The Golden Emperor and the God of Hope stood side by side atop the battlefield, the ground beneath them cracked and trembling from the sheer force of their presence. Before them, Alaya's champions materialized—Counter Guardians, humanity's last line of defense.
Figures such as Emiya, Artoria Lancer Alter, Angra Mainyu, Okita Souji Alter, and Heracles, weapons drawn, their aura oppressive and deadly.
Satria regarded them with a cool, disdainful gaze. His voice cut through the heavy silence. "And these are your champions?" he said mockingly. "Warriors shackled to your will... echoes of a past clinging to a false hope. How pitiful."
Alaya's voice rang out, a chorus of countless human wills. "They are humanity's shield. Its final defenders. You, anomalies, must be purged—and once you're gone, your companions will follow."
Naruto's smile faded, his gaze narrowing.
"So that's how it's gonna be, huh?" he muttered, flexing his hands as he sized up the incoming enemies. "They're strong… real strong. We can't underestimate them."
Satria chuckled, his armor glowing faintly. "Strong, maybe. But not enough to sever their own chains." His gaze sharpened. "I'll take care of Alaya. You handle the others. Don't hold me back, Naruto."
Naruto grinned under his hood, his demonic energy starting to leak out. "Don't worry... I was just about to say the same thing."
A blood-red sky loomed overhead as Naruto stepped forward, his wings of Foulfell and Hope energy unfurling in a burst of raw power. Around him, the Counter Guardians took their battle stances, summoned to erase the anomaly before them. Their combined pressure warped the very air itself.
First to act was Emiya, dual blades Kanshou and Bakuya gleaming. "I take no pleasure in this… but for the sake of humanity, you must fall!" With a burst of power, he unleashed a rain of summoned swords from his Unlimited Blade Works.
Naruto leapt skyward, dodging the onslaught with swift, acrobatic grace, then retaliated with a hellfire blast that incinerated the airborne weapons. He landed hard, shattering the ground beneath him.
"Your resolve is admirable," Naruto growled, "but you're in way over your head!"
Before he could strike, Artoria Lancer Alter lunged with Rhongomyniad, a corrupted spear of god-slaying light. Naruto spun, parrying the attack with one warglaive and countering with the other, forcing her back several paces.
"I've faced Light and Darkness both!" Naruto roared. "Your corrupted Light is nothing to me! Prepare yourself, even if you bear her face!"
More Counter Guardians surged in. Okita Souji Alter flashed forward in a blur, her cursed blade slashing with deadly speed. Behind her, Heracles, in his maddened Berserker form, roared and charged like an unstoppable juggernaut. Even Angra Mainyu, the embodiment of humanity's accumulated evil, manifested with a suffocating presence.
Naruto's stance didn't waver. "Fear what you cannot understand."
He unleashed his Metamorphosis, transforming into his True Demonic God form. His horns twisted skyward, his frame swelled with otherworldly power, and his massive wings shadowed the battlefield.
"Face the Terrorblade—bane of gods and devourer of hope!"
The earth quaked under his might. Slamming both warglaives into the ground, he released a shockwave of searing blue energy, sending his attackers flying.
Heracles roared and lunged again—only for Naruto to sidestep and carve into his flesh with one precise slash. Heracles resurrected again... and again… each time, Naruto brought him down even faster.
Okita Alter sought an opening, but Naruto caught her blade with his clawed hand mid-swing, shattering it effortlessly before blasting her away with a fel bolt.
"Bravery won't save you," Naruto said coldly.
From afar, Angra Mainyu summoned a vortex of pure malice, his All the World's Evils seeking to drown Naruto in corruption.
Naruto only laughed—a cold, terrifying sound.
"You think corruption can touch me?"
He absorbed the dark mist, twisted it within him, and hurled it back, forcing Angra Mainyu to his knees.
Emiya, battered but unbroken, invoked Unlimited Blade Works, dragging Naruto into a world of infinite swords.
"This ends now!" Emiya roared, unleashing a torrent of blades.
Naruto spun his hand in a cyclone of fel energy, shredding the onslaught with contemptuous ease. "Your arsenal is impressive… but your strength is a candle before a storm!"
