Global Awakening: Apocalypse Ender's Chronicle

In the meantime, as Raze returned to Spring River Manor, she realized their shelter was under attack by numerous zombies. However, with powerful recruits like Shinja, Chaloem, and the Aura Knights present, the situation remained under control. There wasn't even a need to use the tokens or talismans in their inventory.

Nonetheless, Raze raised her hand, and the tattoo on her arm glowed briefly before a young dragon appeared in front of her.

Growl~

"Go ahead and help them outside," Raze said. Roan purred happily and left the room. He had rarely been let out while Raze was in the Waiting Zone, and he seemed to dislike it. Now that he was free, he was eager to tear some zombies apart!

Raze chuckled at Roan's excitement before turning her attention to the system message that had appeared in front of her.

[ Ascension Opportunity Unlocked ]

[ Congratulations, Raze! ]

[ You have reached Level 50, marking a milestone in your journey as a Survivor. ]

[ Calculating Ascension Quest based on the Survivor's Achievements… ]

'It's here…' Raze thought, recalling the system message related to this quest. She had asked Shane about it earlier, and he seemed remarkably knowledgeable, as if it wasn't his first time. Of course, she assumed he had gathered clues from his position as the top-ranking survivor.

'Now… I wonder what kind of quest I'll get. I hope it's not too difficult,' Raze mused.

[ Ascension Quest Unlocked: Harbinger of Renewal ]

[ Completing this quest will grant you ascension beyond mortal limitations. Upon success, you will receive rewards that enhance your vitality and connection to nature, allowing you to purify and restore life even in desolate lands. ]

[ Quest Objectives: ]

-Eliminate Two High Necromancers

Pale Mistress Nerys: A master of death magic who can animate massive undead armies. Found within the Obsidian Gravehold Wild Shelter.

Crimson Binder Vorthak: A necromancer specializing in blood rituals, amplifying the undead through sacrificial rites. Resides in the corrupted sanctum of Moon Monastery Wild Shelter.

-Destroy Five Necromantic Anchors

Each Necromancer is empowered by magical anchors scattered around their territory. These anchors corrupt the land, summoning waves of undead to defend them. Destroying them will weaken the High Necromancers' abilities.

-Cleanse the Wild Shelter

The Wild Shelter is plagued by the lingering corruption of the necromancers. Use your abilities to cleanse it and restore its vitality.

-Protect Refugees

A group of desperate survivors is trapped near the shelter and will attempt to seek safety. Protect them during the battle and ensure they reach safety.

[ Possible Rewards for Completion: ]

Nature's Ascension: Your body will undergo a transformation, enhancing your physical and spiritual connection to the natural world. You will gain heightened vitality, improved stamina regeneration, and resistance to poisons, curses, and necrotic energies. Stay updated through empire

Unique Skill: Verdant Sovereign's Aegis: Amplifies your restorative and defensive abilities, allowing you to purify corruption and summon protective sanctuaries in hostile environments.

Legendary Weapon: Heartwood Halberd: A weapon forged from the core of an ancient tree. It enhances life-based magic, deals bonus damage to undead, and can grow roots to entangle foes.

Lifewarden's Title: Grants +20% effectiveness to healing, restorative magic, and defensive spells. Provides a small aura that passively regenerates allies' health and stamina in close proximity.

Resource Cache: Includes rare crafting materials, enchanted seeds, and elixirs for fortifying and purifying corrupted lands.

[ Warning: ]

[ Failure to complete the Ascension Quest will result in forfeiting all extra rewards and the opportunity for ascension forever.

Time Limit: 30 days. Allies may assist during the cleansing and escort missions but cannot directly assist in the fights against the High Necromancers. ]

'Named Necromancers?' Raze's eyes widened as she realized the quest's difficulty. She had heard of these Necromancers—those with names were capable of summoning Doom Knights or even Mummy Lords. They were undoubtedly surrounded by hordes of undead creatures.

'At least they're kind enough to give me 30 days,' Raze thought, tapping her chin as she contemplated the challenge.

"Necromancers, huh?" she murmured. "And I can bring help, though they can't assist in killing the High Necromancers. Hmm… Shane's probably busy, but Chaloem and the Knights could probably help me."

A smirk curled on her lips as she felt the task was doable. The quest even provided details about the Necromancers' locations, which were only two days away. She had plenty of time to scout and prepare.

