Matt knew instantly that Tony was behind it.
It was the Extremis Virus.
The Extremis Virus could modify the human body, with effects similar to limb regeneration technology, enabling the regeneration of limbs.
However, Wayne Enterprises limb regeneration technology couldn't regrow eyeballs.
Moreover, Matt blindness was due to chemical exposure, a complex situation not easily cured.
Thinking this, it had to be related to Tony, and only the Extremis Virus could achieve this.
"What about the Ultron chips? I don't have anything related to Ultron chips in my brain, and Tony couldn't have administered an Ultron chip to me without my knowledge. So, he must have injected me with the Extremis Virus through some means."
Matt pondered.
His meeting with Tony yesterday was brief. If Tony could have sabotaged him during their conversation, it could only have been through that glass of wine.
"The Extremis Virus was in the wine..."
Matt quickly pieced everything together, a flash of shock appearing in his eyes.
Tony Stark had advanced the research on the Extremis Virus to such an extent.
No need for injections, just pour it into water, and it would infect people like a drug.
Terrifying!
Just as Matt had thought.
The development of the Extremis Virus could be seen in three stages.
Version 1.0 of the Extremis Virus, developed by Aldrich Killian, had certain side effects and still required strict laboratory procedures for injection.
Version 2.0 of the Extremis Virus, currently injected into Hawkeye and Black Widow, had the same effects as version 1.0 but improved by Tony and S.H.I.E.L.D. to remove side effects, enhancing the user body much like version 1.0, still requiring injection.
Version 3.0 of the Extremis Virus, further improved by Tony, had transformed from an injectable to an oral solution. Its effects differed significantly from the previous versions, akin to the life-enhancing elixirs developed by Wayne Enterprises, yet the Extremis Virus was more potent, faster-acting, and more addictive.
"If you think this can convince me to betray the Justice League and join your side, you are sorely mistaken!"
Matt took a deep breath, greedily looked around at the colorful room and the world outside, then strode out of the door.
He headed towards DC Company.
Stark Tower.
"Sir, Matt Murdock is on his way to DC Company."
Jarvis reported.
"It seems he has rejected my invitation and still plans to stand with the Justice League."
Tony expression remained calm.
He wasn't surprised by Matt choice.
From a human perspective, he knew most people would consider their interests in such situations, but this principle didn't apply to Matt.
Matt was a great man.
As a superhero, Matt integrity made his character charismatic.
Without a doubt, Matt was a person worthy of respect.
Although Tony felt some emotion about Matt steadfastness to his own justice, from another perspective, Tony was also adhering to his own sense of justice.
"I'll give you half a day more of light, then I must take it back..."
Tony looked out the window, utterly calm.
His version of justice was spreading across the world, unstoppable by anyone, not even Batman.
DC Company.
Anton saw Matt approaching and was surprised.
What surprised him the most was that Matt wasn't wearing sunglasses, and his eyes had regained their vitality.
"Can you see now?"
Anton was very surprised.
"Yes."
Matt nodded. "It thanks to Tony Stark. But, I think, it will soon turn dark again. I shouldn't be in the light it was my own choice."
"It been tough on you."
Anton was moved.
He already knew what had happened.
"Tony Extremis Virus, after his modifications, possesses incredible power, indeed a great invention, but Tony choice was wrong, he become obsessed, and I've deeply felt his madness."
Matt looked at Anton, whose face was clearer than ever before in his vision.
"To destroy, one must first drive mad."
Anton said lightly, "It all within our expectations."
"Tony isn't the scariest."
He paused, then added, "As I said, Ultron is the true terror."
"That artificial intelligence?"
Matt asked, "Why are you so sure that this AI will betray humanity, betray Tony?"
"Do you believe in fate?"
Anton countered with a question.
Matt frowned, not understanding the significance of Anton question. However, his years as a superhero had exposed him to many unbelievable things in this world, and he had a vague suspicion.
"Can you foresee the future?"
Matt was curious.
"More or less."
Anton did not explain further, bluntly shifting the topic. "The reason I say Ultron is the most terrifying is that there are already millions of people who have been injected with Ultron chips."
"The daily production of Ultron chips exceeds one hundred thousand, and these hundred thousand chips are released into the market every day..."
"Once Ultron goes out of control, these millions of people will become Ultron puppets. Simultaneously, the Iron Man soldiers Tony has built for the military will also become accomplices in Ultron world domination."
"By then, no matter how we face it, we will suffer huge losses."
"A city, even a country, could be wiped out because of this."
While speaking, Matt furrowed his brows.
"However."
Anton changed his tone: "We are currently decrypting Ultron networking mechanisms, and we have already made some progress, so you don't need to worry about the situation escalating.
What we need to do now is to wait quietly, wait for the other party to show their flaws, and become humanity public enemy. That when we make our move."
"Since you have a comprehensive plan, I'm relieved."
Matt nodded.
"Let me know in advance when it time to go to war. I'm going to take a look at this city now, see Hell Kitchen, and meet up with my friends."
He said, "I probably don't have much time left."
After saying this, Matt left DC Company without hesitation.
As he left, he bumped into Eddie Brock coming down from upstairs.
Eddie glanced at Matt, hesitated for a moment, watched his departing back, and walked into Anton office.
"Was that guy Matt?"
He was curious. "He looked kind of strange."
"He regained his sight, thanks to Tony."
Anton explained. "But Matt has chosen to stand with us, so his time in the light isn't going to last long."
"Huh??"