With a devastating roar, he shattered the Reality Marble itself, the dimension crumbling around Emiya, who collapsed to the ground in defeat.
The remaining Counter Guardians gathered for a desperate final assault, their spirits blazing despite the odds.
Naruto rose into the crimson sky, his voice shaking the heavens.
"You claim to fight for humanity—yet you can't even protect yourselves!"
He summoned the full might of his fel energies, concentrating them into a massive, searing blue inferno. "Witness the fury of despair!" With a roar, he unleashed the Hellbound Inferno Strike, an apocalyptic blast that engulfed the entire battlefield. One by one, the Counter Guardians were overwhelmed, their forms dissolving into motes of fading light.
When the smoke cleared, Naruto stood alone amidst the scorched earth, his demonic form radiating an unstoppable, terrible majesty.
He looked down at the remnants of the battlefield and muttered, "Your masters underestimated me. Let this be their warning—I bow to no one."
Suddenly, a voice echoed within him—a deep, familiar rumble.
"Enough! His power is starting to consume you! Wake up, Naruto!"
Naruto staggered slightly, breathing heavily. His demonic form flickered.
"…I almost lost control again." He closed his eyes briefly, his demonic energies subsiding. "Thanks for pulling me back, Kurama."
•
Alaya, in her full, radiant form, descended upon the scorched battlefield. Around her, the defeated Counter Guardians faded back into the Throne of Heroes, their mission a failure. Her celestial presence bathed the ruins in harsh white light, and the ground trembled under the sheer gravity of her power.
She had no choice now—if this anomaly was not erased, the world itself could crumble beyond repair.
Satria stood firm, his arms crossed, golden energy rippling around him like a living storm. His voice was thunderous, carrying a weight that made the very air vibrate.
"So, the shadow finally steps into the light," he said mockingly. "Tell me, Alaya—are you ready to face me yourself, or will you run, just as you've hidden behind your puppets?"
Alaya's luminous eyes narrowed dangerously. "You speak of cowardice while you sow destruction without understanding," she countered, her voice a chorus of countless souls. "You are no savior, Golden Emperor. You are a future tyrant—dragging humanity into the abyss with your pride."
Satria simply smirked, his golden aura flaring like a newborn sun. "A tyrant?" he echoed. "Better a tyrant than a puppet master clinging to a broken system."
At her silent command, Alaya summoned the full might of humanity's will. Blinding beams of pure, golden energy rained from the heavens, striking at Satria from every direction. Each blast carried the hopes, dreams, and desperate determination of countless lives—an entire civilization's collective spirit unleashed.
Reality itself groaned and splintered under the overwhelming force of her attack.
Yet the Golden Emperor stood unbowed.
A gleaming throne materialized behind him—no mere chair, but a cosmic artifact—a throne of solid gold adorned with three majestic dragon heads, each symbolizing a piece of the chaos, light, and will inside him.
With a casual motion, he sat upon it, crossing one leg over the other as a golden psychic barrier expanded around him, effortlessly absorbing Alaya's barrage.
"Hope. Determination. Dreams." He raised his hand, the throne humming with energy. "Meaningless without the strength to defend them." A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "You know… I'm grateful for this battle. I've grown bored of holding back. But now? Now, I get to enjoy myself."
Alaya's eyes widened as she recognized the artifact. "That chair... what is it? Some unknown weapon? I knew you were dangerous, but this..."
Satria chuckled, tapping a finger against the armrest. "This is the Mobius Chair—a throne of ultimate knowledge and command. I modified it, of course, to better suit my... tastes." He gestured proudly at its golden color and the three dragon heads. "Do you like it? I think it looks cool."
The casual arrogance in his tone made Alaya clench her fists.
In retaliation, Alaya summoned a storm of countless astral blades, each one capable of cutting through dimensions themselves. They rained down like a meteor shower—unstoppable and endless.
Yet Satria remained unmoved. With a wave of his hand, the blades shattered in mid-air like glass against steel. Each step he took forward felt like a hammer blow against Alaya's spirit, his mere existence beginning to overwrite the laws of her realm.
The battle raged on—
One week.
One month.
One year.
Time lost all meaning in the isolated realm they fought within, a pocket world forged by Alaya's will itself.
