Wesley looked like he’d been slapped. “My safety? You think you can protect me?”

Axel rubbed his temples. “That’s not what I meant—”

“Then say what you mean!”

“If I go alone and fail, I’ll still get out. But with you there, I have to watch your back too.”

Wesley was fuming now. “You arrogant little bastard. You think you’re hot shit now just because you broke through Level 3?”

“Fine,” Axel said. “Then let me show you.”

“…What?”

“Let’s find a more open space. I’ll show you what I’m capable of.”

Wesley narrowed his eyes. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“You’ll see.”

They stepped into the empty house next door. Axel examined the space, closed the dark curtains, then turned to them.

“This room should be fine.”

He took a deep breath and let the air still around him.

“No matter what happens next, stay calm. Don’t yell. Don’t attack me. Got it?”

Wesley scoffed. “What kind of dramatic—”

Then he stopped. His cigarette fell to the floor.

Simon’s mouth hung open. “What the...”

Before their eyes, Axel’s body was changing—his skin darkening, limbs elongating, muscles and bone structure subtly shifting.

Axel’s clothes shredded in an instant. His body bristled with sharp, gray fur that spiked like thorns. Blood vessels flared in his eyes, and his hands and feet twisted grotesquely, morphing into massive claws. In a matter of seconds, he was no longer human.

He had transformed into a monstrous, two-meter-tall Bloodthirsty Wolf, a Level 1 mutant beast.

The larger the mutant beast, the more deadly—and this one’s hulking frame nearly scraped the ceiling.

“I—fuck your mother!” Wesley stumbled a half-step back, every muscle in his body coiled with instinctive tension.

“Axel, change back! What the actual hell is this?!” His skin crawled, and if Axel hadn’t warned him ahead of time, he would’ve already struck.

A few breathless moments passed, and then Axel slowly reverted to his original human form—except now he was completely naked.

He cleared his throat, cheeks slightly flushed, and grabbed a bedsheet to wrap around himself. “Still working on the transition part. I’ve only done it a few times. Not exactly experienced.”

“You... you’re a medical awakener!” Simon sputtered, trying to unsee what he’d just witnessed.

Wesley's expression complicated. “Axel’s awakening trait is All Things Simulation.”

“All Things Simulation? That hasn’t been seen since Victor—hell, that’s borderline mythical.” Simon paused, scanning Axel. “But I’ve never seen that transformation skill in any records…”

Wesley tactfully stopped him with a wave of his hand. “Everyone has secrets. Especially when it comes to awakening abilities.”

Axel wiped sweat from his brow. The chromatic dragon’s talent—that was the real ace. It was how he would find the Obsidian team.

But that transformation alone had drained nearly one-fifth of his Force. Staying in that form burned through energy fast—he calculated it silently: 1,200 units of Force would give him about three hours of transformation time, max.

Luckily, this time, he wasn’t short on crystals.

“Mr. Wesley. Mr. Simon,” Axel said, looking at both of them seriously. “I need you to keep this quiet. Especially from Cody and Jude.”

“You still don’t trust them?” Wesley asked.

“I don’t.”

Wesley exhaled slowly, then nodded. “Alright. What do you need from me?”

Axel beckoned him closer, whispered something in his ear.

Wesley’s face shifted slightly—part confusion, part apprehension—but he gave a single, solemn nod. “Got it. I’ll handle it.”

“Thank you.” Axel let out a quiet breath. This matter still needed Wesley's consent, otherwise it would be difficult for him to leave.

“Bring Rosaline and the others back!” Wesley said. “But prioritize your own safety!”

“If I find Rosaline, I’ll make sure to sing your praises.”

“Hah! Don’t underestimate my image in her heart.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t dare.”

..........

Meanwhile…

Sixth Floor, Drakenfall Government Building

Cody paced nervously in front of a massive floor-to-ceiling window, eyes darting. “Bro-in-law... you think he knows something?”

Jude, sipping coffee with unsettling calm. “A tactless guy!”

“Bro-in-law?”

