“I wouldn’t say I tanked the attack,” Apollo muttered while coughing blood.
He tried to hide he was in a vision and collect information at the same time.
“Where is that guy?” Apollo asked, trying not to give himself away. “He used such a powerful attack to damage me. It must’ve weakened him. We can use this chance to—”
“It was me.”
Neo cut off Apollo’s words and placed his sword at his neck.
“I was the one who attacked you.”
“…!?”
His confusion was clear to Neo.
“So this is a vision.”
Instead of beheading Apollo, he sheathed his sword.
Apollo was shocked when Neo realized they were in Apollo’s vision.
It proved Neo always knew his trait.
“Why are you attacking me!? Why?” Apollo shouted, aghast.
“Because you wanted me to stop from saving the Child of Mana—”
Neo suddenly stopped speaking.
He raised his head and looked at the sky.
The noise of thunderclaps echoed faintly.
It grew in volume with each passing second.
Giant condensed bolts of golden lightning crackled in between the dark clouds.
An unfathomable pressure exploded in the sky.
The clouds parted, revealing a man clad in golden lightning.
“You—”
Zeus glared at Neo, and Neo unleashed his own pressure in return.
“How dare you betray the Association!?”
He descended from the sky at breakneck speed and—
Apollo woke up from the vision, breathing heavily.
He clutched his chest.
“Neo betrayed the Association?”
He recalled Zeus’ words and the wrath behind them.
Zeus had been out for blood.
“No, Neo isn’t the type of person to betray others.”
Apollo had spent over a month with Neo.
He had seen Neo’s kindness and compassion.
Neo had been prepared to fight him, Athena, and Emma to protect his friends.
“There is no way a person like that will betray us.”
Apollo repeated the words as if to convince himself.
But.
The vision could not be wrong.
He scrambled around, searching for his device.
“I need to warn the Association of Neo’s betrayal….”
He entered the number.
However, his finger refused to press the dial button.
“Dammit!”
He opened the message app and started to type.
[Apollo (sender): Neo wants to save Child of Mana at all costs. Convince him properly or he might try to save the Child of Mana alone.]
[(Message delivered to Emma)]
[(Message delivered to Ares)]
[(Message delivered to Gaia)] ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com
“Should I send it to Zeus too?” Apollo thought and shook his head. “Forget it. It would just complicate things unnecessarily.”
The message he sent contained vital information, but it didn’t explicitly state Neo’s betrayal.
Apollo had been informed about the Child of Mana being in Typhaon’s captivity.
Coupled with the fact Neo talked about the Child of Mana and they were present in a forest—probably Savage Expanse—Apollo could easily figure out Neo’s goal.
After sending the message, Apollo stood up and left the tent.
“I can’t reach Association Headquarters, but I should be able to reach the Savage Expanse if I move now.
“If Neo’s goal is Typhaon, he will definitely come to Savage Expanse. I have to stop him from reaching Typhaon.”
Apollo respected Neo.
However, he was prepared to fight Neo if Neo chose the wrong path.
Despite having the firm conviction, Apollo clenched his fists.
“But… It should be fine if I try to convince him first, right? Just because he will come to the Savage Expanse doesn’t mean we have to fight,” he murmured.
“There is also a chance Neo might not betray us.”
…
Palkebo Café, 6th floor, Association Headquarters
Emma and Jack were drinking coffee while waiting for Neo.
“When will you stop hiding in Neo’s shadow?” Emma asked.
“This again?” Jack sighed. “I’ve told you many times, I’m not hiding in anyone’s shadow.”
“Stop lying. There is no way you are weaker than Neo. Your talent is incomparably higher than his. I can see that easily.”
“Blind idiot,” he muttered under his breath.
“What?”
“Nothing.” Jack shrugged. “Anyway, I’m not holding back or anything.”
“You are. You just don’t want to hurt Neo’s ego by revealing you are stronger.”
Jack sighed again.
They had had the same conversation dozens of times when they were alone.
Emma clearly didn’t like Neo.
“Emma, your highest mastery element is Darkness, am I correct?” Jack asked, interrupting her.
“Yes?”
“Can you devour physical objects?”
“I can.”
“What about abstract concepts?”
“Yes, I can devour emotions.”
“Can you devour darkness?”
“Huh? Of course, I can’t. It’s impossible to do so.”
Jack shrugged.
He was taught the same.
But inside his Soul Space, Neo had devoured Jack’s corruption (Darkness) and sins.
It was not supposed to be possible.
‘At this point, I’m not even surprised when Neo does something absurd,’ he thought. ‘He can achieve these impossible feats like nothing.’
He stared at Emma.
‘I don’t understand how she thinks Neo is weaker than me.’
“Why are you asking about this?” Emma asked.
“No reason.”
He didn’t reveal Neo’s actual abilities.
Neo had warned Jack that the association might try to stop them from rescuing the Child of Mana.
It was best if they misjudged their strength and thought of them as weak.
‘We need all the advantage we can get.’
Jack was drowned in thoughts when Neo approached their table.
“Where is Kane?” Emma asked.
“Sleeping.”
The group became silent.
Neo sat with them and ordered a drink.
“What will you do?”
“I’ll think about it for a few days. It’s not an easy decision to make,” Neo lied without batting an eye.
The trio talked for a few minutes.
Emma checked her watch.
“It’s time. Let’s go.”
She guided them to the meeting room.
Before opening the door, she turned to Neo and Jack.
“The Titans are present in the meeting too. You are soon to be members of our Association, so don’t do anything that can embarrass us.”
Jack’s brows creased.
As far as he was taught, Titans and Gods were enemies.
It was weird to see them working together to maintain the law and order in Apocalypse.
“Got it.”
Neo and Jack entered the meeting hall.
Emma was about to follow them when suddenly her phone rang.
“This is the emergency notification sound.”
She frowned and took out her device and saw a message.
[Apollo (sender): Neo wants to save the Child of Mana at all costs. Convince him properly or he might try to save the Child of Mana alone.]