When it came to designing more advanced war machines, Zod Heath had no objections whatsoever.
There were simply too many possibilities to explore.
And watching the Hellfront Task Force charge into battle wearing those war machines reminded Zod of the Spartans. But the image of soldiers rushing forward with guns didn't carry the sense of tragic grandeur he had in mind. The weaponry was too advanced. So maybe he should aim for something closer to the style of Gantz?
Zod mulled it over. Gantz was all about ordinary humans wielding hyper advanced weapons to slaughter gods. The mortality rate was sky high, the difficulty brutal, every moment laced with tension and terror. Still, compared to the SCP Foundation, Gantz was practically a walk in the park. The Foundation's task forces went up against incomprehensible anomalies armed with nothing but modern military gear. The survival rate? Practically zero. Who the hell could guarantee they'd make it out alive when facing entities that could warp the logic of the universe or operate on a cosmic scale?
"Suddenly I really want to build Indestructible Reptile and Santa Claus..."
As a qualified researcher, Zod had a genuine academic interest in anomalies. Besides, the Marvel universe shouldn't have to worry about containment breaches, right? If Earth could survive the existential dread caused by SCP level threats, then there'd be nothing left to fear. Any invader would just be signing their own death warrant.
With that mindset, Zod developed a brand new war machine.
He abandoned the traditional bulky design of previous models. Too much armor made agile close combat impractical. Inspiration was never an issue. There were countless sources to draw from. Under these circumstances, Zod designed a war machine codenamed "Ripper."
Due to its relatively light armor plating, the Ripper incorporated "Secondary Kryptonian Alloy" to enhance its defensive capabilities. Its primary weapon was a high frequency vibrating blade. Its speed and strength exceeded those of standard war machines, though it lacked any significant firepower. Ranged attacks were limited to palm mounted energy cannons. However, once it closed the distance, even an Iron Monger suit would be carved apart with ease. The high frequency blade was virtually indestructible, capable of cutting through Vibranium and Adamantium alike. Anyone wearing the Ripper war machine, even an ordinary civilian, could go toe to toe with superheroes like Iron Man or Black Panther.
Umbrella Corporation promptly updated its database with the Ripper's specifications and details.
"Isn't fifty billion dollars a set a bit steep?"
Those who saw the listing agreed that Zod Heath's products were undeniably impressive. They were just outrageously expensive. Yet, considering the escalating threat of monster attacks and the performance data showcased in the Ripper's demonstration videos, both the United States government and other nations found themselves sorely tempted. The arms dealers who kept a close eye on Zod Heath's every move thought fifty billion was a bargain. These days, survival mattered more than money. Who knew when a monster might appear out of nowhere? Even with the Sword Bureau's support, could anyone guarantee they'd last until reinforcements arrived? Those who understood this rushed to place their orders.
Executive Deputy Director Nick Fury was feeling rather idle lately.
His position had initially been created to check Zod Heath's power and eventually seize control. But the sheer frequency and escalating danger of monster attacks had exceeded everyone's worst fears. The influential figures backing him had stopped pressuring him to make trouble. Fury knew when to pick his battles and wasn't about to stir the pot at a time like this. As a result, the highly capable former Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. found himself with nothing to do. Everyone at the Sword Bureau was running themselves ragged while he sat in his office, eating donuts and drinking coffee.
Fury had actually anticipated this scenario. He knew this might very well be his routine until retirement, assuming the monster crisis wasn't resolved by then.
Then the assignment came.
"Arizona?"
Fury hadn't expected to receive a field mission, let alone one delivered personally by Black Widow at Zod's behest.
"There's suspected monster activity. The Director wants you to investigate. Everyone else is tied up at the moment."
Natasha still harbored some residual loyalty toward her former superior. Though both Nick Fury and Zod Heath were experts at using people like tools, at least Zod Heath gave out raises. Compared to that, Fury had been relegated to an afterthought. If Zod hadn't brought him up, she might not have remembered the man at all. Black Widow found that fighting monsters felt far more like genuine redemption than the espionage and assassination work she'd done in the name of world peace. When exactly she'd feel her debt was paid, however, remained to be seen.
"Understood. I'll depart immediately."
Fury replied without a moment's hesitation.
The Sword Bureau's dedicated transport aircraft flew faster than the swiftest fighter jet, yet its occupants felt none of the inertial forces such speeds normally entailed. Fury arrived in Arizona in no time.
Prosperity.
A mining town in Arizona. Compared to the state capital, Phoenix, or world famous landmarks like the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam, Prosperity was utterly insignificant, a speck on the map you'd miss if you blinked. Nestled in the desert, it was a two hour drive from the nearest major city. The entire town consisted of just over three hundred households, with a population under a thousand. The outward signs of decline were obvious: a mass exodus of able bodied young people and a rapidly aging population. But the root cause ran deeper. Prosperity's economic lifeline had snapped. The town was only a few decades old, having grown from a single mine shaft to accommodate the miners. As its name implied, it had enjoyed a brief boom thanks to the mines. But no ore vein lasts forever. Prosperity's downward spiral was inevitable.
Upon arrival, Fury found that Sword Bureau agents had already established a cordon.
This wasn't your standard police tape barrier. The agents had erected a ten meter tall, two meter thick wall of quick drying concrete and reinforced steel, effectively encircling the entire town of Prosperity.
"How bad is it?"
Fury asked the officer in charge.
"Bad. Seventeen people have already gone missing."
The agent snapped a crisp salute before answering. Fury noted the man's badge number. It was only two digits. A rare sight among field operatives.
"Any confirmed sighting of the monster?"
Fury nodded, processing the situation as he pressed for details.
"According to the locals, they saw a massive creature inside the mine."
/-\
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