Global Awakening: Apocalypse Ender's Chronicle

Being able to control a Zombie, especially a Zombie Lord, was something that could change the whole momentum of a battle.

This was especially true if they had to deal with multiple Zombie Lords at once… Shane could already imagine how easy it would be for Shinja and many other close-range fighters to win against a Zombie Lord if Laura could control them even for a few seconds.

[ Laura: Range is 30 meters. Cooldown is 90 seconds. The description said I can control any Zombie, even the strongest Zombie, for at least 3 seconds. For the weaker ones, like the Crawler or Walker Zombies, I can control them up to 60 seconds. ]

Shane nodded as he reviewed the details.

Three seconds of control over a Zombie Lord wasn't just useful, it was a tactical advantage. That kind of override could interrupt a suppression field, redirect an attack, or even expose a core for a finishing blow.

It wasn't a long duration, but in coordinated strikes, it was more than enough.

[ Shane: Good. I'll factor it into our next battle plan. I will assign four Super Soldiers to protect you during the next wave. Thirty-meter range is too close if you're dealing with a Zombie Lord... ]

[ Laura: Understood. If they're available, please send me Sir Cassius's team. ]

Shane paused for a bit after seeing that message, but he didn't mind it. Cassius should be around with his team, or he may even be helping with the reconstruction of the broken wall.

In any case, he had Cloud inform Cassius's team about their new assignment to protect Laura.

Shane closed the channel and updated his own notes…

Laura's new skill would be added to the priority list. He also flagged her for future coordination drills with the Mech Frame operators and artillery teams.

If they could time her override with a focused barrage, they might be able to eliminate a Lord-tier threat before it could retaliate.

He leaned back slightly and looked at the tactical map again.

Four Zombie Lords had attacked the Eclipse Domain. That alone was abnormal, and he knew for a fact that this would just get worse as time passed.

This was a 24-hour event after all, and barely 5 hours had passed.

The system had scaled the difficulty far beyond what was expected.

And now, red skulls were appearing without explanation. Hidden missions were likely, but the conditions hadn't been revealed yet.

Shane then thought for a moment as he decided to be at the very frontline for the next incoming wave of Zombies…

***

Shane took a deep breath as he walked toward the armory chamber beside the command center and activated the equipment console. It confirmed his identity, and the storage unit opened.

[ Genesis Armor - Bio-Integrated Combat Suit ]

Indeed, it was his improved Bio Armor… He had sent it to the engineers for repair, fine-tuning, and enhancements.

It had been heavily damaged before, after all. Thankfully, with Cloud's knowledge and the engineer's talent, it wasn't just repaired, but it was also improved.

The armor unfolded from its containment pod and attached itself to him piece by piece. The chest plate locked in first, followed by the reinforced gauntlets and leg guards. The helmet sealed last, covering his entire body in a glossy, dark-blue exosuit…

It was designed for frontline combat.

Once the armor was fully equipped, Shane retrieved his primary weapon.

[ Eon Edge ( Mythic ): An Energy Blade Forged from the purest energy crystals in the Anima Civilization, the Eon Edge is a weapon with immense power. It adapts to the wielder's energy signature, allowing seamless transitions between energy states, including plasma, light, and pure void. Capable of cutting through the strongest materials and emitting energy waves to strike distant targets. ]

It was an item he obtained after unlocking all Memory Spheres, so it always had a place in his heart and he didn't even want to use it that much, as he didn't want it to get destroyed.

The blade hummed faintly as it synced with his energy signature.

Shane gave it a quick test swing, and the weapon responded instantly...

"Good… But I should warm up for a bit before coordinating with others." Shane mused as he controlled the blade…

The edge shifted between plasma and light before settling into its neutral state.

This would be his main weapon for his upcoming battle…

Next, he equipped his shield.

[ Blacklord's Shield (Legendary): A relic born from the essence of a fallen tyrant.

[ Effects: +500 Physical and Magical Defense

Passive:

Corruption's Grasp: Absorbs 30% of incoming magic or energy attacks, converting them into temporary HP (Max: 15% of the user's total health).

Active Skill:

Abyssal Parry: For 5 seconds, the shield can completely nullify one attack and reflect 300% of the damage back (Cooldown: 2 minutes). ]

The shield attached to his left arm and locked into place. It was heavy, but the Genesis Armor compensated for the weight.

Shane tested the grip and confirmed the active skill was ready…

Then, he equipped his accessory.

[ Invincible Emblem (Legendary): The mark of a conqueror.

Effects: +35% Damage during nighttime or in Zombie Lord Territory Zones

Active Skill:

Invincible Cloak: Grants 3 seconds of invulnerability (Cooldown: 10 minutes) ]

The emblem seemed to have been absorbed by the Bio Armor, but it was just placed to protect his heart. The passive bonus was already active due to the current battlefield conditions.

Finally, he retrieved his emergency item.

[ Revival Injector (Consumable)

Effect: Upon receiving fatal damage, automatically revives the user at 50% HP (One-time use per injector)

Warning: Overuse may cause unexpected problems (Max 1 per day) ]

He placed the injector into the emergency slot on his belt.

It was a last resort, but necessary.

Before leaving, Shane checked one of his titles.

[ Title: "Sky's Strongest"

Grants the Flight Skill. It is the ability to fly for 60 seconds. ]

Confirmed.

Just like that, he turned to Cloud and the three assistants managing the command center.

"You're in charge while I'm out. Prioritize skull tracking and shelter coordination. If anything changes, notify me immediately."

"Yes, Commander!" Cloud and the others replied in unison.