The third blacker said, "I need to go and play the games of the immortal."
The bigger brother said, "What is the games of the immortal?"
The third blacker said, "It is a game where immortal players, all the blackers will be hosted. I gotta go there. I have enough rest. I am recovered. Well, there is no harm in the games of the immortal. I know that. No one attacked no one."
The bigger brother said, "If that is true, I will let you go. But if you come back injured, I will never let you go again."
The third blacker answered, "I know."
The third blacker opened the door, came outside, and began to walk.
For walking for a while, he saw a dog.
He just kicked him out of his way.
Then he said, "I can't go like this. It is very far away, isn't it? I have to go quick."
After a while, the third blacker opened the door.
The servant opened the door and said, "I welcome you."
The third blacker came in and sat beside the first blacker.
The first blacker said, "Yeah, yeah, you are finally here, and did you even recover while going to your house?"
The third blacker answered, "A little bit, but at least if I fight, I will get injured again. You already told me the games of the immortal isn't with harm, right?"
The first blacker answered, "Yes, it is. We just have to play it. We don't have the board and not the dust in it. We at least need three marbles to start the game. If they get a lucky one, you will lose because lucky one is the bad luck here. Sometimes Kuou Shen Yin switch the lucky one to the bad one, and the lucky one, at first it will show you got a lucky one, but then you will get betrayed, and if the opponent has a lucky one or a bad one but a little good one, they will win, so that marble will win because it is a bad one but a little one. And if you get a little marble it depends on your luck. Sometimes that little marble can be a lucky marble or a bad marble. It depends on the luck. Then when you are gambling it, it will first show what you are twisting and what marble do you have, then you will place it. So that is the game information, what I have got. You are a new member from this game, aren't you?"
The third blacker said, "Yes, but what if you lose in the gamble?"
The first blacker said, "If you lose in a gamble, you will lose the marble and you will lose two turns. And these two turns can make you not get your own choice for two turns. First, let the others do two, then after you do that, you will get a chance and if you lose again, you have to give money to the others. And the others lose, they have to give back money, and they lose again, they have to give their money. So, that is it. There are nothing more here."
The third blacker said, "You gotta be kidding me. I don't have money at all. How would I even gamble this through my way?"
The first blacker said, "Don't forget, there are just not the blackers here. The fifth blacker or the fourth or the second or myself. They will be actual players. What can be better than every blacker including me? So, you gotta be careful because there will be more players than the blackers. To join this game, the rule is you have to be immortal since everyone can regenerate here. You see it yourself."
Kuou Shen Yin said, "The first match is the first blocker vs the fifth blocker."
Then they closed their eyes.
Each of them were given a box of marbles.
They can only pick two because this is a two vs two.
They cannot pick more than two.
They have only two marbles.
But sometimes they can multiply the marble for winning.
If you win one game, you get a marble.
Then it will be seven rounds and who wins, they win.
So this is a gamble game.
The first blacker took a marble, then another, and the fifth blacker took a marble, then another.
Round starts.
At the starting of the round, the first blacker grabs the one and places it.
Then the fifth blacker grabs another marble.
He grabs two because he was confident and if you don't have marbles, you will be eliminated.
The fifth blacker throws his both marbles.
Then the first blacker places it and sees that is a little one.
It will be not revealed till the round gets over.
When the two marbles throw, it turns out those both have potential to be one-on-one.
Then it turned out those two marbles were the bad ones.
And the first blacker's first marble was a bad one but a good one.
And now... the fifth blacker doesn't have any marbles, so he has to give money to the first blacker.
Then after he gives money, he has to take the leave.
He's not eliminated forever.
If this game gets hosted again, he can join in.
The first blacker asks, "I want ninety-five thousand money."
The fifth blacker panics and says, "Yes, yes."
He gives the money and he takes the leave.
The first blacker grabs the money and puts it on his pocket.
Now the second match was about to start.
The second match was about to start.
The first blacker looked at the next pair and adjusted the marbles in his hand.
The third blacker stood nearby and watched quietly.
He had already understood the basic rule now.
This game was not about strength alone.
It was about reading the marble, reading the chance, and reading the other player before they even moved.