Yet no matter how many weapons she conjured, no matter how many divine storms she unleashed—Satria endured.
Alaya, her radiant form dimming, looked upon him with something she had not felt in eons: dread.
"How can you—a mere human—be so powerful?" she whispered. "You are no god. You are no divine being. Yet you stand as though you surpass even the gods I have witnessed."
The battle raged across the shattered realm, the air heavy with the echoes of clashing power.
Alaya fought with all the might humanity's collective will could muster, but deep within her heart, a grim realization began to take hold:
She could not defeat him.
Not in her current state.
Not against this anomaly who defied every law she had ever known.
This being—this Golden Emperor—was unlike anything she had ever faced.
His will was relentless. His existence itself bent the rules of reality around him.
Her reserves dwindled.
She could feel her form beginning to fade, becoming translucent at the edges.
Her mind raced through desperate options. She could call upon the Grand Servants, humanity's ultimate guardians—beings so powerful they were meant only for the direst threats.
But unleashing them could tear the very fabric of the world apart.
If she lost control of them... The cost would be unimaginable.
In the midst of the stillness, Satria stood unmoved, his golden aura radiating a calm, terrifying certainty.
He gazed at Alaya as though peering into the depths of her soul—unflinching, piercing, absolute.
"I don't understand why so many think being human is weakness," he said, his voice carrying the weight of mountains. "What I've learned... is that humans possess divine qualities in varying degrees. A mixture of clay and spirit, darkness and light, ignorance and knowledge. A creature born pure, yet destined to choose their path. Error is inevitable—perfection is an illusion. Even I am not exempt."
The Emperor took a slow, deliberate step forward, his every movement shaking the dying realm.
His gaze burned into her, stripping away every illusion she clung to.
"You see strength only in thrones, gods, and legends. But you fail to understand... True power lies within—in the will that remains unbroken, even when the gods themselves fall."
Alaya's lips parted, her voice barely more than a whisper. "You are..." she faltered, speaking as if to herself, "A paradox. A man who has surpassed what it means to be human..."
Satria's golden eyes met hers—unrelenting, unwavering. "Not a paradox, Alaya. A truth. I am the result of what humanity can become. I am the future you fear. The future you cannot control."
Though shaken, Alaya steadied herself. She could not afford weakness.
Her form solidified slightly as she gathered the last of her composure.
"You are an anomaly, Emperor," she said, voice like steel. "A disruption to the natural order of this world. I cannot allow you to continue existing unchecked."
The Golden Emperor chuckled—a deep, rumbling sound that seemed to mock the very notion of fate. "You cannot allow me?" he repeated, his tone laced with amusement. "Tell me, silly girl... What exactly do you plan to do now?"
Alaya's form flickered again as exhaustion gnawed at her essence.
She knew it now with certainty: Direct confrontation was suicide.
She could not defeat him here.
Perhaps not ever.
For now... she would retreat.
But she would watch him—closely.
"I will watch, Golden Emperor," Alaya declared, her voice regaining its full clarity. "I will witness your every act. If you dare threaten humanity's survival, if you stray even once—I will strike."
The Golden Emperor blinked, then snorted in open amusement.
"Watch me?" he said, folding his arms with a smirk. "What are you, some kind of stalker now?"
He shuddered exaggeratedly, rolling his shoulders like a man brushing off an unpleasant thought.
"Wow! Just thinking about someone spying on me without my knowledge gives me chills. Could it be... someone else is already watching me too? Ugh. I really hope it's just you, Alaya."
Alaya's form flickered one last time before dissolving into golden mist, her presence fading from the battlefield.
And in the stillness that followed, Satria remained, standing atop the broken world like a titan.
Alone—but undefeated.
His gaze turned to the endless horizon, a smirk lingering on his lips.
•
"He's magnificent..." Dormammu whispered, her voice a velvet caress laced with something far more dangerous. The fires of her dominion flared, casting the vast, shadowed chamber in an eerie glow. Her loyal minions—creatures of flame and shadow—shrank back, sensing the volatile shift in their mistress's mood.
"That light... that resolve..." she breathed, her eyes gleaming like molten gold. "It must be mine."
The flames around her pulsed with her rising obsession.
