Chapter 26: Sarcoma
Despite the gruesome scene, Zack showed no sign of worry. In fact, there was a spark of anticipation in his eyes as he assessed the threat. The life-support system in his MV-02 armor would completely block out the poisonous gas that the Swollen Man was about to release.
"Sir, the enemy is approaching," Ego's voice sounded in his helmet.
"I see them," Zack replied, calm and ready.
As the horde of zombies surged forward, Zack sprang into action with surprising speed. His silver MV-02 armor blurred into motion as he sliced through the oncoming zombies with ease. The armor's arms flicked out, and two folding blades locked into his grip. With a single, sweeping slash, he cut down zombies to his left and right, their heads flying through the air.
Zack weaved through the ranks of undead, his armored form shining as he mowed them down like stalks of wheat. The ordinary zombies posed no challenge; their clawing hands couldn't even scratch his armor, and his advance was relentless. One after another, they fell under his blades.
Then, a deafening roar shook the air. The Swollen Man had decided to join the fray, shaking the ground as he charged. Despite his massive bulk, his straight-line sprint was faster than Zack had expected, each step sending tremors through the ground.
Zack didn't flinch. He held his ground. "Ego, let's see what MV-02 can really do." With that, Zack braced himself, leaning forward to absorb the impact.
Boom!
The Swollen Man collided with him, sending shockwaves through the air. The force pushed Zack back, skidding across the ground for several feet, but he quickly regained his footing. MV-02's impact buffers absorbed the worst of the hit, allowing Zack to stay on his feet without losing balance.