Global Awakening: Apocalypse Ender's Chronicle Chapter 1262: The Rewards

[ The machines you’re seeing are known as War Automata. ]

For several seconds, nobody spoke.

Tundra sighed as he realized that the metallic humanoids standing around the entrance were quite special indeed.

"War Automata..."

He repeated the name quietly, as if trying to understand what it meant.

Natalie and Travis also looked toward the machines.

They had already witnessed countless strange things since the beginning of the Apocalypse. They had encountered Zombies, mutated creatures, supernatural abilities, advanced technologies, and even the terrifying forces of the Abyss.

Yet somehow, these machines felt different.

They weren’t simply another advanced weapon left behind by the governments that had existed before the Apocalypse.

They were something much older.

Something that had been waiting beneath Eden Island long before anyone knew that this place existed.

"Cloud," Tundra asked after a moment, "how old are these machines?"

[ I cannot determine their exact age based on the available data. However, their construction is consistent with the technology of the Anima Civilization. ]

Tundra’s eyes narrowed.

"And you’re certain?"

[ Yes. ]

Cloud’s answer was immediate.

[ I have compared the structural composition, energy systems, and mechanical design of the War Automata with the technological records available in my database. There is a very high probability that they were created by the Anima Civilization. ]

Tundra fell silent and glanced toward the entrance once again.

The War Automata from the distance, remained completely motionless.

They looked almost like statues, but Tundra knew better.

Those machines were guards, and they had been standing there all this time.

They were waiting for someone or something...

***

At that moment, Shane was still inside his own Floating Fortress.

He had been reviewing the rewards from the Abyssal Invasion when Cloud’s report suddenly reached him.

Shane’s expression gradually changed as he listened to everything that had happened.

"War Automata?"

He immediately recognized the term.

Of course he did.

Cloud was originally connected to the Anima Civilization. It happened during the Shane lived through the A.I. Rebellion Apocalypse in his first life.

That was where Shane had obtained Cloud.

He had never expected to encounter anything related to that civilization in this world.

At first, Shane had simply assumed that Cloud’s existence was an anomaly.

A remnant from another timeline.

Something that had been brought into his world through circumstances that even he didn’t fully understand.

But now...

Shane slowly lowered his gaze.

His expression became increasingly serious.

"That can’t be a coincidence."

Cloud immediately responded through the wristwatch on Shane’s arm.

[ I have reached the same conclusion. ]

Shane took a deep breath... Unlike the Warden Units and other machines that could communicate with Cloud through remote connections, the main Cloud was directly connected to Shane’s wristwatch.

This was the original Cloud... The one Shane had obtained from another timeline.

Because of that, Cloud had access to a much more complete database than the copies and auxiliary systems operating throughout the various shelters.

If Cloud recognized the technology...

Then there was no reason to doubt it.

"Anima Civilization..." Shane muttered.

"If that’s the case... Then all these apocalypses are merging."

Cloud remained silent.

It was an idea that even the A.I. couldn’t immediately dismiss.

The Zombie Apocalypse had been followed by the Vampire’s Rise, then the Dragon Awakening.

After that, the Abyss had opened its gates and unleashed Demons upon the world.

And now they had discovered something that had existed long before any of those events.

The remnants of the Anima Civilization.

Shane walked toward the window of the Floating Fortress and looked outside.

"If the Anima Civilization really existed on this planet long ago..." Shane continued thinking.

The facility beneath Eden Island hadn’t been constructed recently. The War Automata had been stationed there for an unknown period of time.

The technology was far beyond anything the pre-Apocalypse governments had possessed.

And if Cloud was correct, then it belonged to a civilization capable of developing artificial intelligence advanced enough to trigger an A.I. rebellion.

That meant only one thing.

The Anima Civilization had been here... on this planet.

Long before the current Apocalypse began... Perhaps they had visited this world and they had established facilities here.

Perhaps they had even studied the planet itself.

Shane’s expression changed as he reached this thought.

Perhaps they had done something far more important.

"Cloud."

[ Yes, Master? ]

"Can you tell if their main spaceship is here or something?"

[ I cannot confirm that based on the information currently available. ]

Shane frowned.

[ However, there is something unusual. ]

"What?"

[ The Anima Civilization possessed technology capable of interstellar travel. If these facilities were truly constructed by them, then it is highly unlikely that their presence here wasn’t accidental. ]

He suddenly felt that the discovery beneath Eden Island was far more important than any reward he had received from the Abyssal Invasion.

Shane slowly exhaled.

"Let’s put this aside for now."

There was no point in trying to solve a mystery when he didn’t have enough information.

He still had to see the facility for himself.

Before leaving, however, Shane finally decided to check the rewards he had received from the Abyssal Invasion.

He had still received an Abyssal Crystal despite not being in the top 10

[ Abyssal Crystal: A rare crystallized material formed through the condensation of Abyssal energy.

It can be used to enhance equipment, create special artifacts, and strengthen abilities capable of interacting with Abyssal energy. ]

Shane briefly inspected the item before storing it in his System Inventory.

He then checked the loot obtained from the Demon Generals.

Thanks to his Stylish Looter Pocketwatch, the loot had already been multiplied fivefold. Cloud had also secured everything inside the Floating Fortress, so Shane decided to examine the rewards properly after returning from the expedition.

As expected from the loot obtained from Demon Generals, there were several valuable items among them.

However, there was one particular item that immediately caught his attention.

[ Demon General’s Soul Fragment: A fragment of the soul belonging to a powerful Demon General. It contains a portion of the target’s original power and memories. ]

"This is interesting... How can I even use this thing?"