EX Skill: Duplicate into Infinity

Essim's desk was a chaotic testament to his relentless workload, cluttered with piles of papers and accompanied by the soft, constant hum of his computer.

The room was otherwise silent, save for the rhythmic clatter of keys, as if even the air held its breath while he labored over a advertisement video that needed to be finished before the day's end. The screen's pale glow accentuated the tension etched deep into his features.

Without warning, the monotony was shattered. A vivid red panel materialized in the air, hovering like a holographic projection. Its radiant glow cast an eerie, almost otherworldly light over the cluttered desk, and bold, pulsating text flashed on the screen, demanding immediate attention. The room, once a shrine to mundane tasks, was now electrified with a sense of surreal urgency.

[The Earth's time has ended. All humans will be transferred to the Mystic Realm in 5 minutes.]

"Hah...?"

Essim's fingers froze above the keyboard, his mind stumbling over the message. He blinked rapidly, unsure if he was witnessing an elaborate hallucination or something real. The low murmur of office activity—the sound of fingers tapping on keyboards—suddenly felt distant, as though it came from another world. Glancing around, he realized his boss was also staring wide-eyed at the same red panel. Faces that had been focused and serious moments before were now etched with confusion and rising panic.

"Hey Essim, did you see that?" Sam, the boss who pressured him for results a few seconds ago, asked in a voice that trembled with uncertainty. Normally the epitome of composure, Sam now looked visibly shaken.

"Yeah... It says we'll be moved to some other realm…" Essim replied, his voice flat, still trying to grasp the absurdity of the message. "Is this some kind of twisted joke?"

Sam let out a shaky, bitter laugh. "A joke? Who on Earth could pull off something like this?"

All around them, the other workers were trying—and failing—to dismiss the notification. Some desperately attempted to refocus on their tasks, while others exchanged nervous glances, their unease growing. The disbelief in the room was palpable—how could anyone believe such a message? From across the room, the floor manager spoke up, his voice strained but still attempting calm, insisting it was probably just a computer glitch or some widespread virus.

But across the world, the same message appeared, delivering the same grim news. And it wasn't just office workers. Every family, profession or age group reacted differently.

In a high school, students in the middle of their final exams murmured nervously as they glanced at the red panels. Strangely, middle schoolers did not see the message—only those aged fifteen and older were privy to it. This created some panic in the families, where the mothers wondered what would become of their kids.

In a hospital, a surgeon paused mid-operation, staring at the panel hovering before him. "This... What is this..." he muttered, confused, glancing at the nurse whose face had gone ashen.

Panic spread like wildfire.

News outlets and social media exploded with hysteria as the clock ticked down. Time seemed to speed up and slow down simultaneously as the final moments approached. Essim's heart raced, pounding in his chest as the seconds ticked away. The office had fallen deathly quiet. The ticking of the wall clock now sounded unbearably loud, as if each tick hammered home the inevitable.

The last second passed.

And then, suddenly, without warning, every human on Earth vanished.

Essim felt no pain, no shock—just a strange sensation, as if he were being pulled into a void. For a fleeting moment, his consciousness slipped away.

The world became silent. Then it plunged into chaos.

A bus driver disappeared in the middle of his route, sending the vehicle careening out of control into a five-story building. A plane crashed into the sea as both pilots vanished from the cockpit mid-flight.

In a quiet playground, a mother vanished, leaving behind her child on the swings swaying gently in the breeze, and toys scattered forlornly across the grass.

Moments later, the Earth itself began to collapse. Violent earthquakes tore through the land. The planet's crust fractured, volcanoes erupted in fury, and the cataclysmic destruction intensified until the Earth itself crumbled, its remnants dispersing into the vast universe.

-----

Hello ! 3 chaps a day !

I hope you will like this as much as I love working on it.

If you do, please don't forget to support this re-writing ! Vote and Review helps me a lot :)