“Nice to meet you. I’m Tommy Akabe, you can call me Gear.”

His face was plain and his physique was small. He looked like the type of person that would go unnoticed in a room full of people. He didn't look remarkable in any way. Even so, this ordinary person had a special aura around that made Miko unable to ignore him; the same aura that he felt when standing in front of his ally, Edward. However, Miko knew-

“You’re not Edward.”

The person in front of him wasn’t the Code Breaker.

“You have sharp senses. You were quickly to tell that I’m not him.”

Gear pointed at his nose.

“Could it because our scents are different?”

“Who knows? Just a feeling I guess.”

“I see. This is why I can’t stand you instinctive types. You guys don’t follow logic.”

Gear took a seat at the table and Miko did the same.

“I thought that I would see that idiot here, but it doesn’t look like he’s here.”

Gear said while looking around.

“I came alone as I told you I would.”

“I’m still surprised that you’d be the one to suggest that we meet in private. Did you perhaps wanted to avoid a situation that could lead to an unnecessary battle?”

“Who knows. Maybe I just wanted to make sure there are no interruptions when we talk.”

Miko smiled.

“Edward never told me he had a twin, and such a famous one at that.”

“Don’t be offended, we don’t like to mention each other to other people. We hate each other’s guts after all.”

“One is a Pillar while the other is a criminal. Your positions are opposite but your decision to live in the dark is the same. I guess that blood really doesn’t lie.”

Miko chuckled a bit.

“Anyway, Let’s get down to business.”

Miko took something out of his pocket. It was an envelope.

“For you to attach this to one of my monsters knowing that I would notice it is impressive. It’s also desperate.”

“With that little brother of mine there, I couldn’t think of another way to contact you without him interfering.”

“Well, it’s true that Edward would destroy all traces of any message you’d try to send me. I doubt he wants me to meet you.”

“You know that, which is why you used your monsters to communicate with me.”

Miko nodded.

“I was curious, just what you, the enemy leader, would want from me? I had to know.”

“Are we really enemies though? We’ve never had much contact in the first place. Also, I doubt you’re holding a grudge over your fight with Natasa sometime ago. So I don’t really see us as enemies.”

“Then are you saying that we should be allies?”

“It wouldn’t hurt. Our enemy is solely Bloom Newgate and she’s currently your enemy as well. The enemy of my enemy is my friend as the old saying goes. I see no reason for us to fight if we both want the same thing.”

“So you believe that I want the same thing as you?”

“Somewhat. While I don’t know why, you want to ruin Bloom, right? That’s the same as us.”

Miko shook his head.

“It’s true that I want Bloom to lose this war and her throne but our reasons are too different.”

He pointed at himself.

“I’m doing this for her own benefit…”

He pointed at Gear.

“You’re doing it for your own benefit.”

“Are you saying that I’m the selfish one?”

“Not at all. My motives are selfish as well. After all, no one asked me to save Bloom I’m just doing it out of my own accord. I’ve killed, tortured, and caused mayhem for my own agenda. How can I not call myself a selfish person?”

Gear became quiet for a bit before speaking.

“Then, can I ask you something?”

“Go ahead.”

“What’s your reason for fighting this war? If you wanted to save Bloom I’m sure there are other ways. There was no need to turn her into your enemy. You could’ve teamed up with her to take us down and then slowly solve her problems after.”

“That would take too much time. The faster it’s resolve the more of life she has to enjoy.”

“And what about you? From what I heard, you and her were close. You’re willing to make her happy even if it means that she’ll never be happy with you?”

Miko didn’t answer immediately. He looked at Gear with a deadpan expression before showing a smile.

“That’s fine. Even if she was with me she wouldn’t be happy for long. So in a way she’s the lucky one. She won’t get too attach when the time for me to fulfill my role comes.”

“Role? What role?”

“What role? The role I’m playing right now.”

Miko started grinning.

“The role of the villain.”

“…What?”

“The villain. I’m the villain of this war and this world. In other words, if this was a story I would be the guy who’ll flip this world on its head. The one who destroys the natural order. The antagonistic force that destroys everything and throw the world out of balance.”

“….What are you talking about?”

“It’s just as you heard, nothing more.”

“…….”

A long silence formed between Gear and Miko as the two stared into each other’s eyes. This lasted for a while.

(….I thought that he was a battle maniac like Natasa but this guy…He’s different. Natasa just wants to fight to prove her strength, but him…)

“You think I just want to destroy everything for the fun of it, right?”

“You can read minds as well?”

“No, I’m just great at deductions.”

Miko laughed.

“Well, you aren’t wrong but you’re not entirely correct either. I have my reasons but I’m sure you wouldn’t understand. More importantly, I’m sure you’ve come to a conclusion.”

Gear nodded.

“There’s no reasoning with you. It doesn’t matter what side you were originally close with you’d just indiscriminately destroy everything.”

Miko nodded.

“Peace was never an option from the beginning.”

(Why did MYTH allow him to join this war? Do they want to destroy everything as well? What’s their objective?)

