Global Awakening: Apocalypse Ender's Chronicle

That evening, the mansion was quiet, but the tension between the three champions was heavy.

They had been chosen, rewarded, and promised Gate Stones, yet something about Galatea’s words didn’t seem to make sense...

Asad sat near the window with his cloak draped loosely over his shoulders.

He seemed thoughtful, but his tone carried irritation.

”I don’t like this,” he muttered. ”We’re just following Galatea’s words blindly... It feels as if she says jump, and everyone jumps. She says fight, and everyone fights. And now she wants us to walk into some pocket dimension where the System doesn’t even work? That’s not a mission... that’s suicide.”

Butcher Bae grunted from across the room, gnawing on a bone from the feast they had been given. ”You’re right. I thought this was about proving strength, about winning the tournament. But now? It feels like we’re being used. She doesn’t care who we are. She just wants bodies strong enough to survive in that cursed place.” He spat the bone aside, his eyes narrowing. ”We’re tools. Nothing more.”

The two exchanged a look, both realizing they shared the same unease.

’I guess the mind suggestion skill stopped working, huh...’ Hanes thought to himself as he was aware of how Galatea was actually using a Survivor Skill just now. It was the reason they readily accepted the mission.

Of course, it was a different story for Hanes, so he remained silent.

Asad then spoke softly. ”We could leave. Slip out before dawn. There are other shelters, other paths. Why risk our lives for her?”

Butcher Bae nodded slowly. ”I’ve fought monsters, armies, even kings. But this? Fighting in a realm where Skills don’t work? That’s not a fair fight. That’s a trap. If we walk in there, we might never come back. Why did I agree so easily just now?! That’s weird. Do I like her?”

The room fell silent for a moment, the weight of their words hanging in the air.

Hanes, who had been quiet until now, finally spoke. His voice was calm, steady, but carried conviction. ”I’m not complaining. I need the Gate Stones.”

Both Asad and Butcher Bae turned to him, surprised by his bluntness.

Hanes leaned forward, his eyes steady. ”You’re right. Galatea is using us. But I don’t care. The Gate Stones are worth it. I’ll walk into that realm, fight whatever’s inside, and take them. That’s why I’m here.”

Butcher Bae raised an eyebrow.

”You really want them that badly? Enough to risk dying in that place?”

”Yes,” Hanes said simply. ”So tell me... what do you want to participate? If you’re going to risk your lives, then name your price.”

The two exchanged glances again.

For the first time, they realized this mysterious man wasn’t just another fighter. He was determined, focused, and willing to negotiate.

Butcher Bae smirked and considered.

”Fine. If I’m going to walk into that hellhole, I want a Legendary Item Set. Armor, weapons, the works. Something that proves I didn’t fight for nothing. I don’t care about the Gates Stones. I’ll give it to you.”

”Done,” Hanes replied without hesitation.

This stunned Butcher Bae immediately.

Well, he had no idea about the man’s Artifact that could help him loot items five times more than normal.

Asad chuckled softly, shaking his head. ”You’re serious. Alright then... I want a set as well. Legendary. If we’re risking everything, I expect to be rewarded properly.”

Hanes gave a knowing smile and nodded. ”Done.”

The two were keeping it a secret that they already knew each other, but Hanes’ smile suggested he wasn’t fooled. He understood more than he let on.

Just like that, the tension shifted. The thought of leaving, of abandoning the mission, faded. They were no longer planning to escape. They had bargained, and Hanes had agreed.

Butcher Bae leaned forward, his voice curious now. ”Tell me, Hanes... why do you need the Gate Stones so badly? What’s your plan?”

Hanes chuckled as he heard the question.

After all, the reason was too obvious. However, it seemed that Bae was clueless.

’Why did he even participate in the tournament? Is it really just for the permanent residence?’

”The Gate Stones can connect shelters. Not by roads, not by caravans, not by risking lives across the wastelands. With them, shelters can link directly to each other. It’s basically instant travel and instant trade. No more isolation even from a very far shelter.”

Butcher Bae. ”You mean... a network. A way to bind shelters together. I don’t own a shelter though...”

”Yes... So it’s better to trade it to me” Hanes said firmly.

