Weapons, Power, and a New Enemy

Midnight.

I stood in the dimly lit apartment, flexing my fingers. The shock gauntlets were heavier than expected, but the weight gave them a satisfying stability.

I activated the switch.

BZZT!

A faint crackle of electricity surged across my knuckles, arcing between the copper wiring embedded in the gloves. The car battery strapped to my forearm powered them, feeding energy through a miniature capacitor array I had salvaged from an old power tool.

This wasn't a toy.

At full charge, these gloves could deliver a shock strong enough to stun a full-grown man—maybe even a low-level superhuman.

But I needed to test them properly.

I grabbed an old metal chair, took a deep breath, and punched it.

CRACK!

A blue spark erupted as the electric pulse discharged. The chair's metal frame vibrated violently, and the impact sent a jolt up my arm.

I clenched my teeth.

Pain tolerance needs improvement.

But the gauntlets worked.

Even better—if I could fine-tune the capacitors, I could make the discharge stronger, more focused.

I wasn't a fighter. I was an engineer. If I wanted to survive the apocalypse, I needed technology that could even the playing field.

And this was only the beginning.

I pulled out my blueprints and began sketching my next projects.

I had three primary goals before the end of the month:

Create a personal defense system.

Develop an efficient power source.

Upgrade my mobility for escape.

With [Hypermind] running at full capacity, I mapped out ideas at a speed that no normal human could match.

Project 1: Stun Baton – Enhanced Melee WeaponConcept:

A collapsible metal rod weapon that delivers electric shocks on impact, running on a customized battery pack.

Materials Needed:

✔ Reinforced Steel Pipe – Salvaged from the junkyard.✔ Copper Wiring – Extracted from old circuit boards.✔ Lithium-Ion Battery – Modified from a power tool.✔ Voltage Regulator – Prevents power surges from backfiring.

Key Features:Multi-Mode Power Output – Low for stunning, high for incapacitating.

Collapsible Design – Easy to carry and conceal.

Insulated Grip – Prevents self-electrocution.

Project 2: Compact Arc Reactor – Portable Power SourceConcept:

A miniature high-capacity battery that could power multiple devices, including my shock weapons, portable defenses, and later—exosuit enhancements.

Materials Needed:

✔ Old Car Batteries – Base energy storage.✔ Supercapacitors – Found in old industrial machinery.✔ Graphene Sheets – If I could find them, efficiency would increase tenfold.

Key Features:

Fast Charging & High Output – Could power small tech for hours.

Can Be Integrated Into a Suit or Gauntlet.

Potential to Scale Into a Full Power Armor System.

Project 3: Exo-Legs – Enhanced Mobility SystemConcept:

A lightweight exoskeletal leg brace to increase running speed and jump height, improving mobility in fights.

Materials Needed:

✔ Hydraulic Pistons – Salvaged from junked robotic arms.✔ Carbon Fiber Rods – If available, to keep weight low.✔ Mini Servomotors – Found in scrap drones.

Key Features:Boosts Sprinting Speed by 50%.

Absorbs Shock from High Falls.

Can Be Integrated Into a Full Exosuit Later.

The next morning, I woke up early.

I had zero dollars, so I needed to scavenge and steal anything useful.

First stop? The industrial district.

Factories and warehouses often discarded broken machinery, and if I was lucky, I could find supercapacitors, motors, and other key components.

I moved through back alleys, avoiding cameras and keeping my profile low. Even though the world was still normal, I knew it was only a matter of time before gangs, criminals, and scavengers started taking over.

I found a scrapyard behind an old robotics company.

And jackpot—a broken industrial arm.

I pried it open with my multi-tool, carefully extracting the hydraulic pistons and servomotors.

Then, I found an old power regulator and a half-functional capacitor array.

Perfect.

I loaded everything into my makeshift duffel bag and left before security could catch me.

Back in my apartment, I set up my workstation.

I disassembled the capacitor array, rerouted power output through a stabilization circuit, and improved the knuckle conductivity using salvaged copper plates.

Then, I added a second power mode:

✔ Low Discharge – Enough to stun someone for five seconds.✔ High Discharge – Could knock out an unarmored enemy with a single punch.

Finally, I reinforced the gloves' plating with salvaged titanium scraps, increasing durability.

When I slipped them back on, they felt perfect.

These weren't just gloves anymore.

They were my first real weapon.

Two days later, my stock investment had grown to $12,000.

In another five days, I'd have over $20,000—enough to buy weapons, supplies, and a vehicle to escape the city.

But I was being watched.

The morning after my last scavenging run, I spotted three men in black jackets loitering near my apartment complex.

They weren't just random thugs.

They were members of The Black Fangs—an early-stage gang that would later become one of the biggest warlord factions in the apocalypse.

If they had noticed me, it meant trouble.

I needed to be ready for a fight.

Two days later, my stock investment had grown to $12,000.

In another five days, I'd have over $20,000—enough to buy weapons, supplies, and a vehicle to escape the city.

But I was being watched.

The morning after my last scavenging run, I spotted three men in black jackets loitering near my apartment complex.

They weren't just random thugs.

They were members of The Black Fangs—an early-stage gang that would later become one of the biggest warlord factions in the apocalypse.

If they had noticed me, it meant trouble.

I needed to be ready for a fight.

✔ Stock investment paying off in 5 days.✔ Weapons ready for combat.✔ Escape vehicle and base location next priority.

The apocalypse was coming.

And this time, I wouldn't be caught unprepared.