Regressed with Omnipotent AI on Zombie Apocalypse

The last brother, Joey, struggled to rise, fear etched across his face. "No, please—"

Zack almost forgot about him. With a cold smile, he muttered, "Oh, I almost forgot you," before firing one final shot. Joey dropped to the ground, his pitiful wails silenced at last. With all three brothers dead, an eerie silence settled over the blood-soaked room, the sharp, metallic scent hanging thick in the air.

Zack picked up the shotgun the brothers had been using. To his disappointment, it was a poorly made, hand-polished weapon, barely functional. He dropped it back onto the floor, unimpressed.

He reached into his backpack and pulled out a Molotov cocktail he had prepared earlier. With a flick of his lighter, he set it alight and tossed it onto the floor, among the bodies. The flames quickly spread, licking the walls, turning the Mansion into a blaze.

Without a glance back, Zack turned and walked away, his expression unshaken as he left the burning building behind. Despite this being his first time killing a human, he showed no signs of hesitation or regret. He knew that being decisive was the only way to survive—he would be dead otherwise. Only when he was a distance away did he look back at the burning mansion, a conflicted look crossing his face.

A long howl suddenly cut through the night, sending a chill down his spine. From the darkness, four or five shadowy figures—fast, humanoid, and ghastly—emerged, rushing toward the Mansion in response to the flames.

Zack’s heart skipped a beat when he saw the strange, shadowy figures. "What... are those?" he muttered, ducking behind an abandoned car for cover.

“Target too far for scan. Switching to satellite view,” Ego reported. In moments, images from the LSI satellite appeared before Zack’s eyes. Though the night view was dim, he could make out the humanoid shapes moving at an inhuman speed. Under the moonlight, their unnaturally long limbs and pale, hairless bodies were unmistakable. They were anything but human.

“Sir, comparison analysis identifies these creatures as mutant zombies, classified as Night Stalkers,” Ego explained. “Night Stalkers are primarily nocturnal, remaining dormant during the day in dark spaces like basements, entering a hibernation-like state…”

Zack's face darkened as Ego’s words hit him. These Night Stalkers weren’t just zombies—they were something far more dangerous. They moved with purpose, and they had a level of intelligence that typical zombies didn’t. As the creatures neared Mansion No. 4, they didn’t blindly charge in like mindless undead. Instead, they spread out, surrounding the burning building, acting with terrifying coordination.

A larger Night Stalker emerged from the group, letting out a guttural roar that seemed to command the others. Immediately, the others surged forward, charging fearlessly into the flames. Within moments, they dragged the charred bodies of the three brothers out of the inferno and laid them before the larger one, who appeared to be their leader.

The leader crouched over the bodies, ripping them open and devouring their fresh organs. The other Night Stalkers waited their turn until the leader finished, then joined in, leaving only scorched bones behind.

Watching from a distance, Zack felt a shiver crawl up his spine. Once the creatures had feasted, the leader let out another commanding roar. The Night Stalkers quickly retreated into the darkness. Ego tracked their movements as they disappeared toward an industrial park miles away. Only then did Zack release a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

“These things have some level of intelligence,” Zack murmured, a frown tugging at his face. “They move like a pack of wolves. They’re dangerous.”

It confirmed his worst fears: these were no longer the mindless zombies of the past. The Zeta virus had evolved, creating a new, far more dangerous breed of undead.

“The power armor needs to be ready,” Zack said quietly, his expression hardening with determination.

For the next five days, Zack threw himself into his basement workshop, fine-tuning his armor without rest. He only left the Mansion occasionally to scavenge for tools and materials. Sophia, though curious, never asked questions. She would simply bring his meals to the elevator, letting it descend on its own, never catching even a glimpse of the basement.

In the living room, she sat staring blankly at the TV, though she wasn’t really watching. Her thoughts were elsewhere—on her mother, who was still missing. She longed to beg Zack for help, but she knew it was unreasonable. She also knew Zack had enough on his plate with her. Even though he had told her he wanted her to be his woman, he had never pressured her into anything.

Suddenly, a series of heavy thuds echoed from below, like footsteps from something massive. The floor vibrated slightly, causing the water in a glass on the coffee table to ripple. Startled, Sophia turned off the TV. After a moment's hesitation, she picked up the intercom.

“Zack, are you okay down there?”

“I’m fine,” Zack’s muffled voice came through, curt and distant.

“Oh, uh, be careful then,” she replied, setting the intercom down with a sigh. She sat there, feeling the weight of the silence, unable to focus on the TV any longer.

In the basement, Zack wiped the sweat from his brow as he stepped out of the bulky armor. Ego immediately began its diagnostic report.

“Type 1 Armor MV-01, initial wear test complete. Energy transfer is normal. Power unit operational... Warning: nerve conduction devices experiencing significant lag. Solution: recalibration required.”

The lag in the nerve conduction was a serious issue. It rendered the armor almost useless, as it couldn’t respond to his movements in real time. The weight of the suit left him struggling to maneuver.

With a brief sigh, Zack got back to work, adjusting the nerve conduction device. In the five days since he had started, his custom MV-01 Armor had gone from concept to testing stage. It was heavy and imposing, almost like an iron fortress.

The base armor was an old set of medieval European plate armor Zack had found in the Mansion, which he reinforced and retrofitted with MV-01 components. He had thickened the metal to withstand conventional rifle fire, making it nearly a ton of weight. This additional bulk drained Ego’s graphene batteries faster, cutting the armor’s battery life from three hours to just two. But to Zack, the trade-off was worth it.

After making the necessary adjustments, Zack stepped back to admire his work. This wasn’t sleek or sophisticated, but it was a weaponized extension of his own body—a mobile fortress.

“Ego, start the second test,” he commanded, his voice filled with anticipation.

This time, Zack climbed back into the armor with renewed confidence.

As soon as he activated the suit, he could feel the difference. Every movement was mirrored perfectly by the armor. When he raised his hand, the massive arm moved with him, and even his fingers responded to his commands with surprising precision.

“Test commencing... Nerve conduction device recalibrated. All systems operational,” Ego announced.

Zack flexed his armored fingers, a thrill of satisfaction running through him. For the first time, he truly felt the power of his creation.