[Warning! Grade 2 Variants approaching!!]

"Ahh, shit. Here we go again," Black Flame muttered, tightening his grip as he prepared for yet another battle. His heart raced, adrenaline flooding his veins. The situation was spiraling, and the onslaught of undead was far from over.

"I don't know what the hell this does, but here goes nothing. Faraday, activate Laser Beam!" Black Flame commanded, his voice steady despite the chaos.

[Understood,] Faraday responded, calm as ever.

Immediately, Black Flame felt the heat build behind his helm's lenses, the energy pulsing through his visor. A red glow began to emanate from his eyes, intensifying with each passing second.

"WAARRGHH!!" The ground trembled as hundreds of Grade 1 Variants emerged from the darkness. These creatures were far more menacing than the regular zombies. Their teeth—jagged and protruding like daggers—jutted from their decaying mouths, strong enough to tear through steel like it was paper. Their hollow, bloodshot eyes locked onto him with ravenous intent.

Without hesitation, a Bzzz~ echoed through the battlefield as a blinding red laser shot out from Black Flame's eyes. He spun in a full 360-degree circle, his movements precise and swift. The laser beam sliced through the horde with terrifying efficiency. One moment, the Grade 1 Variants were charging at him; the next, their bodies dropped lifelessly to the ground, severed cleanly by the red line seared across their torsos.

For a brief moment, silence engulfed the battlefield. The air hung still as if even nature itself recoiled at the carnage.

Black Flame surveyed the scene, hundreds of undead lying crumpled in the sand. The laser had cut through them like butter, leaving nothing but charred remains.

"GRRAARRGH!!"

A fresh wave of zombies rushed forward, their guttural cries echoing across the battlefield. Despite the massacre, the mindless creatures continued their relentless assault, driven only by hunger.

"These losers just won't stop coming, huh?" Black Flame growled, his patience thinning as more of the grotesque figures emerged.

"Burn in Hell!!" he shouted, eyes flaring red once more as another beam tore through the horde.

Bzzz~

The heat of the laser seared through flesh and bone, bodies dropping like flies.

"Grraahh!"

Bzzz~

"Waargh!"

No matter how many lunged at him, they all met the same fate, falling at his feet in a heap of blood and ash.

"How many of these turds have we killed so far?" Black Flame asked, wiping the sweat from his brow while continuing to unleash havoc.

[4,602... 4,719... 4,905... 5,004...] Faraday's calm voice chimed in his ear, the kill count steadily rising.

"Hahahaha! This is too easy! These laser beams are freaking awesome!" Black Flame couldn't help but revel in the carnage. With these beams, it felt like he could wipe out entire armies without breaking a sweat.

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But just as his confidence soared, Faraday's voice interjected, [Reminder: Laser Beam battery low. Can only be used three more times.]

"Oh, come on!" Black Flame grumbled, his excitement quickly fading. He had hoped to breeze through this battle, but it seemed nothing in this cursed world would ever come easy.

"Fine, deactivate the laser beam," he ordered reluctantly.

[Command accepted,] Faraday acknowledged.

"Alright, then... activate Claw Hand."

[Command accepted.]

Sheeng~

With a metallic snarl, three gleaming claws—each 45 centimeters long—extended from Black Flame's knuckles. The glint of the blades reflected the chaos around him, reminiscent of a certain feral mutant.

"Let's freaking go!" Black Flame roared as he lunged at the horde. The razor-sharp claws tore through flesh and bone with ease, dismembering any zombie foolish enough to get close.

"Gaaarh!"

"Gaaarh!"

"Waargh!"

One after another, they fell, their rotting bodies shredded beneath his relentless assault.

But something felt... off. Mid-swing, Black Flame's instincts flared up, and a sudden chill ran down his spine.

[Move left! Now!] Faraday's voice cut through the haze.

"Huff!" Black Flame reacted without hesitation, narrowly dodging a vile projectile as it splattered into the ground where he had stood just moments before.

Splash~!

The ground hissed and sizzled, a meter-deep crater forming as green, toxic liquid boiled upon contact.

"W-What the hell was that!?" Black Flame barked, his eyes scanning the area.

[Now move right! Left again! Jump!] Faraday continued to shout instructions, guiding Black Flame's every move as more of the green substance rained down from seemingly nowhere.

Splash!

Splash!

Splash!

The ground erupted with each impact, the foul stench of the poison filling the air.

"Faraday, where are these coming from!?" Black Flame demanded, dodging yet another spit of the noxious liquid.

[Poisonous Spits. It's an ability of the Grade 2 Variants.]

"The heck!? Then why can't I friggin' see them!?" Black Flame cursed, barely avoiding another splash of the toxic goo.

[They have a range of 500 yards and hide in areas where their prey cannot see them. They strike from a distance, often concealed in cover.] Faraday explained.

"Great... just great." Black Flame grumbled, his frustration mounting as he continued to dodge the incoming barrage.

[Focus on the battlefield now. You can ask questions later,] Faraday reminded him, snapping him back to the present danger.

"Fine, but you better have answers when this is over!" Black Flame retorted. "Activate Zoom and Sensor."

[Command accepted.]

A moment later, the HUD in Black Flame's visor adjusted, his view sharpening. The once-hidden Grade 2 Variants were suddenly visible, outlined in bright red.

[Two in the bushes ahead, three behind the boulder, three more in the crater, and four are perched on that hill, preparing to fire.] Faraday detailed their locations with clinical precision.

"Got it. Let's play." Black Flame's eyes locked onto the targets. He crushed the skull of a nearby zombie before activating his Rocket Boots.

Fush!

The flames ignited, launching him through the air at breakneck speed. He zeroed in on the hill where the four Grade 2 Variants stood, their grotesque green skin and black tongues making them even more repulsive up close.

"Faraday, how long does a single laser beam last?" Black Flame asked, preparing for another barrage.

[Seven seconds,] Faraday replied.

"Perfect."

The moment he landed on the hill, the Variants launched their poisonous spit at him.

"Haargh!"

"Haargh!"

"Huff!" Black Flame dodged effortlessly and activated the laser beam once more.

Bzzz~

Within seconds, the four Variants were down, a red line seared across their grotesque heads. But the remaining Variants were already closing in, sending another volley of spit his way.

Splash!

"Damn it!" Black Flame cursed as one of the spits splattered against his armor, a sickening hiss filling the air.

"AAAHH!! My armor! It's melting!" he panicked—until he realized something odd.

"Huh?" He looked down, expecting to see the acid eating away at his suit, but... nothing happened.

[Durablium is the strongest armor for a reason. Did you think some Grade 2 Variant's spit could damage it?] Faraday chimed in, almost mockingly.

"You could've told me that earlier!" Black Flame snapped.

[What? I just didn't want the suit to get dirty. Do you know how hard it is to clean?] Faraday replied casually.

Black Flame stood there in silence, shaking his head in disbelief.