Az's eyes shot open in shock, and his first instinct was to call out for Byurn, his voice filled with desperation, "Byurnnn!!" He frantically scanned the surroundings, his hand instinctively reaching for his stomach, but to his surprise, he found his abdomen had already healed.
As he scanned his surroundings, his attention was drawn to Lumi, who was sitting beside him, her eyes glistening with tears.
He continued to look around, a sense of familiarity washed over him. It was as if he had returned to Earth.
Az's initial sense of familiarity quickly gave way to a startling realization. His surroundings were far from ordinary. Instead, he found himself in a post-apocalyptic landscape, one that bore the scars of a devastating alien invasion.
The Earth he now beheld was a grim testament to the horrors of war. Skies were shrouded in thick, acrid smoke, and the land lay in ruins, marked by the remnants of shattered buildings and scorched earth.
As Az took in the desolate landscape, the question, "What the hell happened here?" escaped his lips almost involuntarily. It was a question that hung heavily in the air, a silent plea for answers in the face of the destruction and chaos.
As he grappled with the grim reality of the devastated Earth, a familiar voice echoed from the sky, sending a shiver down his spine. "Let us welcome and congratulate all those who survive the simulation," the voice intoned as if unveiling a sinister revelation.
It then took a mocking turn, ridiculing the very promise of a three-day delay for the invasion. "Did we promise the invasion would start in three days? Well, it has already begun. What will you do about it?
After the enigmatic voice fell silent, an eerie calm settled over the desolate landscape. The only sounds that broke the stillness were the crackling of fires, the crumbling of ruined buildings, and the distant echoes of destruction.
Az struggled to stand in the midst of the desolation, Lumi approached him, extending her assistance.
With a simple "Thank you" from Lumi, a sense of unspoken gratitude and understanding passed between them for the event from the simulation.
Az, though still grappling with the shock of the situation, looked at Lumi with a hint of concern. He spoke with a gentle sincerity, "Hope you will tell your story later, okay?" His gaze met Lumi's teary eyes, and Lumi nodded in response. It was clear that Lumi carried a heavy burden of untold secrets, and Az was willing to patiently unravel Lumi's story.
Az opened his status tab, as he expected, nothing have changed. He observed the familiar details of his character:
Name: Az
Class: Fantasy
Title: Colossal Slayer
Level: 13
STR | Strength: 1700
DEX | Dexterity: 1700
MND | Mind: 1200
INT | Intelligence: 1200
ARC | Arcane: 7200
Alien Skull Available: 0
However, Az's mood brightened as he noticed something in his possession that he thought he had lost forever during his previous battle – the Colossal Shield Shard. It was a piece of the shattered Colossal Skin Shield.
Name: Colossal Shield Shard
Description: Shard shattered from Colossal Skin Shield.
STR | Strength: F
DEX | Dexterity: E
INT | Intelligence: -
ARC | Arcane: -
Passive: Dexterity increases for 3 seconds if dropped while in battle (Cooldown: 300 seconds)
Az clutched the Colossal Shield Shard in his hand, his face lit up with unbridled joy. It was as if a long-lost friend had returned, a piece of his past that he thought was gone forever.
Az turned the shard in his hand, examining it from every angle. He marveled at the intricate patterns etched into the surface, a wide grin spread across Az's face as he felt a sense of triumph wash over him.
As Az and Lumi walked through the desolate, post-invasion landscape, "Heyyyyy!!" a distant shout caught their attention. Looking around, they saw a group of people in makeshift army attire and carrying an assortment of weapons scanning the area.
One of the group members, a woman with a determined expression, approached Az and Lumi and asked, "Hey, are you survivors or the ones who just arrived from the simulation?"
Az and Lumi exchanged surprised glances before Az replied, "We were in the simulation, but then we ended up here. We're not entirely sure what's happening."
The woman nodded and explained, "We're also a group of survivors, we're in search of anyone who needs help. We were nearby when the announcement sounded, and quickly looked around. Come with us; we'll explain everything on the way."
As Az and Lumi continued walking with the group, the members of the group started asking them various questions about their stories.
One of the group members, a man with a rugged appearance, inquired, "So, you guys were in that simulation, right? What was it like?"
Az, choosing his words carefully, replied, "It was strange cause our memories became hazy, and we don't clearly remember much. But when it ended, we found ourselves here."
Az quickly changed the topic and asked the group, "Can you tell us what exactly happened here?"
The group members seemed uneasy and exchanged hesitant glances as Az inquired about what had happened. Some of them kept quiet, appearing troubled by the memories. A few members looked increasingly frustrated, and tears welled up in the eyes of others.
One of the group members stepped forward and explained, "We're the ones who didn't choose to enter the simulation when the first notification appeared." And he added, "I'm sorry, but that question is kind of sensitive for some of us."
Az, sensing their unease, pushed further. "I'm sorry, but we're really in the dark here. Can you at least tell us in detail?"
A group member's frustration and anger boiled over as he grabbed Az by the collar and shouted, "Can't you read the situation?!" He delivered a punch to Az's face, a display of his own distress. Other group members quickly intervened, separating the two and preventing any further violence.
One of the group members, a woman, offered a reassuring presence as she calmed the situation. She then signaled for Az and Lumi to follow her away from the rest of the group. Her name was Lee, and she introduced herself as a teacher at a nearby school.
Lee began to share her experience as someone who had not chosen to enter the simulation. It all started when she was teaching in her class, just like any other day. After the announcement about the invasion ended, her students began to panic. In an attempt to maintain order, she asked her students to remain calm and instructed them to fill in the 'Class' category in their notifications as they saw fit.
With a heavy heart, Lee revealed that she had randomly chosen 'Soldier' for her class category, as that seemed like the most typical choice. Her attire suddenly transformed, and she now donned the protective gear of a soldier, complete with a bulletproof vest. Cradled in her hands was an M16 assault rifle, its cold steel a stark contrast to her once-peaceful teaching profession. As the countdown approached zero, she paused, her voice heavy with sorrow.
"Some of my students... they didn't make it when the countdown reached zero. Their head.. suddenly explodes!" Tears welled up in her eyes as she recounted the tragic loss of those under her care, and her voice quivered with the weight of her memories.
As Lee continued her account, she shared that as the invasion began, her efforts to protect her remaining students were quickly overtaken by the chaos and destruction that unfolded. Ships descended from the sky, unleashing destructive firepower that reduced buildings to rubble and cast heavy foreign objects from the sky, resembling a devastating meteor shower. In the midst of the cataclysm, news reports revealed that military bases around the world were among the hardest-hit areas.
Emergency announcements resonated throughout the country, urging citizens to seek shelter and remain vigilant. The situation grew even more dire as the internet connection was abruptly severed, plunging them into further isolation.
Lee recounted her attempts to help her students, but the onset of the invasion had been swift and unforgiving. In the midst of the pandemonium, some of her students had either become separated from her or tragically lost their lives at the hands of the alien invaders. She found herself as the sole survivor among her students, eventually joining with the group of survivors that Az and Lumi had encountered.
Her eyes glistened with tears as she remembered the chaos and devastation that had swept across their world, and she looked at her fellow survivors.
As Lee walked away, rejoining her group of survivors, Az remained silent, deep in thought. Lumi, sensing his contemplative mood, couldn't help but ask what was on his mind.
Az leaned in closer to Lumi and whispered, his expression a mix of concern and determination. "Lumi, don't trust anyone but me," his words carried a weight of caution, as his gaze lingered on Lee's retreating figure.