Apocalypse: becoming the hidden Ruler[English]

“Emergency recall,” Axel replied. “High-level Stormhold tech. It can probably teleport the user to a preset location.”

Lilith nodded slowly. “That matches the energy signature. Those shattered islands you saw… they’re likely what remains of Stormhold after its collapse.”

She frowned. “Which begs the question—why are they interfering with Krythos at all?”

“We’ll report it to the military once we’re back,” Axel said. “You should return now. If you stay away too long, Penny will lose her mind.”

Lilith smirked. “If I turn into Saka and sleep with her, does that mean I lose my virginity?”

“…What? Have you virginity?”

Lilith snorted. “High-level sluts don’t trade their bodies for favors. Get your head out of the gutter.”

Then her tone shifted. “If you’re not coming back with me… what are you planning?”

Axel met her eyes. “I have a plan. It might mess with everything you’ve set up. Go find Sergio and the others first.”

Lilith leaned closer, her gaze sharpening. “You’re not planning to go to Krythos and lure the mutated beasts back here, are you?”

Axel raised a hand. “Trust me. I can handle it.”

Silence fell.

Lilith thought it through. If Axel succeeded, it would be flawless. She and Sergio would be safe.

Only Axel would be standing directly in the line of fire.

“You really do love gambling with your life,” she said softly. “How many secrets are you still hiding from me?”

Axel smiled faintly. “Not many. If we make it back to Krythos… you’ll learn the rest.”

Lilith stepped closer, brushed the snow from his shoulders, and whispered near his ear, “Then I’ll wait.”

“Okay.”

Her figure faded into the darkness, swallowed by wind and snow.

Winter had come early this year. Since the blizzards began, the moon had rarely shown its face.

Axel watched her disappear, then turned away as well, vanishing into the night.

“It was a gamble before,” he murmured.

“But this time… there’s no real danger.”

The snowstorm closed in behind him, erasing all traces of blood.

......

Having taken Saka’s identity, Lilith returned to the City of Sin without bothering with formalities. After passing through the gates, she followed Axel’s instructions and went straight to find Sergio and the others.

It was already past four in the morning.

Sergio had set up a Force-based soundproof barrier around the hall. Everyone was gathered downstairs.

“Still no word from Axel?” Sergio asked, frowning slightly.

The group shook their heads.

“Then there’s no point waiting,” Sergio continued. “Axel definitely has his own plan.”

He exhaled and tapped the table lightly.

“I’ll summarize what we know. So far, no commander-level figures have publicly supported the escape faction.”

“The other four unofficial Level Six Awakened are staying silent. However, Commander Caroline hasn’t shown any clear hostility toward the idea.”

“Luke previously found that discussion around escaping was unusually lenient in Commander Quinlan’s territory. But after Kenneth and I looked into it, we suspect he’s using that as bait—to lure out and assassinate high-level Awakened who support escape.”

He paused.

“In short, everything’s bad news. So the question is—do we wait for Axel to come back, or do we move first?”

Before anyone could answer, Kenneth suddenly raised his hand.

“…Someone’s coming,” he muttered. “And they’re coming for us.”

Sergio’s pupils shrank. He instantly withdrew the soundproofing layer, and everyone shifted naturally into relaxed poses—drinks in hand, casual chatter on their faces.

The door creaked open.

A middle-aged man dusted with snow stepped inside, wearing a faintly unsettling smile.

“Good morning, gentlemen.”

The room fell silent.

No one spoke. The fact that Kenneth hadn’t sensed him until he was already at the door was enough to set off alarm bells.

Sergio broke the silence. “Who are you?”

The man smiled as if amused, casually removed his coat, hung it on the rack, and sat down on the sofa like he owned the place.

“Saka,” he said calmly. “I hear you’ve been looking for cooperation. Axel sent me.”

Nigel let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. “I told you Axel was fine—”

He stopped mid-sentence.

“…Why are you all staring at him like that?”

Instead of relaxing, the others grew even more guarded.

Idiot, someone cursed inwardly.

If this were normal cooperation, the name used should’ve been Yehuda—not Axel. No way Axel would casually expose his real identity to a City of Sin district commander.

Saka chuckled. “Relax. Trust is the foundation of cooperation, isn’t it? Sergio.”

Sergio forced himself to calm down, suppressing his shock.

“Tomorrow,” Saka continued, “I’ll publicly announce my support for escaping the City of Sin and returning to Krythos.”

“The city will fall into chaos—but those who want to flee will gather around me.”

He spoke evenly, as if stating an obvious fact.

“Someone’s been thinking about this for a long time. I considered it before too. I just lacked the strength.”

“But even if public support swings our way, the City of Sin’s elite forces won’t move.”

“That’s where Axel comes in.” Saka’s eyes gleamed faintly. “He’ll light the fuse.”

“You don’t need to worry about that part. When the time comes, just stand with me.”

Sergio exchanged a glance with Luke. Both of them relaxed slightly.

The demands weren’t excessive. More importantly, they didn’t need to expose themselves. The initial risk fell entirely on Saka.

“Is there a concrete plan?” Sergio pressed. “This feels… thin.”

Saka shook his head. “That’s all he told me.”

The group exchanged looks.

Yep. Definitely Axel’s style.

Sergio hesitated, then asked, “And Penny? Does your partner agree with this?”

Saka paused briefly. “I’ll persuade her.”

Minutes later, they watched Saka disappear into the snowstorm outside.

The room stayed silent for a long moment.

“Can we really trust him?” Luke muttered. “Shouldn’t we wait for Axel?”

With Axel absent, only Sergio and Luke were left to make the call.

“For now, we follow his lead,” Sergio said firmly. “We wanted a partner from the start. He knows who we are—and he knows we’re not afraid of a direct confrontation if it comes to that.”

That settled the matter.

Still, as the others dispersed, Sergio remained seated, fingers interlaced.

“I wonder what Axel’s planning…”

Something about Saka’s demeanor bothered him. It felt strangely familiar—yet he couldn’t place why.

In Saka’s district, the door to his residence opened quietly.

Penny sat upright with her back to the entrance.

“Honey, I’m home,” Saka said with a smile.

She didn’t respond.

He walked behind her and gently placed an arm around her shoulder.

“Don’t touch me,” Penny snapped, shrugging him off.

Saka stepped around to face her, meeting her eyes. “Still mad at me?”

Penny frowned.

Something felt… different.

They’d been together for years. Even as high-level Awakened, passion had long since worn down into routine.

Lately, Saka had grown distant—coming home drunk, collapsing into bed without a word.

Penny hadn’t left. Partly because he was stronger. Partly because, deep down, she still clung to a shred of hope.

But tonight—

Tonight, he reminded her of the man she’d fallen for at the beginning.

Penny stood up abruptly, folding her arms across her chest.

“Don’t call me baby,” she snapped impatiently. “Didn’t you enjoy drinking with that bitch so much? Why don’t you just go be with her?”

Saka raised an eyebrow, unfazed. “How could she possibly compare to you?”

He shook his head slightly, then sat down beside Penny with rare seriousness and reached out to take her hand.

Penny let out a soft snort, but the tension in her face eased just a little.

Saka didn’t push it. He simply drew her into a gentle embrace. “Her little flirtatious tricks? She does that with every man. But you’re real. You think I can’t tell the difference?”

Penny’s body stiffened.

She turned around slowly, staring straight at him. “You mean that? You’re not lying to me?”