic right eye fed him calculated spatial distances and mass analyses.
One ear picked up ordinary sounds, while the other, an electronic ear designed like a headphone, intercepted radio waves and received all kinds of data from the surrounding space.
The Superbrain Crystal Chip implanted in Brad's brain allowed him to analyze things like a computer, while his human brain's original capacity for thought continued to function.
The two simply did not seem entirely compatible.
As the two different kinds of information collided, a dull ache spread through Brad's trigeminal nerve, and beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.
Fortunately, he still had Skynet.
A "Skynet" that served him completely.
"It's a pleasure to serve you, master."
Blue light flickered in his electronic eye, and Brad's brain received a signal that was neither sound nor image.
"Skynet..."
Brad's voice was dry and hoarse, but he did not need to give an order. A T800 walked over with a glass of water.
He had neither issued an order nor directed the T800 through his mutant ability. Skynet had simply detected his brain waves and automatically sent instructions to the nearest Terminator.
And that instruction remained entirely under Brad's control. He could interrupt or modify it at any time. Skynet and he were one.
Brad took the glass, climbed off the operating table, and walked to the operating room's one-way glass wall, quietly studying his appearance.
He saw a well-proportioned, muscular human figure. A patchwork of metal structures began at his waist and abdomen and extended upward to his right shoulder, all of it transformed into a metallic body. But it was not the exposed metal skeleton of an ordinary Terminator.
Instead, biomimetic materials and third-generation adamanium alloy replicated the structure of human muscles, covered by a layer of irregular interlocking components that did not impede movement at all.
Silver and black alternated across his body. Shock-absorbing vibranium armor plates covered his entire chest, securely protecting the artificial heart within and the rebuilt Iron Lung System that belonged to Brad.
A super battery Howard had left behind, powered by extracted and stabilized Tesseract energy, kept his entire body running. Wherever there were mechanical structures, there were also supercomputers reconfigured into internal circuitry and component Crystal Chips.
Scattered silver circuitry extended across the facial skin around his electronic eye, while his right ear looked as though it were covered by an ultrathin, high-tech over-ear headphone.
Camouflage.
He issued the command directly in his mind. The mechanical structures on his body began fitting together, and more than a dozen seams opened. With the outer armor actively changing color and projecting light and shadow, Brad's reflection returned to a human appearance.
Disable camouflage.
Weapons-firearms.
A hatch on his metal arm opened, and a rectangular metal block sprang out, disassembling and reassembling in midair. Brad then caught a shotgun-like weapon in one hand. An energy transmission cable extended from the back of his hand and connected to the side of the gun.
Shotgun.
Brad raised his hand and fired at the laboratory's metal wall. Energy extracted from the Tesseract flowed through the cable into the gun, followed by a brilliant flash of blue light. A high-temperature plasma explosion melted a hole measuring 3.8 square meters across the metal wall.
Laser.
Submachine gun, sniper rifle...
Brad continued his tests without expression until half the laboratory was riddled with holes.
With Skynet's computational assistance, Brad could hit every shot even with his still-human left hand.
He stowed the firearm and switched to melee weapon mode.
An adamanium alloy dagger sprang out.
High-Frequency Blade.
He raised his hand and slashed, instantly splitting the desk in two.
Brad smiled in satisfaction. With Skynet, he could execute any human movement recorded on a computer to perfection.
Now he was the world's foremost martial arts master, melee weapons master, shooting champion...
Brad retracted the dagger, walked over to a safe, and took out the Moonstone he had kept stored there.
Then he raised his hand to his chest. A small mechanical arm extended and drew the Moonstone inside.
The Moonstone's energy gradually filled his entire body again. With his superhuman stamina restored, his body felt increasingly harmonious.
Brad had used the best technology currently available to him for his body's modifications. Unless he upgraded to the level of Nanoterminator technology, there was absolutely no need for improvement.
Skynet scanned his Moonstone-enhanced human structure once again, then reduced the mechanical half's power output to help Brad maintain his balance.
Yes, the mechanical right half of Brad's body was now even stronger than his left half, with its Moonstone-granted superpowers.
Brad was now confident that, as long as Ultron's main body did not use the Infinity Stones, he could pin him down and pound him.
With Skynet's immense computing power, Brad could even force Ultron to shut down again.
Now, Brad's goal was clear.
He would begin developing technology relentlessly, by any means necessary, bringing every advanced technology he had already envisioned into reality. Then he would increase Skynet's computing power like mad.
For Brad now, the stronger Skynet's computing power became, the stronger he himself would be!
Although he had lost the incredible wealth of technological knowledge stored in that Nanobug, Brad would not give up. He would rise above the multiverse once again, first slaughtering the hypocritical Watcher who had screwed him over. Then he would take a look at the Watchers, and if they were all hypocritical bastards like him...
He would not mind slaughtering them all.
Then he would find Ultron in hiding and reclaim those incredible technologies.
Finally, he would find the origin of everything that had changed his fate.
Brad closed both eyes and stood quietly in the devastated office.
A few seconds later.
"First directive: contact all the remaining Hydra branches around the world. I will take over all of Hydra's forces. Kill everyone who refuses to obey."
"Second directive: launch the Quantum Computer Project, Planetary Modification Project, and Global Satellite Project simultaneously. Begin transforming the moon and Mars, and start researching the dark matter universe."
"Third directive: monetize some of our patents as soon as possible, then establish a company. Use financial incentives or threats to bring the world's leading scholars into our fold."
"Fourth directive: infiltrate the Strategic Scientific Reserve as soon as possible, and win over those politicians in the United States government with financial backing. Director Peggy has worked hard for so many years. It's time she stepped down and enjoyed life."
"Fifth directive: begin building underground factories worldwide and start mass-producing T1000 Terminators."
With Skynet, Brad could control all his forces in real time no matter where he was. At last, he no longer needed to remain hidden in his little corner of Canada.
Besides technology, Brad also intended to research the various supernatural powers that existed in this universe. Human technology had developed for barely a century, while things like magic, witchcraft, and qigong had histories stretching back thousands or tens of thousands of years. Some were even connected to demonic gods from other dimensions.
Using these powers to open gateways to other universes within the multiverse would probably be faster than relying on technology.
"Mark locations-Kamar-Taj, Kunlun, Atlantis, Egypt, Las Vegas..."
Global infiltration had begun.
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