A few decades later, Mira returned to the place where she had been reborn.
"It's changed so much..." Landing on the Shadow Void land, she saw a blue and red sphere circling around like the sun and moon.
"This must be the former Chaos Continent."
Feeling the familiar aura, she finally recognized the revolving red sphere..
"In just hundreds of thousands of years, Nero seemed to have achieved his goal..."
Mira knew only one thing could change the former Chaos Continent this much—Nero becoming the Chaos Lord.
Thinking of that lazy and stubborn boy, Mira couldn't help but reminisce.
Even now, she still didn't know how to face him.
Clenching her fist, Mira stepped into a teleportation portal to the Etherium Realm, Astral Continent.
There was only one place she could meet the Shadowcrest family.
Arriving at Shadowcrest Castle, Mira found no one.
"Where have they gone?" she muttered, frowning.
"Miss Mira, what are you doing here?" Gerald, the steward of the Shadowcrest family, asked upon seeing her.
"It's you, Sir Gerald! Do you know where Nero and the others have gone?" Mira quickly asked, recognizing him.
"Hmm? Didn't they tell you? Can't you contact them?" Gerald asked, puzzled.
Although his master and family were busy, they shouldn't be unreachable.
And since Nero and Mira were close, how could she not know where they were?
"Uh, I just got back from my trip..." Mira muttered guiltily.
Though she still had Nero's contact, she didn't know what to say to him.
"I see. If you're in a hurry to meet them, you could go to the center of the Source of Knowledge."
"Source of Knowledge? I can't go there..."
A Source of Path wasn't somewhere just anyone could barge into.
Without absolute trust, letting someone in was no different from inviting a thief into your home.
"Hmm? You can't go in?" Still puzzled, Gerald began thinking of other options.
"Oh! Young Master Nero should be in the Chaos Dimension. I just don't know if he's still there."
"Chaos Dimension? I see. Thanks!"
Having found her target, Mira hurriedly said goodbye to Gerald.
Answering the call of chaos, Mira instantly teleported to the Chaos Dimension.
Feeling her strength drop to the Tier 9 Realm, Mira didn't even flinch.
She had lived in the Chaos Continent for hundreds of years and was long used to its strange rules.
Thinking of Nero, Mira released her aura, letting it spread across the surrounding land like a powerhouse announcing its return.
Seeing such a bold declaration of presence, most of the weaker ones retreated.
The rest, curious about this arrogant powerhouse, charged forward to see who it was.
Before they could get close, a thick, chaotic barrier surrounded the area, blocking anyone from entering.
Hearing the cold tone, Mira felt her heart stop.
"I said, why are you here?" Nero asked again.
Though he had many questions, there was only one thing he truly wanted to know: Why Mira had returned.
"I... I need your help," Mira answered directly.
"Hah! Do you want my help or my family's? Didn't you say I was useless to you?"
Although Nero was glad to see her again, there was a little resentment hidden in his heart.
She had left without a word, without explanation. How could she just return like nothing happened?
"I'm sorry..." Feeling the weight of his anger, Mira fell silent.
She knew what she'd done to Nero was wrong.
They had been close for years. Yet not only had she left without saying goodbye, but she had also even tried to kill him, trying to sever all karma and ties between them.
Even now, she had only returned to ask for the Shadowcrest family's help for her own selfish reasons.
Even Mira herself felt like one of those women who only came back to a man when they needed something.
But what choice did she have? She and the entire Planar Chaos Void Region were facing an unprecedented disaster, one that could wipe out everything.
She had to harden her heart, take the most efficient path, and eliminate anyone in her way.
She had to give everything—her emotions, pride, even her joy. All of it could be sacrificed.
"Tell me the problem."
Taking out a table and some wine, Nero sat down, ready to listen.
Mira's current state made him uneasy.
She was still flawless in his eyes, like a perfect vase, but one with invisible cracks, ready to shatter with a single touch.
"You... are you willing to forgive me?"
Seeing Nero's actions, Mira was shocked.
"I said, I'll listen to your problem." Though Nero felt conflicted, he wasn't ready to forgive her. Not yet.
She had to coax him first.
No! She would have to coax him forever!
Meanwhile, seeing that Nero was willing to listen, Mira decided to tell him everything.
She spoke of her vision of the dark disaster, the despair she felt trying to escape, how she warned others to be wary of the danger, how she formed a force of her own, and finally, how she found a spark of hope that could save everyone.
She told him about discovering the Aeon Plane, starting over with all her power and memories gone.
Just when she had forgotten everything, living a life of happiness and adventure, her memories returned, along with it came the crushing despair.
Remembering her mission, she had even tried to kill Nero to steel her heart, to forget everything she had experienced, and to continue forward without looking back.
But she couldn't do it.
Instead, she left Nero coldly, still trying her best to hold everything together.
Unfortunately, no matter what she did, everything seemed to be already falling apart.
Just when she was about to reach the spark of hope, the Plane that housed it was about to collapse under the tide of another dark disaster.
Coming back to the Etherium Realm was her last hope, the hope that the Shadowcrest family could help her, the hope that Nero would still forgive her, the hope that everything could still be pieced back together.
"You must've had it hard..."
Hearing Mira's story, Nero was shocked, but more than that, he felt sorry for her.
That kind of experience… a mix of despair and fleeting hope, the feeling of burning through the coldest hell and the warmest heaven.
Just listening, he could tell how lonely and crushing it must've felt.
Knowing the danger but having no one believe you.
Showing despair but having no shoulder to lean on.
Doing everything, yet getting nothing in return.
"You believe me?" Mira asked, emotionless, her eyes showing a flicker of surprise.
"Since you need help, then I, Nero, and the Shadowcrest family will help you."
"From this moment on, until the dark disaster is fully eliminated, the Shadowcrest will stand by your side."