Apocalypse: becoming the hidden Ruler[English]

By the river, Axel rubbed his cold hands together. A taxi had already pulled up beside him, waiting.

His face was relaxed now, none of the cold murderous edge he showed back at the restaurant earlier.

”Where to, young man?” the cab driver asked.

”North Station. Main exit, please.”

”Alrighty. Late night trip, huh? There’s only one train around this time. You from Dune?”

”Yeah,” Axel said, his voice soft but steady. ”I’m picking up a friend.”

The cab sped off into the neon-lit night. Streetlights flashed past the windows, painting Axel’s face in streaks of shadow and light.

In those fleeting moments of brightness, a rare, quiet smile would flash across his face—there and gone again, like a secret only the night could see.

When he finally arrived, Ebonveil Train Station loomed huge and empty under the cold stars.

Axel got out and started walking. It was a long way to the exit, but he didn’t mind.

In the cold night wind, streams of people from all walks of life poured through the station. Axel sat quietly on a stone bench outside, blending into the background like a lonely traveler no one noticed.

As the crowd thinned out and the gates finally closed, Axel pulled out his phone, ready to call and check where his contact was— But then he felt it.

The streetlight above him was suddenly blocked by a massive figure.

A face appeared before him—expressionless and pale in the glow of the light.

”Axel... I died so miserably...” A chilling, raspy voice spilled from its mouth, and the hulking figure lunged at him, fingers twisted into grotesque claws.

For a split second, Axel froze. It was Orion’s face!

But instinct kicked in almost immediately. Force energy rippled from him like a shockwave, controlled and sharp.

”If you’re a ghost,” Axel said coolly, **”I don’t mind sending you to hell again.”

Feeling that overwhelming Force pressure, the figure skidded to a stop mid-lunge.

The eerie mask twisted, blurred at the edges like a bad illusion, and the body shrank down rapidly.

The ’ghost’ let out a low chuckle.

”Shit... I thought I was leveling up fast. First-stage intermediate already... But you—” He stared at Axel like he was seeing a monster. ”You can’t be Level 3 already, can you?!”

The ‘ghost’ was none other than Zane—Axel’s old partner in crime, and the key player he’d called in for this operation.

”Still just Level 2,” Axel said casually.

Zane’s face twitched with disbelief. He had rushed to catch up, thinking maybe—maybe—he could finally impress Axel a little. But now? It felt like the gap had only gotten wider. Because it was already on a whole different level than any other second-stage Awakener Zane had ever seen.

”I heard you took over the Ironfang Syndicate,” Axel said, standing up.

”Yeah. Was bored anyway,” Zane shrugged. He fell into step beside Axel with a relaxed swagger.

Since the last time they’d teamed up—staging a bloody double-cross that took down two local bosses back in Dune—Zane had found his niche.

Managing a gang did rake in easy money and cut down on the daily life-or-death bullshit. But honestly? It was boring as hell.

Running with Axel, at least, was never boring.

”This next mission’s gonna be a little dangerous,” Axel said after a beat.

”How dangerous?” Zane asked, nonchalantly. Back when they were barely scraping by with Level 1 strength, they’d already taken down two gang leaders. Now, Zane figured, what could possibly scare them?

Axel’s next words wiped the smirk right off his face. ”Level 4.”

”The fuck?!” Zane blurted, freezing in place.

Axel just smiled—calm, faintly amused. ”Exciting, isn’t it?”

Zane swallowed hard, pulling a face. ”Yeah... fucking thrilling...”

Under the streetlights, their figures faded into the darkness, Axel leaning in to quietly lay out his plan—

The next day, the Obsidian Team gathered in the hotel’s small conference room.

”The settlement terms are finalized,” Rosaline said calmly. ”Eight million in cash, plus Blood Refining Stones worth another two million.”

Axel blinked, thinking he’d misheard. Before, he figured they were just talking big—because in his world, that amount of money was nothing short of astronomical.

