Apocalypse: becoming the hidden Ruler

"Sir," Axel said quickly, bowing with respect.

"Axel," Xander said, nodding. "This is Baggins. He's the same rank as me."

Axel turned to the older man behind him, surprised to meet another commander. But Baggins wore a warm smile and radiated none of Xander's usual coldness.

"Pleasure to meet you, Axel," Baggins said. "That was one hell of akick."

Xander folded his arms and looked at the value still glowing on the machine.

"This one's mine," he said. "Not bad, huh?"

Even though Axel's current combat strength wasn't top-tier by Whisper Syndicate standards, his potential was undeniable—miles beyond the average talent.

Baggins chuckled, eyes gleaming. "Kid's got real promise. Axel, how about joining my team? Whatever perks you're hoping for—just name them."

Xander's face instantly darkened. "Piss off. You're trying to poach my guy right in front of me?"

But Baggins just laughed off the insult. "Oh come on. Xander's good at many things—but keeping a lid on that temper isn't one of them. Always cursing, always ready to blow a fuse. Unlike our team—peaceful, harmonious, civilized!"

"Say one more word, Baggins, and I swear I'll crack your skull open."

"Oh no! I'm terrified," Baggins said dramatically. "Axel, think about it. Working under a guy like this—hell, it's like having a bomb as your boss. One wrong word and boom, there goes your shift."

Seeing that Xander's expression was teetering on full berserk mode, Axel quickly cut in. "Commander Baggins, thank you for the offer—but I'm good where I am."

That finally seemed to pacify Xander. His clenched jaw eased, though he still shot daggers at Baggins with his eyes.

Baggins sighed in mock defeat. "Ah, well. Can't blame a guy for trying."

At that moment, footsteps echoed down the hallway. Luke approached with Zara trailing behind, still wiping sweat from her brow after a training session.

"Commander Baggins, commander Xander—you're both here," Luke said, surprised but respectful.

"Luke," Baggins greeted with a nod. Xander merely gave a small grunt of acknowledgment.

Axel turned to them and offered a respectful farewell. "Commander, Commander Baggins—I'll take my leave now. Need to go consolidate what I've learned."

He nodded politely to Luke and Zara as well, then headed out of the hall alone.

Once Axel had gone, Luke turned to Zara. "Zara, you're in luck. Both commanders are here—why don't you run through that new combat method you've been working on?"

The Whisper Syndicate didn't have the kind of rigid hierarchy other organizations did. Team leaders earned their place through raw strength, not seniority. If Zara could get feedback from these two legends, it would be invaluable.

"Yes, sir." Despite some nerves, Zara's eyes were full of anticipation. She was serious about her craft and eager for a chance to improve.

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She walked over to the nearest energy tester and was about to demonstrate her technique—until her gaze caught the number still glowing on the display.

> 982

Zara froze.

There weren't many people training in the hall today. And it was highly unlikely that either of the commanders had been playing around with a basic tester. That left only one possibility.

Axel. He was the one who had scored that number.

"Zara? What's up?" Luke noticed her hesitation and wandered over, curious.

Then he saw the number. He sucked in a breath. "Whoa… Was he using a weapon?"

His disbelief wasn't meant to slight Axel—he was just struggling to process the result. It completely shattered his expectations.

"That kid's a freak," Luke muttered, scratching his beard.

Zara bit her lip.

She'd been training combat methods for over two months, and even on a good day, she could barely break the 700 mark. The gap felt massive—almost unfair.

Seeing the look on her face, Luke quickly said, "Alright, that's enough for today. Don't stress about it. Keep your head up, Zara—you're heading to Shiverstone tomorrow, remember? You're one of our main fighters there."

"I'm okay, Captain," Zara said, shaking her head and forcing a smile. She shoved the disappointment back down where it belonged. Giving up wasn't her style.

"Good," Luke said, nodding with approval.

Xander and Baggins exchanged a look. They didn't say anything. Just a quiet nod between two veterans.

Two promising stars had appeared before their eyes today.

......

After leaving the training hall, Axel finally exhaled a long breath. The tension in his chest eased, replaced by quiet satisfaction. What happened last night wasn't a dream—he had verified it. It was real.

Up until now, Axel's fighting style had been crude at best—just swinging his fists or picking up any weapon he could find. No technique, no finesse. It was messy, it was ugly, and worst of all—it hurt like hell. Every fight had felt like a form of self-inflicted torture.

But now, he had a foundation. He'd almost fully grasped the basics of the whip kick. The difference was night and day. With more life crystals, he could integrate more combat experience and learn other advanced techniques.

He tried his luck at the hospital and cemetery next, hoping to find more crystallized life essence. But just like in Dune, he came up empty-handed.

"Whatever. I'll head back for now and study some new forms."

Getting off the subway, Axel noticed a small crowd gathered around the entrance. Street vendors were selling black robes, and groups of tourists were pouring out of the station—college students in flashy enchanted uniforms, parents with their kids, and even a girl with antlers on her head bouncing by, holding a bunch of helium balloons.

Then he saw the sign up ahead: Everton Universal Studios.

So this was Universal Studios?

Axel had only ever known amusement parks from the tiny children's park in Dune, with creaky swings, a rusted Ferris wheel, and a sad little merry-go-round. But this place—just from the towering silhouettes of the rides in the distance—was on a whole different level. High-tech. Massive. Borderline futuristic.

He could hear laughter and screams of excitement drifting on the wind from beyond the gates.

Axel glanced at the girl with the balloons—she looked about Annabelle's age. Something softened inside him. He hesitated for a moment... then turned and walked toward the park entrance.

.......

Twenty minutes later, he returned to the hotel.

The room was spotless. Their few belongings were neatly arranged, luggage already packed.

Annabelle sat quietly by the window, still in the plain white sweater she used to wear in Dune. She looked up as he came in, her eyes gentle.

"Brother, have you eaten? I can order you something," she offered.

She hadn't been going out much these days. Without Axel around, she mostly kept to herself.

"You going out to train again?" she asked, already starting to get up. "I'll head out then, so I don't get in the way—"

"No more training today," Axel interrupted with a smile. "I'm taking you somewhere."

"Where?" Her eyes widened with curiosity.

Axel reached into his pocket and pulled out two tickets, holding them up with a grin.

Annabelle stared, confused for a second—then her entire face lit up.

"For real?! We're going to Universal Studios?!" Her voice cracked with excitement, disbelief, and joy all tangled together.

Axel couldn't help but laugh. "Of course. I told you I'd take you."

"I… I'll go change into something cute!" she said, already dashing toward her suitcase.

Before long, she was ready—flaxen hair loose around her shoulders, cheeks flushed with excitement. She practically skipped ahead of him as they left.

At the gates of Universal Studios, the line of tourists stretched endlessly.

A sterile, automated voice echoed from the speakers: "Please present your ID and immunization certification. Maintain order as you enter."

The moment the announcement played, both Axel and Annabelle froze.