Chapter 700 - 14.96

—Hidden plot—

"Yunyu, I don't want you to hate me anymore."

"I… I am a hideous monster. I know you don't like me."

"But one more, at least give me one more time to prove that I am a decent man for you, to prove that I love you the most."

"Let me enter your heart, my beloved Yunyu…."

Thus, the ugly monster, whose original body was Reed Ville, entered the body of Clarke Gaist. He had only one thing in mind, to love his beloved once more, and prove that he'd be a good man for Yunyu. 

But whenever he remembered how much hatred Yunyu had for him in the previous world, even calling him a hideous, ugly, and malicious monster, the Monster got scared.

He was nervous, scared that Yunyu might've found out that Clarke was actually him. Maybe Yunyu would be disgusted and leave him again.

"No, I can't let Yunyu see the true me… he will hate me again…" the monster thought. "If I erase my memory temporarily, that means I won't remember the terrible thing that happened in World 13."

"I—I can't let Yunyu see this blood chain between our hearts or the sparks between our eyes. He will recognize me immediately and get disgusted by my appearance…."

"I have to hide everything, so Yunyu would feel comfortable around me."

Thus, the hideous monster changed everything to fit what Yunyu felt as good-looking and desirable. He temporarily erased his memory, so he wouldn't feel nervous around Yunyu. He hid the blood chain between their hearts and the sparks between their eyes.

He knew his own Fatemeter and Breakmeter in this world. His original Fatemeter and Breakmeter would be filled once Gaius and Clarke broke up. Reed married Gaius and adopted the kids instead. 

But the shadow inside Gaius' heart wouldn't disappear. He would constantly think about Clarke because he was a slave to his own heart. 

He loved Clarke even on his deathbed. 

"With this, I can start anew as Clarke Gaist, who loves his beloved Gaius Gaist unconditionally."

[T—Then, the real Monster is in Clarke's body, right?]

[Pupa: Indeed, this Reed Ville is just a stand-in for the real Master of the World. Which resides in Clarke's body right now.]

__Hidden plot end__

Reed and Yunyu finally returned to reality after witnessing the hidden plot together. 

Reed's face paled after he got his memory back. He finally understood why he hated Clarke so much and his unknown feeling for Gaius.

He loved Gaius, and Gaius was originally his.

But since the soul left his body to enter Clarke's, he lost that privilege as he knew that he was robbed out of his own right to marry Gaius.

Reed slumped on the floor. He didn't know what to say anymore.

He wanted to hold Gaius—No, he wanted Yunyu. But he knew that Yunyu was meant to love that monster who resided in Clarke's body right now.

Yunyu distanced himself from Reed and said, "It doesn't mean that I don't like you, Reed. You're a good father figure and husband, much better than Clarke."

"But I will not leave him this time, not after so many worlds…."

He shed his guise as Gaius and then walked towards his children's direction, "Let's go to Dad, okay?"

Hermes and Artemis stared at Uncle Reed and then asked, "How about Uncle Reed, Mom?"

"Uncle Reed will be fine. He just needs some time alone," Yunyu said with a smile. He carried Artemis in his arm and held Hermes' hand. "Let's go, son."

Hermes nodded, and they teleported to Clarke.

Blip.

…

Reed clenched his fist as tears started wetting the floor, "Why can't I love you in my truest form, Yunyu? This is my true form. This is my world."

"Why do we hurt each other so much?"

**

Hermes teleported everyone in the middle of the city center, right in front of Clarke. 

Clarke was stunned when he saw his family in front of him. He thought it was just a mirage, "Am I… hallucinating?"

Yunyu put down Artemis and then jumped to hug Clarke. 

Clarke was unresponsive, unable to process what was happening right now. He slowly wrapped his Wife's waist, hugging him tightly. 

Yunyu looked up and kissed Clarke's lips deeply, sharing the longing and warmth he had wished for so long.

[Pupa: Ding! Sharing memory feature between Host and Master of the World has been activated!]

Pupa started pouring all the information inside Clarke's brain, so he could remember everything that happened, including his intentional memory wipe, so he could forget about traumatizing events before. 

Clarke's eyes widened the moment he remembered everything, and he tried to separate himself from Yunyu. But Yunyu tightened his hug, trying his best to stick close with "No! Yunyu, please leave now! I don't deserve you after all I did! I have failed!"

"You never fail, Clarke. It's me who failed you in every world," Yunyu said. "I told myself once that I will sacrifice a world for you, and this is the world, Clarke."

Clarke finally stopped struggling and slowly put his hands on Yunyu's back. He wrapped Yunyu and pulled him deeper as they embraced each other, "I'm sorry, Yunyu…."

"Sshh… save your words for later. We have something to do right now," Yunyu said. 

He turned his head and looked at the steel ball that emitted the purple glow. 

[Pupa, how come I don't disintegrate at this range? And the kids too?]

[Pupa: The kids are immune because they have Clarke's blood running inside. They also have resistance to Kirktonian stone because they're half-Kirktonian. Still, if they stayed here for too long, then they'll also lose their strength.]

[So I need to take that steel ball as soon as possible before it exploded, right?]

[Pupa: Indeed.]

"Clarke, release me now. We have to talk with the kids before we leave."

"What?! What do you mean 'we'? Only I will sacrifice myself here! I will not allow you to die in vain!"