The servant stepped aside and said nothing.
Everyone in the room kept their eyes on the table.
The first blacker leaned a little forward and said, "Next pair."
The announcer did not need to say much.
The second blacker and the fourth blacker came forward.
The fourth blacker looked calm.
The second blacker looked more serious than before.
The third blacker glanced at them both and thought for a moment.
They were not the type to play sloppily.
That made the game more interesting.
The first blacker said, "Same rules."
The fourth blacker nodded.
The second blacker said, "I know."
Each of them took their box of marbles.
The third blacker watched the movement carefully.
The marbles looked simple.
But the way everyone looked at them made them feel heavier than they should be.
The first blacker explained again, more for the third blacker than for anyone else.
"When you pick, you do not always know what you are holding."
"Sometimes it looks lucky."
"Sometimes it looks bad."
"And sometimes the marble changes once the round is already moving."
The third blacker crossed his arms.
"That is annoying."
The first blacker said, "That is the game."
The fourth blacker turned her marble box slightly.
The second blacker did the same.
Then the first blacker said, "Begin."
The room went still.
The second blacker moved first.
He placed one marble down carefully.
The fourth blacker watched him without blinking.
Then she placed one too.
The marbles touched the table with a soft sound.
Nothing dramatic.
Nothing loud.
But the tension in the room became sharper.
The third blacker could feel it.
The first blacker could too.
Then the second blacker picked his second marble.
He hesitated just once.
The fourth blacker smiled a little.
That meant she noticed.
The third blacker looked at the table and then at the players.
No one said anything.
The second blacker placed the marble.
The fourth blacker placed hers immediately after.
The round started to reveal itself.
The first blacker leaned in.
The marbles flashed.
One was a little marble.
One was a bad one.
One of the marbles changed color at the last second.
The room shifted.
The second blacker frowned.
The fourth blacker's eyes narrowed.
The result was not fully clear yet.
Then the first blacker spoke.
"That one turned."
The third blacker looked closer.
He saw it.
The little marble had shown a false shine before settling.
The second blacker exhaled slowly.
"So it was tricking us."
The first blacker nodded.
"That is part of it."
The fourth blacker looked annoyed.
She had clearly expected better from the marble.
The second blacker stared at the board.
Then he said, "So if it changes later, the round is not over yet?"
The first blacker replied, "Correct."
The third blacker now understood the tension.
This game was not a simple throw and wait.
It was a waiting game inside a waiting game.
The marbles could turn.
The luck could turn.
The round itself could lie.
He found that amusing.
A little too amusing.
The fourth blacker picked up her remaining marble.
She looked at the second blacker and said, "If you lose, do not make a face."
The second blacker answered, "If you lose, do not pretend you did not see it coming."
That made the fourth blacker smile slightly.
Then she placed her marble.
The second blacker followed.
The room held its breath.
The first blacker folded his hands.
The marbles spun once on the table.
Then settled.
One was a good one.
One was a little one.
The fourth blacker's face changed.
The second blacker looked at the result and immediately realized something was off.
The first blacker said, "Now the turn is yours."
The third blacker watched the board.
He saw the setup now.
The game was not just about rolling luck.
It was about forcing the other side into bad movement.
The fourth blacker had already lost one marble.
The second blacker was still holding one.
The round was leaning.
The first blacker smirked.
"It is not over yet."
The fourth blacker said, "I know."
Then she lifted her final marble and looked at the second blacker.
The second blacker did the same.
Both players placed their final choice.
The marbles hit the table.
A short pause.
Then the board flashed.
The result settled.
The second blacker lost.
The fourth blacker won the round.
The first blacker nodded once.
"Good."
The second blacker sat back slightly and looked at the table.
Then he sighed.
"Bad luck."
The fourth blacker replied, "Not luck. Just better timing."
The third blacker kept watching.
He was starting to see why this game mattered to them.
It was not only gambling.
It was a test of control.
The first blacker turned toward the third blacker.
"Now you understand why Kuou Shen Yin likes this game."
The third blacker said, "Because it is annoying?"
The first blacker smiled.
"Because it reveals who panics."
That answer made sense.
Too much sense.
The third blacker stayed quiet for a moment.
