Global Awakening: Apocalypse Ender's Chronicle - Chapter 1014

Capítulo 1014: Departure

Brion stood up as if he was excited for the upcoming battle…

“Flying zombies… just as Shinja warned!”

Shinja also rose to his feet, his expression was calm since Flying Zombies weren’t something new to them.

“Let’s watch the fight then… This will be handled by the Special Division.”

Elandor nodded, wanting to fight… “I’ll raise barriers. Just in case, the artillery team will be ready to fire on my command.”

Sylas also vanished into the shadows as he wanted to be in a good spot to watch the clash in the skies.

“It’s been a while since I saw them fight…”

Serenya stood with her vines curling faintly around her arms. “I’ll do my best to capture all those corpses then… It would be a pity if they don’t get looted by the Foreign Survivors.”

Taylor tightened her gauntlets… She knew that she wouldn’t be participating in this battle, but her desire to fight could not be hidden.

Just like that, the leaders left the Resting Hall…

Outside, the hum of engines deepened as the Floating Fortress shifted into battle mode.

Cannons rotated, and soldiers scrambled to their stations.

Of course, they all knew that it would be less likely that they would have to fight, but they needed to be ready…

Soon, they all saw the swarm of flying zombies screech as they closed in… There were hundreds of them!

The stealth veil had hidden the fortress until now, but the moment of collision had come…

The clash was unavoidable with their current speed.

***

Some time ago, within the Floating Fortress in the sky, in a chamber lined with high-tech devices, several people gathered.

It was the Simulation Hall that Shane and Cloud arranged for the Mech Pilots.

Here, the five mech pilots of the VALIANT Series Skybreaker Mechs trained as much as they could with their minds and machines linked through synchronization devices.

Unlike the Aegis Series, which had five models optimized for land combat at 8 meters tall, the Skybreaker frames were each 12 meters of steel and mana-infused alloy.

They were designed for the skies, for battles where altitude and speed mattered more than fortifications.

Currently, only one type or model exists in the Valiant line called the Skybreaker. The five pilots were all training to increase their sync rate at the moment.

At the center of the chamber sat Sheena Asuka, the Ace Pilot.

Her Sync Rate was the highest among them, often pushing past 90% with the highest record of 92%, where most pilots struggled to maintain 70%.

Sheena’s reputation wasn’t just because of her talent and compatibility, it was also discipline. Every day, she drilled her team, pushing them to harmonize with their frames until thought and movement became one.

Beside her, the other four pilots sat in their simulation pods…

Kenji, the heavy‑arms specialist, whose Skybreaker loadout emphasized missile pods and rotary cannons…

Riku, the youngest pilot, often experimented with maneuvers that pushed the frame’s thrusters to their limits.

Ayaka, on the other hand, specialized in formation tactics and precision strikes since the A.I. couldn’t do everything for them…

Then, there was Hiroshi, an Air Force pilot before being sent here in the Apocalypse. His Sync Rate may be lower than Sheena’s, but it was higher than the others. Furthermore, his battlefield instincts are unmatched.

Still, the Simulation Pods they were using were previously broken and bought by Shane in the Anima Store for a low price…

However, thanks to his Otherworldly Mechanic Skill, he was able to repair it at a cheaper cost.

At this time, the pilots were inside a holographic battlefield… What unfolded in front of them was swarms of aerial targets they had to hit or things they had to dodge with some skillful evasive maneuvers and use coordinated strikes.

“Sync Rate check,” Sheena’s voice rang through the comms.

“Seventy-two percent…” Ayaka reported calmly.

“Seventy-seven?” Riku muttered, frustrated.

“Eighty-one…” Hiroshi said with his usual steadiness.

“Sixty-nine.” Kenji grunted.

Sheena smirked as it wasn’t that bad… “Eighty‑nine. As expected. Don’t fall behind me… the Skybreaker isn’t forgiving.”

Their daily life was a cycle of drills…They would do morning sync exercises. By midday, they often focused on combat simulations, while the evening was mostly reserved for maintenance checks.

They ate together in the pilots’ mess, often teasing Riku for his reckless dives or Hiroshi for his old‑soldier habits.

Ayaka kept notes on every session, analyzing patterns, while Kenji spent extra hours tinkering with weapon calibrations.

Despite the monotony, they knew their role was vital.

The Skybreakers were the spearhead of the Floating Fortress, they were the first line against aerial threats.

As the simulation continued, Sheena guided them through a maneuver.

“Formation Delta. Riku, stop over-accelerating. Ayaka, keep the line tight. Kenji, stagger your fire. Hiroshi, anchor the flank.”

