Global Awakening: Apocalypse Ender's Chronicle

[ You have been defeated. Calculating rewards. ]

"Ohh… I died… Now, where am I?"

As Shane materialized in the waiting zone, he was momentarily disoriented…

Nonetheless, his body was no longer hurt from the grueling battle that had just ended. He was now completely healed.

Similar to what happened to everyone else who had been killed in the Challenge Zone, Shane appeared in the waiting zone of the System as numerous notifications scrolled before his eyes.

[ Rewards have been calculated ]

[ Levels cleared: 1–60. Total experience gained: 69,750 EXP. ]

[ Level Up! ]

[ You leveled up 17 times, reaching Level 65. ]

[ Zombie Cores Collected: 10,250 Zombie Cores. ]

[ Materials Gained: Hardened Zombie Claws x100, Acid Gun x30, Armored Zombie Plating x50, Screamer's Vocal Fragment x30, Flame Crystal Shard x30, Armored Tyrant King's Bone Fragment x30, ]

[ Item Rewards:

Legendary-Grade Elixir Pouch x1 (Contains 10 random Legendary-Grade elixirs)

Epic-Grade Spirit Talisman x50

Rare-Grade Consumable Pack x100 (Contains 10 random rare-grade consumable items)

[ Special Title Unlocked: "Top Challenger" ]

Awarded to Survivors who reach Level 60 in the Zombie Challenge Event, proving their strength and adaptability in the face of overwhelming odds.

Effects:

Zombie Slayer: Increases damage dealt to zombie-type enemies by 20%.

Durable Spirit: Reduces stamina consumption by 15% during prolonged battles.

Challenge Mastery: Grants 10% increased rewards in survival-based events. ]

Milestone Reward:

For reaching Level 30 and clearing it first, you have earned a special Legendary Item:

[ Stormpiercer Rifle ( Legendary ): A state-of-the-art energy rifle enhanced by storm-based technology, this weapon fires electrified projectiles that slaughter enemies with incredible accuracy and power.

Effects: Lightning Strike, Chain Bolt, Precision Surge, Adaptive Core

Soulbound Item: This item can only be used by Shane. ]

For reaching Level 60 and clearing it, you have earned a special Legendary Item:

[ Mantle of the Undying Storm ( Legendary ): A cloak imbued with the essence of storms, it symbolizes mastery over the chaotic battles. This versatile piece of equipment offers incredible defense.

Effects:

Storm's Barrier, Eye of the Storm, Tempest Resurgence

Soulbound Item: This item can only be used by Shane. ]

As Shane saw all of this, he had to remain on his spot for a while as he read and processed all of it. There were just too many of them.

"Seventeen levels… New title… Legendary-grade items… I even got a new gun, a rifle at that. This is awesome…"

Then, even after appreciating all of it and closing all the notifications, Shane received another message.

[ You have reached Level 50, and Ascension is now possible. ] Find your next read at empire

[ You can't Ascend in your current location… ]

[ Ascension can be started once you have left the Waiting Zone. ]

"Right… Ascension… This is really fast." Shane muttered as he took quite a long time to reach level 50 in the previous apocalypses.

"I'm really doing well." Shane muttered to himself as he recalled this process. As a matter of fact, another type of blessing would also come once he reached level 80.

Anyway, as he looked around, his vision revealed a huge oasis-like space. It was unlike anything he had expected.

There were Lush green lawns stretched out, filled with calming fountains and steady streams. There were shaded pavilions with comfortable seating, food stalls with enticing aromas, and even a series of large screens displaying the ongoing or perhaps previous battles in the Challenge Zone. He wasn't too sure…

The atmosphere was surprisingly lively for a place where tens of thousands of people were technically "defeated."

As Shane took a step forward, his appearance immediately caught the attention of nearby Survivors. A hushed ripple spread across the crowd, followed by murmurs of awe and respect.

"That's him! Shane!"

"He made it past Level 60! I saw his fight with those Armored Tyrant Kings—he lost an arm and an eye and still kept going."

"Unreal… I barely made it to Level 15, and this guy was soloing monsters that could crush entire teams."

"I think he had at leat 4 Legendary Talents… That Telekinesis must be one of them."

