Apocalypse: becoming the hidden Ruler

"Mayor Silas, I thought the purification process was finished. Why is the entire block sealed off?"

"That came from the governor himself," Silas replied with a sigh. "Temporary lockdown. Just a precaution."

"Well, can you at least get us some supplies? We're running low."

"Oh, hell—sorry, that slipped my mind. I'll send someone right away."

True to his word, a small convoy arrived not long after, unloading sacks of rice, flour, vegetables, and fresh meat at Axel's door.

......

Later that night, Axel finally began to absorb the chromatic dragon's crystal.

His body steamed with heat as Force surged through him, reshaping every cell. His skin glistened, his breathing slowed, and his pulse deepened.

"This… this is it. That step Xander talked about," he muttered.

The Force was refining. More compact, more volatile. It felt damn good. And his awakening skill, Recharge, was nearing evolution.

Still sitting in the residual glow, Axel glanced toward the window, then checked the clock. No one has come for so long.

He frowned. Is it because they're afraid I'll rat them out?

That thought sent a jolt through him. "Shit."

Axel bolted upright , "Annabelle!"

"Then you're in danger, right?"

Annabelle's voice trembled slightly as she processed Axel's plan.

Axel exhaled, nodding grimly. "There's something I overlooked. If this person really holds a high-ranking position, then just coming to meet me is already a huge risk for him."

He paused, gaze distant. "And he doesn't know where I stand... if I show any signs of resistance…"

Annabelle's breath caught. "—he'll kill you."

Axel snapped his fingers and pointed at her. "Exactly. That's why I need you to be my backup."

Annabelle bit her lower lip. ith Axel's current strength, unless the person had an overwhelming advantage, he might have a chance to fight or escape. But if she was present… she'd be a weakness. A hostage.

Her eyes flickered with pain, but she nodded anyway. "Okay."

After spending so long inside the Whisper Syndicate, Axel's guard had dropped. He'd started trusting humans too easily. That kind of complacency was dangerous.

Fortunately, he caught himself in time.

Back in his room, Axel sat down and took out the chromatic dragon's life crystal again.

The lower-tier crystals he'd absorbed before had all been a deep green. But this one… this one shimmered with an ominous black-green hue.

Just holding it in his hand, he could feel the massive energy pulsing within it—alive, aggressive, and volatile.

He centered his breathing, placed the crystal in his palm, and began the absorption.

Immediately, Force surged through his original vein like molten lava. Despite his preparation, Axel grimaced, feeling the acute sting run through his core.

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Too much. The energy gap between this crystal and his current level was just too wide.

He had no choice but to stop after a few minutes, his whole body damp with sweat.

........

That afternoon, shouts echoed from outside the yard, jerking Axel out of his meditation.

"Please! My child has a high fever! Let me out!"

Frowning, Axel stashed the crystal and stepped outside. He could see the commotion clearly from his courtyard wall.

All around, people were peeking through their windows.

A man in his forties stood trembling, holding a limp child in his arms. The kid looked about five or six, face pale and body motionless.

Two yellow-uniformed quarantine guards blocked the entrance to the street.

"No one's allowed out unless it's cleared by the governor. Just give him something for the fever," one of them said coldly.

"I did! It's not working!" the man snapped, voice cracking. "Please, I'm begging you!"

The guards crossed their arms. "Special lockdown. If we let you through, everyone's gonna want out. You think we haven't seen this before?"

The man's breathing turned ragged. His knuckles went white as he clutched the boy. His expression twisted, fury overtaking fear.

"I swear to God, if my son dies because of you—I'll kill anyone who stands in my way!"

He dashed back into the building and reappeared with a pistol.

"You're insane!" the other guard barked. "Drop the weapon! I said drop it! I'll count to three!"

They drew their own firearms and shouted into their radios for backup.

Just as the tension peaked, a calm voice broke through the chaos.

"Don't be reckless."

Axel stepped between them, his eyes cool and steady. With a smooth motion, he disarmed the man, catching the gun with one hand.

"I'll handle this," he said quietly, glancing at the guards.

He didn't wait for a response. He turned and picked up the unconscious boy.

Inside the modest home, Axel gently laid the child on a worn bed and placed his hand on the kid's forehead. The heat was intense—far beyond a standard fever.

Within moments, a faint glow shimmered beneath his palm. The boy's shallow breathing evened out. The color slowly returned to his face.

"It's alright now," Axel said softly.

The boy blinked, groggy but awake. "Big brother…" he murmured.

Axel chuckled and scooped him up, bouncing him slightly.

The man collapsed to his knees, overcome with relief. "Thank you. God, thank you. If it weren't for you…" His voice cracked with emotion. "I don't know how long this lockdown's going to last."

Axel patted his shoulder. "Just take care of your son."

The man nodded, holding his child close, and quietly returned inside.

The infected were a catastrophic threat to ordinary people. If his father had truly thrown in with those lunatics... then no matter what blood tied them, Axel could never stand by his side.

As that thought settled into his mind, Axel spotted a sleek black car pulling up in front of the house.

A tall, silver-haired old man stepped out, flanked by two guards. Despite his age, he stood upright with a sharp glint of curiosity in his eyes. His smile was calm and disarming as he extended a hand toward Axel.

"Hello, Axel. I'm Isaac, head of Logistics at the Whisper Syndicate."

For a moment, Axel's muscles tensed. Then, with a practiced smile, he walked forward and shook the man's hand.

"Hello, Mr. Isaac. What brings you here today?"

Axel led him toward the house. From the corner of his eye, he saw Annabelle inside. His tone lowered slightly.

"Annabelle, would you mind going next door and borrowing some tea? We have a guest."

Annabelle blinked, startled, but quickly nodded with a polite smile toward Isaac before slipping out the door.

Isaac followed Axel inside, then set a small, sealed box on the table.

"I had some business nearby. It's a C-class artifact—Cloud Chasing Boots. Xander barged into my office that night demanding them for you."

Axel chuckled lightly, masking his suspicion with polite amusement. … something didn't sit right.

Isaac's attitude was too relaxed. Too natural. Why would a department head of his rank personally deliver gear like this?

The more Axel thought about it, the clearer it became—this wasn't a friendly visit. Isaac had come with purpose.

Still, he played along. They chatted briefly, their conversation light, but Axel kept his guard up.

Isaac sipped from a cup of water he'd poured himself, then gave a small wave of his hand. In an instant, the room dimmed slightly, the air shimmering with faint Force energy.

The space was sealed.

Axel's body went rigid. The air pressure shifted as Isaac's demeanor changed.

The warmth vanished. He wasn't smiling anymore. Power radiated off of him like heat from a furnace.

"You already know why I'm really here, don't you?" Isaac said calmly.

Outside, Annabelle wouldn't return—Isaac understood that. It only made him respect the boy more.

Axel's mind spun. He's the one. The one who erased our records. The Whisper Syndicate's traitor—the Holy Light Organization's mole.

Isaac.

Heart pounding, Axel took a slow breath and forced himself to meet the old man's gaze.

"I have one question to start," he said. "Is he still alive?"

Isaac paused. Then, he sighed with a rueful smile. "So… you don't know either."

Even the Holy Light Organization didn't know what had happened to his father?

Axel's gaze drifted—just briefly—toward the hidden compartment near the stairs.