Allen crashed heavily onto the hard stone floor, gasping for air. Standing tall in front of him was the masked boy, completely unbothered, without a single scratch or speck of dust on his clothes.
It was like he had been casually playing around with a child.
Gritting his teeth against the pain, Allen forced himself back to his feet and lunged forward with a desperate attack. The masked boy didn't even flinch—he dodged, seized Allen in mid-air with lightning speed, rotated his momentum, and slammed him face-first into the ground with a devastating hand-blade strike.
CRACK!
A web of fractured lines spider-webbed across the entire training floor from the impact.
Allen lay paralyzed on the shattered ground, his chest heaving.
"Allen, you've improved a lot," the masked boy remarked, his tone even and calm. "I honestly thought you'd give up by now, but you stuck with it."
Allen blinked in disbelief. That's... the first time he's ever complimented me.
The masked boy turned away, adjusting his sleeves. "Soon, you'll be far stronger than you ever were. You might even surpass Steve and Victor." He began walking toward the exit before pausing.
"So... is today's training session finished?" Allen managed to ask, pushing himself up onto his elbows.
The masked boy gave a single nod and stepped out.
A short while later, the masked boy entered a doorway, inside the library Jake was sitting quietly, sipping his drink.
"How did the training session go?" Jake asked, glancing up.
The masked boy took a seat across from him. "The kid is remarkable. There's immense potential buried inside him. Soon enough, he'll be stronger than most of us."
Jake offered a faint nod, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "That's the first time I've ever heard you praise someone."
The masked boy shook his head. "I'm just stating facts."
"You know, you're slowly starting to act like a normal human," Jake noted quietly. "Now, the next step for you is to take off that mask and actually start socializing."
The masked boy looked at him silently for a beat before shifting the topic. "I heard you're attending a major ceremony tomorrow evening?"
Jake nodded.
"I heard it's hosted by some massive bigshot," the masked boy continued. "They're throwing a grand party—though nobody seems to know the exact occasion. But every major power player is invited, including Mr. Murphy and the other high-society families."
Jake remained completely silent for four heavy seconds before finally speaking in a lowered voice.
"It's the British Royal Family."
The masked boy's eyes widened behind his mask.
"The kind of elite figures whose classified records you couldn't trace even if you tried," Jake added.
"Why are they hosting something like this out of nowhere?" the masked boy asked.
"Who knows?" Jake replied neutrally.
A quiet tension filled the room as the masked boy pondered the weight of the news.
Jake broke the silence. "Perhaps... the Monarch is preparing to choose his successor."
The masked boy nodded slowly. "So... is this festival taking place in the UK?"
Jake shook his head. "No. In Ottawa."
"Are you going as well?" the masked boy inquired, leaning back.
Meanwhile, outside the MMA gym...
Ethan and Madison stepped out into the cool evening air. They sat down on a nearby bench, chatting comfortably while waiting for Madison's private car to pick her up.
Once her ride arrived and she waved goodbye, Ethan turned around and began his stroll back to his apartment building.
Sliding his hands into his jacket pockets, Ethan looked up at the night sky, a faint smile touching his lips.
Today was actually really fun. And that old man Benson... man, he's a phenomenal instructor. It was only my first day, but I can't even deny how good he is.
The martial art I am learning is called MMA, Ethan reflected as he walked. According to Benson, it's a fluid combination of striking and grappling arts—Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, and several others.
However, his relaxed expression gradually hardened into a serious, tactical gaze as his mind shifted back to his true mission.
"I need a real team..." Ethan murmured under his breath. "Alone, there's no way I can take down the remaining Pillars. We managed to dismantle two of Loop's branches, but that was strictly in secret alongside Liam and the others."
He narrowed his eyes, analyzing the board.
I don't know what kind of threat Loop's remaining two branches pose. As for the other organizations... I didn't stand a ghost of a chance against the Shadow Syndicate's leader when we crossed paths, and we still have almost zero intel on them. And Eclipse is a complete enigma. But based on raw strength, the Shadow Syndicate is easily the most dangerous of the Three Pillars.
Ethan stopped in his tracks for a second, rubbing his chin as a sudden thought struck him.
"Damn... who was that guy who single-handedly brought down the Three Pillars back when they were in their absolute primes?" Ethan muttered, genuine awe in his voice. "That guy had to be an absolute monster. Where on earth did Mr. Murphy even find someone like that?"
Honestly, everyone connected to Murphy is a complete freak of nature, Ethan concluded with a chuckle, finally arriving in front of his apartment building.
Stepping inside his room, Ethan tossed his jacket onto a chair and collapsed face-first onto his bed.
I am tired... he thought, closing his eyes with a satisfied smile as sleep washed over him.