Apocalypse: becoming the hidden Ruler[English]

The Whisper Syndicate’s dedicated hospital was reserved for the gravely wounded. Ordinary injuries could be healed quickly with the help of healing-type Awakeners. Only when something went truly wrong did the military send people here.

Outside Ward 303 on the third floor, Axel placed his longsword against a chair. His visitation request had been approved.

When he pushed open the door, two Level Two Awakened nurses were performing routine treatment.

“Rosaline…” Axel murmured, resting his hand against the glass container.

She lay submerged in pale green solution. Plant-like tendrils wrapped around her torso and limbs, reinforcing her body and repairing damage.

Her eyes were closed. Her arms—nearly torn away—were connected only by strands of red tendons, enveloped in regenerative plant tissue.

“A Level Five healing-type Awakened should be able to restore severed limbs,” Axel said quietly. “What happened?”

The nurse hesitated, then answered. “Her arms were ripped off during combat. Corrosive energy was infused into the wounds. That energy must be neutralized before full regeneration can occur.”

Axel’s heart skipped.

“I understand. Thank you.”

He left several raw gems for the nurses and exited the hospital slowly.

A heavyset figure watched him from a distance—and followed.

......

Late that night, trucks loaded with processed mutant beast remains rolled out of the North Canal Processing Plant.

After a while, Axel emerged from the shadows, carrying a bag of beast meat.

From the top floor of a nearby building, Butcher stared in disbelief.

He hadn’t expected Axel to be this calm.

Still, he followed.

Eventually, Axel stopped on the rooftop of a building. Several bottles of beer were lined up beside him, along with simple side dishes. The moon hung high overhead, casting a long, thin shadow that made him look strangely alone.

“Mind if I join?” Butcher said, dropping down beside him.

“The beer’s in the bag,” Axel replied tiredly. “Help yourself.”

Butcher popped open a bottle, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and grinned. “Didn’t think you were the type to drink your feelings away. But I’m ready to drag you home if you run.”

Axel smiled faintly, bitterness flickering in his eyes. He took a sip of ice-cold beer, then folded his arms behind his head and lay back at the edge of the roof.

The summer night breeze eased the lingering heat.

“I wish I had that kind of courage,” he said quietly.

Butcher chuckled. “I used to struggle with that too.”

Seeing Axel glance over, Butcher leaned back on his hands, gazing at the city lights in the distance.

“My job is to make sure you don’t die,” he said. “Problem is… I’ve always been a bit impulsive myself.”

“I admire people who are hot-blooded and straightforward,” Butcher said lazily. “If you really had the balls to spill blood, we’d probably get along even better.”

Axel gave a self-mocking smirk. “So I disappointed you?”

Butcher burst out laughing. “In a way. But I’m not a kid anymore—my standards aren’t that shallow. Self-control like yours? That’s rare.”

Axel sat up, locking eyes with him. “You’re saying I’m a coward, aren’t you?”

“Hah, figured it out already?” Butcher raised his bottle. “Don’t even think about running off. I’ve got my eye on you.”

They clinked bottles.

After a long pause, Axel spoke quietly. “I used to think… if there was something I could do, then I should do it.”

Butcher fell silent.

“Riley told you to watch me, didn’t she?” Axel continued. “She figured I’d put on a calm face and hide everything underneath.”

Butcher chuckled, shaking his head. “Sharp as hell. So what are you getting at?”

Axel took another drink, then said seriously, “She’s right. At first, I did mislead you. I made it look like I was willing to stay put.”

Butcher’s pupils shrank slightly. “She was right?”

“Yes.” Axel exhaled slowly. “But time dulls pain… and forces people to think.”

He pulled out his phone, opened the Awakened Forum, and shoved it toward Butcher.

“Before, I thought the Saints were classified targets. Untouchable. No one would officially go after them—so I did.”

“But now?” His voice wavered. “A joint military operation. The Wilderness Hunters Guild. Countless elite Awakeneds… and still—”

He stopped, swallowing hard.

“People I care about lost an eye. Others are lying unconscious in hospital beds.”

Axel’s eyes reddened.

“In my mind, the captain and the others were invincible. They protected me when I was weak, when I didn’t even know how this world worked.” His fists tightened. “I can’t accept that even they, with elite support, ended up like this.”

For the first time, Butcher felt the urge to reach out and comfort him.

“I’m furious,” Axel whispered. “Rosaline is crippled. Mr. Charles is dead. Phoenix lost an eye. And in the end… I realized I can’t do a damn thing about it.”

Tears finally spilled over.

At that moment, Butcher’s long-ingrained suspicion completely dissolved.

“Axel,” he said quietly, patting his shoulder, “then cry. Let it out. You’ll get stronger—strong enough to change things. Just… not yet.”

They didn’t return home until deep into the night.

Riley stared at the two men, arms slung over each other, reeking of alcohol. Her brow furrowed.

“How did you two get this drunk?”

She waved away the stench and helped Axel into a chair.

Butcher laughed. “Drinking away regrets. Talked things through. Don’t have many drinking buddies in Everton—today was a good one.”

Riley rubbed her temples helplessly.

“Miss Riley… I’m gonna… go rest.” Axel staggered upstairs.

She shot Butcher a reproachful look. “He’s still young. What if he does something reckless after drinking?”

“He’s young because he’s been holding everything in too long,” Butcher replied smugly. “Now it’s out. Honestly, people your age should try understanding kids more.”

Riley sat down gently. “You understand him?”

“Of course. He calls me Big Brother now.”

......

The next day, Butcher bought alcohol early.

This time, Axel invited him to the North Canal Processing Plant, saying he wanted to pick better ingredients.

He really sees me as his big brother, Butcher thought smugly, waiting at his usual spot.

Zane was also at the plant, busy elsewhere. Axel hadn’t gone anywhere near Zane’s area—no chance of identity swapping. That put Butcher at ease. He even crossed his legs and whistled.

Trucks loaded with damaged beast carcasses rolled out one after another.

Time passed.

Butcher glanced at Zane, frowning slightly. “What’s he doing in there? This is taking too long.”

Ten minutes.

Then twenty.

Then over forty minutes.

Normally, Axel would be out in twenty.

The early-summer breeze still carried warmth, but as the factory doors slid shut automatically, a chill crawled up Butcher’s spine.

“Bang!”

His massive body slammed into the entrance of the largest processing plant like a cannonball.

Workers screamed and scattered, staring in horror at the grotesquely shaped, furious fat man standing amid the wreckage.

Staring into the dark, empty factory, the air faintly reeking of blood and decay, a cold knot twisted in Butcher’s chest. He released his mental power without restraint.

Normally, for the sake of his relationship with Axel, he would never scan so aggressively. He had deliberately avoided probing Axel’s whereabouts before. But now—when his mental power swept through the factory, then expanded across the entire processing plant—

A chill ran straight down his spine.

Nothing.

No trace of Axel.

“Sir… what are you doing?” Zane cautiously approached from behind.

Butcher turned.

The look in his eyes was vicious—cold, murderous.

Before Zane could react, his collar was seized. His feet left the ground as if he weighed nothing, his body dangling helplessly in midair.

“Tell me,” Butcher growled, breath heavy. “Where’s Axel? Where the hell did he go?”

Zane instinctively grabbed Butcher’s arm, trying to struggle free with Force. It was useless. The man holding him didn’t even release a Force aura—his raw physical strength alone crushed Zane’s resistance completely.