Boom! Kaboom!

The sound of endless explosions of guns and grenades could be heard in the ruins of what remained of New York City.

Destruction.

The skyscrapers that seemingly defied the sky with their existences had all burned down, while the air was filled with an increasingly dense smell of gunpowder and the repulsive smell of corpses. Humans and monsters alike were being stepped on, crushed by thousands of Insectoids that kept coming from all directions.

Giant spider-like monsters were moving across the wrecked road filled with the debris of countless vehicles at an extremely fast pace with their long, sharp legs.

Meanwhile, the last survivors stood their ground at Times Square and barricaded themselves behind rows of broken-down cars they had painstakingly set up. Anxiety and fear were clearly plastered on their faces.

The number of horrifying monsters was simply too much, it was clearly not a fair comparison.

"Kill those fucking bugs!"

Heavy machine guns, high caliber sniper rifles, flamethrowers; every kind of firearm the survivors could get their hands on was fired at the incoming monsters that were charging at them with unmatched bloodthirst.

All that remained were the elites of the elites, all having played these damn games numerous times, but none ever able to pass this stage of the game.

Among a group of 10 people, a man was standing at the very front holding up a shining laser blade.

[Name: Alan D Angello]

[Player ID: 2035-2008X83]

[Level: 99]

[Survival Points: 150,250]

Wiiiingggg!

Alan's firearm had run out of ammo more than an hour ago, and since then he had been fully dependent on the lightsaber he found during his last game.

It might have been effective when fighting against the undead, but it definitely was not against these Arachnids. Their bodies were just too big for his matchstick-long lightsaber.

Even so, Alan still tried his best to cut all the incoming bugs apart. He was, after all, one of the last survivors, the hope of mankind.

"Alan! We lost the first platoon, the General is dead, you are now in charge!"

Shouted a figure just next to Alan, an African American in a 3-meter high mecha armor that was firing its Gatling gun.

[Name: Dylan O'Connor]

[Player ID: 2035-1128X57]

[Level: 99]

[Survival Points: 120,780]

The shrieking sound of the Gatling gun echoed on the battlefield and was followed by a rain of bullets.

"Arggghhh! Alan! There are too many of them! This is Impossible! How can anyone win this!"

The news of the General’s death certainly brought down the morale of his platoon. Alan knew he needed to quickly take control of the situation.

"Double back! Regroup with the third platoon!" Alan shouted and all followed.

Under Alan's lead, the 10 men moved in formation,passed three blocks of total chaos, and arrived at Madison Avenue, where half a dozen men were still fighting.

When the two platoons met, the number of insectoid monsters also doubled as they gathered toward their location. It was at this time that Alan shouted.

"Cindy now!"

A short blonde haired female suddenly started to chant a series of words as her body lifted off the ground.

[Name: Cindy Reed]

[Player ID: 2035-0781X87]

[Level: 99]

[Survival Points: 138,990]

"Spirit of fire, I call you forth to destroy and burn away anything that hinders my path. I call upon you now!"

As the chant reverberated in the air, the girl spread her arms out to the sky and pulled out a red circle filled with magic runes.

[Magic circle: Fire pillars]

Suddenly, a 10 meter high pillar of polar fire swirled swiftly across 45th street. Hundreds of the Insectoids had no time to escape from the destructive magic skill cast by the strongest sorceress in the game.

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BOOM!

Burnt smell quickly pervaded the air around the last survivors and the place turned so hot that it made the corpses of the bugs melt into flames.

"Great job Cindy!" Dylan shouted in excitement.

However, right at that joyous moment, the ground unexpectedly broke apart and a ten foot pitch-black beetle came out just right next to the great mecha fighter, taking him by surprise and crushing his body apart with its two huge pincers.

"Dylann!!!"

Alan swiftly jumped on top of the giant bug and pierced its vital part with his lightsaber.

[Stabbing: Lethal Attack. Inflicts 880 damage (220 Sword Weapon x4) Opponent killed…]

[You killed Elite monster]

[You gained 10000 xp]

[You gained 2000 survival points]

Ding!

[You have reached the maximum level]

Alan was enraged and started to fiercely kill all the bugs approaching Dylan's body. However, there was nothing he could do. He could only see the great mecha warrior slowly dissipate into emotes of energy.