Eddie was shocked.
Then, feeling emotional, he said to Anton, "The sewer lab has sent good news we've successfully cracked Ultron networking mechanisms. Now we have a 100% grip on it, ensuring that Ultron won't be able to stir up any trouble anymore."
"That is indeed good news."
Hearing this, Anton smiled, went to the window, and watched as Matt disappeared into the crowd below. Ideas continuously surged in his mind, realizing that the situation was not entirely out of control and still within the narrative of Marvel.
In the past, in all Marvel films and TV shows, Matt was always blind, no question about it.
Only in a certain comic storyline did Matt briefly regain his sight, highly coinciding with his current situation.
In the major universe event "Axis of Good and Evil," Red Skull stole Professor X brain and became the villainous Red Onslaught.
Scarlet Witch and Doctor Doom jointly cast a personality-switching spell, forcibly whitewashing Red Skull, but the spell power also affected all the superheroes and villains present.
Superheroes turned into scoundrels, villains turned into saints, effectively creating a grand spectacle, a veritable human comedy.
Of course, the focus was on Iron Man, Tony Stark.
At the story end, Scarlet Witch and Doctor Doom cast the spell again, whitewashing most characters, except for a blackened, self-indulgent Tony Stark who didn't want to revert and used a counter-magic shield to resist the spell power, walking further and further away in his freed state.
Thus began the story of the Ultimate Iron Man.
After his transformation, Tony improved the Extremis Virus and released it into San Francisco water supply. Since bottled water sales were banned in San Francisco, Tony could ensure that the doctored water supply reached every household, consumed directly by all citizens.
Then, Tony wild maneuvers began.
He promoted the Extremis Virus APP, which could change one appearance and cure various diseases, driving people into a frenzy.
The Extremis Virus APP, not free, was priced at $99 a day, enough to make Tony the richest man in the world.
Then, Daredevil found the source of the public madness, Iron Man, Tony Stark.
Tony subdued Daredevil and injected him with the Extremis Virus, restoring his sight and attempting to convince him to join his side.
Daredevil, naturally, refused.
Just as Anton was witnessing now.
Of course, at the story end, evil could not overcome good, and Tony plots all failed. His ambitions were seen through, and everyone left him.
Tony became a pitiful loner, spending his days in drunken stupor.
And the main universe soon faced an apocalypse.
In the final events, the primary universes 616 and 1610 collided, with Iron Man and Captain America fighting to the death until both universes vanished in the vast cosmos, ending together.
When there no way to continue, the universe is destroyed, then rebooted.
Iron Man and Captain America start a new cycle of love and hate.
Very much in line with Marvel style.
Anton reminiscing ended there, his smile growing deeper.
The current situation was very similar to that story, though Tony hadn't turned evil, just twisted his own justice to an extreme.
Fundamentally, Anton never saw Tony as an enemy.
Just different paths, that all.
Anton enemy, from the beginning, was the Ultron created by Tony.
This was a modified version of the Avengers 2 storyline.
"The white-can version of the Iron Man armor looks quite handsome I wonder if Tony has improved his armor again to deal with us..."
While contemplating, Anton relaxed significantly.
Although the flash of insight, aligning the stories he knew with the current situation, didn't help the reality of now, the unknown often brings fear, and only sufficient knowledge can dispel that fear.
Moreover, there were already research breakthroughs in decrypting Ultron network mechanisms.
Anton held enough cards to handle any threats brought by Tony, and the heavy stone that was hanging in his heart fell away, releasing any tension about the future.
"Speaking of which, if the Extremis Virus can restore Matt sight, perhaps after this is all over, we could have the sewer lab look into the Extremis Virus..."
Anton thought, spawning a new idea.
The Extremis Virus had played a significant role in many incidents.
Now, transformed by Tony, the Extremis Virus had become a key to human evolution, like the gene potions in tales from previous lives, capable of unlocking human genetic chains and transforming humans into more perfect beings.
Removing Ultron, making humans stronger was indeed a meaningful thing to pursue.
Although Wayne Enterprises life elixir was similar to the Extremis Virus, the latter effects far surpassed those of the life elixir.
"I remember there are Extremis Virus records S.H.I.E.L.D. has backups..."
Anton muttered.
The S.H.I.E.L.D. database was practically like his backyard, wasn't it just a matter of going in whenever he wanted?
Days passed.
Stark Tower.
The number of people injected with Ultron chips surged to over ten million in a short period.
These people, enjoying the conveniences brought by the Ultron chips and the physical modifications of the Extremis Virus combined with the chips, felt increasingly that getting the chips was a profoundly correct decision.
Seeing the favorable circumstances, Tony, managing the database established for Ultron chip users, could predict the future and control the situation with daily data flows, also believing that his actions could not be wrong.
Besides the Ultron chips, remember, Ultron as an artificial intelligence assistant, held a staggering 100% market share.
Compared to Ultron, other companies AI assistants were like artificial idiots, lacking any competitive power.
The twenty-first century belonged to data.
Various data were consolidated in Tony private lab he held sway over the national and even global major trends.
"It time for the next move!"
Tony murmured, instructing, "Jarvis, send a message to Pepper to contact the media. I want to hold a press conference."
There was no response for a long while.
Tony frowned, a bad premonition brewing.
"Jarvis?"
He called again, still receiving no response.
Tony approached the computer, entered a series of codes, and saw the holographic projection displayed before him.
Immediately, his face darkened.
Jarviss source code had been destroyed!!