Ego responded promptly. “Sir, the simutions indicate that this fighter’s maximum speed could reach Mach 6 to 7.”

  “That’s more than enough,” Zack said, satisfied. “Any faster, and we’d run into material limitations.”

  To achieve Mach 6, Zack had already incorporated a Ultralium alloy into the fighter’s shell. Further improvements would require repg the entire frame with the alloy—an expense even he wasn’t willing to shoulder. “Alright, the design’s good to go. Start produ, Avalon F-2” Zack ordered.

  With that, he deleted all reted files, drawings, and holographic archives. There was o keep them ohe manufacturing process began. Time passed quietly. Three days ter, NYC was unreizable, transformed into a fortress ress and security.

  Outside the city, a work of sentry towers had been structed. Each tower operated on an indepe power supply and was equipped with highly sensitive optical sensors. The moment a zombie was detected approag the city, the towers’ automated mae gun turrets—fitted with silencers—sprang into a, ralizing the threat. Stray zombies and even small hordes couldn’t make it within a hundred meters of the city. For several days now, no zombies had been spotted near NYC.

  If the struggling survivors outside could see this se, they would likely be torween envy and disbelief. pared to the desote outskirts, the ges ihe city were even more dramatiside NYC, tless dipidated buildings had been demolished. stru vehicles rumbled along the cleared roads, hauling away debris. Materials that could be salvaged were recycled, and the rest was transported out.

  The city’s water aricity had beeored. Streetlights illumihe night, powered by a small Cold Fusioor that provided energy to the ey. NYC felt alive again. Each day, a fleet of trucks and dump trucks transported enormous quantities of resources to two major stru sites.

  The first was the industrial zone, where produ was in full swing. The sed was JFK Iional Airport, Zack’s newly pnned hub for his ambitious projects. This was where Aegis, space-based satellites, Titan-css maes, and e-scale projects were being structed. In the industrial zohe bug manufacturing pnt had beeional for two days. Dozens of manufacturing bugs were being produced daily, expoially boosting productivity.

  This rapid development, however, came at a cost. The city’s resources were being ed at an arming rate, far faster than Zack had anticipated. But to him, it was worth every ounaterial. At sunrise on the fourth day, four Avalon transport aircraft lifted off from NYC City Iional Airport. Each carried a pleted space-based satellite module, heading across to the Rocket Launch ter.

  While NYC was evolving rapidly, Zack had been taking it easy in his Mansion. Sihe st battle, Sophia had grown increasingly aware of the vast pap between her and Zack. Determie that gap, she had enlisted help over the past two days. Unfortunately, all her attempts had ended in miserable failure.

  As the Avalons soared toward the rocket base, Zack reed on a sun lounger, basking in the sunlight and admiring the girls training nearby. Sophia, as always, was fwless. But what caught Zack’s attentiohe surprising capabilities of two of the newers, Lily and Grace. Lily, in particur, was exceptional. The you, Mia, however, was a different story. At 17 years old, her performance was remi of Annie’s at 13—uncoordinated and clumsy. Of course, Erza still held the title of champion, her skills unmatched.

  “Sir, the space-based satellite module has been delivered to the Launch ter,” Ego’s voice chimed in, cutting through Zack’s leisurely observations.

  “Already?” Zack raised an eyebrow, then muttered with a wry smile, “I guess time really move faster at holliday.” With that thought, Zack shook off his ziness and switched to work mode. “Pytime’s over,” he announced, waving a hand before vanishing from sight.

  To the girls, Zack’s disappearance was instantaneous, a blur too fast to follow—except for Annie, whose enhanced vision caught the motion. When Zack reached the basement, he called out, “Ego, is the high-energy particle accelerator almost ready?”

  “Expected to be operational this afternoon, sir,” Ego replied.

  “Perfect. Ohe satellite is in orbit, we’ll start synthesizing new elements and build the Singulium Reactor ” As he spoke, Zack donned his Apex armor. The suit’s thrusters roared to life, and in a fsh, he shot out of the basement garage, leaving a deafening soni in his wake. Hours ter, at the Launch ter, the final preparations were plete.

  The st operational unch vehicle had been secured on the pad, its payload repced with the space-based satellite module. Fueling was done, and all systems had passed their checks. The rocket was ready. “Begin the tdown,” Zack ordered, watg from the trol ter with far more posure than during his first unch.

  “Ten… Nine…” As the tdown progressed, reaissaellites orbiting the Earth captured the se. Zack’s first rocket unch had stuhe world when it resulted in a devastating space-based on strike. Now, he was ung another.

  Specution ran rampant. “What could he possibly need another space-based on for?”“Fighting zombies? That’s like using a sledgehammer to kill a fly!”Across the globe, leaders of various fas debated their options. Should they intercept the rocket? Was it worth the risk of provoking Zack?While most hesitated, one base acted without dey.At the Tianri Base of the Vanguard anization in Japan, missile silos opened. High-altitude interceptors were locked onto Zack’s rocket, ready to unch.

  "Hurry! The headquarters has issued a order—this rocket ot be allowed to unch!""Bd was killed by this man!""We must avenge him!""Why didn’t we just send someoo assassinate him?""I don’t know, but the headquarters ordered us to stop him. Maybe there’s something about him they need?"

  "Three!""Two!""One!""Fire!"

  As the tdown at the Tianri base reached zero, the silo doors opened, and at the same time, the unch tdown from the base also ended. Rumble...

  With a loud roar, the rocket shot into the sky, its tail leaving behind a trail of fmes as it slowly asded. What’s worth noting, though...At this moment, Zack wasn’t in the observation room. He was ging to the rocket itself, lifted by its powerful force!

  There was no other way. The Apex’s top speed was Mach 8. To break free from Earth's gravity, it o reach Mach 23—7.9 km per sed. To do that, multi-stage rockets were necessary.

  "Sir, we’ve detected critical information! The Vanguard anization on Japan is attempting to intercept your rocket!" Ego, who had been monit Vanguard's unications, reported promptly.