Noah could not stop himself from freezing up slightly after hearing the words coming out of B-54’s lips.

  The Father of Myriad Machines.

  While Noah was not particularly knowledgeable about this epithet, he recognized the name Geppetto by heart at this point.

  A man who fought alone against a galactic empire and managed to win. People said it was a draw, but no matter how he looked at it, Geppetto still alive and well after such a war could only mean that he was too strong for even an entire army to harm him. Even the full force of an entire empire could not take the man down.

  A worthy man who seemed to be closer to a genius mad scientist than anything else and someone Noah needed to meet eventually if he wanted to rebuild Ouroboros while using the new design provided as a reward after his trial.

  “You know, in these types of situations , aren’t you supposed to skitter around the issue, give some hints, and act all mysterious only to reveal your identity at the most epic moment possible?” Noah threw out the joke to the android woman. This was one of the best ways to waste time while his mind worked out the implications.

  Why was Geppetto interested in him? Sure, his display against the Crocodile was impressiv,e but Noah wasn’t so arrogant that he would think it was enough to impress someone of such importance.

  B-54 looked at him and then smiled, “Even in this situation, your heartbeat is surprisingly calm. I guess you must have received quite the special training.” She chuckled, clearly not interested in discussing this matter further.

  “Your words about mysteriousness are not ungrounded. Generally, scouts like me are ordered to only observe from a distance and gather data on potential recruits. My current actions are a serious breach of protocol.”

  “So, why?”

  “Because Father loves unexpected actions from us. Because I have judged that further tests would be nothing but a waste of time. Finally, according to my observations and calculations, you are a highly distrusting individual, and the more mysterious I act, the higher the chances of you considering me an enemy.” Noah could feel the cold logic behind the willfulness the android was showing.

  It was hard to think that this woman, who was smiling and joking around with him, was an android, an inorganic machine rather than a living being.

  Though, judging from what he had seen on Oz, an android that was able to have her own thoughts was not that surprising in this universe.

  Even so, Noah's answer was clear from the start. He did not need to think deeply about this.

  “I refuse.” He said without any hesitation. His words, so abrupt, seemed to come as a surprise to B-54. Her body stiffened for a short second and light flickered in her eyes before she started breathing again, so to speak. Her eyes also regained their normal appearance.

  “Could I ask why? You have yet to hear the benefits you would receive in joining our faction. If your refusal is because of the empire, fear not. The Empire respects our business and will not interfere much. As for the benefits, the first thing all members of our faction receive after joining is a Tier 7 Frame and Powered Armor with a starlight core. Even if your energy is lacking, it should be possible to bring more than 50% of the full power of the Frame.”

  B-54 explained calmly and Noah could only click his tongue in wonder. Here he was, proud of having reached Tier 7 by himself, but now he was learning some organization gave Tier 7 frames as a basic reward. While he doubted many organizations had such power, considering the scale of the entire galaxy, just about everything was possible.

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  How impressive.

  “Furthermore, as a member’s rank increases, asking for a custom-made Frame free of charge is not impossible. I know Oz has contacted Father on your behalf for the creation of a special Frame.”

  “There was a saying in my hometown.” He smiled while inwardly thanking the members of Oz once again for everything they did or were doing for him, “They said, if the product is free, then you are the product. Speaking about free upgrades is funny since those upgrades would be the results of my hard work.”

  He shook his head. “Even though everything you said is without a doubt lucrative, I fear I must still say no. I have no interest in joining such a large organization and if I had to choose an organization to join, Oz would have been my first choice.”

  Noah already had experienced his fair share of political and military bullshit. He had long since understood that participating in such a group was nothing but a path toward a stress-induced ulcer.

  Joining the Dream Chasers under Alibaba was not a problem for Noah. It was a small organization with very loose rules. The degree of freedom all members enjoyed was incredible, and it was clear that they mostly went on solo missions.

  This was the perfect group for Noah. A great way to wander the universe, while having some sort of protection from the group without having too many responsibilities.

  “I am curious. Surely, you must understand that this choice is absurd. Many people would gladly sell themselves into slavery if this allowed them to obtain a creation from Father.” The way she seemed genuinely curious and surprised by his choice was quite cute.

  It was as if his words defied reason, and Noah knew that in a way they did. Geppetto was definitely a big deal in this galaxy, and Noah did not wish to become the enemy of such a man. Yet he had no desire to become a toy for others to play around with either.

  “I value freedom over life itself. There is nothing to fear about Death, you know? What is important is to live a fulfilling life.”

  “But what if your soul gets caught by a necromancer? In this case, wouldn’t Death itself be a salvation?”

  Noah had to stop himself from asking what she meant by Necromancer. What the hell was a necromancer doing in a world where people could reach the stars?

  “Ahem~ Well, what are the chances of being caught by a necromancer? However, that is not our topic of discussion. What I am curious about is why someone like him would be interested in someone like me. Surely, he has many strong knights at his disposal.”

  The fact that Geppetto could seemingly mass-produce Tier 7 Frame was incredible and terrifying, to say the least.

  This made the whole situation all the more confusing. Noah himself was nothing but a newly advanced Tier 7, and he still had much to learn. what would someone like Geppetto see in him that could pique the man’s interest?

  “You are selling yourself short. While it’s true that overall, you are extremely weak. The prowess you have displayed so far is no small feat.”

  Noah’s smile twitched slightly.

  “The results you displayed with the Shadowblade were incredible.”

  “But…?”

  “But you are right in saying that such a thing alone would not be able to move him, and in fact, he has given no new order. I simply judged that not taking someone with as much potential as you would be a grave mistake.”

  Smiling, she pushed her hand between her voluptuous breasts and took out a slim metallic card.

  Why is she keeping things there? Noah was bewildered by the act that seemed more fitting in some erotic story.

  “I will not press you further. The option is open until the Traveler leaves Neverland. Do some research and make an educated choice.” B-54 gave a small nod and left.

  She had done everything she needed to do.

  Noah, though, was left with more questions than answers.

  Looking down at the metallic card in his hand, Noa could not help but chuckle.

  [The Traveler has now reached Neverland’s orbit. Passengers, prepare yourself and grab your luggage if necessary.]

  Noah pocketed the card and turned around. It was finally time for him to visit that planet.