Apocalypse: becoming the hidden Ruler[English]

“Hoo…”

Inside a quiet recovery ward, Zachariah slowly exhaled as he opened his eyes.

He pushed himself upright inside the nutrient tank. The energy of a Blood Refining Stone still pulsed through his veins.

“A narrow escape from death truly brings good fortune…” he muttered.

He clenched his fist. Strength surged through his body. His Force had nearly recovered, and the primal energy in his veins felt even sharper than before.

Emotion welled up in his chest. If he hadn’t forced himself to push past his limits back then—if sheer willpower hadn’t carried him through the beast tide to reach Northern Spiritual Town—he would have died out there. But now…

Not only had he survived, he had awakened stronger. The mental resilience forged in that brush with death might even help him break through his current bottleneck.

As the excitement settled, Zachariah finally noticed his surroundings. He froze.

“Wait… this is… the Northern Spiritual Town sanatorium?”

That made no sense. From what he understood, even with reinforcements, Northern Spiritual Town shouldn’t have been able to withstand a beast tide of that magnitude.

Abandoning the city should have been inevitable. Which meant—

The siege had been broken?

What the hell happened while he was unconscious?

“Zachariah, you’re awake.” A series of hurried footsteps approached.

“Uncle Zephyr!”

“Don’t get up yet,” Zephyr said quickly, placing a hand on his shoulder. “You’ve only just recovered. Stabilize your foundation first.”

A powerful stream of Force flowed from Zephyr’s palm into Zachariah’s body. Instantly, the Original Veins that had weakened during his long coma reactivated.

Force surged through his system again, stimulating his vitality. Zephyr nodded with approval. “Not bad. Your body’s still a little weak, but your Force efficiency has improved a lot.”

“Once you fully recover and consolidate your power, you might break through your current threshold.”

He smiled faintly. “Catching up to me will only be a matter of time.”

Zachariah lowered his head modestly. “I still have a long way to go.”

Then he asked cautiously, “Uncle Zephyr… did Northern Spiritual Town hold out?”

“It did.” Zephyr nodded firmly. “Thanks to the intelligence you brought back, Krythos gained precious time.”

“You’re the hero of this battle.”

Zachariah forced a relieved smile. “At least… my brothers who died in the beast tide didn’t die in vain.”

Zephyr patted his shoulder warmly. “Zachariah, there’s more good news.”

“More good news?” Zachariah’s heart leapt. Was the military about to reward him? But the next words froze the blood in his veins.

“Axel—the one who nearly killed you and jeopardized Krythos—has returned to Northern Spiritual Town.” Zephyr snorted. “He probably thought you were dead. Thought no one could expose his crimes.”

“Fortunately, Ancestor already has him under control.”

“All we need now is a face-to-face confrontation.” Zephyr’s voice grew more satisfied with every sentence. “When that happens… his lies will collapse completely.”

He didn’t notice Zachariah’s hands trembling. Cold sweat slid down his temples. What the hell do I do now? That bastard came back alive?

How is that even possible?! But then—

A realization struck him. Axel had no evidence. Nothing to prove his innocence.

Slowly, Zachariah calmed down. Just then, a hoarse voice echoed from the doorway.

“So… Zachariah has woken up.” An old man stood behind Zephyr, his hands tucked calmly into his sleeves.

Zachariah’s eyes widened.“Ancestor…” He quickly climbed out of the tank and bowed respectfully.

Zephyr turned slightly. “Ancestor….”

Zoltan waved his hand dismissively. “Zephyr, you may leave. I need to speak with Zachariah alone.”

Although confused, Zephyr bowed slightly and exited the room.

“Zachariah,” Zoltan said calmly, his voice dry and steady, “that mutated beast tide that besieged the border… was it truly brought there by Axel?”

Zachariah nearly jumped out of his skin. For a split second, panic flashed across his face. But just as quickly, he forced himself to calm down.

“Absolutely,” he said firmly. “That man is a coward and a traitor. He drew a massive beast tide to our lines and then fled when the fighting began. Not only did he cause the deaths of many elite Awakened, he nearly pushed Krythos to the brink of collapse.”

Zoltan listened quietly until he finished. Then he spoke again. “Actually… whether that’s true or not doesn’t matter.”

Zachariah froze. Zoltan clasped his hands behind his back and paced slowly across the room. “What matters,” he said leisurely, “is that you must be the hero who survived against all odds and saved Northern Spiritual Town.”

“And Axel…” His voice hardened slightly. “Must be the sinner despised by all of Krythos.”

Zachariah stared at him, stunned.

“Zachariah,” Zoltan continued in his hoarse voice, “you understand the situation our Silverwyn family is facing.”

“The Silverwyns were one of the founding families of the military. In the early days, we were the backbone of the army—the core of every institution.” He paused. “But times have changed.”

“The rise of non-aristocratic Awakened has diluted the family’s power far too much.” A trace of resentment crept into his tone. “With Jerome around, we couldn’t suppress Nolan or Sethan. And the Ministry of Defense…” he scoffed quietly. “That stubborn rock couldn’t be moved at all. So we kept retreating. Again and again.”

“At this rate, the Silverwyn family’s influence will only continue to erode.” Then his eyes sharpened. “But now… things are different.”

“This upheaval is a disaster for Krythos.”

“But it’s also an opportunity for the Silverwyn family.”

“Jerome and the others have gone far overseas. They may never return. The Ministry of Defense is stretched thin.” He turned back to Zachariah. “If you secure this achievement, our Silverwyn family can elevate you into the hero of a generation in Krythos.”

“From that foundation, we will reclaim prestige… influence… and power within the military.” Zoltan’s voice remained steady as he continued. “That Axel contacted the forces of the City of Sin and worked with the Northern Spiritual Town garrison to destroy the beast tide blocking the front lines.”

“What?!” Zachariah blurted. Shock surged through him—and instantly turned into burning jealousy.

So that bastard actually pulled it off? Not only survived… but became the savior of Krythos? It felt like someone had stabbed a knife straight into his pride.

“That must have been luck,” Zachariah muttered through clenched teeth. “Nothing but blind luck.”

But at the same time, he understood Zoltan’s meaning perfectly. This was life or death. Either Axel fell… Or he did.

“As long as Axel exists,” Zachariah thought bitterly, “I’ll never become the hero who saved Northern Spiritual Town… the hero who saved Krythos.”

Zoltan watched him carefully and nodded with approval. “For the revival of the Silverwyn family… he must rot.”

“He must stink.”

“You don’t need to worry about anything else,” Zoltan said. “Just play your part. I’ve already arranged everything else.”

Encouraged by those words, Zachariah’s confidence surged again. Axel?

Just a lucky brat. Krythos’s future glory still belonged to him, Zachariah.

Zoltan turned away, clasping his hands behind his back once more. But his thoughts were no longer on Zachariah. Hopefully… he really does know something about that matter. If he did…

It would become the key opportunity for both Krythos—and the Silverwyn family—to rise to power.

Then the Silverwyns would truly stand as the foremost family in the nation. And my body…

A faint, cold gleam flickered in Zoltan’s cloudy eyes.

........

Meanwhile, in the quiet detention room, Axel sat cross-legged on the floor. A faint glow flickered around him.

“Not bad,” he murmured. “The conversion efficiency for life crystals has improved quite a bit.”

The crystals he had obtained during the battles at Moonlit Lake and beneath the city gates far surpassed anything he had absorbed before—both in quality and quantity.

And the fierce battles he’d fought over the past few days against stronger opponents had further amplified the gains.