"Oh, I almost forgot you’re new here. Alright, who’s going to explain that to him?" Ajaz asked, looking around the group.

​Angelica raised her hand slightly and began to explain:

​"Neo, Unique Talents are a type of innate ability that belongs only to you. No one else possesses them, not in the past, and not in the future; which is why they are called ’Unique.’ The System awakens them at the time of one’s Awakening. Very few people possess these abilities as they are extremely rare.

If you have one, you likely have very powerful ancestry or have received a blessing from a higher power.

​The Rothschilds’ Unique Talents are mostly concentrated on finance and resources. So, while they are incredibly wealthy, they don’t possess as much raw combat power as other Unique Talent users."

​Neo nodded, while internally his mind raced.

"So, Universal Synthesis is unique only to me. No one else has ever awakened it, and no one ever will. The real question is: how did I get this? Is it because of my father’s godly origin? Or is there something else at play that I’m not seeing right now?"

​

"Tch. What would you do even after learning all this, you fucking deadweight?" Flameboy scoffed arrogantly. "You don’t have a Unique Talent, do you?"

​His condescending eyes bore into Neo, leaving no room for compassion. "You’re just a fucking carrier boy we’re picking up for no reason."

​The insults were thrown naked and clear, yet Neo didn’t even flinch. He was already confident in his own worth; it couldn’t be diminished by a boy drunk on power and arrogance.

​Unbeknownst to the others, Moon’s eyes turned cold the moment she heard Flameboy speak. An invisible chill began to spread from her body. No one seemed to notice yet, but before she could make a move, Captain Ajaz’s stern voice rang out.

​"Flameboy, apologize to Neo right now!" he barked, exerting the full authority of the captain.

Flameboy’s flames dimmed under the captain’s intense stare.

​"Haa, what a day... You have to apologize for speaking the truth now? I’m telling you, Captain, this kid is going to drown us all. When that happens, I’ll prioritize my own survival above all else, even if that means cutting loose this extra weight. Don’t blame me then..."

​His gaze shifted to Neo.

​"Anyway, I’m sorry. I hope I didn’t hurt your pride or that tiny, squishy heart of yours."

​There wasn’t a hint of sincerity in his tone. Neo noted it, as did the others, but there was nothing they could do at the moment. However, Neo silently decided to teach this arrogant flame-head a lesson if the chance ever presented itself.

​After the meeting, Neo and Moon headed to the open landing grounds of Apex Nebula. The landing ground was where all Apex Nebula spaceships docked after completing their missions, kept in order for later maintenance in the underground bunkers. The area was spacious enough to hold several soccer fields at once. Spaceships, ranging from the size of small vehicles to massive buildings, stood shining under the bright sun.

​"Moon, I told you to teach me how to drive aero cars, not literal spaceships," Neo said, feeling overwhelmed.

She turned toward him, her expression as unreadable as ever.

"It’s because the controls of a high-end aero car and a short-range scout ship are functionally identical once you understood the neural interface."

"Ohh, I understand now."

​To get inside, they had to climb a narrow ladder toward the cockpit.

As Neo followed her up, the ship groaned slightly. Then a sudden gust of wind from the open hangar swept through, causing Neo to lose his footing on the smooth metal rung.

He slipped, his heart leaping into his throat, but before he could fall, his arms instinctively reached out.

He collided with Moon, his chest pressing firmly against her back.

​The impact forced her against the hull of the ship.

Neo froze as his hands gripped her waist to balance them both.

For a heartbeat, the only sound was the distant hum of the hangar’s power grid.

He could feel the surprising heat radiating from her despite her reputation for being cold.

Moon didn’t push him away immediately. She remained still, her head tilted slightly back, her silver hair brushing against his cheek.

The scent of her shampoo like jasmine filled his nostrils.

​"What are you doing? Step carefully," she whispered, her voice lower than usual.

​Neo quickly pulled back, his face burning.

"Right. Sorry. The wind just caught me."

​They climbed into the cramped cockpit, which was designed for efficiency rather than comfort.

Since there was only one pilot’s chair, Neo had to lean over her to reach the secondary diagnostic panel.

As she began explaining the ignition sequence, she reached for a lever at the same time he tried to adjust a dial.

Naturally, their hands collided. His larger palm covered her slender, pale fingers.

​Moon glared at him. "You’re doing this intentionally aren’t you?"

He hurriedly shook his head. "No, no, I swear. Everything was just pure accident."

"I don’t believe you." Finished glaring, she turned her focused on her task.

But for the first time, he noticed a faint, nearly imperceptible flush on the tips of her ears.

​As the lesson progressed, Neo found himself struggling to focus on the complex holographic displays.

All because: Moon’s proximity was very close.

Whenever the ship simulated a turbulence roll, their shoulders would brush or their knees would knock together in the tight space.

Each accidental touch felt like a static discharge, building a tension that had nothing to do with the mission to Planet Blue Slime.

​After an hour of intense simulation, the systems powered down.

"Phew.." Neo wiped the sweat from his brow, feeling the lingering effects of his recent synthesis combined with the mental drain of learning to pilot.

He leaned back against the bulkhead, watching Moon as she gracefully turned off the remaining switches.

​"Moon," he suddenly said. "Everyone was talking about Unique Talents today. Even that stupid ass Flameboy was obsessed with it. I have to ask... do you have one?"

​Hearing the question, Moon paused. Her hand hovered over the final toggle. She didn’t look at him, but the temperature inside the cockpit seemed to drop by several degrees.

Soon, frost began to emit from her body, freezing the metal frame like spider webs.

She spoke then:

​"The System defines us by many things. But my core ability is tied to the element of ice. I can freeze the moisture in the air, or the blood in a man’s veins, if I choose."

​She finally turned to face him, "As for whether it is a Unique Talent or a high-level elemental affinity... the distinction doesn’t matter. The result is always the same. Absolute zero."

​Neo instantly felt a chill. He realized then that Moon was a much deeper well than he had originally thought. She wasn’t just a pilot or a emotionless girl, she was a walking blizzard, contained only by her own iron will.

Nevertheless, he showed her the most gentle smile he could muster.

​"I see... I guess I’ll have to make sure I stay on your good side, or I might end up as a human popsicle."

Moon fixed a stray lock of her hair, appearing very feminine and hot.

"That would be wise. Now, it’s time for your lesson number two..."

"So soon? Argh, you are going kill me like this."

Though he grumbled, he was very much enjoying every moment with her.