Global Awakening: Apocalypse Ender's Chronicle

It didn’t take long before the fortress’s platform descended slowly toward the hidden Waterfall Shelter...

Below, Katrina and her people looked up, their faces filled with awe. The Animal Summoner stood at the forefront, her beasts gathered around her.

Wolves, hawks, and even a massive bear... all loyal to her call.

Shane watched her from above and nodded.

”Where’s the shelter? Is it behind the waterfall?” Shinja asked.

”Yes...” Shane nodded.

”Wait... Is that area near a Zombie Lord Territory?” Elandor asked as he glanced in the direction just above the waterfall.

He noticed ruins in that area and also the presence of Zombie Lords!

”That’s right... We’ll raid them later. They won’t go out of their territory, so don’t worry. For now, let’s move these guys to the Fortress.” Shane replied as he prepared to accommodate the new residents of their shelter and the new member of their Clan, Katrina.

***

Meanwhile, the Blue Haven Shelter’s dockyard was silent, save for the faint crash of waves against the pier.

The merchants had already explained themselves. They listed their wares, the Spirit Grain, Ironcrest Timber, and Crystal Salt.

These were valuable goods, no doubt, but the question remained... what did Ironcrest want in return?

Tundra’s eyes narrowed as he stepped forward after inspecting the samples.

”You have interesting products. You even brought some samples for us...” He started.

”What do you want in return? Zombie Cores? Item Upgrade Crystals? Training resources?”

The merchant hesitated, then shook his head quickly. ”No... not those. What we seek is far simpler, but far more precious. Spirit Stones.”

The words rippled through the dockyard like a shockwave.

Tundra’s gaze hardened. ”Spirit Stones...” he repeated. There weren’t a lot of clans with access to Spirit Stones at this point. This was especially true after what Lancelot had done to other Spirit Veins.

The merchant bowed deeper, sensing the pressure from Tundra.

”Yes... The quality doesn’t matter. We will match it up properly with our timber, grain, and salt. Although Spirit Stones can also be mined or collected in other islands, we always needed other means to gather them... That is why we came here, to seek trade with those who have what we lack.”

The soldiers of Blue Haven gently nodded.

Spirit Stones were not something they parted with lightly. Yet the products offered, grain that restored stamina, timber stronger than steel, salt that preserved food and enhanced alchemy, were tempting.

Vasco, the shipbuilder, stepped forward and whispered to Tundra.

”This Ironcrest Timber... It’s really strong, just like what they said, and it could change everything. Our ships would be sturdier, faster. We could sail further, fight longer.”

The others also gave their opinion about the salt and the grain they were offering.

But Tundra remained unmoved, his gaze fixed on the merchants.

”Spirit Stones are not traded hastily. You ask for the heart of our shelters. Do you understand the risk?”

The merchant nodded. ”We do. That is why we came with these items. They’re something you can’t just acquire so easily. These products can only be obtained in the islands that our Clan controls.”

After some time, Tundra checked his Clan Chat and found Vale’s reply to his messages. After a few moments, he heaved a sigh of relief.

”Alright! We will consider your offer. Spirit Stones are precious, but your goods have value. For now, you will dock under our watch. Your ships will remain under guard. No trade will proceed until our leader is informed.”

Of course, Shane was already aware of it since he just replied to his message, but they decided to take their time and get to know them better.

After all, they didn’t want to proceed with the trade agreement if these guys were actually evil. Since they knew very well that the Spirit Stones they sell to others could also be used against them, they had to be careful.

The merchant bowed deeply, relief flooding his features. ”Of course. We will wait. Thank you.”

The soldiers relaxed slightly, though their weapons remained ready.

Soon, the merchants were escorted toward their temporary residences while the soldiers assisted the other three vessels of the merchant clan to dock at the harbor.

***

It didn’t take long before the three Ironcrest vessels finally docked under the watchful eyes of Blue Haven’s soldiers.

At the same time, as merchants or the sailors of the Ironcrest Clan also noticed the Eclipse Revenant Clan’s ships. Two of them, in particular, were impressive in size and design

They even noticed some kind of special cannons mounted along the decks.

The Ironcrest merchants exchanged uneasy glances.

Compared to their own sturdy but traditional vessels, Blue Haven’s fleet looked like something from another age.

Vasco’s craftsmanship was evident even from afar, and the merchants whispered among themselves about how such ships could dominate the seas once it sailed.

However, whether they have an Anti-Zombie Coating, that was still a question no one asked.

At this time, the two negotiators who had first stepped ashore introduced themselves properly once the docking was complete.

”I am Sam, and this is Prius,” the older one said, bowing respectfully to Tundra and Misha. ”We thank you for allowing us to dock.”

Behind them, another figure emerged from the lead vessel.

This was Wren, the true leader of the Ironcrest delegation. He had deliberately remained aboard until he was certain Blue Haven was not hostile. Sam and Prius were his subordinates, sent ahead to test the waters.

Now, seeing the discipline of the soldiers and the restraint of their leaders, Wren stepped forward.

His eyes swept across the dockyard, lingering on the half‑finished ship and the organized lines of Super Soldiers. He nodded slowly, impressed.

”This place... it is far more advanced than we expected,” Wren said quietly to his men. ”This is the Rank 1 Clan indeed.”

The merchants were escorted to their temporary quarters.

To their surprise, they were not treated harshly or with suspicion. Instead, they were given clean rooms within the shelter, guarded but comfortable. Food was brought to them, freshly cooked meals, seasoned well, and far better than the dried rations they had carried aboard their ships.

Sam blinked at the spread before him. ”This... this is more than we expected.”