Apocalypse: becoming the hidden Ruler

Axel had been living pretty comfortably these past few days.

Blackstone hadn't made any more moves, and the gang hadn't dumped a mountain of tasks on him either. For now, they just had him getting familiar with how the different operations worked. That left him with plenty of time to train.

And finally—he'd drained Harrison's life crystal dry.

Inside the room, Axel sat shirtless, his body slick with sweat. It rolled down the sharp lines of his now well-defined muscles.

He used to be thin, wiry. But with his Force and Physique stats steadily climbing, his body had undergone a clear transformation—lean, powerful, and coiled with strength. His form had started to take on the kind of cut and symmetry that made it look like every muscle had a purpose.

Eyes closed, he ran both Meditation and Body Forging at the same time. As the last remnants of Harrison's crystal crumbled in his hand, something strange happened. The sweat on his body stopped evaporating.

A strange current—like an invisible breeze—swirled around him, then slowly seemed to sink into his skin. The sweat vanished, not by drying, but by being… absorbed. Like his body had become a sponge for the surrounding energy.

Axel opened his eyes. A faint smile tugged at his lips.

It's done.

He could feel it now—he'd reached the point where he could naturally absorb Force from the environment. Slowly, yes, but steadily. No more relying on precious Original Stones or life crystals just to stay sharp. He could now maintain his peak state at all times.

"Finally. I can save some damn money."

That was the most exciting part for him. The Blood Refining Stones were mostly gone, Harrison's crystal was spent, and all he had left was half of an Orion crystal—which was his last-ditch trump card. No way he was using that unless shit really hit the fan.

Which meant: once again, Axel was broke.

He shifted into introspection mode. Inside his body, the awakened fragment of the ancient tree had climbed a bit higher. On the second branch, a glowing orb now pulsed gently—it was his third awakening skill.

"Turtle Body. Primary level. Permanently increases physical endurance…"

Axel glanced at his stats panel:

- Physique: 641/641
- Force: 607/607
- Spirit: 605/605

His Physique had taken the lead. Definitely the influence of Turtle Body. He clenched his fists, feeling a wave of raw power rush through him. The world around him looked sharper, more detailed. His thoughts were clearer, quicker.

If Harrison stood in front of me now… I'd crush him without needing a damn plan.

He smirked. His Force level had finally broken the 600 mark—low-grade Tier 2.

In Sin City, that kind of power carried real weight. In a place like Dune, it was a rarity—enough to make city officials treat you like a VIP.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

"Now, let's see what this Turtle Body can really do..."

He hadn't forgotten—the skill came with an active component too: Turtle Breath — Feign Death.

Axel was beyond curious. Just how convincing was this "fake death" thing?

"Turtle Breath."

He activated the skill. Instantly, it felt like all the vitality in his body was sucked inward. Not like exhaustion—but something stranger. Everything that mattered—heart, brain, vital organs—felt insulated, protected.

From the outside? He dropped like a corpse.

Body stiff. No breathing. Skin pale. No visible movement. Even his chest didn't rise or fall. To anyone watching, he looked dead as hell.

A heavy drowsiness washed over him. He tried to resist it, but it was no use. His eyes slid shut.

Still, somewhere deep inside, he was awake. Just barely.

His mental power, though faint, was still active—enough to sense the world around him in soft ripples. Weak, but steady.

"Axel, I made you some mashed potatoes! Come on, give it a try… Axel?"

Gabriel's voice rang from outside the door. After knocking several times and getting no response, a hint of panic crept into his voice.

He was sure Axel hadn't left the apartment. So why wasn't he answering?

Without waiting any longer, Gabriel forced the door open—and what he saw inside stopped him cold.

Axel lay motionless on the floor, pale as a corpse, his limbs stiff. The bowl of mashed potatoes in Gabriel's hands fell to the floor with a soft thud as he rushed over.

"Ax… Axel…"

Hands trembling, Gabriel reached out and placed two fingers under Axel's nose.

No breath.

His heart nearly stopped. He stumbled backward and collapsed onto the floor, his voice trembling.

"Dead? Axel's dead?!"

"You can't be! If you die… how the hell am I supposed to keep going?!"

Tears welled up as he grabbed Axel by the shoulders, shaking him gently.

"Good people always die young… and the bastards live forever. Axel, I swear—I'll remember you forever!"

He sobbed, pounding the ground in frustration.

"…Don't cry. I'm not dead."

"…Huh?!"

Gabriel looked up, stunned, to see Axel standing there—very much alive. "You… you came back to life?!"

Before Axel could say anything, Gabriel bolted from the room like he'd seen a ghost.

Axel sighed and rubbed his face. Honestly, he couldn't even blame the guy. That fake-death state from Turtle Body was way more convincing than he expected. With all his vital signs suppressed, he really did look like a corpse.

Maybe a high-level awakener could see through it—but for anyone weaker? He was as good as gone.

Just then, a familiar voice shouted from outside—angry and confused.

"What did you just say?! Axel's dead?!"

Declan stormed in, eyes wide as he scanned the room. The second he saw Axel standing there perfectly fine, he slapped Gabriel upside the head.

"You little shit! You trying to give me a heart attack?!"

Gabriel stared at Axel, still in disbelief, rubbing his eyes like he was hallucinating.

"You… you were…"

"I was just taking a nap," Axel said calmly, brushing it off. "No need for the drama."

Turtle Body was his new trump card—no way was he about to advertise it. Best to keep that ace hidden.

Declan narrowed his eyes, then remembered why he'd come in the first place.

"Right. You—come with me. We've got something important to handle."

The car roared down the main artery of Sin City, cutting through the haze as it sped toward the heart of the city.

The scenery changed quickly—shabby low-rises gave way to towering buildings, and the streets became busier, brighter, more dangerous. Neon signs lit up every corner, and the people walking here carried themselves with a certain weight.

They were entering Saka Street—Sin City's core district. This was where the real bosses operated. A place where luxury and blood ran side by side. Many of the people who lived here had bounties on their heads from the outside world, particularly from the Whisper Syndicate.

Axel didn't like this place. You couldn't afford to cross the wrong person here. One misstep, and you wouldn't just lose your place—you'd lose your life.

Axel and Declan were the only passengers in the car aside from the driver. As the city sped past the tinted windows, Declan sat beside him, absently rolling a small pill between his fingers, unable to hide the excitement on his face.

"The Exotic Beast Pill... this is the best damn business I've ever seen in my life," Declan said, practically grinning. "Before, Crowe Society handed the stuff out to gangs like scraps."

He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice even though they were alone. "But this time... they called us. Told us to come pick up the goods directly. Us, Axel. You have any idea what that means?"

His eyes lit up, the greed in them barely restrained.