Zod didn't rush to rescue Pietro right away. He believed that enduring hardship was part of learning how precious one's life could be. Wanda, after all, was proof of that wisdom—Uld had told Zod that Wanda was taking management courses and aiming to work within Blade Technology. The instructors were top-notch, hired by Zod himself, and taught children of the upper class with discipline and rigor. These teachers, who once had exclusive one-on-one arrangements, now embraced their role in shaping future talents thanks to Zod's influence and investment.
Pietro, on the other hand, had been less focused. He initially attended classes, but soon began skipping them. Zod felt Pietro needed to realign his priorities, especially after knowing both the struggles of an orphan and the comforts of his new life.
---
Five days passed.
Pietro lay battered and exhausted when he heard a commotion outside his cell. Suddenly, the door burst open, and a familiar figure stepped in.
"Pietro?"
The helmet retracted, revealing Zod's face. Pietro's eyes flooded with relief, and he began to cry, the pain and fear of his ten days in captivity overwhelming him.
"Come on, Pietro. Wanda's worried sick about you," Zod said gently, helping Pietro to his feet.
As they exited, Pietro saw the ground littered with what looked like corpses. Some had horrific wounds: bodies sliced in half or with holes punched clean through their torsos. Pietro found a strange satisfaction in the sight, only to later learn these "corpses" were atomically constructed illusions created by Zod to intimidate his captors.
Soon, Pietro was safely back at Blade Technology's medical facility, receiving the care he needed. When Wanda arrived and saw her brother lying in the hospital bed, her tears of relief flowed freely.
"Thank you, Mr. Heath!" Wanda said, regaining her composure after her initial wave of emotion.
Zod gave a small nod. "It's fine. You'll need to be strong now, Wanda. He's had it rough, but he'll recover."
Pietro, despite his bruises, had been fed a nutrient solution each day to ensure no lasting physical damage. Leaving them to their reunion, Zod departed, though Uld remained to provide additional support.
---
Meanwhile, a new menace arose in New York.
The deep-sea tribe returned, driven by revenge for their slain leader, the Deep Sea King. Massive aquatic warriors emerged from the coastline, triggering panic across the city.
This time, the U.S. military had prepared in advance, aiming to restore its image after the previous humiliating encounter with the Centipede Elders. Ten Iron Overlord units from Blade Technology and numerous War Machines arrived to hold the line.
"They're huge! Did these guys really grow up at the bottom of the ocean?" remarked Reed Richards, as he observed the towering sea creatures.
Ben Grimm—the Thing—charged forward, fists clenched, colliding with a deep-sea creature bearing a shark's head. Though his strength was formidable, Ben barely left a mark.
Frustrated, Ben analyzed his foe's scales. Pistols, machine guns, and even bombs had little effect on the creatures, who had evolved under extreme oceanic pressures.
The creatures smashed through coastal defenses, shrugging off the metal storm of bullets. Yet, when an Iron Overlord unit intercepted one of the beasts, it became clear that Zod had designed these machines to match the power of the Deep Sea King himself.
"I haven't tasted a human like you before," one creature muttered, sizing up the Iron Overlord.
Inside the Iron Overlord, a soldier steadied his nerves and opened fire with a .50 BMG cannon, typically mounted on helicopters. Despite the heavy firepower, the creature slapped the weapon away. The AI-assisted Iron Overlord instinctively reacted, delivering a powerful uppercut that fractured the creature's jaw.
The military command center erupted in cheers, their faith in Blade Technology renewed. The Fantastic Four, meanwhile, battled other members of the deep-sea tribe. Susan, the Invisible Woman, used her force fields to trap and disorient the creatures, while Johnny Storm scorched them with flames, ensuring they could not regenerate.
Zod watched the skirmish from a rooftop, his arms crossed. He cloaked himself using electromagnetic force, rendering himself invisible to detection. From this vantage, he reflected on the challenge the tiger-level threat posed.
"For a mere tiger-level monster, these heroes are truly struggling," he mused, amused yet hopeful that these battles would push Earth's defenders to grow stronger.