Strongest Nova: Path of Vengeance

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Bradley stirred awake and looked around in the bright light.

"Brother!" Stanley called out. He stood up and quickly went up to his brother and helped him get back up.

"Wh-where are we?" Bradley asked. A dull pain still remained in his body from the fight, but it was fading away even as he spoke. However, the sharp pain in his arm didn't leave just yet.

"The infirmary in the headquarters," Stanley said. "I brought you here to get treated. Old man Sam went out to get some ointments for our wounds."

"Wounds? Oh right, are you okay? Are you hurt?" Bradley looked toward his brother. "How's your wound?"

"I'm fine, brother. You should worry about yourself. You are the one that fainted," Stanley said.

"Let me worry about my brother," Bradley said and finally looked at his own wound. He sucked in cold air when the cut stung a bit while trying to move his arm. "At least it's not bleeding. Oh right, what happened to them? The man and woman that attacked us?"

"They ran away," Stanley said. "I was in pain and you were unconscious, so neither of us could do anything. The Defenders were notified, but they got there a little late too."

"I see," Bradley said with a downtrodden face.

"They asked me if I saw who they were, but I said no," Stanley said. "The man was your friend's father, right? Should I have reported him? I told the Defenders that you were the one who saw the man's face, so you should prepare an answer."

"That…" Bradley felt conflicted when he heard the question. He remembered the old man from the funeral and could only imagine what he must have gone through after his son's death to reach a point where he was attacking people.

He didn't feel right reporting a hurt man who was most likely going to get sent to prison to work in the stone mill for many, many years. However, when he remembered what the person knew now, Bradley couldn't remain hesitant.

"I need to report what happened at least," Bradley said. "If I'm not wrong, they are from the rebel group that is trying to overthrow the mayor. The man said it so himself, he wants to destroy the system that resulted in his son's death."

"Because of me, they have knowledge that is confidential, so I need to let the Mayor know as soon as possible," Bradley said. He wondered if he even had time to wait. Should he act right now? Should he go up the mountain right now? Surely the mayor wouldn't be asleep this quickly.

It was then that Stanley asked the question that he was burning to know the answer to.

"Brother, are you going to be the next Mayor?"

Bradley turned around to look at his brother's face. He could see the curiosity and fear both hidden behind those questioning eyes of his.

"I'm one of the ones," Bradley said. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I wanted to wait for the Mayor to make the decision before I told you. I was also told not to let this information out, but it seems I failed at that."

"One of the ones?" Stanley asked. "What do you mean exactly?"

another one named Jack, but he died during the recent Crawler attack," Bradley explained.

15:55

'Was that what they were fighting about earlier today?' Stanley wondered. "Wait… since when were "Me, George, and brother Yasu were chosen as candidates to become the next mayor. There was another one named Jack, but he died during the recent Crawler attack," Bradley explained.

'Was that what they were fighting about earlier today?' Stanley wondered. "Wait… since when were you a candidate?"

Bradley stopped to think for a second about whether to answer or not. In the end, he decided to be truthful.

"3 months ago," Bradley said. "Right after our tests ended and the results were out, the Mayor asked me and the 3 others to the mansion to tell us that he was going to pick one of us 4 as the next mayor."

"That…" Stanley's eyes widened and his breathing got a little uneven. "That means…"

"Yes," Bradley said while he sighed. "The reason I wasn't home that day when the crawlers attacked was that I was in the Mayor's mansion. By the time the news of the attack had reached us that day, it was already too late."

"So that was the important thing you mentioned back then," Stanley said.

"Do you think… I could have saved Mom if I hadn't gone to the mansion that day? If I had instead rejected the offer and had returned home with you?" Bradley asked.

That was one of the things he still regretted. He wasn't at home that day when the crawlers attacked. Could things have been different if he had made any other choice than the one he had made that day?

"We can't tell, brother," Stanley said. "It's possible that you could have saved Mom. But, it's also possible that she would've still died, and you along with her. If things turned out differently, I would have most likely been alone in this world."

"I don't want that, brother. I am glad that even after that tragedy, you are with me," Stanley said.

Bradley could only tear up hearing those words from his brother. The regret he held in his heart reduced a little this day since his brother didn't regret his decision at the very least.

"Thank you," Bradley said softly.

"Do you really want to be a Mayor?" Stanley asked.

"I don't know really," Bradley said. "Becoming the Mayor... it's not an opportunity I feel like I can skip out on. Its a once in a lifetime opportunity. Imagine how much I can help the people if I became the mayor."

Help the people. That was what his brother wanted to do. That was part of the motivation that led him to become a Defender.

'He's not like me,' Stanley thought. 'He genuinely wants to help others while I just…'

All he ever wanted was money and revenge.

"If that's what you want to do, then you should do it, brother," Stanley said. "I will support you on your decision to become the next Mayor."

"Mayor?" a voice spoke from the doorway, making both brothers jump at the same time. "Are you going to be the next mayor, young man?"