“Unbelievable,” Charles muttered. “He’s stronger than most of the fifth levels I’ve met.”

Vince nodded. “At this point, only a mid-tier Level Five—someone who’s advanced three times—could suppress him.”

The air around them thrummed with silent pressure. None of the crew dared interrupt.

It was already dusk, and the air in Ebonveil was far warmer than the biting cold of Shiverstone.

On the edge of the military airfield, several middle-aged men stood waiting by the runway.

“Both the Havoc Division and the Whisper Syndicate sent people this time,” muttered a slightly plump man at the front of the group. His name was Sean, mayor of Ebonveil. “I wonder which team it’ll be.”

Two weeks earlier, residents across several nearby towns had begun dying in their sleep—quietly, inexplicably. Investigators found no evidence, no signs of struggle, not even residual Force energy.

At first, Sean hadn’t taken it seriously. Strange deaths weren’t exactly rare in his jurisdiction. But yesterday, when an entire hunting party vanished without a trace, he knew something was off.

The team’s captain had been a Level 3 Psychic Awakener—a skilled professional. Yet there’d been no signs of combat. No disturbance. Just silence.

When Sean filed his report, the military moved fast, dispatching a Whisper Syndicate team. Then, a few days later, two Level 5 Awakeners from the Havoc Division showed up. And now, the Syndicate was sending another squad.

Sean’s scalp prickled. Whatever was happening here, it was far beyond what he’d imagined.

He’d assumed this was just another infiltration—maybe a few rogue mutants or infected slipping past the wall. But the sheer firepower being sent to Ebonveil told him otherwise.

“It’s the Obsidian team,” whispered his secretary after checking the manifest.

Sean frowned. “An elite team?”

The secretary shook his head. “No, sir.”

Sean sighed, disappointed. If an elite team was coming, maybe it wasn’t something catastrophic after all.

“Even if they’re not elite, we treat them with full courtesy,” he said finally.

When the transport plane began its descent, Sean straightened his jacket and forced a smile.

Then it hit him—a massive surge of Force, so dense and heavy it almost made his knees buckle.

What the hell…? His pulse quickened. Such a powerful aura…

Inside the aircraft, Axel still sat in his seat, eyes closed, calm as still water.

He’d absorbed nearly all of Vernon’s life crystal by now, and his stats hovered in his mind’s eye:

Physique: 3954 / 3956

Force: 3723 (3002) / 3752

Spirit: 3324 / 3389

He hadn’t even focused on body refinement lately—his physique had skyrocketed on its own after merging with the Rock Spinal Cord. Now it was stronger than his Force.

The compressed Force inside him had already surpassed 3,000, and though his total Force was rising more slowly, Axel could feel it—he was nearing the next threshold.

In his mind, the Ancient Sky Tree had grown even lusher, its roots twisting deeper, drinking in the energy. Axel smiled faintly.

“And you, little one,” he murmured, glancing at the sapling beneath it, “you’ve grown too.”

The Heavenly Spirit Fruit Tree, once a fragile sprout, now stood waist-high. Its delicate leaves shimmered with a faint inner light.

When Axel spoke, the little tree’s branches brushed affectionately against his arm, like a loyal pet begging for attention.

Heavenly Spirit Fruit Tree (Juvenile) — Ability: Tranquility.

Tranquility: A mental protection field that resists effects such as fear, hallucination, or manipulation. Its strength scales with the user’s Spirit attribute.

Axel smiled. When he’d first found the tree, it had only provided a mild calming effect. Now, with his compressed Force past 3,000 and pushing the limits of Level Four, it had evolved into a full-fledged defense skill.

Combined with the Mental Barrier he’d gained from the Windsor family and the raw resilience of the Rock Spinal Cord, he was practically untouchable.

“Rock Spinal Cord, Mental Barrier, Tranquility…” He chuckled under his breath. “Guess my health bar’s officially overbuilt.”

