MD-Chapter 300 Artificial Intelligence?

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When Arthur spotted Tony, a sudden realization hit him.

He remembered that he had left Banner back at the base, keeping Bucky company.

"Recently, my brain hasn't been functioning as well as it should," Arthur said, settling onto the couch as he watched Tony pour himself a drink. He waved his hand dismissively and added, "Maybe I should start focusing on my health and cut back on the drinking."

"Drinking in moderation can keep the body energized and the mind sharp," Tony replied, pouring a drink for Arthur as well.

"But considering you're nearly a hundred years old, moderation is key," he teased.

"A hundred years old?" Arthur shot back. "If you weren't in that suit, do you really think I couldn't toss you out of the atmosphere?"

"Nearly a hundred years old," Tony countered, smirking. "Can you stop solving every problem with violence? The most valuable part of me is up here," he said, tapping his head.

"Fair point." Arthur retrieved a small device from the Disassemble space and placed it on the table. "Let's rely on your precious brain to analyze this thing. Or at least explain it to me."

"This raises an interesting question," Tony said, glancing at the device. "Do you want a pure, truly intelligent artificial intelligence? I'll tell you, this could make your dreams come true!"

"...First of all, that's not my dream, and secondly, I don't want it!" Arthur's expression darkened. "And you'd better not want it either."

"Why not?" Tony asked, genuinely confused. "What's wrong with it? People make mistakes, but computers don't."

"But if the artificial intelligence you're talking about has all those qualities, why would it still listen to your commands?" Arthur challenged.

Tony shot back, "J.A.R.V.I.S, are you questioning your loyalty?"

"Reasonable doubt, I accept," J.A.R.V.I.S replied, giving Arthur a nod.

Arthur chuckled. "Well said. Looks like we should communicate more in the future."

"See? You're starting to like J.A.R.V.I.S.!" Tony exclaimed.

"But what you're talking about is different from J.A.R.V.I.S," Arthur sighed, noticing Tony's expression and realizing it would be hard to convince him. "I'm not really interested in that thing. I'm more curious about the files that might be inside."

Tony grimaced, snatching the device from the table. "You could brute-force it, but that would damage the program, and you won't get the complete data. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Not complete?" Arthur pondered for a moment before asking, "If we do it your way, how long will it take to get what we want?"

"Unknown," Tony replied without hesitation.

"...Then I really need to get it now," Arthur insisted. "Otherwise, Hydra might start noticing something. If they go back into hiding, we'll lose the initiative."

"I saw the list too. It's indeed shocking," Tony said. "You guys conducted a major purge last night?"

"That's right." Arthur shrugged. "But even so, SHIELD will probably undergo a massive personnel reshuffle soon."

He waved his hand dismissively. "Let's not talk about SHIELD anymore. I came here today to discuss this. Also, there's another matter I need to bring up with you."

"As for SHIELD, I think we need to talk about it further," Tony said, his tone serious. "Do you really think a SHIELD that fully controls itself is what we need?"

Arthur narrowed his eyes slightly, tapping his finger on the table. "What are you trying to say?"

"No one wants to be controlled," Tony replied. "The agreement between you and Fury is, at best, a verbal one. When he's unwilling, he's still the SHIELD Director, and you?"

The words hung in the air, tinged with distrust towards Fury. Yet, Arthur found Tony's perspective quite reasonable.

He nodded. "I overlooked that."

"So, are you still planning to brute-force crack the data in this device?" Tony gestured toward the gadget. "As long as we hold on to something they want, Hydra remains Fury's opponent. In this situation, Fury still needs to rely on you. Otherwise, without this leverage, I fear he'd become like others— wanting to control everything rather than take orders."

"Even though I know this is all part of your little schemes," Arthur raised an eyebrow, "you're not wrong."

"Ha!" Tony chuckled, then added, "But your concerns are valid too. I also think pushing things too far might be risky. So, I'll be extra cautious and won't let it get to a point where we lose control."

"I hope you mean that," Arthur replied, giving Tony a skeptical look. Relying on Tony to exercise self-control felt like wishful thinking. He figured Banner should keep an eye on him, and maybe he'd have to ask Pepper to rein him in as well.

"I'm really overburdened," Arthur sighed.

"What?" Tony asked, raising an eyebrow. "Have you picked up a new quirk recently?"

"…Let's get to the point. I'm planning to set up a research institute exclusively for our team," Arthur said. "I'll need you to contribute."

"That's not a problem at all," Tony nodded. "I can involve some trustworthy people. Space, equipment— I can take care of those."

"We can't rely on you alone," Arthur replied. "I'm quite familiar with the current head of OsCorp Industry."

"That twenty-something kid? You two get along without any generational gap?" Tony looked stunned. "I think I need to have a good chat with him. I'd love to know the secret to getting along with a century-old man like you. You know, I'm always tiptoeing around you, worried I might shatter your delicate ego."

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I don't have one of those…" Arthur's expression darkened. "Equipment, personnel, funding—between the three of us, we'll pool our resources."

"That's terrifying!" Tony exclaimed.

"But I agree," he continued. "If we bring OsCorp Industry's gene technology into the mix, it could offer us greater benefits and more support."

Of course, decisions like this weren't something Arthur and Tony could finalize with a casual chat. They'd need to arrange a meeting with Harry to discuss it thoroughly.

As Arthur left Tony's place, he couldn't help but wonder: 'Didn't I promise myself that after dealing with Hydra, I'd have some time to relax? So why am I still so busy?'

(End of Chapter)