Global Awakening: Infinite Gift Pack System-Chapter 56: The High Level Survivors

Arjun had just successfully passed Level 5.

He had struggled for days, not knowing how to bypass the level until he discovered the existence of the Energy Core. Seeing that someone had already reached Level 10, he couldn’t help but feel amazed.

"What?! How? Why is he so fast?!"

His body trembled, not from wounds but from disbelief that he had been surpassed. He had clawed his way out of Haven‑19’s ruins, convinced he would be the first to reach Level 10. Yet the system had already crowned another.

The shock wasn’t his alone. Across the continent, survivors stared at the glowing list, stunned. The first name had already appeared... Kai.

"Who the heck is this guy?"

"He reached Level 10 before anyone else. Maybe he has an Epic Grade... or even a Legendary Grade Talent."

"This is too unfair... I only have an Uncommon Talent. I should’ve selected Zombie Outbreak."

"I barely survived the Mech Siege. I almost died a few times, and I’m only Level 3. Just what did he do?"

"He must be very lucky... Maybe the shelter he entered had many Augmented Humans."

"Did he drink multiple types of Gene Enhancement Serum?"

Everyone had different reactions as they saw the Leaderboard.

First of all, the existence of the Leaderboard itself was something none of them had expected to see...

But now, with its existence, many couldn’t help but feel as though this was truly some kind of game, and someone out there was enjoying the sight of them struggling to survive, or even being killed by the machines.

***

At the same time, in the rubble of Haven‑32, Renji also froze at the sight of the Leaderboard. His smirk had already faded. He had just been planning how to level up quickly when someone had already reached Level 10.

"Kai..." he muttered.

Although he hadn’t seen the man yet, he already knew he had a rival, a target he must defeat. Renji sighed as he slung the rifle across his back.

"Maybe he’s slaughtering Sentinels faster than anyone else. Or... maybe he’s killing survivors."

He wasn’t sure how Kai had done it, but he knew he had to act quickly. Renji could only trust his Mechanical Expert Talent and the high‑tech rifle in his hands if he wanted to compete. Of course, another option crossed his mind.

"Maybe I should just hunt him down eventually." The thought didn’t frighten him. It thrilled him.

***

Still, deep in the forest, Mei froze as the system’s message burned before her eyes.

Kai.

She paused at the sight of the name. There was no surname since the system had stripped them all away, leaving only first names. But still... it could be him.

"Senior Kai..." she whispered, her dagger trembling in her grip. The co‑worker she remembered had been reliable, resourceful, someone she trusted more than anyone else. Could this Rank 1 survivor truly be the same man?

Her heart pounded. If it was him, then he was alive... thriving, even. But if it wasn’t... then Kai was just another predator, stronger than the rest, and now every survivor would either want to ally with him or hunt him.

Mei pressed her back against the tree as her camouflage faded. "Please... let it be him."

***

Far to the north, in the remains of Haven‑13, a group of survivors huddled around the fire that gave them warmth as they read the message about the Leaderboard’s update.

"Level 10 already?!" One man with blond hair was shocked. He was Darren, once a well‑known politician back on Earth. Now, he was the acting leader of a small group of foreign survivors.

"That guy reached it first... I knew we should’ve killed all those residents. Now the Sentinels wiped them out, and we got nothing. We should’ve been the ones gaining experience points."

His words rang true, and none in his group spoke against him.

Still, they remembered the argument that had nearly split them days ago. Darren had insisted that the ordinary residents of Haven‑13 were nothing but expendable "NPCs," useless in the long run. He had wanted to slaughter them, harvest the points, and rise faster.

But his companions had stopped him. Lena, once an idol, had argued that the residents might give missions or rewards later.

She had played games before, after all. She was backed by Kevin, who possessed a Knight Talent and believed they needed allies, not corpses. Even Brent, the one with the Digger Talent and very important in their group, had sided against Darren, insisting that killing innocents would only weaken their humanity.

Now, as the memory of the Mech Siege lingered, their decision felt hollow. The residents had died anyway, crushed beneath Sentinel fire... They could only remember their screams echoing in the burning shelter.

Furthermore, with all those deaths, it had affected the final rewards given to them anyway!

Darren spat into the dirt as he recalled it.

"We wasted our chance. If we’d acted, we’d be closer to Level 10. Instead, some Kai bastard gets the glory. He must’ve received a First Achievement reward."

He knew about First Achievement rewards, since he had obtained two himself. He couldn’t help but feel jealous.

Lena placed a hand on his shoulder. "That’s enough. Regret won’t change the past. We survived, and that’s more than most can say."

Kevin nodded. "We can’t chase ghosts. Haven‑13 is gone. If we want to live, we need to search for another shelter... or maybe build one. Didn’t you say you wanted to lead us? Then start acting like a real leader."

Darren sighed as he listened to them... Then, he turned to Brent, who sat quietly, sharpening a rusted shovel, the tool that defined his Talent.

With the Digger Talent, Brent could carve tunnels and bunkers faster than any ordinary man. As long as he had equipment, he could create shelter from nothing.

"Fine... Let’s not think about the Leaderboard. Let’s leave this place together. Take out your buckets, have a drink!"

As Darren said this, he used his Talent and produced water for everyone...