By now, he’d accepted his role on the team. He wasn’t flashy like Yara or Rosaline in battle.

When he opened his eyes, the cabin lights flickered softly. Everyone was watching him.

“Training,” he said with a faint grin, rubbing the back of his neck.

Rosaline folded her arms, frowning. “Training, my ass. You’ve been zoning out for half an hour. Let’s go—Mayor Sean’s been waiting forever.”

As Axel stood, a faint ripple of Force bled from his body. Outside, Sean’s expression changed instantly, eyes wide.

He could feel that power rolling off the man who’d just stepped out of the plane. It pressed down on the tarmac like a stormfront.

Sean swallowed hard, mistaking it for the Obsidian captain’s aura.

“Welcome, everyone. I’m Sean, Lord of Ebonveil. Thank you for coming.”

Though this mission had come directly from the military, Sean still spoke with the polished warmth of a seasoned politician—measured, deferential, and careful not to offend anyone who might outrank him.

“Mr. Sean, you’re too kind,” said Vince, shaking his hand firmly. “I heard the other teams and the Havoc Division are already here. Let’s head straight over.”

Sean liked him immediately. Calm, professional, and direct.

“Of course,” he said, signaling the driver to start the convoy. “Yes, the others have all arrived. But we’re still not sure of the enemy’s strength—or even what they really are.”

After the first mysterious deaths were reported, higher command had clamped down hard. No leaks, no speculation, no media. Within days, powerful teams from both the Whisper Syndicate and the Havoc Division had quietly arrived in Ebonveil. To avoid tipping off whoever—or whatever—they were hunting, everyone gathered on the outskirts instead of at the scene itself.

“Mr. Vince,” Sean ventured, “could you tell me about your team’s strength? There are a lot of personnel this time, and we’ll need someone to coordinate the operation.”

If it had been a single organization, Sean wouldn’t have asked. But with both the Syndicate and the Havoc Division involved, overlapping chains of command were a recipe for disaster.

Vince smiled faintly. “We still have a few members en route. Let’s discuss that once everyone’s here.”

Sean nodded, though inwardly he was already sizing up the sides. The Havoc Division had sent six city-branch presidents—Finnegan from Ebonveil, Gideon from Langford, and four others, all Level 4 Awakeners.

The Whisper Syndicate’s first team, was another story. They were the Embercrag Unit—a handpicked special operations squad made up of social-type Awakeners. From what Sean had heard, Embercrag was just one successful mission away from being promoted to an elite team.

If anyone was going to lead this operation, it would probably be them.

......

“Captain, are Millers and Kaia here already?” Axel asked as they exited the vehicles.

Vince nodded. “They’ve been waiting for a while. Kaia heard Mr. Charles was joining this mission, so she was the first to show up.”

At the mention of her name, Charles chuckled softly. “Those kids have grown up fast.”

Inside the Ebonveil military base, uniformed soldiers lined the road, standing stiffly at attention as several black sedans rolled through the gates. Even here—at one of the key gateways for Awakened activity beyond the Wall—it wasn’t often they saw so many high-level operatives in one place.

“Mr. Charles!”

A young woman sprinted across the tarmac and threw her arms around him. Kaia, bright-eyed and full of energy.

Charles smiled warmly and patted her shoulder. “Millers, Phoenix—long time no see.”

The two men followed behind her, both visibly older and stronger than when Charles had last seen them.

“Mr. Charles, I’ve missed you! Check this out—I’m a Level Five now,” Millers said proudly, flexing one bicep.

Charles laughed, the lines around his eyes softening. “Good work. I can see that.”

Phoenix rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “Millers and Kaia have gotten amazing. I’m still catching up.”

He’d once been the strongest fighter on the team, aside from Vince and Rosaline. Now, aside from Kaia, he couldn’t beat any of them.

“Phoenix, you’re as humble as ever,” Charles said kindly.