Axel's eyes scanned his skill list, his breath caught in his chest. After his encounter with Velerium, he had finally decided to take a deep look into his abilities, something he had neglected for far too long. What he saw left him both stunned and intrigued. He had been leaning heavily on his Deceased Touch, his go-to power, but there were other skills—many he had barely scratched the surface of.
His thoughts churned as he glanced at each skill.
**[Deceased Touch]**
**[Nightmare Manipulation]**
**[Summoning]**
**[Trembling Wave]**
And then, the shimmering **[Exclusive Skills]**, most of which were locked.
"I've been relying too much on just one power," Axel muttered to himself. "If I'm going to survive the battles ahead, if I want to grow... I need to understand what I truly possess."
Axel tapped on one of the skills he had never used before. The screen flashed, and a stream of new information flooded his mind.
---
**[Trembling Wave Lv.1]**
*Send a wave from your fingertips to disrupt a person's being for a few seconds.*
**Risk**: Excessive use may damage your own connection to the system. **User's being may become unstable**.
---
Axel's eyebrows shot up. *Disrupt a person's being?* The power to literally shake someone to their core for even a few seconds... That could turn the tide of any battle. But then his gaze caught the risk. *User's being may become unstable.* That was a danger Axel wasn't entirely sure how to interpret. What did it mean for him?
Would he lose his grip on reality?
He didn't dwell on it for long before moving down to the next section: **[Exclusive Skills]**. His eyes fell on the locked one that had been gnawing at him.
---
**[Adaptability Lv.1]**
*The ability to adapt to all system effects and heal one's wounds within seconds.*
**Risk**: Sacrifice 100 undead soldiers to unlock.
---
Axel's pulse quickened. Healing. That would change everything. No need for potions, no reliance on others. He could become truly unstoppable. And sacrificing 100 of his undead soldiers?
---
Axel's eyes gleamed with curiosity. A high-rank summon? He hadn't even known his **[Summoning]** skill could pull forth something like this. The potential was staggering.
'A high-rank summon, huh?' Axel mused. 'Looks like I have much more to learn about my system...'
---
### Meanwhile, in a distant Place... Read new chapters at m_v-l'e|-novelhall.net
The god candidate Sekhmet was on a different path. Standing amidst a strange group, he found himself staring at two individuals who, by sheer chance, crossed his path. Or was it fate? He couldn't be sure, but there was something off about them, something he couldn't quite place.
Sekhmet eyed them with suspicion. Both were dressed in white kimonos, their traditional attire standing out against the modern world. It felt as if they belonged to some ancient time, far removed from his reality. They didn't seem hostile, but Sekhmet wasn't one to trust easily.
"So, you say you can give me the location of Axel?" Sekhmet asked again, his voice low and cautious. He needed to be sure—there was too much at stake to act on half-truths.
Rowin, the taller of the two, nodded, his expression calm and measured. "Yes. But before we provide you with that information, we need something in return. A drop of your blood—for our *Cell Project*."
Beside him, Mimiko grinned, her smile unsettling in its intensity. Her eyes seemed to gleam with something dark. "We mean no harm to you, of course. You're not from here, so we won't interfere with your goals. But we will also need Axel's remains."
Sekhmet frowned. The deal was twisted, but it wasn't unreasonable. A drop of blood for Axel's location, and they wanted Axel's remains when he was done with him. But one problem lingered in Sekhmet's mind.
"You realize," Sekhmet said, his voice taking on a cold edge, "that after I'm done with Axel, I'll destroy this entire planet, ending both you and your plans."
Rowin's smile didn't falter. Mimiko only laughed. Their confidence was unnerving, as if they had expected this.
"That's fine," Rowin replied evenly. "If you can kill us before we kill you."
Sekhmet narrowed his eyes. There was something deeply wrong with these two. He couldn't read their minds, couldn't glimpse their intentions. Their thoughts were blank to him, as if their minds were voids, hiding something far more sinister.
'I can't read them,' Sekhmet realized. 'These two... it's like they're not individuals at all. More like two pieces of a whole.'
Despite his unease, Sekhmet had no other option. After a long moment of contemplation, he nodded.
"Tell me his location," he agreed. "And I'll give you more than a drop of blood."
Rowin's eyes drifted to the sky, as if seeing something only he could understand. "In a day's time, you will have the information you seek. Until then, stay with us. No need to wander around like a lost goat."
Mimiko's grin vanished, her face taking on a darker, more serious expression. "The last piece of the puzzle has finally aligned," she whispered, her voice barely audible but laced with grim finality.
Sekhmet could feel it in the air—the sense that something far bigger than him, bigger than Axel, was unfolding. And he was merely a part of it.
---
### Author's Note:
"My mental health is questionable at this point, but this volume has taken a darker turn. Thankfully, we're nearing the end. The season two finale is right around the corner. Buckle up."