The holographic swarm broke against their coordinated assault, beams and missiles tearing through targets.

Of course, Sync Rates fluctuated as they matched the rhythm.

Then, suddenly, the chamber lights shifted. The simulation froze. A piercing alarm echoed through the Fortress.

“Warning: Flying Zombie swarm detected. Eastern approach. All Skybreaker pilots, prepare for deployment.”

Sheena’s eyes narrowed as she heard this…

“Finally. End simulation. Sync rates don’t matter now… It’s time to prove ourselves in the real sky.”

The pilots disengaged from their pods with their adrenaline still surging. They had trained for months, lived with their Mechs, and basically breathed the Skybreaker frames.

Now, the clash they had prepared for was here.

The five pilots sprinted toward the hangar, where the towering 12-meter Skybreaker Mechs awaited.

At this time, the “eyes” of the mechs were already glowing faintly as standby systems awaited recognition.

Sheena Asuka climbed the access scaffold swiftly with her Five-Meter Jump Skill, and she reached the cockpit hatch of Skybreaker‑01.

The hatch slid open with a hiss, revealing the pilot’s seat surrounded by glowing interfaces. As she settled in, the recognition system scanned her biometrics.

“Pilot confirmed: Sheena Asuka. Sync link established. Skybreaker‑01 ready.”

The cockpit lit up as the neural interface connected… Just like that, the holographic displays activated.

Now, the GM Drive thrummed with its core beginning to spin as mana and mechanical energy fused.

Around the hangar, technicians shouted orders, pulling back maintenance carts and sealing tool lockers. Safety sirens were also turned on as the massive frames prepared to move.

Kenji also strapped into his own cockpit. Although this Skybreaker Mech had added missile pods and rotary cannons, it wasn’t a different model of Skybreaker. It only had different weapons.

Everything else was the same…

“Pilot confirmed: Kenji Sato. Sync link established. Skybreaker‑02 ready.”

“Nice…”

He flexed his hands against the controls, feeling the machine respond as the GM Drive engaged.

“The real thing is still the best.” He mutterd.

Riku also leapt into his pod with youthful energy, sliding into the seat of Skybreaker‑03.

“Pilot confirmed: Riku Tanabe. Sync link established. Skybreaker‑03 ready.”

The thrusters had soon pulsed as he grinned. “Finally, a real fight.”

Ayaka followed next as she entered her cockpit with her hands moving gracefully across the startup sequence.

“Pilot confirmed: Ayaka Mori. Sync link established. Skybreaker‑04 ready.”

Her displays stabilized instantly, formation data already streaming across her HUD.

Hiroshi Takeda, the veteran, climbed into Skybreaker‑05… He was a lot slower compared to others, but he didn’t mind.

“Pilot confirmed: Hiroshi Takeda. Sync link established. Skybreaker‑05 ready.”

The GM Drive rumbled beneath him as he felt a little excited driving this machine.

Technicians scrambled out of the hangar floor, waving signals as the mechs’ engines activated to full power.

Soon, the massive frames moved with their footsteps shaking the deck plating.

Clank! Clank!

The hangar doors began to open, revealing the night sky beyond. It was filled with screeching silhouettes of hundreds of flying zombies.

From the bridge, confirmation came through the comms…

“Skybreaker team, you are clear to launch. Target: incoming Zombie Swarm. Priority is interception and elimination. The leaders are watching… Good luck!”

Sheena’s voice rang out, sharp and resolute.

“Sheena Asuka, Valiant Skybreaker‑01, launching!”

“Kenji Sato, Valiant Skybreaker‑02, rolling out!”

“Riku Tanabe, Valiant Skybreaker‑03, taking off!”

“Ayaka Mori, Valiant Skybreaker‑04, moving out…”

Finally, Hiroshi’s steady declaration closed the sequence.

“Hiroshi Takeda, Valiant Skybreaker‑05… commencing sortie.”

To be honest, Hiroshi didn’t know why everyone had different departure call-outs. He thought it was something important at first.

However, he soon realized that it was just their own quirks… Of course, he didn’t ask them about it and decided just to adapt their tradition. He felt that it wasn’t that important anyway.

Still, hearing everyone chuckle through the open channel after he said that made him smile as well and calm down.

Just like that, the five Skybreakers stepped forward in unison, GM Drives roaring as they lifted from the hangar deck. The technicians shielded their faces from the blast of energy as the mechs ascended, leaving the floating fortress behind.

Outside, the swarm of flying zombies surged toward them, and it was all being watched by the Legendary Recruits of the Shelter, who seemed more excited about this battle.