Scar stepped out of the steam-filled bathroom, a plush towel slung low around his hips. Water droplets clung to his chest and shoulders, glistening under the ambient crystalline lighting of his room. The relentless hunting throughout the morning had left his body sore, but the warm water had dissolved the physical tension, leaving his mind hyper-focused and ready for the next move.
He sat on the edge of his bed, summoning the holographic display of his status screen.
——————
*Name: Henry Myers
*Race: Human
*Level: 4 (Exp: 935/1000]
*HP: 400/400
*Stamina: 108/108
*Energy Points: 80/80
–––––––
[Speed Index: Tier 1 - Cheetah Class]
*Top Speed: 660 km/h
*Speed Rate: 0 km/h (Idle)
*Perception Index: 4.5x
–––––––
*Strength: 26
*Agility: 33
*Durability: 48
*Perception: 56
*Mastery: 17
*Stat point: 5
*Super Speed
*Accelerated Perception
*Health Regeneration
*Eye of Horus
None.
——————
When Scar's gaze landed on his available stat points, decided to allocate them immediately. He systematically assessed his needs. His current baseline speed was absurdly lethal, especially after the insane speed boost he had permanently unlocked yesterday, but his raw physical attributes needed to keep pace with that acceleration.
Pushing 650 km/h with a fragile frame would only end in torn muscles or fractured bones if he had to hit a solid object. After a short while of contemplation, he distributed the 5 available points to build a more balanced foundation. Putting 2 points each into stamina and durability, then allocating the last point to strength.
[Stat Distribution Confirmed:
*Durability: 48 >> 50
*Stamina: 108 >> 110
*Strength: 26 >> 27
*Stat Points: 0
——————
The digital numbers shifted instantly, and a sudden, dense ripple of localized pressure passed through his muscle fibers, hardening his bones and reinforcing his core. He exhaled a long breath, watching the interface update his new baseline limits.
Before he could close the tab, a rhythmic knock echoed against the doors of his room.
"Enter," Scar called out, letting the system screen dissipate.
The door swung open, and Felicity walked in. She was dressed in a sharp, tailored white blazer and dark trousers that commanded respect.
Behind her, two maids were wheeling a garment rack stacked with protective garment bags. Felicity waved them away, dismissing them to the hall with a gentle flick of her wrist.
"Good afternoon, darling," Felicity said, her eyes crinkling with a warm, maternal smile as she stepped toward his grand walk-in wardrobe. "I decided to choose your outfit for the soirée myself. A mother should have some privileges on her son's big day."
Scar remained seated on the bed, his expression a cold, unreadable mask as he watched her flip through the designer suits. "You didn't have to trouble yourself."
"It's no trouble at all," Felicity replied effortlessly, her fingers sliding over fine silk and tailored wool. She glanced over her shoulder, her gaze taking in his damp hair. "How was hunting this morning? The gates reported you left early."
"It was productive," Scar said, his tone flat, intentionally withholding details about his encounter with the pink-haired anomaly named Rose. "I took down a few packs of F and E-rank beasts. I leveled up once already, and I'm close to doing so again."
Felicity stopped her search, turning to face him fully. Her smile widened, radiating a deep, unyielding pride that seemed to light up the entire room. "That's amazing. I knew the system would flourish under your direction, but to scale your power so rapidly on your second day? You are doing exceptionally well, Roy. Keep it up."
Scar froze.
The praise was unexpected. But more than that, the sudden, sharp twist it caused in his chest caught him completely off guard. A strange, unfamiliar warmth flared behind his ribs—a genuine spike of happiness, as if he suddenly, desperately cared about what this woman thought of him. He felt a phantom connection to her, a tether stretching across his hardwired defenses.
His eyes narrowed. No. That's impossible, he thought aggressively, shaking his head slightly to dislodge the feeling. He was a survivor, a weapon forged in the dirt of a past life. He didn't care about maternal validation. He was likely just mentally drained from the morning's hunts. Yes, that had to be it. Fatigue.
Felicity pulled a pristine, midnight-blue three-piece suit from the rack, accompanied by a crisp white shirt and a silk tie that perfectly matched the cold hue of her own signature cryokinesis. "This is the one," she declared, hanging it on the front of the wardrobe. "Get dressed. And please, make sure to eat something substantial before the guests arrive. The kitchen staff informed me that you skipped breakfast this morning. You need to put something tangible in your tummy if you're going to stand in front of a crowd for hours and pretend to care to care about their presence."
