Zeus's Master Plan

Aiden felt as though his mind was a whirlwind of emotions after the bombshell Milo had dropped on him. It hit him like a bucket of ice-cold water, sharp and piercing, cutting through every layer of certainty he had ever held. His breathing grew erratic, and words spilled out in torrents from the depths of his being.

"He... He's my father," Aiden murmured, his voice trembling, more to himself than to the others. The words echoed through the mental link he shared with Podbe and Reia. "All this time... I've been speaking with my father's voice."

Podbe, who carried that familiar voice within him, remained silent for a moment before responding. "Well, I didn't know that either," he admitted, his tone cautious.

Reia quickly interjected, her voice filled with sincerity. "Aiden, I swear I had no idea. When I updated the system, that voice just appeared. I had no clue it belonged to your father."

"It doesn't matter," Aiden shot back bitterly. "If he really is my father, why didn't he ever look for me?" His voice cracked slightly, and his fists clenched tightly. "And now he's there, trapped in that tank, in a coma, helpless..."

"Yes, but listen to what he said earlier," Reia insisted. "He didn't even know you existed. You can't blame him for something that was out of his control."

Aiden exhaled slowly, trying to calm the hurricane of emotions threatening to consume him. But before he could process any of it, Podbe dropped another revelation that made him stagger even further.

"And if that's not enough, the guy who kidnapped and tortured you... He's your great-uncle," the dog declared bluntly.

Reia added, with a mix of disbelief and concern, "And we also fought against your uncle, Sir Larot—also known as Gabriel. Plus, you met your grandmother, and you even briefly interacted with your grandfather. This... this is too much."

Aiden felt the walls of the mental world closing in around him. The air seemed thick, heavy, as if he were submerged in an ocean of confusion. "I know," he finally responded, his voice barely audible. "But none of this makes sense. It's too much information to process... And my mother... She's supposedly an alien. So what about her? Is she alive? Dead? Where is she?"

Just then, a notification blinked on Podbe's system. A phrase glowed in golden letters: "Learn more about your legacy."

"What's that?" Aiden asked, pointing at the holographic screen floating before them.

"I don't know," Podbe replied, tilting his head to one side. "But I see a progress bar... It's at 30 percent. And... wait a second…" He paused dramatically, looking at Aiden with an expression wavering between humor and discomfort. "Don't tell me... Am I another one of your relatives?"

Aiden shot him with a glare, but his face reflected a mix of anxiety, curiosity, and overwhelm. He was a walking sea of emotions, unable to find a safe harbor amidst the storm. And he wasn't alone. In the real world, Gabriel—his uncle—also seemed to be grappling with his own internal demons.

"I doubt it," Podbe answered himself sarcastically, which didn't exactly help calm the situation. "If I were your relative, I'd have recognized you by now, or so I think."

"Podbe, this isn't the time for jokes," Reia scolded firmly, giving him a stern look.

The dog raised his paws in surrender. "Sorry, sorry," he muttered, though it was clear he still enjoyed his irreverence. However, when he looked back at Aiden, he noticed the young man hadn't even flinched at the comment. He was completely absorbed in his thoughts, oblivious to everything else.

At that exact moment, the voice of Milo—or Zeus, as he now called himself—burst into the room through the cameras. His tone was cold and calculating, like that of a predator playing with its prey before devouring it. Melisa, practically his hostage just like the others, was on the verge of tears but forced herself to stay strong, compelled to broadcast his speech live.

"Listen carefully," Milo began, his voice thundering like a storm in the night. "I am Milo West, better known as Zeus, owner of Radar Enterprises. Today, I announce that I will be your supreme leader. All of you will owe me allegiance and tribute. What you've seen so far has been merely a small taste of my power. The controlled individuals I sent across the world were only the beginning. But if that wasn't enough to subdue you, I have something much better prepared."

