Mason groaned at the obnoxious sound shrieking inside his head. He pulled at his pillow, covering his ears, but pulled him into reality. When he finally opened his sleeping eyes, he shifted his gaze from his window, which was adored by the morning light, to the hologram displayed in front of him. Emoji was wearing a broad smile in the left corner of the screen. Mason heaved a sigh and adjusted his eyes to the alarm on his bed, and it was 6 am.“What is it?” Mason said through a beach breath.“It looks like you were sleeping,” Emoji muttered innocently.“Of course, I was sleeping,” Mason's eyes dagger at him, noticing the sarcasm lacing his tone.Emoji smiled, moving closer to him. “Well, it seems you're awake now,” he said, making Mason mentally roll his eyes.“The Celestial Assassin temple is ready and waiting for your arrival by 7:30 am,” Emoji said. “Don't be late; first impressions matter.”When Mason heard this, sleep evaporated from his eyes. “Why didn't you say so,” he murmured
Mason drove out of the mansion, heading toward the location sent by Cleopatra. It was still early in the morning with little traffic, and within fifteen minutes, Mason was close to the location, which seemed to be inside an estate. The neighborhood had one design stretching through the landscape, each house resembling the next. Apart from the expensive car that Mason drove past, he could tell the houses here were expensive, and the few people renting the apartment had a few million in their pockets.When Mason arrived at the destination, he glanced at his phone to ensure it was accurate. He heaved a sigh when he didn't see anyone or Cleopatra around. He waited a few minutes, and when he was sure no one was there, Mason was about to leave when the voices caught his attention."Can we just talk it out," a male voice echoed. Mason glanced at his side mirror to see a man trailing behind Cleopatra, who was angrily storming out of the apartment.The young man, who was in nice clothes, close
Marcus wiped the blood from his mouth and raised his gaze to the figure above him. Mason's eyes were deadly, rooting Marcus to the floor. He swallowed the lump in his throat and adjusted his gaze to Cleopatra, whose eyes were clouded with tears and disappointment. Marcus was the only guy she had dated, and yet he called her a slut when she was the only one who was loyal in their relationship. Marcus, reading Cleopatra's expression, instantly regretted his decision as the reality of his action dawned on him. He quickly crawled to his knees. "I…I didn't know what came over me, Cleopatra. I didn't mean what I said. Please forgive me," Marcus begged, stretching out his hand, but Cleopatra shrank back. The look on her face told Mason she was tired of hearing those words, and it wasn't the first time he had hurt her. "I can't forgive you this time, Marcus; it's over," Cleopatra said, pulling her hand from Mason as she walked away. Marcus quickly stood to his
Mason watched as Cleopatra made her way into the building, with numerous eyes switching between her and the car she arrived in. Some who were hoping to get a glance at the face behind the wheel walked past the tinted glass but saw nothing. When Cleopatra was out of sight, Mason glanced at his watch, noticing that no matter how fast he was going to drive, he would arrive late to meet with the Celestial Assassins. Without wasting any more time, he started the car engine and made his way out of the school premises. A little while later, Mason arrived at a location that Emoji had informed him about. He was expecting an isolated destination far away from people, but to his surprise, the building was located at the heart of Aleric City, which wasn't a hidden place for a temple to be. The building design was like any other building that towered above his car with other mundane activities. Mason glanced at the building again before making his way to the front gate. Two bulky security men sto
Mason's eyes marveled at the scene outside the open elevator. The building at the surface was just a veil to a hidden Temple underneath the ground. The structure was huge, stretching to an unknown depth, and Mason stared through the transparent bridge leading to the temple's entrance. He couldn't believe something like this was right under the noses of the Aleric city, and no one except the Celestial assassin was aware of its existence. Mason shifts his gaze to the entrance of the temple; from that distance, he can see the light sending down the transparent walls with little figures, which he assumes are where humans navigate their way through. The temple was designed in a modernized way, far from anything like the ancient structures or other familiar temples, such as the monks or other religious temples. At the end of the bridge were a few assassins dressed in their black uniforms, patiently waiting for their arrival. As they approached, Mason's eyes roamed through the group, balan
The image of Jeremiah crawled into memory as Mason stared at the system notification, which left him with no details about the mission. It wasn't the first time he had gotten a mission like this, but his heart skipped a beat as he glanced at the name across the screen, making him swallow the lump in his throat. They hadn't talked in a while, and now his best friend was in danger, and he didn't know what kind of trouble Jeremiah was in. Mason quickly slid his hands into his pocket and brought out his phone, dialing his number. After a few rings, the call was declined, making Mason stare at his screen with several possibilities crawling into his mind. Mason shrugged off the thoughts and dialed the number again, but just like the first time, the call was declined.“Is there a problem, Master?” Miranda asked, noticing the frown on Mason's face as he constantly tapped on his phone screen. Mason raised his eyes to her, and he knew Miranda was to notice his distress even when he pretended n
