When Black Flame looked up, disbelief washed over him, and a flicker of shock coursed through his veins. Standing before him was not just another mindless creature, but another Grade 5 Variant. Its grotesque form loomed ominously, a mix of raw power and menace that made even him pause for a moment. It was like staring into the eyes of a beast forged from nightmares, its monstrous frame radiating an aura of pure destruction.

A faint sound broke the tension. "Huhu... huhuhuhu..." It started as a soft chuckle, escaping from Black Flame's direction.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA~!!" His laughter suddenly erupted into a full-blown maniacal roar that echoed through the desolate battlefield, catching the attention of the two Variants. They hesitated, momentarily stunned, their slanted, predatory eyes narrowing as they stared at him in confusion as if trying to decipher the madness in his outburst.

"...."

Both zombies, despite their limited intelligence, exchanged a look—one that said they couldn't comprehend why their opponent seemed to have lost his mind.

After regaining his bearings from the unhinged laughter, Black Flame straightened his back. "Thanks for that hit, Mr. Soon-to-be-Dead-2. Now I know that even your supposedly powerful tail attacks can't scratch me. I don't need to hold back or stay on the defensive anymore."

With that, his helmet's lenses glowed bright red, and with a familiar SHING!!, his Claw Hand activated, the metal blades gleaming under the harsh light of the apocalyptic skies. The air around him seemed to crackle with newfound intensity.

"Let's get ready to rumble," Black Flame taunted, his voice laced with cold amusement.

Before the Variants could even process his words, Black Flame exploded into action.

BANG!

In the blink of an eye, he closed the distance between them, appearing right in front of the first Variant. His leg shot upwards in a vicious high-kick, sending the massive creature flying through the air like a discarded rag doll.

STAB! PUCHI!

Without missing a beat, he turned to the second Variant, its moment of hesitation sealing its fate. Black Flame's claws plunged into its chest, puncturing its heart with brutal efficiency. Black blood sprayed in every direction, painting the ground with the foul essence of the undead.

Boom! Grab THUD!

A heavy fist from the still-conscious Variant swung towards Black Flame in retaliation, but he caught it mid-swing, flipping the creature over his shoulder and suplexing it with enough force to make the earth tremble. The ground beneath them cracked, and the impact knocked the wind out of the Variant, rendering it unconscious.

"...."

Black Flame stood over its limp body, his expression unreadable as he regarded his fallen foe.

"HUMAAN! DIE!!" A guttural roar ripped through the air as the first Variant, regaining its balance, charged at him with reckless abandon.

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Black Flame glanced up, unbothered by the incoming threat. "Bring it on," he muttered, lifting the unconscious Aerokron in his hands like a makeshift weapon.

BANG!

The attacking Variant didn't even stand a chance. Black Flame swung its fainted comrade like a bat, and the force sent the creature flying once again, crashing into the distance.

"Homerun!" he quipped, admiring the distance it covered.

CRUNCH! SHATTER!

Suddenly, a sharp sound radiated from his neck. The Variant that had played dead had somehow latched onto him, sinking its teeth into his armor. But instead of pain, all it managed was to shatter its teeth against his indestructible armor plating.

("Remember kids, brush your teeth at least twice a day.")

"You thought I didn't notice you pretending to be unconscious? How foolish," Black Flame said darkly. His grip tightened around the creature's head and with a single squeeze...

POP!

The Variant's skull crushed like an overripe melon in his hands. "Man, I love that sound," he muttered under his breath.

Flap... Flap...

The sound of wings flapping caught his attention. He turned to see the second Aerokron flying away, trying to escape the battlefield.

"Hmm... running away? Too bad," Black Flame said, his voice calm but deadly. He raised his hand, pointing at the fleeing Variant. "Faraday, enable the eject function of Claw Hand."

WHOOSH! PUCHI! THUD!

One of the claws detached from his gauntlet, rocketing through the air. It pierced cleanly through the Variant's skull, and the once-mighty creature plummeted lifelessly to the ground.

"That wasn't so bad," Black Flame muttered, strolling over to retrieve his claw. Reattaching it to his hand, he let out a satisfied breath.

[Congratulations, all threats have been eliminated. The Abilities shall now be unsealed.] Faraday's voice echoed in his mind.

"Finally." Black Flame glanced up at the sky, noticing the warm glow of dawn breaking through the dark clouds. The sun's rays painted the horizon in hues of gold and amber. "And here comes the sun," he murmured. "It sure is beautiful."

Tak Tak

"Mr. Flame!" Max's voice called out, full of excitement.

"Are you okay?" Leo asked concern etched on his face.

"Brother Robot is back!" Lily shouted gleefully, her eyes lighting up at the sight of their armored savior.

"Bark!" Tommy barked, wagging his tail as if welcoming Black Flame back into the fold, showing a kind of apology for their previous encounter.

"I'm fine," Black Flame said coolly.

"What happened out there, Mr. Flame?" Max asked, wide-eyed. "Did some powerful zombie show up? We could hear all the noise."

"Yeah, it sounded like a warzone!" Leo added.

"Some zombies showed up," Black Flame replied nonchalantly as if it were no big deal. "But nothing too serious. Though... they could talk."

"Wait, what?!" Max's jaw nearly dropped. "Talking zombies?! How is that even possible?"

"I can't believe it... What did they say?" Leo asked, his voice low with disbelief.

"Human... die," Black Flame mimicked the guttural voice of the Variant, his tone mockingly low.

"That's it?" Max blinked. "Honestly, I was expecting something more."

"You're crazy!" Leo shot back. "The fact that zombies can even speak at all is jaw-dropping! It means they're evolving—or at least, developing some form of intelligence."

Black Flame turned towards the two brothers, his tone suddenly more serious. "You both... come outside with me for a moment."

Max and Leo exchanged a puzzled glance but complied without question. Once they were outside, Black Flame looked them both in the eye.

"What do you two plan to do now? Stay on this island? Eventually, the food will run out. What will you do then?"

Leo stepped forward, explaining, "We're planning to check the docks. If the ships are still functional, we'll sail to the Western Continent and try to find our parents."

"The Western Continent?" Black Flame echoed, his voice taking on a darker edge. "You're going to get yourselves killed."

Max and Leo's faces paled.

"There are zombies there," Black Flame continued, his voice low and ominous, "that even I would hesitate to face, and not just one or two but thousands if not more"

Their hearts sank, the weight of his words crushing their hopes.

"That's why I'm offering you another option," Black Flame said, his voice steady. "Come with me."