Global Awakening: Apocalypse Ender's Chronicle-Chapter 1087: The True Enemy

Raze chuckled as the ten Warden Units raised their rifles in perfect formation, their mechanical eyes or scanners glowed faintly as they focused on her.

"So, Niles... you’ve managed to turn our own defenses against me. Impressive."

She wasn’t surprised to see them.

Still, they were the backbone of their Clan’s shelter defenses, programmed by Cloud, Shane’s super A.I. She knew their firing patterns, their strengths, their weaknesses. What amused her was the fact that they were now pointing their weapons at her.

"This shouldn’t be possible," she muttered, spinning her halberd once in her grip. "Cloud’s encryption is absolute. Either you’re a genius... or someone’s helping you."

Her lips curved into a cold smile. Shane had already given her clearance... destroy the cannons, turrets, and Warden Units if necessary. Nothing mattered except Niles.

She considered summoning Roan, her red dragon. One roar, one breath of fire, and the battlefield would be reduced to ash. But Roan was too strong. If she unleashed him here, the bunker itself might collapse, and she wouldn’t be able to confirm Niles’ death.

Shane wanted proof after all.

So instead, she relied on her Dragon Knight Set and her Legendary Heartwood Halberd, earned after her Ascension Quest at Level 50.

Its blade gleamed with a faint green aura... It was also sharp enough to pierce enchanted steel, and its Entangle Effect gave her a chance to bind her enemies.

Against the undead, it was devastating. Against enchanted steel, it may not be that great, but the sharpness of the Halberd would be helpful. After all, these Warden Units were already enchanted by the Elves already. Cutting them with normal weapons would be difficult.

Clank! Clank!

The Warden Units moved first as they started firing!

Mana‑charged bullets streaked through the air in a coordinated volley.

However, Raze just spun her halberd, deflecting the first barrage easily... She dashed forward, wings of flame bursting from her back as Flameheart Valkyrie activated.

"Haa!"

Her first strike cleaved through one unit’s arm... Thankfully, even if the entangle effect’s chance was only 30%, it actually activated as roots burst from nowhere to bind its torso.

Just like that, she twisted, ripping the construct apart.

Crash!

After getting closer to the Warden Units, the others also stopped using rifles as it would be dangerous. It could harm their allies after all.

Because of that, the other Wardens charged with their hidden blades instead!

However, Raze was too quick. She easily sidestepped and drove the halberd through its core.

Bang!

The remaining units adjusted instantly. It seemed that they decided to spread out instead of getting closer after seeing how fast she reacted.

"Good strategy, but that’s not gonna work on me." Raze muttered as she saw their rifles tracking her movements...

They were certainly precise with the A.I.’s help...

They fired again, forcing her to move and dodge through the hail of bullets.

However, even if she failed to dodge, sparks just flew as the rounds grazed her armor, leaving tiny burns.

It wasn’t a big deal, but she gritted her teeth as her aura flared hotter.

Then the battlefield shifted.

Automated turrets unfolded from hidden panels in the cracked pavement, barrels were soon rotating toward her while mana cannons hummed as they charged energy.

There was no way Niles set this up alone. He must have other helpers...

Raze grinned. "Nice try... Let’s see how long they last."

The turrets opened fire, beams of concentrated mana also sliced through the air.

Raze darted between them, her agility boosted by Flameheart Valkyrie. She then hurled her halberd like a spear, impaling one turret!

Boom!

The turret exploded from the impact, crushing the barrel...

She recalled the halberd with a flick of her wrist and then caught it mid-air...

Another turret fired with its beam, scorching the ground where she had stood a moment before.

Boom!

She rolled aside before using her Armored Dahsh and slashed upward, cleaving the turret in half.

Crash!

The remaining Warden Units pressed in, trying to overwhelm her with sheer numbers.

However, they were not enough... They probably need at least 30 or more Warden Units firing at once before they could become a threat to her...

Soon, she activated Command Rally. It was her Strong Leader talent’s effect...

Even alone, the aura amplified her own combat power, boosting her strength and speed. Her strikes became faster!

