Global Awakening: Apocalypse Ender's Chronicle

It didn’t take long before the sirens wailed once more.

A sudden alarm echoed through the command post and caught everyone’s attention.

[ Warning! ]

[ Aerial Signatures Detected - Altitude: 180 to 300 meters. Estimated Count: 1,000. ]

Shane’s eyes focused as he turned toward the screen showing clear images of the Zombies...

So many figures began appearing above the western and northern perimeters.

”...Must be a stronger version of Winged Zombies.” Anna muttered as she looked at the screen.

Thankfully, they weren’t capable of flying too high and couldn’t reach the Floating Fortress.

Shane, on the other hand, observed the flying figures... Some of them are fast, some looked unpredictable with their flight path, and there were even some diving down as if testing the range of his defenses.

”They’re quick...” Shane muttered. ”Looks like the second wave just got creative.”

He then raised his voice slightly.

”Activate the Aegis-Class Anti-Air Grid. All turrets, switch to tracking mode. Prioritize targets with high velocity.”

[ Command acknowledged. Activating Anti-Air Protocols. ]

It was their newly established Air Defense after their last experience with the flying Zombie Lord.

The Eclipse Domain Shelter came alive once more.

From the ramparts and rooftops, several more Mk.V Rotary Turrets adjusted their elevation...

Thud... Thud...

The metal groaned as the barrels turned skyward.

Soon, dozens of Turrets were aimed at the sky...

Within seconds, tracer fire and high-velocity plasma bolts cut through the red sky.

The first few flying figures were shredded mid-air, leaving trails of black matter or flesh that rained over the burning battlefield below.

[ You have eliminated a Corrupted Winged Zombie. ]

It was Shane, owner of the Automated Turrets, who had received the notification this time.

”Got it... Cloud, add it to the database, they’re Corrupted Winged Zombie...” Shane said.

Nonetheless, the battle wasn’t over since not all of them fell.

It didn’t take long before other Corrupted Winged Zombies arrived.

This time, they even seemed bigger... Aside from large bat-like wings, they also have elongated limbs...

Soon, they dove through the storm of bullets with unnatural speed...

They were able to freely move in the sky!

They could easily twist and roll through the air as if mocking the automated defenses.

’These Zombies are intelligent! They’re not just acting on instinct, and that was certainly dangerous.

”Damn... Those things are dodging our tracking systems!” one of the operators shouted.

[ Pattern irregularities confirmed. ] Cloud responded.

[ Enemies exhibiting evasive flight behavior inconsistent with known variants. ]

”Then they’re new...” Shane muttered. ”Tell Tieria and the sharpshooters to switch to anti-air rounds. Let’s see how they handle precision fire.”

Up on the wall, Tieria had already switched to a longer-range spirit cartridge. His scope tracked one of the incoming fliers dodging the Automated Turret’s attacks.

The creature was pale and thin, yet disturbingly fast. Its talons even seemed sharp enough to cut steel...

Tieria steadied his breathing as he aimed at his target...

”Distance, 240 meters... wind negligible... lock-on confirmed.”

He pulled the trigger.

Bang!

A burst of light exploded from his rifle, and the crystallized round tore through the red sky.

A split second later, the creature’s head vanished in a spray of black mist...

The corpse spiraled downward, crashing into the scorched ground below.

Thud!

[ You have eliminated a Corrupted Chief Winged Zombie. ]

Tieria’s eyes widened slightly.

”Corrupted Chief...?” he whispered, then reported immediately through comms.

”Confirmed kill. Corrupted-class Chief variant of the Winged Zombie.”

Shane nodded at this report and of course, Cloud processed it at once.

[ Recording confirmed. Updating threat index. New classification created. ]

”Good...” he muttered. ”Now we know what they are.”

He then gave his next order without hesitation.

”Let’s clear the sky...”

***

From the upper ramparts, twenty Elves stood in perfect formation, their silver hair was quite notable and everyone couldn’t help but anticipate their next move...

Each of them carried a simple but rune-engraved Phantom Crossbow. It was a masterpiece that had been upgraded to Legendary Grade.

Their commander, Eirwen, raised her hand.

”Take aim... Adjust for wind and velocity. Fire on my mark.”

Unlike ordinary projectiles, the Phantom Crossbows didn’t release simple arrows.

They fired Mana-Burst Bolts, designed to explode upon contact or within proximity of the target, especially effective against agile enemies.

Indeed, they were one of Shane’s Air Defense!

As the Corrupted Winged Zombies swooped closer, the Elves were calmly eyeing their targets...

Their golden eyes tracked every motion as they waited for these zombies to get into their range...

”Mark...”

Soon, twenty silent triggers were made.

The bolts vanished from sight, only to reappear mid-air, glowing with faint yellow runes before detonating.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Fiery blue explosions tore across the sky.

The air was filled with the black mist, fragments of wings, and burning flesh as the mana-infused shockwaves disrupted the enemy formation.

Half a dozen of the Corrupted Chiefs screeched in agony as their bodies exploded into ash, while others tried to climb higher, only to be caught by another wave of precision fire.

”Reload! Adjust ten degrees east!” Eirwen commanded as she targeted again.

Her crossbow buzzed as she pulled the trigger again, launching a glowing arrow that pierced directly through a Chief’s chest.

Boom!

It detonated a second later, ripping apart the creature’s torso!

[ You have eliminated a Corrupted Chief Winged Zombie. ]

[ You have eliminated a Corrupted Chief Winged Zombie. ]

[ You have eliminated a Corrupted Winged Zombie. ]

[ You have eliminated a Corrupted Winged Zombie. ]

”Impressive...” Anna murmured as she watched from the command room.

”Those Phantom Crossbows, how many mana crystals do they use per volley?”

”Not sure... Each bolt’s powered by a compressed crystal charge. They made it themselves.” Shane replied without looking away from the screen. ”Expensive... but worth it.”

He watched the feed as dozens of glowing blue detonations lit up the red sky, creating a chaotic yet mesmerizing scene...

The Corrupted Winged Zombies were being torn apart mid-flight. Their burning remains fell like black rain over the fields below.

Still, the Elves didn’t slow down.

They still have more to show!