The flames around her pulsed with her rising obsession.
"Why does he waste such brilliance on these fragile mortals?" Her words dripped with disdain, yet there was a hunger beneath them—a need. "He deserves more. He deserves me." Her lips curled into a sly, predatory smile. "Yes... I will claim him. He will stand beside me as my consort, my equal... Whether he desires it or not."
Dormammu rose from her throne, her towering, incandescent form casting long, monstrous shadows that writhed along the walls. With a snap of her fingers, the scrying portal sharpened its focus onto the Golden Emperor's face.
There he stood—noble, radiant, his golden eyes burning with a compassion and strength that defied the cosmos. Her smirk widened, dark and possessive.
"Oh, my beloved," she crooned, her voice a dangerous melody, "you will come to understand.
Only I am worthy of you. Your precious light will shine brightest when bound in the depths of my darkness."
•
Meanwhile...
Far beyond mortal sight, within the sacred cradle of another universe, the One True Dragon, the creator god of the Tensura world, watched with mounting unease.
The ancient being had long since retreated to a realm untouched by time, content to observe the tapestry of existence unfold. Yet now, his peace was shattered.
A newcomer had arrived—a being cloaked in golden power, a will so fierce it seemed to burn even across dimensions.
"This... being," he rumbled, his deep voice resonating across the vast halls of his sanctuary, "he is unlike any creature I have witnessed."
He peered deeper through the layers of reality, his crystalline eyes narrowing.
The Golden Emperor's strength was not born of magicules, nor divinity. It was something else. A force born of sheer conviction—an unbreakable will.
"To strike him down recklessly would invite ruin," he mused. "Yet... to let him roam unchecked could unravel the balance I have so carefully woven."
He leaned forward, his immense form stirring the very fabric of his realm.
"Perhaps," he murmured, "the time will come when I must summon him... To stand face-to-face... And judge for myself what future he intends to forge."
•
In a place between light and darkness, a presence stirred.
She was not of Earth, nor any single reality—a being of shimmering golden light and endless resolve.
Her voice, like a song born of starlight and memory, whispered into the void:
"This presence..." she said, her tone both awed and wary, "it is unlike any I have felt before."
It was not purely Light, nor was it Darkness. It was something else. A perfect storm of willpower, fierce and untamed.
"A being who walks the precipice," she murmured, "neither surrendering to the light nor falling into the abyss... An Ultraman who defines his own path."
For the first time in eons, a sense of urgency stirred within her.
"I must find him," she declared, the decision locking into place.
Stretching out her vast senses, she summoned the golden brilliance of her being. Reality trembled as a vortex of the multiverse tore open before her—an endless sea of worlds swirling in chaos and beauty.
With a single, focused thought, she plunged into the breach, her radiant form vanishing into the infinite depths between realities—seeking the one anomaly that could change everything.
•
[Goldy]: To answer your question... It's possible. But really, what's the problem? Mr. Golden Emperor loves having an audience for his performances, doesn't he?
[Kyoka]: I knew you were strong, but your power far exceeds even my expectations. I'm glad to have a wielder like you—unpredictable and never boring.
[Darkest]: It's nothing. We haven't even shown our true power yet. I thought the time had come for us to become one again... What a disappointment.
Satria's golden eyes narrowed slightly. "From your tone... there must be someone out there watching me." He cracked his neck casually. "And I don't exactly want to erase her from existence." He smirked. "You're running out of options, Emo N—"
[Darkest]: Continue that sentence and I'll show you a fate worse than death.
Satria wisely shut his mouth.
Meanwhile, Naruto approached, his expression serious. "Where is she?" he asked, his tone clipped.
"She's fleeing," Satria answered, his voice steady, unwavering. "That strange woman is no longer a threat."
Naruto paused, giving Satria a once-over. "Better look at yourself in a mirror first," he muttered under his breath, then more clearly, "And you? You're... fine?"
Satria offered a brief, but genuine smile. "I'm fine, Dobe. We should move."
Naruto nodded slightly, a rare glint of respect in his eyes. 'He's becoming stronger every day... Unbelievable, this brat.'
Inside him, the Tailed Beasts stirred uneasily.