Then she stepped toward him, her movements fluid and elegant. She reached down, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to his forehead.
Scar's reflexes flared. He instantly shifted his torso back, his eyes narrowing as he raised a sharp brow. "Wh-what are you doing?" he asked, stunned.
Felicity paused, her lips lingering in the empty air where his forehead had been a millisecond prior. She didn't look angry; instead, a faint, melancholic understanding washed over her features. She slowly stood up straight, offering a wry, apologetic smile. "Sorry, I... it was a reflex. I am simply used to doing it." She smoothed down her jacket. "Get ready, okay. I'll see you downstairs."
With a final, lingering look, she turned and left the room, the heavy doors clicking shut behind her.
Scar sat in the ensuing silence, his fists clenched against the mattress. The echo of that strange internal connection lingered, and he despised it. It was becoming too obvious to ignore, a glaring vulnerability in his psychological armor. "She's messing with my mind again," he muttered through grit teeth. "She must be projecting subtle emotional compulsions into my mind to force a bond."
[Hm. I doubt that] Miley's crisp British voice chimed into his thoughts, breaking the silence. [I think she's telling the truth. The emotion you felt... was entirely your own]
Scar scoffed loudly, standing up to head toward the suit. "I didn't ask for your processing analysis, Miley. And there is no way in hell I am ever going to believe a word that mind witch says. I am not as naive or gullible as the brat I replaced."
[Speaking of the 'brat',] Miley transitioned seamlessly, her tone turning more analytical. [I observed your interaction with him through your memories. Is keeping Henry permanently locked up in that psychic cell truly the correct strategic call?]
Scar grabbed the midnight-blue trousers, slipping them on. "He's a liability. So he stays in the box."
[Consider the logistics,] Miley pressed. [Felicity is about to announce to the world that you suffer from a severe dissociative disorder. The public will expect to see both personalities over time. If the original Henry never surfaces, if you remain in absolute control indefinitely, it is only a matter of time before the media and TRIAD stop believing the narrative. They will realize the disorder was a fabrication, and the window of suspicion will open right back up]
"So what?" Scar sneered, putting on and buttoning the crisp white shirt. "Let them believe whatever they want. I don't give a damn about their expectations. I am never releasing Henry. Not now, not ever. Do you have a problem with that?"
The line went silent for several seconds, Miley calculating her response.
[No] she finally replied, her tone cool and detached. [The internal dynamic of your shared mind is between the two of you. My primary directive is the survival of the host body and the optimization of the system. Your choices regarding control are your own. Besides, my opinion changes nothing]
"Good," Scar muttered, pulling the midnight-blue vest over his shoulders. "Then don't bring the matter up again. Now, let's get back to business. Earlier, you mentioned there was a method to convert mana cores into Shop points."
[Indeed] Miley said, her demeanor shifting instantly into Wikipedia mode. [Because Hermes was the ancient deity of commerce, thieves, and travelers, the Celestial System possesses an inherent Trade Function. It operates under the cosmic law of equivalent exchange]
"Nice," Scar smirked, pulling his inventory screen up. "Then this shouldn't be hard. But, is it only mana cores I can trade? And is it only shop points I can get?"
[The Trade function allows you to convert physical items like mana cores, beast crystals, or any other valuable resource—in exchange for the system shop currency. At higher levels, you can even trade for direct attribute increments]
Scar paused, his fingers freezing on his tie. "What kind of attributes? Like raw stats?"
[You can trade high-value items or accumulated shop points for permanent increases to your consumable stat pools—specifically your Health Points, Energy Points, and Stamina. It provides a pathway to scale your survivability without relying solely on leveling up or raw stat point allocation]
"Incredible," Scar murmured, his tactical mind immediately calculating the long-term benefits. "That completely removes the ceiling on my endurance. But I'm guessing there's a catch."
[Indeed. At your current level, the attribute conversion paths are restricted. The only transactional route available to you right now is trading raw materials for standard Shop Points]
Scar exhaled. "Fair enough. I have over seventy cores sitting in my inventory. Let's see what they're worth."
[Initiating trade protocol now. I'll process the price matrices based on global resource rarity...] Miley intoned.
Instantly, a series of bright translucent prompts flashed over his vision, glowing with an amber hue.
[Trade Function Initiated]
[Scanning Host Inventory for Tradeable Assets...]
[Scan Complete: 76x Low-Rank Mana Cores, 1x E-Rank Beast Crystal detected]
[Would you like to proceed with the transaction?]