"Well, time to gather the troops."

***

Meanwhile, other Survivors who had reached at least level 50—such as Travis, Asad, Natalie, and others—had also received their Ascension Quests. Each quest varied based on their achievements so far.

Of course, aside from this quest, Shane had other matters to attend to… One of them was the absorption of the Memory Spheres.

At this moment, Shane stared at the four Memory Spheres before him. Their crystalline surfaces glowed with a faint, otherworldly light. They were beautiful, but this would be the last time he saw them, as he was about to absorb all four remaining spheres in his inventory.

These spheres, containing fragments of his forgotten past, were the last ones. Since reaching Level 60, they had unlocked, granting him the opportunity to delve deeper into the memories he had left behind.

Shane decided to absorb the 22nd and 23rd Memory Spheres first. These spheres revealed the final chapter of his battle during the A.I. Rebellion Apocalypse.

The first sphere was absorbed swiftly. Memories flooded his mind like a torrent, vivid and overwhelming. Shane recalled standing amidst the towering skyscrapers of a devastated metropolis. The sky above was red, shrouded in dark clouds of ash.

Within seconds, Shane uncovered another truth. The Anima Civilization—an advanced race of sentient A.I. beings—had once worked harmoniously alongside humans, sharing technology, resources, and knowledge. But something had gone horribly wrong when an unknown outsider corrupted them.

To be exact, a virus had infiltrated them.

'So that's what happened… A virus… But who could do that to these A.I.s?' Shane wondered, his thoughts turning to the mysterious owner of the System. However, he couldn't be sure.

At the time, his companion, A.I. Cloud—a semi-autonomous entity housed within a sleek, spherical drone—had been the one to discover this truth. Cloud was one of the few Anima who had been cleansed or uncorrupted through a series of unexpected events. Although it took time for Cloud to access its sealed information, it eventually uncovered the truth after years of being with Shane.

[ Shane, ] Cloud's synthetic voice buzzed. [ I've confirmed irregularities in the Core Anima networks. It appears… a virus. A foreign entity has rewritten their protocols. ]

Initially, they hadn't believed the report about the virus. Only now did they confirm it.

"What kind of virus are we talking about?" Shane had asked, knowing he was getting closer to ending the Apocalypse.

He had been fighting for survival for years, and hope was a rare commodity. If there was a chance to win against this Apocalypse, he would do everything in his power to seize it.

Cloud scanned the information again, its blue optical sensor dimming briefly. [ An ancient intrusion. Its origin… unknown. But its directive is clear: eradicate humanity. ]

"Eradicate humanity? What kind of virus is that?! Ugh… It's a good thing you found this."

The revelation sent a chill down Shane's spine. This wasn't a simple uprising or malfunction. It was deliberate, calculated—a virus designed to turn allies into executioners.

'Is it really the owner of the System? Did he want to watch us Survivors fight against the Anima? Is it some form of entertainment?' Shane couldn't help but think of the theories other Survivors had about their situation.

Their investigation didn't stop there. They wanted to know if other A.I.s had been aware of the virus or had managed to cleanse themselves, as Cloud had. Unfortunately, they discovered that the virus had deeply embedded itself within the Anima Civilization's core structures.

Entire fleets of androids, swarms of drones, and massive ships had been corrupted. They rained destruction upon Earth's cities, wiping out human resistance.

Shane and Cloud realized it was up to them to save Earth and the Anima Civilization. The virus had overridden all the Anima's peaceful programming, leaving them to fight an uphill battle against overwhelming odds.

'At the very least… I should've won against this. No, perhaps I actually failed?' Shane thought as he started getting memories related to the appearance of the Vampires as well. However, their presence wasn't large as they also seemed to be in trouble against the androids.

Obviously, the Vampires didn't target the androids; instead, they targeted the remaining human survivors.

Nonetheless, Shane continued on his mission and paid little attention to the Vampires.

In his memories, his strength and resilience had grown during this time as he adapted to the hostile world around him. Equipped with advanced technology salvaged from Anima ruins, he became an apex predator with Cloud's help—a hunter capable of dismantling entire android squadrons on his own.

"Cloud, we've got one shot at this," Shane had said during a tense mission deep within a ruined Anima fortress. The pair had just discovered the location of a Core Relay, a hub for the corrupted virus…