I Am The Game's Villain

Chapter 177 [Event] [Enigma Red Dungeon] [37] Arete

Jayden found himself standing in a grand dimension, surrounded by an ethereal ambiance. It took him a moment to realize that he was in Zeusʼ realm.

”Youʼve finally woken up, boy,” Zeus greeted, rising from his majestic throne.

Turning to face Zeus, Jayden struggled to recall the events that had transpired. ”Zeus... what happened? I was fighting against Reiss, and then...”

”You blacked out?” Zeus finished Jaydenʼs sentence with a knowing smile. ”Understandable. You were on the brink of death, but that remarkable blue-haired girl managed to keep you alive.”

”Blue hair?” Jaydenʼs eyes widened in realization. ”You mean Milleia, right?”

”Hm,” Zeus affirmed, nodding as he paced around. ”That girl has inherited Raphielʼs bloodline, or rather, Raphiel bestowed her bloodline upon her and restructured Milleiaʼs very essence. Do you comprehend?”

Jayden furrowed his brow, struggling to grasp the significance of Zeusʼ words. While he knew that Milleia carried Raphielʼs bloodline, he couldnʼt connect the dots regarding how it related to his survival from the fatal wound on his chest.

”Itʼs quite simple, boy. You are an apostle—more precisely, you are the Apostle of Lumen. One of the three Great Guardians of Eden,” Zeus explained, his tone filled with wisdom. ”The three guardiansʼ sole purpose is to protect Eden, but more than that, they ensure Raphielʼs safety. And you, as the Apostle of Lumen, hold two vital roles. First, to safeguard the Saintess of the Holy Garden, and second, to ensure Raphielʼs well-being, which means safeguarding Milleia, who carries Raphielʼs bloodline. Raphiel and the Three Guardians are Primordial Beings. They share much in common and have always supported one another.”

”Then... Milleia and I are bound by fate or something of the sort?” Jayden inquired, attempting to make sense of Zeusʼ intricate explanation.

Zeus chuckled at Jaydenʼs simplistic interpretation. ”Itʼs far more complex than mere fate, boy. Your bloodlines resonate with each other. By remaining together, you both experience exponential growth, continuously improving yourselves.”

”I-I see...” Jayden responded, a mixture of embarrassment and happiness coloring his expression. He couldnʼt help but feel a deep sense of gratitude, realizing the profound connection he shared with Milleia.

”I must admit, I am impressed by your progress, boy. I made the right choice in selecting you. Many others sought to take the Apostle under their wing, but fortunately, I acted swiftly,” Zeus remarked with a satisfied smile.

”I am grateful that you chose me, Zeus,” Jayden expressed his sincere gratitude. ”In this past year, I have learned so much and have grown more confident in myself.”

”Indeed, I can attest to that. You have become bold and assertive, reminiscent of my own youth,” Zeus remarked before snapping his fingers, signaling a shift in the realm.

”H-Hey!” With a gentle shimmer of blue light, a figure materialized in front of Jayden, catching him off guard. His eyes widening at the sight before him. Standing there was a breathtaking girl with shoulder-length blue hair, captivating blue eyes, and an embarrassed expression adorning her face as she became the subject of Jaydenʼs intense gaze.

A sudden realization struck Jayden like a bolt of lightning. ”Oh!” he exclaimed, connecting the dots in his mind.

”Finally understand?” Zeus inquired, his voice carrying a sense of amusement.

”Yes! Youʼre Arete!” Jayden exclaimed, recognizing the blue eagle that had appeared a few times in response to his calls.

Arete huffed and turned her face away, feigning indifference.

”She is Arete, more than just a Familiar. She is my daughter, Jayden,” Zeus revealed, dropping a bombshell that left Jayden utterly shocked.

”Y-Your daughter?!” Jayden stuttered, his eyes widening in disbelief.

”Yes,” Zeus confirmed, a warm smile gracing his features as he affectionately patted Areteʼs hair, though she skillfully evaded his touch. ”As you can see, she is very young and inexperienced. Nevertheless, she will assist you now that you have awakened my Legacy.”

”Oh...” Jayden nodded, his hand instinctively reaching for his vibrant, spiky blue hair. Even his eyes had taken on a lighter shade of blue.

”Take care of her, okay?” Zeus requested, his gaze shifting between Jayden and Arete.

Jayden turned to face Arete and offered her a reassuring smile. ”Count on me, Zeus.”

”I can take care of myself, father!” Arete protested, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment as Zeus grinned knowingly.

With the conversation taking a tender turn, Zeus suddenly posed a question to Jayden. ”Then, boy, are you happy?”