The noise of the rumbling ascending elevator soared through the car as everyone strapped themselves against their seat belts, waiting for the secret elevator to reach the surface. After a few minutes, the back exit of the Celestial Temple was open, revealing sunlight that kissed their skin as they drove out of the veil, hiding the temple's identity. Mason glanced at his watch behind the wheel and averted his gaze to the thirty-minute timer in front of him. He had personally set that as the ideal time to reach the tackles. "Is everyone ready?" Mason asked, shifting his gaze to his side, where Miranda sat. She nodded her head, and he glanced at the rearview mirror, confirming that everyone had their seat belts on. He stepped on the gas, and the car zoomed into the streets of Aleric City, leaving dust behind.Mason skilfully Navigated through the heart of Aleric city, leaving pedestrians dumbfounded and alarmed by the speed at which the car was moving. Other cars who noticed the incomin
Thirty minutes out of Aleric city, Mason finally slowed down as his eyes fixed on the two-story building that came into view, making everyone marvel at the fact he was able to arrive at their destination with the exact time he had set at the beginning. Everyone wore a similar stunned expression except for him, who knew about the possibilities of the legendary driving skill. Mason focuses on the Jackal's hideout, ignoring the praises that linger in his car. Miranda, who was quick to read his expression, instructed everyone to be quiet and ready as they slowly arrived at a stop, with the noise of nature masking the rumbling sound of the car. Mason quickly turned off the engine and glance to Miranda, who also noticed more than a dozen armed men outside the 'Getting past them to save Jeremiah is impossible,' Mason muttered to himself as different scenarios played in his head. He shifted his gaze to the back, where Nyx and her colleagues unbuckled their seat belts and excited the car.
With the manager gone, Fiona led the way into the building, assisted by the rhythmic click of her heels echoing against the polished floor. Behind her were Helen and Mason, who pulled his gaze from his watch to stare at Fiona leaning in to whisper something to Helen. she immediately lit up with a radiant smile and nodded enthusiastically, thrilled by whatever secret she had just shared. As they stepped into the expansive skating rink, with the door closing behind them, the familiar lyrics of the music reverberated through the air, creating an infectious energy that contrasted with the chill of the surroundings. Along the spacious bar table was a female staff member, skillfully carrying out her task without glancing in their direction. Mason smiled as he glanced around the environment, recollecting his first time inside the building; the space was filled with both professional and learning skaters who had their hearts in their mouths as they glided across it. Above the ground is a da
The manager, seeing Mason holding out his card, erupted into another round of laughter. He knew an average bank account would struggle to accommodate a single transaction of $100,000, let alone the staggering amount that Mason was now claiming he wished to pay.After laughing to his content, the manager wriggled his brown eyes across the black, and when he finally saw the distinctive inscription etched into the dark material before him, an unexpected wave of emotion surged within him. He felt a lump form in his throat, a mixture of surprise and disbelief, as he turned to Mason.“I…Is that a black card?!” The manager stammered, his mouth watered with confusion, as he fought the overwhelming urge to rub his eyes, hoping to clear the fog of uncertainty and confirm what he was seeing was real.Mason, with whom the question was directed, remained quiet, allowing the sound of reality to sink into the man.“How is that possible? You don't look—” the manager felt another lump automatically su
“Have some faith in your brother, Helen,” Mason said, faking a hurt expression. “I don't need to practice how to skate since I have a natural talent for it,” he grinned, maneuvering their way towards the other side of the park. Unlike the rest area of the park, surrounded by people and chaotic happiness, the building, which Mason assumed was meant for skating, stood empty and silent, prompting him to look up for any sign of life within its uninviting façade.“Are you sure we are in the right place?” Helen asked, her little brows knitting together as she surveyed the scene. "It looks deserted. Why is it so empty?" She asked, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. Mason, who couldn't provide an answer to her question, tilted his head slightly toward the two men positioned near the entrance. The way they stood, broad-shouldered and alert, instantly sparked a sense of recognition. Their postures were rigid, exuding an air of authority, and he quickly deduced that they were not
