Reborn With the Infinite Gods System

Chapter 56 : 56: Friend? Oh enemy

Axel's foot had barely crossed the threshold of the hall when he suddenly froze, his expression darkening in confusion.

"What just happened?" His thoughts whirled chaotically, and he instinctively scanned the vicinity. He was still in the towering skyscraper where the Hunter's Association board meeting had been held, but something felt off. "I thought I was just in the room with them... I remember the name Hangi, but after that... nothing. It's like a blank slate."

A cold shiver ran down his spine. Could it be—?

"Axel! Wait, Axel!" A voice called from behind, breaking his reverie. He turned swiftly to see Trisha rushing toward him, her face flushed with urgency.

'What now?' Axel waited for her to close the distance before asking, his voice a mixture of annoyance and curiosity. "What do you want?"

Trisha stopped a few feet away, her breath uneven. She hesitated, her own mind racing. Why had she followed him? She had no clear answer. Staring into Axel's intense gaze only added to her disorientation. What had compelled her?

"I'm... sorry," she finally muttered, catching her breath. "But President Hendricks signaled for me to stay with you. Until then, I won't leave your side."

Axel raised an eyebrow, a grin creeping onto his face. "That's convenient. I was just wondering how I'd make it back to the hospital without my wallet. It kinda got... burnt up."

Trisha furrowed her brows, frustration bubbling up. 'This guy is seriously expecting me to cover his transportation? And he doesn't even seem to care how messed up things were back there... He's not acting like the Axel who addressed the board. Could something be wrong with him?'

Doubt gnawed at her. Was Axel just being a self-centered jerk, or was there more to this? Could he be... dangerous?

"Trisha," Axel's voice cut through her thoughts. She flinched.

"What?"

"I remember entering the boardroom," Axel said slowly, as if piecing together fragments of a broken memory. "But after that... it's all a blur. I can't recall anything until I was standing here."

His voice wavered, the uncertainty unnerving him. His mind raced. Could he have said something reckless in that room? The board members were not people you crossed lightly. Their power was immense, and their grudges even deadlier. He looked at Trisha's tense expression, sensing that something had gone terribly wrong.

"You threatened a board member," Trisha said, crossing her arms, her tone nonchalant as if discussing the weather. "Then you walked out after telling him you'd kill him."

Axel's heart sank. 'I knew it. Someone messed with my mind... But who? And why?'

His mind spun with possibilities. 'Could it have been Hendricks? Or someone else from the board? But why now? Why target me?'

Axel folded his arms, deep in thought. "It was Hendricks, wasn't it?"

Trisha nodded slowly, confirming his suspicion. Her eyes flickered with something close to fear, though she tried to hide it. Axel could tell. 'She knows more than she's letting on.'

"I didn't want to tell you this before," Trisha said, her voice lowering as she stepped closer. "But now that you're involved... we need to talk. And you need to keep this between us."

Axel tilted his head, intrigued. "Alright—"

Before he could finish, Trisha grabbed his hand, her grip surprisingly firm, pulling him forward with a sudden urgency. "Not here. We need to move, quickly."

Axel followed without protest, more confused than ever. "What's going on, Trisha? I'm really lost."

A low snarl echoed beside him, and Velerium materialized, his eyes blazing with concern. "Master, I apologize for not being there when you needed me. Your aura signals were disrupted. I couldn't sense you."

"You missed a lot," Axel muttered grimly, his thoughts heavier with each step. "And my worst fears... they're coming to life."

Velerium's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean? What's happening?"

Axel clenched his fists. "I'm getting involved again... with my father's killer."

***

They stopped at an empty bus shelter, its fluorescent lights flickering in the night. It was a shelter meant for hunters, but at this hour, it was deserted.

Trisha released his hand and turned to face him, her expression hardening. "Now that we're alone, I can explain everything." Read exclusive chapters at m v l e m p y r

Axel stood still, his hands shoved into his pockets, his gaze cold and calculating. He didn't speak, waiting for her to continue.

"I believe there's a mole in the Hunter's Association," she said, her voice steady but filled with tension. "At first, I thought it was just another hunter... but now, I'm sure it's someone on the board."

Axel didn't flinch. He pulled his hands from his pockets, resting one under his chin, deep in thought. "Someone mind-controlled me. Even with my mental fortitude, they got through. They wanted me to attack Hendricks... but their endgame isn't chaos.

Whoever it is... they want something more calculated."

Trisha blinked, stunned at how quickly Axel had pieced together the puzzle. Most hunters she had confided in had dismissed her theories, calling her paranoid, even insane. Yet here Axel was, not just agreeing with her but building on her suspicions. It unnerved her.

"Why aren't you rejecting this idea?" she asked, her voice shaking slightly. "You should think this is treason! But instead, you're just... accepting it? They called me insane, Axel. Every time I told someone, they called me insane.

We're questioning the most powerful people in Kyota! If anyone hears us, we're dead. And you're acting like it's no big deal? Who the hell are you, Axel Teras?"

Axel's lips curved into a small, dark smile. "Insane? Insanity is following the herd. Insanity is being blind to the truth, even when it's right in front of you. Me? I prefer to keep my eyes open to all possibilities.

Especially when it comes to my enemies."

Trisha clenched her fists, still not fully convinced. "It still doesn't make sense," she muttered.

Axel could sense her reluctance. He had read her file—he knew her past. As a fellow S-rank hunter, he understood the trauma that shaped her. She had been sold to a brothel as a child, betrayed by those who promised to save her. Trust didn't come easy to her, not after that, even with telling him all this personal info, she could barely hold back her anxiety and reluctance.

But her awe outweighed those aspects.

Without a word, Axel reached out and took her hand in his. Her skin was cold against his, a stark contrast to his warmth.

"I'm not like the others," Axel said softly, his voice low but firm. "I'm not like any man you've met before. I'm Axel Teras, and I won't let you down."

Trisha stared at him, her resolve faltering for just a moment. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to trust him. But trust had cost her everything before.

"And just so you know," Axel added, his voice hardening, "I have my own reasons for wanting to take down the board. They're responsible for what happened to my family... years ago. And I won't stop until they pay."

With that, Axel began walking again, pulling Trisha with him through the dimly lit streets.

"You'll explain more to me on the way to my sister's," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

***Author's note***

I don't know what to think about this chapter... It came I wrote, you read you vote... It actually rhymes... Writing a book and you guys reading feels like I have another family... Thanks for you support.