"Yes," Scar commanded mentally.
The screen shifted, revealing a list of conversion directories.
[Select the desired exchange output for your valuables:
A.) Shop Points (Available)
B.) Health Points (Unavailable - Level Lock)
C.) Energy Points (Unavailable - Level Lock)
D.) Stamina (Unavailable - Level Lock)
E.) Stat Points (Unavailable - Level Lock)
F.) Top Speed (Locked - Requirements Unknown)
——————
Scar's eyes locked onto the final option, his pupils dilating slightly. "Whoa. Hold on. Top Speed? I can trade items to increase my velocity?"
[Apparently so,] Miley mused, her voice carrying a rare hint of uncertainty. [However, as you can see, that directory is completely locked. The system files do not specify the unlocking parameters. I have zero data on how to access it at this stage.]
"We'll worry about that later," Scar said, keeping his focus sharp. "For now, select Option A. Give me the shop points."
[Calculating Exchange Rates...]
[Trade Price Matrix Applied:
*1x Low-Rank Mana Core = 10 Shop Points
*1x E-Rank Beast Crystal = 50 Shop Points
——————
Scar scrutinized the values, his lips thinning. "Fifty points for a single beast crystal? I'm guessing the system values them exponentially higher because of their rarity compared to standard mana cores."
[Precisely,] Miley confirmed. [The trade system values rarity and raw energy density above all else. The scarcer the resource in the Realm, the higher the point yield.]
"Noted," Scar said. "Convert all seventy-six mana cores into shop points immediately."
[And the E-Rank Beast Crystal from the Earth Smasher?] Miley asked. [Would you like to liquidate that as well?]
"No," Scar said firmly, his survival instinct overriding the desire for quick currency. "If galactic beast crystals are that rare and difficult to acquire, it's worth far more to me as a frozen asset than as loose change. We keep it in the inventory. It's like holding onto gold or diamonds for future trade. You never know."
[Alright. That's a pragmatic decision] Miley praised. [Processing the core transaction now]
[Converting selected assets to Shop Points...]
[76x Mana Cores >> 760 Shop Points]
[Do you confirm this transaction?]
[
"Yes," Scar willed.
A soft chime resonated in his ears, and the 76 pearls vanished from his inventory grid, replaced by an updating numerical ledger.
[Trade Successful!]
[760 Shop Points added to your account.]
[Current Balance: 760 Shop Points]
Scar nodded, satisfied with the immediate fluid transition of power.
[I suggest you examine the System Shop now,] Miley advised. [Your current balance is minor, and you likely won't be able to afford most of the commodities yet, but checking the shop will afford you a clear metric of what to save for]
"Alright. Let's open it," Scar said, stepping out of the wardrobe. "But wait... something about that exchange rate doesn't make sense. The system gave me a flat ten points per core. But today I hunted both F-rank and E-rank beasts. Are you telling me an E-rank core is worth the exact same as an F-rank? What happens when I get my hands on an A-rank core? Will it still yield a pathetic ten points despite the rarity and extreme danger involved in harvesting it?"
[I knew you would catch that discrepancy,] Miley countered with a hint of digital satisfaction. [The system does not value all ranks equally. It categorizes them in baseline tiers. For local mana cores: F and E-ranks yield 10 points. D and C-ranks scale to 50 points each. B, A, and S-rank cores yield a flat 100 points. The interface simply calculated the flat value of your current batch because they fell within the baseline tier. Higher-tier extractions will yield the scaled profits I just listed. The same principle applies to Galactic Beast Crystals: E and F-ranks yield 50 points, D and C yield 100, B and A yield 200, and an S-rank crystal—should one ever be found—scales significantly higher]
"Okay, good," Scar murmured, the logic satisfying his tactical mind. "That checks out. Open the shop menu."
With a thought, a massive, gold-rimmed holographic storefront unfolded before him, divided into clean, streamlined categorical tabs.
*Weapons & Wears
*Artifacts
*Consumables
*Skills & Mastery
*General Items
——————
Scar tapped the Weapons & Wears tab first, scrolling through the glowing list of armaments. The very first item at the top of the ledger caught his eye. It was a sleek, silver-alloy dagger classified as a B-rank weapon. He decided to look further into the description.
——————
*Name: Shadow-Thread Dagger
*Class: B-Rank
*Description: A lightweight, obsidian-alloy throwing dagger bound to the host's spiritual aura. Forged with dark-matter properties that allow it to bypass basic physical mass when traveling through empty air.
