Ascenders Rift

Evan quickly headed downstairs, arriving at the parking area for residents. There, he saw a variety of vehicles ranging from Sedans, Hatchbacks, Minivans, and other kinds. A few individuals were already headed out for work, walking towards their various vehicles while others headed towards the nearest bus stop.

At this time, a small crowd had gathered around a fat individual with seemed to carry with him a noble and aloof air. Behind him was a sports car, one that looked similar to Lamborghini in design but was branded as a 2050 Fulron Model X.

The Fulron Automotive industry is one of the world's leading businesses for hyper electric sports cars. Their branded vehicles are typically in the hundreds of thousands to millions of credits range. From this, anyone seen driving such a car regardless would be no different from a crane amongst chickens.

"Oh my god! He's so cute. I would love to drive with him..." A young starry-eyed girl said as she looked over at the fat man standing by his car.

"What do you think he's doing standing around? He's probably waiting for his girlfriend?" Another girl said in a bitter expression.

"Hmph! So, what, it's not like we could never have a chance." The girl said again with a hint of madness in her eyes.

"Eh... well, hmm, I guess you're right. It's just that he's... he's a bit too fat, don't you think?" The other girl said hesitantly.

"What fat? All that can be changed with little exercise, if I ever get within his graces, I'll work him fit in a few weeks." She boldly said as if she didn't care who heard.

A few nearby females blushed, but they had similar thoughts in their heads. Yet, the fat man didn't seem to hear anything, his eyes shrouded by dark shades as he leaned against the car and calmly waited.

Evan, who had arrived downstairs, shook his head at this scene as he thought, "Ha, so popular, this guy if only he took a little more care with his weight. Still... if he weren't fat, he wouldn't be who is now would he?"

After wrapping up his thoughts, Evan bypassed a few bitter looking guys who stared at the pretty girls that formed a crowd around Fatty Joe.

Soon, Fatty Joe had noticed his arrival as he smiled and shouted, "Yo, Evan took you long enough. I'd never seen a man take as much time as a woman, let's get going, man!"

Evan smiled and replied, "Bastard, you better watch that belly of yours cause at this rate, you'll probably end up giving birth before you find a wife."

Fatty Joe hearing wasn't embarrassed a single bit, he grabbed a chunk of fat from his belly and shook it as he smugly replied, "Haha, nice one, but anything from me is naturally going to be perfect. My fat is my pride after all!"

The girl's faces turned red when they saw this, some of them could not help but speak out loud, "Shameless!"

Not long after, Evan had entered the Fulron, sitting at the back seat. Upon entering the car, the first thing that caught him was the fresh flowery scented perfume of a person seated before him.

She was a young girl about seventeen years of age, much like Susie. However, unlike her, this girl carried a natural type of grace.

She had long flowy blond hair that reached her shoulders, with bangs covering her forehead, reaching down to her upturned blue eyes that carried a hint of shyness. Currently, she was wearing a fashionable skirt with a no sleeve shirt and a small necklace around her neck.

Evan was a bit surprised by her beauty, but he soon cleared his thoughts as he looked at Fatty Joe, who spoke, "Evan, you've only met her once, allow me to introduce her again. This is my sister Emilia Goldsmith, thank you for saving her that time."

Emilia, who heard this promptly, acted by sending a polite gesture to Evan as she spoke a bit shyly, "I.. I'd like to thank you for help. If it weren't for you saving me that day, I don't know what I'd do."

Evan smiled at this, patting her head and replied, "Little Sister Emilia, it's a pleasure to meet you, don't fret too much about the past, scums like those deserve every beating they could get for harassing beautiful girls like yourself."

Emilia smiled at this scene before quickly turning around, Fatty Joe seeing this smirked and teased, "Eh? Emmy, why are you acting so shy? Are you--"

Smack! Not giving him a chance to say his next words, the seemingly gentle and harmless Emilia hit him on his face as she glared at him silently.

Fatty Joe seeing this backed up as he spoke in a weakened manner, "Fine-fine, you win I won't tease you today..."

"Brother is the best..." Emilia said with a hint of spirit having claimed victory over her brother.

Evan seeing this watched on quietly, as he thought to himself, "This pair of brother and sister is quite the sight, now that I think of it, there was a reason why I didn't remember her."

As Evan thought to here, the car has already started moving as Fatty Joe drove out of the apartment lot. Evan looked across the surroundings, before fixing his sights onto the rear-view mirror. His eyes landed on the smiling Emilia as he pondered, "Not long after the appearances of rifts, she was among the first to die..."