Melisa trembled visibly but obeyed when Milo ordered her to show Drake and his team to the camera. "I won't resist," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Show them, or I'll kill your companions," Milo threatened, and one of the robots fired without warning. Ian screamed in pain as a bullet pierced his leg, spilling blood onto the floor.

"Relax, it wasn't lethal," Milo said with a sinister smile. "But next time, I'll wonder… who do you want to sacrifice?"

"Not okay... I'll do it, but stop the bleeding," Melisa said, her voice trembling with fear.

Milo ordered coldly, as if Ian's suffering were merely a formality. With a wave of his hand, he activated one of his robots, which quickly approached the injured young man. The machine emitted a faint hum as it applied an instant surgical treatment to Ian's leg, stopping the blood flow.

"Wow, all the bad stuff always happens to me," Ian muttered through gritted teeth, trying to sound ironic despite the sharp pain still radiating from his leg. He looked at Melisa with a forced smile. "Don't worry, boss. I'll survive."

Melisa nodded slightly, though her face reflected a mix of anguish and determination. She was being broadcast live, and the audience began to watch in horror as the events unfolded before the cameras. Reactions were a torrent of conflicting emotions: some viewers were paralyzed by fear, others incredulous, and a few indignant.

"Alright, let's proceed," Milo declared in a tone that suggested nothing could distract him from his triumphant speech. He gestured toward the prisoners behind him. "These people you see here are supposedly your saviors." He motioned to Greg, who obediently focused the camera on them without hesitation—it was the only thing he could do to avoid worsening their situation.

"This group came into my territory thinking they could stand against me. Ha! Did they really believe they could defeat someone who's always ten steps ahead?" Milo asked with a mocking laugh. Behind him, a holographic screen sprang to life, showing footage of the fight against Urion. The fast movements, the flashes of energy—it all seemed too real to be staged.

The public watching from home was divided. While some continued to deny the evidence ("It's a cheap trick, for sure"), others began questioning what they had seen so far. "Were we lied to? Is all this true?" some wrote in the live stream comments. Others speculated frantically: "If there are alien threats, they should be revealed, not hidden. Why keep them classified?"

Milo continued, his voice resonating like an unsettling echo. "I, as your sovereign and almighty Zeus, intercepted a transmission sent by this monster"—he pointed to Urion on the screen—"who likely contacted their home planet to bring more large-scale destruction." "If a single individual could bring an entire country's army to its knees, imagine what hundreds of them could do. And that boy"—he said, pointing directly at Aiden—"could summon that destruction at any moment." Or we could take the fight to them. But for that, I must undergo a drastic transformation.

The live-stream comments erupted into chaos. Some users wrote sarcastically: "What is this lunatic talking about? He must've escaped from an asylum." Others expressed concern: "Why does he have that kid tied up in a hospital gown? This looks like child abuse." However, there were those who started believing what they saw. "It's true, he's a superhuman," some said. "It can't be a trick; it's too real."

Milo ignored the reactions and continued his demonstration. With a theatrical flourish, he lifted a massive boulder that Maos had placed in front of him using a metal bar. To everyone's astonishment, he pulverized it within minutes, reducing it to fine dust. His superhuman strength was undeniable.

"I am your savior," Milo declared with absolute conviction. "There is no other. If you don't accept my leadership willingly, it will be by force." With a conspiratorial wink at Maos, he activated a switch. At that instant, every screen in the world went dark. Televisions, computers, cell phones—all electronic devices transformed into robotic machines, emerging from their usual structures and pointing lethal weapons at people in their respective locations.

"What do you think?" Milo asked through the speakers embedded in the machines, his voice amplified and resonant. From her position, Lady smiled proudly. "That invention is mine," she declared, pleased to serve her "Master Zeus."

Chaos erupted in real time. Screams of panic echoed through the streets as people tried to flee from the machines now surrounding them. On social media, live-stream comments ceased, replaced only by the amplified voices of fear and confusion emanating from the robot speakers. "This can't be happening," some cried out. "It's the end of the world!" others wailed in terror.

