2026-03-07 03:01:40For a few moments, the chamber fell silent. The four stared at Max, their earlier anxiety about families or pets now replaced by curiosity.
"Twelve…?" Xander muttered, adjusting his cracked glasses. "We only got a few. Why would the System give you so many?" After hearing about the others’ choices, they realized there were nine known Apocalypses: Alien Invasion, A.I. Armageddon, Deep Sea Awakening, Demon Invasion, Divine Judgment, Magic War, Parasitic Evolution, Ragnarök, and Zombie Outbreak. "What are those missing Apocalypses?" Ryan asked, genuinely puzzled. He couldn’t think of any others. Aya tilted her head thoughtfully. "Does that mean… you’re special? Chosen? Or… different somehow?" Max shook his head firmly. "No. I don’t think it’s about being chosen." Then, he listed the remaining Apocalypses he’d been offered. As expected, they all looked amazed: Dragon Awakening, Fairy Realm Collision, and Lycans versus Vampires. "Ahhh! That’s a waste! I should’ve gotten Lycan…" Ryan exclaimed, surprising everyone. "Fairy Realm? Like elves, dwarves, goblins, or something? That would’ve been… interesting," Aya muttered, regret in her voice. Xander and Jett exchanged glances, curiosity evident—they wanted to know why Max had access to so many options. Deciding to shift the discussion, Max asked, "Do you remember the message we all saw when we picked this Apocalypse?" The others paused, trying to recall. After a moment, they shook their heads. Max gave a faint smile and repeated it slowly, so they wouldn’t forget: "The fate of the continent is in your hands. Survive and earn the title that is rightfully yours, and save your own world…" "It says we need to earn a title to save our world. Probably Earth… so maybe there’s still a way back," Ryan said, his eyes lighting up. "Ahh! That’s right!" "I remember now…" "I think I read something like that…" The realization hit them—they’d overlooked it before, too distracted by their Caches and the shock of arrival. Now the purpose was clear. Ryan clenched his fists. "So, survive long enough… earn a title… then we can go home?" Max nodded. "Seems like it. Families, homes… not gone yet. The System gave us a path. We survive here, fight here, and maybe return." Even though Max had no family to return to, he felt the same relief—freedom from being hunted by machines. The group’s mood shifted. The despair that had hung over them started to lift. They finally had a concrete goal. "Destroy these goddamn machines," Jett muttered. "If that’s the path home, I’ll fight until I drop," Ryan added, determination in his voice. Aya managed a faint smile. "At least now we know what we’re fighting for." Xander exhaled slowly. "Then we need to learn everything about the A.I. from Corin and Zayne. If The Ark is going to survive the Mech Siege, we need intel." Aya nodded. "We should also talk about our Caches and Talents. Items are easy to share, but Talents… those are personal. We don’t need exact details, just a general idea. That way, when Beginner Protection ends, we’ll know who’s best for combat, support, or survival." Seeing no objections, Aya continued. "I’ll start. My Talent is related to physical strength… but I have no combat experience. I’m just a convenience store clerk. I can lift heavy objects, but fighting? Not my thing." Xander adjusted his glasses. "I’m good with guns. My Talent is Sharpshooter’s Focus," he said confidently. "But I didn’t pick the Weapon Cache. I chose Shelter instead… so I’ve got a tent with me. Hopefully there’s guns here." Ryan chuckled and stepped forward. "Mine’s Iron Stamina. I don’t tire easily, and I heal faster too. Cuts, bruises, exhaustion—I recover quicker than most. Not flashy, but it’s reliable." Max nodded thoughtfully. "Endurance and regeneration are invaluable here." Jett let out a dry sigh. He liked the Talents he had, even if he wished he could swap them. "My Talent’s Mechanic. I have no prior experience, but the System says I can repair machines, weapons, and devices after a bit of study. It’s a Rare Talent—probably handy, but not amazing." The others looked intrigued. Jett continued. "I played a lot of games growing up. Talents or Skills were graded—Common, Uncommon, Rare, then Epic, Legendary, Mythic, and sometimes Divine. Mine’s Rare. Not bad, not amazing." Xander whistled softly. "Rare sounds pretty solid… But I have Superior! Is that above Rare or below?" "Ugh… not sure," Jett admitted. "I think it’s higher than Rare, but it depends on the system." Aya added, "Mine’s just Uncommon." "Still useful," Max said. "No one’s Common, right?" "Even if there were, it’s fine!" Ryan added. Max considered them carefully. Aya—strength. Xander—accuracy. Ryan—endurance. Jett—mechanic. Individually passive, but together they formed a strong foundation. The System had clearly distributed abilities to encourage teamwork. Just then, one by one the four turned their attention toward Max. Only he hadn’t shared his Talent yet.
