Raven picked himself up, brushing the dust and debris off his clothes. He turned to look at his bike, which had suddenly stopped working.
"What the hell was that? It didn't even need servicing…"
He walked over, lifted the bike upright, and inspected it. It had a few scratches, nothing too serious but enough to be annoying. Fixing it was going to cost a chunk of his salary.
"Sigh… another expense."
He tried to start it again but nothing. It was completely dead.
Then suddenly, the sky glitched.
It was subtle at first, like a shiver in the air. But Raven felt it immediately, and he wasn't alone. Every living being on Earth sensed it.
He instinctively looked up, narrowing his eyes. For a moment, nothing happened.
But then...
Crack
The sky split open like shattered glass, and something small, something strange, descended from the void.
A tiny figure emerged, no bigger than a child. It was covered in soft, white fur, with a single black horn protruding from the right side of its head. Its eyes were completely black, no whites, no irises, just endless void. From a distance, it resembled a plush toy, the kind you'd find on a girl's bed. Cute, even.
But that smile on its face... sharp, knowing, twisted was enough to change that opinion.
People on the streets stopped and stared. Despite the distance, the figure hovering in the air drew everyone's attention like a magnet. From down below, it looked like a speck of dust, but the presence it emitted was far from small.
And then, it spoke.
"Hello, dear inhabitants of this realm. I hope you're enjoying your day."
The voice was cheerful. Childlike. But clear. So clear that it echoed in every corner of the world, as if the creature was speaking directly into everyone's ear.
"I apologize for the delay," it said, its tone bright and mocking. "Adjusting to your planet's language took longer than expected."
Confused murmurs rippled through the crowd. Raven narrowed his eyes.
"Now, I know some of you might think this is an elaborate ad campaign or maybe some government prank. Sadly, it's not. Allow me to introduce myself properly."
The creature spread its tiny arms dramatically.
"This humble one is a low-ranking streamer of 'Voidnet'. You may address me as... Puck."
A murmur of disbelief swept through the air. Some laughed nervously, others stared blankly, but the more intuitive among them already sensed the truth.
This wasn't a broadcast.
This was real.
Raven watched him with silent unease. There was something terribly wrong about this entire situation, and every bone in his body screamed at him to stay alert.
Puck continued, "Now then, let's not waste time. Let me tell you what's about to happen. Your world... yes, this lovely little sphere of yours, it has been selected for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
He grinned wide, arms stretched.
"You will now participate in a 'Voidnet Event'. A special broadcast where your lives are the content. And the reward? Power. Strength. Evolution and... a small secret."
Just then, a sound echoed inside every mind across the planet.
Ding~
A notification appeared in their vision, with a translucent blue screen before their face, which was visible to them only as if projected directly into their thoughts.
[Phase 1 of the Apocalypse is about to begin in 5 minutes.]
[4:59]
[4:58]
...
A wave of cold panic swept through the population. People froze. Hearts raced. The ticking countdown felt like a noose tightening with each passing second.
"Ah, I see the message has arrived," Puck said playfully. "That's right. In five minutes, the first phase will begin. And here's the twist: if your world fails to perform… well, we'll have no choice but to say goodbye to it."
He laughed, clearly enjoying himself.
"You see, the system evaluates each world based on performance. If your planet scores below a 1-star rating… it will be erased. Poof! Gone from existence. And frankly, I don't want that to happen." His voice dipped into mock sincerity.
Raven clenched his fists. He could hear it in the creature's tone, there was no compassion, no hope. Just amusement.
The chaos began to ripple outward. People screamed, ran, panicked. Some still believed it was a joke, a stunt. Others were already breaking down in fear.
But Puck?
He just smiled.
His gaze flicked toward a translucent screen floating in front of him, visible only to him. Viewer count: 92.
'Yes… more. Just a bit more… I might hit 100 before the countdown ends.'
Puck's furry hands twitched with excitement.
'I spent everything on this stream slot. If just a few high-tier beings tune in, I'll break even. Maybe even get promoted!'
He grinned wider as the counter ticked upward.
'C'mon... just one of them needs to stand out. That's all I need. Give me a good show.'
And right on cue—
[0:01]
Ding~
[Phase 1: Curse of the Undead has begun.]
The apocalypse had officially started.
And Earth would never be the same again.
---
Thanks for reading everyone. Add it to your library and help me win the WSA.