Global Awakening: Apocalypse Ender's Chronicle Chapter 1: Apocalypse Options

[ Please select the Apocalypse you wish to challenge. ]

[ A five-minute window is provided for your decision. ]

[ Failing to choose within the timeframe will result in a random Apocalypse being assigned to you. ]

[ A.I. Rebellion ]

[ Alien Invasion ]

[ Demon Invasion ]

[ Dragon Awakening ]

[ Fairy Realm Collision ]

[ Magic War ]

[ Ragnarok ]

[ Zombie Outbreak ]

Shane Wells stared at the eerie blue holographic display that had suddenly manifested in his field of vision.

Across the globe, countless others found themselves facing the exact same spectacle, trapped in a state of utter confusion.

Desperately trying to grasp the meaning of such a phenomenon, many even questioned their own sanity, wondering if they had finally lost their grip on reality.

Without a shred of preamble, they were forced into an impossible decision: choose which Apocalypse would devastate their world. The concept felt entirely surreal.

Who would ever willingly subject themselves to an end-of-the-world scenario?

Regardless of the collective shock, Shane was distracted by a sudden deluge of memories flooding his consciousness.

"What is happening?" he pondered, struggling to organize the disorganized influx of data that left him feeling nauseous and disoriented.

The sensation quickly turned agonizing, and he eventually crumpled while holding his head, the strange energy causing him immense physical distress.

Just as abruptly as it had arrived, the memory surge faded, leaving him trembling and deeply bewildered.

"W-what... happened to me?"

His gaze drifted toward the bracelet on his wrist—a precious keepsake from his Grandpa Merlin.

He was stunned to see a radical transformation in the three small stones embedded within the metal.

Where all three were once a uniform blue, two now appeared pitch black, while the final one emitted a brilliant, pulsing radiance.

A sudden panic surged through him as he desperately tried to rip the bracelet off; however, he watched in horror as the glowing stone flickered out, once again matching the darkness of the other two.

'Why must so many bizarre occurrences befall me all at once?' he thought with deep resentment.

While he battled with these unexplainable events, the timer on the blue screen caught his eye, showing only three minutes remaining.

Although every instinct screamed at him to examine this screen more closely, a bizarre compulsion forced his hand toward a selection.

Scrolling hurriedly through the list, he instinctively bypassed the Zombie Outbreak.

He couldn't even stomach horror films unless his dog was curled up by his side. He knew for a fact that if a rotting, foul-smelling creature appeared before him, he would be paralyzed with fear. Furthermore, the prospect of turning into a zombie upon being bitten was a fate he wanted no part of.

He ultimately settled on the A.I. Rebellion without a second thought.

Given that no descriptions accompanied the choices, the A.I. Rebellion seemed like the most reasonable selection from the available pool.

He could only assume the path involved a gripping tale of rogue artificial intelligence and its endless legions of mechanical drones.

Yet, the moment his choice was locked in, an anomaly occurred.

[ You have selected A.I. Rebellion... ]

[ Error... ]

[ Option Cleared. ]

[ Reward has been granted. ]

[ Error... ]

[ Returning to Select Mode ]

"What the hell?!" Shane exclaimed, staring at the ominous red text flashing before him.

'Option Cleared? A reward? Why is this happening to me?'

Before his mind could process the situation, the notification shifted, presented the list of selections back to him.

[ Alien Invasion ]

[ Demon Invasion ]

[ Dragon Awakening ]

[ Fairy Realm Collision ]

[ Magic War ]

[ Ragnarok ]

[ Zombie Outbreak ]

The [ A.I. Rebellion ] option was now grayed out in red, making it impossible to pick again.

Observing the steady countdown, he was pushed to make a swift decision.

'I don't understand the errors. But my backup plan is definitely—'

"Fairy Realm Collision..."

[ You have selected Fairy Realm Collision... ]

Shane hoped this reality would prove slightly less nightmarish than the other choices. It certainly sounded more tolerable than Demon Invasion, Dragon Awakening, or Ragnarok.

'Please, just let this work...' Shane prayed silently, but another rejection dashed his hopes.

