Zod had never encountered a demon before, and Morgan presented a rare, fascinating specimen. As she lay unconscious, her body shivered involuntarily.
"Rest assured," Gu Yi said calmly, "she won't be harmed. I will guide her in learning how to control her newfound power."
Zod nodded. He knew the girl version of Gu Yi wasn't as mischievous as the older version he had encountered, which gave him peace of mind.
"How long do you think it will take for her to return?" Zod asked.
"She can come back as soon as she masters control over her power," Gu Yi responded, her voice steady and reassuring.
Zod realized that Morgan's path to mastering her abilities might be a long one. It didn't sound like something that could happen overnight. Still, he trusted Gu Yi's expertise. After all, as a scientist himself, Zod despised when people with no understanding of his field tried to interfere. He had no intention of making the same mistake with magic.
Gu Yi then left with Morgan, and Zod noticed that the walls of Blade Technology Industries were intact, likely restored by Gu Yi's magic. To cover their tracks, he asked the Black Queen to forge nearby surveillance footage, and he personally altered the memories of all witnesses.
"I never expected to meet the offspring of a dimensional demon," Zod mused to himself. The more he learned about this world, the more incomprehensible it seemed.
However, he felt a sense of security knowing that Wanda, the Scarlet Witch, was still around. She could easily overpower Thanos in a one-on-one fight, and in a universe where mutants existed, she had the potential to erase all mutants or even superpowers with a single command. Wanda's abilities, in Zod's eyes, far surpassed those of Morgan. After all, Morgan's father was likely just a dimensional demon on the level of a Skyfather, at best on par with a single-universe level being.
In the grand hierarchy of Marvel's power levels—ranging from planetary star, Skyfather, all the way up to the omnipotent entities like the One Above All (TOAA)—Zod himself hadn't even reached the planetary star level. Still, his potential was immense, so he wasn't overly concerned.
Moreover, Gu Yi still had many years left before her eventual demise, giving Zod plenty of time to grow stronger. By the time Gu Yi passed, Zod might have already ascended to the Skyfather level.
Meanwhile, Morgan had followed Gu Yi to Kamar-Taj for training. Wanda soon approached Zod, curiosity piqued.
"Where did Morgan go?" she asked.
"She's gone to an important place for training," Zod explained truthfully. Kamar-Taj was, after all, a magical school that borrowed power from the Dimensional Demon Gods. And if Morgan truly mastered techniques on how to fend off dimensional demons, Zod figured she wouldn't have to worry about her demonic father coming after her.
But then, a thought struck him. Could Gu Yi be grooming Morgan as her successor, the next Sorcerer Supreme? It wasn't impossible. As the offspring of a dimensional demon, Morgan could theoretically become the Sorcerer Supreme herself. After all, the Vishanti—Agamotto, Oshtur, and Hoggoth—were technically dimensional beings too.
Still, Zod doubted this possibility. Gu Yi wasn't irresponsible, and Morgan was too young to take on such a monumental role. Zod couldn't imagine Gu Yi leaving the defense of the realm in such inexperienced hands.
Speaking of the Sorcerer Supreme, Stephen Strange was still climbing the ranks in the medical field. He hadn't yet reached his peak fame, but he was already unbeatable when it came to complex surgeries. At this point, Strange still relished the challenge of high-risk procedures, not yet concerned about his accident rate. Only after achieving widespread fame would he start refusing surgeries that were too risky.
Zod's interest in Stephen Strange ranked just below his attention to Tony Stark and Reed Richards. Tony Stark was currently in the process of building his first Iron Man suit. Unfortunately, it had been stolen by terrorists, forcing Stark to focus on making more. Tony had anticipated the betrayal of the terrorists and wasn't entirely disheartened. Zod imagined that Tony's resilience, forged through this purgatory-like experience, would mold him into a stronger person. By the time he emerged from this ordeal, Tony wouldn't suffer the same anxiety he experienced after the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Tony, in fact, had even begun building muscle due to the vegan meals and fitness regime Zod had prepared for him. His lean, sculpted frame was the perfect mix of strength and aesthetics—an ideal physique for charming his way through life once he returned to civilization.
As for Reed Richards, he was already deep into rocket testing and planned to launch his spacecraft within a month. Zod knew that when the time came, Doom Enterprises would face bankruptcy. Lord Doom had sold off his cash flow and borrowed from banks to fund Reed's project, trusting Reed's genius. Zod could only shake his head at Doom's misguided confidence. The man had even sought investments and collaborations with various entities, including Blade Technology Industries—though Zod had refused to participate.
Lord Doom was furious over Zod's rejection. "Today you ignore me," he grumbled, "but tomorrow I... well, I still won't be able to match up to you."
Compared to Zod's achievements, Doom's project paled in comparison.
Meanwhile, Blade Technology Industries had just completed construction on the Blade High-Tech Talent Training Institute, a $100 million venture. The school had become a dream institution for high-level students, as graduates would be the first to receive job offers from Blade Technology. In today's world, Blade Technology Industries was the top industrial conglomerate, with elites from all over the globe vying for positions.
Even though the company was likely swarming with secret agents, spies, and undercover operatives, Zod didn't mind. At least those spies were more dedicated than most regular employees. The notorious Black Widow, who worked a grueling 81-17 schedule, was the perfect example. Despite the intense workload, she enjoyed a hefty salary and had recently developed a shopping addiction, indulging in the luxury goods she had once only dreamed of.
Applications to Blade Academy flooded in, but the entry requirements were steep. Few could meet the academic standards. Jessica Campbell, however, was among the privileged few who could enroll directly. Yet, even she felt overwhelmed by the curriculum. The subjects—cell research, gene editing, high-energy physics, astrophysics, space physics, theoretical physics, energy physics—were unlike anything she had ever encountered.