Adam just stared at Smor.
He understood the young man's turmoil, more than Smor probably realized. And that was precisely the problem. Adam didn't know how to answer.
He couldn't say the truth.
I awakened a cheat ability. Now I'm strong.
That kind of answer wouldn't just disappoint Smor, it would crush him.
It would turn everything into something ugly and unfair, something impossible to accept. And staying silent would be even worse.
Adam didn't owe Smor an explanation. He knew that.
Yet… he still wanted to give one.
There was no grand reason behind it. No moral obligation. Just a simple, almost stupid thought.
I don't want to watch a grown man break over something like this.
No matter how irrational it was, that was enough for Adam.
All eyes were on him, but he didn't see them. His thoughts turned inward, circling the same question Smor had asked.
Why did you change?
Had he actually changed?
Yes, he had awakened a special talent.
