World Apocalypse: Apocalust

Chapter 48: Chapter XLVIII - Ninety-Five Pieces of Garbage

Noah gently lowered Sage’s feet back to the floor, but he didn’t let her go. His arm stayed locked around her, pressing her flush against his chest while his other hand slid up to cradle the nape of her neck again.

He kissed her harder, deeper, tongue stroking possessively against hers as if he were trying to memorize the velvet heat of her mouth, the way she tasted like sin and summer nights all at once.

Sage moaned softly into the kiss, the sound vibrating straight through him and pooling low in his gut. Her hands roamed up his chest, then curled into his hair, tugging just hard enough to make him growl against her lips.

Guiding her backward through the sun-kissed bedroom, Noah never broke the kiss. His mouth moved against hers with slow, lingering hunger, each step bringing them deeper into the warm glow of the fading sunlight.

Both his hands slipped lower, moving from the small of her back to the hem of her black jeans. His fingertips lingered there, brushing just beneath the denim against the warm skin at the base of her spine.

Sage shivered at the contact, a soft, needy sound escaping into his mouth as she let him lead her.

Neither seemed particularly concerned with where they were going until Sage’s legs brushed against the edge of the bed.

She broke the kiss, a strand of saliva connecting their mouths until it snapped.

Noah was momentarily confused by the sudden absence of her. She looked at him for a second, catching her breath before giving him a small, almost apologetic smile.

"I need to use the bathroom."

Noah stared at her.

"...Oh, okay."

She laughed softly at his expression.

"Where is it?"

"Right, right."

He glanced toward the opposite side of the attic before raising a hand and pointing toward the staircase.

"The bathroom is the one with the golden handle. You should be able to see it as you’re walking out."

"Thanks," she said with a smile. "Give me a few minutes."

Just before she could take a few steps, Noah spoke again.

"Right." Noah rubbed the back of his neck. "There’s also another one up here."

Sage looked toward the far side of the attic.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. I forgot to mention it."

She shook her head with a quiet laugh. "Of course you did."

Noah gestured toward the opposite side of the room. "It’s through there. A small bathroom is tucked behind that door."

Sage nodded and started toward it, but paused after a few steps. She glanced back at him, finding Noah still standing beside the bed, looking like his brain hadn’t quite caught up with the last several minutes.

A small smile crossed her lips. "Try not to overthink everything while I’m gone."

Noah returned the smile.

"Says the one running away to the bathroom."

A deep red blush slowly crept across her cheeks. "I am not running away. It’s a tactful retreat."

Noah raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Whatever you say, princess."

The word caught her completely off guard. Her mouth opened, but whatever response she’d been preparing seemed to vanish before she could say it. The sudden flush of embarrassment deepened across her cheeks as she stared at him for a moment, seemingly unable to decide whether to laugh, glare, or retaliate.

Noah noticed the hesitation, and a faint grin tugged at his lips.

"Cat got your tongue?"

"Very funny."

"I thought so."

She shook her head, trying—and failing—to hide the smile threatening to appear. "You’re getting way too comfortable."

"Maybe."

"Yeah, I’m going before you somehow make this even more embarrassing."

Noah chuckled.

"Take your time."

She gave him one last look, half amused and half exasperated.

"You know, you’re lucky you’re cute."

Noah’s grin faltered.

Sage immediately noticed, and her smile turned mischievous.

"Oh, look at that. Cat got your tongue?"

Noah stared at her for a beat before letting out a quiet laugh and shaking his head.

"Just go."

Sage laughed softly, the sound low and pleased, like warm honey sliding over his skin. It was clear she knew exactly what she had done to him. She finally turned toward the bathroom, her long red hair swaying like liquid fire down her back with every step.

The gentle sway of her hips as she crossed the attic floor held Noah captive, every movement a quiet, deliberate tease to his mind.

He remained standing beside the bed, chest still rising and falling too fast. The distant click of the bathroom door closing only sharpened the sudden emptiness in the room, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

Finally, he released a long breath and dropped backward onto the bed, landing against the mattress with a muffled bounce. He stared at the ceiling, his mind still replaying everything that had just happened.

Before he could do anything else, the familiar violet interface appeared in front of him. Noah stared at it for a moment, then remembered the rewards he’d nearly forgotten about in the aftermath.

250 AP.

That brought his total to 950.

And, more importantly, there was something new.

Gacha System Unlocked.

His eyes moved toward the upper-left corner of the interface, where a new tab had appeared beside the only other available option.

〔Status〕  〔Gacha〕

Noah’s eyebrows rose slightly.

He shifted against the mattress, his curiosity slowly overpowering the lingering embarrassment in his chest. After everything he’d learned about the Apocalust System so far, he wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from something literally called a Gacha.

The violet interface flickered as Noah’s attention shifted to the newly appeared tab.

〔Infinite Gacha〕

〔Welcome to your favorite Gacha!〕

〔Spend Apocalust Points to obtain randomized rewards!〕

Noah stared.

"...Randomized?"

His expression immediately became suspicious.

That sounded dangerously similar to gambling. And considering the System had already proven itself more than willing to screw with him, Noah wasn’t entirely convinced this was going to be as generous as the name suggested.

Noah stared at the interface for another few seconds before a smaller notification appeared beneath the main window.

〔Available Tiers〕

〔Trash — 10 AP〕

〔Bronze — 100 AP〕

〔Silver — 250 AP〕

〔Gold — 500 AP〕

〔Platinum — 1500 AP〕

Noah’s eyes moved down the list, taking in each tier and its corresponding cost, when his gaze stopped on the last number.

Fifteen hundred?

He glanced at his current AP.

〔AP: 950〕

"...Yeah, that’s not happening anytime soon."

His attention returned to the other tiers. Trash was practically nothing, Bronze was affordable, Silver wasn’t too bad, and Gold was expensive enough that he’d actually have to think before spending it.

The system didn’t exactly explain what determined each reward’s tier, but Noah could already see the basic idea.

The more he spent, the better the potential reward.

Potential being the important word there.

Noah narrowed his eyes at the interface.

"So what’s stopping me from just buying Gold?"

〔Nothing.〕

Noah blinked.

"...Seriously?"

〔The user may purchase any available tier provided sufficient AP is possessed.〕

A grin slowly spread across Noah’s face.

"Well, that’s surprisingly reasonable."

He looked at the Gold option again.

〔Gold — 500 AP〕

He currently had 950. Enough for one Gold pull and four hundred fifty AP left over.

Noah’s grin faded slightly. He moved down the list again, lingering on each affordable tier as he mentally ran through his options.

〔Trash — 10 AP〕

Cheap enough that he could practically throw points at it without caring.

〔Bronze — 100 AP〕

Still affordable, but considerably more than Trash.

〔Silver — 250 AP〕

Not exactly pocket change.

〔Gold — 500 AP〕

Half of his current AP.

He rubbed his chin.

One Gold.

Or three Silvers.

Or nine Bronzes.

His gaze shifted toward Trash.

Or ninety-five pieces of garbage.

Noah snorted quietly, dismissing it.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!