Apocalypse: becoming the hidden Ruler

Outside the hospital, a small group followed Vince to the park behind the building. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows over the benches and trees.

"Rosaline, you were just trying to scare Axel back there, right?" Millers finally asked, breaking the silence. "He's not *really* going to get fired, is he?"

Rosaline shot him a frosty look and didn't dignify the question with a response.

Vince looked around at the others. "Alright. This affects all of us. Let's vote. If you think Axel should stay, raise your hand."

Without hesitation, Millers raised his own. "If the decision were up to us, I'd keep him. No question."

Kaia followed suit, lifting her hand with a shrug. "Honestly, Axel didn't do anything wrong. If I were in his shoes, I would've done the same."

All eyes turned to Phoenix.

He scratched his cheek, grinning sheepishly. "I'm not hurt. As long as he lets us in on the damn plan next time, I'm fine. Besides, this team needs someone who can think ahead."

That made everyone freeze for a second. Was that a dig at them?

"So... we're idiots?" Kaia said, deadpan.

Phoenix chuckled but didn't deny it.

Rosaline let out a sigh, shaking her head. "Alright, here's what we're going to say tomorrow in court…"

She laid out the entire story, detail by detail. By the time she finished, everyone was staring at her like she'd just pulled a gun on a puppy.

Millers blinked. "Wait—if we say that, won't you and the Captain get in trouble?"

Rosaline's face remained calm, her eyes sharp and cold. "Of course. That's why that little bastard needs a good ass-kicking. He screws up, we clean up. It's the only way to protect him."

The group slowly dispersed, leaving only Vince and Rosaline sitting on the bench.

After a moment of quiet, Rosaline said, "I thought you'd kick him out this time."

Vince was silent for a beat, then replied, "If Maxen hadn't taken the bait—if he'd walked away and Axel still wanted to kill him—I would've shut it down. I would've stopped Axel myself. And if Axel went through with it anyway and did that, I'd kick him out. Maybe even killed him myself."

Rosaline looked at him in surprise, then smiled faintly. "That sounds like you. You know this makes waves. The Havoc Division doesn't play around."

"We'll deal with it. And for that kid?" Vince looked out at the horizon. "He's worth it."

Rosaline scoffed but didn't argue. "Him?"

Vince glanced sideways at her. "Don't act like you don't want to keep him too."

Her body stiffened slightly at that, and she frowned. "That's your fault. I'm not interested in covering for some reckless pain-in-the-ass who doesn't follow orders." She stood up with a huff, clearly done with the conversation.

Vince watched her walk away, then gave a small nod.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

"Thanks, Rosaline," he said softly.

She waved behind her without turning around.

Once he was alone, Vince pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

It rang twice before someone picked up. The voice on the other end was unfamiliar.

"Hello?"

"Hi. This is Vince, leader of the Obsidian team, Whisper Syndicate. You're Zane, right?"

There was a pause. "Yeah. That's me."

"Axel's part of my team. Maybe you should lend him a hand."

"Axel? Who the hell is Axel? Why should I help someone I don't even know?"

Vince chuckled. He is indeed Axel's friend, also very vigilant.

"You don't have to pretend. We know who you are, and we're trying to help him too. I'm sure you recognize my voice—after all, you've mimicked it before."

There was a long pause.

Then Zane spoke again, his tone flat.

"Are you reimbursing travel expenses?"

Everton, the capital of Krythos, remained untouched—serene even—as mutant beasts ravaged the frontlines.

Decades of warfare had only made the city more formidable. Towering steel walls rose a hundred meters into the air, lined with military rail systems. A pale blue energy shield shimmered above the skyline, strong enough to withstand strikes from even ninth-level Awakeners.

It was Axel's first time in Everton. He and Annabelle stood together on the edge of the central district, craning their necks to take in the city's soaring skyline.

"Brother, that building's in the clouds."

"Yeah," Axel murmured. "It's at least three times taller than Wolfe's building."

Annabelle pointed again. "Is that a subway? It's running above ground."

"That's a Skyrail," Axel explained, already trying to calm the unease building in his chest. If things went badly, he'd take Annabelle out for a day in the city—then disappear to Beimang, train quietly, pay off his debts, and stay alive.

He had no standing in the Syndicate. The only one he knew was the captain. And if the higher-ups needed a scapegoat to smooth things over with the Havoc Division, he had no illusions about where he stood.

Not going to prison would already be a miracle.

The car came to a halt beside a broad avenue. Axel stared at the building ahead, expression tightening.

Everton's class structure was impossible to miss. Food couriers wove through the traffic. Exhausted sanitation workers slumped on benches, barely conscious. Glossy sports cars zipped by, driven by entitled elites—and then there were the black, unmarked government vehicles that even the rich steered clear of.

Everything here operated in clearly marked layers.

"Let's go." He exhaled slowly, then asked Annabelle to wait in the lobby. With a final nod, he followed Vince and the others into the building.

Inside, a cold, formal meeting room awaited them. At the head of the table sat a stern-looking man in his fifties.

"Take your seats," he said. His tone didn't invite conversation.

To the left sat an older man with silver hair and impeccable posture—Xander, one of the six top leaders of the Whisper Syndicate. The man was a ghost in official matters, rarely seen in person.

To the right sat a face Axel remembered from before: Gideon of the Havoc Division. He'd seemed reasonable last time.

Not today.

Gideon sat rigid, barely hiding the fury in his eyes as the group filed in.

"This hearing will now begin," the man at the head table declared. "I am Kael, presiding over this session."

He turned to Vince. "Vince, Gideon believes you orchestrated a trap to kill Maxen. That Axel, from your team, was central to it. Do you have a response?"

Kael's voice was calm, but it held weight. Everyone here knew the situation: if this had been a freelance Awakener, the incident would've barely registered. But a unsanctioned kill, carried out by a Whisper Syndicate team, was a direct challenge to the rules.

Gideon's stare burned into Axel. He looked ready to tear him apart on the spot.

Axel braced himself. He was prepared to tell the truth and accept whatever punishment came. But before he could speak, Vince placed a hand on his arm and stepped forward.

"Judge Kael, there are two key points I'd like to clarify."

"First, the intent behind the operation wasn't to kill Maxen, but to confirm whether he truly intended to give up pursuing Axel. Axel's abilities alone wouldn't have been enough to resist Maxen if he was serious about killing him."

"Second—and this is important—Axel is a rookie. He's only recently passed the second awakening level."

Gideon's face twisted in disbelief. "You—"

......

"This," Rosaline said, stepping forward, "is Zane. Leader of a minor gang in Dune. His Awakening skill—Strange Face—is highly specialized. He's not strong enough for frontline missions, so we've been training him in logistics."

She clapped twice. A man in a black coat entered the room slowly.

Axel's jaw dropped. Zane?! What the hell was he doing in Everton?

"Zane," Rosaline said. "Show them."

Zane glanced at Axel, then slowly ran a hand down his face. As if sculpting clay, his features morphed. His body expanded, shoulders broadening. In seconds, he stood in front of them as a perfect copy of Phoenix.