Apocalypse: The Fool and The Traveler

Prologue

_________

The bell rang sharply through the classroom, marking the end of another tedious lecture. For a brief moment, silence hung in the air, followed by a collective sigh of relief. Chairs scraped against the floor, and the usual clamor of the break began.

Harry, sitting in the back row, stretched his arms above his head and let out an exaggerated sigh. His unruly brown hair fell into his eyes, and he pushed it back with a dramatic flair.

"Finally! I thought that History class would never end!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with mock despair. A few students around him chuckled, amused by Harry's theatrics. He had a knack for turning even the dullest moments into something entertaining.

"Heh, Harry, you really can't handle History, can you?" one of his friends teased, turning back with a grin.

"Can't handle it?" Harry scoffed, placing a hand over his heart in mock offense. "I think I might be allergic to it. My brain just shuts down whenever someone mentions 'history'." His playful tone earned more laughter, and a few students shook their heads, smiling. After all, he was known as the class clown, proud otaku, and daydreamer.

As the classroom buzzed with the sounds of a break—students chatting, notebooks being stuffed into bags, and friends regrouping—Harry's gaze wandered across the room. To his left, a group of girls were gossiping animatedly about the latest TV drama. Near the windows, a cluster of boys were engrossed in a heated discussion about a new video game update.

But Harry wasn't interested in joining any of the groups right now. Instead, his eyes settled on Max, the quiet boy who sat directly in front of him. Max had been silent throughout the entire class, which wasn't unusual. But today, something seemed different. His usually attentive eyes were vacant, staring blankly ahead as if he were somewhere far away.

"Hey, Max," Harry called out, leaning forward to tap Max's shoulder gently. "You okay, man? Did the lecture fry your brain or something?"

Max didn't respond. He continued to stare ahead, his expression distant. Harry's playful demeanor shifted to concern. He leaned in closer, waving a hand in front of Max's face.

"Hello? Max, are you in there?"

Slowly, Max turned his head, blinking as if waking from a deep trance. He looked at Harry with a puzzled expression, his brow furrowing as though trying to recognize a face he couldn't quite place.

"Who are you?" Max asked, his tone flat and unrecognizing.

Harry chuckled, thinking Max was just playing along with his joke. "Are you trying to copy me now?" he teased with a grin. "Come on, Max, don't mess with me."

But Max's confusion only deepened. "Do I... know you?" he asked, his eyes scanning Harry's face, searching for something familiar.

Harry's grin faded, replaced by a puzzled frown. "You're serious, aren't you?" he muttered, leaning closer. "Did you hit your head or something?" He reached out to check Max's forehead, thinking he might have a fever.

Before Harry could touch him, Max's hand shot up, grabbing Harry's wrist with surprising strength. In one swift motion, Max twisted Harry's arm behind his back, making Harry yelp in pain.

"Ah! Ow, ow, okay, okay, let go!" Harry exclaimed, struggling against the unexpected force.

The sudden commotion drew the attention of the other students. Heads turned, and the lively chatter quieted as everyone watched the unfolding scene.

"Harry, are you okay?" one of the nearby students asked, concern evident in their voice. Whispered conversations spread rapidly around the room circling around the two. 

Max released Harry's arm and turned away again, his expression still distant. Harry rubbed his wrist, shooting Max a wary look.

Then Max glanced at Harry once more and asked, "Are you seeing this too?"

Harry blinked, his curiosity piqued. "Seeing what?"

"The window floating in front of me," Max said, his voice filled with bewilderment.

Harry's smile stiffened, his mood shifting. "Are you messing with me?" he asked, but as he looked closer, he realized Max wasn't joking. There was genuine confusion—and a hint of fear—in his eyes.

Harry's brow furrowed, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Is there only a window, or is there any text on it as well?"

Max turned away again, his eyes focusing on something invisible in the air. He squinted slightly as if trying to read something that wasn't there. After a few moments, he spoke. "It says something about... entering the first tutorial or something."

Harry's breath quickened, his heart racing with a mix of excitement and disbelief. A part of him wondered if Max was tricking him, but the idea of his wild fantasies becoming real was too thrilling to ignore.

He leaned forward, his voice urgent. "Then tap the 'Yes' button."

Max looked at Harry for a moment, trying to gauge his sincerity. After a brief hesitation, he nodded. "Okay." He mimicked tapping an invisible screen in the air.

"I did it," Max said flatly.

For a moment, nothing happened. The classroom remained still, students watching in confusion. Harry's excitement began to wane, replaced by the sinking feeling that he might have been fooled.

"Did you trick me after all?" Harry began to say, but before he could finish, something unbelievable happened.

Max's body began to shimmer, breaking apart into tiny particles of light and dissolving into the air. Gasps and screams erupted from the students as they recoiled in fear and disbelief.

"What the—?!"

"Did he just disappear?"

Panic spread through the classroom as desks and chairs rattled, and the lights flickered. The tremors grew stronger, and it felt as though the entire school was shaking.

A deep, resonant voice echoed through the room, reverberating throughout the building and beyond, filling the world with its ominous declaration.

[The final chapter of humanity starts now. Welcome to The End.]

________ ________

Author's Note:

Hello, this is the author.

An idea for this web novel, its main characters, and its plot suddenly came to mind, and I wasn't sure whether to write it or not. But I decided to go for it. The premise and potential seem great to me, and I'm excited to see where this story will lead. I don't know if I can pull it off, but I'll give it my best shot.

All I need is your support and opinions, whether they are critiques or encouragement. Thank you!

You can also read my other two works, both have 200+ chapters. You can find them in my profile.

Don't forget to support the story - Comment, Vote, Share, and - Add to your library.