Chapter 38: War Machine
The power armor's new upgrades brought its weight up to an impressive 1.3 tons. To offset the added bulk, Zack installed auxiliary thrusters on the back and legs, ensuring the suit could still fly despite the increase in weight. After running the final tests, he stepped back, admiring his handiwork.
"This isn't just the MV-02 anymore," he said with a smirk. "From now on, it's the MV-02W."
With the help of his mechanical assistant, Zack climbed into the armor and moved toward the garage exit. As the thrusters roared to life, he launched into the sky, the sound echoing around him. Once airborne, he decided to test the suit's top speed. Even with the extra weight and bulkier frame, the armor managed to hit Mach 1.1—not quite the original MV-02's Mach 1.3, but the trade-off for better durability and firepower seemed worth it.
Hovering high above the ground, Zack spotted a group of zombies shambling below. "Let's see what this thing can really do," he muttered before diving toward them. Ten minutes later, he returned to the mansion, the scent of gunpowder clinging to the armor. As the robotic arm helped him out of the suit, a satisfied grin spread across his face.
"Not bad," he said to himself. "But it could really use armor-piercing rounds."
After downing a glass of chlorophyll juice offered by the robotic arm, Zack headed back to his workbench. Next up were upgrades for his mechanical dog and spider. Both had performed well in initial tests, but Zack wasn't satisfied until everything was perfect. He decided to start with the spider.
"Wait... where's the spider bot?" he asked, scanning the room.
"Sir, the spider bot prototype is currently in Annie's lab," Ego, his AI assistant, replied.
"Annie took it?" he said, raising an eyebrow.