6 hours later...

"Hmm... So, what you're telling me is that the higher the Grade of a Variant, the more intelligent it becomes?" Black Flame asked, his voice tinged with a hint of weariness.

[That is correct.] Faraday's voice replied smoothly, ever calm in contrast to the chaos Black Flame had endured.

Black Flame let out a heavy sigh, his mind already racing with the implications. "Haah... So troublesome," he muttered.

"If that's the case, there could be zombies with human-level intelligence... and if they're strong enough, they might even remember their time as humans. Is that possible?" His voice was laced with a mixture of disbelief and concern.

[Correct again, but the chances of memory retention are less than 1%.] Faraday responded, cool and clinical as always.

Black Flame exhaled slowly "Haah... All of this is giving me a headache. Let's just focus on clearing out the zombies from the islands for now." He waved away the thoughts of potential intelligent zombies as if swatting a persistent fly.

[Warning: The zombies on the other islands will be stronger or more numerous than the ones you faced yesterday.] Faraday chimed in, its tone subtly more foreboding.

"Oh! I almost forgot about that." Black Flame stopped in his tracks, suddenly remembering.

[Obviously, you did. Typical behavior from someone with dementia.] Faraday muttered, its tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Did you say something?"

[Nothing at all.] Faraday replied with a mechanical innocence.

"Really? I swear I heard something about dementia."

[It's just your imagination.] Faraday quickly retorted.

"Hmph. Whatever," Black Flame grumbled, dismissing it. He had more pressing matters than bickering with his AI companion.

"Anyway, before we head to the next island, I want to take a good look at my base. That includes this underground building and the entire island." His tone was resolute as if trying to get a grip on his surroundings would provide some semblance of control in the chaotic world he was now a part of.

[Go ahead. You won't find anything particularly intriguing.] Faraday remarked, almost sounding bored.

"That's fine with me," Black Flame replied as he made his way to the elevator. His heavy footsteps clanked against the steel floor, echoing in the empty halls.

Upon reaching the elevator, he gazed at the floor buttons, pondering which one to visit first. "Let's start with the 19th floor." He pressed the button, and in mere moments, the elevator ascended swiftly, arriving with a soft chime.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

The doors slid open with a soft hiss, and Black Flame stepped out into the hallway. His gaze was immediately drawn to a pair of large doors with a sign that read "Dining Hall."

"Let's check it out," he muttered as he approached the doors, about to scan his hand when—

Creak~

The doors swung open, seemingly on their own. But there, standing in the doorway, was a figure.

"Welcome to the Dining Hall, Master Flame," said the figure. It was no ordinary being. Black Flame's eyes scanned the silver body, noting the red tuxedo the robot wore, its metallic voice devoid of emotion yet eerily polite.

"...What the hell?" Black Flame muttered, caught off guard. He wasn't used to robots dressed in formal attire greeting him so warmly.

"Will you not enter, Master Flame?" the robot asked, its lifeless eyes following his every move.

Shaking off his surprise, Black Flame stepped into the spacious hall. His boots clanked against the metal flooring as he moved past the robot, glancing around.

Rows of long tables stretched across the room, enough to seat 250 people comfortably. The gleaming surfaces reflected the dull lighting and two food counters stood at the far end, unmanned.

He turned to face the robot, curiosity getting the better of him. "What's your name?"

"No. 23IZ74efK," the robot replied without hesitation.

"...Seriously?" Black Flame stared blankly, the string of numbers and letters grating against his patience.

"Do you not have a simpler name?"

"I do not, Master Flame." The robot's tone didn't change, still as monotone as ever.

"Then, how about Klade?" Black Flame offered, crossing his arms as he waited for a response.

"Name: Klade has been registered. You may now refer to me as Klade, Master Flame." The robot's response was instant, its new identity locked in.

"Good enough," Black Flame said, surveying the hall once more. Despite the vastness, it was eerily empty. "Are you the only one here?"

"No, Master Flame. There are others."

Black Flame's brow furrowed slightly. "Others? How many robots are in this base?"

[Would you like a partial answer?] Faraday chimed in, interrupting his thoughts.

'Go on,' he thought, almost used to Faraday's constant mind-reading by now.

[There are at least 21 robots.] Faraday replied.

'Hmm... 21 robots and 20 floors. One robot per floor, I suppose?'

[Correct.]

'But that doesn't explain why I didn't see any robots on the 1st floor or near my room. Plus, the numbers don't quite add up...' Black Flame pondered, but Faraday remained silent, offering no further clarification.

Turning his attention back to Klade, he gave his next command. "Summon all the robots in the base here. I want to meet them."

Klade hesitated. "Unfortunately, Master Flame, I cannot comply with that request."

"And why not? Am I not your master?" Black Flame's irritation flared.

"You are indeed, but you must first unlock your 16th ability before I can fulfill such a command," Klade explained matter-of-factly.

"So, it all boils down to that ability, huh?" Black Flame muttered under his breath, shaking his head. He sighed before issuing a new order. "Fine, just introduce the ones on this floor."

"As you wish." Klade snapped his metallic fingers, and three more robots emerged from seemingly nowhere, each dressed similarly in red waistcoats and white shirts.

"Greetings, Master Flame," they echoed in unison, bowing.

"This is MK9021, and that is-"

Black Flame rolled his eyes. "Ugh, enough. I'll give them new names. You, on the right, will be DH-2. You on the left, DH-3. And you in the middle, DH-1. Simple."

"Understood," they said, nodding in sync.

Black Flame rubbed his temples again, tired of the formality. "Okay, Klade, what's on the menu?"

"There are two items, Master Flame," Klade replied.

"Just two? What are they?"

"Food pills and water."

Black Flame asked. "Food... pills? Explain."

"They contain all the necessary nutrients for a human to survive. One pill provides sustenance for an entire day."

For a moment, Black Flame stood there, stunned. Could this be the key to humanity's survival?

"How many of these food pills are there?"

"Approximately two trillion," Klade responded.

Black Flame's heart raced. If this was true... the future of humanity might just have a glimmer of hope.