Apocalypse: becoming the hidden Ruler

On top of that, Harrison had a ton of real combat experience. Even against second-level awakeners, he could hold his own.

In the streets of Baird District, he had a reputation: "Unbeatable First-level." It was mostly a joke. But there was some truth to it.

Originally, he was supposed to be leading a hunting expedition outside the city. But now? Zachary had pulled him back early. No wonder he was so confident in Axel's fate.

Axel knew the fight wouldn't be easy. He didn't let his guard down—not for a second. Sin City was different. These awakeners weren't like Wolfe's men from before. They had been surviving on the edge of a knife for years.

For three days straight, Axel trained like a man possessed. He pushed his body to the limit, cycling between Body Forging and Meditation, refining both his mental and physical strength.

During the process, Griffin's life crystal was completely depleted.
Spirit: 397.
Physique: 399.
Force: 399.

The progress was huge—he was already surpassing fresh second-level awakeners. But then, something strange happened. He hit a wall. No matter how much he pushed himself, he couldn't go any higher.

A vague instinct stirred inside him. He was standing at the threshold of something bigger. If he could break through this bottleneck, he would achieve his second Force fusion—the key to reaching first-level upper grade.

For now, he held onto a small portion of Orion's crystal, keeping it in reserve. That crystal could temporarily boost his physique—his ace in the hole. Axel exhaled slowly.

Axel knocked on the door next to his. A moment later, Gabriel opened it, still in his pajamas, holding a bucket of popcorn. From inside the room, the roar of anime characters unleashing their ultimate moves blasted from the TV.

"Axel, you tired?" Gabriel asked, grinning. "Why don't you come chill and watch with me?"

Axel stared at him. This guy really thinks he's on vacation. "You spent three whole days like this?" His gaze swept over the room—snack wrappers, soda cans, and a floor covered in absolute chaos.

Gabriel hesitated, scratching his head, looking a little embarrassed. "My training's… different," he said awkwardly. "It's not that I wasn't working hard, I swear."

Yeah, sure. And I'm an idiot. Axel didn't bother arguing. It didn't matter now—time was up.

At least his training had paid off. With his current physique at 399, breaking through his defenses wouldn't be easy. Hell, if his opponent wasn't a highly offensive first-level awakener, they might not even be able to scratch him.

......

The tavern was just as busy as before. The owner sat behind the bar, casually mixing drinks, but Axel immediately noticed the difference.

The moment he stepped inside, all eyes turned to him. Some were merely curious. Others were pitying. A few looked like they were already mourning his death.

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"You seem well prepared," the tavern owner remarked, sliding a glass across the counter.

"I'm fine." Axel wasn't nervous, but the fat boss hesitated before sighing. Then, as if making up his mind, he placed a plate of toast and beef in front of him. "Eat. You'll need it," he muttered under his breath. "The situation isn't great."

Axel could tell the old man was in a bad mood.

He hadn't invested anything material in Axel, but he did see his potential—potential worth backing. If Axel made it through this, the tavern owner would have been one of his earliest supporters. The return on investment could have been huge. But now, with the news he'd just received, he wasn't so sure anymore.

"What happened?" Axel asked.

The owner hesitated, then finally spoke. "I heard Harrison is back."

Axel's expression didn't change, but he felt a shift in the air. "Harrison?"

The old man nodded grimly. "He's Black Powder's mid-level enforcer. Normally, that means he should be a Level 2 awakener." The man lowered his voice. "But he's not. He's still Level 1."

Axel frowned. "Then why is he a big deal?"

"Because he's never lost. Not in a single life-or-death duel between first-level awakeners in the Baird Street District."

A long silence stretched between them. Axel didn't respond, but he already knew—this opponent wasn't going to be easy.

The tavern owner leaned in slightly, voice dropping even lower. "His awakening skill is Beast Transformation. His speed is insane." That was all he said before pulling back, eyes shifting around the room. He had already said too much.

Axel understood—revealing this kind of information could get the old man in trouble. Instead of pressing further, Axel clapped a hand on his shoulder and smiled. "Thanks," he said. "If I make it back, I'll do my best to keep my end of the deal."

The owner just sighed and gave a wry smile.

Not long after, two Black Powder Gang members arrived. A gray jeep rolled up to the roadside, its engine rumbling softly. One of the men, dressed in a dark leather jacket, gave Axel a mocking smile. "Mr. Axel," he said, voice laced with amusement. "Please. Right this way."

Axel didn't respond. He just climbed into the vehicle.

Since word got out that Harrison had returned, the Black Powder Gang had been acting like they'd been injected with pure adrenaline.

The arrival of the Exotic Beast Pills had already escalated the tension between the three competing gangs. Now, with this high-profile duel about to go down, the entire neighborhood was watching. If Black Powder played this right, they wouldn't just eliminate a threat—they'd also boost their reputation massively. To them, this wasn't just a fight. This was a fucking spectacle.

"Let's go." Gabriel climbed into the car, balancing a bucket of fried chicken on his lap.

Axel gave him a look. "You sure you wanna come with me?"

Gabriel didn't even pause, tearing off a piece of crispy skin. "What else would I do?"

Axel sighed. This guy... He couldn't help but think about Gabriel's father. What kind of man lets his son come to Sin City?

"If I lose, you might not make it out either," Axel warned. "If you stay behind, at least you'll have a chance to run."

Though knowing Gabriel, his brilliant escape plan would probably be to crawl into a sewer and hide there for a few days. Still, that was better than sitting next to Axel, painted with a giant target on his back.

Gabriel paused mid-bite, then wiped his greasy hands on his pants and looked at Axel dead serious. "Axel, I've got a strong feeling that sticking with you is my best bet."

Axel stared at him, then chuckled. "Alright."

It was a stupid reason. But for some reason, it made him feel a little better.

He leaned back, shutting his eyes, tuning everything else out.

His three main stats were just shy of 400. Axel wasn't ignorant—he knew the standard for the top-tier war academies. Right now, his raw stats outclassed most first-level awakeners from those schools.

Still, he wasn't about to underestimate his opponent. His Force power was dominant, no question there. His pistol, a gift from Millers, was a game-changer. Sure, it burned through a third of his Force per shot, but that one shot had the impact of a full-power attack from a low-tier second-level awakener.

Then there was the bionic armor from the captain—tough enough to tank most hits from mid-tier first-level awakeners.

His only real weakness? Experience.

Axel exhaled slowly, clearing his thoughts. No point worrying now. He focused on getting his mind in the best state possible.