'D-Did you see that energy he unleashed when he fought that Alaya? Is he even human?!' Isobu's voice quivered with disbelief.
'I call bullshit!' Son Goku grunted. 'Even my old man would pale compared to that kid.'
Kurama chuckled darkly. "Hahaha... It's getting interesting. Tell me, Naruto—do you honestly think you could beat that brat now?"
Naruto closed his eyes briefly, exhaling through his nose. "I don't know," he admitted honestly. "But don't worry. He's not the type to endanger others unless provoked. We're lucky, honestly... Even with all that overwhelming power, somehow, he's still following the teachings of his past life."
Kurama let out a rumbling laugh. "Lucky indeed."
•
Chaldea's Servants, along with the Group Chat Members, stood on edge, their nerves fraying with every passing second.
Satria and Naruto's sudden disappearance had left a hollow ache among their ranks, and the looming threat of Alaya's judgment weighed heavily in the air.
"We... we can't just stand here!" Artoria gritted out, her knuckles whitening around Excalibur's hilt. "They're gone! What if Alaya already—?"
Crom's expression was grim, her golden eyes scanning the distant horizon.
"My husband isn't one to fall so easily," she said with quiet conviction. "He'll find a way... he always does."
Esdeath chuckled darkly as she leaned back against a wall, arms crossed. "Truly extraordinary," she mused after watching the battle unfold inside the group chat. "Now, how do I make him want to fight me?"
Before anyone could respond, the very air around them shuddered.
A sharp ripple tore through space itself—a brilliant flash of light streaked across the sky—and in the next instant, Satria and Naruto materialized right before their eyes.
"Oi, you guys look like you were about to cry," Naruto joked casually, flashing his familiar, mischievous grin.
His voice, lighthearted as always, instantly eased the tension in the air.
"How—what happened?!" Gudako gasped, rushing over to them. "We thought you two were—!"
Naruto waved her off, laughing. "Yeah, yeah, long story. But don't worry! We're fine. That Alaya lady's tough, but I've been through way worse."
The Servants exchanged stunned, almost comical glances at each other.
The suffocating dread hanging over the battlefield dissolved, replaced by pure, overwhelming relief.
Without warning, Jeanne sprinted toward Satria, her armor clinking lightly as she moved. "Master!" she cried, her voice cracking slightly with emotion.
She flung her arms around him, clutching him tightly against her.
Her normally composed demeanor broke entirely as she whispered against his shoulder. "I was so worried... I kept praying you'd come back safely. Are you hurt? What happened?"
Before Satria could answer, another blur collided with him.
The Evil Dragon, Crom Cruach, wrapped her arms around him from the opposite side, her crimson eyes shining with unshed tears. Her tail instinctively coiled around him protectively, squeezing him so tightly he almost lost his breath.
"Dear!!" Crom sobbed, trembling. "Do you have any idea how scared I was?! You just vanished—without me being able to protect you! If that Alaya—or whatever that bitch's name is—tries to touch you again, I'll tear her apart!"
At their feet, Dawn, the Legendary Norse Wolf, whined and nudged his master's legs, snuggling close, his tail wagging in frantic relief.
Satria couldn't help it—he grinned smugly despite the chaos around him. "Well, you have to admit," he said, patting their heads fondly, "I was pretty amazing back there. Escaping from a crazy stalker like her? Who else could pull that off? Clearly, I'm just that good."
Jeanne blinked, pulling back slightly from the hug just to give him a stern glare.
Her voice took on a scolding, almost motherly tone:
"Master! This isn't something to boast about! Do you realize how dangerous that was?! You were incredibly lucky to make it back unharmed!"
Satria raised his hands in surrender, his grin never wavering. "Okay, okay, I get it! But come on—you gotta admit, you're at least a little impressed, right?"
Crom huffed, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand before smirking at him. "Idiot but... You're my Idiot."
"Yep! Now... Excuse me, Milady, I need to take a short break." After the intense battle, Satria slumped against a broken wall, sweat trailing down his face. Casually, he pulled a cigarette from his pocket and held it between his fingers, looking completely nonchalant. Before he could light it, a hand darted out—and Jeanne, swift as ever, snatched it from him.