Then he asked, "And if someone keeps winning?"
The first blacker answered, "Then they become a problem."
The third blacker grinned.
"I like problems."
The first blacker glanced at him.
"That is why you are dangerous."
The third blacker laughed once.
He did not deny it.
The announcer's voice came again.
"Next match ready."
The third blacker looked toward the table.
The next pair was already stepping forward.
The room was still full.
Still warm.
Still tense.
The marble boxes were brought out again.
The third blacker looked at the setup and felt his interest rising.
This was not a normal tournament.
This was a game of half-truths, shifting luck, and hidden betrayal.
He liked it more than he expected.
The first blacker took another drink and said, "You are thinking too much."
The third blacker replied, "You are talking too much."
The first blacker smiled.
"That means you fit right in."
The third blacker looked toward the next round and said, "Good. I was worried I would be bored."
Then he watched as the next pair took their places, and the game of the immortal continued.The third blacker said, "This is interesting."
Kuou Shen Yin said, "Round three. The third blacker versus the fourth blacker."
The third blacker sat in a chair.
The fourth blacker also sat in a chair.
The third blacker said, "You might have been my friend, but to get the money, to be better, and prove to my little brother that I really am strong, I gotta win this match. Sorry, and thank you for gambling next to me."
The fourth blacker said, "Don't go aggressive. It is just a game."
She was calm.
The third blacker did not do anything.
Then he closed his eyes, and the fourth blacker also closed her eyes.
The third blacker moved his hand and took two marbles.
He placed two down.
Then the fourth blacker also placed two marbles down.
The third blacker's turn was first.
He touched both and felt which one was softer.
He moved one marble.
Then the fourth blacker also picked one and slammed it on the board.
Then, after a while, when it was revealed, it turned out both marbles were the same.
The third blacker's marble was a bad one, while the fourth blacker's marble was also a bad one, a fully bad one, just like the third blacker's.
Round one was a draw.
Again, after round one, they both picked two marbles again, and it would show what marble they would pick after they placed it.
The third blacker and the fourth blacker picked two marbles from the marble box.
They both placed them on the board.
The first blacker showed one marble at the middle of the board.
Then the fourth blacker took also a marble and placed it just in front of the third blacker's marble.
Then the fourth blacker lost the round.
Now, he had to pay money and go for the next round.
There would be five rounds in this match.
The third blacker said, "I am really poor. I don't have that much money, so I need at least thirty thousand money, so that's it."
The fourth blacker said, "Sure."
Then the fourth blacker placed thirty thousand money on the board.
The third blacker grabbed it and put it in his pocket.
The round continued with the third blacker slamming another marble.
The third blacker smiled when the fourth blacker was still calm.
He placed the second one.
Then it was revealed again.
The third blacker won this match.
The fourth blacker's marble was a bad marble, but still a little good.
When the third blacker's marble was a bad marble, but a little better than the fourth blacker's marble.
Now there were only some rounds left.
There would be five rounds, and they had already played three rounds, and the third blacker had won two.
There would be two more rounds, then the match would be decided.
The third blacker still did not become overconfident because he was panicking, because his little brother would ask him how he got all this money, and he would have almost no answer.
Then the second last round started.
Now they would get two more marbles because they only had one again.
The third blacker and the fourth blacker closed their eyes and picked two marbles.
The third blacker placed one directly at his corner.
The fourth blacker countered it by placing another one.
Again, there was a big gap.
The fourth blacker won this match.
That meant the last match was still not here.
The third blacker's marble was fully bad, while the fourth blacker's marble was fully lucky.
The third blacker did not say anything till the next match started.
The third blacker said, "I will win this match. Don't I?"
The fourth blacker stayed calm and said, "We didn't decide the money. What will I give you and what will you give me? First, your round what you won, but you didn't ask for money. How much do you want?"
The third blacker said, "Again, seventy thousand money."
The fourth blacker stayed silent.
After thinking for a while, he said, "Sure."
And gave the money.
The last match was about to start.
Then it started.
The first blacker placed one marble on the board.
Then the fourth blacker too.
After a while, it was decided.
Again, a little gap happened.
The fourth blacker won because his lucky one was a little luckier than the third blacker's one.
