"What a **ing hangover... Who were those people anyway, Noah?

" James asked as he held his head in both hands, apparently because of a severe headache he was experiencing.

Noah, who was not feeling any of this despite having drunk more than everyone last night, replied with a small smile,

"Those were friends of an invasion teammate that I have. He said those people will also compete in the championship, so we will have to deal with them at some point, I think.

"

"What?!? Are they also competitors? Wow, it's going to be fun to play a game against them,

" Kevin responded excitedly.

The night before, Noah went with his friends to the bar that Marcel had invited them to go.

- Flashback Start -

"Noah, are you sure it's okay for the five of us to go?

" James asked with a sleepy expression. He had just arrived at the hotel, but had already been invited by Noah and the other boys to go to a bar to meet some 'friends of Noah's'.

As everyone in the group was 20 - 23 years old, everyone was very familiar with bars. After all, it was a very common place to socialize. Even Noah had already been dragged to a few bars by Carlos a few times after they turned 18 years old.

"It's okay. My friend confirmed that it was okay to take you, not to mention that when someone goes to drink, the more people the better, no?

" Noah said with a confident expression.

"That's true. I just hope I don't see any snobby rich young kids,

" Mateo said, a little worried.

"If they're snobbish, we'll just have to snub them even more, won't we? Hahaha.

" Carlos laughed while making it clear that they were also rich and powerful, so the worst that could happen was that they had to humiliate someone.

"My friend, Marcel, although apparently from a powerful family, is still one of the most humble people I have ever met,

" Noah said, remembering Marcel talking about something related to the permission his family had given him, or something like that. Only a powerful family would have something like this.

Arriving at the bar, the five attracted a little attention from those inside, since although Kevin had a slightly disproportionate nose, the group itself was very beautiful. This made Marcel see them as soon as they arrived and waved at each other.

Unlike what they originally expected, the members of the other team were much more friendly than they imagined.

As a wise saying went:

"Nothing better than appetizers to make your belly full and a good drink to make your mind happier to form a good friendship.

" And that is exactly what happened. The two groups soon got together and in less than 20 minutes the people at the other tables started to complain about the noise they were making while laughing and exchanging funny stories.

But while everyone in the group was having fun, Noah was in a serious confrontation.

Ever since they sat down, Noah noticed that one of the youths in the group was looking at him with a defiant expression.

Obviously Noah wouldn't back down from a challenge like that, so he looked back, and from there a war started. Instead of ordering just one drink, the two were always asking for double in order to offer half to each other.

On the outside, the other young men were thinking that Noah and the other boy were very friendly to each other, to the point of even buying drinks for each other, but only the two knew that the war was serious.

In the first hour Mateo passed out. As much as he liked to drink, trying to keep up with Carlos, James, and two other boys in the other group was too difficult for him, causing him to pass out from drinking so much alcohol. Kevin already knew his own limits and didn't try to keep up with them, just drinking more slowly with Marcel and a girl from the other team.

After the second hour, because of the large amount of glasses and bottles around Noah and the other young man, the other people at the table started to realize that something was wrong there.

They couldn't even keep their spine straight, staggering all the time, but with their right hand always busy, holding a glass or bottle, draining the liquid as quickly as possible.

From the intense look that the two were giving each other, it was clear to the other people that the two were actually competing.

"Damn ... I never saw anyone able to compete with Pearl at drinking,

" the girl who drank with Marcel and Kevin commented with an astonished expression.

"That's true. My youngest cousin has never lost to anyone when it comes to alcohol tolerance. Who would have thought Noah would be such a good opponent for him,

" Marcel said with a little pride.

Kevin looked at their battle and was a little worried.

"Given the intense look they're giving each other, maybe it would be better to separate them before it turns into a real fight?

"

"Fight? Hahaha.

" The girl laughed.

Marcel also had a smile on his face.

"Don't worry; I know the expression on the face of those two very well. The intense expression they are giving each other is just the respect that their opponent deserves, and the proof that they are taking the match seriously. I don't doubt at all that if they could, they would be at that moment embracing and telling each other their lives because of the great friendship they are forming there now.

"

Kevin looked at them and was a little doubtful, not knowing what to expect, but seeing that no one was worried, he decided to put it aside and just enjoy the party and the company of others.

Noah's mind was already swinging from place to place. In a normal situation he would never do anything like that, let alone having fun while his sister was trapped in a hospital bed.

But because of everything she had been saying to him that he needed to think more of himself, Noah gave his entire effort for this battle against the man in front of him.

The two drank very, very much, to the point that they spent more than $500 each for the night. Adding up the entire table's consumption of more than $2,000 (which made the bar owners less tense because of the mess and chaos they caused), it almost made each one a VIP customer there. Spending so much money in a single night was rare.

As neither Noah nor Pearl had fallen, the two stood up without having said a word to each other since they met. Like two gentlemen, without showing a bit of intoxication, they shook hands with each other, introduced themselves, and they said with conviction that this confrontation would have to be postponed until they could meet at an establishment with no restrictions on opening hours such as this bar, and a moment where they could be drinking without worrying about an appointment the next day.

"Pearl really liked him,

" Marcel commented to Kevin and the girl who were still a little sober, ignoring Carlos, James, Mateo, and the other boys who were already rolling on the floor as drunk as if they were six children.

"How? They didn't even talk,

" Kevin asked, still not understanding as he watched the two young men exchange a handshake while standing, without a hint of apparent drunkenness, as if the men who had drank more than $500 of alcohol that night were not them.

"Real men don't need to talk literally to be able to understand each other. One has managed to win the respect of the other in this dispute, and that is already a big thing for both of them,

" Marcel said as he drank what was left of his drink before getting up too.

With that, the others got up. Kevin woke Mateo and supported him to leave. James was leaning on one of the young men they met during the day, while one of the other young men leaned on Carlos.

The girl was supporting one of the youths who drank with James and Carlos, while Marcel joined Noah and Pearl for a quiet walk back to the hotel.

'Maybe I should do more of this in the future. As much as we get richer and stronger,that alone is not everything in life. Maggy was right; moments like this are truly priceless. Maybe when she gets older we can drink together? I hope she doesn't like alcohol,' Noah thought as they walked back.

Please read the author's notes down here! he he he :3 ↓↓↓

As we reach 7,7k votes last week and I don't update 3 of the extra chapters, this week will have 10 extra chapters! Vote for more next week!! :D

1

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Every 1.200 power stones will be 1 extra chapter for next week beside the 2 daily chapter :)