“Don’t call me that here,” Jude said coldly.

“Oh—uh, sorry. Mayor Jude.”

Jude finally turned and sat behind his desk, folding his hands. “That kid’s the one who orchestrated the takedown of Maxen from the Havoc Division. Took part in Shiverstone’s defense.”

Cody’s face paled the more he listened. “Wait—he’s from some noble line?”

“No.” Jude sneered, eyes gleaming. “He’s an orphan.”

Cody visibly relaxed. “Well, that’s... good. Less complicated, haha.”

Jude gave him a cold glance. “I need to take this.” His phone lit up. “It’s Wesley.”

Cody went quiet immediately. Jude looked at him with barely concealed disdain. A Level 4 Awakener, acting like a damn intern.

If not for his ties to the Windsor family, Cody wouldn’t have even sniffed the Ministry of Defense position.

After hearing Wesley’s request over the phone, Jude was quiet for a moment. Then a slow, amused grin tugged at the corners of his mouth.

“I get it,” he said. “I understand how he feels. I’ll authorize it. Let him go.”

He hung up.

Cody turned, curiosity painted across his face. “What’s going on?”

“Interesting development. That Axel kid wants to head into the Mirabelle Mountains—says he’s going to find the rest of the Obsidian team.”

Cody’s eyes widened. “What?! You agreed to that? What if he actually finds—”

Jude cut him off with a glance. “You think he’s coming back out of those mountains alive?”

“But still—”

“Cody,” Jude snapped, “there’s no signal in the deep jungle. No base stations. Once he’s in there, his phone’s a paperweight. Even if he *does* find something, who’s he going to tell?”

Cody relaxed a little, a nasty grin creeping up his face. “Heh… maybe we should take care of him while he’s out there. Y’know—send someone in after him.” He made a slicing motion across his neck.

Jude rolled his eyes in disgust. “You idiot. Did you forget Wesley?”

Cody froze.

Wesley had lost it when news came of Obsidian’s destruction. If Axel went missing.....

A Level 5 Awakener with a grudge? Not even Drakenfall’s leadership could contain that.

“Forget it,” Jude said. “Let the kid play hero. Honestly, I’m glad he’s leaving the city.”

Cody exhaled, then gave a chuckle. “Thanks again, really. I owe you.”

Jude smirked. “You’re family now. Perks of marrying into the Windsor line. Just one team from the Whisper Syndicate. Who gives a shit if they die? That’s their job—to sacrifice for the country.”

.....

Nightfall.

Axel stood in his room, finishing his preparations by moonlight.

A large travel pack sat by his side—stuffed with essentials: life crystals, blood-refining stones, nutrient-dense military rations, wild-foraged food cubes. All of it optimized for survival in hostile terrain.

Wesley stood nearby, troubled.

The fact that Jude had agreed so easily? That was confirmation enough. Axel was right.

“Axel,” Wesley said quietly, “take care out there.”

Across the road, Annabelle stood alone, trying to stay composed.

“Annabelle,” Axel said, “train hard. I’m going to bring them back.”

She nodded tearfully, and he handed her a cache of life crystals.

Then, without another word, he slipped into the night.

Drakenfall was unusually quiet, the city lights casting long shadows over empty streets. Insects and night birds chirped in the distance, filling the silence with soft warnings.

Axel paused at the edge of the wilderness and looked out toward the massive gash in the land ahead—a scar left by the rampaging Black-Scale Python. That was his path. That scar would lead him to the Obsidian team.

“Captain. Rosaline. Millers. Kaia… wait for me.”

He spent the next stretch collecting life crystals and following the trail.

Eventually, Axel reached the site where Obsidian had made their last stand against the beast.

The place looked like a war zone—charred earth, shredded trees, deep craters. It felt like someone had dropped a dozen bombs here and then churned the land for good measure.

He stood at the edge of a deep ravine, more than two meters down, a trail carved by the Black-Scale Python’s pursuit.

Without hesitation, Axel jumped in and began the long walk—deeper and deeper into the Mirabelle Mountains.