Global Awakening: Apocalypse Ender's Chronicle

The area outside the Grand Auction Hall was a hive of activity, with the Drakeheart Vanguard Clan making their presence known.

Travis, known as Blade Whisper on the Leaderboard, moved through the crowd with an air of authority, flanked by two of his trusted clan members.

It was a point of pride and frustration that only four of their twenty members had made it into the top 1000. It was surely a testament to the fierce competition they faced.

"Clan Leader, those three at the top… any idea who they might be?" asked Justin, now bearing the moniker Gray Fang that was provided by the system.

His tone was casual, but there was a hint of curiosity in his voice. He knew how great their Clan was. Most of the members always helped Travis gain more experience points. In exchange, they would receive Travis' blessing as a Half-Dragon and would grow stronger with him.

Justin could only imagine that the other three Survivors were also members of larger Clans and had more people helping them gather experience points.

After all, they just couldn't think that a single person had the capacity to kill hundreds of Zombies a day. It would be so tiring!

Travis shook his head, his mind racing through the list of names he'd seen in the Regional Chat. He recalled a few of them who had legendary talents like him, but after seeing the nicknames on the Leader Board, he just couldn't guess it.

"I don't know either…" He admitted. "But they must have some legendary talents to rank above me."

As they navigated the crowd of survivors, Travis's gaze landed on a solitary figure standing apart from the rest.

The man was clad in an Army Set.

He had seen this set before, and it was pretty average. It wasn't too good or too bad, but something was different as soon as he saw it.

It was unlike any standard issue gear; it had been upgraded, the materials were refined, and the craftsmanship was exquisite.

'Did he spend all of his Item Upgrade Crystals to advance this set?' Travis thought as he felt that it was too wasteful.

He believed that upgrading the Survivor Set would be better than the Army Set. "Tier 3? No, is that Tier 4?" Travis murmured, his interest piqued.

Without hesitation, he approached the man, his intent was clear.

He didn't even wait for his companions as he was afraid that the man would walk away and disappear from his sight…

"Ahem… That's quite the set you've got there…" Travis began, his voice smooth and persuasive. "I'm Travis, also the Blade Whisper in the Leaderboard. I'm the Clan Leader of the Drakeheart Vanguard, a small Clan we recently built. So, I'm just wondering if we can strike a deal for that gear…"

The man turned, and Travis found himself looking into the eyes of Shane, known as Shadow Strider. However, he obviously had no idea about Shane's identity.

There was a calm aura in Shane's gaze, and Travis knew instantly that this would not be a straightforward negotiation.

"I appreciate the offer…" Shane replied, his voice steady as he continued.

"But this set isn't for sale. It's seen me through more than you can imagine." He explained.

Travis raised an eyebrow, a challenge flickering in his eyes.

"Everything has a price. Name yours. Aside from Item Upgrade Crystals, my Clan can produce many things. However, if we can trade with Points, it would be faster… You can also negotiate if you need something… We can complete the transaction outside."

Shane shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "Not this. It's not about the points or currency. Some things are worth more than what can be measured."

The two stood there for a moment, the atmoshphere was charged with the unspoken understanding of warriors.

Travis finally nodded with a gesture of respect.

"I see. Well, if you ever change your mind, you know where to find me."

As Travis walked away, Shane couldn't help but feel amused by the situation. He had come to the auction with a clear goal, and parting with his gear was not part of it.

He adjusted his Army Set, feeling the weight of its protection, and turned his attention back to the Grand Auction Hall.

Thud…

As Shane stepped into the Grand Auction Hall, his eyes immediately drawn to the ten items on display in the entrance hall.

It was quite noisy due to the various conversations being held in this area. After all, they all admired the displayed items, and several groups seemed to be aiming to obtain one or two of these items as Shane heard them calculating the Points that they might use and the fact that they were transferring points right now.

Anyway, each item was encased in a glass box, bathed in a soft light that seemed to underscore its importance.

