Chapter 200: Mysterious Power Source
As the Apex Mk2 hovered over the battlefield, a Mark drone unit descended from above, carrying the plasma gun. It released the weapon mid-air, and the moment Zack caught it, the gun automatically locked into place on the armor's forearm, integrating seamlessly with the system.
The timing couldn't have been better. The two BEC entities were already rushing at him again—faster than before. The thick concrete barely slowed them down as they phased through walls, closing in on him from opposite directions. Before they could strike, the plasma cannon on Apex Mk2's arm whirred to life, internal components spinning rapidly as it drew in energy. "Ego, calculate their attack trajectory." Zack had only one shot.
The plasma cannon required a three-second buffer between shots—if he missed, he'd be vulnerable. "Trajectory calculated, sir! Predictive battle simulation is complete—high probability of a successful hit!" The moment the targeting data appeared, Zack pulled back slightly—then fired.
The high-energy plasma shot forward, flooding the space around the muzzle with heat—the temperature jumped nearly ten degrees instantly. A BEC entity emerged directly in front of him, phasing through a hospital wall. It didn't even have time to react. The plasma blast swallowed it whole. What followed was an immediate, violent reaction. The sudden clash of extreme cold and intense heat triggered a violent thermal expansion and contraction effect. The air pressure fluctuated erratically, and in a split second— Boom!
An explosion shockwave erupted from the point of impact, spanning nearly ten meters in diameter. The sheer force ripped through the surrounding walls, floors, and ceiling, vaporizing everything in its radius. Even Zack himself was blown backward by the shockwave, only managing to stabilize his position by activating his thrusters at full power. "Damn..." Zack muttered, shaking off the recoil. "That packed way more punch than I expected."
The second entity didn't hesitate. After witnessing its companion's destruction, it immediately turned and phased into the ground, vanishing from sight. "Oh no, you don't." Zack pursued instantly, diving after it.
Thermal imaging allowed him to track its movement underground, even as it moved with incredible speed—weaving through the earth like a fish in water. "Sir, three-second cooldown has ended! You can fire again!"
"Hold off." Zack ordered. "I want to see where it's running to." These creatures weren't natural phenomena. They were created by someone. And if they were returning to a specific location— That meant there was a source.
"Sir! Six additional entities detected!" Ego's alert flashed on his HUD. Zack glanced around and saw them immediately. The remaining six BEC entities had moved in, surrounding him in a perfect encirclement. They weren't acting like mindless beasts. They were coordinated.
Zack quickly issued new orders."Ego, deploy a drone. Track the one I just injured." A small, high-speed drone ejected from Apex Mk2's back, immediately locking onto the escaping entity.
Meanwhile, Zack didn't waste time. He kicked his thrusters into overdrive, shooting straight into the sky at max speed. The BEC entities pursued instantly, moving like phantoms, their near-zero mass allowing them to accelerate effortlessly through the air. Zack smirked. "Alright, let's see if you can keep up."
As he ascended, he gave a simple command. "Maximum power output to the plasma cannon."