*Stat Boost:
+10 Strength, +15 Agility
*Special Skill:
-Spiritual Duplication: This allows the wielder to manifest exact physical duplicates of the blade mid-flight upon being thrown. The maximum number of duplicates depends entirely on the host's focus, mental stamina, and willpower.
Cost: 100,000 Shop Points
——————
Scar's eyes flashed. This dagger was the perfect tactical weapon for his combat style, allowing him to rain down lethal projectiles while maintaining his distance. Then, his gaze drifted to the price tag.
A hundred thousand.
He hissed through his teeth and scrolled down. The next item caused him stop and pause for a bit.
——————
*Name: Alucard's Blade
*Class: A-Rank
*Special Class: Mythic
*Description: An ancient, ornate longsword forged from primeval cosmic steel before the Great Schism. The blade hums with a parasitic, sentient desire for combat and bleeds a faint crimson mist when unsheathed.
*Stat Boost: +50 Strength, +30 Durability, +40 Perception.
*Special Skill:
-Mind Reign: This grants the wielder absolute telekinetic control over the sword. The blade can be operated remotely through sheer willpower, flying, parrying, and executing complex swordplays within a 50-meter radius without ever needing a hand on the hilt.
*Passive Skill:
-Blood Siphon: Converts 15% of all physical damage dealt to living targets directly into temporary Health Points for the host. (Health points gained from this skill lasts for 24 hours)
*Cost: 1,000,000 Shop Points
——————
"Mythic class?" Scar questioned, leaning in. "What does that mean?"
[Certain weapons within the storefront are more powerful than you think] Miley explained. [They are not like the standard mechanical or modern armaments created from mana cores and beast hides. They are ancient relics forged through primeval cosmic magic before the Great Schism. The system categorizes these unique weapons across four distinct tiers: Rare, Ancient, Mythic, and Legendary]
Scar admired the floating image of the majestic blade, but his practical mind quickly reasserted itself as he read the cost. He let out a dry laugh. "A million points. How convenient," he scoffed. "I was never a fan of swords anyways."
He swiped past it, and the next few items gripped his undivided attention, making his purple eyes flash with unadulterated want.
The first was a pair of sleek, golden combat boots labeled Talaria-X. It was the very item he craved most at the moment.
——————
*Name: Talaria-X
*Class: S-Rank
*Special Class: Legendary
*Description: The original winged sandals worn by Hermes, the ancient God of Speed. Mechanically modified into sleek, aerodynamic modern combat boots using high-density kinetic alloys and micro-thruster soles.
*Stat Boost: +50 Agility, +20 Stamina, +100% increase to Top Speed.
*Special Skill:
-Wind Walk: Summons the wing of Talaria and allows the wearer to completely ignore gravity, and soar into the sky, running seamlessly on the atmosphere without falling.
The skill lasts for 10 seconds. With a five minute cooldown.
*Cost: 200,000 Shop Points
——————
"Wait a minute," Scar frowned, crossing his arms. "If those boots belonged to Hermes, and I am the sole inheritor of his legacy, shouldn't they be mine by right? Why the hell do I have to buy my own predecessor's gear?"
[Well, you're welcome to lodge a complaint with the person who coded the interface. They're the one who determined the cost every item] Miley replied dryly. [But until then, the prices remain fixed. No exceptions. And definitely no discounts]
Scar rolled his eyes and continued scrolling. He made a silent promise to one day get that boot. It was way too useful to be left sitting idly in a digital store.
He moved his gaze downward, and directly beneath the boots was the holy grail of his build: The Nitro Suit - First Generation.
It was a form-fitting, aerodynamic tactical suit engineered specifically for Speedsters. It featured built-in localized cooling systems to prevent heat exhaustion and complete friction resistance to protect the user's skin at Mach speeds and higher.
Stat-wise, it offered a passive 50% boost to top speed, alongside significant increments to Durability, Agility, and Strength. Most terrifyingly, it featured an active skill that allowed the user to trigger a 200% speed burst for five minutes.
But when Scar saw the price, he threw every thought of purchasing the suit out the window.
It cost 500,000 Shop Points.
Scar sighed, realizing his current balance of 760 points made him look like a peasant. He bypassed the unattainable gear and tapped into the Artifacts tab, scanning through the many mythological relics listed there.
He found two artifacts that managed to interest him.
