Zod conducted a full check and test on Blonsky, now transformed far beyond the original Abomination. Zod's analysis revealed that Blonsky's new form was vastly superior. First, his skin's structure made it resistant to energy attacks due to its high refractive index. The hideous bone spurs that protruded from his body were more than just fearsome—they were exceptionally hard, composed of biological material stronger than secondary adamantium. Coupled with his ability to generate extreme heat, Blonsky had essentially become a "biological molten blade." Even secondary adamantium couldn't withstand the temperatures his body could produce, thanks to the Extremis virus enhancing his cellular regeneration.
Blonsky's abilities had now reached terrifying levels:
Heat energy ray from his mouth,
Biological molten blade bone spurs,
Energy-reflective skin,
Extremis virus regeneration,
Red Hulk serum durability.
He was now a far more formidable opponent than the original Abomination.
"My current strength exceeds a hundred tons?" Blonsky was in awe. He had failed to achieve this kind of power as a super-soldier, but now, with Zod's enhancements, it had become reality.
Zod also informed Blonsky that, after his transformation, human weapons—except for nuclear bombs—were now ineffective against him. Over 90% of the world's military arsenal posed no threat to Blonsky. This revelation excited him. He couldn't wait to test his newfound power, though he wisely refrained from challenging Zod.
"Looking for a sparring partner?" Zod asked after Blonsky made his request. He nodded, and then the Black Tank, wearing a vibranium helmet, walked in.
"Who's he?" Blonsky hadn't encountered the Black Tank before. Standing at over seven feet tall with massive muscles, the Black Tank looked formidable.
"He's one of my experiments," Zod explained. "He has a steel body, an immortal physiology, and laser vision. Soon, I'll be replacing his bones with adamantium."
"Immortal?" Blonsky raised an eyebrow, intrigued. Zod had mentioned that the Black Tank was also theoretically immortal, just like him, capable of an indefinite lifespan.
Without much preamble, Blonsky and the Black Tank launched into their fight. Blonsky's first punch collided with the Black Tank's head, producing a deafening bang! The Black Tank, protected by his vibranium helmet, was unharmed, while Blonsky's cheek took some damage—though it quickly healed. Realizing that the helmet wasn't something simple, Blonsky shifted his focus to the Black Tank's body.
The Black Tank's form turned metallic, a defensive response, but Blonsky's blazing bone spurs pierced the steel with ease. The sharp spurs, radiating intense heat, dug deep into the Black Tank's metal body, but the Tank didn't flinch. His self-healing abilities prevented the injury from causing too much damage. He retaliated with a powerful uppercut that loosened Blonsky's teeth, but Blonsky quickly countered, breaking the Black Tank's arm with a joint lock.
Despite the injury, the Black Tank barely reacted—his metal body dulled any sensation of pain. He grappled Blonsky to the ground, breaking Blonsky's legs in the process with a precise leg lock. Blonsky screamed in pain but quickly retaliated, slashing the Black Tank's chest with his elbow bone spurs. The strike cleaved open the Black Tank's belly, but to Blonsky's surprise, there were no organs inside—only more metal.
"What are you?" Blonsky growled, his legs already regenerating thanks to the Extremis virus and Red Hulk serum. His recovery was so fast that even Wolverine would have been envious.
Blonsky then dominated the fight, overwhelming the Black Tank with raw power despite the Tank's tactical prowess. The Black Tank had studied combat techniques from around the world under the Black Queen's guidance, but even that wasn't enough to bridge the gap in sheer strength. Despite the Black Tank's durability, Zod eventually called off the fight, knowing that Blonsky's power was too much for his creation.
When Blonsky reverted to his human form, he noticed that even in his non-Hulk state, he retained significant strength—around ten tons, far more than Bruce Banner ever had. He was also impervious to small-caliber firearms and submachine gun rounds.
Feeling satisfied with his newfound powers, Blonsky was in high spirits. Following Zod had truly paid off, and the future seemed bright with limitless potential. However, his joy was short-lived as Zod began drawing vials of his blood for further experiments, intending to use it to create an enhanced version of the Abomination serum.
However, despite Zod's best efforts and the use of his electromagnetic abilities, many of the next subjects died during experimentation. Even when the subjects weren't genetically mismatched, there seemed to be an inexplicable barrier—perhaps some form of cosmic or universal restriction. Zod frowned, puzzled by these failures.
But why had the Black Tank succeeded? Zod could only attribute it to the unique conditions of the Marvel universe.
At that moment, a piece of important news broke. Stark Industries had been officially taken over by Obadiah Stane. With no descendants, Tony Stark's shares were passed on to his longtime mentor and business partner.
Zod watched Stane's tear-filled press conference with mild amusement. Obadiah played the grieving friend, though Zod knew the truth: inside, Stane was celebrating.
Tony Stark had been missing for months, presumed dead. While Stane had initially been concerned about the company's future, he soon realized the advantages of Tony's absence. Stark Industries' stock had plummeted after the loss of its genius inventor, but Stane had been working behind the scenes, leveraging Stark's existing weapon patents to secure lucrative contracts. Despite the company's losses, Stark Industries remained a giant in the defense sector. Stane was now the de facto leader, a position he wasn't keen on relinquishing. In fact, he quietly hoped that Tony Stark would never return.
"It's all falling into place for Obadiah," Zod muttered, though he wasn't particularly interested in Stane's petty ambitions. Obadiah was, after all, just a small player in the grand scheme of things.
The Black Queen interrupted his thoughts with more interesting news. Dr. Otto Octavius was finally ready to begin his experiments with the tritium element reactor. The brilliant scientist had spent an enormous amount of money constructing a machine for his experiment. To assist him, Otto had also developed six mechanical arms made from an advanced alloy, finding his human assistants too clumsy for the delicate work.