”Happy?” Jayden repeated, momentarily taken aback by the unexpected inquiry.

”Of course, your family...” Zeus trailed off, leaving the words hanging in the air.

Jaydenʼs lips trembled as he recalled Reissʼ revelation. His family, contrary to what he believed, had survived and escaped Caishen. ”Z-Zeus... is that...”

”Yes,” Zeus confirmed, nodding solemnly.

”You knew all along?” Jayden questioned, a hint of resentment coloring his tone.

”If I had told you from the start, what would you have done, Jayden?” Zeus responded with a counterquestion. ”You would have chased after them without any training, without the anger that fueled your growth. You wouldnʼt have become this strong. You wouldnʼt have joined the Royal Eden Academy. You wouldnʼt have met your friends or the ones you now hold dear—Carla, Milleia, and Aurora.”

Jayden fell silent, his mouth closing after Zeusʼ poignant words. He scratched his head, contemplating the truth in Zeusʼ words. ”Youʼre right... Where are they, Zeus?” Jayden inquired, his eagerness to see his parents and elder sister palpable. He also wanted to share the joyous news with his younger brother as soon as possible.

”I can tell you, but do you truly want to know right now?” Zeus posed another question, his tone laden with caution.

”What are you...” Jayden began, but realization dawned on him. ”Youʼre saying that the true culprit behind my assassination attempt is still at large and may target me now that my identity is revealed,” Jayden concluded, his expression shifting as he deliberated on his course of action.

After a momentʼs hesitation, Jayden arrived at a resolute decision. ”Youʼre right, Zeus. I... I will wait. Iʼll first eliminate the threat, and once itʼs gone, I will reunite with them, alongside Josua.”

”A wise choice, boy,” Zeus acknowledged with appreciation. The previous Jayden would have disregarded his advice and rushed to join his family immediately. ”He has matured a great deal, hasnʼt he, Arete?” Zeus directed the question to his daughter.

”Yes...” Arete nodded, a hint of affection shining in her eyes. Having been by Jaydenʼs side for a decade, she knew him inside out. She felt content with his growth and a sense of pride swelled within her.

”Thatʼs it, boy but donʼt lower your guard. Something feels strange in that Dungeon. I donʼt think this is the end.” Zeus warned Jayden.

Jayden nodded and felt his vision turning blurry as he felt sucked out of Zeusʼ dimension.

*****

”...den!”

”....”

”....ayden!!”

”Ugh…”

”JAYDEN!!!”

”Ah!” Jayden raised his body abruptly and let out a deep breath. When he slightly shifted his eyes to the side, he saw Milleiaʼs beautiful face which was tear-stained. Her light pink eyes were wide open, seeing Jayden well and alive as she immediately hugged him.

”I-I thought y-you had died!” She said while crying and crying on Jaydenʼs chest. 

Jayden was caught off guard by the sudden hug but quickly recovered and hugged Jayden back. ”I…am sorry Milleia and…thanks. Thanks for being with me.”

Milleia nodded with a muffled voice and separated herself from Jayden and wiped her tears. ”W-We were all worried…”

”Oh…” Jayden shifted his gaze behind Milleia and saw all his teammates. Elona was also there but she was treated by a girl since she was also hurt. 

As for Miranda, she was walking around seemingly trying to reach the professors with her earpiece but to no avail. No one was responding.

”Myra…whatʼs happening?” Elona went toward Miranda and asked. 

Miranda looked at Elona and sighed, ”No one is answering. The exam is probably cancelled. Enemies are inside the Dungeons on the floors where the exams are held.”

”But we beat them?” Elona said as she looked around her. Except for Reissʼ body which had been disintegrated by Jaydenʼs attacks, the dead bodies of the five other assassins were lingering on the ground.

”I donʼt think they are the only ones, Elona,” Miranda muttered. ”It had been awhile now and no other groups joined us which means that something or someone stopped them from advancing further in the floors.”

”B-But werenʼt they after Jayden?” Elona asked nervously.

Miranda looked at Jayden who was speaking with Milleia and nodded. ”Yes, they were undoubtedly after him but-!” Miranda suddenly stopped speaking and fired an arrow with a quick movement behind her.

The arrow traveled a dozen of meters and shattered a boulder revealing two figures. The first one was a familiar girl with flaxen hair.

”C-Carla?!” Jayden stood up instantly.

”...” Next to him Milleia was mouth agape as her light pink eyes reflected a black-haired and red-eyed awkward man whose mouth was hidden by a black mask. ”S-Sir N-Nyrel…”