——————
*Name: Aegis Fragment
*Class: Ancient
*Description: A small, polished shard of crystalline stone harvested from the shattered shield of Athena.
*Stat boost:
+10 Strength, +30 Durability
*Special Skill:
-Absolute Kinetic Barrier: Deploys an instantaneous, impenetrable hexagonal shield of raw force capable of neutralizing any single physical or magical attack up to A-rank. (Charges: 3/3 per day).
*Cost: 150,000 Shop Points
....
*Name: Helm of Darkness
*Class: Mythic
*Description: A specialized helmet forged from the fragments of the original cloak of Hades. It radiates a cold, unsettling aura that dampens the ambient light around it.
*Stat boost:
+20 Agility, +10 Perception.
*Special Skill:
-Umbral Veil: Grants the host absolute visual, thermal, and spiritual cloaking for ten minutes. While active, the user leaves zero physical footprint, sound, or mana signature in the physical world.
*Cost: 350,000 Shop Points
——————
Scar reviewed the relics. They were incredibly useful in combat and would grant him a boost in stats. But both artifacts were tucked securely behind six-figure price tags. In other words; not affordable.
He closed the tab and opened Consumables. This was where his expression finally shifted into pure elation.
Listed near the top were two items: Health Regeneration Serum and Stamina Regeneration Serum. He instantly clicked into the description.
——————
*Health Restoration Serum
*Description: A special fluid that instantly restores 100% of the host's maximum Health Points upon consumption.
*Cost: 1,000 Shop Points per vial
...
*Stamina Regeneration Serum
*Description: A hyper-reactive, brilliant blue fluid that instantly restores 100% of the host's maximum Stamina pool, completely neutralizing muscle fatigue and lactic acid buildup.
*Cost: 1,000 Shop Points per vial
——————
Scar's chest tightened with excitement. Stamina was the absolute lifeline of a Speedster. At his current velocity, running out of fuel mid-combat would mean a swift execution. But if he could accumulate enough shop points to stock his inventory with these vials, he would possess an infinite engine. He would never have to worry about hitting his limit again.
The shop also featured high-tier vials for stat-doubling and temporary health-pooling, all costing upwards of several thousand points. But they were all unaffordable at his system's current financial level.
Then, he clicked into the Skills & Mastery section.
The interface displayed a massive, cascading tree of martial and utility disciplines: Beginner Sword Mastery, Intermediate Spear Mastery, Advanced Dagger Mastery. But the section wasn't restricted to weapons alone; there were other instant mastery unlocks ranging from martial arts, to driving, to even something as basic as cooking. The section had all kinds of skills.
"So if I buy one of these, it just uploads directly into my brain and makes me good at it?" Scar asked, focusing on Advanced Dagger Mastery. He already considered himself at an intermediate level through years of street survival, so the advanced tier would be perfect to attain. Though it cost 300,000 Shop Points.
[Yes] Miley confirmed. [Purchasing a mastery module triggers an instantaneous neural rewrite, embedding the muscle memory and tactical reflexes directly into your brain. However, as you can see, the costs are prohibitive. This is why your core Mastery Stat remains vital]
"How?," Scar demanded, adjusting his tie in the mirror. "If I can just buy the skills, what's the purpose of upgrading my Mastery stat?"
[The Mastery Stat dictates your biological adaptation rate] Miley clarified. [While the shop offers an instant shortcut, it is an expensive luxury. Upgrading your core Mastery stat allows you to learn, adapt, and refine your abilities naturally through real-world experience. Furthermore, for a Speedster, Mastery is directly tied to your natural speed scaling. The higher your Mastery stat, the more efficiently your body adapts to the stress of acceleration. It allows your top speed to increase organically simply through training and constant sprints, independent of system rewards]
Scar processed the data, his eyes sharpening. "So if I grind sprints daily outside of my standard quest requirements, pushing my body past its limits, a high Mastery stat will force my top speed to increase on its own?"
[Precisely] Miley said.
"Then I need to restructure my schedule," Scar resolved, his mind locking onto the strategy. "I'll begin investing stat points into Mastery, and I'll carve out a specific block of time every single day strictly for sprints. I'll force this body to adapt and push myself to the limit."
After scrolling through the General Items section—which consisted of random everyday object ranging from a simple screw driver, to a spaceship—Scar closed the storefront, the screens dissolving into the room. The tour of the shop had fundamentally rewired his mentality. He had believed that to get strong all he needed to do was enter the forest and grind, but now he had a new, overarching goal: He needed Shop Points.