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Chapter 321
Heavy blades tore through steel while mounted cannons blasted holes through nearby structures. The impacts, shook walls and sent pieces of scrap metal flying through the air.Then people began dying.Guards screamed as the Reapers cut through their positions, blood spreading across the ground as bodies fell.Tianna gritted her teeth.“Keep fighting! They’re slow! We can overwhelm them!”More grenades flew across the battlefield. Smoke covered the ground while fire and explosions erupted from every direction. The defenders fought desperately to prevent the machines from reaching the inner areas of the shelter.One Reaper reached the mess hall, only for its foot to become trapped in a weighted net.Zayne immediately took advantage of this. He fired a grenade launcher directly into its chest.Boom!The explosion tore through its armor and sent the Reaper crashing into the pit. Yet even after taking the blast, the machine remained active. Its optics still glowed while its arms clawed agai
Chapter 320
Crash!A massive explosion shook the ground as the serpent-like vessel slammed into the Advanced Barrier System. The protective dome flashed violently under the impact before cracking apart and collapsing into nothing.“No way…”“It’s destroyed!”“Careful! Look above!”The serpent itself could not survive the collision either. Its segmented body broke apart in the blast, sending pieces of metal across the battlefield. The damage, however, had already been done. New Ark-45 had lost its barrier, leaving the shelter exposed to anything that could reach it from the air.Tianna’s expression turned grim. Without the barrier, there was nothing stopping flying vessels from entering the shelter directly. Their available weapons were limited to rifles, pistols, grenade launchers, portable disruptor units, and the traps scattered around the perimeter. None of those were designed for proper anti-aircraft combat. Their only real advantage came from the plasma rifles carried by the modified Reapers
Chapter 319
As it drew closer, Tianna realized it was unlike anything they had encountered before.This was something entirely new.The vessel moved through the sky like a giant mechanical serpent. Its body was long and segmented, each section connected by flexible joints and covered in overlapping metal scales. Even more disturbing were the five humanoid figures clinging to its back.They looked like armored Reapers riding the enormous flying serpent.Tianna’s expression changed. “What in the world…”Zayne frowned as he studied the strange vessel. He could not tell whether it was simply a transportation device or another mechanical creature capable of attacking them.“Doesn’t matter what it’s called. It’s coming for us!”The serpent suddenly dipped lower and accelerated toward the shelter.As soon as it crossed into range, the Advanced Barrier System activated.Bam!A shimmering dome of energy erupted around New Ark-45. The serpent slammed into the barrier with tremendous force, its body bucklin
Chapter 318
Meanwhile, over the continent of Versailles, the crimson sky remained stretched across the heavens like an open wound that refused to heal. The people of New Ark-45 had spent an entire day beneath it, yet they still could not become accustomed to the sight. A day had passed since the colossal mechanical structures appeared in the distance, and although they had not moved, their presence kept the defenders on edge. Nobody knew what they were capable of. Would they release enormous humanoid machines from the sky? Could they deploy dozens of Dragoons at once? The defenders had no answers, and that uncertainty was almost as frightening as the machines themselves.Tianna stood atop one of the watchtowers, her gaze fixed on the distant horizon. New Ark-45 had brought out every telescope and pair of binoculars available from Max’s Caches. Some of the telescopes were old relics recovered from abandoned observatories, while others had been salvaged during scavenger missions. Scouts took turns
Chapter 317
Max did not leave immediately after completing his final purchase. Instead, he turned his attention toward the four super soldiers and the child. He had bought them, but that did not mean he knew anything about the people who would now be living in his shelter.He introduced himself first.“I’m Max. You’re mine now, but not as slaves. You’ll fight with me, and I’ll make sure you live.”The four soldiers did not immediately trust him. Their expressions remained cautious, but after a moment, they began introducing themselves.The broadest of the four spoke first. “I am Draxen.”The man with long gray hair followed. “Call me Castor.”The third had a scar running across his jaw. “Korval.”The last man gave only his name. “Serric.”Max nodded as he memorized each one. They were no longer nameless soldiers he had purchased from an auction. They were Draxen, Castor, Korval, and Serric, four men who had survived long enough to become super soldiers and whom Max now intended to keep alive.He
Chapter 316
Max studied the young man with renewed curiosity. What shocked him was not that the boy was being sold at an auction, but the nature of his gene. It was an extraordinary ability, one that could protect the boy from mutation and allow him to return to his original human form regardless of how many modifications were forced onto his body. A safeguard like that was incredibly rare, and in the hands of someone cruel, its value could be exploited endlessly. Max could already think of several ways a twisted person might use the boy if they had no concern for his well-being.Looking around the hall, however, Max noticed the reactions of several elderly men and middle-aged women. Their expressions made it clear that the boy was not being purchased out of kindness. Whatever intentions they had, Max had no doubt the child would suffer if he fell into the wrong hands. He could not simply stand by and let that happen. “Whatever… I still have a couple of thousand,” Max muttered to himself before r
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