Inside the lab, the Nerds, Lucil, Nari, and Queenie continued watching Klaus's intense battle with the Mecha Zombie, each with a different expression on their face.
"That Mecha Zombie is developing faster than we anticipated," Joon said, his eyes glued to the streams of data pouring in every second.
"You kids really outdid yourselves this time," Nari chimed in, leaning forward.
"This is going to change everything when Oracle goes public." Her eyes followed the Mecha Zombie as it adapted to Klaus's attack patterns after only one or two repetitions.
She knew Klaus could end the fight whenever he wanted, but she couldn't help being impressed by the machine's rapid improvement.
Lucil had already filled her in on the goals of the project. If this progress continued for a few more days, the results would exceed even their loftiest expectations.
As an Overlord who had fought countless monsters and zombies, Nari understood the brutal dynamics of battle. The system Klaus and the Nerds were creating aligned perfectly with her battlefield experiences, replicating the unpredictable nature of true combat.
Queenie shared that same thought, though what truly shocked both of them was Klaus's keen ability to break down even the smallest details.
Throughout his week-long training, he had highlighted subtle nuances they hadn't even considered were something that could make a difference in combat.
Even them who had been fighting zombies for fifty years hadn't noticed some of the intricacies Klaus pointed out.
From Klaus's battling this single Mecha Zombie, they'd learned more than they thought possible. Klaus wasn't just fighting—he was analyzing, absorbing, and refining every element of the experience.
His mind was like a machine picking up on even the smallest details.
"At this rate, Klaus is going to have to start getting serious if he wants to keep up with the Mecha Zombie learning regimen," Nari said, watching as the machine adapted once more.
"Well, he's training too, so I think he's taking it step by step for now," Queenie added, her eyes narrowing in thought as Klaus landed another precise strike on the Zombie's leg.
The Mecha Zombie countered immediately, a burst of flames erupting from its body as it tapped into its fire element, sending Klaus skidding back across the battlefield.
He smiled, and then without holding back, he slashed his sword dozens of times, sending sharp crescent ice arcs at the Zombie. The arcs were sharp and lethal, yet the Zombie simply stood on the floor, raising an ice wall.
In response, the disc flew at a terrifying angle, appearing at Klaus from an unexpected direction. Klaus smirked and sent the Void Piercing Needle to counter.
The two weapons met with a resounding clang. Meanwhile, the Zombie defended against his fire arcs and now charged at him with its sword glowing red. Klaus also channeled fire essence into his sword, meeting the Zombie's attack and sending sparks flying.
"Alright, alright, let's talk about happy stuff," Nari said, bringing her carefree charm back again.
"So, Klaus, what do you think about Big Sister Queenie here? Do you think you can handle her?" Nari suddenly asked.
Cough! Both Klaus and Queenie, who were in the process of taking a sip of their drinks, coughed upon hearing that question.
"Nari," Queenie said, gritting her teeth. What kind of shameless question was that?
"What? Don't act like I didn't notice how you were sneaking glances at him," Nari said, a mischievous smile spreading across her face. Joon, Logan, Ryan, and Lucil looked on with smiles of their own.
"Oh really? Glances?" Klaus quickly recovered and joined in with Nari to tease Queenie.
Klaus leaned back in his chair, a playful grin on his face. "I mean, can you blame her? I'm a pretty impressive guy," he teased, shooting a wink in Queenie's direction.
Queenie crossed her arms, trying to maintain her composure, but a faint blush crept onto her cheeks. Very subtle, but it appeared alright
"Please, Klaus, don't flatter yourself too much. You're not that charming," Queenie said, realizing she had no way to weave her way out of this.
Well, she could have disappeared into thin air, but that would be cowardly. So for now, she could only thicken her skin and endure. Later, she would drag Nari into the Void and beat the shit out of her.
"Charming or not, at least I managed to make the almighty Overlord of all Overlords blush, even if it's just a slight one," Klaus grinned, his smile infectious.
Queenie shot a look at Nari, who was grinning at her predicament with a mischievous glint in her eyes. Lucil, on the other hand, was busy capturing the moment, knowing that when made public, it would cause the whole internet to explode.
"We're going back to the lab now," Joon announced, standing up and leaving with Ryan and Logan.
Lucil followed suit shortly after, and soon Nari also left, leaving only Klaus and Queenie alone. The air around them thickened with awkwardness as they stared at each other.
"Wanna model a monastery with me?" Klaus asked, breaking the silence.
"Yes," Queenie answered without even thinking about it.
Klaus's eyes lit up. "Great! Let's go"
And ladies and gentlemen, that is how Klaus picked the strongest person on earth into his room. That is badass.