With that, Axel raised his right foot and brought it down hard.
Boom.
As the dust settled, Soldier Boy's face came into view, covered in blood and debris, his eyes barely open.
Axel finally lifted his hand and gestured toward the medical team, who were just recovering from the shockwave.
"Take him. Patch him up, then dump him in Black Noir's dorm. As for Black Noir, let him guard the amusement park gate."
"Yes, sir!"
Ashley rushed over, nodding quickly as she handed Axel a towel.
"Sir, wipe the blood off. We're going to sort through footage from the students, pick the usable clips, and upload them to build hype for your debut. Please try to maintain your image."
Axel let out a short laugh, grabbing her by the collar and leaning closer.
"Image? What image?"
His voice dropped, sharp and deliberate.
"I don't care how you handled superhumans before, whether you used money, fame, or whatever else. That era is over."
He released her and stepped back.
"They adapt to me. Not the other way around."
Ashley froze, unable to respond.
Axel shook his head, amused.
"If the whole world can't keep up, then that's the world's problem. I'll do what I want. If my image falls apart, that's on you."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"So tell me, Ashley, have you figured out who can replace you yet?"
He patted her neck lightly and walked off.
Ahead, a crowd of students rushed toward him.
"Hey, can I get your autograph!"
"You're insane, that fight was crazy!"
"Was that really Soldier Boy? He looked weak next to you!"
"I'm Golden Boy, future member of The Seven. Can we take a picture?"
"Ancestor, I'm Jordan! Let's exchange numbers!"
They surrounded him instantly, voices overlapping, hands reaching out.
Some even tried to touch him.
Axel didn't react much. He simply glanced at Jordan and Golden Boy.
"You two recovered fast."
While speaking, his eyes briefly shifted past the crowd.
Emma was stuck at the edge, unable to push through.
She tried anyway, her voice shaking.
"Move! Let me through! You're all in college, what are you doing blocking me? Move already!"
In the next moment, her expression changed.
She shrank.
Her body suddenly became tiny, slipping through the gaps between people before anyone noticed.
She moved quickly, avoiding being stepped on, and made her way forward.
Axel's attention flickered for a moment, but he said nothing.
Meanwhile, Jordan finished taking a picture and smiled.
"Thank you. After I graduate, I want to work at Vought. Even if I don't make The Seven, I'd still want to assist someone like you."
Axel's expression shifted slightly.
Jordan immediately corrected himself, a bit flustered.
"I mean, I admire heroes like you. I want to help people like you."
Axel laughed.
"Of course you do."
He patted Jordan's shoulder, then pushed through the crowd and walked away.
Behind him, Ashley called out.
"You were supposed to stay longer. Did something come up?"
Axel paused briefly, then waved a hand.
"Yeah. Something urgent."
Before she could say anything else, flames burst around him.
He disappeared.
Moments later, Axel reappeared inside his room in The Seven Tower.
He adjusted his stance slightly, expression thoughtful, then exhaled.
After a brief pause, he walked further into the room, his expression returning to normal as if nothing had happened.