"Master! Smoking? Really?" Jeanne scolded, holding the cigarette like it was a cursed relic. "I didn't expect you to be such a bad puppy!"
Satria blinked, caught off guard. "What are you, my Bunda? And I'm not a puppy! Why do all the girls around me call me that?!" Still, he couldn't help but flash a sheepish grin. "Come on, my Saintess. After a fight like that, I deserve a little reward to calm my nerves, right?"
Jeanne shook her head firmly, concerned clearly in her eyes. "No. You're not putting this poison in your body. Not when you've fought so hard to survive."
"Seriously, dear?" Crom spoke up, narrowing her eyes and letting out a theatrical huff. "You're begging over a rolled-up stick of leaves? I thought you had more dignity than that."
Satria pouted dramatically, looking up at them with wide, pitiful eyes. "It's not just a stick—it's my lifeline! You don't understand the sacred bond between a man and his cigarette!"
"Oh, I understand perfectly." Jeanne crossed her arms. "You're addicted and as your Servants," She added, leaning closer with a strict face, "it's my duty to break that little bad habit."
Satria groaned, throwing his head back in exaggerated despair. "This is bullying! Absolute tyranny!"
Jeanne simply flicked his forehead lightly. "You'll thank me later. You survived a battle against the world's will—don't tell me you're going to lose a little withdrawal."
____
[Mission Complete]
[120,000© will be shared]
40,000© for BangSat
30,000© for God of Hope
25,000© for King of Knights
25,000© for Esdeath
[Participants will return to their worlds in five minutes]
______
The victory over the anomalies wrought by the Holy Grail was sealed. But with the singularity resolved, the summoned Servants began to glow faintly, their forms shimmering with ethereal light.
"O-Oi! What's happening to all of you?!" Satria's eyes widened in alarm as some people—and the majestic creatures—around him started fading like mist under the morning sun.
Jeanne, now softly glowing with golden radiance, stepped forward with a calm, bittersweet smile.
"The mission is complete," she said. "Our time here... is ending." She placed a gentle hand over her heart. "But meeting you... has been one of the greatest joys of my existence."
She turned her gaze to Crom, who was frozen, her expression stricken.
"I entrust him to you, Crom. Make sure this bad puppy doesn't lose his way... and lives a happy life. I'm counting on you."
"Unchecked? Trouble? Excuse me, who do you think I am?!" Satria tried to retort, puffing up indignantly— "Agh! Hey, why did you slap me?!"
"Idiot!" Crom snapped, her voice trembling. "This isn't the time for jokes! Do something! She'll vanish at this rate!"
"Stop it," another voice cut in. Kiyohime appeared beside them, her soft smile filled with sorrow. "It's impossible. Once the mission is complete, we are recalled to the Throne of Heroes. Meeting again... is almost impossible."
Jeanne turned back to Satria, her violet eyes shining with emotion.
"I have one final request." She reached for his hand, squeezing it firmly. "Master, promise me—you will continue to protect everyone from evil. You have the strength to change the world. I believe you will become... far greater than you are now."
Satria's throat tightened. He couldn't speak—he could only nod.
Kiyohime stepped closer, smiling warmly despite the light engulfing her.
"Looks like I'll be going first," she said softly. "I... wanted to know you better, Satria-sama. Somehow, my heart tells me you were destined for me."
She grasped his hand, her grip surprisingly strong. "Achin-sama, you have my undying devotion! If I am summoned again—I'll burn down anyone who dares to stand between us!"
Satria winced. "...No, please?" he muttered.
"You... How dare you reject me? I... Will..." Before Kiyohime could unleash her fury at his rejection, her body dissolved into particles of light, vanishing from the world.
Satria let out a heavy sigh. "Yare-yare daze... I survived." He straightened up, looking toward Jeanne, whose glow was starting to intensify.
"For you, my Saintess..." he murmured. "After all the problems you dragged me into... The last thing I can give you is..."
Crom, sensing something, stepped closer. "Dear... what are you doing?" she asked, suspicion coloring her voice.
Without a word, Golden Platinum Over Heaven manifested. Its hand reached out—its fingers glowing with a breathtaking golden radiance.
The energy washed over Jeanne, wrapping her in a protective cocoon of light.
