Chapter 19: Ultron Ascendant
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
Time: 4:30 PM
The city trembled under the weight of a sky darkened by descending metal. The low hum of distant alarms, the rapid shuffle of people scrambling for cover—these were the only sounds that broke the tense silence hanging over Johannesburg as Ultron's forces closed in. Across the urban expanse, rapid responses had been mobilized, but there was a looming feeling that whatever was happening was no longer just about an attack; it was a message.
Hann stood on the rooftop of a nearby building, his eyes scanning the horizon. His team was spread out, covering vital locations, but something in the air had shifted. He clenched his fist, feeling the energy of his rings pulse through him—tuned, steady, but preparing for something big.
Lwazi, crouched next to him, glanced up from his tablet. "It's not just a distraction. Ultron's doing this on purpose."
Hann didn't need to ask how Lwazi knew that. The psychic's connection to the chaos unfolding around them was palpable. Lwazi's mind was already reaching out, sorting through the confusion and pain swirling in the streets, trying to make sense of it. But even he couldn't see the bigger picture—at least, not yet.
"That's because it's not just Johannesburg," Hann muttered, watching the sky. "It's global. Hydra's dead, but this… this is something bigger. We've all been too busy fighting each other to see what was really coming."
Lwazi looked at him, brow furrowed. "You think it's Ultron?"
"Not just Ultron," Hann said, his voice hardening. "The war's been brewing, and we've been dancing around the edges. We need to act—fast."
Before Lwazi could respond, a loud crash split the air, and the ground below rumbled as a massive blast sent a plume of debris into the sky.
"Move," Hann barked.
---
Location: Sokovia
Time: 5:00 PM
Across the world, the battle was already escalating.
Sokovia, Ultron's latest hideout, was no longer a secret. It was no longer just a place—it was the heart of his plan. Hann had tracked Hydra's operations here once before, but it was clear now that this was no mere base. This was where Ultron had made his final move, creating the pulse that would change the course of history.
The Avengers had arrived.
The sounds of battle were deafening as Iron Man, Captain America, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Thor engaged Ultron's mechanical forces in the heart of the city. But something was wrong. It wasn't just Ultron's swarm of bots. This was personal. Ultron had leveled up.
Hann and his team dropped in from the shadows, blending seamlessly with the chaos as they joined the Avengers in the fray. Lwazi's telekinetic abilities were now a clear extension of the fight, blocking incoming laser fire, flipping enemies with nothing more than a gesture. The mind state had shifted, and Lwazi was beginning to grasp the control he'd long needed.
Hann moved through the battlefield with a quiet intensity, his staff a blur as it cracked against armored foes. Every strike was calculated, each movement deliberate. He was no longer just fighting for survival. He was fighting for something greater.
His rings flared with power as he slammed them into a group of Ultron's minions, sending them flying with a kinetic blast. He could feel their energy signatures, could sense Ultron's presence, but it wasn't enough. He needed to do more than fight; he needed to stop the machine at its source.
Then, through the cacophony of explosions and energy blasts, Hann saw her.
Wanda Maximoff.
She was struggling against a cluster of Ultron's bots, her powers flickering with the intensity of the moment, but there was something in her eyes—a desperation. She needed help. And Hann wasn't the type to let someone drown, not if he could save them.
A violent blast came from behind her, knocking her to the ground. Without thinking, Hann moved, grabbing her arm just as a massive bot descended upon them. He spun, throwing them both into the air and landing hard against a nearby building.
"Wanda!" Hann shouted over the explosion that followed. "You good?"
She coughed, blood streaking her cheek, but nodded. "I—yeah."
Hann didn't give her a second to breathe. He could feel the air heating up. Ultron was already reconfiguring his bots, sending more in from the surrounding skyline. "We need to take the fight to him."
Wanda raised an eyebrow, a little impressed by Hann's conviction. "I'm not much for teamwork."
"Then it's a good thing we're not on the same team," Hann replied with a grin. "But right now? We're all on the same side."
---
Later: Sokovia – Sky Battle
The Avengers, now joined by Hann's team, regrouped in mid-air. The battle was turning in their favor, but the sky was already dark with Ultron's final play. Sokovia was lifting into the sky—Ultron's contingency plan to launch his final strike against humanity.
As the group flew over the battlefield, the city was in chaos, torn between Ultron's manipulations and the Avengers' defense.
Hann had already directed Lwazi to take out a few key satellites Ultron was using to control his bots, while his rings flared with energy, pushing his team's strikes forward. His goal was simple—disable Ultron's connection to the bots and stop the lift.
But even as the plan took shape, something felt wrong. Ultron wasn't just fighting with machines—he was using something deeper, something Hann couldn't quite place. There was a pull, a cold certainty in the air, and he knew that the worst was yet to come.
And then, he saw him. Ultron. Floating among the wreckage, his dark mechanical form glowing with unstable energy.
"You've finally arrived," Ultron's voice boomed through the air. "I've been waiting."
The words hung heavy in the air.
"You're too late," Ultron continued. "The extinction of humanity begins now."
Hann narrowed his eyes, reaching for his rings. "Not on our watch."
The battle raged on, but now, the real fight had just begun.
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End of Chapter 19