The third blacker was the match winner.
The third blacker said, "You didn't ask for money. That should not be in the rule. Well, I will ask you now for 100,000 money."
This time the fourth blacker did not hesitate and gave it.
Then the fourth blacker said, "For the fourth match, I will ask you 3,000 money."
The third blacker said, "Okay, no problem," and he gave the money.
The fourth blacker knew he could get all his money back, but he did not because he was hiding his crying thing.
The third blacker looked at the money in his pocket for a second longer.
Seventy thousand.
Thirty thousand.
One hundred thousand.
The numbers felt strange in his hand, like they belonged to somebody else.
He glanced at the fourth blacker.
She was still calm on the outside.
Too calm.
That was what made him suspicious.
The first blacker leaned back in his chair and watched both of them carefully.
He had noticed it too.
The fourth blacker's mouth had barely moved during the last exchange, but his fingers had tightened once.
Just once.
Enough to notice.
Not enough to call out.
The third blacker shifted in his seat and said, "You are hiding something."
The fourth blacker replied, "Everyone hides something."
The third blacker stared at him for a moment.
Then he leaned back.
"Yeah. That sounds right."
Kuou Shen Yin watched from the side and said nothing.
He liked this part.
He liked when the game stopped being just luck and became pressure.
Pressure revealed more than marbles did.
The third blacker looked at the board again.
The last result still sat in his mind.
The fourth blacker had lost the round.
He had given the money.
And yet he still did not look upset enough.
That made the third blacker uncomfortable in a way he did not fully like.
He crossed his arms and asked, "Why are you acting like that?"
The fourth blacker looked at him.
"Like what?"
"Like you are fine."
The fourth blacker paused.
Then he said, "I am fine."
The third blacker frowned.
"That is a lie."
The first blacker let out a small breath, almost like a laugh.
The fourth blacker did not answer the accusation right away.
Instead, he looked down at the table.
Then, quietly, he said, "You won the money. That was the point."
The third blacker watched him.
It was the first time his voice had sounded just a little off.
Not broken.
Not weak.
Just tired.
The third blacker's expression changed a little.
Then he said, "You really are hiding your crying thing."
The fourth blacker did not deny it.
That was answer enough.
The room went quieter after that.
Even the first blacker stopped smiling.
For a while, nobody spoke.
Only the sound of the marbles being gathered and the papers being checked moved through the room.
Then Kuou Shen Yin finally spoke.
"The next round will continue soon."
The third blacker looked at him.
"Is there a point where we stop?"
Kuou Shen Yin answered, "When the match is done."
The third blacker sighed.
"Of course."
He looked back at the fourth blacker one more time.
The fourth blacker still had his head down.
Still calm.
Still hiding that the loss had gotten to him.
The third blacker could see it now.
This game did not only take money.
It took pride.
It took composure.
It took whatever was left under the calm face.
He did not like that part of the game.
But he respected it.
The first blacker gathered the next set of marbles and said, "The final stretch is always the ugliest."
The third blacker glanced at him.
"Then why do you keep playing?"
The first blacker gave a dry smile.
"Because ugly things are often the most honest."
The third blacker thought about that.
Then he looked at the fourth blacker again.
The fourth blacker's hands were still resting on the table.
Still steady.
But not fully.
The third blacker leaned forward a little and said, quieter this time, "You did good."
The fourth blacker looked up.
For a second, his face changed.
Not much.
Just enough.
Then he said, "You are only saying that because you won."
The third blacker shrugged.
"Maybe."
The fourth blacker looked at him for a long second.
Then he turned away again.
The game was not over.
But something had changed.
The room had felt heavy before.
Now it felt heavier in a different way.
Not because the marbles were moving.
Because the people were.
And the third blacker, sitting there with the money in his pocket and the next round still waiting, knew the game of the immortal was not only about who won a gamble.
It was about what the gamble stripped away while everyone kept smiling.
The first blacker pushed the next marble box forward.
"Round four."
The third blacker looked at the board.
The fourth blacker looked at him.
Neither of them spoke for a moment.
Then the third blacker reached out and took his marbles again.
He rolled one between two fingers.
