Apocalypse: becoming the hidden Ruler

And now, Turtle Body, a tank skill. Stronger than Healing, sure. But pretending to be dead? Was the universe trying to tell him something?

Axel stared at the stat screen, his excitement deflating. "...Am I really doomed to become an unkillable meat shield?"

Also, he noticed something else. Unlike his other abilities, Turtle Body was grayed out. It hung on a second branch of the tree—still locked.

Axel studied it for a moment. "Not enough Original Force, huh? Looks like I need to hit Level 2 first."

It made sense. The stronger his Original Force, the more the tree flourished. And right now? He was this close to reaching that gray-white branch.

"Just a little more." Axel cracked his knuckles, grinning.

......

Gabriel stayed behind at the hostel, perfectly content. The guy had zero complaints—as long as he had a TV and snacks, he was set for life.

Meanwhile, Axel followed Declan's men to the headquarters of the Steel Serpents. The two guys who picked him up were surprisingly polite.

One drove while the other gave Axel a rundown of the gang. They'd seen his fight yesterday. And they respected the man who took down Harrison.

"Mr. Axel, we've arrived." The moment Axel stepped out of the car, he heard Declan's booming laughter. "Took you long enough! Come on, most of the crew's here today."

Inside, Declan introduced him to a gray-haired, serious-looking man. "This is our deputy leader, Owen."

Owen barely nodded. "Our other deputy's out on a hunt, so it's just us today."

Axel responded with a polite nod, not bothering to remember anyone's name. He wasn't here to make friends. He wasn't staying in Sin City long. Steel Serpents were just a temporary shield. Fifteen more days.

At the main table, most of the higher-ups barely looked at him. They were all Level 2 Awakeners or higher. To them, Axel's reputation was impressive. His actual strength? Not so much.

After half a cup of wine, the only people who spoke to him were a few younger guys coming up to toast.

Declan finally broke the silence. "Since you're new, let me lay out my gang."

Axel listened, sipping his drink. "Gangs in Sin City are just like Krythos. Everyone's here to make money. Having a gang behind you means no one screws with you."

"Steel Serpents' business runs in three parts: Sheep Hunting, Goods Sweeping, and Hunting."

Axel raised an eyebrow. Sheep Hunting? After Declan's explanation, Axel understood that. They watched the new arrivals. If someone looks like a fat sheep—loaded, clueless, and unprotected—They bleed 'em dry before they learned the rules.

That's exactly what 'Pork Nine' tried to do to Axel.

"Goods Sweeping," Declan continued, "We buy up loot from solo hunters and resell it."

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"And Hunting is exactly what it sounds like. We organize teams to hunt mutant beasts and sell the materials—big market for that shit. Huge profits."

Axel nodded. Nothing too surprising. But then—

Declan leaned in, lowering his voice slightly. "Now, we're about to start a fourth business. Selling Exotic Beast Pills. If we play this right, the money'll be insane."

Then he smiled. "Axel, you came at the perfect time. We need people. Do a good job, and this whole operation could be yours."

The entire table went silent. The air in the room shifted. Axel immediately noticed the tension.

Before anyone else reacted, a tattooed man in his thirties suddenly stood up. "Brother, tell me you're joking."

Axel recognized him— Blackstone. The youngest one at the table besides Axel.

Declan, unfazed, took a slow sip of wine. "Dead serious."

Blackstone's face darkened. "I don't f**king agree." He slammed the table, cutlery clattering to the floor. The rest of the gang followed suit, setting down their drinks, their expressions turning cold.

Axel said nothing. Declan clearly had a reason for pulling this stunt. Better to wait and watch.

"Blackstone, we're eating. Why the hell are you making a scene?" Declan wasn't angry.

Blackstone was young for a gang enforcer, only 34. But his power spoke for itself. A second-tier high-rank Awakener, rising fast over the past few years.

Unlike the older gang members—who had long since lost their hunger for power—Blackstone was still climbing. And his influence in Steel Serpents? Second only to Declan.

The Exotic Beast Pill trade was a goldmine. Steel Serpents had been lucky enough to secure a supplier this year. At first, Declan hadn't paid much attention to it. So Blackstone took control.

And now? He was drowning in wealth and resources. Declan had been eyeing the business for a while, looking for a way to take back control.

Problem was, the older gang members wouldn't back him. No one wanted to piss off Blackstone. So Declan needed a valid excuse— A legitimate way to shift power back into his hands.

Axel, fresh off his Harrison kill, was the perfect pawn. Even if his power wasn't enough, his reputation was.

Blackstone scoffed. "Brother, don't get me wrong—it's not that I look down on the newbie."

"But let's be real. A first-tier Awakener? Running a business like this?" He shook his head, sneering. "Hell, he's not even from here. We don't know jack about him. How the fuck can we trust him?"

Normally, at a welcome banquet, Blackstone would have at least pretended to be polite. But the man had been rising so fast, he stopped giving a shit. He was staring at Declan, thinking: "This is your replacement for me? This shit?"

Declan didn't flinch. "You're looking at this the wrong way. Sure, Axel isn't level two yet, but we all saw his fight. Harrison's dead. That's all the proof we need."

"Besides, didn't you start off just like this, Blackstone?" Blackstone froze.

Declan smirked. "Back then, you weren't level two either. But you still fought with us, side by side, through blood and fire."

"Didn't stop you from proving yourself, did it?"

Checkmate. For a second, Blackstone couldn't argue. Then his eyes shifted to Axel.

"Guy." His voice was colder now. "This business is profitable, yeah. But it's also dangerous as hell." He leaned forward. "Black-on-black happens all the time. If you step into this, you better be ready. So tell me—do you even have the balls for it?"

Axel wasn't an idiot. This was a threat. Declan's face darkened. He knew Blackstone was arrogant, ruthless— But this was a straight-up challenge to his authority.

If Axel backed down now, he was finished. The gang would see him as weak. Declan would be disappointed. But if Axel said yes? Blackstone would mark him. He'd be a target.

Before today, Axel might have played it safe. Might've said his strength wasn't enough for the job.

But after yesterday's fight— After breaking through his second Force Fusion— Something in him had shifted.

Playing it safe wasn't always the best way to grow stronger. Awakeners needed to push themselves. Strength was the foundation of everything. And sometimes, that meant taking risks.

Axel met Blackstone's eyes. And smirked.

These two were using him to fight their own battle. He set down his wine glass, his voice carrying more weight this time. "I appreciate Mr. Declan's trust in me. I'm confident in my strength."

His gaze swept across the room. "Everything we do is dangerous. But we still do it, don't we?"

"If I refused just because I'm new, wouldn't that make the brothers here look down on me?"

He smirked. "Of course, I dare."

A moment of silence— Then, a few gang members started nodding, murmuring their approval. Some even cheered outright.

The corners of Declan's mouth curled into a satisfied grin. His eyes gleamed with amusement and appreciation.