Neo was stunned and speechless by the recent revelations.

As a young man who had just risen from the status of a laborer, these complexities of Time and Destiny were too much for him to handle.

"So you have come here through all those difficulties, even though you knew your world was beyond saving?" Neo asked, his voice slightly shaken.

​"Yes. All I wanted was to see you again, and soon, I will have to leave," Moon said, her expression turning sad.

​Neo reached out and touched her soft cheeks with both hands, warm and gentle.

"I do not know the extent of your pain, nor can I bring back what you lost. But I promise you one thing: You will not be forgotten."

Her eyes streamed with tears as she accepted his gentleness.

"That’s all I wanted to hear, Neo."

With that, she finally closed the distance, pressing her pink lips to his.

Neo hesitated for a fraction of a second, but the temptation overwhelmed him. He decided to be a man and accept it.

Smooch!

Their lips met, skin to skin, sending a jolt of electricity running down his entire body..

Her lips were impossibly soft, plush like warm velvet, melting against his with a sweetness that made his head spin.

He felt himself sinking deeper into her.

When she parted her lips and deepened the kiss, Neo could no longer hold back. He gripped the back of her head firmly, fingers threading through her white hair, and pushed his tongue into the sweet heat of her mouth.

The moment his tongue slid inside, his eyes widened. She tasted like liquid honey and forbidden desire, rich and addictive.

As their tongues finally met and tangled in a desperate wet dance, a hungry groan escaped his mouth.

Nngh~ Moon also let out a soft, throaty moan that vibrated straight into his mouth, fueling the fire between them.

Slick~ Slick~

Their tongues swirled and stroked with growing intensity, slick and passionate, exploring each other with raw need.

Their saliva mixed and dripped from the corner of their joined lips as the kiss turned fierce, almost feral.

Neo pulled her closer, devouring her mouth like a starving man, while her hands clutched at his suit, nails digging in.

Their breathing grew ragged and desperate, hot gasps mingling in the small space between them. The world around them faded until there was nothing but the wet, heated slide of tongues, the press of lips, and the pounding of their hearts.

Then a loud hurrumph echoed suddenly.

Moon tore herself away from the kiss with force.

"Disgusting!" she muttered, wiping the thick strands of saliva from her swollen lips.

Paah!

She slapped him hard across the face.

Neo didn’t even have time to react. She was far too fast.

As the slap echoed outside the tower, Neo stood there frozen, still tasting the remnant of Moon’s flavor on his tongue.

She glared at him with pure fury.

​"Remember it well, Neo Godson: This Heiress of Noctivale.. does... not.. like... you. She.. despises.. you," she said with hate. "A devil like you deserves no love, only hate. After this witch leaves, we will be enemies, and I will make sure I do my part well. I will make sure you do not become the Villain she described. Even if I had to kill you for it, I will do it without hesitation."

​With that, she turned to leave.

Neo tried to stop her and perhaps explain, but she didn’t listen. She left, just like that.

Afterward, Neo stood on the balcony alone for a long time, thinking about the recent events.

​It turned out he was destined to be a Primordial Villain, and only because of Myria’s interference was he able to keep his rationality until now.

So, the real question was: who was the true enemy?

Was it Eragon, who gave him the choices and drove him onto the path of conquerors?

Was it the so-called Gods, who couldn’t stand his presence?

Was it the God of Darkness, who manipulated him like a plaything?

Or maybe the real enemy was something deep inside him: the deep-seated hatred he held toward humanity and their actions.

​Maybe that was why he had so easily succumbed to the Dark Side.

Whatever it was, one thing was certain: his future self had been weak. He had possessed no willpower of his own and was treated like an ant to be tortured.

"I will not become someone like him."

​He clenched his fist, his heart burning with passion.

"She gave me another chance, and I will not waste it. I will participate in this chessboard, I will win, and I will become the Emperor who listens to his own will and heart. No light and no darkness can sway me."

​He glanced in the direction she had disappeared.

"Thank you, Myria. You are the most incredible woman I have ever seen. Thank you. May we meet again, even if it is in the night of eternal gloom."

--

2 days later, Neo was finally able to meet up with the Hydra Crew.

​However, only Captain Ajaz, Vice-Captain Deus, Monk, and Agnes were present on their ship. Max, Angelica, and Flameboy were still missing.

Neo appeared there with an unassuming presence, having left his own ship in the charge of Elena and Clark. And he had a specific reason for doing so.

​Just as he took his seat, Agnes spoke to him:

"Junior, have you seen Moon? She is the only one who isn’t responding to our calls."

​Neo glanced at the others, seeing the same curiosity reflected in their eyes.

"No, I haven’t met her yet," he replied.

​They chose to believe him. After all, what reason would he have to lie to them?

​Captain Ajaz spoke up, "Then let’s find the others and leave. I heard reports that the current mission has been aborted by the issuer, the Rothschild family. Apparently, something happened that changed their minds."

​"What about the rewards? I mean, we didn’t come here for nothing, right Captain?" Neo uttered, seemingly dissatisfied.

​Ajaz and the others laughed at this. "Haha, don’t worry, Neo. We will get our compensation, and you will get your share, too."

​"Then everything is fine. This planet is very weird; I want to go back immediately," Neo added, feigning an irritated expression.

​They laughed again, not knowing that a wolf was now among them wearing sheep’s clothing.

And this "sheep" had decided to play the most manipulative character ever.