"Do you know if they'll sell many of these items?"

"I'm not sure… The catalogue isn't up yet. However, they shouldn't be selling too many of them. They're too special."

"That's true… But I hope they won't be too expensive."

"Let's hope that it wouldn't exceed 500 Points."

"What? Are you telling me that you have 500 Points? Dream on!"

"Hahaha!"

Survivors gathered around, their conversations a mix of awe and speculation. Even Shane, who had seen incredible things in his third floor, felt a jolt of surprise at the sight.

The first item that caught his eye was a Flamethrower, its sleek design belying its destructive potential. The placard on its glass box read:

[ Inferno Wielder – Flamethrower: Unleash the fury of fire upon the undead. This state-of-the-art flamethrower is designed for maximum burn with minimal blowback, ensuring you can clear a path through even the densest of hordes. ]

Well, the introduction didn't provide them with information about how long it could last and how to refill its fuel once used up. It would be great if they would also sell its fuel…

Next to it was a Machine Gun where the most Survivors are currently gathered.

Its barrel gleamed under the hall's lights and Shane knew that he must have this weapon. He looked on its placard again and the description stated:

[ Thunder's Roar - Machine Gun: When the horde approaches, make your stand with the thunderous might of this machine gun. With a high rate of fire and unparalleled stopping power, no low-tier and mid-tier zombie will stand in your way. ]

Again, there was no mention of its ammunition, so Shane was hoping that once the auction started, there would be clearer information about the items being sold. If possible, he wanted system-like details that they would normally get.

Anyway, Shane continued looking around, as if it would also allow him to plan what items he should focus on later.

The next item he saw was a crossbow with bolts that shimmered, and a purple light was displayed with the note.

[ Silent Reaper – Crossbow: Silence is deadly with the Silent Reaper. This crossbow delivers lethal bolts that can pierce through multiple targets, perfect for taking down zombies without drawing more to your location. ]

Beside it was a Laser Rifle that stood proudly, its futuristic lines speaking of advanced technology.

[ Photon Striker - Laser Rifle: Harness the power of light with the Photon Striker. This laser rifle cuts through the undead with precision and speed, leaving nothing but ash in its wake. ]

'This would surely become too expensive later.' Shane mused as he turned his attention to another item.

He saw a Chainsaw with teeth that looked capable of tearing through steel as easily as flesh/

[ Ripper's Edge – Chainsaw: The Ripper's Edge is not for the faint of heart. Feel the raw power as you tear through zombie flesh and bone, making survival not just possible, but probable. ]

"This looks like a fun item for the Super Soldiers. They can kill more Zombies a lot faster and help cut down trees a lot faster."

Then, Shane saw an Acid Gun that promised a gruesome death for any undead caught in its spray!

[ Corrosive Torrent - Acid Gun: Dissolve the undead threat with the Corrosive Torrent. This acid gun projects a stream of highly corrosive liquid that eats through zombies or any person, like acid through paper. ]

"I don't like this Acid Gun…" Shane commented as he shook his head.

Nonetheless, he truly liked what the other items were.

[ Eagle's Gaze - Sniper Rifle: With the Eagle's Gaze, take out the undead from a distance. Its high-precision scope and powerful rounds mean you can reclaim the land one shot at a time. ]

[ Storm's Touch - Shock Baton: Close-quarters combat has never been more electrifying. The Storm's Touch delivers a high-voltage shock to stop zombies dead in their tracks. ]

[ Apocalypse's Herald - Rocket Launcher: When subtlety is not an option, the Apocalypse's Herald speaks with explosive authority. Clear out clusters of zombies with a single, well-placed rocket. ]

[ Void's Fury - Plasma Cannon: The Void's Fury is the ultimate in zombie eradication technology. Emitting a concentrated beam of plasma, it vaporizes anything in its path, leaving only shadows behind. ]

The last item that was posted was truly a game-changer! Shane couldn't help but wonder if there would be anyone who could take these items from him!