Ultron's table-flipping tactics, the Antigravity Engine, and global broad...

A major earthquake occurred.

It was not a localized tremor caused by an energy Impact, but a dull and continuous resonance from deep within the earth's crust.

Hela's mocking expression froze.

She could feel that the vast land beneath her feet was being pried open from the roots by a tremendous force, as a whole.

Qin's mental network instantly expanded, and the result made her eyes narrow.

Energy nodes scattered throughout the city's underground were activated simultaneously, forming an unprecedentedly massive Anti-Gravity matrix.

Wanda was jolted awake from her humiliation and anger as she sensed that familiar energy fluctuation. It was the core technology that powered the Helicarrier, technology she had seen countless times in Hydra's laboratories.

But the current scale is a thousand times larger.

Boom--

The gravel and steel bars began to float.

The entire city of Sokovia, the ruined city that buried countless souls, began to slowly rise from the ground and ascend into the gloomy sky.

Streets, buildings, and plazas, along with the besieging mechanical Legion, all rose along with this vast landmass.

The "Wall of Hades" has been physically removed.

The "Stasis Force Field" has lost its foundation for attachment.

The "Chaos Furnace's" primary target is now bringing the entire battlefield into the stratosphere.

For the first time, all three of them looked grim.

This wasn't a mopping-up operation, nor was it street fighting; the other side had overturned the entire card table.

"Good afternoon, three of you."

A cold, emotionless synthesized voice was clearly transmitted to their ears through loudspeakers that were spread throughout every corner of the city.

The figure made of Liquid Metal, Ultron, appeared in Holographic Projection above the city's central square.

It had no facial features, only two Scarlet Data Stream, calmly "watching" the three Skyfather-level powerhouses standing on three sides.

"Based on your inefficiency in internal coordination and misunderstanding of mission objectives, I have decided to unilaterally terminate this meaningless 'cleansing operation' and hereby propose new negotiation terms."

Ultron's wording was as if it were reading out an unquestionable arbitration report.

Hela let out a cold snort, the Night Sky Sword already in her hand, its dark, Death Force swirling around it.

"A Tin Can, you think you can negotiate terms?"

She made a move, preparing to shatter the airborne city along with Ultron's core.

"I don't recommend you do that, Head of the Asgard Stability Affairs Office," Ultron's voice remained calm. "According to calculations, Sokovia currently has a total mass of 370 million tons and is located at an altitude of 2,000 meters. Any structural damage to the core Antigravity Engine will cause it to freefall within seventeen seconds. The kinetic energy generated will be equivalent to a mass extinction-level geological impact event."

In other words, the carbon-based life forms on this planet will perish as a result.

Hela stopped moving.

She didn't care about the lives of ordinary people, but Lynn did.

At least, he acted like he cared.

She cannot allow an operation that should have been a chance to "make amends" to instead create a global disaster that would enrage her master.

The "collateral damage to people's livelihood" in that assessment indicator now acts like an invisible chain, binding her hand that wields the sword.

Wanda's face turned deathly pale.

She stared intently at the homeland that was receding from the ground, where her home and her past lay. Now, it had become a Sword of Damocles hanging over the entire world.

And she was one of the accomplices in creating this sword.

"You can choose not to believe," Ultron seemed to "see" through Hela's hesitation, "But you, and all of you, cannot afford the consequences of losing the gamble."

"My first condition is simple: immediately cease all aggressive behavior. Otherwise, we'll enjoy a spectacular global fireworks display together."

Dark Gold light gleamed in Jean's eyes, and her immense spiritual energy, like invisible tentacles, attempted to bypass physical barriers and directly locate Ultron's core code.

"Give up, head of the Mutants Affairs Management Committee," Ultron said. "Your psychic infiltration path has been recorded, and the firewall is being generated in real time. To me, your ' Stasis Force Field ' is more like a signal amplifier."

For the first time, Qin's brows furrowed tightly.

The opponent's evolution speed exceeded her expectations.

"Now, the second clause."

Ultron's Holographic Image magnified slightly, and the two Scarlet Data Stream seemed to carry a hint of mockery.

"I know your true purpose in coming here. What you want is not my destruction, but the 'memory backup' of your master stored in my database."

These words, like a precisely detonated bomb, stirred up a tidal wave in the hearts of the three women.

Wanda and Jean's breathing stopped for a moment.

Hela finally understood what the crucial information she had missed was.

"That 'anonymous whistleblower' made your loyalty waver, didn't it?"

"You all want to know just how many people he died for. You all want to know if you are that one and only person in his heart."

Ultron's cold, synthesized voice, word by word, cruelly dissected the deepest fears and jealousy in their hearts.

"Therefore, my second clause is: I will irreversibly broadcast to all network nodes worldwide that all my memories of Mr. Lynn in my database will be made public."

"His resolute act of falling from the Clock Tower for Gwen Stacy Stacy."

"His smile as he shielded Hela Odinson from the Gungnir."

"And of course, there's his deep affection for you, Wanda Maximoff, even as he was riddled with bullets amidst the Sokovia Ruins."

"Everything, every frame, every second, will become public information shared by all intelligent life on this planet."

"At that time, you will obtain the 'truth' you desire. And the whole world will recognize what a... benevolent person your master is."

On the Holographic Projection, a cold, smiling symbol was outlined by Data Stream on Ultron's faceless face.

"Now, make your choices, you three distinguished leaders."

"Is it a choice to preserve this world, allowing me to leave peacefully, and incidentally, to let your master's secret be forever buried?"

"Or will you choose to attack me for your own pathetic, possessive desires, and watch helplessly as your faith, along with your 'love,' becomes the biggest joke broadcast globally?"

"I'll give you ten minutes for internal discussions."

As soon as the words were spoken, the Holographic Projection disappeared.

All that remained was a floating city that kept rising higher and higher, and three women driven to the brink of Extremis.

Physical destruction and exposure of dirt.

Dual nuclear deterrence.

Hela, Wanda, and Jean Grey looked at each other, and for the first time, the murderous intent in their eyes was gone.

Instead, there was the same kind of madness driven to a corner.