Apocalypse: becoming the hidden Ruler[English]

A sharp, acrid smell suddenly cut through the cold air. Saka, silent until now, lifted his head, squinting into the distance. My fire had been lit. Shouldn’t yours be kindling too?

The others didn’t understand.

Quinlan smiled, a dangerous edge in his voice. “Commander Saka… you started this chaos. Now you’re silent? Delaying tactics?”

His words had little effect. Around him, several commanders shivered, their bodies tense.

They smelled it too—the acrid tang in the air.

Quinlan finally understood the root of their unease.

The tens of thousands of exiles marching in the streets had fallen completely silent.

Boom!

High above the city, a colossal, jet-black dragon unfurled its massive wings—easily a hundred meters from tip to tip. Its scales shimmered in the cold light as it unleashed a torrent of fire toward the nearest city wall.

“Blackwing Dragon… a Level Seven mutated beast…” Adler’s voice trembled, disbelief and horror etched across his face.

The roar of the beast shattered the city’s protective barrier like crystal glass. The shield flickered, attempted to heal—but the dragon’s fiery breath swept across the wall in an unstoppable arc, a blazing rainbow falling from the sky.

Below, the crowd panicked. Screams pierced the air as people scrambled in terror. Some collapsed, clutching their heads in despair.

“Too late! It’s all too late!”

“We can’t escape… the mutant horde has arrived.”

“They really exist… Level Seven mutated beasts…”

A cold shiver ran down everyone’s spine. Roars of fear, anger, and disbelief clashed, creating a chaotic symphony of panic.

On the rooftops, the city’s commanders finally reacted. Adler hesitated—pale-faced, unsure if he could intervene—but when he saw Valentino and Quinlan retreating to their manor, hurriedly packing valuables, he cursed under his breath and leapt toward his own residence.

The commanders scattered like startled birds.

Saka, perched atop the roof of the commanders’ manor, arms outstretched, drank in the chaos below. Ecstasy lit his expression. Axel had truly lit the fire he desired—it was magnificent.

“Darling, stay close,” Saka whispered, glancing at Penny, trembling beside her. Moments later, she scanned the city gate.

The Blackwing Dragon wavered, seemingly bored, then veered away from the city, leaving an entire population gripped by terror. Somewhere in Saka’s district, Sergio and his men—hidden among the crowd, ready to strike at a moment’s notice—exhaled in relief.

“Level Seven? Axel actually lured a Level Seven mutated beast here… is he even still alive?” Nigel and Terrence stared skyward, wide-eyed and shaken.

“Relax. The plan’s going exactly as intended. Next up: a fight. Felicia, retouch your makeup,” Sergio instructed, moving methodically. To avoid attention, they had melted into the panicked crowd, returning to Commander Saka’s mansion only after a few rounds.

“A fight?” someone asked, tension in their voice.

“Those commanders had no chance against a Level Seven beast. Their only instinct was to flee,” Sergio explained. “Now, with the crisis past, they’ll seriously consider Saka’s proposal. Then it’s time to assert control.”

“Good,” the others muttered.

.....

Inside the city, hope crumbled once the Blackwing Dragon departed. The crowd erupted again, confusion and panic flaring anew.

Saka’s message arrived like a lifeline:

“It’s time to leave. Since I want to talk, let’s talk.”

Isos relayed the message, departing with Yates. Adler, Ned, and Karl hesitated, then rose. “Even if we’re leaving, we need an Awakened army. I’ll serve as commander-in-chief. Naturally,” Adler muttered. Karl and Ned offered no objection.

.....

Not far from the City of Sin, atop a mountain peak, a square platform awaited. One by one, the commanders arrived, accompanied by their most skilled assistants. Valentino felt relief—his recently acquired Vicious Hound Hunters were strong, but on an individual level, he was weaker than many present.

“Almost everyone’s here,” Saka began, motionless at the center of the platform. His tone was grave. “After today, illusions should be gone. Those who want to stay in the City of Sin, step forward.”

