SSS-Class Profession: The Path to Mastery

Chapter 83: The Masked Truth

Chapter 83: The Masked TruthThe room felt smaller than it was.

The steady hum of medical equipment, the faint antiseptic sting in the air, the quiet weight of realization pressing against my chest.

I stood frozen, staring at Alexis Harrington, my mind working faster than my body could respond.

She knew.

Not just about Mr. Angel. Not just about my survival.

She knew.

I had spent practically a full year crafting identities, weaving masks so seamlessly that even the most persistent hunters struggled to follow my trail. I had deceived governments, navigated through shadowed corridors of power, and kept my true self buried beneath layers of calculated deception.

And yet—

A single nurse, standing there with that amused smirk, had figured me out.

She leaned against the doorway, arms crossed over her chest, radiating effortless confidence. Her cropped platinum-blonde hair framed sharp, inquisitive blue eyes that flickered with something more than just amusement.

"You really chose to wear another mask, huh?" she mused.

I didn't answer.

Not yet.

Instead, I forced my body to move, inhaling carefully as I shifted my weight on the bed. Earth's gravity was heavier than I remembered. Every muscle in my body, weakened from months of reduced gravity, screamed in protest. My limbs felt like lead, my nerves sluggish.

Still, I adjusted. I always did.

With deliberate slowness, I reached for the Angel mask on the bedside table, running my fingers over the smooth white-and-gold surface. My reflection warped in its polished finish, fractured by the curve of the material.

A long breath escaped my lips. Then, finally, I turned to face her.

"Unfortunately, I don't really understand what you are talking about?" I said.

Alexis chuckled, stepping forward. "Oh, come on. You're not that good at hiding."

I raised a brow.

She tilted her head. "Alright, fine. You actually are that good. But, last year, I was the one who patched you up as Mr. Dust, remember? And don't think I forgot your face! I memorized every detail about your injuries, your physiology. When they brought you here, all it took was a single glance."

She tapped her temple. "Same frame. Same old injuries. Different mask."

I exhaled slowly. There was no point denying it now.

"You're the only person," I murmured.

"Besides your little fan club?" she teased, but then her voice softened. "Yeah. Looks like it."

I

She had saved my life twice.

So, I decided to trust her.

"I have the ability to gain multiple professions. I can copy skills, access an immense database, and adapt to any job."

I expected skepticism. Doubt. Maybe even mockery.

What I didn't expect—

Was the grin.

The usual playful glint in Alexis's eyes darkened, replaced by something sharper. Something hungry.

For the first time, she didn't look like a nurse. She didn't look like a caretaker.

She looked like a scientist who had just found something fascinating.

Her voice dropped, smooth and calculated. "A complete outlier, huh? Something that shouldn't exist."

I blinked. "Excuse me?"

Alexis stepped back, her grin widening. "Oh, don't mind me. I just have a thing for anomalies. Especially when medicine and biology could be involved."

I tensed slightly. "You're too interested."

She winked. "I like knowing what makes things tick."

I opened my mouth to respond—but before I could, she straightened her uniform and regained her composure.

"Anyway," she said, her voice turning casual again, "one last question before I go."

I narrowed my eyes. "What is it?"

She tilted her head, amusement flickering across her face.

"What are you going to do about your court case?"

I stilled.

"...What court case?"

Alexis smirked. "Oh right, you wouldn't know...Well in two months, there's a massive trial regarding the members of the so-called Masked Syndicate. Including—" she made a small gesture toward me— "Mr. Fox, Mr. Dust, and Mr. Angel."

I exhaled sharply, my fingers curling into a fist.

"You're being charged with hiding your true rank, concealing your abilities... and potentially being part of a terrorist organization."