"Mr. Pent."
Obadiah had a beard and a big, bald head. He looked a bit fierce, often holding a cigar in his mouth—a standard villainous configuration. However, after meeting Kain, his temper had noticeably restrained.
Though he was the second-largest individual shareholder of Stark Industries, his status and strength were nowhere near comparable to Kain's.
Not to mention the fast-growing Pent Group—even the recently famous Umbrella Military Company had already become the world's number one military security provider.
Unlike other military security firms, Umbrella possessed super soldiers. This remained a secret to the general public, but ever since the Wakanda War, Umbrella had stopped hiding its strength and had begun openly engaging with the upper echelons.
Obadiah had his own sources of information, so he was naturally aware of this.
"Mr. Stane, let's go inside and talk."
Kain led Obadiah to the energy plant. Although it was located in the suburbs of New York City, it was connected to the underground tunnels of the Pent Group. Not far away was Umbrella's sergeant training base and the security company's headquarters.
"To be honest, I don't see why you need to go down with Stark Industries.
"In your position, what you're after is either money or power. But Stark Industries is a sinking ship—unless, of course, you convince Tony Stark to reopen the weapons division. That might extend the company's lifespan a little.
"But even then, the Pent Group's new energy weapons are coming. Sooner or later, Stark Industries will take a major hit."
As Kain spoke, he led Obadiah into the factory. The above-ground facilities were dedicated to civilian applications of the Arc Reactor, while all weapons research and military manufacturing were hidden in the underground Hive.
Yet, even the civilian research on the Arc Reactor was enough to astonish Obadiah.
He had only come here hoping to find an ally to help him wrest control of Stark Industries from Tony Stark.
After careful consideration, he had concluded that the Pent Group was a better choice than Hammer Industries. That was why he had accepted the invitation.
But now, as he looked around, Obadiah felt like he was witnessing something unbelievable.
Stark Industries had spent 30 years researching the Arc Reactor, and in the end, it was Tony Stark—after escaping from the Ten Rings with his life—who had managed to develop a fully functional version.
That was why, when Obadiah first laid eyes on a perfected Arc Reactor, he had become obsessed with taking it—and everything else—away from Tony Stark.
"This… this is the Arc Reactor? You've managed to shrink it down to this size?"
Obadiah swallowed hard. He had recovered the Mark I suit from the Ten Rings, intending to use it as a blueprint to develop an upgraded version—his secret weapon against Tony Stark.
But now…
"You're still tinkering with the Mark I, Mr. Stane? You should abandon that pile of scrap."
"How many generations of upgrades do you think it'll take before you catch up with the Pent Group's technology? Instead of wasting time, why not work with me? Trade your shares for something worthwhile. Otherwise, you might end up with nothing at all."
Kain then revealed the research breakthroughs made by Vanko and his son.
New energy-powered exosuits. Advanced mechanical sentinels. Even the steel suits Obadiah had considered cutting-edge were now outdated and bulky.
The latest development? A nano-suit made from vibranium alloy.
In terms of defense, weapon versatility, and portability, nano-vibranium alloy battle suits were the future—alongside new energy-based nano-alloy weaponry and other groundbreaking technologies.
Obadiah felt like a country bumpkin stepping into a futuristic city.
After seeing the Pent Group's scientific achievements, his own petty schemes suddenly felt laughable.
And considering that Kain already knew about his recovery of the Mark I… it was likely that his dealings with the Ten Rings were also exposed.
Perhaps, Obadiah realized, he had been playing the wrong game all along.
The other party knew as well.
Why did I come here with a mental illness? Obadiah thought with some fear in his heart, convinced that something had gone wrong somewhere.
"Mr. Stane?"
Obadiah snapped back to reality. In less than two hours, his confidence had dropped by 30%. He cleared his throat and said, "Yes, Mr. Pent , how do you plan to cooperate?"
Kain smiled. "Cooperation? Oh, that's fine. I want Stark Industries' weapons division and manufacturing plant. The Pent Group's background in this field is still a bit weak, and we can't fulfill certain large-scale orders."
"This... is a bit difficult, Mr. Pent," Obadiah said hesitantly. If he had control over the weapons division, he wouldn't have just stood by while Tony Stark shut down such a lucrative department.
"Tony Stark has absolute control over the company. Although he owns less than 50% of the shares, the board of directors trusts him completely. Meetings are rarely even held."
Unknowingly, Obadiah had already begun to see cooperation as the best option. The biggest secret was in the other party's hands.
Kain didn't seem to care about the trump card Obadiah relied on. If he couldn't lean on the Pent Group, he'd have no choice but to crawl back to Tony Stark and admit his mistakes.