Human voices reverberated like desperate echoes through the speakers of the robotic machines. Shouts of panic and pleas for help filled the air: "Save us! Help us, heroes! We know you're out there!"

"They still defy me," Milo said with a twisted smile, relishing the chaos he had unleashed. "Even after offering my support and showcasing my creations... Fine, if that's what they want, then they'll all be under tyranny. There will be suffering."

"You intercepted Urion's message," Adia interjected, her voice firm but laced with concern. "Does that mean more like him could come, right?"

Milo nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful yet confident. "It's possible. I only managed to capture part of the message. It mentioned something about 'a portal master here' or something like that. Honestly, I'm not sure. But I intend to find out. I'll locate Lux and invade it." His smile widened, revealing an insatiable ambition.

"And how exactly do you plan to do that?" Eduard asked skeptically, attempting to cross his arms despite his restraints.

Before Milo could respond, a sudden burst of movement shook the room. The prisoners broke free from their bonds, ready to confront him. For the first time since his triumphant speech began, Milo took a step back, visibly surprised.

"How did you break free?" Milo asked, his tone a mix of disbelief and frustration.

"You forgot about my presence," Piti replied calmly, though his voice was barely audible. He emerged from the shadows, like a silent specter. "With all your monologuing, I had enough time to take out the robots holding the reporters."

"It's the kid who came in like a tornado!" Michele exclaimed, recalling Tecro's words.

"He seems fast," Choy commented, eyeing Piti with curiosity. "Though a bit... plump."

"Hey, I can hear you!" Piti protested in a low voice, clearly uncomfortable outside his comfort zone, which usually consisted of whirlwinds where he liked to hide. "Besides, I wouldn't have saved you if I hadn't felt it was the right thing to do," he added, somewhat annoyed.

"And where did you come from?" Maos asked from the monitors, looking at Piti with a mix of curiosity and suspicion.

Piti hesitated, lowering his gaze. "Well, you see..." he began, but before he could continue, Azulema interrupted.

"I'll answer that," she said authoritatively. Minutes before arriving, Azulema had given a specific order: "Eat all the desserts you brought," she told Piti as they prepared to descend.

"Why did we leave the chubby one behind?" Mark asked, glancing back.

"He's eating everything," Becky replied with a giggle.

"Yes, I told him to do it," Azulema confirmed with a mysterious smile.

"You must have your reasons," Ezequiel commented as he adjusted his gear to descend.

"It was just a hunch," Azulema explained. "A hunch that turned out to be correct." She looked at Piti with an expression of satisfaction.

"When I came back from eating all the sweets we brought, I thought you'd abandoned me. But before descending, I saw that everyone had been captured. So I figured it might be a sign or code to leave me out. That's when I acted quickly and quietly, and well, you know the rest: I cut through what was holding them at super speed," Piti explained, proud of himself.

"Right, Ms. Azulema?" Piti asked, seeking confirmation.

Azulema nodded, though she gently corrected him: "Yes, that's how it happened. But I'm not 'Ms.,' kid. I didn't expect you to do something useful, but you understood what I meant. I suppose I put a bit of my thoughts into you." A nostalgic smile crossed her face as she reflected on recent events.

Returning to the confrontation:

"Alright, surrender, brother," Drake said with a gaze of blazing fury, addressing Milo. His voice was a mix of challenge and determination.

"What are you going to do, little brother? You don't have any powers," Milo retorted disdainfully, trying to maintain his arrogant demeanor.

Drake stared at him intently, his eyes gleaming with an unsettling intensity. "That's where you're wrong. I thought I didn't have powers for years, but then I developed them. I don't want to use them now, but you've made me angry. I'll teach you a lesson." He turned to the others, his gaze icy yet burning with rage. "Everyone, stay out of this. You'll get your turn with him later."

Everyone remained motionless, paralyzed by the sheer force of his presence. Even Aragon and Gabriel seemed unable to move a muscle.

"I understand," Adia finally said, breaking the silence. No one else moved.