'Oh wait, this world is already doomed,' Black Flame thought as he approached the door. He reached out, bracing himself for whatever lay beyond the cold, metallic confines of his underground prison. The door slid open with a hiss, and in an instant, the harshness of his reality faded into something almost surreal.

Before him was a vision that contrasted everything he had seen so far. The warmth of the sun bathed his armored form in golden light, its gentle rays dancing on the soft, white sand stretching out before him. Waves lapped gently at the shoreline, their rhythmic whispers carried on the breeze like the notes of a forgotten melody.

It was beautiful—too beautiful. For a moment, Black Flame stood there, dumbfounded, mesmerized by the untouched serenity of the beach. This pristine stretch of paradise felt like it belonged to another world, where death didn't lurk behind every corner and zombies didn't roam free.

"Wow..." he whispered, the word slipping from his lips almost unconsciously. "It's so beautiful... It feels like my soul has been rejuvenated."

He took a step forward, his feet sinking into the warm sand. The sensation was so soft, so real. He had no memories of his past, but in that instant, he didn't care. The tranquility of the beach, the endless horizon blending sky and sea—it felt like a piece of heaven in a world long forsaken.

[You need to get a move on, sir,] Faraday's cold, mechanical voice shattered the moment of peace, pulling Black Flame0 back to harsh reality.

"Oh..." Black Flame blinked as if waking from a dream. The fleeting sense of serenity was gone, replaced by the heavy weight of his mission.

'I don't have time for this,' he reminded himself, shaking off the daze. 'I need my memories back. To do that, I have to kill zombies and save people. Haah... What have I gotten myself into?'

"You're right," he said, his voice more resolute now. "Tell me, where are the zombies?"

[You will find plenty on the nearby islands.]

Black Flame frowned. "Why not just go directly to the Western Continent? I'd be able to kill a lot more of them there, right?"

[The answer is simple: You are too weak for that,] Faraday responded bluntly.

"Even with all these abilities? And this armor made of the strongest metal?" Black Flame flexed his hands, his gaze shifting down to his sleek, blackened suit.

[Yes,] Faraday's tone remained unchanged, coldly factual.

"But why?" Black Flame's frustration flared.

[Grade 8 Variants are guarding the borders of all five continents.]

"Grade 8 Variants? Then why don't we just fly over the edges of the borders?"

[That would be even worse than confronting the Grade 8 Variants directly. Therefore, I suggest you target the nearby islands.]

"Fine." He exhaled sharply, resigned to his fate. Though curious as to why flying was an even worse idea, he knew better than to push the subject for now. The last thing he wanted was to die because of his impatience.

"Where is the nearest island full of zombies?"

[30 minutes away,] Faraday replied.

"That close, huh?" Black Flame's gaze turned toward the open sea. "Well then, what are we waiting for? Activate Rocket Boots."

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

[Understood. Activating in 3... 2... 1...]

Flames burst to life at the soles of his boots, a fiery surge of power propelling him skyward.

Fush~!

"Wooooaaaahhh~!!" Black Flame cried out, a mix of excitement and awe as the wind whipped past his helmet. His body soared through the air at 100 km/h, the ocean below becoming a blur of blue.

"This... is amazing! Woohoo~!" He said, feeling the rush of speed, the thrill of flight. But then a thought struck him. "I don't remember flying before, so how do I have such great balance up here?"

[I'm controlling essential areas of the suit to keep you balanced,] Faraday explained calmly.

"You can do that? That's crazy!" Black Flame laughed, the wind carrying his voice into the skies.

Thirty minutes later...

A figure clad in black and red hovered high in the sky, a dark silhouette against the endless blue. Below him, a seemingly ordinary island sprawled out, surrounded by tranquil waters. But as he squinted, his helmet's lenses picked out movement—shambling figures dragging themselves across the sandy shores.

"There they are," Black Flame murmured, as he gazed down at the horde of undead gathering near the beach.

"Zoom in, Faraday."

[Understood.]

The landscape below shifted into sharp focus, revealing the zombies in grotesque detail. Their ashen, decaying skin barely clung to their bones. Razor-sharp teeth jutted out from their mouths, and their blood-red eyes glowed with a malevolent hunger.

"Ugh... they look disgusting," Black Flame muttered, his stomach turning.

But there was no time to hesitate. 'Time to get to work,' he thought, descending rapidly toward the ground.

Clench~

His armored fist tightened. With a single, devastating punch, he obliterated the first zombie, its head exploding in a spray of bone and blood. The creature crumpled to the sand, lifeless.

"...!"

The noise immediately attracted the attention of the others. They turned toward him with animalistic speed, their mouths hanging open, dripping with saliva. They let out a guttural howl as they charged him.

"GRAAARRGHH~!!"

Black Flame took a step back, readying himself. "Here they come."

[Hit right, now left, now a low sweep, uppercut,] Faraday's precise instructions rang in his ear, guiding him through every movement.

Black Flame moved like a machine, his fists and feet striking with deadly accuracy.

Bang! Bang!

Each hit connected, sending zombies flying. Their bodies crumpled under his blows as if they were made of brittle clay.

"GRAAAARRGH!!"

"Haah!!" Black Flame shouted, flipping a zombie over his shoulder with a suplex, its spine cracking under the force.

[Perform a horse kick, break that one's legs—now hit that and that,] Faraday continued to direct him.

But no matter how many zombies fell, more kept coming.

"Aarghh! This is getting annoying! No matter how many I kill, they just keep coming!" Black Flame growled, his frustration growing with every punch.

[That is to be expected. Your actions have alerted all zombies on this island. They are converging on your location,] Faraday explained.

"Wait—all? How many is 'all'?" Black Flame asked, panic edging into his voice.

[Rough estimate: Over 9,000.]

"The heck!? It's over 9,000?!" he exclaimed in disbelief. "At this rate, I'll be here forever!"

[You have taken down 343 zombies so far,] Faraday replied, calm as ever.

But then, the situation took a turn for the worse.

"WAAARRGGHH!!!" A monstrous roar echoed across the island. But it wasn't alone.

"WAAARRGGHH!!!"

"WAAARRGGHH!!!"

More roars followed, each one louder than the last.

"What the hell was that?" Black Flame's heart pounded in his chest.

[Those are Grade 1 Variants, and they are heading your way.]

"What's the difference between Grade 1 Variants and regular zombies?" Black Flame asked.

[They are stronger in every way and they are cannibalistic.] Faraday replied.

"They eat humans?!" Black Flame asked.

[Yes.] Faraday replied. While normal zombies just bite humans to turn them into zombies too, Grade 1 Variants just eat them.

Black Flame's eyes widened. "So not only do I have to fight these zombies, but now I've got to deal with stronger ones?"

[Yes,] Faraday confirmed.

"Ugh... Fine. How many of them are there?" Black Flame sighed, his patience wearing thin.

[Rough estimate: About 1,000.]

"Goddammit!!" Black Flame cursed, feeling his luck spiraling further out of control.

[This is the result of charging in without a plan,] Faraday reprimanded.

"But I—"

[If you continue like this, you'll never recover your memories,] Faraday interrupted coldly.

Black Flame took a deep breath, steeling his resolve. "You're right. Let's finish this."

But just when he thought things couldn't get worse...

"HAAARRGGHH!"

"HAAARRGGHH!"

More howls pierced the air.

[Warning: Grade 2 Variants approaching.]

Black Flame clenched his fists, determination flaring in his being. "Bring it on."

***