”Gate Stones are amazing... Imagine survivors moving freely, supplies flowing without delay, reinforcements arriving instantly. The apocalypse wouldn’t feel so endless if shelters were united. That’s why they’re important to Shelter owners...”

Butcher Bae sat back, his expression thoughtful. ”Hah. That’s bigger than I expected. So you’re after something that changes everything.”

Asad smirked faintly. ”We should’ve asked for more.”

Hanes chuckled. ”So if you want more Legendary Sets, fight with me. Help me get the Stones...”

The room fell silent again, but this time it wasn’t heavy with doubt. It was filled with possibility.

Butcher Bae finally laughed, a deep, rumbling sound.

”Alright, Hanes... I’ll fight. Not for Galatea, not for her shelter. But for my reward, and maybe for your shelter too. I want to visit it someday.”

Just like that, the three sat in silence, the deal sealed. They were no longer tools of Galatea... at the very least, they were partners, bound by the promise of Gate Stones.

***

The next day finally arrived.

After a heavy breakfast and time spent equipping their comfortable combat set, the three champions were summoned once more.

Galatea awaited them with her four escorts standing tall in full ceremonial armor.

Each of them looked like statues carved from steel...

As the three approached, Galatea extended her hand, offering them small crystalline tokens.

”These stabilizers will anchor your bodies once you cross the threshold. The pocket dimension resists intruders, and without these, you would be torn apart by its shifting energies.”

Hanes found this interesting since he had never seen anything like it before.

This was good information considering how he planned to use the gate stones in order to return to Earth as well.

In any case, the stabilizers pulsed faintly in their palms. They all felt heavy despite their size. Hanes tucked his away carefully, while Asad studied his with suspicion.

Meanwhile, Butcher Bae simply grunted, slipping it into his belt.

At the far end of the hall, the portal shimmered like liquid glass.

Several full‑armored guards stood watch, protecting this area...

The gate itself radiated a hum that seemed to vibrate through the bones of anyone who drew near.

When the three stepped forward, the stabilizers resonated with the portal’s energy. T

he guards had then parted, allowing them passage.

The moment they crossed, the world shifted violently.

The mansion, the hall, and Galatea’s presence vanished. They stood now in a place that felt utterly alien.

”This...”

”The air isn’t as bad as we thought. The ground rippled beneath their boots, as though they were walking on the skin of some vast, living creature.

Soon, pools of silver light glowed in cracks across the terrain...

Above them stretched a fractured sky with shards of violet and silver light suspended in the air.

Furthermore, the horizon bent unnaturally, folding in on itself, giving the impression that the world had no true end.

”This place is super weird...” Butcher Bae muttered.

”Then let’s find those Black Crystals, so we can return immediately.”

The atmosphere was thick, heavy, and every breath carried the same crushing pressure they had felt from the black crystal.

It pressed against their bones, weighed down their muscles, and made even the smallest movement feel like a test of endurance.

”Ohhh... I’m feeling it now...”

”The pressure was delayed thanks to the tokens she gave us.”

”Ahh... That makes sense...”

Butcher Bae tightened his grip on his cleaver.

”This place... it’s alive.”

Asad’s eyes scanned the surroundings, sharp and calculating. ”Not alive. Resistant. It doesn’t want us here.”

Hanes remained silent, his gaze fixed on the strange landscape.

He could feel the stabilizer pulsing faintly against his chest, anchoring him to this dimension.

Without it, he suspected they would already have been torn apart.

A low hum reverberated through the air, rising and falling like the heartbeat of the realm itself.

In the distance, faint silhouettes began to move...

They were tall, humanoid figures made of fractured stone and light.

Their eyes glowed with the same violet hue as the sky, and their steps sent ripples across the ground.

The three instinctively braced themselves.

”This is it,” Hanes muttered. ”The guardians Galatea warned us about.”

Indeed, the threat finally revealed itself as if testing their resolve.

”Bring it on!” Butcher Bae shouted.

However, Hanes shook his head. ”I’ll get the most Black Crystals, I guess.”

”Right... The mission is not killing the guardians! Let’s just complete the mission!” Asad said but Bae seemed to have different plans!