[Dylan O'Connor is Dead]

It was a devastating feeling, but Allan had no time to mourn the death of his friend.

"Defend the line! Close the gap!"

With the death of Dylan, there was an open gap to handle the enemy incoming from the East.

At this moment, a young brown-haired kid dashed in, ripped out his shirt, and transformed into a dark furred half-man, half-wolf creature to take in the open gap.

Howwwlll!

[Name: Daniel Judge]

[Player ID: 2036-1257X67]

[Level: 80]

[Survival Points: 81,880]

The three meter-wolf creature wreaked havoc as its claws and the strength of its arms cracked and split the bugs in two.

For a moment there they managed to reform the line until they started to get pushed again.

Hundreds of burning bugs were quickly replaced by twice their number and once again they were overwhelmed.

There were even dozens of flying bugs swooping from the sky at the troop behind Alan.

"Everyone, enemy from above!"

The flying bugs were too many and too fast. They quickly grabbed the still tired female sorceress, pierced her stomach, pulled her up to the sky, and split her apart.

"Cindy!!!"

[Ding! Cindy Redd is Dead]

Seeing another one of his companions die, Alan was furious. He activated his strongest skill, a psychic power that pushed all the surrounding bugs dozens of meters back. Some were even crushed into disgusting piles of mess.

[Psychic power: Mind Blast]

However, what he saw next was the dark furred wolf being pummeled left and right.

Alan dashed to help, only to find the wolf creature had returned to his human form due to the brutality of his wounds.

"I am sorry, Mr. D. I am sorry…" Daniel's voice was trembling, giving his last breath.

[Ding! Daniel Judge is Dead]

In the end, one by one, all were run down by the unending bug army. The best of the best of Humanity were cut into pieces and became bug food.

Seeing the horror behind him, and being the last to stand, Alan slashed at all the incoming creatures in rage.

"Die you all!"

At that moment, a flash of memories entered his mind. Some of the mistakes he made, his regrets.

If only he had done it differently.

In the end, Alan took the last moment he had by lighting up a cigarette.

[Name: Cigarettes]

[Type: Miscellaneous]

[Rarity: Common]

[Attributes: None]

[Effect: Reduce fear and anxiety]

[Able To Bring outside of Game: Yes]

He took a puff, closed his eyes, and thought about the image of two important females in his life.

"At least I get to join you two now."

[Slashing: Received 120 damage]

[Slashing: Received 90 damage]

[Status: Critical]

The sight of Alan being cut apart by the bugs was the last thing shown on screens all over the world.

[Ding! Alan D Angello is Dead (Survival Point -100,000)]

[Apocalypse Game]

[Year 7, Round 6]

[Objectives - Failed]

[All players are penalized with -100,000 survival points]

[Calculating final survival points in progress…]

[Players alive - 0]

[Game Over!]

People were gasping, crying, desperate as once again humanity failed.

[Human 0: Apocalypse 7]

It's been 8 years since the Alien took over Earth. Each year, whether they wanted it or not, 10 million of the world's brightest were sent to this "Apocalypse Game". A virtual game that forced humans to survive different Apocalyptic scenarios.

It was such an absurd way to invade our world. Of course, humanity resisted, but all resistance proved futile.

Since then humanity was forced to cooperate with those crazy games for one promise:

[Defeat all 6 rounds and we will leave your world in peace]

The whole world would watch the games in terror every year, as their loved ones suffered and died, with less than 1% managing to return back from the games.

The same happened to Alan.

After his body was dissected, he died and lost 100,000 of his survival points.

With the objectives of the game not achieved, he once again lost a large amount of points.

Dang! -100,000 survival points.

He had only gathered a little over 150,000 points by the end of the game and if his point turned negative, it would only mean one thing.

His real physical self would die, killed by the special full dive VR machine by the crushing of his brain.

That was the fate Alan had been preparing for until a sudden unexpected message came.

[You are the last survivor of the apocalypse games, you are given a special reward]

"Reward? What's good a reward for when you die."

[Regression in progress]

'What?!"

***

There was no answer to his confusion, only a mind-splitting screeching sound in his brain, followed by an unexpected familiar sound.

Riiiiiiiingggg!!!

It was the sound of a school bell.

Alan opened his eyes standing in front of a group of high school students, and one was calling out at him.

"Mr D! Mr D, are you alright?"