Later on that cramped quarters.
"I'm sorry, Mom. Nina. Your son has failed to protect you both."
His lips quivered as he looked at the bruised faces of his mother and sister.
Mrs. Godson reached up to touch his face gently.
"You have done your best, son. That $2 million loan was a burden we placed upon you. We should be the ones saying sorry instead."
Her eyelids were heavy with warm tears as she remembered her late husband.
Nina was also sobbing quietly in a corner.
But there was another guest.
A platinum-blonde woman stood inside the room, watching the Godson family with quiet interest.
More precisely, she was looking at Neo.
Neo looked back at her, amazed.
She was wearing a midnight blue tactical suit, appearing tight over her diet figure. Over it, a white trench coat billowed in a wind only she could feel.
On her chest, a silver pendant glowed with an otherworldly hue.
Her eyes were of alluring amethyst, expressing a mysterious power that felt out of thus world.
She was beautiful and hot, but more than that she was powerful.
She finally spoke,
"You're a Beyonder, aren't you? So why did you let an ordinary man hit you?"
She appeared genuinely confused by the situation.
"A Beyonder?" Nina repeated, stunned as she looked at Neo.
"Brother, is she telling the truth? Are you really a Beyonder?"
Nina wasn't ignorant of how the world worked. She knew well enough about the legendary figures known as Beyonders.
Only a Beyonder could travel through the empty void of space without suffocating, and they possessed mystical powers that defied logic. Naturally, their presence was in high demand across the stars.
"Yes. I am a Beyonder," Neo admitted, finding no other choice. "But I only awakened after waking from my coma. I haven't had the opportunity to learn how these powers work or how to get stronger on this path."
The woman seemed to understand, while Mrs. Godson and Nina remained stunned.
"My son is a Beyonder..." Mrs. Godson muttered, tears of happiness flowing from her eyes.
She immediately went forward and hugged him.
"I'm so happy, son. You won't have to suffer so much for us anymore. For years, the burden we placed upon you has been weighing on my heart."
Neo held his mother's hand warmly. "It's not a burden, Mom. It's the responsibility Father placed upon me."
He then turned to the platinum-haired woman with a pleading look.
"Madam, you're a Beyonder, aren't you? Can you tell me more about Beyonders? How can I become strong like you?"
The woman smiled. "Of course. Since you have called me Madam, then why not?
My name is Titania Valerian. I am a Lead Enforcer for the Oscar Nebula, a space mercenary company that operates across the Outer space."
She took a step forward, the liquid-metal fabric of her suit catching the dim light of the room.
"To answer your question, Neo... being a Beyonder isn't just about having a System. It's about 'Synchronization.' Right now, your power is like a wild flame without a hearth. You have the energy, but you lack the medium to channel it. In the Oscar Nebula, we don't just call it 'getting strong.' We call it 'Ascension.'"
She glanced at the bruised faces of his family, her amethyst eyes softening slightly, but the edge of a veteran warrior remained.
"Most people wait a lifetime for an Awakening like yours. But without a Path ( a structured way to develop your abilities) you'll just be a Beyonder who gets trampled by some mere mortals. Is that the kind of Beyonder you want to be?"
Neo's face scrunched into frown. He shook his head in a firm denial,
"No. I want to be the kind that no one dares to touch."
"Good. Then visit me at our branch tomorrow. I will put in a special recommendation for you," Titania replied with a smile.
"Thank you, Madam. But are you sure I'm capable of joining your mercenary group? I really don't want to impose on you unnecessarily. You have already helped us enough."
Neo was completely honest in his statement. He didn't wish to owe anyone too much, because he feared he wouldn't be able to of repay them when the time came.
Titania, as an adult, understood his mindset perfectly.
And thus, she let out a faint sigh in response, her eyes turning melancholic.
"Neo, I'm not doing this to make you indebted to me, nor because I see some kind of overwhelming talent within you.
You actually remind me of my little brother that's all. He was equally responsible toward his family and had a big dream of taking us to the stars. But alas, at the age of 14, he died of a terminal illness. No advanced medicine could save him. He died without being able to fulfill his wishes, and that thought eats at my heart every day."
Her amethyst eyes simmered with tears, showing how genuine she truly was.
"When I saw you earlier today, fighting for your sister and mother, I saw my little brother's shadow in you for a second. That's why I decided to help you, Neo. Whether you turn out to be a failure or an overwhelming success, even I can't predict.
But at the very least, I will be able to lift some of the burden from my soul by helping you."
Neo had initially doubted her motives, but after witnessing her genuine love for her late younger sibling, his distrust was wiped away.
Those tears and that earnest face would never deceive anyone. Certainly not him.
"Alright, Madam. I will be there tomorrow. But don't be embarrassed if I perform poorly."
She wiped her tears and shook her head.
"That's not true. Rather, I fear you'll do too well and leave us all in the dust."
He smiled back at her,
"Then we will have an interesting future ahead, Madam. However, when that day comes, I certainly won't leave you behind."
"Haha, we'll see about that.."