My Talent's Name Is Generator Chapter 861 A Legend For Eternity

A chuckle escaped my lips instantly.

"You’re still lugging that around?"

"Naturally," he replied with pride. "Without it, civilization would surely crumble."

After pouring the drink into several small glasses arranged on the table, he slid one toward me.

Arkas sauntered over and took a seat, with Lucien trailing behind him; the intensity of the moment melted away, replaced by a much warmer, familiar atmosphere.

"Please, have a seat, Sir Guardian," Edgar requested. "We have much to discuss."

I pulled up a chair and joined their circle. A brief silence descended as Edgar distributed the drinks.

Then, Arkas leaned back, studying me with that old, familiar intensity of his—the gaze he once used to decipher exactly how a person had changed.

"So," he began, his voice calm yet brimming with curiosity, "tell us of your travels. You have been gone for an eternity. How was it?"

I took a slow, deliberate sip from the glass Edgar had filled before offering my response.

"Long," I said, a faint smile gracing my face. "Incredibly long. Yet… it possessed its own beauty. There are regions out there that make entire planets feel insignificant."

Edgar laughed, leaning back in his own seat.

"That sounds exactly like the answer I expected," he remarked. "You vanish into the galaxy for years on end, only to return waxing poetic about the scenery."

Lucien rested his joined hands on the table and observed me with heightened scrutiny.

"Jokes aside," he said softly, "are you truly alright?"

It was a simple query, but the underlying concern was unmistakable. For a fleeting second, I didn't see the emperor; I saw the man who had watched me mature on this very world.

I gave a slight nod.

"Yes. I am doing well."

Damien, who had remained silent until that point, spoke from behind Lucien’s shoulder.

"Considering everything transpiring beyond our borders," he noted thoughtfully, "I presume you’ve endured your share of conflict."

I nodded again in acknowledgment.

"I have. There have been quite a few scuffles."

Edgar let out a low, drawn-out whistle.

"I figured as much," he muttered. "You were never one to travel without making a racket."

After taking another sip of his drink, he added with a wicked grin,

"You always did possess a knack for stumbling into trouble."

Arkas folded his arms slowly, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"And the Eternals?" he demanded. "Did you cross paths with them directly?"

Locking eyes with him, I gave a firm nod.

"I did."

The table fell into a sudden, heavy silence as the others processed this revelation. Finally, Edgar leaned back and released a long, steady breath.

"You know," he said quietly, "when you first departed Vaythos all those years ago… I genuinely believed we would never lay eyes on you again."

Lucien echoed the sentiment with a subdued nod.

"I shared that concern," he admitted. "The vast universe beyond this realm treats those who wander alone with little mercy."

Arkas studied me once more, and this time, a gentle smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"And yet, you returned."

Edgar raised his glass, laughing as he shook his head.

"And look at the man you've become."

He gestured vaguely in my direction.

"You have transformed into a being far beyond anything this world could ever hope to cultivate."

Taking another drink, he added with a chuckle,

"In truth, I’m not even certain we should address you by your old name anymore."

Lucien raised his glass in agreement.

"You have contributed more to this civilization than any figure in our written history," he said solemnly.

"Vaythos has enjoyed peace for many years now, solely because of your influence."

Arkas nodded slowly in affirmation beside him.

"Our troops train with unprecedented vigor," he noted. "Yet none of them have been forced to face the threats we once lived in fear of."

Edgar smirked.

"To put it briefly," he said, hoisting his glass higher, "life here has been suspiciously serene."

He pointed his glass directly at me.

"And we are fully aware of who to hold responsible for that."

Edgar offered me a lopsided grin and took another swallow of his drink.

I shook my head, thoroughly amused.

"I merely performed the duty expected of any loyal citizen of Vaythos," I replied. "Though, I do have a single inquiry."

Every set of eyes turned to me.

"What is the meaning behind these titles?" I continued. "Guardian Day, the Guardian Realm… the term 'guardian' is attached to everything nowadays. Who exactly is responsible for these monikers?"

A brief silence hung in the air. Then, in almost perfect synchrony, Arkas, Edgar, and Damien shifted their gazes toward the Emperor.

Lucien noticed the movement and cleared his throat in a display of unease.

"Well…"

Edgar leaned back with a look of immense satisfaction.

"Oh, this is going to be good."

Lucien sighed before offering an explanation.

"You must try to understand the predicament we faced," he began calmly. "To the citizens of Vaythos, you had achieved the status of a living legend long before your departure."

He gestured toward the city sprawling beyond the courtyard walls.

"Most inhabitants here grew up on tales of your deeds. The warrior who halted the invasion, the one who unveiled powers unseen by mortals, the youth who braved the cosmos to battle threats beyond our reach."

He hesitated momentarily.

"However, things turned complicated when we began integrating the populations from Surka and Peanu into our empire."

I lifted an eyebrow.

"In what way?"

"They were filled with questions," Lucien elaborated. "Many of them had never heard of Vaythos until they arrived. Suddenly, they were told that the empire they served owed its continued existence to a man who was nowhere to be found."

Edgar offered a nod.

"And believe me," he added, "people grow quite cynical when their leaders heap praise upon someone who isn't there to answer for it."

Lucien continued, "We required something permanent. A legacy to cement your importance in the history and future of this realm."

"That something," Edgar chuckled, "became the 'Eternal Guardian of Vaythos'."

Lucien nodded his agreement.

"Indeed. It is a title that captures both your past contributions and the role you continue to play."

He looked at me with unblinking intensity.

"I was determined to ensure your standing in the history of Vaythos could never be challenged—neither by our people today, nor by those who follow in our footsteps."

Arkas spoke up once more.

"And in all honesty," he added, "it proved effective."

Edgar let out a loud laugh.

"Effective is an understatement. You are essentially worshipped as a divine ideal now."

I rubbed my brow, feeling a slight headache coming on.

"That certainly wasn't my intention."

Lucien offered a faint, reassuring smile.

"Perhaps not. But icons hold power, Billion. And to the people of this world, you have become exactly that."

I nodded reflectively.

"How is the process of integrating Peanu and Sukra proceeding?" I inquired.

Lucien leaned back, contemplating his answer. "Better than we initially dared to hope. The opening months were admittedly taxing. Uniting new worlds always breeds tension, and we faced a few uprisings from factions that rejected Vaythos’ authority. Those were quelled swiftly, however. The situation is stable now. Trade routes have been established between all three worlds, and our military presence has served to maintain order. In fact, many of our younger soldiers are gaining invaluable combat experience while stationed on those planets."