NIKKE: The Apocalypse Arrives, But the System is 100 Years Late

Mo Chen extended his hand, fingers splayed, aiming at the snowy ground. A crimson glow radiated from his fingertips, piercing into the thick layer of snow.

The ground quaked, the snow loosening as two faint red lights began to emerge from beneath the surface.

With a sharp "crack," the earth split open, revealing a massive Tyrant-class Rapture clawing its way out.

It was a Lord-class Rapture.

Its colossal form almost rivaled that of the infamous Chatterbox.

Papillon gasped in shock, hurriedly drawing her weapon, preparing to fire.

But before she could act, Mo Chen leapt lightly onto its back.

She froze in disbelief as she noticed something bizarre—the Rapture made no move to attack Mo Chen. Instead, it remained utterly docile, as if it were a loyal pet.

He can control Raptures...?

"What are you standing around for? If you're not planning to leave, you can stay here," Mo Chen said, his brow furrowing as he glanced at Papillon. "Stop dawdling."

Startled by his words, she quickly clambered onto the enormous Rapture. But despite her composure, she couldn't hide her fear of the enormous beast below, instinctively inching closer to Mo Chen.

After all, she had never ventured to the surface before. Her expertise lay in enhancing Nikkes, and facing Raptures was akin to serving herself as their next meal.

And so, a surreal scene unfolded—a human and a Nikke, riding on the back of a Lord-class Rapture, seemingly in perfect harmony. Anyone witnessing this would have questioned their sanity.

They moved with astonishing speed, accompanied by a swarm of infected Raptures acting as their escort. He covered a distance in less than two days that would typically take much longer, finally arriving near the power plant.

As they drew closer, a surge of anticipation and excitement built within Mo Chen.

It had been so long since he'd last seen Marian.

In the distance, the towering smokestacks of the power plant came into view, billowing clouds into the sky.

As Mo Chen caught sight of the familiar figure atop the tall structure, his heart surged with urgency. Without waiting for the Rapture to take him there, he leapt into the air, his figure a blur as he shot forward, leaving a faint afterimage behind.

Papillon, still seated on the Rapture, was startled by his sudden movement, nearly falling off. She glanced up to see Mo Chen bounding across the building's exterior, swiftly scaling its heights. In mere moments, he reached the rooftop and embraced a woman waiting there.

Papillon was stunned. She had never seen him so eager or anxious before.

Who is she?

The thought lingered in her mind as she watched the scene unfold.

"Commander! Commander!"

As Mo Chen landed on the rooftop, a figure threw herself into his arms, holding him tightly.

It was Marian.

Mo Chen was filled with joy, but before he could speak, Marian's voice, tinged with a sob, interrupted him.

"Commander... I thought you'd never come back...!"

He froze, the situation not unfolding as he had imagined.

"Marian, what's wrong?"

He held her delicate shoulders, noticing the layer of tears in her eyes. She bit her lip, her vulnerable expression tugging at his heart.

Hearing his question, Marian could no longer hold back and began to cry uncontrollably.

"I'll never run off again! I'll never make the Commander worry again!"

Mo Chen's heart sank. Alarmed, he asked, "What do you mean, running off? What happened? Did someone bully you?"

Could this place have been attacked?

Marian clung to him tightly, trembling like a child who had been wronged. Her tears blurred her vision as she stammered, "I'll do whatever the Commander asks, just... please don't abandon me."

Mo Chen's astonishment grew. Holding her shoulders firmly, he asked, "Marian, what happened...?"

"Don't make me leave, Commander, please."

Her tears fell like beads from a broken string, soaking her collar and cheeks. Her wide, tearful eyes carried the panic of a child afraid of being left behind.

"I like being with the Commander. I like everyone else too."

"I like eating with everyone, standing guard together, and even taking afternoon naps together."

Her words tumbled out faster and faster, her voice trembling with the desperation of someone terrified of being cast away. Her childlike panic could soften even the hardest heart.

"I like being with everyone. So please, don't abandon me..."

"Please... don't leave me behind..."

Her tears flowed incessantly, her shoulders shaking as she cried. Her helpless expression revealed the depths of her fear.

"I really want to stay with the Commander..."

Finally, he understood.

He didn't speak. Instead, he held the trembling girl in his arms tightly, his chest weighed down as if by a boulder.

He realized that while a few months might not seem too long to most people, to Marian, it felt like an eternity.

He had forgotten that Marian's mind wasn't like an adult's. It was like that of a child—one locked away at home by their parents, grappling with loneliness, fear, and confusion. Viewing her situation through the lens of an adult's reasoning had been a grave mistake.

Mo Chen's heart ached. Gently wiping the tears from her face, he spoke to her softly.

"We'll never be apart again."

"Really?"

Marian's tear-filled eyes sparkled like pearls, with droplets continuously falling from the corners of her eyes, no matter how much they were wiped away.

"Mmh, it's true," Mo Chen said softly.

A mix of guilt and heartache filled him.

I'm such an idiot, he thought bitterly.

"That's great!" She threw her arms around Mo Chen again, burying her face deeply in his chest. Her muffled sobs were almost unintelligible. "I thought… Commander didn't want me anymore…"

"How could that be? Marian is so lovable—who wouldn't like you?"

Mo Chen gently held her slender shoulders and pulled back slightly. Taking out a handkerchief, he carefully wiped her tear-streaked cheeks, his hands tenderly brushing away the tear stains as he smoothed her slightly messy hair.

Marian sniffled, her voice choked with emotion. "I only want the Commander to like me."

"Mmh, I do. I really do," Mo Chen assured her.

As he continued tidying Marian's hair, his gaze shifted to the interior of the power plant. There were signs of a struggle, and his expression tightened with alarm. "Did someone come here?"

"Mmh," Marian nodded lightly, her lips pouting as her tone grew indignant. "Those people—they're bad people."

"Bad people?" Mo Chen's heart skipped a beat, his nerves instantly on edge.

Had something really happened?

"Mm!" Marian nodded emphatically, her cheeks puffing up in frustration. "They said the Commander wasn't coming back and didn't want me anymore. They told me to follow them and behave."

His face darkened instantly.

Someone had the audacity to try to take her away?

No wonder Marian had been so frightened—someone had been sowing seeds of doubt and fear.

Fortunately, she hadn't been swayed by their words.

If she had gone with them… he didn't even want to imagine what could have happened.

His eyes narrowed slightly, cold fury radiating from his gaze. Right now, he could feel a murderous intent rising within him.