He was back. Somehow, it all felt like it had come full circle.
I'm still the same guy I used to be, unchanged in every way.
Time was just a test, and the belief I planted in my heart had never faded.
The face in the mirror—it was the same one I started with.
"Ah… after going through so much, I finally look human again."
A pair of lively, straw-like eyes stared back at him from the mirror.
Barrry tugged gently at his thin layer of skin, and—crack!—it split open, revealing the pale bone underneath.
There wasn't a trace of flesh beneath, just a thin covering of skin.
Still, creating something like this—almost out of nothing—had taken an incredible amount of effort.
His true form was that of a scarecrow. The straw body was his foundation. His resurrection ability always brought him back to that form in the end.
The white bones were just an extension of his power—something he had to consciously maintain. Otherwise, they'd stiffen and crumble like a corpse.
And this fragile layer of skin was the same way.
It drained even more of his regenerative energy just to keep it from rotting or falling apart.
After all, this was something he'd developed on the fly—a lucky breakthrough, but far from perfect.
His body had a natural rejection toward flesh and blood, making it incredibly difficult to sustain. To completely overcome that, his power would have to evolve again—at least one level higher.
He'd need to consume another large, powerful soul—someone as tough and resilient as Jason.
But even if Jason himself stood in front of him again, he wouldn't be enough anymore.
After Barrry ripped out his mask, Jason had basically been sent back to square one—his soul reduced to that of a frightened little boy. Who knew how long it'd take him to crawl his way back up from hell?
Barrry figured he'd probably never see him again.
"Not bad," he muttered to his reflection. "Still looks like me. Shame that over here across the ocean, no one's gonna mistake me for a movie star anymore."
He ran his hand through his golden, wheat-colored hair, using a comb to smooth it neatly into place.
As he did, old memories surfaced.
He remembered how, back in his previous life, people on the street would constantly mistake him for someone else—it drove him nuts. Eventually, he even tried tanning his skin, hoping to look more average so people would stop confusing him for celebrities.
Didn't work. They just started calling him by another famous name.
Sigh. Those were the days.
Without realizing it, his hands had parted his hair right down the middle.
The classic middle part—he remembered when that look was all the rage.
All he needed now was a sharp suit, and he'd almost look like his old self again.
He glanced at the time on his phone. School should be letting out soon.
Barrry typed a quick message to Maria, asking her to pick something up on her way home.
—
By six o'clock, Maria came home to an empty house, holding a shopping bag.
"Barrry, I bought the clothes you asked for—based on the sizes you gave me," she said. "I've never shopped for men's clothes before, so I stopped by a store called 'The Man's Closet.'"
"So… why the sudden interest in dressing up?" she asked curiously, handing him the bag.
"It's part of a bigger plan," Barrry replied with a mysterious tone. "You'll find out soon enough."
To conserve energy, he'd reverted to his smaller form. He reached into the bag and pulled out the clothes.
HLA!
"Damn," he chuckled, "it really is 'The Man's Closet.' HLA—homegrown brand. Guess I've got no choice but to wear it."
He walked to the bathroom to change.
"Wait—wear it? What do you mean wear it?"
Maria's imagination went wild.
She pictured him in a full-body spandex suit under the formal clothes—like some kind of superhero swinging through the living room.
Or maybe an Ultraman in a three-piece suit flashing her a devilish grin.
"Ugh, no," she muttered, shaking off the image as goosebumps ran up her arms. The thought alone was ridiculous enough to make her eyes water.
Still, she wondered—what was she supposed to say when he came out? How could she compliment him without sounding fake?
The door opened.
Barrry stepped out.
A tailored suit and tie. A classic middle part. His straw-woven eyes now soft as the wind, golden irises glowing like polished amber.
His exposed skin had a warm, light tone with subtle texture—no longer carrying that eerie, inhuman look.
He didn't look nearly as bad as she'd feared.
In fact, he looked… good.
Maria's eyes traveled upward—from his shoes to his face—and when she finally met his gaze, her breath caught.
He was strikingly handsome, like a golden wheat field in autumn—filled with sunlight and a gentle breeze.
In that moment, there was no trace of the violent aura he carried in battle. Just calm, warmth, and a quiet kind of charm that made her feel at ease.
"Has anyone ever told you that you look like—"
Barrry lifted a hand, cutting her off.
He'd heard that line too many times before.
"No need," he said smoothly. "I am who I am—just a firework of a different color."
He'd never cared much about looks. To him, what mattered was presence, not appearance.
When you can shatter worlds with a single punch, no one dares say you're not handsome.
And if someone does? Well… they can join Jason in the resurrection ring.
"So," he said, loosening his tie, "what do you think? Not too bad, right? It's been a while since I tried being human—feels a bit weird."
The tie felt tight—probably because he'd made his new body too broad out of habit. He subtly reshaped himself, adjusting his build until the suit fit perfectly.
"I'm… actually kind of shocked," Maria admitted. "You never told me you looked like this. Or much about your past, for that matter."
She realized something she'd overlooked this whole time.
"I always thought you were born a scarecrow. But you were human once, weren't you?"
"A little mystery makes a man more interesting," he said with a smirk.
"That's not fair," she teased. "You know everything, and I know almost nothing."
Barrry slipped on a pair of black sunglasses, hiding his inhuman eyes.
"Don't worry," he said with a calm smile. "You'll learn more in time."
"What, you think I should tell everyone I own half the town? Or that I was raised as the next heir to a multibillion-dollar empire? I'm a man of humble principles, Maria."
He adjusted his tie again, his grin widening.
"I've always believed in staying low-key. Just because I was born into greatness doesn't mean I need to brag about it. I don't want my friends feeling pressured by my… exceptional background."