His bloodstained fingers fumbled at his shirt pocket. With the last of his strength, he pulled out a black dagger and tossed it at Cassia’s feet.

  "Go on," he said, his voice hollow. "Because if you had lost today, I’d have killed you without hesitation."

  Cassia bent down and picked up the dagger, but as she gripped it, her vision swayed.

  Orion’s tone wasn’t resentful. It wasn’t regretful. It was calm. And somehow, that made it feel even crueler—made it harder to breathe.

  "You’re still far behind your classmate," Orion muttered. He shook his head before shifting his gaze toward Axel. "I think he would have been ready by now."

  All eyes turned to Axel. Axel stared back at Orion. Most people wouldn’t rush toward death. But in that moment, Axel knew—Orion wanted Cassia to kill him.

  And for the first time, Axel had the eerie feeling that Orion wasn’t just throwing away his life—he was teaching a final lesson.

  But this wasn’t some moral lecture about courage or honor. No, the lesson Orion wanted to pass down was simple: To survive, you have to be ruthless.

  For Cassia—for Storm—it was a lesson far too brutal. But for Axel? He had already learned it years ago. Surviving the slums, escaping from criminals, being locked up and left to die when the infected appeared—he already knew. Hesitation meant death.

  Cassia and the others hadn’t faced that reality yet. Not truly. But sooner or later, they would.

  Axel exhaled. Enough waiting.

  "Axel…" Cassia thought he was hesitating. She opened her mouth to stop him—

  But the next second, Axel flipped the dagger in his grip and slashed it clean across Griffin’s throat. Blood sprayed. Griffin convulsed. Then, he was still. Axel didn’t even spare him a glance.

  "Axel!" Cassia gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. Her wide, disbelieving eyes locked onto Axel, as if she no longer recognized him.

  And for the first time, the pressure was too much. Until now, Axel’s intelligence, his planning, his combat ability—it had only surprised her.

  But this— Watching him take a life so easily, so emotionlessly— It terrified her.

  Axel remained silent. He knew Cassia would need time to process this—to accept who he really was. But he had never planned to hide it in the first place.

  This was reality. And if she didn’t learn it now, it could cost her life in the future. She had talent. She would face worse dangers ahead. The sooner she understood that, the better her chances of survival.

  "Not bad," Orion muttered approvingly.

  This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

  Then, there was a sharp clatter as Cassia’s dagger slipped from her fingers, hitting the floor.

  Her breath was shaky, her hair disheveled, her expression pained.

  "You did it for her," Orion said, his eyes on Axel. There was something almost satisfied in his gaze. Axel turned toward Cassia. Her body trembled. She was still reeling from what she had just witnessed.

  After a long pause, she finally met Orion’s weary gaze. The killing intent she had carried with her—the determination she’d had to end his life—was crumbling. Fragments of the past surfaced in her mind. For a fleeting moment, she remembered something like 'family'.

  She hated herself for this weakness. If Orion had remained cold and ruthless, she might have fought him to the bitter end.

  But this? She couldn’t do it.

  "Let’s go," she whispered hoarsely. "He’s not going to survive anyway."

  Orion let out a slow breath. His eyes darkened with disappointment. But beneath that, something else stirred. Something like relief.

  "Alright," Axel said simply.

  He glanced around. The leaders of Dune’s two most powerful underground factions were dead. And yet, no one in the Ironfang Syndicate or the Crimson Vipers dared to meet his eyes.

  Without a word, they stepped back. Clearing a path. And Axel led the way forward.

  Orion watched their retreating figures, the light in his eyes fading, disappointment flickering in its place.

  "So, in the end… he’s just a clever, but kind-hearted kid."

  His words drifted into the empty air as Axel and the others climbed into a sleek black SUV. Inside, Drayke and Storm had been waiting.

  The engine rumbled to life. As the car pulled away, Axel couldn’t help but glance back. The sun was sinking, casting long shadows over the roadside, where weeds choked the pavement.

  And in that fleeting moment, a small figure darted past the overgrowth.

  The sky darkened, and with Axel’s departure, only the remnants of a massacre remained.

  The Crimson Vipers still had the numbers, their presence dominating the blood-soaked warehouse. But their leader was dead, and though Orion was barely clinging to life, he still breathed.

  No one dared make the first move.

  They all knew—if Orion had one last breath left, he could take them down with him. And whoever struck the final blow might not live long enough to enjoy their victory.

  After a long, tense silence, the two gangs turned away from each other.

  And just like that, they scattered.

  The warehouse fell into stillness again, except for the fresh corpses littering the floor.

  .....

  With the help of his remaining men, Orion staggered back into his meeting room. Before heading upstairs, his gaze flickered to Griffin’s lifeless body.

  A bitter, self-deprecating smirk tugged at his lips. After all these years of war… we both lost to a kid fresh out of high school. And now, we have nothing.

  "Boss, let me call a doctor for you." His men stood before him, shifting uncomfortably. Their voices were steady, but their eyes—their eyes gave them away.

  Hesitation. Uncertainty. They were waiting to see if he was already a dead man.

  Orion raised an eyebrow, amusement flickering in his tired gaze. He let them wonder.

  "No need," he said flatly.

  A flicker of sharpness returned to his voice, making the men flinch. They quickly retreated, leaving him alone.

  Of course, he did need a doctor. But there was no point. He knew his body—he had controlled his breathing, tightened his muscles to slow the bleeding, but it only delayed the inevitable.

  Death was coming.

  He exhaled and waved them away. "Get out." Silence settled as the door clicked shut behind them.

  Orion sank into his chair, the weight of exhaustion pressing down on him. His vision blurred at the edges. With the last of his strength, he reached for a bottle of whiskey and poured himself a drink.

  The cool liquid burned down his throat, waking him up just a little. His mind drifted back to Cassia’s choice. He thought he would die by her hand, but in the end, she walked away. A faint softness touched his scarred face.

  Then, his thoughts turned to Axel. A deeper frown settled into his features. Now that… that was a truly ruthless kid.

  Or so he had thought. But he left. In the end, he still had a heart.

  Orion scoffed. How long will that last?