Dark Warlock in the Apocalypse

Chapter 9: The Beginning of the End

"Already?" Justin was startled by the message that rang in his ears the moment he woke up. It was only 8 a.m., and yet, the system seemed ready to start the apocalypse. Despite it being a weekday, many people were likely still asleep. Justin briefly considered the possibility that many might die in their beds, unaware of the impending disaster.

However, his fears were quickly alleviated by the system's follow-up.

"Ding!The apocalypse will begin at 10 a.m. today."

"Ding!Anyone not awake by 9 a.m. will be forcibly awakened."

"Ding!This notification is being sent to all inhabitants of Earth, including beta testers."

With the final message, Justin let out a small sigh of relief. At least no one would die completely unaware of what was happening. It seemed that even non-beta testers would be given a chance to survive. Of course, how well they used that opportunity would be up to them.

He thought to himself, "It's a good thing I prepared everything yesterday."

Justin had packed all the essentials, from a backpack filled with food to a baseball bat that could serve as a close-combat weapon. Now, all that remained was to keep a clear mind. After taking a final shower, he changed into comfortable, practical clothing. It was early August, so he was relieved that he didn't have to wear anything too heavy, which would only drain his stamina faster.

Once Justin had finished all his preparations and checked everything one last time, he glanced at the clock and realized it was already 10 a.m.

"Ding!The eradication of Earth's civilization will now begin."

"Ding!Prove your worth and survive the apocalypse."

"Ding!Everything depends solely on your choices."

Unlike the previous emotionless system messages, this one carried a subtle hint of emotion. The odd feeling caught Justin off guard for a moment, but he didn't have time to dwell on it.

Suddenly, a flash of light appeared before him.

"Keerk!" A goblin materialized right in front of Justin, catching him off guard.

He stared at the creature, mumbling, "A goblin? Really, that's it?"

"Kiiik! Kiiiig!" The goblin, as if understanding Justin's words, rushed toward him in anger.

Justin clicked his tongue in mild annoyance and extended his finger toward the creature. "Black Missile."

Boom!

"Kiiieeek!"

"I'm asking for help! Help me, please!" she cried.

"Are you asking me to deal with a goblin?" Justin asked calmly.

The woman, still frantic, screamed, "What's a goblin?!"

"The little green dwarf-like monster," Justin clarified.

"Yes! That thing! Please, help me!" she yelled.

Whether it was due to her panic or her natural personality, the woman had now resorted to speaking to him informally. Justin didn't particularly appreciate the change in tone, but the woman seemed too panicked to notice.

"The door is locked, so it can't get in, but I need you to get rid of it! My door code is—" she started.

"Handle it yourself," Justin interrupted coldly.

"What?" she asked, shocked.

"That goblin is weak. You could beat it by kicking it repeatedly," Justin replied.

It was only one goblin. Even without magic, a healthy person like her could easily defeat it.

The woman's expression twisted in disbelief. "Are you crazy?! What if I get hurt? Will you take responsibility for that?!"

"...So it's okay if I get hurt?" Justin responded, raising an eyebrow.

"You're a man, aren't you?!" she shot back.

Justin let out a short, incredulous laugh. He hadn't expected praise for offering help, but this attitude was ridiculous.

Without another word, Justin ignored her and began walking away. Behind him, he could hear her shouting angrily.

"Where are you going?! If you leave, you're a murderer! A murderer, you hear me?!" she screamed.

Her insults didn't bother Justin. He simply found the situation absurd.

"I thought it was just a goblin, but I guess it was a balance patch," Justin muttered to himself.

Up until that moment, he hadn't considered the situation too seriously.