Ken froze for a moment. He hadn't expected the changes: the remarkably long hair draping past his shoulders and the heavy, flowing black robe that replaced the sharp, tailored suits of the mortal world. Though Hades' appearance had subtly shifted toward something more ancient, his regal features and pale skin were unmistakable.
The shock broke. Ken quickly pulled away from the embrace, his expression hardening from instinctive fear into a sharp, defensive anger.
"Get off me," Ken said, his voice flat and cold.
Hades immediately let go, taking a compliant step back. In that exact moment, a violent swirl of purple mist materialized nearby, and Jester—the towering, seven-foot figure—reappeared inside the perimeter, freezing as he sensed the sudden shift in the air.
