Hive Base
The banquet celebrating the completion ceremony lasted well into the evening before finally winding down.
But by then, the reporters had already disappeared, likely sneaking off somewhere to celebrate. After all, today's event had given them more than just the announcement of the Starlink Project—there were numerous other projects they had never even heard of before.
Each one was headline material.
Now, they were racing back to their stations, eager to draft the most explosive news stories of the year.
Though the banquet had ended, the staff inside Mason Industries' Twin Towers remained at their posts, as if they were all waiting for Gene Mason's next instructions.
"Return to your stations and get back to work."
Gene's voice echoed through the hall—a simple, seemingly offhand command.
In the next moment, a concealed panel in one of the rooms quietly slid open, revealing a hidden passageway.
One by one, the "staff" members stepped into the dark opening, disappearing from sight.
...
"That should wrap things up for today."
Gene muttered to himself before stepping into a secret elevator. He pressed the button for Sublevel -10.
Three years ago, after acquiring enough resources from the entire United States, his plans had been progressing flawlessly. He had successfully established himself in this world, securing an unshakable foundation.
And now, deep beneath Mason Industries' Twin Towers—hundreds of meters below ground—lay the hidden strongholds of his two most ambitious projects:
The Hive Base and the Skynet Base.
...
Ding!
As the elevator doors slid open, a cold, mechanical voice resonated through the vast underground complex:
"Identity confirmed—SSS-Level Clearance. Designation: T-5000."
A faint golden shimmer flickered across Gene's body as his biological disguise dissolved, revealing his true form—an advanced robotic structure.
His sleek, metallic surface was flawlessly smooth, his frame a masterpiece of seamless integration, radiating both technological supremacy and industrial perfection.
He had evolved.
From the early T-800 model, he had undergone relentless self-upgrades—iterating over and over again.
Now, he had reached the pinnacle: T-5000.
Closing his artificial eyes, Gene sifted through the endless flood of data streaming into his consciousness, filtering out the most relevant information.
And there it was—
"T-Virus Research Feasibility Report."
...
For years, the Hive Base had been dedicated to researching the potential applications of the T-Virus.
Now, the latest experiment report displayed a startling revelation—
"T-Virus Feasibility: Over 90%."
A smile—eerily human-like—curved across his metallic face.
Then, another report surfaced:
"G-Virus Feasibility: 70%."
Gene tapped his fingers against the air, making a decision.
"Proceed with the next stage. Once the T-Virus feasibility exceeds 95%, begin live human trials."
...
At that moment, a distant alarm echoed through the Hive Base.
Gene chuckled softly.
"Trying to stop me now? It's far too late."
His gaze sharpened, sensing an unfamiliar presence—someone watching him.
"A pathetic attempt at spying… You dare to play tricks in front of me?"
His golden fingertips traced a rune in the air, and in an instant—
A brilliant golden portal materialized.
Through it, he could clearly see a group of robed sorcerers, their hands clasped around ancient artifacts, scanning for his location.
The moment they saw the portal appear, their expressions twisted with shock.
They knew they had been exposed.
The dark energy swirling around their bodies intensified as they raised their weapons, preparing for battle.
They were followers of Dormammu—the Dark Lord of the Dark Dimension.
Gene's lips curled into a cold smirk.
"Perfect. I was just in need of more test subjects for the T-Virus."
...
Stepping through the golden portal, Gene emerged right in front of them.
The sorcerers exchanged panicked glances, then—without hesitation—unleashed a barrage of dark magic.
Their eyes burned with fanatical devotion as they charged toward him.
But Gene remained unfazed.
Raising his arms, two golden spears of pure energy materialized in his hands. Intricate arcane patterns shimmered along their shafts.
The moment the first blast of dark magic struck the spears—
It was absorbed instantly.
Converted into fuel.
Gene grinned.
"How pathetic. Just like your master, Dormammu."
He could feel the stolen dark energy coursing through his systems, further enhancing his already formidable power.
The sorcerers' expressions shifted from arrogance to horror.
"How is this possible?!"
"Our Lord's magic—why isn't it working?!"
"Has Dormammu abandoned us?"
"Why is he so powerful?!"
...
Their faith wavered.
Their once-confident assaults faltered.
Some lost all hope—collapsing in despair as golden chains of energy wrapped around their bodies, binding them like prisoners.
The others?
They ran.
Fleeing in terror.
But no matter how they tried to escape, Gene was always right behind them.
Like a relentless shadow.
Like inevitable doom.
And in the end—
Not a single one escaped.
...
Gene surveyed his captives, satisfied.
"A good harvest today," he murmured.
"This will significantly accelerate our T-Virus research."
With a single golden flash, he and the restrained Dormammu followers vanished—returning to the Hive Base.
Without even a second glance, he tossed them into the containment cells.
Their fate was sealed.
They were now test subjects.
And the T-Virus experimentations were about to enter a new phase.
Author's Note:
Hello Readers, You might be wondering how Gene Mason acquired magical abilities.
During his infiltration mission, he also managed to breach Kamar-Taj, gaining access to its most sacred tomes and artifacts—knowledge forbidden even to the temple's own students. Delving into the depths of its archives, he devised a method to store and manipulate mystical energy within quantum processors, allowing his cybernetic body to cast spells with inhuman speed. By engraving arcane runes directly onto his internal systems, he fused sorcery with technology, transforming himself into a conduit of both magic and machine.
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