Axel was on the brink of collapse. His face was a mess of bruises, his clothes hung in tatters, and every inch of his body screamed in pain. Even though Orion was only using one hand, Axel was still completely outmatched.

  Yet, he kept charging forward—only to be sent flying again. And again. And again.

  Across from him, Orion looked even worse. He’d heard of Axel before—some so-called prodigy rising through the ranks in Dune—but he never expected this.

  Benjamin had already fallen in ten moves. The man was a first-level mid-tier Awakener, and Orion had put him down like it was nothing. But Axel?

  This guy was like a damn cockroach. No matter how many times Orion knocked him down, he’d just spit out blood, wipe his mouth, and come back for more.

  And the bastard wasn’t just tough—he had an absurd amount of energy. Orion had already caught him popping two Force-recovery Pills mid-fight.

  Alright, fine. You’re rich, you can afford drugs. But why the hell do you recover so fast?!

  He guessed that Axel’s Awakening ability was some kind of healing skill. He could regenerate his own injuries and even help others.

  Orion scowled. Healing had limits, right? It had to. But he’d hit Axel with three full-strength punches already, and the guy was still standing.

  For the first time in years, doubt crept into Orion’s mind. Did I get weaker? Or is this bastard just built different?!

  From the sidelines, Benjamin let out a ragged breath, watching the fight unfold with wide, disbelieving eyes. "Is this… really your classmate?" he muttered, voice hoarse from pain.

  Cassia, still struggling to stand, barely managed to nod. Although he looked very hell, the scene still shocked her. When did he become able to stalemate with this level of awakener?

  "Holy shit," Benjamin whispered. He wanted to get up, to help, but his body refused to cooperate.

  Axel had already healed him once, but Orion had undone all that progress with a single blow. Right now, Benjamin was just dead weight.

  Still, neither he nor Cassia were willing to leave Axel behind.

  Axel hit the wall hard, a fresh mouthful of blood spilling from his lips.

  "Goddamn freak," he muttered, wiping his mouth.

  Orion was on another level. It wasn’t just about raw power—his movements were refined, efficient. He was experienced, precise. Even fighting one-handed, he was still leagues ahead.

  Axel, on the other hand, had no real technique. He was relying on brute force, sheer grit, and the never-ending cycle of heal, recharge, attack. Without his recovery skills—or the two Force-recovery Pills he’d taken before the fight—he wouldn’t have lasted this long.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  "Axel!" Cassia’s voice snapped him back.

  "Run when you get the chance!" he yelled, forcing himself to stand again. But Cassia shook her head. "No—we go together!"

  Benjamin grabbed her wrist, lowering his voice. "Cassia, if we don’t leave, neither can he."

  Benjamin could see it—Axel knew he couldn’t win. That’s why he was stalling, giving them time to escape.

  "Axel..." Cassia clenched her fists. She wanted to fight alongside him, but deep down, she understood—this wasn’t a battle she could join.

  She had always been the one protecting Axel back in school. But now? She wasn’t strong enough.

  Orion exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders. His joints cracked like gunfire in the silent room. "You’re not going anywhere."

  A pulse of raw power rippled through the air. The sheer force of it made Benjamin’s breath hitch.

  Cassia’s eyes widened. "No way..." Axel’s entire body tensed. His instincts screamed at him—danger!

  Benjamin's voice dropped to a whisper. "Shit... He’s about to use his Awakening ability."

  But that didn’t make sense. If Orion could use it, he would’ve done so earlier. There was no way he had enough Force left for this. He hadn’t taken any pills. Hadn’t used an Origin Stone to recover.

  So where was this power coming from? Then, all at once, realization slammed into them like a freight train. "He just leveled up."

  Orion wasn’t out of energy. He had just ascended to a second-level Awakener. The weight of that realization settled in their chests like lead. Cassia, Benjamin, and Axel all felt it at the same time. A deep, chilling fear.

  Once an Awakener fuses their secondary force with their body and reaches a Force level of 300, they can attempt to break through to the second level. While there aren’t many differences between a first-level and second-level Awakener, there is one crucial distinction—

  A second-level Awakener can passively absorb ambient Force from the environment.

  They no longer need raw stones or medicine to recover. The process is slow, but over time, they can replenish their energy naturally.

  That’s what makes the second level such a huge milestone. A first-level Awakener—no talented—will eventually hit a wall even with external resources. But a second-level Awakener? Given enough time, even the weakest among them has a real shot at reaching the third level.

  That’s why even a mediocre second-level Awakener is more valuable than a first-level at their peak. Because once you cross that threshold, you’re almost guaranteed to keep growing stronger.

  Axel had thought Orion was just strong. He had no idea the bastard had already reached the second level and had been stockpiling Force this entire time.

  That explained everything. The endurance. The freakish stamina. The sheer power behind each attack. And he hadn't even used his Awakening ability yet. Axel was already struggling to keep up—if Orion unleashed his skill, it was game over.

  Then, Orion roared. The entire room seemed to shake with the force of it. His already massive frame stretched taller, muscles swelling grotesquely as his arms doubled in size. His shirt shredded apart, exposing a body that looked like it had been sculpted for war.

  Standing there, he wasn’t just a man anymore—he was a battlefield juggernaut. His gaze swept across Axel, Cassia, and Benjamin, his earlier rage cooling into something even worse. Control. The fight was his again.

  "It’s over," Orion said coldly.

  Axel clenched his fists, stepping in front of the others. Shit. We can’t win this.

  "Run!" he shouted, positioning himself in front of the door to buy them time.

  But before Cassia or Benjamin could move, Orion grabbed a chair with one hand and hurled it at the open doorway.

  CRASH! The chair exploded into splinters, the wreckage jamming the exit shut. Axel’s breath hitched. That speed…

  He thought he had been buying time, but Orion had been doing the exact same thing. Axel hadn’t accounted for this.

  Just as Orion took a step forward—

  Footsteps echoed from the hallway. A figure emerged from the shadows, moving with an eerie smoothness.

  Orion's eyes narrowed. He wasn’t tall or heavily built, but something about his presence sent a chill through the air. He was dressed in white, his expression cool, almost amused. A slow, knowing smile curled his lips. "Mr. Orion, how’s it going?"

  Orion froze. Another wild card.