Apocalypse: becoming the hidden Ruler

Blackstone, on the other hand? He froze for a second. Then his face twisted in barely contained rage.

Fuck. This shit had flipped his own threat back on him. Blackstone scratched at his ear, then his jaw—

Declan took the opening instantly. "Axel said it well. Then it's settled. He'll take on the job."

Blackstone clenched his jaw. For a second, he looked like he might object. Then, with a sharp inhale, he exhaled hard through his nose and dropped back into his seat. "Fine."

He grabbed his wine glass, downed it in one go, and shot Axel a cold, narrow-eyed glare. "You've got guts, guy."

The other big names at the table stayed silent. Because while Blackstone was powerful, this was still Declan's gang. At least for now. If Blackstone's strength rose again, though…

Well. That was a different story.

For now? No one wanted to get caught between the two of them. Even if Axel had played it smart, he'd just made an enemy.

The banquet wrapped up, and people began to leave. But just as Axel turned to go, Declan stopped him.

"Axel, do this job well." Declan's voice was smooth, casual. "I have high hopes for you."

Axel tilted his head slightly. Ah. So now Declan wanted him to be grateful? He'd just shoved a live grenade into Axel's hands. A battlefield between the old gang leader and the rising faction.

He wasn't about to let Declan get away with taking the moral high ground. So he met Declan's gaze, and his expression turned sincere. "Boss, I'll do my best." His tone was steady, loyal, unwavering. "I can tell Mr. Blackstone wasn't happy. But that didn't stop me."

Axel leaned forward slightly. "After all, you're the one who brought me in. I know exactly who I should be working for." A perfect performance. The unwavering loyalty.

Declan's expression twitched. He hadn't expected that. For a brief moment, he felt guilty. He coughed, adjusting his collar.

Luckily, the awkward moment was cut short. A young gang member ran up, slightly breathless. "Boss! Lucas just woke up!"

Declan's eyes widened. "Shit, I almost forgot about that!" He turned to Axel. "Come with me. I need your help with something."

Axel followed. But his mind was stuck on one thing. Lucas. That name… Why did it sound so damn familiar?

Following Declan to the gang's private clinic, Axel waved away the lingering scent of smoke in the air. As he stepped inside and took a closer look, memories surfaced in an instant.

It wasn't an illusion—he really did know this man.

"Your awakening skill should be a healing ability, right? Well, we've got a tough bastard here who could use it."

Declan gestured toward the man lying on the bed, his limbs wrapped in gauze. "This guy got caught on a job in Krythos. I thought for sure he was done for. But somehow, the lucky bastard managed to escape."

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

No way—wasn't this the lone wolf, Lucas?! Back when Axel was sent to Black Rock Prison, Lucas had been his cellmate. He never thought he'd run into him again, least of all here.

Even with his face covered in scars and dried blood, Axel recognized him immediately. And the truth was, Lucas's escape had everything to do with him.

When Axel saw him, his initial thought wasn't about treatment—it was about to silence him. But he dismissed the idea just as quickly. Before Lucas had escaped, he'd been marked for death—offending the wrong people, with even the warden bending the rules to send two awakened assassines after him.

What happened after that? Only Lachlan and his crew would know. Everything about the Whisper Syndicate was locked down tight. Even if Lucas had stuck around in Dune, he wouldn't have gotten wind of what happened behind the scenes.

"See if you can patch him up?" Declan asked.

Lucas had been one of the toughest guys in Black Rock Prison. But here, in the Steel Serpents, he was just another gang thug—one of the better ones, sure, but not irreplaceable. If he could get to level two, though? That'd be a different story.

Still, the fact that he had escaped Krythos' prison had clearly earned him some respect in Declan's eyes.

"Alright, I'll do what I can," Axel said, taking a closer look.

He had seen enough injuries to know what he was dealing with. Clearly, Lucas had broken his own limbs to escape, using torn clothing as makeshift tourniquets before crawling his way to freedom.

Axel could tell that Lucas had an awakening ability of his own, likely one that boosted his recovery. His limbs had already started to regenerate.

Lucas wasn't in any immediate danger. His real problem was sheer exhaustion—both physical and mental. He'd burned himself out.

A little recharge and some healing would bring him back.

"Heal." A soft glow flickered at Axel's fingertips as he channeled his ability. His face flushed, sweat beading on his forehead, as if he were pushing himself to the limit.

Under his touch, color returned to Lucas's face. His body twitched slightly. Declan's eyes gleamed with anticipation.

But just as quickly, Axel let himself sag onto the chair beside him, panting heavily. He gave a strained smile. "Shit… he's in rough shape. If I try a few more times, I should be able to wake him up."

Declan clapped a hand on Axel's shoulder, clearly impressed. "No rush. This alone is more than I expected."

Axel exhaled, relieved that Declan wasn't suspicious. His gaze flicked back to Lucas, wrapped in gauze like a half-mummified corpse. Then, almost absentmindedly, he muttered to himself, "I don't know… Maybe it's just me, but he looks kind of familiar. Like I've seen him somewhere before."

"Oh?" Declan perked up, intrigued, just as his phone buzzed in his pocket.

He waved a hand dismissively at Axel. "Hold that thought—I need to take this."

As Declan stepped away, Axel felt the tension in his chest ease. If Lucas woke up and recognized him, he'd have an explanation ready.

......

"That kid's got a death wish!" With a sharp crack, the wine glass shattered. Blackstone stood on an animal skin rug in the middle of the dimly lit room, his face twisted with fury.

Around him, three of his most trusted men stood silently, their expressions tense. They knew exactly why their boss was pissed—Declan's decision had not sat well with him.

One of the burly men, a large blade resting against his shoulder, let out a low chuckle."Blackstone, you've been busting your ass for that Exotic Beast Pill. Why the hell should you let that kid take your place? Far as I see it, we should just find the right moment and take him out—problem solved."

The suggestion hit home. Blackstone's fingers twitched, itching to make the call then and there.

"No. Absolutely not." The voice came from a thin man with a pointed beard, standing slightly apart from the others. His name was Caden—one of the few truly sharp minds in Blackstone's crew. The moment he spoke, the two other thugs shot him irritated glares, but Blackstone held up a hand, signaling for him to continue.

"Caden, don't tell me we can't handle a first-level awakener," the knife-wielding thug sneered, dropping heavily into a nearby chair. "You think the boss would turn against us for one fucking shit?"

"If it were anyone else, no. But Axel? He absolutely would." Caden's bony fingers tugged at his beard as he ignored the others and spoke directly to Blackstone. "That guy is smart. Every word he's spoken so far has been carefully chosen. He's not just kissing ass—he's staking his claim in front of the whole gang."