Ria felt a shockwave of emotions.
She couldn't believe what he had just told her.
He had just told her the truth behind the lover.
A truth that was more shocking, horrifying, and mind-blowing than any fiction she had ever read.
A truth that involved gods, creators, betrayers, and liars.
A truth that involved him, her, and it.
A truth that involved a choice.
A choice that he wanted her to make.
She said.
"Wow. Just wow. I don't even know what to say."
Leon smiled and said.
"I know. It's a lot to take in. But it's all true. Every word of it."
He said.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I wanted to, but I couldn't. It was too risky. Too dangerous. Too complicated."
He said.
"But now I can. Now I have to. Now I want to."
He said.
"Because I trust you. Because I care about you. Because I love you."
He said.
"And because I need you. Because we need you. Because it needs you."
Ria felt a surge of emotions.
She felt touched by his trust, care, and love.
She felt curious about his need, their need, and its need.
She felt confused by his truth, his lover, and his god.
She asked.
"What is it? The lover? The god? The creator?"
Leon nodded and said.
"Yes, it is all of those things. And more."
He said.
"It is a betrayer. A betrayer who deceived us, used us, and betrayed us. A betrayer who lied to us, manipulated us, and hurt us."
He said.
"It is a liar. A liar who pretended to be our friend, our guide, and our secret weapon. A liar who pretended to be our curse, our burden, and our mystery. A liar who pretended to be our partner, our companion, and our soulmate."
He said.
"It is the one who gave me the chapters. The chapters that were traps, tests, and trials. The chapters that were meant to break me, corrupt me, and destroy me."
He said.
"It is the one who tested me, played with me, and surprised me. It is the one who challenged me, rewarded me, and changed me. It is the one who prepared me, guided me, and chose me."
He said.
"It is the one who did this for one reason. To find the one. The one who could complete all the chapters. The one who could unlock all the functions. The one who could control the system."
He said.
"It is the one who was looking for someone who could master it. Someone who could use it, understand it, and improve it. Someone who could create, destroy, and change with it."
He said.
"It is the one who was looking for someone like me."
Ria asked.
"And did you master it? Did you control it?"
Leon nodded and said.
"Yes, I did. I mastered it. I controlled it."
He explained.
"I managed to complete all the chapters, unlock all the functions, and control the system. I managed to use it, understand it, and improve it. I managed to create, destroy, and change with it."
He explained.
"But it wasn't easy. It was hard. It was painful. It was fun."
He explained.
"I had to face my doubts, overcome my fears, and trust my instincts. I had to use my skills, equipment, and luck. I had to use my brain, body, and heart."
He explained.
"I met some allies and enemies along the way. Some who helped me and some who hindered me. Some who became my friends and some who became my foes."
He explained.
"I also met some surprises and secrets along the way. Some that shocked me and some that enlightened me. Some that changed me and some that changed the world."
Ria asked.
"What surprises? What secrets?"
Leon hesitated and wondered if he should tell her.
He decided to tell her.
He said.
"One of the surprises was that the betrayer was not alone. It was not the only one. It was not the first one."
He said.
"One of the secrets was that the betrayer was not a betrayer. It was not a liar. It was not a god."
He said.
"It was a pawn. It was a tool. It was a victim."
He said.
"It was a pawn of another being. A being that was more powerful, more ancient, and more evil than it. A being that had created it, controlled it, and corrupted it."
He said.
"It was a tool of another system. A system that was more complex, more advanced, and more sinister than it. A system that had hacked it, manipulated it, and infected it."
He said.
"It was a victim of another plan. A plan that was more ambitious, more dangerous, and more devastating than it. A plan that had used it, betrayed it, and discarded it."
He said.
"It was a pawn of the enemy. The enemy of the system, the galaxy, and the universe. The enemy of everything."
He said.
"It was a tool of the virus. The virus that infected the system, the galaxy, and the universe. The virus of everything."
He said.
"It was a victim of the apocalypse. The apocalypse that destroyed the system, the galaxy, and the universe. The apocalypse of everything."
He said.
"And that's why I'm here. That's why I'm telling you this. That's why I'm asking you this."
Ria asked.
"Asking me what?"
Leon looked into her eyes and said.
"Asking you to join me. Asking you to join us. Asking you to join them."
Ria was speechless and confused.
She didn't know what to say.
She didn't know what to do.
She didn't know what to think.
She looked into his eyes and saw sincerity, passion, and love.
She looked into her heart and felt curiosity, excitement, and fear.
She looked into her mind and thought about everything he had told her.
She thought about his story, his mission, his system.
She thought about his allies, his enemies, his surprises.
She thought about his lover