It felt small.
Almost harmless.
That was the trick with this game.
Everything looked small until the result hit.
He glanced at the fourth blacker and said, "This round is mine."
The fourth blacker answered, "That is what you said before."
The third blacker smiled.
"Then let me say it again."
He sat forward.
The room quieted.
Then the round began.
Both of them picked in silence.
One marble.
Then another.
The third blacker watched the fourth blacker carefully.
No rush.
No wasted motion.
The fourth blacker did the same.
Then the marbles touched the board.
A gap opened between them.
The first blacker leaned in.
This time the result came slower.
The tension sat longer.
Then the outcome finally revealed itself.
The third blacker won the round.
He blinked once.
Then looked at the board again.
The fourth blacker's jaw tightened just a little.
The first blacker made a note.
"You are ahead."
The third blacker looked at the money pile, then at the remaining rounds.
There was still one left.
The last round.
He could already feel it.
The last round would decide whether the pocket became full or empty.
He could not afford to lose it.
Not because of the money.
Because of his brother.
The question would come.
Where did you get it?
How did you win it?
And if he could not answer properly, the little brother would stare at him like he was an idiot.
That was a bad future.
The third blacker did not like bad futures.
The fourth blacker saw his expression and said, "You are thinking again."
The third blacker replied, "Yes."
The fourth blacker asked, "About money?"
The third blacker said, "About questions."
That made the fourth blacker pause.
Then he gave a quiet laugh.
"Good luck with that."
The first blacker cleared his throat.
"Final round."
The room tightened again.
This was the last one.
The third blacker placed his marbles carefully.
The fourth blacker did the same.
The first blacker called the reveal.
The marbles flipped.
One side was lucky.
One side was bad.
The third blacker's eyes narrowed.
He saw the result instantly.
He had lost the final round.
The fourth blacker had won.
The room stayed still for a beat.
Then the first blacker looked at the third blacker.
"You lose the last one."
The third blacker stared at the board.
Then he looked at the fourth blacker.
The fourth blacker did not look happy.
Not really.
Not after all that.
The third blacker frowned.
Then he said, "You don't look like you won."
The fourth blacker gave him a tired look.
"I don't feel like I won."
The third blacker paused.
Then he asked, "Why not?"
The fourth blacker looked down at the money that had been won and lost across the table.
Then he said, "Because this was never just a game."
That answer sat there for a moment.
The third blacker understood enough to stop asking.
The first blacker gathered the marbles away.
Kuou Shen Yin watched the room and said, "That concludes this match."
The third blacker stood slowly.
He looked at the money in his pocket.
Then at the table.
Then at the fourth blacker again.
The fourth blacker's expression was calm once more.
Too calm.
The third blacker could still feel something under it.
He knew enough not to press.
Instead he said, "You were good."
The fourth blacker looked at him.
Then nodded once.
"You too."
The first blacker leaned back.
"The game of the immortal continues another day."
The third blacker turned toward the exit.
His pockets were full.
His body was still sore.
His mind was busy.
And somewhere behind him, the game kept moving on with the same strange rules and the same strange silence between rounds.
The third blacker walked out of the room with the money, the marbles, and one more problem sitting quietly in his head.Before the third blacker walked out, he looked at the first blacker and everyone sitting.
He slowly said, "Don't ya want to go? The game is over, do you know that?"
The first blacker said, "It is over for you. You have two matches. We are still playing here."
The third blacker said, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever you say, I guess."
The third blacker walked heavily and heavily.
The ground moved under his steps.
He only walked out of it.
The servant told him the thing.
"Remember, this game will be hosted again at the next day. Will you join?"
The third blacker said, "I will pass. That makes me have more stress. I felt more bad here. It was entertaining things, but it was always bad. Like, gambling for a while is not what I thought."
The third blacker took his leave.
He walked and walked.
He entered his home again.
He smiled and said, "Look, I am not injured at all."
The bigger brother said, "If you are not injured at all, why are you holding your back?"
The third blacker said, "Huh? What are you saying? Holding my back does not mean what you are thinking of. I just played the games of Immortals. It was fun, but I declined to play it again the next day."
The bigger brother said, "Okay, you can come here."
