Ants

In a world devastated by chaos, finding individuals with the right expertise was almost impossible. "Unless…" Zack's gaze shifted to the pile of spider parts stacked in a corner of the room.

His mind clicked into gear. An idea began to form—a way to bypass the need for skilled manpower altogether. "Ego, start recording," Zack said, grabbing a pen and sketchpad. He began to draw feverishly.

Before long, a design emerged on the paper: a mechanical bug. It resembled a ant while it size was far smaller from the spider as it tailored for precision work. Beside the sketch, Zack scrawled the name Ant-1. The first mechanical manufacturing bug was completed by the robotic arms in Zack's workshop, under Ego's careful supervision. It sat on the table before him—a sleek, four-legged machine about the size of a house cat. Though its shape was reminiscent of a spider, its function was entirely different. Instead of weapons, the Ant-1 was equipped with an array of tools: welding guns, cutting machines, and fine manipulators.

Despite its small size, it was impressively efficient, powered by graphene batteries. Zack had designed three sizes of these manufacturing bugs:

Large ones, similar in size to the spiders, for building and transporting heavy machinery.

Medium ones, like the Ant-1, for versatile tasks.

Small ones, no bigger than a palm, specialized in crafting precision instruments.

The Ant-1 was a medium-sized unit, balanced in function and capability. It carried over a dozen production tools and featured a highly advanced AI capable of recording multiple production modes simultaneously. As the first of its kind, it proudly bore the designation: 001.

"Activate 001," Zack commanded.

The Ant-1's mechanical legs unfolded as it came to life. After a brief calibration test, it responded smoothly to Zack's orders. "Start by assembling a spider from the parts in the corner," Zack instructed.

The Ant-1 immediately leaped from the table, scuttling over to the pile of discarded components. Its trio of high-resolution optical lenses scanned the parts, quickly identifying what could be reused. Some parts were intact and ready to go, while others were damaged or missing entirely. For those, the Ant-1 improvised, crafting replacements using the available materials.

Piece by piece, the mechanical bug worked tirelessly, assembling a functioning spider.

It took an hour and a half—impressive given most of the parts were ready for use. Zack estimated it would take twice as long to build one from scratch. "The efficiency of a single unit isn't groundbreaking," Zack mused as he observed the Ant-1's progress, "but it's already better than a human worker—and it doesn't get tired."

This performance exceeded Zack's expectations. Initially, he had expected the manufacturing bugs to compensate for their low speed with sheer numbers. But even as a single unit, the Ant-1 proved incredibly effective. "Ego, scale up production," Zack ordered decisively.

The concept had been proven. Now, it was time to mass-produce these manufacturing bugs.

"And have the existing units assist in building more bugs," Zack added, grinning at the self-replicating efficiency of his plan. "Transport materials directly from the steel mill. Use the transport plane as needed. If anything else is missing, let me know."

"Yes, sir," Ego replied.

The robotic arms in the workshop immediately began working, grabbing materials and starting production. As Zack watched the process, he downed the chlorophyll juice beside him in one gulp. With these manufacturing bugs, he wouldn't just bolster the Mansion's defenses—he'd lay the groundwork for a technological empire, one piece at a time.

Zack observed the meticulous, orderly production in the basement with a hint of satisfaction. The manufacturing bugs were operating at full efficiency, and their numbers steadily increased. At this rate, as long as materials remained abundant, production efficiency would continue to skyrocket. "I feel kind of useless now…" Zack muttered, scratching his head.

Whether it was setting up air defenses or producing Air Fortress fighters, everything hinged on ramping up the production of manufacturing bugs. Until their numbers were sufficient, Zack found himself with idle hands—something that didn't sit well with his restless nature.

"Wait a second… Superhuman Serum!" Zack suddenly exclaimed, recalling an idea he had toyed with the night before.

At the time, he considered developing a serum similar to the one that created Captain America, but he had shelved the plan due to the lack of a biological lab. Now, however, it seemed like the perfect project. "The armor upgrades can wait. The MV-02W is more than capable of handling most enemies for now," Zack reasoned. "Maybe it's time to focus on strengthening myself."

He pondered the issue deeply. With his armor, Zack was practically invincible, but without it, he was only marginally stronger than an average person. His physical enhancements so far, though noticeable, were incremental and slow. While his body seemed to strengthen naturally over time without side effects, Zack found the pace frustrating. Waiting years to achieve the strength he desired wasn't an option.

"Ego, find the nearest biological lab," Zack commanded.

Zack sighed. "I may have all the blueprint, but those are just data. Even if the formulas are complete, there are elements I've never heard of, let alone have access to."

Many of these components were unique. Even if substitutes could be found, each variation would require extensive testing to ensure safety and efficacy. This meant Zack needed access to a lab where he could experiment and refine the formula. "Mutations are risky enough," Zack muttered. "I need to make sure that if I mutate, it's safe and controllable."

Ego's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Sir, I have located a biological laboratory at 29th Street in South Manhattan. Satellite imagery indicates the facility is occupied by survivors who appear to have turned it into a base."

"Using a lab as a base?" Zack raised an eyebrow. "In the middle of the city center? That's zombie central. Whoever did this is either incredibly stupid and just lucky to still be alive, or they're highly capable."

Zack was inclined to believe the latter. "Keep monitoring the area, Ego. Let me know if there's any movement."

As Zack prepared to leave the basement, an idea struck him. He returned to his workbench, grabbed a pen, and started sketching. His improved physical condition had unexpectedly enhanced his drawing skills, and in no time, he had drafted a sleek, black-and-red combat uniform with a distinctly feminine design. A while later, Erza stood in front of him, wearing the newly designed suit. The tight-fitting outfit highlighted her figure perfectly, and the glossy surface gave it an almost gel-like texture.

"So… this is what you came up with?" Erza asked, raising an eyebrow suspiciously. "Don't tell me you're not a pervert."

Zack rolled his eyes. "It's just the inner layer! You're supposed to wear something over it, genius."

The design was loosely based on modern tactical gear, but Zack had added his own enhancements. It featured a high-temperature-resistant coating and a built-in temperature regulation system. The suit could detect environmental changes and automatically adjust to keep the wearer warm in winter and cool in summer. It was also water-resistant and fireproof. "Wow, this feels amazing!" Erza said, running her hands over the material. "It's breathable, too!"

"Of course it is—" Zack began, only for Erza to interrupt with a smirk. "And it's great because now I won't have to worry about embarrassing bulges if I fart."