NOVEL NEXT Chapter153 - Training compound
He turned to the second projection—the killer who wanted to take out Crowe. His movements were faster, sharper, more elegant. Less brute force, more finesse. Axel could feel it instantly—this guy's mastery of the whip kick far surpassed Orion's.
When he turned to Maxen, the sensation was completely different.
Maxen's abilities leaned heavily into supernatural force—his melee skills were half-baked, barely useful. Still, there was something to glean. Even scraps from a powerful Awakened like him carried value.
Axel let the knowledge soak in.
Time lost meaning. The spectral figures stood before him, cycling through motions like instructors. As he watched and absorbed, his technique evolved in real-time.
When the phantoms finally dissolved into mist, Axel blinked. The visions were gone—but the knowledge remained, etched into his bones.
Whatever this unknown awakening skill was, it was insane. Morally gray? Maybe. But damn... he liked it.
He checked his condition again:
> Physique: 362 / 682
> Force: 257 / 679
> Spirit: 112 / 683
The mental and physical cost was steep. He wasn't in the shape to keep pushing, so he shelved the idea of learning a second move. For now.
The next morning, Axel opened his eyes. He was about 70 to 80 percent recovered.
He needed to test the whip kick in real combat conditions. No point memorizing something you couldn't land when it counted.
He called Vince.
Thirty minutes later, Axel stood in front of Everton's Whisper Syndicate training compound—a sleek black building that radiated intensity.
Waiting at the entrance were a man and a woman.
"Axel. Good to meet you," the man said, offering a handshake. "I'm Luke, captain of the Black Talon squad. This is Zara, one of my team."
Luke looked like a seasoned fighter—forties, sharp build, a few streaks of gray in his hair and beard, but still radiating strength. Zara was in a fitted white training uniform, tall and poised. Her eyes lingered on Axel for a beat longer than polite.
Vince told them someone new was coming in for testing, but this… this kid looked like he was barely twenty.
"Hello, Captain Luke," Axel greeted, nodding to both of them.
The three of them scanned their IDs and walked into the compound.
Luke gestured toward a series of chambers. "We've got all the usual stuff—gravity halls for building raw strength, speed rooms, reflex tests, technique simulators. What are you looking for?"
Axel didn't hesitate. "I'm here to test my moves."
Luke raised an eyebrow. "So you've started combat method training already?"
That surprised him. Most rookies relied on awakened skills and brute force. Combat methods required control, discipline, time. If Axel was already practicing those, he was more advanced than he looked.
"I've just started. Still rough around the edges," Axel replied modestly.
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Luke nodded. "Alright. Let's hit the physical combat hall. I'm a melee type myself. I can help guide you."
"Appreciate it, Captain, but I'd like to train solo first. If anything feels off, I'll come ask."
Luke looked at him for a moment—curious, but not offended. "Fair enough. Go at your own pace."
As Axel walked off toward the practice zone, Zara leaned toward her captain. "Bit cocky, isn't he?"
Luke chuckled. "He's young. Let him have it. We'll see what he's got."
Inside the hall, staff members in sleek uniforms guided them professionally. A ponytailed attendant led Axel to a reinforced testing machine.
"Mr. Axel, this is the energy level analyzer. It reads the power of your attacks—whether they come from physical strength or awakening skills."
Axel gave a short nod. "Got it."
He cracked his knuckles and stepped forward. Breathing deep, he warmed up slowly, then closed his eyes for a moment—recalling every kick, every sensation Orion and the others had passed to him.
At that moment, two elderly men in plain training garb emerged from the far side of the hall.
One of them was Xander—Obsidian's direct superior—and beside him walked another man of similar age and stature. As they flashed their credentials, the staff nearby straightened up instantly, their tension palpable.
"It's fine, carry on," Xander said with a casual wave. "We're just here to observe."
The staff dispersed, returning to their tasks, though a few stole nervous glances.
"Xander," the other man said, his voice low but laced with curiosity. "I heard your team took down someone from the Havoc Division. What the hell happened?"
This was Baggins, a commander on the same level as Xander.
Xander gave a dismissive grunt. "Just some trash. Maxen. He had a criminal record back in Langford—Gideon bailed him out. Then the idiot tried to kill one of our new recruits."
Baggins raised an eyebrow, mulling over that for a second. "Hmph. That's interesting."
He glanced around at the pristine training hall. "Havoc Division's not the kind of problem you solve quietly. How'd you handle it?"
"Three months' pay docked from everyone involved."
Baggins blinked, lips twitching in disbelief. "That's your punishment? You're seriously protecting that kids, aren't you? There's no way Havoc's people accepted that."
Xander didn't respond at first, eyeing a row of high-end training machines.
Baggins leaned in a little, voice dropping. "Don't tell me you paid off the damage under the table."
Xander stayed silent.
"You did," Baggins muttered, rubbing his beard. "Does Vince know?"
"No," Xander finally said. "But I guess that he have figured it out."
Baggins shook his head and exhaled sharply. "I heard this whole mess started because of the rookie. And you didn't cut him loose?"
At the mention of Axel, Xander's expression softened—just slightly.
"That kid's different," he said. "He's a real one. Worth protecting."
"Come on, Xander. He's just a level-two awakener," Baggins scoffed.
"You don't know shit," Xander said flatly.
"Hey, no need to get cranky. You're old enough to have a little grace."
But Xander had already started walking toward the second-floor observation deck above the testing chamber.
Still mumbling under his breath, Baggins followed—until Xander suddenly stopped.
"Hey, Xander—"
"Shh," Xander cut him off, pointing to the training field below. "You wanted to see the kid? That's him."
Down in the testing area, Axel was adjusting his breathing in front of the machine. Focused. Calm.
Then he moved.
He pivoted on his left foot. His right leg whipped through the air with insane speed, Force rippling along his muscles, amplifying the motion. The kick sliced the air with a loud snap before crashing into the machine.
Bang!
The air practically exploded.
Baggins, who had been watching with casual disinterest, instantly straightened up. His expression shifted as soon as he saw the kick land.
They didn't even need to look at the display. He already knew the number was going to be high. Very high.
"He's only level two, but he's already practicing real combat techniques," Baggins murmured. "No way he's over twenty. And he's already this smooth with a whip kick?"
His eyes narrowed. "Okay... now that's a goddamn talent."
Without another word, they turned and started heading downstairs.
Axel exhaled slowly and stepped back from the machine.
> Energy Level: 982
He stared at the number, then entered his rank level into the console. A new reference appeared:
> Level 2 Peak Awakener — Average Energy Output: 571
Axel's lips curled into a grin. His strike had nearly doubled the expected output for his rank.
In a real fight, sure—he might not land a clean, fully charged kick like this. But he'd only recovered to about 70 or 80 percent of his full strength.
At full power? He'd be dangerous.
Behind him, the attendant's eyes went wide. "Mr. Axel… that was insane!"
Most prodigies his age, even the elite students from Stormwatch Academy, maxed out around 600 or 700 energy at best.
Axel had just blown that out of the water.
"You're incredible!" she said again.
Before Axel could respond, he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. Xander was standing beside him.