After gaining control over electromagnetic force, the very first thing Drex Valen did was rewrite his own DNA.
Using the Codex as a template, he removed the biological limitations tied to Kryptonian scientific castes and reconstructed himself with the genetic traits of every Kryptonian profession.
The soldier-class DNA alone produced imdiate results.
His cells beca dramatically more active.
His absorption rate under sunlight accelerated even further.
But the deeper Drex explored electromagnetism, the more he realized sothing important.
He didn't just have the ability to alter himself.
He could alter anyone.
Mutant genes.
Bio-weapons.
Even the idea he'd been refining for months...
The Zoalords.
Drex lacked the Creators' original genetic adjustnt technology, but with electromagnetic control over cells and DNA itself, he no longer needed it.
In so ways, what he possessed now was even more advanced.
"Zoalords..." he muttered thoughtfully.
By his standards, every Zoalord should possess a unique and overwhelmingly powerful ability.
Sothing on the level of Guyot's gravity manipulation.
Mutant genetics fit that concept perfectly.
"Black Queen," Drex said, "how many mutant gene samples have we collected so far?"
The "free physical examinations" sponsored by Blade Technology Industries had quietly expanded worldwide over the years.
The amount of mutant DNA gathered through those programs should have been enormous by now.
After all, in so tilines, mutants numbered in the hundreds of millions.
One mutant for every thirty humans.
A terrifying statistic.
Even if this universe's numbers were lower, the population still wouldn't be small.
"Current database contains over ten thousand non-redundant mutant genetic samples," the Black Queen replied.
Drex nodded.
"Good. Begin experintation."
This ti, he directly applied electromagnetism and gravity manipulation to genetic restructuring itself, testing whether his theories could beco reality.
Even useless mutant abilities beca valuable test material.
If weak powers could be evolved into sothing stronger through modification, the payoff would be enormous.
And eventually...
He succeeded.
One experintal subject originally possessed an utterly pathetic mutation.
Its only effect was making the user's eyes glow brightly enough to function as flashlights in darkness.
After Drex's modifications, however, the mutation evolved into optic laser projection.
A primitive power transford into sothing resembling Cyclops' optic blasts.
Another mutant gene originally allowed nothing more than arm regeneration.
The subject could regrow severed limbs endlessly, but nothing else.
Drex reconstructed it into a true regenerative healing factor.
Not quite Wolverine-level immortality.
The subject would still die of old age eventually.
But before that?
Decapitation wouldn't kill him.
A pierced heart wouldn't kill him.
As long as so biological structure remained intact, recovery was possible.
Of course, total incineration would still finish the job.
Honestly, Drex suspected Wolverine and Sabretooth only survived so long because nobody had bothered cremating them properly.
Then he added Colossus' mutation.
The genetic integration process initially showed severe incompatibility issues, but Drex stabilized the conflict directly through electromagnetic manipulation at the cellular level.
In the end, the experint successfully fused three mutant abilities together.
That was the limit.
Any further additions caused imdiate genetic collapse.
Drex still hadn't reached the deeper layers of electromagnetic mastery required for more complex restructuring.
Not yet.
Using psychic abilities, he completely erased the experintal subject's mories.
Then he implanted new ones.
Not elaborate mories.
Just enough.
Absolute loyalty.
Psychological conditioning engraved deeply into the subject's consciousness, reinforced with telepathic safeguards to eliminate future betrayal risks.
Immortality.
Steel skin.
Optic lasers.
When the subject finally awakened, Drex gave him a na.
Black Tank.
"Sha you can't fly," Drex said calmly. "That would've made you perfect."
Black Tank remained silent.
Drex didn't mind.
At the mont, the subject's mind was almost childlike.
Blank.
Pure.
Over ti, Black Queen would gradually expose him to carefully curated information and guide the developnt of his worldview.
As for the na...
The subject himself was a massive, heavily built black man.
Combined with the existence of Juggernaut in Marvel lore, Drex figured "Black Tank" felt appropriate enough.
Of course, even this version probably couldn't beat Juggernaut.
Not even the movie version.
A short while later, Blade arrived unexpectedly.
Not because of Nomak.
The Reaper leader was already dead, and Blade had failed to save Nyssa.
Instead, the vampire hunter had encountered a strange group of allies after everything fell apart.
Through them, he learned about a thod capable of exterminating every vampire on Earth.
But to do that, one being had to die first.
Dracula.
The original vampire ancestor had already been revived by the vampire clans.
Blade had fought him once already.
The result was ugly.
He hadn't stood a chance.
So this ti, he ca looking for help.
Partly because Blade Technology Industries possessed absurdly advanced weaponry.
And partly because Drex Valen himself had beco one of the world's most famous superheroes.
When humanity itself was potentially at stake, Blade couldn't afford pride.
"The original Dracula?"
Drex directly scanned Blade's mories and reviewed the battle footage through telepathy.
Good.
Not the absurd comic version.
Just the film adaptation.
That made things easier.
"Here." Drex tossed him a specialized ammunition case. "Forget the Daystar virus. Have that doctor hand it over to instead."
"This is my latest anti-vampire weapon."
"Doesn't matter if it's Dracula or God himself. One shot kills."
Blade examined the bullets suspiciously.
Inside each round was a glowing liquid compound.
"This is supposed to work?"
"Careful with it," Drex replied. "That substance reacts violently with any vampiric pathogen. For vampires, it's basically the most toxic thing imaginable."
Extremis virus ammunition.
Since Dracula could apparently survive sunlight, ultraviolet weapons beca unreliable.
Fortunately, Drex had alternatives.
Blade remained skeptical, but he still pocketed the hundred specialized rounds Drex provided.
At least the ammunition supply was generous.
When Blade returned, Hannibal King and Abigail Whistler were visibly disappointed that no overwhelming superhuman backup had co with him.
Blade ignored them.
"I may not have brought reinforcents," he said, "but I brought sothing better."
Whether it actually worked remained to be seen.
The assault began soon afterward.
The Nightstalkers stord the vampire stronghold alongside the Albert Squad, carving through waves of vampires on their way toward Dracula.
Blade found him quickly.
"Blade..." Dracula grinned, exposing his fangs. "You ca back to die."
The ancient vampire prepared to transform.
Blade imdiately drew a second handgun.
Three shots rang out in rapid succession.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
The bullets punched directly into Dracula's chest.
Dracula laughed.
Bullets?
Seriously?
Ever since awakening, he'd seen every anti-vampire weapon humanity could invent.
Silver rounds.
Anticoagulants.
UV ammunition.
None of it mattered.
Then his expression changed.
Sothing was wrong.
From Blade's perspective, the three bullet wounds suddenly began glowing an ominous crimson.
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