After his words, the car drove off across the distant streets, vanishing in a sea of vehicles.

****

It didn't take long for Evan, Fatty Joe and Emilia to arrive at a famous restaurant. The Golden Palace, a massive building within the Eden Square of Norkton City. Many business people and corporate individuals, along with young lords and people with high status, would dine here on occasion.

There were rumors that people from the royal clan of the Morning Star Empire would sometime dine here, but that was mostly speculation as this palace was only a branch of the main Golden Palace Hall that resided in the royal city, EarlingStar.

"We're here! What do you think, Evan?" Fatty Joe asked proudly as if this was his place.

Evan swept his eyes around the area before he replied, "It's good, far better than anywhere I could ever eat."

"Haha! That's to be expected, let's not dawdle in we go!" Fatty Joe said, changing the topic as he stepped forward with great strides, leaving behind both Evan and Emilia.

Evan shook his head at this scene, while Emilia looked around the area. Evan glanced at her and spoke, "Shall we get going before he gets into trouble?"

Though Emilia still wasn't fully used to Evan, she giggled at these words, "Hehe, Brother Evan is bad, but you're right, Big Brother tends to get in trouble easy. I have to protect him most times..."

As she spoke, Emilia promptly followed Fatty Joe with Evan in tow. Evan smiled as he spoke softly, "I'm afraid you've got it, wrong little miss, it's the other way around. Although he tends to get into trouble, it's mostly for your sake. A good brother feigns weakness for his most adoring younger sister."

Soon, they had both entered the building, following red carpet, which brought them to an area filled with a variety of luxurious furniture and people dressed in fancy attire. Chandeliers were hanging from the ceilings along with a myriad of ornaments of incalculable value.

Emilia didn't seem surprised or phased by these sights, while Evan merely looked around with a hint of curiosity. While they walked, a few individuals who sent them glances, with the majority staring mostly on Emilia due to her beauty and refined appearance.

However, when they saw Evan as if by prior agreement or innate understanding, they no longer paid him any mind — only viewing him with disdain upon seeing his simple, poor-like attire.

Yet, it was at this moment. A lively scene was occurring at the greetings desk between an employee and a fat man.

Evan, upon seeing this sighed as he thought to himself, "Maybe my views were a bit off..."

"You--! How dare you do this? I have been a regular customer here for years, how can you revoke my seating arrangements?" Fatty Joe cursed in anger.

The employee was a skinny man with shrewd appearance, he smiled at Fatty Joe and replied in a neutral tone, "I'm sorry, Mr. Goldsmith, but your booth has already been reserved. In fact, all sitting areas are reserved today. If you'd like to come back at a later period, you should register beforehand."

A few of the dinners seeing this shook their heads as they discussed in hushed tones.

"Oh, the Goldsmith family, eh? It's a pity. He doesn't know yet." One person said.

"Mm. They've been suppressed for so long. I'm surprised they would still have the guts to come here..."

"Isn't that young lad's fault, he's too impulsive, daring to insult the son of EarlingStar City's High Council Elder, Mr. Keller."

"You son of a bitch, that's what I did! How dare you say---?" Fatty Joe was about to attack the man, but it was at this time he heard his sister's voice.

"Big Brother, stop! We don't need to eat here; let's go somewhere else!" A flustered Emilia said as she ran over to her brother.

Fatty Joe was angry, but as he heard his sister's words, he soon calmed himself. He noticed the looks from the individuals in the room and spoke out loud, "Hmph! Who'd want to eat at this garbage place, anyway, let's go!"

As he turned around, he grabbed his sister's hand and prepared to leave the scene. He looked at Evan's and apologized, "Brother Evan, it would seem that I've made a fool of myself. We can only eat elsewhere..."

Evan shook his head and replied with a smile, "No need to fret. For 'small things' like these, you aren't worth being concerned over."

Fatty Joe was a bit surprised, but he then laughed as he spoke, "Haha! You're right. A wise man looks forward as small things aren't to be fussed over."

Emilia giggled at their words; they were about to leave the area, but it was at this time, a voice sounded from nearby.

"Well, someone's gotten more intelligent, how was your time in detention?" A calm but mocking voice said, followed by a series of claps.

Clap-clap-clap! Following the sound, Fatty Joe, Emilia, and Evan looked towards the source. However, as the trio saw the individual there faces sunk.

Evan's eyes grew cold, and icy and dark aura permeated his being. As he spoke coldly, "So, you're here..."