2026-03-07 03:06:13Gulp…
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. Whatever the cause, his Talent now ranked SSS—far above anything the others had mentioned. He paused for a moment, then carefully chose his words. He didn’t want to reveal the full scope yet. "My Talent… is related to Caches," Max said slowly. "I can obtain more, but only if certain conditions are met. It’s not completely free." The group straightened, intrigued. It was unusual, even strange. "So… there’s a Talent like that?" Xander muttered, adjusting his glasses. "I thought Talents were all physical or combat-based…" Aya added. "Me too… but apparently, system-related abilities exist," Jett said thoughtfully, though his mind churned with questions. Ryan let out a short laugh. "Well, if something like that exists, maybe there’s a Talent for free Level Ups, too." Max just smiled faintly. There was no actual cost to claim Caches—but he decided to imply that there was some form of payment. He didn’t know what yet, but it could be a useful story. Perhaps a currency in this world could serve as the price. Endless possibilities opened in his mind. With unlimited Caches, he could dominate trade within The Ark—selling, bartering, or simply controlling supplies. He could shape the shelter’s economy, even its hierarchy… But for now, he kept those thoughts to himself. Footsteps echoed, pulling him from his musings. Two figures entered the chamber. Corin, who had found Max and Aya earlier, stepped in. Beside him was Zayne, who had retrieved Xander, Ryan, and Jett from the garbage dump. Corin’s smile was easy. "Good. You’re all settling in nicely. Welcome to The Ark." Their purpose was to brief the new arrivals on the shelter’s operation—food, sleeping arrangements, currency, and work expectations. Zayne reached into a small pouch at his side and produced five rough wooden tokens, each carved into an oval shape. He handed one to each of them. "Take these," Zayne said. "They represent The Ark. Carry them, and you belong here." Max turned the token over. At first glance, it was plain—just a piece of carved wood, unpolished, with faint grooves. But Zayne’s tone left no doubt of its importance. "These aren’t just symbols," Zayne continued. "Machines can’t detect them. If you’re outside or encounter another shelter, this proves you belong. You’re not an intruder." The others examined theirs curiously. Xander squinted at the faint etchings; Ryan ran a thumb over the grooves. "I don’t see anything special," Ryan muttered. Aya held hers like a lifeline. "We’ll keep it safe." Jett tucked his into a pocket, even trying to add it to his System Inventory—but it failed. Questions about origin or crafting went unanswered. Zayne’s expression left it clear: no further explanation would be given. "They’re special," he said simply. "That’s all." Corin added, "Lose one, and proving your belonging will be a headache." Max and the others nodded. Its importance was understood, even if its origin wasn’t. In a machine-dominated world, anything undetectable was invaluable. Zayne straightened and gestured toward the chamber. "Now… let’s go over how The Ark operates." It felt like a seminar began. Despite only forty residents, the shelter ran like a well-oiled machine. Combat, Technical, Logistics, Sustenance, and Command divisions were clearly defined. Combat included scouts like Corin, patrolling for machine activity, frontliners, and marksmen providing cover from elevated positions. Technical had engineers maintaining power, ventilation, and systems. Mechanics repaired weapons and salvaged drones, while electricians kept everything running. Logistics handled supplies, building, repairs, and sanitation. Sustenance and Medical included cooks, medics, and foragers venturing out for food or materials. Just as Zayne continued, footsteps echoed from behind. A deep, amused voice rang out: "Ho~ What do we have here? A female recruit too?! Finally!" The speaker’s eyes locked on Aya, and he couldn’t hide his obvious excitement.
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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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