A flurry of activity outside the windshield suddenly broke the lingering silence inside the car. Helen, who was sitting in the passenger seat, gazed in awe at the vibrant scene through the tinted glass, while her hands rested on the door that separated her from all the fun outside.“It's Aleric Dreamland!” she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with wonder as they fixated on the towering Ferris wheel that loomed against the vivid sky. From afar, they could hear the sounds of laughter and the screams of riders ascending into the air. “Holy cow!” Helen muttered, Peeling her eyes from the scene, she turned to Mason, who had already predicted her next question. “Are we going to the park? Are we going to ride the Ferris wheel?!” she inquired, her voice bubbling with eagerness, not leaving room for him to answer her first question.Mason let out a small laugh, then nodded his head. “Yes, princess, we are going to the Dreamland, and you can choose whatever activities you want to do today,” he r
As Mason approached the entrance to the fifth-grade iris classroom, two men in black suits, which he recognized as Helen's security guards, were sentinel outside the closed door. When they spotted him and the lady walking next to him, they instantly shifted their attention, performing a precise and synchronized bow that demonstrated both respect and discipline. Mason, without a word, returned their greeting with a firm nod. Ms. Telsa gently place her card on the door, and as the door slide open, the hushed murmurs of the classroom faded, and all eyes turned to the newcomers. A curious blend of surprise and interest filled the room, and the students dressed in their neat uniforms collectively directed their gaze from Ms. Telsa to the man who had interrupted their ongoing class.Mason, who wasn't expecting such a scene, instantly glanced at the watch before he navigated his gaze to the lady standing in front of the classroom.‘Are all the teachers in the school this young?’ He muttere
When she finally noticed Mason's gaze, she instantly let out a forceful smile then glance at her colleague before walking away to greet another parent. “Shall we?” The girl with tinted gray hair asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper as she nodded toward the entrance of the building. With a subtle yet confident gesture, she stepped forward, and Mason trailing behind her, commanded attention by his presence. They took a turn into the long hallway, and Mason's gaze dropped to her figure. Her long gray hair flowed down her back, catching the soft glow of the lobby lights and adding an ethereal quality to her appearance. The fitted uniform she wore clung to her curves in all the right places, accentuating her silhouette while remaining professional. Mason’s eyes were drawn to the way her tan skin glowed against the crisp fabric of her outfit, making it challenging to pinpoint her racial background. Each step she took made her movements almost dance-like as she navigated throu
“That's alright,” Mason replied with a casual smile, unfazed by the curious glances from those around them. With a fluid motion, he retrieved his phone from his pocket and tapped at the screen, which lit up, and exchanged numbers with them, sealing their brief conversation with a friendly nod. After a few warm goodbyes, he headed toward the administration building where his car was parked. Mason circled out of the parking lot and headed downtown Aleric City, navigating through the familiar streets lined up with shops and cafes, bustling with activities. After a few miles, he finally arrived at Heaven Institution, where Helen attended school.Keeping his promise to pick her up, Mason slowed down and navigated toward the elegant, modern building with its sleek glass facade. In front of the building, staff dressed in sharp formal wear gathered in the late afternoon light, and their polished shoes gleamed as they exchanged polite smiles and warm handshakes with the parents who had come t
After the test scores were announced and the dean of students exited the classroom, several chairs scraped against the floor as the students, still reeling from the shock of the results, slowly filed out in a somber group, reminiscing about the surprising twists of the test. At the back of the line, Mason and Jeremiah lingered, their expressions different from those of the others. Meanwhile, Mr. Hasatin stood at the front, his piercing gaze fixed on the two boys as if he could bore into their skulls with his eyes.In seconds, they confidently strode to the entrance of the faculty, capturing the attention of several pairs of watchful eyes. Rumors of their outstanding test score had rapidly spread throughout the university, creating an unmistakable buzz that refused to be ignored, and other students who didn't know who they were exchanged looks of curiosity.“Bro, I think I have become popular!” Jeremiah muttered, panning his eyes at the notifications popping up on his phone screen. Mas
“Austin,” Mr. Hasatin's voice resonated through the classroom, causing all the students to turn their attention to the front. The air was thick with a mix of anticipation and dread as he scanned his list of names before looking up at the boy, who sat frozen in his seat. Austin's gaze flickered nervously around the room before finally settling on Mr. Hasatin, whose expression was stern yet tinged with disappointment as he continued, “Your test score is 10 out of 100!” The words hung in the air, punctuating the silence and eliciting a wave of murmurs and gasps from the other students. Austin, who was short of words, quickly forced a lump down his throat as the reality of his test score slapped his face. More whispers from other shocked students emerged as they lingered their gaze on the boy who had never missed a class and was regarded as not only Mr. Hasatin’s disciple but the best student of his course. “Oh my God, I can't believe this!” A girl sitting in front of Mason excla