”And one more condition,” Rosaline added. ”A personal apology.”

”He agreed to all that?” Axel couldn’t hide his shock.

Rosaline snorted lightly, a glimmer of pride flashing in her eyes.

”Kid, not everything’s under your control. What, you think we’re useless?” she teased.

Then she tossed a glance at him, a little more serious.

”You’re heading home after this, right? We’ve got a new mission coming up next week. We won’t be going with you.”

”Phoenix will drive you back. After a week, someone will come pick you up for Bloodstone Warfare School.”

Axel hesitated. ”He... he’s not going to try anything stupid again, right?”

Rosaline curled her lip. ”You really are scared of dying, huh? Relax. If he even thinks about trying something, Phoenix will send him straight to hell with a smile.”

Hearing that, Axel finally leaned back into his chair, visibly relieved.

”Alright then,” she said. ”Let’s get this over with.”

Meanwhile, at a nearby four-star hotel...

Maxen, a fourth-level Awakener from the Havoc Division, wasn’t sitting in a jail cell despite his fuck-up. Instead, he was confined to a luxurious hotel suite.

Sitting stiffly on the couch, Maxen lowered his head in guilt. In front of him sat Gideon—his mentor, protector, and the man who had cleaned up after him more times than he could count.

”President, I’ve caused you trouble again,” Maxen said quietly.

To outsiders, Maxen was always a wild dog—arrogant, untouchable. But in front of Gideon, he was a chastened student, a man who knew exactly where his leash was tied.

Gideon didn’t yell. He looked at Maxen—disappointed, tired—and that hurt worse than any beating.

”You think I’m mad because you stirred up trouble?” Gideon said, shaking his head slowly.

Maxen winced. ”No, sir. You’ve always helped me... I know.”

”That’s not it. You’re still too damn stupid, that’s what pisses me off.”

Maxen froze, stunned, his mind blanking out for a second. ”You let yourself get played by your own sister. And then, you let some punk guy trap you,” Gideon continued, voice low and sharp. ”Maxen. You’ve got muscle, sure—but where the hell is your brain?”

Normally, if anyone spoke to him like that, Maxen would’ve snapped their neck without blinking. But when Gideon said it, he listened.

”And the worst part?” Gideon said, leaning closer. ”That kid’s just a Level 2 Awakener. You could crush him like an ant any damn time you want. Why the hell would you try it here, under the Whisper Syndicate’s nose? Are you stupid enough to think you could take down Wesley too?”

Maxen lowered his head, shame burning his face. Deep down, he knew Gideon was right. Back then, he hadn’t thought it through. He just wanted Axel dead, fast.

But suddenly, a light flickered in Maxen’s mind. He looked up sharply, something dangerous glittering in his eyes. ”President... are you saying you don’t object to me killing Axel?”

Gideon held his gaze for a long moment, then spoke slowly. ”Nobody’s clean. The clean had been eaten alive by mutant beasts.”

Gideon’s voice was cold. ”A Level 2 kid with no backing? No real power? Killing him isn’t the problem,” Gideon said. ”The only problem is that you can’t leave any handle.”

Maxen’s heart thudded faster. ”Please,” Maxen said earnestly, ”tell me what to do.”

Gideon leaned back, smiling faintly. ”Listen carefully,” he said. ”Here’s how you’re going to do it...”

.....

“If you agree to the compensation terms, sign here.”

Inside the hotel conference room, both parties had taken their seats. Maxen looked unusually calm as he took the pen and signed his name with practiced ease.

Rosaline stood behind Axel, her posture composed but watchful. Gideon, meanwhile, stood beside Maxen with his hands behind his back.

“Maxen,” Gideon said with a cold glance. “The apology. Don’t tell me you forgot.”

Maxen snapped out of his daze, forcing a thin, bitter smile. “Right. Sorry, I spaced out. It’s true... I spoiled her too much. That’s what got us here.”

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