The third blacker flashed next to his bigger brother and he said, "You remind me of my father, don't you? But don't sacrifice yourself like him. I will not love you at all."
The bigger brother flashed the third blacker and said, "No, I am sure I will not do that. I am excellently sure. Don't ya worry."
The third blacker said, "Yeah, yeah, I will not. But still, I want to know, are you my true siblings? When I was little, my mom and dad used to tell me you are adopted. I just want to ask, are you my true siblings?"
The bigger brother said, "Of course I am. Mom and dad just used to joke. Don't fully believe their words."
"No, no, I don't fully believe their words. If you are saying it, I still have suspiciousness, but I will remove the suspiciousness and see it with it."
The little brother came and sat next to the third blacker.
He took his book and said, "Want it?"
The third blacker said, "Of course. Can you make me borrow that book for a week or some?"
The little brother said, "No, let's read it together."
The bigger brother patted him and said, "Yeah, little stud, let's read it together instead."
The little brother showed it and said, "That is... Moment God, he is extremely cool. He is the father of a big superstar, Larry! He is a big hero, saving the world from crimes and more. He saves the world from monsters. Isn't he wonderful?"
The third blacker looked at the book for a moment.
He did not answer right away.
The little brother kept holding it with both hands, waiting.
The bigger brother sat nearby and watched the two of them quietly.
The third blacker finally took the book and looked at the cover.
Then he said, "Larry?"
The little brother nodded hard.
"Yes. Larry. He is extremely cool."
The third blacker flipped the book once.
He looked at the pictures.
Then he looked back at the little brother.
"So this is the book you wanted to show me?"
The little brother said, "Yes."
The third blacker asked, "Why is he holding the sky with one hand?"
The little brother immediately pointed at the page.
"Because he can."
The third blacker stared at the drawing a little longer.
The bigger brother leaned back and said, "He always likes that hero."
The little brother turned around fast.
"Because he is good."
The bigger brother said, "I did not say he was bad."
The little brother crossed his arms and sat properly beside the third blacker.
Then he pointed at the next page.
"Look. Here. He is saving people again."
The third blacker looked.
Larry was drawn standing in the middle of a ruined street.
People were behind him.
A monster was on the ground.
A crowd was cheering.
The little brother smiled while looking at it.
"He is always the one who comes at the end and saves everyone."
The third blacker looked at the page for a moment and said, "That is a very good job."
The little brother nodded enthusiastically.
"Yes. Exactly."
The bigger brother looked at both of them.
The third blacker turned another page.
Then another.
He kept looking without saying much.
The little brother was happy just to have someone reading with him.
The bigger brother stayed still, listening.
After a while, the third blacker said, "He does not look afraid."
The little brother answered immediately.
"Of course not. He is Larry."
The third blacker gave a short breath that was almost a laugh.
"That explains everything, I guess."
The little brother grinned.
"He is a big hero."
The third blacker looked at the page again.
Then he asked, "Why do you like him so much?"
The little brother did not answer at first.
He just looked at the book.
Then he said, "Because he helps people."
The room went quiet for a second.
The third blacker looked at him.
The little brother kept staring at the page.
"He does not just stand there. He moves. He saves. He does what other people cannot."
The third blacker said nothing.
The little brother's voice became a little smaller.
"I like that."
The bigger brother looked over at him.
Then he gave a small nod.
The third blacker closed the book halfway and said, "So you want to be like him?"
The little brother looked up fast.
"Yes."
The third blacker looked at him for a second.
Then he looked at the bigger brother.
The bigger brother did not speak.
He just sat there.
The third blacker leaned back.
"That is a good answer."
The little brother seemed happy with that.
He pointed at the book again.
"Read more."
The third blacker opened it again.
He kept reading with the little brother for a while.
The bigger brother watched them both with quiet eyes.
No one rushed them.
The room stayed warm.
The book pages moved one by one.
Larry kept saving people.
Larry kept standing in front of danger.
Larry kept smiling in the drawings.
The little brother kept reacting to every page like it was the first time he had ever seen it.
Then, after a while, the third blacker paused on one page.
He looked at the picture for longer than the others.
The little brother noticed.
"What is it?"
