"No one’s going to own up to it?" Griffin scanned the crowd, his gaze sharp. He hadn't really thought much about it earlier, but Orion's words had woken him up. Without an order, who the hell would take matters into their own hands? If they were avenging his son because he was popular in the gang, Griffin didn't buy it.

  Now, he was sure. Someone was playing him.

  "Boss, I remember a young guy shouting...," one of the men who’d spoken to Axel earlier hesitated, clearly nervous.

  "You know him?" Griffin asked coldly.

  "Not really... He said he was new to the gang, no more than twenty years old." The two men could only recall that small detail, and nothing else.

  Griffin's rage boiled up inside him. His son was dead, and now someone had used his gang members as pawns. He has been in the society for so long, but he has never been plotted against like this.

  "Alright, listen up. Everyone spread out and find him. No one moves until I say so. Bring this bastard to me. If anyone’s got a new face in their ranks, I want to know about it. Now."

  "Creed, take some people and search the perimeter. If someone’s really plotting against me, I’ll make sure they regret the day they were born."

  Axel, crouched in the grass, felt a sinking feeling in his gut. He’d stayed a little too long.

  But if he’d left earlier, he would’ve gotten nothing tonight. Right now, he was lying in the grass, about fifty or sixty meters away from the two gang leaders. Moving was too risky.

  These two men were the kings of the Dune underground world. Axel didn’t know their full strength, but the pressure they exuded was far stronger than what he’d felt from Skye or Coach Kieran. These were not people he wanted to mess with.

  This won’t work. Sooner or later, they’ll catch me.

  Just then, in the middle of the chaos, a blood-covered figure moved slightly. It seemed like he hadn’t budged the entire time. He was propped up against the weeds, then coughed twice, each sound sharp in the stillness.

  Everyone’s eyes turned to him. Zane was still alive?

  Griffin’s gaze narrowed. He grabbed a dagger from one of his men and started walking toward Zane. The bloodied figure gave a weak cough, blood foaming at the corners of his mouth. His eyes shifted to where Axel was hiding, then back to Orion.

  "Boss, about that ring match... I’ve completed my mission. I won. I didn’t embarrass the gang."

  A heavy silence filled the air. Orion’s eyelids twitched as he looked at Zane, stunned.

  A ring match was life or death. If Griffin killed Zane now, it’d be a slap in the face to the Ironfang Syndicate.

  But there was more. Zane was subtly reminding Orion that despite being used as cannon fodder, he’d still done what he was asked. He'd won. He had fought back. So, Orion should protect him..

  Zane, even covered in blood, stood with a confidence that wasn’t there before. He wasn’t groveling. He wasn’t begging. There was something different about him now. He had just earned a level of respect from everyone around him—even if he’d been a pawn.

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  "Not bad," Orion chuckled, his voice lacked the usual malice. "You dare to play me like that? You’re smarter than I gave you credit for."

  He wasn’t angry. He’d used Zane as cannon fodder because he’d made a mistake, and he had no real value. But now? Now, Zane was proving himself in front of everyone, and it left Orion impressed.

  "Griffin, I’ll compensate you for the loss. But this guy’s mine, and since he won, you can’t break the rules."

  Orion stepped in front of Zane, his broad frame blocking Griffin’s view. Griffin’s icy stare remained fixed on him, the tension between the two underground kings palpable.

  It felt like they were about to clash right there, but after a long, silent standoff, Griffin finally turned away, waving his hand dismissively. His voice, when it came, was cold and distant, far from the camaraderie they'd once shared.

  "No need, Orion."

  Orion watched as the Crimson Vipers' men pulled back, the crowd parting like the tide. His face remained stoic and unreadable. He knew the score. He knew that this matter would definitely be blamed on him.

  To outsiders, it might look like Orion had a motive to kill Tyler, but in truth, he never saw Tyler as much of a threat. A weak, arrogant kid, pushed to the front by his father. Orion was a top-tier combat awakener, and Tyler? Just another pawn in a game he didn’t care about.

  "Boss, no one suspicious was spotted. We checked around, but there’s no sign of anything unusual."

  Griffin’s temper flared when he heard the report. He shot Orion a final, venomous look from a distance before walking away in angry.

  Zane, bloodied and battered, looked out into the distance for a moment before his strength gave out, and he collapsed to the ground, as if deflating.

  Orion glanced at him, his voice low and commanding. "Take him back and get him patched up. Once he’s recovered, Raze, take twenty men and make sure he’s protected."

  Raze hesitated before speaking in Orion’s ear. "Boss, maybe we should keep an eye on him for a while. I’m worried he might hold a grudge..."

  Orion’s chuckle was cold. "If he knows what’s good for him, he’ll work for me. If not... well, it’s easy enough to crush him."

  The words were loud enough for Zane to hear, and he sat there, shoulders sagging. His eyes were now empty, distant, and indifferent.

  ........

  Axel made his way back to the C area of the slums as fast as he could, his breath steadying as he reached the small, run-down house. His hands went straight to his pocket, feeling the eight green crystals he’d snatched during the chaos.

  If they were frugal, these would last Annabelle for about two weeks, maybe longer.

  He took off his bloody coat and tossed it into the flames, then stepped inside. His face instantly relaxed, and he put on the kind of easy smile that came naturally when he was home.

  "Brother!" Annabelle darted toward him, eyes scanning him quickly. She hadn’t missed the bloodstains on his clothes and the weapons he'd left with.

  "Ah, nothing serious. I just went out to pick up some food for you." He held out a few green crystals, as if he’d just come back from a trip to the store.

  Annabelle hesitated, her gaze flicking to the crystals. Then she darted inside, coming back with a box of ointment. She motioned for him to sit.

  Axel froze for a second, then realized the scrapes and bruises on his arms and face—he had been so focused on the mission that he hadn’t even noticed. Silence hung in the air between them for a moment, both of them lost in their thoughts.

  After a long pause, Axel ruffled Annabelle’s hair and whispered, "It won’t be long now. Just wait until your brother becomes an awakener."

  Axel had dreams of entering the War Academy, but his main goal right now was the million-dollar reward that came with it.

  "Let’s eat." Axel smiled and handed Annabelle a crystal.

  As he watched her take a bite, Axel’s mind wandered. He was still thinking about the Force-recovery Pills Kieran had given him.

  They were precious. Kieran had insisted Axel save them for when he really needed them, knowing how broke Axel was. But after a long internal debate, Axel decided it was time.

  He pulled the Force-recovery Pills from his pocket, ready to swallow them when something... strange happened.

  Annabelle, sitting next to him, suddenly hummed softly, and something changed. Her brown hair began to shimmer, slowly shifting to a deep purple from the roots. It fluttered in the air as if alive. Her eyes, once a soft brown, turned an intense, almost otherworldly red.