Sophia quickly wiped her tears and opened her medical kit, desperately trying to stabilize her mother. "Sophia..." Lillian said softly, her voice strained. "You can't save me. It's not about the injuries..." Suddenly, her expression shifted, her eyes widening with panic. "You have to go! Now!" she shouted, shoving Sophia away with surprising strength.
"No! I won't leave you!" Sophia screamed, trying to reach for her mother again.
Zack, watching from nearby, noticed the sudden shift in Lillian's demeanor. His eyes narrowed, and he quickly gave an order: "Ego, take control of the armor and get Sophia out of here. Now!"
Sophia's armor abruptly activated its propellers, lifting her off the ground against her will. "No! Mom!" Sophia cried out in despair as the armor carried her away, her outstretched hand reaching for her mother.
Lillian turned toward Zack with a faint, bittersweet smile. "No wonder I found you pleasing," she said softly. "Take care of my daughter..."
Her smile turned sad as a faint red glow appeared in her chest, right over her heart. Zack's eyes widened in recognition. "A chip..." he muttered, his voice heavy with realization. Lillian nodded faintly. Then, in a flash, the glow intensified.
BOOM! The explosion tore through the air, leaving a devastating silence in its wake. Lillian's body was blown apart, her perfect form reduced to fragments. Even in death, her face bore a serene, inexplicable smile.
"Collect her remains. Prepare for burial," Zack said coldly, his face devoid of emotion. He didn't dwell on what had just happened—there was no time for that. He removed his nanosuit and equipped the Apex armor. With a roar of thrusters, he descended the mountain, landing near the burning wreckage where Black Hand lay.
Black Hand, or what was left of him, sat amidst the flames. His cloak had been burned away, revealing the horrific truth beneath—a body of twisted metal and synthetic organs. Only his head retained a vaguely human appearance, though even that was damaged. His synthetic voice rasped through a damaged speaker. "Hahaha... so you've come, Zack..."
Zack's gaze hardened as he stepped closer, his armor gleaming in the firelight."Black Hand... or should I call you Gers?" Zack asked, his voice sharp with recognition.
The half-machine being chuckled darkly. "Ah, so you remember. Gers. Once one of the top five richest men in the world," he said mockingly. "The mobile phone empire I built dominated the world. At its peak, it was worth 2.5 trillion dollars. And yet... I died of an illness. Imagine that."
"You're dead," Zack said coldly. "Whatever this is... it ends here."
"Dead? Hah! In this world, Zack, money can bring even the dead back to life," Gers sneered, his mechanical voice dripping with disdain.
"Why are you laughing?" Zack asked, grabbing Gers by his mangled remains and lifting him effortlessly.
"Unless you've backed up your mind or figured out some other ridiculous method of resurrection, you'll die for real today," Zack growled.
Gers laughed again, his laughter a distorted echo from the speaker in his throat. "I've lived long enough," he rasped. "If I can take you down with me, then that's a fitting end."
"You don't even realize the kind of enemy you've provoked, Zack. But you will..." Gers's voice faded into static as Zack crushed the remains of his body. As Gers finished speaking, his laughter echoed through the air, wild and unrestrained. But after a few moments, it abruptly stopped.
His one remaining human eye bulged unnaturally, glowing red as if wrapped in metal. It twitched violently, and it became clear that something was about to happen. "A control chip again?" Zack muttered, his tone a mix of irritation and disappointment. "Figures this guy wasn't really a high-level player after all."
Without hesitation, Zack tossed Gers's half-mechanical body away like garbage. He didn't even bother looking back as he walked away.
BOOM!
Behind him, the sound of an explosion shook the air as Gers's body detonated. "Brother! Are you okay?" Annie called out, driving Tarantula toward Zack in a hurry.
"What could happen to him? He's tougher than a monkey," Erza muttered, though her worried steps toward Zack betrayed her words. Despite her casual demeanor, the sight of Zack unharmed brought Erza a quiet sense of relief.
"Alright, alright. Let's all head back," Zack said without emotion, waving the two girls off. His tone was curt—he had no time for pleasantries. There was still too much to handle, and he wasn't about to waste energy.
"Ego, when clearing the battlefield, make sure to collect tissue samples from the tyrant master. Don't miss anything," Zack ordered as he walked. "And once we're back, equip every piece of armor, every Ant and Spider, and every Avalon with anti-interference and anti-magnetic devices." He paused, his voice taking on a sharper edge. "These days, mutants are everywhere. It's only a matter of time before a another magnetic mutant shows up to ruin my day."
Zack's tone was cold and determined. He wouldn't allow the same mistakes to happen again. This time, he was going to make everything foolproof—no exceptions.
The next day. In an open field on the outskirts of the industrial zone, a coffin was slowly lowered into a freshly dug grave. Sophia stood nearby, her face pale and haggard. She covered her mouth with trembling hands, muffling the sound of her sobs. It was clear she hadn't slept all night. "Big Sister Sophia, we're here," Annie said softly, stepping forward and gently holding one of Sophia's fingers. Her small voice carried a quiet comfort.
Erza didn't say a word. He simply walked up beside Sophia, placing a hand on her shoulder in silent support. Ava was there too, standing off to the side, his expression heavy with grief.
Even Zack, usually distant and indifferent, had taken time out of his packed schedule to attend the funeral. Dressed in black, he stood silently at the edge of the gathering, his face as unreadable as ever. The coffin was lowered into the grave, and soil was shoveled on top.
A simple tombstone was erected, bearing the inscription:
Lillian's Tomb
Beloved Mother, and Guiding Light
"In our hearts, her love forever shines."
When the funeral concluded, Zack returned to the Mansion. He spent the first part of his day perfecting the Titan Armor he had been working on. After that, he checked the progress on the installation of anti-electromagnetic devices across all equipment. Finally, he walked into the biology lab, alone. "I didn't expect you to attend my funeral," a woman's voice echoed from within the lab.