Apocalypse: becoming the hidden Ruler

A drug that could cure infection. He looked down at the files, at the sealed photo of the Heavenly Spirit Fruit. And then—like lightning—he thought of Annabelle.

She was infected. Yet she wasn't like the others. She didn't show the same degradation. She wasn't afraid of sunlight. And if she fed on enough life force or crystals, she remained stable—human, even.

Father must have used the potion on her. But why had she become infected at all?

As Axel stood in silence, Isaac said nothing. He just waited—watching.

Finally, Axel looked up. His eyes were steady. "Alright. I'll do it. When do we leave?"

Isaac exhaled, quietly relieved. "Good. But don't rush. First, you need to know what you're walking into."

He leaned forward again.

"When the Abyss opens, every major force in the country will send representatives. The Whisper Syndicate. The Ministry of Defense. The Havoc Division. Even the private armies of the noble families. Everyone wants a piece of the Abyss."

"I'll make sure your name's on the list.."

Isaac's eyes narrowed slightly. "But when you search for the Heavenly Spirit Fruit… make sure you're alone. No witnesses. If anyone sees you pick it—your cover's blown. You'll become a target."

Axel nodded once. Message received.

Isaac then reached for a black case at his side. He unlocked it and opened it with a satisfying click.

Inside lay a crimson blade, nearly two feet long, gleaming like a living flame.

"This is the Red Flame Blade. Another C-class artifact. It amplifies damage output and can be pre-charged with Force. But be warned—once your energy runs out, it drains your reserves directly. Use it wisely."

He smiled faintly. "Consider it my personal investment."

Axel stared at the weapon. If he had said no, that blade would've stayed locked up.

With the Cloud Chasing Boots and the Red Flame Blade, Axel could already feel the boost in his combat capabilities.

"If you pull off this mission," Isaac had told him, "you'll earn another significant merit."

Axel didn't respond immediately. After a moment, he said calmly, "Mr. Isaac, I'll do the job—but that doesn't mean I'm joining the Holy Light Organization."

Isaac nodded without offense. "Understood. No strings attached. We're not asking for anything more."

He straightened his coat. "The Abyss will open soon. Don't worry about the entry quota—I'll take care of it."

After Isaac left, Axel wasted no time and contacted Annabelle. He had to call her back before she reported.

"Bro, how did it go?" Annabelle returned with concern written all over her face.

"He's definitely with the Holy Light Organization," Axel said quietly, "but things aren't as black-and-white as we thought."

He walked her through most of what Isaac had shared—about the Abyss, about their father, about the potential cure.

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Annabelle absorbed it all silently. Then she asked, "What are you going to do?"

Axel's eyes narrowed.

"I'm going to the Abyss. I need to find out what our father went through down there. And if that Heavenly Spirit Fruit really can cure the infected... I need to see it for myself."

He stood, tightening the strap of the Red Flame Blade across his back.

"I'm heading out. I need to test this gear."

......

Though most of the city was still under lockdown, Axel was a Whisper Syndicate member—no one questioned him as he left.

Soon, he reached the desolate outskirts. The wind was sharp, the land cracked and open like a scar. The boots on his feet were snug, the fit perfect.

"Let's see what these babies can do."

He focused, channeled Force into the Cloud Chasing Boots, and kicked off.

In an instant, the world blurred.

Axel was hurled forward like a shot out of a cannon—he lost balance, stumbled, barely keeping upright as the ground streaked by beneath him.

"Holy shit—too fast!" he muttered, skidding to a stop. Even without going full power, he'd just crossed hundreds of meters in seconds.

He took a moment to adjust. After a few more test sprints, he began to stabilize his footing, syncing his rhythm with the gear's explosive speed.

Then he drew the Red Flame Blade.

Holding his breath, he focused on a small hill about five or six meters tall in the distance.

He swung.

A red arc of energy burst from the blade. The hill cracked, shattered, then exploded into a cloud of dust and flying debris.

Axel stared at it, stunned.

"So this is the real deal…"

Up until now, he'd been wearing basic Syndicate gear. Even Tristan had offered him Original Instruments, but Axel never used them.

This was the first time he truly wielded one.

And the difference? Night and day.

"You get what you pay for," he muttered, awestruck.

Then an idea struck him.

"What if I channel the Fire Spirit energy into the blade?"

He focused again, this time feeding Fire Force into the Red Flame Blade.

Immediately, he felt a sharp pull, like the sword was trying to suck the life right out of him.

His face paled. "Goddamn—this thing's a glutton."

Only after draining about a third of his Force reserves did the blade stop pulling. A red aura formed around the edge, faint but deadly.

"Let's try this again."

With a grunt, he brought the blade down like a whip.

Boom.

A taller hill in the distance didn't just crack—it exploded. The red energy tore straight through it, then kept going, carving a deep trench over ten meters long through the ground.

Axel was left gasping, pale and slick with sweat.

"This thing is a monster."

He steadied himself. "Good thing I have a flood-level Original Vein… otherwise I'd be dry after just one attack."

He took one last look around. The land was scorched. The air smelled of ozone and heat.

"The Force density in the Abyss is five times higher. At least I won't need to worry about running dry there."

He turned, tightening his grip on the blade.

"Time to head back… and finish absorbing that Level 5 life crystal."

.......

Four days later, Axel received a call from Vince.

On the line, he was informed: both he and Millers had been selected to enter the Abyss. They were to rendezvous at Duskwatch, located in the ruins of Western Bridgeport.

......

Langford — Havoc Division HQ

Inside a dimly lit room, a man with a cold, shadowy presence stood silently beside Gideon.

Gideon, now older and more weathered than just six months ago, exhaled slowly as he glanced at the name on the candidate list.

"A genius," he muttered. "Didn't expect that kid to rise so fast… He's already at fourth-tier Awakener strength."

The thin man, eyes narrow and fingers twitching like he could crush steel, frowned. "Was he hiding his power?"

Gideon shook his head.

"No. I saw him with my own eyes. Back then, he was definitely just second-tier. Varek, if we want revenge, this is our only window. Wait too long, and he'll be out of your reach."

Varek, the shadowy man, scanned the file on his phone, memorized every detail, and wiped it clean with a tap.

"I remember. He's going to learn that no one kills a Havoc Division officer and walks away clean."

Gideon's expression darkened with satisfaction. "Exactly. If we let this slide, people will think Havoc Division is full of cowards."

Varek wasn't just anyone—he was Havoc Division's most promising young operative. His strength was already pushing into upper-fourth tier territory.

"The entry point to the Abyss is randomized," Gideon warned. "If Axel manages to regroup with his allies, it'll get complicated. Handle him early."

"Don't worry," Varek said lazily, chewing on a stick of gum. "I'll take care of it."

"Good," Gideon nodded. "I've spoken to a few trusted friends in Havoc Division. When the time comes, they'll have your back."

.....

Elsewhere — Windsor Family Estate, Mirabelle

Inside the manor, all the key players of the Windsor family had gathered.