No one moved. Most hesitated, weighing her words.

“I agree with Commander Saka,” Isos spoke, his tone indifferent, “that we can form a City of Sin coalition and fight back to Krythos. But… will you be the commander-in-chief?”

Among the six commanders, Caroline was widely considered the youngest and strongest.

“We still need to think this through. What happened today could’ve been a coincidence.”

To Valentino’s irritation, no one took him seriously.

“Damn it.” Valentino snapped his mouth shut, face dark.

Just then, Caroline stepped forward. “Enough stalling. It’s time to move. I support Saka as leader.”

Her words rippled through the crowd. Even Isos looked surprised.

“Saka was the first to openly propose the escape,” Caroline continued coolly. “And now, he has the highest public support. That alone makes him the natural choice.”

Among those present, everyone understood what this meant. Whoever led this exodus back to Krythos would be officially recognized—and almost certainly promoted—once they returned.

“We haven’t even begun, you’re already thinking about claiming credit. Can we even make it back alive?” Caroline shook her head, clearly unimpressed. “You’ve all thought about running at one point or another. But only Saka had the guts to say it out loud. That tells me he’s thought this through far more than the rest of you.”

“In that case…”

Adler stepped forward, his expression calm but sharp. “Commander Caroline makes a fair point. But strategy alone isn’t enough. Strength matters just as much. Commander Saka—what do you have to say?”

Saka and Penny stood at the center, unguarded.

“If things turn ugly,” Adler continued, “I can guarantee Ned and Karl’s full cooperation. What about you, Commander Saka?”

The atmosphere tightened.

Adler was a veteran—one of the old pillars of the City of Sin. Before Morris vanished, he’d been a frequent guest at Morris’s private dinners. Caroline couldn’t openly oppose him, and more importantly, Adler wasn’t wrong.

A true leader needed not just personal power, but unwavering support from formidable subordinates.

“I stepped forward because I was prepared,” Saka said evenly. “My answer is the Vicious Hound Hunters.”

Silence fell.

Then—snickers.

“Commander Saka, don’t joke around,” Valentino snapped. “The Vicious Hound Hunters are my men. You can’t just—”

Before he could finish, the Vicious Hound Hunters standing behind her stepped forward in unison, calmly crossing the space to stand behind Saka. Not a word. Not even a glance back.

“You—you bastards—” Valentino stared at them, then turned furiously on Caden. “Caden! What the hell is this?! Didn’t you swear their loyalty was guaranteed?!”

“I—I don’t know!” Caden panicked, face flushing red. “These people—this is shameless!”

“Commander Saka,” Adler said coldly, not bothering to hide his disdain. “Are you serious? They’re a solid elite force, I’ll give you that—but we need top-tier power. This isn’t enough.”

Saka’s gaze swept across Sergio and the others, a faint smile curling his lips.

“Whether they’re enough,” he said lightly, “we’ll find out after a fight.”

Adler’s pupils tightened. He glanced at Valentino, who immediately understood.

“In that case,” Valentino snarled, “I’ll clean up this farce myself!”

With a thunderous crack, he vanished in a swirl of dust and reappeared at the center of the platform.

“Who wants a one-on-one?” Valentino roared. His finger snapped toward Kenneth. “You—what the hell are you grinning at?!”

Kenneth froze for a split second. “Uh—no, no, I wasn’t laughing.”

“Enough talk. Fight!”

Valentino’s form split into three dust-clones, charging Kenneth from different angles.

The crowd around Kenneth scattered instantly, clearing space.

Isos and Adler both frowned. A bad feeling crept up their spines.

Boom!

A pale blue glow detonated beneath Kenneth’s feet, launching him backward at terrifying speed—cleanly out of the attack zone.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Valentino shouted—

—and then his blood ran cold.

In the next instant, dozens—no, hundreds—of floating cannons materialized from every direction, locking onto him with mechanical precision.

The sheer density of firepower made even the other commanders tense.

“Stop—stop!” Valentino shouted, panic breaking through. “I surrender!”