Chapter 1: Earth's Last Breath
Lein's desk was a chaotic testament to his relentless workload, strewn with stacks of papers and the ever-present hum of his computer.
The room, silent but for the rhythmic tapping of keys, seemed to hold its breath as he toiled over the financial report that had to be completed by day's end. The screen's glow highlighted the tension etched on his face.
Suddenly, breaking the monotony, a vivid blue panel materialized in the air, hovering like a holographic projection. Its luminescent glow cast an otherworldly light across the cluttered desk, and bold, striking text pulsed on the screen, demanding attention. The room, once a shrine to mundane tasks, now felt charged with unexpected intrigue.
[The Earth's time has ended, all humans will be transferred to the Divine Sky Realm in 1 minute]
"Hah...?"
Lein's fingers froze above the keyboard as he blinked several times, trying to discern if this was an illusion or reality. The soft hum of office activity suddenly felt distant and surreal. He glanced around the room and noticed that his coworkers were also staring at the same blue notification. Faces that had been serious and focused moments ago were now painted with anxiety and confusion.
"Hey Lein, did you see that blue panel?" asked Dito, his voice trembling. Dito's desk was right next to Lein's, and his usually composed demeanor was now shaken.
"Yeah, it says the Earth is going to be destroyed," Lein replied, his voice tinged with disbelief. "Is this some kind of joke?"
Dito let out a bitter laugh. "A joke? Who has time to pull off something like this?"
Around them, their colleagues tried to ignore the notification, forcing themselves to concentrate on their work despite the rising tension. Skepticism hung heavy in the air; few could bring themselves to believe the message. Across the room, a manager attempted to calm the staff, insisting that it was likely just a technological glitch or a computer virus.
However, across the globe, every nation received the same information. People from all walks of life, professions, and ages reacted differently.
In a high school, students in the middle of their final exams suddenly whispered in panic. There was something strange, though. Middle school students did not see the notification. Only those aged 15 and older could see it.
In a hospital, a doctor paused his surgery to glance at the blue panel that had appeared before him. "This... can't be possible," he murmured, looking at the nurse beside him, whose face had turned deathly pale.
Panic began to ripple through the world.
The notification spread rapidly across social media and television news, creating a wave of mass hysteria. Time continued to tick away, and as the final minute passed, Lein felt his heart pounding. In the usually quiet office, the ticking of the wall clock grew louder and more ominous. The last second ticked by, and...
Suddenly, every human vanished from their location. Lein felt nothing but a strange sensation as if he was being sucked into a void. He lost consciousness momentarily.
The world descended into chaos.
A school bus driver disappeared mid-route, leaving the bus to careen uncontrollably into a five-story building. A plane crashed mid-air as both pilots vanished. These incidents led to widespread destruction on Earth.
In a playground, a mother watching her children vanished along with them, leaving behind slowly swinging swings and toys scattered on the ground.
Moments after humanity disappeared, a catastrophic earthquake shook the planet. The Earth's crust cracked, volcanoes erupted, and the destruction continued until the Earth itself shrank and disintegrated into ash.