"Hey, Ebson, what are you thinking about? Want a soda?" On the bustling commercial street of Marley's capital, a black-haired young man in a trench coat handed a bottle of soda to his companion.
Ebson, who was about the same age, sat on a chair in a daze. Only after his friend called out to him did he come back to his senses. He was just about to say something, but the corner of his mouth barely moved before it tugged at the bruise on his face. The needle-like pain made him hiss.
It was clear that the young Ebson was nothing like the cold and imposing head of the Louis family he would later become. At this moment, he simply looked like a shy, timid young man who seemed easy to bully.
When his companion noticed the wound on Ebson's face, his expression immediately changed. His face darkened as he demanded,
"What happened to your face? Was it those bastards Roy and his gang again? Damn it, I'll go get revenge for you right now!"
After saying that, the black-haired young man shoved the chilled soda into Ebson's hands and turned to go settle the score with them.
Ebson quickly grabbed him and stammered, "N-no, it wasn't Roy and them. D-don't be impulsive."
"Not them? Then who would bully you?" The black-haired young man looked confused.
A trace of shame appeared on Ebson's face. He hesitated for a long time before finally revealing the truth.
"I-it was my father."
The black-haired young man froze.
"Y-your father? Why would he hit you?"
Ebson's eyes dimmed a little as he said,
"H-he doesn't like that I study science. He wants me to go into business instead. Our family has always been in the arms trade. H-he found out that I applied to the Capital Institute of Technology, so that's why he hit me..."
Seeing how dejected Ebson looked, the black-haired young man quickly tried to comfort him.
"What's the big deal? What's wrong with liking science? Your father is just too stubborn. Besides, Marley relies on Titan Warriors to suppress other nations now. The arms business barely has a market anymore. Don't worry. I'll go talk to your father with you later and clear things up."
His friend's comfort lifted Ebson's mood a little.
Then Ebson suddenly remembered something about his friend's family and asked,
"By the way, how is your younger brother lately? I heard he's been insisting on joining the army."
The black-haired young man smiled indifferently and plopped down beside Ebson.
"If he wants to go, let him go. That brat keeps thinking about inheriting that title all day long. I don't even want to compete with him for it, so I don't know why he's in such a hurry."
"Oh right, I'm hosting a gathering tomorrow night. Liti and the others will be there too. Don't you dare be late. And remember to bring two bottles of the good wine from your house."
Hearing this, Ebson felt a little moved.
Since childhood, only the friend in front of him had truly cared about him. The two had known each other since they were kids, and Ebson had always regarded him as his best friend. Though they weren't brothers by blood, their bond was stronger than many real brothers.
And the black-haired young man had never forgotten Ebson either.
Because of his personality, most people their age looked down on Ebson. Some even deliberately avoided or bullied him. Only this friend would stand up for him whenever he was humiliated.
Once, he even got cornered in a dead-end alley by more than a dozen people just for defending Ebson. Ebson still remembered that day clearly—they were both beaten until their faces looked really bad.
But after that, their bond only grew stronger.
As the two gradually grew older, the shy and timid Ebson became even more withdrawn. His appearance was also quite ordinary.
In contrast, the black-haired young man only grew more handsome and confident with age. Ebson often watched with envy as his best friend casually threw entire stacks of love letters from girls straight into the trash.
At the same time, Ebson was deeply grateful.
His best friend had never distanced himself from him. On the contrary, he often brought Ebson along to various gatherings and events. Because of that, Ebson managed to make a few friends—though very few—but at least he was no longer completely alone.
And the "Liti" Yago had mentioned earlier was one of their classmates and friends. She was also the girl Ebson had secretly been in love with for a long time.
Unfortunately, with Ebson's personality, he probably wouldn't dare confess even until the day he died.
Ebson could guess that his best friend organized this gathering and invited Liti specifically for his sake.
Ebson said sincerely to his companion, "Thank you, Norman. You will always be my last brother."
The black-haired young man Norman laughed and hooked an arm around Ebson's neck.
"What's with you suddenly getting all sentimental? What's going on? Don't tell me you're lusting after my body?"
"Let me warn you first—I'm not into men."
"Anyway, get yourself ready. Fix that bruise on your face. Dress nicely for the gathering tomorrow. I'll even help you out and make sure you win Liti over!"
Laughing and chatting, the two prepared to leave the commercial street.
At that moment, Ebson noticed a photography studio at the corner of the street. His eyes lit up.
"Norman, how about we go take a photo together?"
Norman replied, "Sure."
As the shutter clicked, a white magnesium flash burst.
And on that black-and-white photograph, two young men with brilliant smiles were captured forever.
...
Ebson suddenly opened his eyes.
He quickly sat up from the bed, raised his hand to look at it for a moment, then silently walked to his desk.
He casually picked up the beautifully framed photograph placed on the table.
The photo inside had already begun to fade. The faces of the two smiling young men in the picture had also become blurred.
Bang!
Ebson slammed the frame heavily onto the table. The force was so great that cracks spread across the glass.
"I'm not wrong! I'm right!"
Ebson gritted his teeth and muttered in a low voice. His body trembled slightly from the surge of emotions. His pupils contracted, and faint arcs of electricity flickered within them.
Knock knock knock!
A knocking sound came from the door, followed by Bill's muffled voice.
"Sir, did something happen? I thought I heard a noise. Are you alright?"
Ebson took several deep breaths.
Gradually, his emotions calmed down. His body relaxed, and the electric arcs flickering in his eyes disappeared.
"I'm fine. Go get some rest," he replied calmly.
Outside the door, Bill glanced back.
Then he took a deep drag, finishing the half cigarette he held between his fingers in one breath. He narrowed his eyes and slowly exhaled the nicotine from his lungs.
The strange stimulation made him feel quite pleased.
A sharp sting from his fingertips made Bill frown slightly. Looking down, he realized the cigarette had burned all the way to the end and had scorched his fingers.
Bill tossed away the cigarette butt and looked at the small burn on his finger.
A faint wisp of steam rose from the wound, and in the blink of an eye, it healed completely.
"This ability really is convenient."
Bill grinned, then pulled out another pack of cigarettes from his pocket. People had always been telling him to quit smoking.
But now it seemed that quitting smoking was probably something he would never accomplish in his lifetime.
(A/N: This chapter is packed with information. It's recommended that readers go through it multiple times.)
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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