Global Awakening: Apocalypse Ender's Chronicle

Chapter 74  New Land

A few hours ago, as Shane delved deeper into the dark veins of the mine with only his Light Scepter in hand, he stumbled upon a cluster of Walker Zombies, each donning a miner's hat as if frozen in time from a day's work long past. As soon as he had gotten nearer, they immediately started coming at him with outstretched hands…

After dispatching them with ease, Shane gathered the spoils of his victory. Soon, he felt the surge of power as he ascended to the next level.

[ You have leveled up. ]

[ Congratulations! You are the first Survivor to exceed level 15. ]

[ You have earned 5 Reputation Points. ]

[ Choose an additional reward: 5 Reputation Points, 100 Zombie Cores, 1 Mystery Egg ]

"Oh? There's an additional reward this time… Not bad…" Shane muttered as he saw the choices in front of him. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Weighing his options, Shane opted for the Mystery Egg, intrigued by its potential. Reputation Points could be earned by completing some achievements and Zombie Cores were commodities he could amass by killing Zombies, it was even a guaranteed drop with his talent. However, the egg was certainly unique, and he would probably not get it from any Zombies as of now.

Of course, he was also hoping that this egg was truly something he had to hatch and not something for consumption.

"Mystery Egg it is…"

Upon selecting the Mystery Egg, it materialized in his Inventory System, its description unfolding before him.

[ Mystery Egg: A red-spotted egg encased in a shell of iridescent hues, pulsating with a faint, otherworldly glow.

Requirements: 100 Zombie Cores to initiate the hatching process.

Potential: Upon successful incubation, the egg will reveal a companion creature, loyal only to its liberator. ]

Shane's anticipation grew at the thought of what creature lay within. He checked his inventory and confirmed that he had enough Zombie Cores. However, as he thought of hatching it now by sacrificing his Zombie Cores, Cloud suddenly warned him of an approaching danger.

His focus was shattered by the sudden emergence of a formidable Crypt Crawler. 'It's big…' Shane thought as he saw the silhouette of his opponent.

This one was unlike any Crypt Crawler he had faced! It was more than thrice the size of the normal Crypt Crawler! It was behemoth! Shane could probably run away from it if he decided to flee in the narrow tunnels of the mine. However, he knew that this was also an opportunity!

He would definitely take whatever it drops! Shane gripped his hatchet as he saw the swift movements of the Crypt Crawler, its form more evolved, and its eyes held a glint of cunning intelligence. It was the alpha of its kind, it was surely the leader-type Crypt Crawler, and it had set its sights on him!

The air grew tense as the creature paused for a moment to look at Shane. It was as if it was assessing if Shane was simply a bait and the real threat was elsewhere.

However, as soon as it confirmed that Shane was alone, it started showing signs of attacking.

Shane gripped his hatchet tightly as he prepared to use its Special Effects. He wouldn't mind spending all of his Spirit Points in this type of battle. With a swift motion, he activated the Ice effect, the blade frosting over with a chilling aura, ready to turn his foe's strength to fragility.

The huge Crypt Crawler lunged. Its movement was surely quick as it opened its claws and mouth to tear him apart!

Graaarghhh!

Shane, with the help of his Crawler Set, also had incredible Agility Points!

He didn't panic at the attack and simply sidestepped!

Boom!

The ground where he stood moments ago was now shattered by the creature's force. Shane then swung his hatchet in a wide arc. The icy blade whistled through the air and struck the Crypt Crawler's armored hide, leaving a trail of frost in its wake.

Crash!

Unfazed, the creature recovered, its own instincts driving it to adapt and overcome the coldness brought by Shane's weapon.

The huge Zombie hissed, a sound that echoed off the walls, and attacked with new ferocity. Bam! Bam! Bam!

Shane was slippery as the 20% additional movement speed helped him overcome the attack speed of the Zombie!

Shane then spent 40 Spirit Points to call upon the Fire effect. The hatchet now ablaze, casting a fierce glow that danced across the cavern walls.

The battle continued.

It was a clash of steel against the thick hide of the Zombie!

Because it was taller than him, severing its head was easier said than done. Shane had to be wary of its long limbs, or he might be the one who would get killed here.

Thankfully, his Memory Spheres had given him some battle experience against the androids of the Anima Civilization and orcs and goblins of the Fairy Clan. Shane's movements were precise, and each strike was calculated. The huge Crypt Crawler, for all its might, found itself faltering under the relentless onslaught of elemental fury.

Soon, Shane's Spirit Points fell below 300 points! Nonetheless, he had done a great job!

Ice slowed its movements, fire seared its flesh, and the Master-Grade Hatchet found its mark repeatedly.

Soon, it lost its limbs, and its body was already mangled!

