Kane, trapped within eternal dreams, showed no reaction to Neo’s words.
His peaceful expression was a painful reminder of Neo’s past mistakes.
Neo clenched his fists.
His jaw tightened as he stared down at Kane’s still form.
“If only I had created my Concept faster, I could have placed you into a deep sleep—not this ‘dream’ from which you can never wake up.”
The regret in his voice lingered in the air.
After a few more words to the silent Kane, Neo felt his heart lighten slightly.
He turned and left the room.
The soft mist swirled behind him as the door closed.
Neo stepped into the shadows and disappeared, hiding his presence.
Shadow Movement Spell allowed him to roam the Association Headquarters uninhibited.
The scale of the headquarters had grown tremendously over the years.
Towering spires stretched high above, connected by shimmering bridges.
Inside, countless people moved with purpose, their voices blending into a constant hum of urgency.
[Time Remaining Until the World’s End: 8 hours, 17 minutes, 59 seconds]
Ares and Athena returned with their team.
Their arrival was marked by triumphant cheers.
They had been successful in defeating the Five Emperors.
A festive atmosphere swept through the Association as news spread that three of the four calamities had been successfully diverted.
Typhaon, Bermuda Triangle, the Five Emperors, and the Moon.
They were the Four Calamities that could bring about the world’s end—or worse, summon the Angel of the Outers to Earth.
Neo watched from the shadows with an unreadable expression before he turned around and left.
[Time Remaining Until the World’s End: 2 hours, 38 minutes, 19 seconds]
Neo stood alone on the rooftop.
The night sky stretching endlessly above him.
Stars shimmered like distant memories, and a cold breeze carried the faint sounds of revelry from below.
The door creaked open, and Gaia entered, her steps unsteady.
She carried a half-empty bottle of alcohol and leaned heavily against Neo’s shoulder, her cheeks flushed from the effects of the drink.
“There’s good news,” she said with a lopsided grin. “Zeus was successful in his negotiations with the Moon.”
Neo raised an eyebrow but didn’t reply.
Gaia slouched further, almost collapsing against him.
Her drunken state made her words slur and her usual sharpness was dulled.
“We did it,” she mumbled, a soft hiccup escaping her lips. “We stopped all four calamities.”
She tried to raise her bottle in a mock toast, but Neo sighed and summoned shadow monsters to act as a chair for her.
The dark forms coalesced beneath her, gently holding her up.
“What are you doing? Come, drink with me~” she teased, waving the bottle in his direction.
Neo ignored her and took the documents she clutched in her other hand.
His eyes scanned the pages, which detailed Zeus’s deal with the Moon.
The Moon had demanded human settlers—80% of them female—to populate its surface.
The request was bizarre, almost laughable, but it was part of the agreement.
“Neo, Neo.” Gaia tugged at his shirt, trying to frown but failing to hide the giggle bubbling up. “Let’s party~”
“Gaia.” Neo’s voice was cold, but his trembling eyes betrayed the emotions he was trying to hide. “Are you giving up too?”
Gaia froze, her drunken cheer fading slightly as she met his gaze.
To Neo, it was painfully clear—the world’s end had not been stopped.
The timer was still ticking.
[Time Remaining Until the World’s End: 2 hours, 37 minutes, 42 seconds]
“It’s clear now that the Four Calamities won’t be responsible for summoning the Angel of the Outers,” Neo said. “We need to redirect our focus to—”
“I know.”
Gaia’s voice was clear, free of the drunken slur she had maintained moments before.
Her act dissolved for an instant, revealing a sharp clarity.
Then, just as quickly, she resumed her playful drunken demeanor.
“But we did our best~ It’s not like we can do anything now, so might as well enjoy ourselves~”
She took another swig from the bottle and laughed softly.
[Time Remaining Until World’s End: 5 minutes, 23 seconds]
Neo stood motionless with an unreadable gaze.
His eyes were fixed on the starry sky.
Their cold light mirrored in his own distant gaze.
The chill of the wind brushed against his skin, but he remained still, leaning against the rooftop fence.
‘If only I could ask Father for help,’ he thought bitterly.
The memory of his failed attempt to reach Hades surfaced.
He had planned to request the Lord of the Underworld’s intervention if all else failed.
But he didn’t even have a chance to ask for an audience.
The Underworld had been sealed before he could leave the Forest of All Beginning and enter the place where Grim Reapers and his Father lived.
[Time Remaining Until World’s End: 49 seconds]
“Hehehe, you’re quite like Zeus, you know.” Gaia’s voice broke through his thoughts.
Neo didn’t turn.
His focus remained on the night sky.
Using his inattention, Gaia crept closer and her cold fingers brushed his cheek.
Her playful tone faded, knowing Neo wouldn’t drink no matter what she did.
Dropping her pretense entirely, she spoke with her usual calm, serious voice.
“Zeus thinks the attack will come from space. That’s why he’s still on the Moon.”
Neo let out a resigned sigh.
His breath formed a faint mist in the cold air.
“As expected,” he murmured, “There was a reason he insisted on handling the Moon himself.”
Gaia nodded, stepping beside him.
Her expression remained unreadable.
“He hasn’t given up. He’s planning to intercept the Angel of the Outers in space—before it reaches Earth.”
“He can’t do it alone.” Neo’s voice was firm.
Zeus thought the Angel of Outer would come from space. That’s why he was there.
“I told him the same,” Gaia replied. “But he said he’d do it, even if it cost him his life.”
Neo’s grip on the parapet tightened.
His knuckles whitened under the strain.
Zeus’s arrogance was unparalleled, but so was his determination.
He was consumed by guilt—a guilt he masked with bravado and unrelenting strength.
He lashed out at anyone who dared mention his sister’s role in the apocalypse.
But although he didn’t show it, the reason he was obsessed with saving the world was to make sure no one criticized his sister anymore.
And now, he stood alone on the Moon, the Earth’s first and perhaps the last line of defense.
[Time Remaining Until World’s End: 10 seconds]
Neo glanced at the countdown with a calm gaze.
[9 seconds]
The stars above remained serene, oblivious to the turmoil on the ground.
[6 seconds]
The wind howled, carrying distant cheers and laughter from those indulging in their final moments.
[4 seconds]
Neo exhaled slowly, centering his senses.
[3 seconds]
Gaia stood quietly beside him.
Her expression a mixture of hope and dread.
[2 seconds]
Neo’s shadow flickered unnaturally, as if reacting to his rising tension.
[1 second]
A single breath filled the silence.
[Countdown Finished.]
Neo expanded his senses, scanning the surroundings for any shift, any ripple in the world that signaled their doom.
His perception stretched far and wide.
But nothing happened.
The stars continued their tranquil dance across the sky. The wind still swept through his coat. The Association members below carried on with their revelries.
“Nothing changed,” Gaia whispered, breaking the silence.
Their eyes met, both filled with cautious uncertainty.
“Maybe… maybe D-Day really stopped,” she spoke hesitantingly. “Because we defeated the Four Calamities?”
Neo didn’t respond immediately.