Among the Northern Faction's partisans, Christian Cox and his ilk had turned deathly pale, cold tendrils of dread gripping their cores."Sweet heavens...can this be real?"Benjamin Howard could only gape in stupefied awe. This whelp's ferocity knew no bounds! He had already witnessed Jason's prowess firsthand, yet never could he have fathomed such transcendent might. His power rivaled even his formidable brother Arthur!On the other side, old Stewart and Julia Stewart's expressions shone with ill-concealed elation as they scanned the crowds, seeking the unassuming stranger who had presaged this very outcome.Yet the prescient seer had long since vanished into the dispersing masses."Hack...cough...cough..."Albert choked out a thick gout of blood, his every ragged exhalation a tortuous strain. Agony lanced through his battered form, his bones all but shattered, his musculature turned to enervated gelatin.That single strike had nearly ended his life outright - he had been overwhelmed

Emily too scrubbed and blinked her eyes in a vain attempt to unseat the implausible mirage. She even tugged insistently at Jason's hair, as if reassuring herself of his substantive corporeality, earning her an exasperated glare and reproachful grimace.Only when the truth became incontrovertible did the two women exhale in relief, exchanging rueful shakes of their head at the unnerving episode. "Well, with identical appearances, I must say the similarities end there," Emily commented with a disdainful sniff towards Jason's disgruntled frown. "Just imagine if you had his prowess! How much more fortuitous that would be."Jason rolled his eyes, grinding his teeth in silent outrage. After the invaluable aid he had rendered her, she dared express such scathing ingratitude?But Susan only pursed her lips in gentle reproof. "He is himself, just as Jason is Jason. Whether mighty or meek, his worth outstrips all else - as yours does in my eyes." A teasing smile played over her lips. "If his a

Had any denizens of the underworld witnessed Jackson Gray stripping off his mask, they would have gasped in disbelief. For he was the legendary figure rumored to lurk unseen in one's midst, his true identity forever obscured – the man known as Thousand Faces, ranked ninth among assassins.A formidable presence in that dark realm, Thousand Faces excelled in disguise, capable of seamless deception. Impersonating Jason was child's play. His most astounding feat involved living an entire year posing as a wealthy tycoon, undetected until he wearied of the charade and slipped, revealing his true nature.None were more stunned than the tycoon's wife, who had shared his bed for nearly a year, oblivious her husband had been supplanted – a mere thought that chilled the bones...Yet here stood the infamous Thousand Faces, revered in the underworld, deferentially addressing Jason with an obsequious smile. "Boss, that Albert was small fry. Why all this trouble when disposing of him would have been

Legend told of his bitter enmity with the Black Lotus Sect, never once showing mercy to its adherents. "He...he's Martial Saint?" Poseidon's mind reeled into stupefaction as shrill terror contorted his features. Without hesitation, he too turned to flee, drenched in a cold sweat.One man, one title – yet enough to paralyze two formidable foes with dread. Likely only Martial Saint could inspire such reaction. "A pack of vermin plotting against me, and you think to flee?" The unassuming man's eyes flashed with arctic chill as he moved, a blur.Before Poseidon could gather his wits, that imposing figure loomed before him. Too swift – a sweeping palm struck, effortlessly swatting him skyward like swatting a gnat. Fragile, pitiful – a mere flick of the wrist from a colossus against a child.With a muted thump, Poseidon crumpled unconscious, his mask shattering upon impact."No!" Vulcan shrieked in horror, eyes bulging as one of similar prowess was rendered a beaten wretch with trivial e

Susan could only shake her head in bemused exasperation. "Well, what did you make of this Mr. Gray? Is he your type?" Her words brought a flush of crimson to Emily's cheeks as she bashfully confessed, "More or less. A real man – the very embodiment of the heroic ideal I've envisioned." "Compared to that Edward Reed, Mr. Gray outshines him a hundredfold. I'm resolved – having encountered someone so captivating, I cannot let this chance slip away. This Mr. Gray, I must have him for my own!""Cough...cough..." Jason nearly choked, utterly dumbstruck.What madness was this? Emily intended to pursue Martial Saint's disciple – his own alter ego? This abrupt revelation left his mind reeling. Surely the script had deviated wildly off course!"Emily, perhaps you should reconsider," he coughed delicately, offering mild dissuasion. "I thought brash, uncouth types held no appeal for you?"Susan too concurred – such matters warranted grave deliberation lest mere infatuation obscure pragmatic j