A Kryptonian in the Marvel Universe

"He's a major shareholder and veteran at Stark Industries, likely here on their behalf," Uld said calmly, her sharp mind already understanding why Obadiah Stane had come.

Blade Technology's war machines were dominating the market, pulling orders away from Stark Industries, which had traditionally controlled military weapons such as missiles and tanks. Before Blade Technology's rise, other military manufacturers had to settle for whatever Stark Industries didn't take. Now, Stark Industries was the one scrambling to compete for the scraps left behind by Blade Technology.

With most nations opting for Zod's war machines over traditional weaponry, Stark Industries' stock had plummeted. Shareholders were growing restless, blaming both Obadiah Stane and Tony Stark for their failure to come up with an adequate response. Tony had always been able to create a new weapon to save the day, but this time, even Stark's genius seemed outmatched. Without an invention on par with Zod's war machine, Stark Industries was watching its dominance slip away.

The military's preference was clear. Why invest in tanks, aircraft, or missiles when Zod's war machines could do the job better and more efficiently? Faced with this, Obadiah Stane had no choice but to seek a deal with Blade Technology. His proposal? Stark Industries could help manufacture the war machines, expanding production capacity.

Blade Technology, as a newcomer to the defense sector, didn't yet have the infrastructure for mass production. While Zod's technological breakthroughs were unparalleled, the company lacked the sheer manufacturing power that Stark Industries had spent decades building. War machines required highly specialized, high-precision equipment to produce, and while the U.S. government had cleared the way for Blade Technology's machine tools to be produced, the process was painstakingly slow. In the most optimistic scenario, it would still take several years to fully establish a production line.

Stark Industries, on the other hand, had multiple production lines at the ready, capable of pumping out whatever Tony Stark designed with little delay. This allowed them to meet military demands far faster than Blade Technology could.

But Stane's offer wasn't without ulterior motives. By helping produce the war machines, Stark Industries would gain access to Blade Technology's designs, allowing them to reverse-engineer and replicate the technology. If they could manage this, Stark Industries could regain its position at the top, and Blade Technology would lose its edge. Even if Blade Technology had patents in place, Stark's team of high-powered lawyers could keep any lawsuits tied up in court indefinitely.

Uld conveyed this to Zod, but his response was swift and dismissive: "Tell Stane I'm busy with my next groundbreaking invention and don't have time for him right now."

When the message reached Obadiah, his calm exterior masked a deep frustration. To him, Zod's refusal wasn't a matter of being busy—it was a sign of contempt, a deliberate snub that only fueled his anger. But he kept his composure. Being a seasoned businessman, he knew that patience was key. "Next time, then," Obadiah said with a forced smile as he left.

Inside, however, he was already plotting how to take Zod down.

With Zod's influence and status rising so quickly, Obadiah knew a direct attack would be reckless. But if he could chip away at Zod's empire quietly, slowly undermining him, then perhaps he could regain the upper hand. Once inside his car, Obadiah pulled out his phone and dialed a contact he hadn't used in a long time.

"Hello? Is this the Ten Rings?"

Zod, of course, wasn't oblivious to Stane's true intentions. It was far too obvious, even insulting, to think that Zod wouldn't see through it. Did Obadiah think Zod was some naive Tony Stark, all brains and no strategic sense?

While Kryptonians weren't typically accustomed to schemes and intrigue, Zod had been born on Earth. He knew how the game was played, especially when it came to business politics. Having grown up in the land of subtle power plays and hidden agendas, Zod wasn't one to be easily fooled.

Blade Technology's production issues weren't lost on Zod either. The slow pace was frustrating but unavoidable. Every machine they used had to be accounted for, with serial numbers and official documentation. Any machine that was stolen or damaged would need to be tracked and reported. There was simply no cutting corners.

This was why Zod had even considered taking over Stark Industries' weapons division. It had everything he needed—experience, resources, and most importantly, the infrastructure. But the timeline was unclear. There were still eight years before the events involving Stark would unfold—assuming things went according to the comic or movie plot. Zod had disrupted things so much already that the future was anything but certain.

"Maybe I should just take over Hanmer Industries instead," Zod mused. Hanmer Industries also had the manufacturing capacity he needed, but they were a joke compared to Stark. Even their infamous "Ex-Wife" missile was a disaster, failing to explode because of a malfunction. Still, Hanmer's equipment could be useful, and Zod felt that leaving such resources in their hands was a waste.

It wasn't that Justin Hammer was incompetent—he wasn't. But even if Hanmer's products were lackluster, they had their own production lines, and Zod could put them to far better use. Of course, it was all hypothetical for now. Zod had bigger things to worry about, but that didn't stop him from considering how to resolve the production bottleneck.

Still, the situation remained complicated. Even if Blade Technology could increase production, the U.S. government was taking the lion's share of the war machines. Bears and rabbits—euphemisms for Russia and China—would only receive a small portion, and the orders from other countries would have to wait.

Obadiah's plan to gain access to Blade Technology's production line was just the beginning. Zod knew there were more challenges ahead, not just from Stark Industries, but from every power player watching him closely. He wasn't ready to strike just yet, but he would be soon.

"Maybe it's time to accelerate things," Zod thought.