Chapter 59: The Rise of Deathwing

It was unfortunate. Apart from the single successful animalized soldier, all the other World Snake members had failed to adapt to the mutant gene of Steel Lux. Some nearly died, while others showed no response at all.

Zod, however, refused to believe that only one steel warrior could exist. The odds of such genetic coincidence were far too low. He suspected that more samples were necessary for further testing.

The sole survivor, now an enhanced Steel Lux soldier, was transferred by Zod to a newly established organization outside of World Snake.

It was called "Wings of Death."

Yemengada, the World-Encircling Serpent, surely needed an equivalent force standing tall in the sky. Wings of Death would be the pinnacle of Zod's power. Initially, Zod intended to fill this elite force with beast gods. Now, he was open to the idea of mutants—especially considering how this Steel Lux soldier surpassed the original Steel Lux in strength. Samples of the biometal covering his body had been taken, with the hopes of replicating it.

For Zod, it didn't matter whether his recruits were beast generals or mutants. Wings of Death would be composed of the most formidable beings under his control.

He had plans for Emil Blonsky as well, intending to transform him into Abomination. A hybrid super-animal soldier plus Abomination—Zod figured that combination would be terrifyingly powerful.

Zod instructed Ould to continue the free medical examination program, hoping to expand it internationally. He saw this charitable act as a perfect cover for his Transhuman Project, which had now found new targets.

Previously, Jessica Campbell had been the main focus of the Transhuman Project. Now, however, new objectives had emerged—Wanda Maximoff and Pietro Maximoff (Quicksilver). In this version of the universe, where mutants didn't officially exist, their powers were said to have been activated by the Mind Stone. This was a narrative from the movies, but it was enough for Zod to mark them as key targets for experimentation.

The project's archives also contained files on Daisy Johnson (Quake). Luke Cage, though, remained elusive—still hidden away, possibly in prison.

Wanda and Pietro were still in Sokovia, unaware of what awaited them. They hadn't yet become test subjects for Baron Strucker, but Zod wasn't about to wait for that. With his approval, the Black Queen sent a lycanthrope to bring them in.

Zod's secret supersonic vehicle allowed his agents to snatch them from Sokovia with incredible speed, evading the air defenses of every country they passed. The lycanthrope was proud of the organization's technological advancements, yet they wondered why the boss hadn't simply ordered world domination.

When Wanda and Pietro were brought before Zod, they were wary, but couldn't deny the magnetism of the man before them. His status as the world's most prominent weapons dealer didn't faze them—at least, not immediately.

"Don't worry, I won't harm you," Zod reassured them with a smile. Wanda, precocious and cautious, blushed. Pietro, however, wasn't so easily swayed.

"You sent someone to kidnap us, and now you say you won't hurt us?" Pietro retorted.

"Pietro!" Wanda tugged at her brother's sleeve, trying to calm him.

"It's fine," Zod replied smoothly. "I only want you to join my organization. I'll provide for your education and well-being until you reach adulthood."

At Zod's signal, Ould elaborated on the offer, much to Pietro's surprise. He began to soften.

Ould, however, couldn't help but wonder why Zod had taken in two teenagers. Could this powerful man have some personal preference? Though Wanda looked more delicate and beautiful than her movie counterpart, Zod didn't seem interested in her. His tastes ran more towards older, voluptuous women—Wanda, for now, was still too young and frail, possibly due to malnourishment.

Through their conversation, the Maximoff siblings realized Zod meant no immediate harm. Despite the oddity of their forced abduction, he merely wanted to run some health checks on them and then ensure they became U.S. citizens with the chance to pursue their studies.

It seemed unbelievable. Could there really be someone this benevolent in the world? Why would he help them?

Zod, meanwhile, was eager to get back to his research. Once he had their samples, he rushed to his laboratory, where Dr. Connors awaited him.

Connors was astounded at how quickly Zod had progressed. Initially, Zod had been on par with a mere lab assistant. Now, just days later, Connors found himself struggling to keep up. Zod continuously presented him with genetic samples that defied understanding. The animalized soldiers, once limited to the genes of Earth's creatures, had begun to evolve in ways Connors had never imagined.

Wanda and Pietro's genetic material, though, presented a different challenge. Their DNA showed no signs of mutant genes. Instead, Zod discovered something entirely new—genes he had never seen before.

"How many different special genes exist on Earth?" Zod wondered aloud. He mused about the possibilities of obtaining samples from Skrulls or Asgardians, further broadening his horizons.

As for his cloning technology, Zod had made significant strides. The design blueprints were now complete, and he had handed them over to the Black Queen for construction.

…

Brooklyn was in chaos.

"I'm here at the scene where the robbers are battling the police!" A reporter from the New York Daily News broadcast live from the scene. His editor had promised him a bonus, and the reporter from the Daily Bugle was doing everything he could to outdo him.

The police were pinned down, taking cover behind their vehicles. The robbers, wielding 7.62mm automatic rifles, were well-armed. One particularly large and round thief even carried an AA-12 automatic shotgun. The police were outgunned, several officers already dead or wounded.

The robbers' target was the $50 million inside the bank. A group of mercenaries from South Africa, they were ruthless and efficient.

Just when it seemed the robbers had the upper hand, something shot through the sky, leaving a trail of fire behind. Initially unnoticed, the object drew attention as it neared the ground, eliciting gasps from the crowd.

It was a war machine, clad in sleek, black armor that shimmered in the light.

On its surface, one word stood out in sharp relief: DarkKnight.

The robbers assumed the United States had deployed a military asset and quickly turned their weapons on the Dark Knight. But Zod, cloaked in black, calmly strode forward, ignoring the hail of bullets as they bounced harmlessly off his armor.