Long Time No See

You are nothing but my reflection in the water, shattering at the slightest touch!

The Moon Knight roared.

The troupe leader waved his hand.

Who can say that the moon in the sky is not its reflection in the water?

Just as light and shadow coexist, a coin always has two sides.

The Moon Knight laughed in exasperation and played three games with the troupe leader.

The troupe leader succeeded; she won over the past, present, and future.

The troupe leader took away the purest cup of moonlight from the moon's palace, enough to illuminate the longest night in a fleeting moment of reminiscence.

But was it a dream or reality?

Xuzhao stopped there.

This style...

"Tales Beneath the Moon..."

Sera muttered to herself.

"You know that."

The Xuzhao wasn't particularly surprised, but Sera didn't have time to reply.

"So... Aha is asleep?"

The Herta understood everything.

That's one way to understand it.

Xuzhao nodded.

"The knight who slays the serpent becomes a serpent himself; the knight becomes a demon king, destroying the moon and restoring its former brilliance!"

Sera now understood why Elio said in the story that a conflict with Aha was inevitable.

So we still have to fight the Mad Moon, huh? But... he is Seraphis, the Feather of the Eclipsed Moon!

Hitting the moon is perfect! It will truly fulfill the meaning of its name; it will Corruption the Moon of Madness, turning the moon in the water into the moon in the sky.

"I happen to have some thoughts about the moon too."

Sera looked at the Xuzhao.

Let me introduce the moon.

Instead of answering immediately, Xuzhao asked a question.

Do you know why the Lord of Elation wept?

"The answer is simple, but few people believe it."

The Xuzhao a tear held in the palm of the hand reflects both joy and sorrow.

"Aha sheds tears for all beings; there is a single tear that weeps for all beings and laughs for all beings."

It is the moon, the past of Hattrypia, and the inevitable smile that bursts forth after a child's long cries.

"You mean, the moon is Aha's tears?"

Herta raised an eyebrow.

The world considers Aha, the Aeon "Elation," to be eccentric and reckless. But... Sera wonders, what kind of evil god could a god who ascended to godhood because of a child's tears be?

"So, the Aha who went mad is now sleeping on the moon?"

I have only one question.

Sera looked at the Xuzhao with some disdain.

How can you help us?

"Well..."

The Xuzhao is a bit awkward.

"If I said I've done everything I could to help, would you believe me?"

"You've used all your power to suppress Voracity?"

Sera stared at the Xuzhao in disbelief.

"Only a little was left for emergencies..."

Xuzhao nervously poked his finger.

However, if you really think that the Xuzhao is insignificant, then you are very wrong. No matter how much power the Xuzhao distributes, the Aeon is still the Aeon.

That's enough.

Sera felt a little relieved.

Where is the moon?

"Well... we'll have to wait until the heroes defeat the Demon King to find out the answer~"

"Finality?"

"Bingo! You got it right!"

"The Demon King never said there was only one!"

"The Moon Knight was already like that, what about you? You and He share the same origin, won't you be affected?"

"Of course there's an impact! Look at how weak my district has become..."

The image in the Xuzhao appears so weak that it doesn't seem like an act.

At least in Sera's opinion, this thousands-year-old veteran's acting skills were too good; he couldn't tell at all whether it was real or fake.

All I can say is, Aha's acting is superb.

"Alright."

Sera checked the messages on her phone.

"You, come with me to see your old friend."

"Pom-Pom?"

Xuzhao's expression froze completely.

Sera stretched out his hand and pressed down on the Xuzhao that was trying to escape.

"What do you want, Miss Nameless?"

Could it be... an escape?

Or did he say he wanted to pay off his debts?

"Aha."

Xuzhao touched his head, his eyes darting away from Sera's gaze.

"Did you believe me when I said I was going to work on the artwork I owed the editor?"

"Snort..."

Sera held Xuzhao's hand, looking at her with a half-smile.

Xuzhao tentatively tugged at the arm that Sera was holding, but it didn't budge.

Seeing that Sera's expression was becoming increasingly grim, Xuzhao chose to...

"Hehe~"

"Alright, stop trying to pull any tricks. Come with me; the Conductor of the Astral Express will surely be happy to see you again."

"Fine."

Xuzhao that she really couldn't avoid it, Xu Zhao reluctantly raised her hand. At worst, she'd get a scolding from Pom-Pom; surely her beloved Conductor wouldn't really have the heart to add to her already heavy debts (due to unpaid artwork)... right?

"Himeko ~"

Sera greeted her naturally, Himeko had been waiting at her studio's teleportation point since Sera sent the message.

Yes, Himeko drove the Astral Express into her workshop at the Tavern. Reason? What reason do you need? Trailblaze a new Tavern is also Trailblaze.

According to Himeko, Pom-Pom felt that the train had gained a lot more fuel for Trailblaze.

The new Tavern was also a place the Trailblaze Weidi, after all, it was newly built.

"Who is this...?"

Himeko looked at the Xuzhao with some hesitation. Sera had told her that she would be bringing an old friend of Pom-Pom's.

But looking at this Xuzhao, Himeko always felt uneasy about being with the train.

Himeko suppressed the inexplicable feeling in her heart. The person was brought by Sera, and she trusted Sera; that was enough.

Hello, Miss Navigator!

Xuzhao greeted him with a smile.

Where is Suzi?

Sera asked casually, but he roughly knew where the person was.

"He's helping the train Conductor clean the train."

"Alright, perfect... Xuzhao!"

"Huh? Ah! There..."

"Your chance to impress Pom-Pom has come. Go help clean the train."

Xuzhao's eyes lit up.

"Cleaning the train? I'm very familiar with that!"

Back then, she and Akivili, each wielding a Haider broom, beat the train from the front to the back, until the train was completely worn away.

No way! Xuzhao felt inexplicably guilty; she hadn't returned the brooms yet! Although... but... it was still because those two brooms looked too much like swords.

She and Akivili were young and naive back then, which is why they went astray. Honestly, Conductor!

"Hmm? A new friend has arrived!"

Pom-Pom noticed the commotion outside and stopped cleaning.

It watched the figure walk in through the car door, its eyes sharpening, and it swung its broom down at Xuzhao.

"You, the worst kind of Nameless, at least know how to come back, Papa!"

Xuzhao to the side, her fingers lightly brushing her hair, a smile of long-awaited reunion on her face.

"Long time no see, Pom-Pom. You're still the same as before."

Pom-Pom stopped what she was doing, her expression somewhat complicated.

"Long time no see, passenger. You've become weak."

"Sigh... there's nothing I can do."

Xuzhao waved his hand.

"However, I already have a plan."

As he spoke, Xuzhao turned his gaze toward the door.

Pom-Pom also looked outside. From the shadows, a figure approached, the train ticket clipped to its body gleaming as if greeting an old friend.