Ignition (20)

Though Crystal had been a little overbearing, it had to be said that she had a point.

Whoever was beneath the Mirror Armor, he knew too many details. If they could deal with him before the hunting party left, then doing so would clearly have been the best option.

Yet here he was, sitting among them, perfectly safe.

"The problem is, I've dealt with the Clown more than once. This isn't his style."

Seeing that everyone else had fallen silent, Ballard made one last attempt.

"This guy seems more like some cunning, treacherous outsider. And his story is hard to believe. For example—"

He turned to Fu Qian.

"Can you tell me how you became me?"

The air fell silent. Without a doubt, everyone except Fu Qian had been wondering the same thing.

Even the Ice Wolf called Crystal had nothing more to say.

Ballard had certainly managed to pinpoint the key issue. He hadn't even asked Fu Qian to open his helmet and reveal his true face.

To a demigod, appearance was far less reliable than the nature of one's power.

"That's naturally because, after becoming a demigod, I discovered something interesting."

Under the scrutiny of all those watching him, Fu Qian thought, This is exactly the question I've been waiting for.

As he spoke, he tapped his face. The helmet unfurled and spread apart.

He could have done it much more simply, but mindful of the risk of matching outfits, Fu Qian had decided without hesitation to put in the effort and make it look cooler.

Once his helmet opened, the demigods' eyes were drawn to him despite themselves.

The next moment, though the air remained utterly silent, it seemed as if he could hear their many gasps of astonishment.

Beneath the faceplate was still Fu Qian's