Nova was a careful man by nature.So the moment the voice echoed in his mind, announcing the arrival of the apocalypse, he didn't doubt it for a second.
Panic surged in his chest—but his instincts kicked in. All the knowledge he'd hoarded over the years, all the survival guides he'd read for fun, suddenly became relevant.
He began preparing immediately. But then… something unexpected happened.
A panel appeared in front of him, and his shelter talent was revealed.
[Talent Activated: Homebody's Haven (SSS-Rank)]
Nova froze.
"An SSS-level talent?" he muttered, his eyes wide. "This... this has to be overpowered!"
He couldn't see the exact effects yet—those would activate the next day—but still, the sheer rarity of it told him one thing:
He might not need to struggle like everyone else. He could just... wait it out.
He'd done all he could for now. Stocked his water, sealed the windows, double-checked the food.
All that was left was to wait.
But just as he sat down, a wave of suffocating heat crashed into the room like an invisible firestorm.
The air dried instantly. The temperature skyrocketed.
It was like the oxygen itself was burning.
Nova jerked toward the window—and his heart sank.The sky had turned blood-red. The sun looked swollen and angry, casting an eerie crimson glow across the city.
"Shit! I forgot to close the window!" he cursed.
He dashed over, but before he could reach it, his palm brushed the steel bars of the window frame.
"AH—damn it!"It was scalding. The heat had already turned the metal into a branding iron.
From outside, chaos erupted.
Screams. Wails. People yelling, panicking, begging.
"It's too hot! I'm burning alive!""What the hell is this weather?!""Someone help me—I can't breathe...!"
The apocalypse had truly begun. And it wasn't subtle.
Nova slammed the window shut using a towel to protect his hand and pulled the thick curtains closed. The temperature inside the apartment dropped—just barely—but it was still hotter than any summer he'd ever lived through.
Within minutes, sweat soaked his clothes. His mouth was dry, his lips cracked. His head started spinning.
Dehydration was already creeping in.
Without hesitating, he stripped off his shirt, chugged a bottle of water, and climbed into the bathtub.The water was lukewarm—not enough to cool him—but better than nothing.
"This heat is no joke…" he muttered, wiping sweat from his brow."They said minimum 60°C… but it feels like it's climbing higher."
He lay back in the tub, trying not to think about how the water was slowly heating up with the room.Could he boil alive in here?
"No... not yet." He tried to steady his breath."I just need to hold out until the talent activates."
After cooling off as much as he could, he dried himself—only to watch the water evaporate off his skin within seconds.
His stomach growled.
Nova pulled out some non-perishables, scarfing down a small portion while eyeing the fridge.
With the power out, everything would start spoiling soon. He couldn't afford to open it often.
"Thank god I stocked up. Anyone without the homebody habit is probably screwed right now."
He let out a dry chuckle.
"Guess being antisocial finally pays off."
Outside, the chaos only grew. He could hear people yelling from other apartments, from the street below—some crying, some breaking down, others collapsing from the heat.
No help came. No rescue.
This was real.This was the end of the world.
Nova lay back on his bed, conserving energy, mapping out a rough survival plan in his head.Eight hours passed.
Night fell.
The temperature dropped slightly, but the air was still thick and heavy. A few brave—or desperate—souls wandered the streets, hoping to scavenge food or water. Still, no official rescue appeared. The government, the police, the military—silent.
Technology was gone. Civilization had collapsed.
And this was only the first disaster.
"There's another one coming next month...""If this keeps up, we're not survivors—we're contestants in some cosmic death game."
Nova closed his eyes. At this point, relying on anyone else was foolish.He had only one goal now: survive.
And luckily for him, his method was simple—stay home.
Day 2 — Noon
Nova stirred from a half-daze, glancing at the clock."It's time…" he muttered.
Just as the words left his mouth, a notification panel blinked into existence before his eyes.
[Congratulations! You've successfully activated your Shelter Talent.][Random Reward Generated: Ice Water Generator (D-Rank).]
A soft flash of light lit up the room.
When it faded, a large freezer-like machine sat in the middle of his living room.
Nova blinked.
There, on top of the unit, were glowing letters:
[Ice Water Generator: D-Rank Shelter Item]Permanent cooling. Cold storage.Generates 10 servings of chilled water per 24 hours.Each serving lowers body temperature by 5°C for 2 hours.Max storage: 10 servings.
At the same time, a line in his shelter panel updated:
[Comfort +10]
Nova's jaw dropped.
He stepped closer, hesitated, then opened the door.
A blast of cool air washed over his face.
It was like stepping into an air-conditioned room during the peak of summer.
He grinned.
Without hesitation, he bent over and shoved half his body into the freezer, soaking in the cold air with a satisfied groan.
"Oh yeah… this is the good life."
"Let the apocalypse rage. I've got a fridge full of ice water."