Aiden stared at Arceus in astonishment.
What had it just said?
The Arceus before him was not the true body?
It was merely an avatar?
"Damn it..."
"An avatar alone is this powerful?"
"If the system hadn't suddenly given me such an absurd advantage, and this Arceus hadn't been missing five Creation Plates, there's no way I could've defeated it!"
Ding! Since the Host has successfully defeated Arceus, Choices One and Three have been completed automatically. Please complete Choice Two as soon as possible by traveling several thousand years into the past, reclaiming the Jewel of Life, and restoring the creator deity's full power!
The system notification snapped Aiden back to his senses.
"Arceus, if you're only an avatar, then where is your true body?"
Before transmigrating into this world, Aiden had once seen discussions debating just how powerful Arceus truly was.
Some claimed that every Arceus appearing in the movies and animated series was merely an avatar.
Its true body was supposedly occupied with creating one universe and world after another.
Others believed that its true body was still in a deep slumber.
Whatever the truth, Aiden had never doubted Arceus' overwhelming power.
And now that he thought about it, if the Arceus before him had truly been the original body, then being defeated so easily would indeed have made little sense.
"Well, since an avatar can't be captured, I'll just find another opportunity to battle your true body someday."
Arceus laughed upon hearing this.
"You truly are a human who dares to boast."
"My true body possesses unimaginable power."
"It presides over countless universes and worlds, each containing its own Legendary Pokémon."
"If my true body wills it, this entire universe can cease to exist."
"So tell me, what could you possibly use to fight it?"
"The Creation Plates?"
"They are indeed powerful, but they represent only the limit of a single world."
"They are not the limit of Arceus itself."
Aiden did not argue.
"You never know until you try."
"But before that, there's something I need to resolve concerning the humans who betrayed you."
"Otherwise, I won't receive my reward."
Arceus looked at him in confusion.
Aiden turned toward Dialga.
"Dialga, use your power immediately."
"Take me back several thousand years, to the point in time when Damos was supposed to return the Jewel of Life to Arceus."
"I'm going to retrieve it."
After defeating the strongest guardian of this world—the creator deity Arceus—the Legendary Pokémon had become completely convinced of Aiden's strength.
Their Affinity with him had nearly all reached the maximum value of 255.
Thus, upon receiving his command, Dialga respectfully replied,
"Understood."
Golden light erupted around them.
Aiden casually raised his hand.
Cynthia, who had been watching from nearby, was pulled directly to his side.
The two of them were enveloped by Dialga's power.
Together, they traveled back several thousand years.
...
When the golden light faded, Aiden and Cynthia vanished before everyone's eyes.
Lucian, Volkner, Flint, and Aaron could only stare at one another.
Ash and his companions were similarly unable to calm down.
They had just witnessed a mortal ascend to godhood...
And defeat a god.
Elsewhere, Aiden and Cynthia emerged in the Sinnoh region of several thousand years ago.
At this time, Sinnoh had only just begun to develop.
Through the power of the Jewel of Life lent by Arceus, humans and Pokémon had begun to settle, reproduce, and flourish.
Since his objective was only the Jewel of Life, Aiden wasted no time.
His psychic power swept across the land.
He quickly located Damos, who had been imprisoned by Marcus.
Cynthia, meanwhile, looked around at the vastly different Sinnoh region with delight.
"So this is what Sinnoh looked like thousands of years ago..."
Aiden smiled faintly.
"Let's go."
"We'll find Damos, retrieve the Jewel of Life, and return it to Arceus."
"Otherwise, it probably won't let go of this resentment."
Aiden already possessed his own complete set of Creation Plates.
There was no need for him to seize another set from Arceus.
However, to complete Choice Two, he still had to recover the Jewel of Life.
Under the reach of his immense psychic power, finding Damos was effortless.
Aiden soon arrived at the prison where he was being held.
There, he saw the man who had once earned Arceus' recognition.
Had Damos not broken his promise, perhaps his future would have been filled with honor and prosperity.
What a pity.
Of course, the true culprit was Marcus.
Coveting the Jewel of Life, he had imprisoned Damos and arranged an ambush for Arceus.
As a result, Arceus had been injured and forced back into a deep slumber.
That betrayal was what caused it to hate humanity.
After Aiden freed him, Damos quickly expressed his gratitude to both him and Cynthia.
"There's no need for formalities."
"I came for the Jewel of Life."
"Where is it?"
"If it isn't returned to Arceus, humanity will suffer its revenge."
Damos sighed helplessly.
"The Jewel of Life was taken away by that traitor Marcus."
"As for where he has hidden it, I don't know."
Seeing that Damos could offer no help, Aiden went directly to Marcus.
Using his overwhelming psychic power, he searched the man's memories and discovered the Jewel of Life's location.
"So it was hidden here."
With a light movement of his psychic power, a radiant green orb emerged.
It was the Jewel of Life.
When Marcus saw Aiden take it, his expression twisted in panic.
"Bastard!"
"That belongs to me!"
"I want eternal life!"
"Only the Jewel of Life can give it to me!"
"Give it back!"
Aiden snorted coldly.
His psychic power descended.
In an instant, Marcus' mind was destroyed, leaving him an empty-headed fool.
Afterward, Aiden and Cynthia waited beside Damos for Arceus to arrive.
Three days later, Arceus appeared.
It was somewhat surprised to see Aiden, but it still accepted the Jewel of Life from his hands.
Under these circumstances, the Arceus before them had now regained its complete form.
Golden light then spread from Arceus.
It was the power of time.
The light enveloped Aiden and Cynthia, preparing to return them to their original era.
Before they departed, Aiden heard Arceus speak.
"Aiden..."
"This time, you may not be able to defeat me."
Hearing those words, Aiden smiled.
Read 50 chapters ahead on P@treon -> [email protected]/SorenSwiftTL (replace @ with a)