"Shit—!" Jayden gritted his teeth. He tensed to move, but it was too late. The orb was already descending with a speed that rivaled his. Evading was pointless now... the energy distortion alone was warping gravity. He could feel his skin prickle and his bones vibrate.
His gaze snapped to Ava... she was smiling, waving playfully, that mischievous grin lighting her face like moonlight through glass.
"Goodnight, little cousin," she said softly. "Let's do this again soti."
That was the last thing Jayden saw before the world vanished in white.
The orb hit.
BOOOOOOM!
A blinding explosion swallowed the field. The shockwave tore through the snow plains, disintegrating frost, shaking the digital realm to its core. A luminous wave expanded outward, swallowing everything in a bloom of light.
When Jayden opened his eyes again... he was back in his lobby.
The virtual space shimred into focus, the arena replaced by the familiar, calm glow of his personal hub. He blinked once, twice, then sighed.
"Tch... she caught off guard again."
He ran a hand through his hair, smirking despite himself. "And that orb..." he muttered, recalling its impossible density. "She conjured it so fast I didn't even sense the energy flux."
The speed and power of the orb were unlike anything he'd seen before. Even if he had dodged, the explosion would have reached him.
He sighed, resigned, and decided to play a few more matches before logging out.
After five extrely short battles, Jayden finally exited the ga, the pod's hatch sliding open to admit him back into the real world.
As he stepped out, a series of system notifications flashed in his vision:
[ 1020 Exp received]
[Congratulations, you have leveled up]
[ 2 stat points have been added to all stats]
[Ep: 300 >> 320]
[Hp: 730 >> 780]
[The title 'Regent Alpha' has been activated]
[Quest Reminder: Defeat the true leader of Jade City's forest]
[Seasonal Quest Reminder: Integrate 3 Beasts Genes within three months] (2/3)
[Note: six weeks left to complete seasonal quest]
Jayden stared at the ssages, especially the last three. He knew the Regent Alpha title would unlock at level 15, but the quest reminders were unexpected.
"Why remind about the saber-tooth flare now?" he thought. "Does the system think I'm ready to face it?"
He scrolled further down, his gaze locking on the seasonal quest. Integrate three Beast Genes. Two down, one left.
He already possessed a beast gene that he hadn't integrated yet... the Serpenthis. But he planned to save the last slot for the beast he intended to hunt that weekend, the very one the system had just reminded him about.
Jayden dismissed the interface and exited the pod den, summoning his bike with a satisfied smile. He'd finally uncovered answers to long-held questions about his heritage, his bloodline, his family. The weight that had pressed on his chest for years finally felt lighter.
But none of this knowledge would sway his true purpose. He wasn't interested in traveling to Lunaria or eting his all-powerful grandmother yet. His focus remained steadfast: to grow stronger and find his sister.
Still, a new curiosity had taken root... an unexpected fascination with Celestials.
He wondered if any of them were still alive, especially Artemis, the goddess of the hunt and supposed creator of the Beastlord system.
With determination, Jayden revved his bike's engine and flew ho, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
anwhile....
In a room bathed with the low blue hum of holographic light. Hundreds of translucent screens hovered midair like ghosts frozen mid-sentence, replaying fragnts of the conversation between Jayden and Ava. Lines of text scrolled across them... data streams, combat logs, energy readings, heat signatures.
Aileen sat alone at the center of it all. Her legs crossed, a cup of untouched coffee sat steaming beside her console. The reflection of the screens shimred across her eyes... calm, calculating, and just a little too curious.
She'd been watching the whole thing. From the mont Jayden had stepped into that snow-covered field till the exact instant Ava dropped that orb of destruction on him.
For a long ti, she said nothing. Just stared at the frozen fra of Jayden's face, his smirk before the blast hit, that quiet defiance even in defeat.
Then she exhaled softly and leaned back into her chair. "I can't believe Jayden Starrk was Orion all along."The words ca out half a whisper, half a confession.
"I had my suspicions when Ava ntioned Orion was a werewolf," she said to herself, her voice echoing in the stillness. "But I didn't think it'd be the sa werewolf that goes to the sa school as ."
She ran a hand through her hair, chuckling under her breath. "Guess I'll have to start watching him closely..." Her tone shifted... lighter, but edged with intrigue. The kind of voice people used when they found sothing rare, dangerous, and thrilling.
"If he's already this powerful," she murmured, "...perhaps he might be one of us."
That hypothesis sent a little thrill through Aileen's chest. She loved secrets. And this one... this was the kind of secret that rewrote myths.
As that thought settled, sothing clicked in her mind. Her eyes widened. She shot up from her chair and strode to the bedside table at the far end of the room.
From the drawer, she pulled out a slender gold bracelet etched with ancient runes that glowed faintly when her fingers brushed over them.
Aileen slipped it onto her wrist, and as soon as it made contact, it pulsed once. She tapped the surface twice and a ripple of golden light shimred outward from the bracelet, and then—whrrrmm—a massive holographic screen unfolded midair before her, forming into a communication link.
The screen buzzed faintly, before finally clearing into the image of a figure cloaked in shadow. Their surroundings were impossible to see, their face hidden behind darkness. Only their eyes were visible... two golden lights, gleaming like suns.
When they spoke, their voice was low, gravelly, and ancient.
"Princess," the voice rumbled. "How may I help you?"
Aileen smiled faintly, resting a hand on her hip. "Hello, Heimdall," she greeted, her tone soft but laced with authority. "There's been a new developnt. It's about the son of Cyllene Lunaria."
The figure tilted their head slightly, the glow in their eyes brightening. "What about him?"
Aileen hesitated for just a second, then she said it, slow and deliberate:
"I think he might be a Celestial."
For a mont, neither party spoke. Only the soft hum of the holographic link filled the air.
Then Heimdall's golden eyes narrowed. "Are you certain?"
Aileen shook her head. "No," she said. "But I intend to find out."
The golden glow from the bracelet flared, reflecting in her eyes. "And if he is one of us..." she added, her grin widening. "...things might just get interesting."
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