As Marcus pushed the Bloodflame further, he made another remarkable discovery. The fire didn't harm him at all—in fact, it reinforced his body. The effect was faint when the flames were small, but once he summoned them in large quantities, his physical strength and stamina surged dramatically.
It was an exceptional ability, both destructive and practical—its potential easily rivaled that of his former Metallization skill. The drawback, of course, was its immense energy cost. Using his blood as fuel meant that normal regeneration wouldn't be enough to sustain it—but with his hyper-regeneration, the two powers worked together perfectly, like they were made for one another.
As Marcus continued to test his new ability, Alex returned to the lab, carrying several vials of Extremis serum in his hands. He looked calm but pleased, as though he had just finished another experiment.
"Congratulations, Master," he said with a respectful nod. "It seems the evolution process went quite smoothly."
Marcus smirked faintly. "More or less. What about you, Alex? Did the virus in your body evolve as well?"
Alex shook his head. "That's the problem, Master. I've discovered something—both good and bad. Without your explicit authorization, the zombie virus in any other host will remain dormant. It will not evolve into the new strain on its own."
Marcus frowned slightly. "So I have to authorize evolution manually?"
That added complexity—but also control. It meant he could decide who evolved and who didn't, preventing chaos and maintaining hierarchy among his infected. Still, it would slow down mass conversion.
"Let's test that, then," Marcus said, extending a hand.
A faint pulse of energy rippled from him as he granted permission. Several thin, glowing blood-red filaments appeared in the air, slipping soundlessly into Alex's body. The man's skin began to emit the same orange-red luminescence characteristic of Extremis infection, while Marcus felt his own bio-energy drop sharply by ten percent.
"How do you feel?" Marcus asked. "Any new abilities?"
Alex flexed his fingers experimentally, his eyes briefly flashing crimson. "Enhanced regeneration, thermal control—identical to Extremis traits. And now I possess the authority to elevate lower-tier zombies into Extremis-class zombies, or as I call them, 'Evolved Infected.'"
Marcus smiled. So, the Bloodflame was his alone. A gift unique to the progenitor.
The term "Extremis Zombies" caught his attention. These must be the evolved forms of the infected—superior in strength, speed, and resilience. But based on Alex's explanation, Marcus couldn't just wave his hand and upgrade every zombie in Queens overnight. Each evolution required bio-energy, and the transformation could only be triggered by Marcus himself—or by a mutant-level infected like Alex.
"In other words," Marcus concluded, "we'll need more evolved infected—a lot more—if we want to build an army."
"Exactly," Alex agreed. "And the creation of specialized Extremis Zombies—those modified through genetic programming—will require even greater amounts of bio-energy. With only seven mutant-level infected in Queens, it's impossible to construct a full Extremis army before the U.S. military arrives."
Energy. Always energy.
There was never enough of it.
Marcus sighed quietly. "So much for easy world domination," he muttered. The system never gave him anything for free. It handed him the gun—but not the bullets—and then dropped him into a war zone surrounded by enemies.
Sometimes he wondered if any other reincarnators had ever actually succeeded in their so-called "destroy the world" missions.
"Fine," Marcus said at last. "Complaining won't solve anything. I already have an idea. Has the Extremis virus programming completed yet? Take me to see it."
Alex nodded. "Of course, Master. Please follow me."
---
He led Marcus into a wide, heavily reinforced chamber that resembled a containment facility for large animals. In the center stood a massive iron cage—and inside it, a zombified African elephant, likely abducted from a local zoo. Several tubes were inserted into the creature's body, connected to a series of computer-like machines on the far side of the room.
"This device," Alex explained, placing a hand on one of the consoles, "is the Virus Compiler. I've been refining its algorithms. It can encode genetic instructions directly into the virus. Once a specific transformation pattern is completed, the virus will carry the blueprint permanently—no need for further assistance."
He gestured toward the elephant. "This specimen is the first test subject. Watch carefully."
Alex extended his hands toward the cage. Several hair-thin blood filaments appeared once again, penetrating the elephant's hide. The beast immediately went berserk, thrashing against the cage with thunderous force. Its gray skin began to harden and darken as scabs formed across its entire body, until at last it was completely cocooned in a thick black crust. The animal fell still, as though sealed inside a massive, charred chrysalis.
"So far, so good," Alex said, satisfaction in his tone. "The reprogramming has taken effect."
Minutes passed. The cocoon began to expand, pressing against the reinforced bars of the cage until the metal began to groan under the pressure. Cracks appeared across the shell's surface, glowing with a deep crimson-orange light—the telltale sign of the Extremis virus's high-heat activation.
"It's emerging!" Alex warned.
A burst of scorching air exploded outward, blowing the cocoon apart into burning fragments. The iron cage buckled and collapsed under the immense force as the creature within tore itself free.
What emerged was no longer an elephant.
The monstrosity that stood before them was something from another world—a nightmare of flesh and metal fused together. It towered even higher than the original beast, its enormous tusks transformed into serrated, scythe-like mandibles sharp enough to shear through armor. Its entire body was encased in a carapace of glowing plates, its muscles bulging beneath molten seams. Its massive head bore a crown of horned ridges, and every step it took made the reinforced floor tremble.
It wasn't a creature anymore. It was a living siege engine.
"Tanks," Alex said with grim satisfaction, "would be lucky to survive a charge from this thing."
Marcus stared, awe flickering in his usually cold eyes. "Thunderbeast," he murmured, the name forming naturally on his lips.
Alex inclined his head slightly. "If that name pleases you, Master, then so be it. The design is based on heavy biological weaponry concepts. Its purpose is to counter fortified defenses—armored vehicles, barriers, walls… anything a normal infected couldn't breach."
Marcus stepped forward, examining the monster as it exhaled plumes of steam through its vents.
"Yes," he said softly, a sharp grin curving his lips. "It will be very useful indeed."
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T/N:
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