Kain smirked. "The stock price has already dropped by 43%, and Stark's words have cut his wealth in half. Now tell me, Mr. Stane, what do you think will happen if Stark Industries' stock price drops by 80%?"
"Then they'll turn on Tony Stark," Obadiah admitted. "The Arc Reactor he relies on is nothing in front of your company. Compared to Mr. Pent, Tony Stark is insignificant."
Kain couldn't help but chuckle at Obadiah's flattery. Dealing with villains is refreshing, he mused. They know how to read the situation and cooperate.
If Captain America were here instead, he'd refuse indignantly, run back to warn Tony, and ultimately die alongside Stark Industries.
"Mr. Stane, let's make this enjoyable. I already hold 7% of Stark Industries' shares. I hope you'll help me increase that to 50%, giving us control of the company. Unlike Tony Stark, I won't shut down the arms division.
"Additionally, I'll provide you with a human enhancement plan—one with a 100% success rate. You'll evolve into a superhuman."
Kain waved his hand, and an assistant brought over a bottle of fine red wine, pouring them each a glass.
"That way, you can stay in Stark Industries. You'll have wealth, power, and an enhanced body. What do you say, Mr. Stane?"
Obadiah tried to find a reason to refuse, but the offer was too tempting. He picked up his glass, clinked it against Kain's, downed the wine in one gulp, and said, "I'll do my best, Mr. Pent—no, boss!"
Obadiah wasted no time taking action. Aside from Tony Stark's most closely guarded secrets, he controlled almost all of Stark Industries' operations.
With this level of high-level cooperation, Stark Industries' stock price would continue to plummet until it fell below its market value and net assets. At that point, Kain would be poised to take over the company completely.
Kain didn't hide any of this from Betty. Strictly speaking, the two of them were practically an old couple. After years of being together, he knew almost every sensitive point on her.
Before Kain traveled to the ninja world last time, Betty's body-strengthening plan had already been submitted. Now, she had been injected with the perfected Extremis virus serum, significantly improving her physical capabilities.
Especially today—despite already having exercised four times—Betty, though exhausted, still seemed eager to go for another round after a short break.
The Super Soldier Serum, while effective, would have increased muscle mass excessively, turning Betty's lean 1.7-meter model-like figure into that of a 1.9-meter warrior. That was why Kain had never wanted her to inject it.
This result was much better—her figure remained shapely, and her endurance had greatly improved. The once-delicate knight, who used to tire after one or two rounds, could now last through more than four.
"The siblings have been wanting to talk to you," Betty remarked. "They've had too much time to rest, and revenge is still on their minds."
Kain nodded in understanding. "I'll talk to them tomorrow. Honestly, they could already go after Tony Stark, but their ambitions are bigger. This isn't just about teaching him a lesson."
Childhood grudges like theirs weren't easily let go.
"Have they caused any trouble lately?" he asked.
Betty shook her head. "Not at all. Even their spending has stayed within normal limits, and they rarely go out. Most of the time, they just get together and watch TV."
"Good," Kain said. "But keep an eye on Stark Industries for me, Betty."
"If you actually manage to acquire Stark Industries, Laura will probably start complaining that, as an ordinary woman, she won't be able to keep up with you anymore after being overworked."
Betty panted slightly, resting against Kain's chest as their conversation shifted back to business.
"She won't complain," Kain replied. "Laura's biggest dream is to become the world's number one CEO. I'm just helping her achieve it."
He gently ran his hand over Betty's smooth shoulder. "Honestly, if it weren't for Tony Stark's own mistakes, acquiring Stark Industries wouldn't be this easy."
Stark Industries had the power to strong-arm the military with its weapons contracts, whereas the Osborne Group was at the mercy of the military's orders. The difference between the two was clear.
Even after being acquired by the Pent Group, Stark Industries hadn't seen much improvement. The company's focus remained on the Arc Reactor, Super Soldier Serum, biopharmaceuticals, and the underground Hive, leaving no time to expand its manufacturing sector.
"Got it," Betty said with a small smile. "I'll help you. After all, I was the one who got curious about your research in the first place~"
Kain smirked. The mention of that incident stirred something in him. He still remembered—Betty had once been Bruce Banner's girlfriend, yet she had ended up in his bed, wearing black silk and wrapped up perfectly for him.
Now, she was his, filling the void whenever he was absent.
"If I hadn't been so curious back then, you wouldn't have gotten me drunk," Betty muttered. "Oh—what are you—?"
Kain suddenly pulled away, leaving Betty feeling empty before swiftly lifting her into his arms again.
"Let's recreate that first scene, Betty," he murmured. "I liked how you were dressed… and how you posed."
…
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