The sudden price surge of secondary vibranium caused a stir, particularly in the United States. Meanwhile, other nations like Russia and China, unconcerned with the cost, were only worried about securing their supply. They were eager to purchase as much as possible before stocks ran out.
After Uld tactfully dealt with the American representative by claiming that production was limited and might decrease, the U.S. government ceased their persistent demands. Although they offered to help with production, Uld was not naive. Granting them access would mean risking the discovery of the formula for secondary vibranium, which would render any future agreements pointless.
While this was unfolding, Zod wasn't idle. He was busy handling a case involving the robbery of an armored cash vehicle.
The arrival of the Dark Knight Zod was met with cheers from bystanders and relief from the police. However, the lead sergeant frowned, knowing that if Zod handled the situation, it would make the Los Angeles police look as incompetent as the Washington, D.C. department, reducing the public's faith in their effectiveness.
This time, Zod's Dark Knight armor had undergone some upgrades. The previously seen eight-bladed wings had been replaced by a glowing device, signifying new technological advancements. Zod had enhanced his high-frequency sword and floating gun into electromagnetic generators, granting him mastery over both electromagnetic forces and gravity.
Now, few adversaries could hope to withstand the might of the Dark Knight's armor, empowered by these forces.
As Zod entered the fray, the robbers found their weapons twisted into knots by an unseen force, binding their hands. Using electromagnetic energy to interfere with their nervous systems, Zod paralyzed the criminals, leaving them unable to move. Their terror was evident, but they couldn't even cry out.
Just then, an explosion erupted nearby. Zod quickly contained the blast, warping the flames and shockwave with his gravitational control, neutralizing the threat. Despite his intervention, one person was caught in the explosion—a young woman.
Zod immediately noticed that her body was undergoing a strange transformation as he carried her to safety. Could she be a mutant? An Inhuman? Or was it some other unknown mutation?
Curious about the situation, Zod was determined to investigate further. He suspected the explosion was meant for him, as it was powerful enough to destroy an entire street.
"Black Queen, track the origin of the explosives. I want to know everything about it," Zod commanded, referring to his AI assistant.
Without delay, Zod flew back to his base with the unconscious girl in his arms. As he soared through the sky, he noticed that the edges of her hair were turning into glowing blue crystals. He immediately shielded himself with electromagnetic force and teleported directly to his headquarters for a detailed examination.
Once at the lab, the Black Queen began scanning the girl's body. Zod, deep in thought, pondered her transformation. "This isn't a character from the comics. Could my interference have caused her appearance?"
The girl's transformation soon completed. The edges of her long, black hair had turned into soft, glowing blue crystals. Her eyes, too, had changed, now an icy blue.
"Where... am I?" she asked groggily as she awoke, holding her head.
"This is the medical room of Stark Industries," Zod replied calmly. "You were caught in an explosion during the robbery, so I brought you here to ensure your safety."
"Zod?" she asked, startled by his presence.
"Yes, it's me," Zod confirmed. His composed demeanor reassured the girl, who had been anxious just moments ago. Now, recognizing him as the hero Zod, her fear turned to awe.
She stared at Zod, her thoughts filled with admiration, which Zod could hear, though he made no comment.
He handed her a report. "I have both good news and bad news. Which would you prefer to hear first?"
The girl gave a wry smile. "Does this have something to do with my body?"
Zod nodded. "Yes. The bad news is... well, this is what you look like now." He handed her a mirror.
The girl stared at her reflection, surprised. Though she had been beautiful before, her transformation gave her an ethereal, almost magical appearance.
"Cool!" she exclaimed, clearly not seeing this as bad news at all.
Zod continued, "The good news is that your body has undergone a mutation, and you may now possess special abilities."
Intrigued, Zod had already collected samples while the girl was unconscious, and the Black Queen was analyzing the results.
"Superpowers? Really?" she asked, excitement creeping into her voice. If anyone else had made such a claim, she might have doubted it. But this was Zod.
"How do I know if I have superpowers?" she asked, her excitement tempered by a hint of skepticism.
"I can arrange a test," Zod offered, just as curious as she was about her potential abilities.
After conducting a series of rigorous tests, Zod discovered that the girl's powers were not typical superhuman abilities but something closer to magic. Her unique powers intrigued him, and he suspected her lineage might hold some clues. Perhaps she was part-Celestial, like Peter Quill, or had some demonic heritage. Zod made a mental note to consult the Ancient One about her abilities later.
Her powers manifested in three distinct ways: molecular decomposition, energy barriers, and life absorption.
The first ability, molecular decomposition, allowed her to release blue lightning that broke down objects at a molecular level. Though it looked like lightning, it had no electric current or voltage. Instead, it simply disintegrated anything it touched, even something as durable as vibranium.
Her second ability was to create an energy barrier—a blue, crystalline shield that covered her entire body. Its defensive capability was immense, so much so that even Zod's mental powers couldn't penetrate it.
The third, and most mysterious, was her ability to drain life force and absorb the souls of those she captured. This ability fascinated and unsettled Zod in equal measure.
Zod mused that she could one day rival the Scarlet Witch, Wanda Maximoff.
Just as this thought crossed his mind, the Ancient One appeared out of thin air.
"Ancient One..." Zod greeted, half-amused. "You really do have a lot of free time, don't you?"