If he could accumulate enough currency, he wouldn't need to struggle through years of training. He could simply buy the weapons, the suits, the infinite stamina, and the advanced masteries to make himself an untouchable god.
But according to Miley, the system only awarded shop points for specific quests. He couldn't depend on that.
The only other consistent path was the Trade Function. And trading low-tier mana cores for ten points a piece when the basic consumables cost a thousand was an incredibly slow crawl.
"There has to be a way around this," Scar murmured, walking over to his desk. "A loophole. A cheat of some sort."
Miley let out a rare, melodic laugh in his head. [You cannot hack or exploit this system, Roy. It was engineered by one of the most brilliant divine minds in the history of the multiverse]
Scar scoffed, sitting down in his sleek leather chair. "Being brilliant is different from being smart, Miley. Raw intelligence isn't about scoring high marks or inventing a complex machine. It's something much more intricate, infinite, and adaptable than that. Every system has a flaw. It's just a matter of time before I find the fracture in this one."
He leaned forward, tapping the sleek glass surface of his desk. "Quick question, can I trade this world's currency—credits, for shop points?"
[Yes] Miley replied, sounding slightly intrigued. [The Trade Function accepts anything that holds established tangible value within the current Realm]
"Perfect," Scar smirked, thinking about the five million credits Felicity had given him. "What's the conversion rate?"
Miley hummed. [The system requires an active scan to determine the current economic conversion, but given the baseline value of credits, five million would yield a substantial amount of points. Do you intend to liquidate your funds?] she asked.
"Not yet," Scar said, his cautious nature taking over. "That money is a last resort, my emergency contingency. I want to explore other resource acquisition paths before I burn my financial leverage."
[Are you referring to your 'cheats'?] Miley teased.
"Maybe," Scar murmured. He activated the grand holographic desktop monitor built into his desk. Large, floating virtual screens filled the air before him, glowing with live data feeds. For the next three hours, Scar completely immersed himself in research. His fingers blurred across the interface as he mapped out the global economy of world. He analyzed the market values of rare minerals, heavy energies, specialized ores, and corporate assets. He cross-referenced the global trading registries, studying which black-market sectors yielded the highest profit margins, looking for high-value resources that he could easily intercept, hunt, or steal to feed into the system's trade matrix.
He lost track of time, his focus entirely consumed by numbers and logistics, until a sharp, polite knock rattled his door.
"Young Master Henry?" Walter's crisp voice drifted through the wood. "The guests have begun to arrive. Lady Felicity requests that you join her in the ballroom immediately. The soirée is about to commence."
Scar paused, his eyes tracking the digital clock on his screen. It was already past 4.
"I'll be right down, Walter," Scar called back.
"Very good, sir." Walter said from outside, before walking away.
Scar shut down the holographic displays, the bright screens winking out into darkness. He walked back to the wardrobe, put on the suit's jacket, and put on a pair of black shoes, finalizing his dress with meticulous precision. He smoothed down the vest, adjusted the silk tie, and spent a moment combing through his dark hair, ensuring not a single strand was out of place.
Once finished, he stepped in front of the full-length mirror to inspect the final look.
Scar stood perfectly still, taking a long, critical look at his facial features for the very first time since arriving in this world. The boy in the glass was undeniably striking. He possessed a sharp, aristocratic jawline, high cheekbones, and flawless pale skin that perfectly complemented the intense, unnatural glow of his piercing purple eyes. He looked every bit the part of high-society royalty.
But as his eyes traveled downward, his expression soured. The suit was immaculately tailored, fitting his frame like a second skin, but beneath the fabric, his physical build was lean—almost thin. It was far from the dense, athletic, and battle-hardened musculature he had possessed in his past life.
Scar let out a sharp, irritated click of his tongue. "Pathetic," he muttered, gripping his forearm. "I need to fix this frame. I look like a stiff breeze could snap me in half."
But on the bright side, the elegance of the tailored suit masked the physical deficiencies for now, providing the perfect camouflage for the monster lurking beneath the surface.
He took a slow, deep breath, adjusting his shoulders. He let the cold, predatory intensity bleed from his expression, replacing it with a quiet, slightly reserved confidence.
The mask of the recovered, mysterious Henry Myers was firmly in place.
Turning on his heel, Scar opened the heavy doors and stepped out into the corridor, heading down toward the grand ballroom to face the high society of the world.