Rise In The Apocalypse

[ Choose the Apocalypse you wish to face. ] It was exactly 12:00 PM on a Monday when everything began. "So it’s actually happening..." Max murmured while staring at the message floating before him. Four monitors were already arranged across his desk, so the sudden appearance of a fifth “screen” immediately threw him off. Still, panic never came. After all, he had worked as a cybersecurity ethicist before moving into systems engineering. His natural reaction wasn’t fear—it was analysis. He wanted to trace the source, to understand how this strange system was functioning. Especially since the message wasn’t appearing on any of his physical monitors. Instead, it seemed to exist directly in his vision, as though it were projected into his eyes—or perhaps a holographic display visible only to him. ‘What kind of tech even does this? Some kind of neural interface? There’s no way I’m hallucinating… right?’ Max wondered as he read the text again. [ Choose the Apocalypse you wish to fac

Max moved his attention toward the Survival Tools Cache."I’ll go with you..."[ You have selected the Survival Tools Cache. ][ You may now receive your Talent. ]Max could only hope he hadn’t made the wrong call. The truth was, he had no idea where he would appear.The fire starter meant he could produce heat and cook food—assuming he managed to find any—without depending entirely on luck. The pocket knife was small, but reliable. It could serve for cutting, carving, or even self-defense if things got desperate.The rope and compass would help with movement and navigation through unknown territory, while the whistle and thermal blanket might very well keep him alive in emergencies.Compared to a revolver with limited bullets, these tools felt more dependable. They could be reused again and again, lasting much longer—so long as he wasn’t thrown straight into combat the moment he arrived in the starting region."Hmm?"At that moment, Max noticed something new in the corner of his visi

Max held the spare ammunition in his hand, and thankfully, it slid neatly into another pocket. It sat snugly inside, secured well enough that it wouldn’t fall out while he moved. Once everything was arranged, he felt somewhat prepared. "Alright. Organized." Now that he understood the items couldn’t be returned to his Inventory, he made a mental note not to open any more Caches unless it was truly necessary. Still, Max decided to open the Cache Selection panel again so he could store more unopened packs in his Inventory. [ Inventory: Energy Cache (Basic) ×1 Entertainment Cache (Basic) ×1 Food Cache (Basic) ×5 Medical Cache (Basic) ×1 Shelter Cache (Basic) ×1 Stealth Cache (Basic) ×1 Survival Tools Cache (Basic) ×1 Transport Cache (Basic) ×1 Water Cache (Basic) ×5 Weapon Cache (Basic) ×1 ] That process had taken quite a while since there was no option to select multiple Caches at once. He had to add each one individually. Even so, he deliberately stored extra Food and W

Max couldn’t help but be impressed by The Ark’s organization. It was far more structured than he had expected. If the Mech Siege hit, this place would give him a real advantage.He and Corin continued along the narrow, sloped pathway. Rusted pipes, dangling wires, and old support beams crisscrossed overhead.The shelter felt like it had been built piece by piece, patched together from whatever scraps were available.Just as Max opened his mouth to ask about the A.I. Armageddon, Corin spoke first, as if reading his thoughts."By the way… I know you’ve got a ton of questions. Who’s here, what’s going on, why the A.I. hasn’t wiped us out yet…" He shrugged. "Don’t expect all the answers. We’ll tell you what you need to know. The rest? Learn it as you go."Max nodded. Fair enough.The narrow path finally opened into a larger chamber.The first thing he noticed were box-like partitions—probably the residents’ rooms. Flickering LED panels, patched-together generators, and crates of supplies

Gulp… Feeling felt the weight of the moment, Max swallowed hard. He had to reveal his Talent eventually, though he wasn’t sure how much to share. His ability was… unusual. Far too unusual. At first, it had been modest enough: [ Weekly Gift Cycle (Rare) ] It allowed him three Caches of his choice every week. Decent, considering there were ten options, letting him pick what he needed depending on circumstances. Then, something unexpected had happened. A glitch flashed across his vision, the system stuttered, and when it stabilized, his Talent had evolved—or completely transformed. [ Infinite Cache (SSS): You can claim an unlimited number of Caches at any time. No restrictions on frequency, quantity, or type. This Talent grants continuous access to supplies, ensuring Caches are always available whenever you choose to obtain them. ] Max still didn’t fully understand why. He certainly wasn’t going to explain all the details just yet—it would only open a floodgate of questions. Wha