As the creature reeled from the combined effects, Shane seized his moment. As soon as he found an opportunity, he leaped forward, delivering a final, devastating blow. The hatchet's blade, empowered by both ice and fire, cleaved through the Crypt Crawler's defenses, finding the head of the huge creature!

With a shuddering cry that reverberated through the mine, the Leader of the Crypt Crawlers fell.

Thud!

Finally, its life ended at the hands of the highest-leveled Survivor of the continent. Whew~

Shane was certainly excited after killing the Zombie. The feeling was great!

'I did it again…' His breath was heavy, and even his weapon was steaming with the residual power of the Ice and Fire. Nonetheless, his focus was immediately drawn to the notification brought by his system.

[ You have eliminated a Crypt Crawler Leader Zombie. ]

Then, without hesitation, he proceeded with the looting process.

[ You have earned 33 Experience Points. ] [ You have earned 1 Reputation Point. ] [ Loots obtained: Item Upgrade Crystals x3, Zombie Cores x3, Enchanted Chitin Plate x1, 100mL Cryptic Crawler Leader Blood, Spirit Enhancement Bottle x2, Leader's Crown x1 ]

"Hmm? Chitin Plate? What's that? And what's this Crown?" Shane softly muttered as he decided to open his current status. Survivor Name: Shane Wells Title: A.I. Rebellion's Chosen One, Fairy Realm's Lone Survivor, Seeker of Secrets

Level: 16

Vitality: 135/180

Spirit: 210/1,000

Strength: 45

Agility: 81 (+36 )

Luck: 20

Perception: 20

Inventory: Memory Sphere x21, Item Upgrade Crystals x95, Zombie Cores x285, 85L Water, Bread x85, 100mL Cryptic Crawler Leader Blood, 900mL Walker Zombie Blood, 800mL Runner Zombie Blood, Acid Pouch x14, Spirit Enhancement Bottle x255, Spitter Tongue x1, Sling Bag x2, Unknown Meat ( Safe ) x3, Light Blue Orb x1, Crossbow x1, Starlight Silver Ore x5, Abyssal Iron Ore x5, Phoenix Copper Ore x5, Power Core x5, Mystery Egg x1, Enchanted Chitin Plate x1, Leader's Crown x1

Survivor Skills: Firearm Mastery, Fishing, Woodworking, Metalworking, Axe Mastery, Lockpicking, Leadership, Parkour, Hacker, Fast Swimmer, Controlled Body Heating

Survivor Talent: Complete Loot ( Legendary Talent ), Otherworldly Mechanic ( Legendary Talent ), Territory Lord ( Legendary Talent ), Traceless Breath ( Rare Talent )

Reputation: 16

Shane then confirmed that both the Enchanted Chitin Plate and Leader's Crown were only Rare Grade items.

After seeing their potential, Vale decided to take them out and upgrade them. He only spent 24 Item Upgrade Crystals to make them Exceptional Grade!

[ Enchanted Chitin Plate ( Exceptional ): A resilient breastplate crafted from the chitinous exoskeleton of a Crypt Crawler Leader. It shimmers mysterious energy during the night, providing exceptional protection while remaining surprisingly lightweight.

Effects: +40% resistance against physical attacks, +25% resistance against elemental damage (fire, ice, poison).

Special Effect:

Regeneration: The plate slowly mends itself and also healing the wearer over time. Grants +5 Health Regeneration per minute.

Cost: 40 Spirit Points/minute ] [ Leader's Crown ( Exceptional ): A commanding headpiece fashioned from the crown of a fallen Crypt Crawler Leader. Its jagged design intimidates foes, while the embedded gems enhance the wearer's cognitive abilities.

Effects: +30% damage resistance against headshots, +20% improved vision in low light conditions.

Special Effect:

Command: Increases the wearer's influence over allied units, boosting their morale and combat efficiency. Grants +10% to allied attack speed and critical chance.

Cost: 10 Spirit Points/minute ] I've gotten really strong, huh…" Shane muttered after seeing his current set of items. With the addition of these two, he obtained a total of eight items from the Crypt Crawlers! It would be nine; if he had included the Crossbow, he haven't used it yet. Cost: 10 Spirit Points/minute ] "I've gotten really strong, huh…" Shane muttered after seeing his current set of items. With the addition of these two, he obtained a total of eight items from the Crypt Crawlers! It would be nine; if he had included the Crossbow, he haven't used it yet. Then, as Shane was thinking of finally focusing on his Mystery Egg, he received another notification from the System!

[ You have received 2 Experience Points for a successful exploration. ] [ You have explored the Abandoned Iron Mine and eliminated the Leader who had claimed it as its territory. ] [ You can now claim this Iron Mine as a Territory Lord. ] [ Do you wish to include this land in your territory? ] [ Yes ] [ No ]