[ Error... ]

[ Option Cleared. ]

[ Reward has been granted. ]

[ Error... ]

[ Returning to Select Mode ]

"Seriously? Do you actually want me to choose the played-out Zombie Outbreak?" Shane barked, frustrated by this second failure.

Unfortunately, voicing his frustration out loud proved to be a critical misstep.

[ You have selected Zombie Outbreak. ]

"No... wait a minute!"

[ Beginning transport to the Apocalypse... ]

[ You have successfully entered the Zombie Outbreak: First Server... ]

[ Survivor Shane has been assigned a random starting point. ]

"Damn it... there's no turning back now," Shane cursed, grimly accepting the finality of his predicament.

As he processed the gravity of the change, reality itself began to twist and distort around him, as if the very fabric of space was folding to whisk him away.

[ Welcome to the Fiend Continent ]

[ The destiny of this land lies in your hands! Survive long enough to claim your rightful title and ultimately save your home world! ]

[ Every survivor will awaken a unique talent to aid in their survival. ]

[ Before you begin, you may select one of 10 Starter Gift Packs prepared by the Lord of the Realms. ]

[ You have 10 minutes to choose. ]

[ Energy Gift Pack ]

[ Entertainment Gift Pack ]

[ Food Gift Pack ]

[ Medical Gift Pack ]

[ Shelter Gift Pack ]

[ Stealth Gift Pack ]

[ Survival Tools Gift Pack ]

[ Transport Gift Pack ]

[ Water Gift Pack ]

[ Weapon Gift Pack ]

At this pivotal moment, Shane was forced to weigh his options carefully to determine which survival kit best suited his immediate needs.

Thankfully, the interface provided a detailed list of what each package included.

The Energy Gift Pack featured a power bank, solar panels, various batteries, and a radio. While practical for maintaining electronics, it held little value in his current situation.

He moved on to examine the next potential choice.

"Wow... who in their right mind would ever pick this?" he muttered, unimpressed by the contents.

The Entertainment Gift Pack was practically worthless in an apocalypse, containing only playing cards, a notebook, some books, and a harmonica. While perhaps a way to stave off insanity, survival came first.

He assessed the Food Gift Pack, which was filled with canned goods, ramen noodles, tea, granola bars, and mayo. It was a decent amount, but notably contained zero water.

The Medical Gift Pack offered a first aid kit, painkillers, antibiotics, and bandages, though it clearly lacked a cure for the actual virus.

"I suppose counting on a vaccine was wishful thinking," Shane remarked, moving to the next item in no particular hurry.

The Shelter Gift Pack held promise, and he felt a spark of hope.

For an average person, finding a secure bunker or safe house was the highest priority.

However, his expectations were crushed when he viewed the list: a small tent, a sleeping bag, a flashlight, a thermal blanket, and a poncho. None of these items provided actual defense against the undead.

'This is useless unless I already find a safe zone,' he thought with a sigh, discarding the idea.

If the tent possessed any kind of magical barrier properties, he would take it in a heartbeat.

'Wait...'

As a sudden thought crossed his mind, his eyes brightened.

'Could there be more to this than meets the eye?' Shane wondered. Perhaps the gear wasn't as mundane as it looked.

Regardless, he had no way to verify such a theory, and moved on to inspect the rest.

The Stealth Gift Pack included camouflage, night-vision goggles, a silencer, and smoke grenades.

It was intriguing, potentially offering him a way to sneak past hordes.

"Though, that all hinges on how effective the camouflage is. If it fails, I'm just dead weight," he noted, recalling films where zombies tracked victims by scent and sound, not just sight.

He then checked the Survival Tools. It featured a fire starter, compass, knife, whistle, rope, and another thermal blanket.

The Transport set included a foldable bike, helmet, lock, and repair tools—efficient for quick, quiet movement, but limited during an active escape.

The Water Gift Pack offered a filter, water bottles, purification tablets, and a bucket, which was essential for surviving in a contaminated world.

Ultimately, Shane turned his attention to the Weapon Gift Pack.

It felt the most viable for early survival; it provided a revolver with six rounds, a holster, spare ammunition, and a reliable hatchet.

"This is a difficult choice," Shane whispered, paralyzed by the weight of selecting his survival tools from the ten available options.