Regressed with Omnipotent AI on Zombie Apocalypse-Chapter 177: Testing Apex Mk 2

Sunlight streamed through the windows as Zack woke up, rolling over to check the time. It was already past 8 a.m.—the longest he'd slept in months. "Ego?" Zack called.

"Yes, Sir. What are your orders?" Ego's voice responded promptly.

"Is everything ready?" Zack asked, sitting up.

"All systems are ready, Sir. Both Aegis and Apex Mk-2 await your activation," Ego confirmed.

"Haha, I won't keep them waiting," Zack said with excitement. For the first time, he referred to his creations as if they were living beings, calling them "they" in a tone filled with anticipation.

"Miss Lily has prepared breakfast for you," Ego added. "And your vehicle is ready outside."

The "vehicle" in question was a Avalon parked just outside the mansion.

"Got it," Zack replied, feeling thoroughly satisfied.

After a quick wash and a hearty breakfast, Zack boarded the Avalon and departed the mansion. Unlike his other armors, the Apex Mk-2 wasn't built at the mansion. Instead, it, along with Aegis, was being manufactured at the repurposed International Airport, now an advanced construction hub.

As the Avalon approached the airport, Zack caught sight of Aegis from the air. The massive aircraft occupied two full runways, its sheer size making it look like a behemoth of the skies. Even with its wings folded, it spanned the equivalent of ten basketball courts. The Avalon, parked nearby, looked like a child's toy plane by comparison. "Wow... so much for a dramatic reveal," Zack muttered, unable to hide his grin. "Seeing it like this kind of kills the sense of ceremony."

"Sir, if it's ceremony you want, perhaps you should check out the Apex Mk-2 first," Ego suggested with a hint of humor.

Hearing Ego's suggestion, Zack's interest was piqued. "Alright, let's take a look," he said.

The Avalon, which had been preparing to land, abruptly adjusted its trajectory and headed toward another hangar at the same airport. As the aircraft touched down, Zack stepped out and entered the hangar, which had been converted into a bustling production center.

The strong smell of metal, oil, and iron filings hit him immediately—a sharp, industrial aroma that most would find unpleasant. But to Zack, it was invigorating, a scent that spoke of creation and innovation. Inside, robotic arms and manufacturing drones worked tirelessly, sparks flying and lasers cutting with precision. The hangar was alive with the sound of machinery, a chaotic symphony of progress. "Sir, this way," Ego guided.

Zack noticed a small room tucked into the corner of the hangar. As he approached, the alloy door slid open automatically, revealing the centerpiece of all this activity. A stunning suit of red-and-gold armor stood gleaming under the lights, its muscular, streamlined design a testament to engineering brilliance.

Zack stopped in his tracks, eyes locked on the Apex Mk-2. "Ego, is this the 'sense of ceremony' you were talking about?" Zack asked, though his gaze never wavered from the armor.

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"I thought you'd want to see it as soon as possible, Sir," Ego replied apologetically.

"No need to apologize," Zack said with a small smile. "This is perfect. I love it."

He approached the armor slowly. As Zack drew near, the Apex Mk-2 responded. Plates of gold-titanium alloy unfolded and shifted outward, as though the armor itself were welcoming its master. Zack smirked, saying nothing as he turned and backed into the suit.

Click. Click. Click. The armor closed around him, sealing him inside. The visor descended over his head, momentarily plunging his vision into darkness before the familiar holographic interface lit up. Ego's voice came through, calm and precise. "Singulium power stable. Initiating system diagnostics."

The Apex Mk-2 began a self-check. Panels opened and closed, revealing hidden propulsion systems and weapon ports before retracting back into place. "Diagnostics complete. All systems operational," Ego reported.

Zack grinned. "You know what I'm thinking, don't you, Ego?"

"The flight system has already been calibrated for you, Sir," Ego replied smoothly. Without hesitation, the Apex Mk-2's thrusters roared to life, sending a dazzling beam of energy shooting from its feet. The armor launched skyward, smashing through the hangar's observation window before arcing gracefully into the open sky.

"Reactor power stable," Ego noted. "Current energy output: 107 billion joules per second." Zack could feel the immense power of the Singulium reactor coursing through the armor. The third-generation reactor might not have the tenfold improvement of its predecessor, but its 80% increase in power was still staggering. "Ego, what's the current G-force reading?" Zack asked as he ascended rapidly. The intense acceleration caused a slight discomfort, even with the suit's buffering systems.

"With the buffer device engaged, you're experiencing approximately 9.64 G," Ego replied.

"And without the buffer?"

"17.1 G," Ego said. Even with his enhanced physique, Zack knew such forces would be unbearable without assistance. Fighter pilots could barely handle 7-8 G for a few seconds—17 G would be lethal for most. Despite this, the Apex Mk-2's vertical climb had already reached Mach 8, a speed that continued to increase steadily.

"Life support systems online," the suit beeped, drawing Zack's attention to the fact that he had already reached low Earth orbit.

In just a few minutes, the Apex Mk-2 had gone from zero to over 1,000 kilometers above the Earth's surface. "Top speed: Mach 9.18. Average speed: Mach 8.5," Ego reported.

"Activate stealth mode," Zack commanded. Immediately, countless microscopic mirrors deployed across the armor's surface, bending light and radar waves to render the suit invisible. "Let's see if the Sky Air Defense System can spot me," Zack said, deactivating the suit's identification friend-or-foe (IFF) system.

The armor was now classified as an unidentified flying object. Zack made a sharp U-turn, diving toward NYC at Mach 9. As he entered the range of the Sky Air Defense System, no lasers fired. "Sir, the system has not detected you," Ego confirmed, checking the system logs.

"Deactivate mirror camouflage. Leave optical stealth active," Zack instructed. The Apex Mk-2's radar invisibility was disabled, but its visual stealth remained.

"Sir, laser incoming!" Ego warned. A bright red laser shot toward Zack, but before it could make contact, a light blue energy shield erupted from the armor's right wrist. The ion shield absorbed the laser, rippling slightly before reflecting the energy away harmlessly.

"Enable IFF," Zack said calmly. As the friend-or-foe system reactivated, the laser ceased immediately. Zack smiled to himself, admiring the flawless functionality of his latest creation.

"The detection tech of the Sky System is getting outdated..." Zack muttered, frowning at the display. The ease with which the Apex Mk-2 bypassed the system's defenses left him uneasy.

If an enemy were to develop similar technology, such as mirror camouflage armor, wouldn't that render the entire air defense system useless? They could march into NYC unchallenged. The odds of that happening were slim—mirror camouflage armor was at least 150 years ahead of anything Earth's tech could manage—but Zack didn't like gambling when it came to security. "Ego, add upgrading the Air Defense System to my schedule," Zack instructed.

"Yes, Sir," Ego replied promptly. Satisfied, Zack decided not to test any more functions of the Apex Mk-2. "No need to overdo it. There's still a big guy waiting for me," Zack said with a grin as he descended and flew toward the massive aircraft parked at the airport.