Shane, oblivious to the eyes on him, muttered under his breath.

"Damn it, so much for staying low-key. Now everyone knows how strong I am. Just great." He ran a hand through his hair, which was still somehow slightly damp with sweat, and sighed. "Well, at least it's over. I could use a break."

Despite his grumbling, a faint smile formed on his lips. It was oddly satisfying to have pushed himself to such heights, even if the attention was a bit much.

It was such a great experience, even after he got defeated…

Anyway, the event should last for 72 hours, and obviously, not even a day has passed yet. He knew that this place was mostly like the waiting area until the 72-hour countdown was over.

Then, before Shane could find a spot to settle, a familiar voice called out to him. "Shane! Over here!"

Turning, he saw Layla. This woman was the telekinetic prodigy of his Eclipse Revenant Clan. She was waving enthusiastically, so he couldn't help but smile…

Then, he realized that she was flanked by Diana, whose face lit up with relief upon seeing him.

"About time you showed up," Diana teased, her black hair sticking to her cheeks in the humid air. She had a smudge of grease on her clothes, showing that she seemed to have visited the crafting area or some sort while staying there.

Shane approached them with a smile…

"Well, someone had to raise the bar for the clan. Glad to see you both here… What level did you reach?"

"Well…" Layla hesitated for a moment before she answered.

"I was taken out at Level 34 by a horde of Screamer Zombies. Those things are nasty. Diana here lasted longer—Level 30, right?"

Diana nodded, her pride was still evident.

After all, Layla has Epic Telekinesis talent, but she was merely a Craftswoman who wasn't trained in combat at all. If not for leveling up quickly, she would undoubtedly fail to reach that Challenge Level.

"Ahem… Yes, but I used up everything I had just to get there. Honestly, watching your fight made me feel how weak I am."

Shane shrugged. "It's not a competition. Well, not between us anyway. What's this place, anyway?"

Layla's face lit up with excitement. She had found numerous interesting things here and she couldn't wait to share them.

"Oh, this place? It's amazing! There's so much to do here while we wait for the event to end." She gestured toward the sprawling area. "You can grab food, check out the fountains, or even watch the battle replays on those screens. They're showing some amazing fights from time to time. Come on, we'll show you."

Diana chimed in, "Yeah, and the best part? You can recover completely here. I mean, not that you need it since everything resets once the event ends, but still, it's nice to relax."

As the other members of the Eclipse Revenant were also looking around and not wasting their time, Shane didn't mind following the two.

Of course, Shane had already noticed that he was being observed not just by one person but also by dozens of others. He actually didn't mind it since this wasn't his territory. They could do what they want as long as it wasn't threatening or hurting him…

Furthermore, he just learned that many people watched his battle, so it wasn't so surprising.

'I have to ask them about the Survivor's talents or skills later on… Especially those within the top 20.' Shane thought to himself as he should also know about them, to be fair.

Anyway, the trio strolled through the area, and Shane quickly realized just how vast the waiting zone was.

Survivors lounged in clusters… They shared important stories about their regions and traded advice from time to time. Others gathered near the large viewing screens, cheering or groaning as they watched the replays of some awesome battles…

Just now, the one on the screen was showing a Survivor with incredible skills in lightning or, perhaps, an item with lightning…

Then, looking at its information, he realized that it was Alexander, a Survivor in the top 10 Rankings.

As they passed a group of Survivors, Shane caught snippets of their conversations, and he couldn't help but feel amused.

"I got to Level 13 before those damn Spitter Zombies melted my shield," one person grumbled.

"Ha, I didn't even make it past Level 9. Those Runner Zombies are insane! I'm still reloading and they're already in front of me."

"Mhm? Did you see that girl with the Wooden Sword? What was her name… Lily? She's a beast. Took out five Spitter Zombies like it was nothing!"

Shane wryly smiled but didn't comment. Layla and Diana also exchanged amused looks. After all, Challenge Level 9 was probably the lowest level a Survivor could get right now with their current stat level.

Eventually, they found a quiet corner near a small fountain. The sound of trickling water was soothing, and the air here felt cooler.

Shane sank onto one of the cushioned seats, stretching out and letting out a contented sigh.

"This isn't half bad," he admitted while glancing around.