Gear looked at Miko in silence for a bit before standing up.

“I think that this meeting is over.”

“Do you think that I’ll just allow you to leave with your head? You’re the enemy leader, you know?”

“You don’t have much of a choice. You know Edward and I are twins, so you must know that we share the same ability.”

Hijack, the Inborn Ability to control machinery and technology as a whole with your body alone.

“This is a technologically advanced country. The nature of our power makes us extremely powerful here even if we ourselves are weak. Trying to kill us here will be difficult.”

“Then, are you the one who’s letting me go?”

“You’re incredibly dangerous, so if I could kill you I would.”

“But you can’t?”

“Unfortunately.”

Gear looked down at the gloves on Miko’s hand that had an azure dragon and a green crow on them.

“I’m aware that you never really came alone. 3v1 is already tough enough as it is, I won’t take my chances against the likes of you who I know from my experience with Natasa won’t follow logic. Unfortunately, I don’t have the skills to take you on as of yet without risking my own life.”

“So it’s a stalemate.”

Gear nodded and turned around.

“We’ll just have to settle this on the battlefield another time.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Gear left the café leaving Miko behind.

“Tommy “Gear” Akabe, huh? He’s quite the fellow.”

He stood up.

“Then that means that Edward’s full name is Edward “Code Breaker”

Akabe…What a fun set of twins.”

Gear was making his way out of the town when he spotted someone up ahead.

“Tsk.”

He immediately started frowning when he saw them.

“I should’ve expected that you would still find out about this meeting despite our efforts to hide it.”

“Heh. It’s been awhile, Tommy.”

“About 7 years or so, Eddy.”

The twin brothers stood face to face. One grinning while the other was gritting his teeth.

“I see that you’ve been quite busy over the years. I always knew that you’d try to overthrow the government.”

“I haven’t been as busy as you. You made the Azalea Country your ally, you turned the Red Light District into your home, plunged it into chaos, and even joined up with that maniac, Miko. It’s good to see that you’re being productive.”

Edward laughed.

“Well, even after all these years we’re still at odds with each other.”

“We’ve been fighting as long as I can remember.”

“I wonder if something happened between us in mother’s womb.”

“If that’s true then I’m sure that it’s your fault.”

“See? It’s stuff like that why we can’t get along. You’re always quick to blame people.”

“I merely point out their faults. What’s wrong with that?”

The two stood in silence while both glaring at each other. Gear sighed.

“You might be an annoying prick but you are my brother so let me give you a fair warning.”

He walked up and stood beside him.

“Abandon that devil while you still have the chance. People like that will cause those around him to witness hell until they die.”

“Thanks for the advice, brother but I’m prepared for such a future.”

Edward looked at him.

“You die the way you’ve lived your life. I’ve been living as a gangster who hurt countless people. So I don’t expect to have a peaceful death. Even so, I’m more than ready for it.”

“I see.”

Gear started walking away.

“I love my life, so I won’t Just it up so easy.”

He had an intense look on his face as he spoke.

“In others words, Eddy. I intend to win.”

Edward smiled.

“So do we, Tommy.”

“…….”

After separating from his brother, Gear walked in silence with a serious expression on his face. He waved his hand over his wrist and a smart watch appeared. He brought the watch up to his mouth.

“It’s me….Do it.”

After parting ways with Gear, Miko was heading back to the Red Light District.

“My meeting with Gear was productive as I hoped. I even got to learn a bit about Edward and I think I’ve learn a bit about Gear himself.”

(Be careful, Miko. There’s a high chance that Gear might try to kill you now.)

“……..”

(Miko?)

Miko stopped and stood in silence as he stared at the moon in the sky. He stared at it until it turned pink. It was then it looked like the moon was moving towards him. Miko’s body froze up and his eyes became vacant. In his eyes, the moon was directly in front of him.

*Boom!*

Suddenly his clothes exploded and his body was covered with countless cuts that were all gushing out blood into the air.

(Miko?!)

Tia’s voice echoed in his head as Miko’s body fell back with blood flowing out of him.

“….Huh?”

For Miko, it was like time had stopped. He looked in front of him and saw a beautiful woman with silver hair and eyes and dressed in a business suit standing in front of him. She has a silver sword in her hand as she coldly watched Miko collapsing.

(What Just happened?)

Miko’s mind started to race.

(I was attacked by that woman? How? She has a sword and I did lose control over my body and senses….What else…Ah, that’s right! The moon! It all started when I glanced at the moon! Woman, sword, and moon…She’s the last Pillar the one who Edward warned me about because she uses the Slaughter Moon Swords Arts! Isabel Luna!)

“Ugh!”

Time started to move again and Miko put all of his strength into his legs and stopped himself from falling. He was breathing heavily and his entire body was in pain. Even so, he summoned Ishma and Regis to his hands and gripped them tightly.

“Isabel Luna, I presume.”

“…That’s right. Now, die.”

Miko started laughing as he readied himself for battle.

“You don’t have the skills yourself, so you sent someone who does right away! Huh, Gear?!”