The third blacker pointed at the hero in the book.
"He looks like he has been through a lot."
The little brother nodded.
"He still smiles."
The third blacker said, "Yes."
The little brother looked at him.
"That is why he is cool."
The third blacker did not answer immediately.
Then he said, "Maybe that is true."
The bigger brother finally spoke.
"You are staying quiet for once."
The third blacker glanced at him.
"I am reading."
The little brother smiled.
"Then keep reading."
The third blacker turned the page again.
Outside, the town was still loud.
Inside, the room was much quieter.
The little brother leaned a little closer now, pointing out pages as they went.
The bigger brother occasionally looked over and corrected nothing.
The third blacker read every line slowly.
Not because he had to.
Because the little brother wanted him to.
And for now, that was enough.
The next page showed Larry standing in front of a broken gate.
The little brother pointed immediately.
"See? Here. This is where he stops the whole monster group."
The third blacker looked at the page carefully.
There were too many monsters in the picture.
Not enough room.
Not enough time.
Larry was standing in the middle like it was nothing.
The third blacker said, "He really likes walking into bad places."
The little brother nodded.
"Because if he does not go, nobody else will."
The third blacker looked at him.
That answer was simple.
Simple answers were usually the best ones.
The bigger brother leaned toward the book and said, "He always picks the worst road."
The little brother said, "That is because he is brave."
The third blacker kept staring at the drawing.
Then he said, "Or stupid."
The little brother instantly turned.
"No. Brave."
The third blacker smiled a little.
"Same thing if you are looking at it from far away."
The little brother frowned, then decided not to argue.
He turned the page instead.
On the next page, Larry was carrying somebody on his back.
The little brother's eyes lit up.
"He saves them even when they are hurt."
The third blacker noticed the bandage on Larry's arm.
He said, "He does not look good there."
The little brother nodded.
"But he still keeps going."
The third blacker looked at the page for a while.
Then he said quietly, "That is annoying."
The little brother blinked.
"What?"
The third blacker looked at him.
"It is annoying when people keep moving even when they are hurt."
The bigger brother looked at him slightly.
The little brother tilted his head.
"Why?"
The third blacker did not answer immediately.
Then he said, "Because it makes it harder to stop them."
That made the little brother go quiet for a second.
Then he smiled again, because he thought it was cool.
The bigger brother, however, looked at the third blacker for a longer moment.
He understood that answer a little more than the child did.
The room stayed still after that.
The pages kept turning.
Larry kept fighting.
Larry kept saving.
Larry kept smiling.
The little brother kept pointing out every detail.
The third blacker kept reading.
The bigger brother kept watching.
And for a while, the whole house stayed like that.
Quiet.
Warm.
Normal enough to feel strange.
Then the little brother suddenly said, "He is stronger than everybody."
The third blacker answered, "Maybe."
The little brother immediately said, "No, definitely."
The third blacker glanced at him.
"You sound very sure."
The little brother nodded hard.
"I am."
The third blacker looked at the book again.
Then he said, "That is because you like him."
The little brother replied, "Yes."
The third blacker leaned back slightly and smirked.
"That part was easy to guess."
The little brother grinned, not offended at all.
The bigger brother spoke after a while.
"You should eat before the book finishes."
The little brother looked up.
"I want to read more."
The bigger brother said, "You can read while eating."
The little brother thought about that, then agreed.
He moved the book a little closer to himself.
The third blacker watched him for a second and then asked, "Do you really want to keep reading this forever?"
The little brother nodded.
"Yes."
The third blacker looked at him.
Then he said, "That is a strong answer."
The little brother smiled proudly.
The bigger brother shook his head a little.
"He likes heroes too much."
The little brother looked at him.
"What is wrong with that?"
The bigger brother answered, "Nothing."
The little brother narrowed his eyes.
"You say that like something is wrong."
The bigger brother did not argue.
He only reached for the food and slid it closer.
The little brother accepted that as the end of the discussion and opened the next page.
The third blacker looked down at the book one more time.
Larry was still there.
Still standing.
Still saving.
And the little brother was still staring at him like that was the most important thing in the world.
The third blacker said nothing.
He just kept reading with them.