'So that's what the yellow dot was,' Black Flame mused, his gaze flickering toward Tommy, the dog growling protectively at him. There was a flicker of curiosity, as he recalled the oddity he'd noticed earlier on his Holographic Map.

Just before entering the cave, something had caught his attention—an anomaly. On the island's holographic display, three dots appeared in different colors: blue, green, and red. The blue represented humans, and the green, zombies. But now, a fourth color—yellow—had manifested.

Initially, he'd assumed the yellow dot was a new variant, perhaps a more intelligent or dangerous breed of zombie. Yet, standing here now, watching the dog bark and growl, he realized the truth: The yellow dot represented Tommy—the siblings' pet.

'So, yellow for animals, blue for humans, and green for zombies... but why am I marked in red?' Black Flame thought to himself, feeling a momentary disconnect from the world. 'If I'm human, shouldn't I be marked as blue? Is it just for user clarity, or does it signify something... more?'

"Thank Mr. Flame, Lily," Max said, his tone soft yet firm as he glanced at his younger sister, who was clutching Tommy's fur.

Lily, though, shook her head vehemently. Her eyes were wide with a mixture of fear and stubbornness. "N-no! That robot is bad! He hurt Tommy!"

"Lily, look," Max crouched down, gently coaxing her to see. "Tommy's alright. He's not hurt. Mr. Flame didn't harm him."

She looked hesitant, but her brother's words slowly seemed to break through. Her eyes darted between her unharmed pet and the imposing figure standing before her.

Max continued, his voice slightly strained, as if the weight of the world rested on his shoulders. "And... if it weren't for Mr. Flame, all four of us would have been dead by now." His words, though stark and heavy, were necessary. In this apocalyptic world, death wasn't something he could shelter his little sister from any longer. She needed to understand.

Lily's small face softened as she absorbed her brother's words. Her lips quivered, her small frame trembling. "I... I understand," she whispered, her voice shaky but sincere. She turned to Black Flame, her eyes still wide but now filled with a different emotion—perhaps guilt or shame. "I-I'm sorry, Brother Robot."

Black Flame nodded his head slightly as if acknowledging her apology. He knelt, his dark figure towering even as he lowered himself to her level. Gently, he placed a massive, armored hand on her head, ruffling her hair with unexpected tenderness. "It's alright, little one," he said, his deep voice strangely comforting. "It's my fault you were scared in the first place."

But just as the words left his lips, his entire demeanor shifted.

"....!" Black Flame's danger instincts flared to life. In one swift motion, he stood and dashed toward the cave's entrance, his movements a blur of speed and precision. As he bolted outside, his final words echoed off the cave walls, sharp and urgent: "Stay inside! Don't follow me!"

"..."

Silence fell like a heavy curtain in the wake of his departure. The tension that filled the cave moments ago seemed to dissipate, but it was replaced with an eerie quiet.

"What... just happened?" Max muttered, his brow furrowed in confusion.

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"I think," Leo began cautiously, his voice low, "we should do exactly what he said."

Max's eyes narrowed, turning toward his brother. "You know something, don't you, Leo?" There was an edge of suspicion in his voice. Max wasn't one for mysteries, especially not now.

Leo hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "It's just a guess but..."

"Stop with the suspense and just say it!" Max snapped, the stress of the moment getting to him. Deep down, he already had a terrible suspicion of what could be happening.

Leo exhaled sharply, his expression grim. "Someone—or something—powerful enough to be a threat to even Mr. Flame has appeared."

Max's stomach dropped at Leo's words, confirming his worst fears. "Shit."

BOOM!!

The explosion outside shook the ground beneath their feet, sending dust and loose rocks tumbling from the cave walls.

Outside the cave, the scene had changed dramatically.

"Huumaan... no... metal?" A raspy, guttural voice growled through the thick air.

Black Flame stood tall, his visor locked onto the figure before him. He took in the creature's grotesque form. The Variant had ashen, cracked skin, its slanted yellow eyes glowing with eerie intelligence. A long, snake-like tail whipped behind it, and strange, drape-like appendages clung to its back.

"Did... this zombie just speak?" Black Flame muttered aloud, his curiosity momentarily overcoming his battle-readiness.

The creature's appearance bore the hallmarks of a Grade 1 Razor Variant, but it was fiercer, more developed, with a strange aura that set it apart.

'How did this thing even get here?' Black Flame's thoughts raced. 'Did the sensors miss it? Is that even possible?'

His eyes narrowed further as he glanced at the drape-like structures attached to the creature's back. 'Are those... wings?'

'Faraday,' he called telepathically to his AI companion. 'What kind of zombie is this?'

[This is a Grade 5 Variant, known as The Aerokron,] Faraday responded, its voice flat and mechanical in Black Flame's mind.

'Grade 5, huh? What are its abilities and weaknesses?' Black Flame asked, bracing for the usual influx of data.

But instead, Faraday remained silent for a moment before responding with something unexpected: [You will have to figure that out on your own.]

'No abilities? No assistance? Haah, great,' Black Flame thought, feeling the weight of the situation settle over him. 'This is going to be annoying.'

'At least answer me this—is this the threat you warned me about?' he asked.

[It is one of the threats,] Faraday replied simply.

'One of the threats... So there are more.' Black Flame thought to himself, his mind sharpening for the fight ahead.

Looking back at the Aerokron, he decided to try a different approach—perhaps it wasn't hostile. Maybe it could be reasoned with so, he decided to try and communicate with it.

"Doth, mother know you wear-eth her drapes?" Black Flame quipped, more out of habit than strategy. He couldn't help the sarcasm slipping through, though part of him hoped the creature had a sense of humor.

But the Variant's reaction was anything but friendly.

"GUURRAAARRGGHH!!" The Aerokron's scream split the air, its rage palpable.

'Yep, it's hostile,' Black Flame thought dryly.

The Aerokron charged at him with terrifying speed, its tail slicing through the air like a whip. Black Flame was about to engage when it spat a thick stream of green liquid toward him.

He dodged instinctively, though the poison would not affect his armor. He was more interested in testing its potency.

The spit hit the ground and sizzled, forming a deep, three-meter crater. 'Three times more powerful than a Grade 2 Poison Splash Variant. Not bad. But is this all it's got?'

The Grade 5 Variant lashed out with its tail again, aiming for Black Flame. He dodged but noted the power behind the strike as the tail left a five-meter-deep crater in the ground.

'That thing packs a punch... Wonder if I'd survive a direct hit.'

Before he could contemplate further, the Aerokron lunged forward, its fist aimed directly at Black Flame. He dodged again, and the creature's punch shattered a boulder into a cloud of rubble.

"You've got strength, I'll give you that," Black Flame mused. "But what are you gonna do about thi—"

BANG!

Out of nowhere, a massive force slammed into Black Flame, sending him flying like a ragdoll.

"Ugh... I'd be dead if it weren't for this armor," he groaned, slowly getting back on his feet.

When Black Flame looked up, he felt a great sense of disbelief, a flicker of shock coursing through him.

Standing before him was another Grade 5 Variant.