NOVEL NEXT Chapter 118: Goliath
"Yes, Sir," Ego responded immediately. "Reports from the mechanical dogs indicate that since taking control of the prison, Antonny has been secretly recruiting survivors. He has even tried several times to sabotage the mechanical dogs using zombies."
Zack sighed. "Typical. Give someone a little power, and they'll always overreach."
Antonny had been tolerated up to this point. His minor antics weren't worth Zack's attention. But now, he had clearly crossed a line. "Send his picture to the dancer," Zack ordered in a calm, detached tone. The decision to end a life seemed as mundane as deciding what to eat for dinner. With that, he dismissed the matter entirely.
Reaching the basement, Zack sat down at his workbench. Unfinished schematics from the previous night lay scattered before him. The bold title on the top page caught his eye: Space-Based Integrated Global Strike System. Hours passed as he sketched and calculated, finalizing the preliminary plans for the ambitious project. By the end, a thick stack of blueprints sat neatly in front of him.
"The Titan Armor will have to wait," Zack muttered. There were simply too many other priorities: managing NYC, expanding the mechanical army, deploying his global strike network, and advancing his fearless warriors.
"All of these are more pressing than the armor," he decided. He leaned back, tapping his pen thoughtfully against the table. "It's time to move forward… to create something new."
The Cold Fusion Reactor, which had served as the cornerstone of his energy systems, was outdated. The problem wasn't the palladium poisoning—it was the power output. It simply wasn't enough for his growing ambitions. "If I were to use this reactor for the Titan Armor, I'd need at least 15 reactors just to power its basic functions," Zack mused. "And that doesn't even account for high-energy weapons like laser cannons. But a new reactor…"
He let the thought hang in the air. The new reactor should be non-toxic, more efficient, and exponentially more powerful. "Ego," Zack said, breaking his silence, "Any option?"
"I propose the development of a Singulium Reactor, Sir."
"Singulium?" Zack leaned forward, intrigued. "What's that?"
"It is a theoretical reactor design based on a synthetic superheavy element: Element X-421, which I have designated as 'Singulium.' This element is theorized to exist in an island of stability within the periodic table, possessing unique properties such as ultra-dense energy storage and near-perfect thermal conductivity. When properly contained, Singulium could act as both the fuel source and the primary energy conductor for a high-output reactor."
Zack's brow furrowed. "That sounds promising. How to made it?"
""To synthesize Singulium," Ego explained, "a high-energy particle accelerator is required to collide atomic nuclei at velocities approaching 99.99% of the speed of light. The collision will create the conditions necessary for the nuclei to fuse into this superheavy element. Once created, the atoms must be stabilized within a magneto-gravitic containment chamber to prevent immediate decay."
"Then let's build one. We have the materials, right?"
"Yes, Sir. Manufacturing bugs have already been equipped with the necessary blueprints." After Ego finished speaking, the production data was transmitted to the mechanical bugs scattered across NYC. These machines, ranging from small to large, immediately sprang into action. Using their scanning devices, they efficiently gathered the required materials throughout the city. Thanks to the LSI satellite network, every collected material was tracked, ensuring no overlap or waste of effort.
"It's going to take a while to get the particle accelerator up and running," Zack muttered, leaning back in his chair. "Let's deal with the mechanical army next."
From the thick stack of blueprints beside him, Zack pulled out a few sheets filled with intricate diagrams of mechanical parts. He spread them across the table, and with a flick of his hand, the flat schematics transformed into three-dimensional holographic projections. The room lit up with glowing lines and structures as the mechanical designs hovered before him. "Mechanical dogs and spiders aren't enough anymore," Zack said, his fingers moving rapidly through the projection. "We need specialized warriors designed solely for killing."
He worked quickly, deleting redundant designs and refining flawed components. What remained were two entirely new concepts for his mechanical army, each addressing a critical gap. The first design was for an aerial unit. Its sleek frame was compact and aerodynamic, built for speed and maneuverability—a fully autonomous drone optimized for aerial combat.
In form, the drones were engineered for versatility, with modular systems that allowed for rapid adaptation to different mission requirements. Zack had no intention of using them as expendable cannon fodder. These aerial units would be armed with precision-targeting weaponry, advanced countermeasure systems, and enhanced flight capabilities, making them formidable war machines with unmatched dominance in the air.
Equipped with cutting-edge propulsion technology and a suite of onboard weapons, these aerial drones would address the mechanical army's glaring lack of air power. "Of course, there's a catch…" Zack murmured, studying the material requirements for the project. He clicked his tongue in frustration. "The cost of building one of these is astronomical, as bad as my MV-02 suits."
The mechanical dogs and spiders relied on hydrogen batteries, but these drones required full Cold Fusion Reactors for power—a massive leap in resource consumption. It was clear these aerial units would have to remain a limited production model. "Start with ten units," Zack decided. "We can't afford to have no air power, no matter how expensive they are."
Next, Zack turned his attention to the second design, an earth-shaking behemoth that bordered on madness. If the aerial drones filled a strategic need, this second project was pure overkill—a response to his ongoing obsession with firepower. The design was modular and foldable, compacting into a 3x2-meter rectangular block. When deployed, it expanded into a massive humanoid war machine standing 5.6 meters tall. This Goliath drone was essentially a walking fortress bristling with weapons.
"More than 20 missile launchers…" Zack mused, scrolling through the specs. "But not micro-missiles. We're using something with a bit more... punch." Instead of hands, the Goliath featured twin 50mm six-barreled Vulcan cannons, capable of unleashing an insane barrage of firepower. These were not standard machine guns—they were larger than the main cannons on most fighter jets. Loaded with two types of ammunition—50mm tungsten core armor-piercing rounds and 50mm depleted uranium shells—the Goliath was designed to annihilate anything in its path.
The idea was born after Zack's encounter with the Tyrant Beast. While the mechanical army's firepower had been sufficient to handle most threats, its inability to deal massive single-target damage had become glaringly obvious. The Goliath was his solution. "Still feels like something's missing…" Zack muttered, staring at the blueprint. "What about adding an electromagnetic railgun? That should handle single-target penetration."
Ego hesitated for a moment before responding. "Sir, I believe that's feasible. The railgun's electromagnetic coil systems can be integrated into the Goliath's power core with some modifications to accommodate the recoil and heat dissipation."
Zack nodded, rolling his shoulders. "Perfect. Let's do it."