"If the final step of today's experiment succeeds, then the power of the Titans will no longer be the symbol of the Eldians, but a new beacon for humanity!
As long as we gather the coordinates of the Eight Titans, we'll have a chance to compete for the power of the Founder, and finally obtain the power of the Hallucigenia!" Norman stared intensely at the test tube in his hand. Inside it, the black liquid resembled amber beneath the light.
But when the experiment reached its final step, Norman hesitated, because the last step required an experimental vessel—a non-Eldian experimental vessel. If successful, that vessel would become the first brand-new intelligent Titan outside the Nine Titans in a thousand years, and also the first non-Eldian intelligent Titan. This Titan would become the pioneer who changed the fate of the Eldians.
However, if it failed, the only outcome would be death.
So Norman hesitated. Who should become the experimental vessel?
Logically speaking, Norman should have selected a suitable Marleyan volunteer or someone similar, but he didn't dare. He had no confidence that the chosen Marleyan would truly accept the power of the Titans, or whether they would, like him, be willing to help change the future of the Eldians.
Norman couldn't gamble. Once he made the wrong choice, there would be no chance for regret.
At that thought, determination filled Norman's eyes.
After a rustling sound, Norman solemnly placed the paper covered in writing at the corner of the desk. Then he slowly took out a clean syringe from the medical cabinet, picked up the earlier test tube, filled the syringe with the black amber-like liquid, and aimed it at the veins in his wrist.
The sharp needle pierced into the vein with ease, and the black liquid was completely injected into his body.
The next second, the syringe fell to the ground and was crushed beneath Norman's foot. At this moment, Norman's face was completely red, veins bulging across his neck, his entire body swaying as though drunk.
Thud!
Having lost his balance, Norman crashed directly onto the floor. His hands tightly clutched his throat as if suffocating, while broken hissing sounds escaped from his mouth. Faint steam slowly rose from his nose and mouth.
His body temperature skyrocketed. His originally damp clothes were rapidly dried by the intense heat, and waves of steam drifted from his body.
As time passed, the intensity of Norman's struggling gradually weakened. His originally black eyes had now turned blood-red. Due to the excessive heat, all the blood vessels in his eyes burst open, blood covering his pupils entirely.
Norman had chosen to conduct the experiment on himself.
It was extremely risky, because he shouldn't have acted so impulsively. This experiment was the culmination of all his efforts—he shouldn't have taken such a risk.
Actually, Norman knew he still had another choice: letting Ebson become the experimental vessel.
Norman knew Ebson would definitely never refuse, but Norman didn't want Ebson taking the risk.
Norman couldn't accept Ebson dying because his experiment failed, because from beginning to end, Ebson had only passively accompanied him through the experiment. The reason Ebson wouldn't refuse wasn't for the sake of the Eldians—it would only be because of his friendship with Norman.
That was why Norman decided to become the experimental vessel himself.
If successful, he would experience everything most directly.
If it failed...
Then the final letter Norman left behind would entrust all hope to his unborn child. With Ebson's help, there would still be hope for the future.
And at this very moment, the Ebson upon whom Norman placed all his hopes was leaning against the laboratory door with his arms crossed, his expression dark.
Was he really as trustworthy as Norman believed?
Perhaps he once was...
The commotion inside the laboratory clearly reached Ebson's ears.
The sounds of Norman collapsing and struggling, the faint painful groans, the sharp shattering of glass instruments—
Yet none of it changed Ebson's expression in the slightest. He continued leaning silently against the laboratory entrance with a gloomy face.
No one knew how much time passed.
Half an hour?
An hour?
Suddenly, the laboratory door was pulled open.
Ebson turned his head and saw Norman standing there, his face weak yet incomparably excited.
The moment Norman exited the laboratory, he excitedly grabbed Ebson and gave him a huge hug, shouting loudly:
"We succeeded! We succeeded! Ebson! We did it! Hahahaha! It's unbelievable! I dare say there's absolutely no starry sky in the world more beautiful than the Paths! The power of the Titans, the power of the Founder—it truly is a miracle!
Pexi! Wait for me! I'll fulfill our promise soon! I'll change the future of all Eldians! Let our child live openly and happily in this world!"
Norman raised his fist toward the cloud-covered sky, as though through the dense storm clouds he could already see the bright moon beyond them.
The excited Norman completely failed to notice that Ebson, standing within the shadows behind him, now wore an icy gaze as he calmly said:
"Congratulations, Norman. I knew you could do it."
"Of course! Oh right! Ebson, lend me your car for a moment. Hurry and take me to the hospital—I want to tell Pexi this good news! And I can wait there for my adorable child to be born!"
Norman was in an exceptionally joyful mood.
"Alright."
Ebson answered with only a single word.
Norman felt not the slightest suspicion. He was already too impatient to wait, turning around and heading toward the automobile parked outside the laboratory.
But a cold gaze had already locked onto his neck.
Suddenly, a sturdy figure burst out from the shadows and rushed beside Norman with lightning speed. The attack was so fast Norman had no time to react before he was slammed to the ground.
That figure had clearly prepared beforehand. The instant he tackled Norman down, a dagger appeared in his hand.
Without the slightest hesitation, the sharp blade stabbed straight through Norman's neck.
Slash!
A flash of silver light swept through the darkness as scalding blood sprayed outward, mixing together with the freezing rainwater on the ground.
In the blink of an eye, half of Norman's neck had been severed completely!
Faint steam had only just risen from the wound before instantly dissipating.
Once the spine was severed, even the power of the Titans could no longer save its host.
The light in Norman's widened eyes gradually faded, and his body slowly grew cold.
Within his eyes, that trace of joy had not yet fully disappeared.
No matter what, he could never have imagined that his life would suddenly end here.
Ebson still stood there silently, calmly watching his closest friend lose his life.
Meanwhile, the figure holding the dagger walked over to him. Beneath the dim light, it became clear that this person was the driver who had brought Norman and Ebson to the laboratory earlier.
The driver now looked at Ebson with a flattering smile.
"Young Master, that was pretty clean, right?"
Ebson didn't look at the driver. Instead, he stared at Norman's corpse on the ground and coldly nodded.
The driver said nothing more. He simply put away the dagger and prepared to clean up the scene.
After all, he was only following orders.
The young master's orders.
Tsk tsk tsk, who would've thought Young Master looked like such a coward, but his heart's actually pretty ruthless, huh.
The driver sighed emotionally.
But in the next second, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest, and his entire body lurched forward as though struck by a heavy blow.
Terrified, the driver struggled back to his feet and lowered his head.
A bloody hole had appeared in his chest, blood continuously pouring out from it.
"W-Why... why?"
The driver stared in shock.
But a pitch-black gun barrel had already pressed against his forehead.
Bang!!
Ebson pulled the trigger without hesitation.
Yellow-white brain matter and blood exploded across his face.