One unit tried to flank her, but she didn’t even look at it and swung her halberd, slicing through its chest. Another fired at point-blank range, but she caught the rifle with her bare hand, twisting it aside before driving the halberd through its core.

Thud! Thud!

The turrets kept firing, but she was unstoppable!

She endured the beams and started cutting them down one by one!

She felt like a war goddess as she didn’t rely on Roan!

Of course, her bond with Roan also boosted her power, but the feeling of slicing everything in front was surreal.

The fight dragged on, and Raze only sustained minor burns and scratches on her armor... Her aura kept her strong as she easily dismantled units one by one.

Soon, she managed to destroy the turrets and the cannons and only two Warden Units were left. They had positioned themselves at a distance, so it took her some time to catch up...

Seeing that there was no escape, the Warden Unit charged with its blade aimed at her chest. She sidestepped, halberd sweeping low, severing its legs. Roots burst from the wound, binding the machine to the ground.

Then, she finished it with a downward strike, piercing its core.

Boom!

As for the last one, she hurled her halberd again, impaling the barrel.

It even triggered the entangle effect as roots spread, crushing the mechanism until it exploded in sparks. She then recalled the weapon, spinning it once before she planted it on the ground...

Just like that, the battlefield was littered with wreckage. Some warden units still had their wire crackling, some had smoke rising, as broken Warden Units and turrets lay scattered across the pavement.

"Too easy... Niles, you didn’t really think this would be enough, did you?" Raze shouted as she looked around...

She stood amidst the destruction with her halberd glowing faintly with residual energy.

Unfortunately, Niles was still hiding...

"So much for your tricks, Phantom Thief. Come out now, or I’ll come to you."

As she said this, she also confirmed from Fiona’s rat that they didn’t see Niles coming out... Well, the rats inside the bunker were already killed by Niles, but there were other observer rats around this ruined town.

It means that he didn’t escape just yet...

***

As expected, it didn’t take that long when a figure stepped out from the shadows of the ruined town. Raze’s eyes narrowed as she knew that the man was wearing the Thousand Faces Mask, as the person appeared really old, like he was in his 80s.

Anyway, he looked almost casual compared to her armored presence. There was no heavy gear, no plated defenses. Just light equipment, a short dagger glinting in his hand, and the mask concealing his true identity.

Raze immediately understood.

’Speed. He’s built for speed.’

His entire kit was designed for agility, evasion, and precise strikes like an assassin.

She tightened her grip on the Heartwood Halberd.

Roan’s tattoo burned faintly on her arm, ready to be summoned at any moment. She couldn’t underestimate him. By her estimation, Niles had to be at least level 55, maybe even 65. Anyone who had survived this long in the apocalypse, and stealing from top clans, wasn’t ordinary.

Niles didn’t rush her. He didn’t flee either. Instead, he darted around her strikes, his movements fluid and unpredictable. Each time she swung the halberd, he slipped past with uncanny precision, the dagger flashing but never committing to a full attack.

Raze frowned. He’s not escaping. He’s buying time.

Her instincts screamed at her, and soon the truth revealed itself.

From the alleys, rooftops, and broken streets, figures began to emerge. Survivors. Dozens of them. Then more.

Within moments, nearly two hundred surrounded her, forming a loose ring across the ruined town.

Even Fiona’s rats hadn’t detected them!

"So that’s how it is..."

That realization made Raze’s jaw tighten.

This was a trap.

She shifted her stance since, for the first time, she felt unease seeing too many of them. Two hundred survivors, coordinated enough to mask their presence from Fiona’s enchanted rat scouts, meant this wasn’t just Niles’ trick.

This was organized.

Still, she wasn’t alone. Fiona was watching everything through her rats back at the base. Reinforcements would come.

Raze knew Eclipse Revenant wouldn’t leave her stranded.

Her eyes scanned the crowd, and then she froze. One figure stepped forward...

She recognized her...

Alexander. The Clan Leader of Phoenix Phalanx.

Alexander’s presence explained everything. He was one of the Top 10 Survivors on the leaderboard, just like her.

Raze’s lips then curved into a grim smile. "So, it’s you."