For a heartbeat, the entire world froze—time itself holding its breath, waiting to see if a miracle could be wrought.
•
Nearby, Jeanne Alter stood stiffly with her arms crossed, her dark aura flickering like embers in the wind. The glow of her impending return to the Throne of Heroes shimmered around her, growing stronger by the second. She let out an exasperated sigh and stepped forward.
"Tch. Enough with the sappy goodbyes already," she muttered. "You're such a pain, Naruto."
Naruto turned toward her, eyebrow raised and a grin tugging at his lips. "Yeah, yeah… I'm gonna miss you too, Jalter."
Her golden eyes widened for the briefest moment before narrowing again, her cheeks tinged with pink. "Don't get the wrong idea! I just meant... you turned out to be a better ally than I thought. That's all." There was a pause—awkward, fleeting—before she added, her voice softer than before, "But... thanks. For everything."
Naruto chuckled, teasing as always. "See? You're not so bad after all. Underneath that edge, you've got a heart."
She scoffed and looked away. "You're insufferable." Then, quieter: "Don't you dare forget me. Got it? If we ever meet again... you better be just as annoying and reckless as now."
Grinning, he gave her a thumbs-up. "You can count on it."
Jeanne Alter held his gaze for one last second, then smiled faintly—one only he would ever see. And just like that, she vanished in a trail of dark light, leaving behind only silence.
"...Naruto. Look." Esdeath's voice broke through the moment, calm but pointed.
Naruto followed her gaze—and his eyes widened.
"H-Hey... wait—what the hell?!" he exclaimed.
At the center of the battlefield, Jeanne stirred. Her glow had vanished—not the light of departure, but of life reclaimed. Slowly, shakily, she sat up, her hand pressing to her chest.
"What... happened to me?" Jeanne murmured. Her voice was dazed, disoriented, but alive. "I was fading... but now... I feel... alive. I can feel the wind. The warmth of the sun. My own heartbeat."
She stared at her hands in disbelief, then looked up.
Satria stood over her, brushing dust from his palms like he'd merely fixed a broken vase. "You were dead," he said casually. "So I brought you back. Simple as that."
Jeanne blinked, stunned. "You... what?! That's not something you just do! That power—it's like you rewrote reality itself!"
Satria flashed a cocky grin, stepping forward as sunlight gleamed behind him like a divine backdrop. "Did you forget who you're talking to?" He tapped a finger against his temple. "I'm Satria. The Golden Emperor. The Best Master in the WORLD!"
Jeanne's lips trembled—caught between laughter and disbelief. "You're unbelievable…"
He extended his hand to her. "This is my gift to you, Jeanne d'Arc. A second chance. A new life. No more fated tragedies, no more burning at stakes. Just the joy of being alive."
She hesitated for only a second, then placed her hand in his.
Satria's smile deepened. "So? Are you ready... for the next adventure?"
•
On the Other Side of the World...
Li Wei, a quiet and introverted Chinese high school student, lived each day under the shadow of torment. His classmates, cruel and shallow, branded him the "weird nerd and traitors of China" for his obsession with anime and manga. What brought him joy had become the very reason for his misery.
They mocked him. Humiliated him. Every laugh at his expense chipped away at his spirit. Still, he clung to his passions—the vibrant stories, the powerful characters, the heroic fantasies—because they made life just a little more bearable.
Until one day, the bullying went too far.
During a school trip, what started as a cruel prank ended in tragedy. Slipped footing. Blunt force. Screams turning to laughter—then silence. The last thing Li Wei remembered was the cold taste of blood in his mouth and the echo of laughter ringing in his ears as everything went dark.
When he opened his eyes, he was no longer in the world he knew.
A radiant void surrounded him. Floating in the center was a serene figure bathed in light.
"Welcome, Li Wei," said the God with a gentle smile. "You died tragically and unjustly. But your story doesn't end here. I have chosen you for a special opportunity."
Li Wei stared, stunned.
"I will grant you three wishes," the God continued, "and allow you to reincarnate into a world of your choosing. Use this gift to find peace... purpose... or vengeance, if that's what your heart desires."
Li Wei's breath caught. Three wishes? A new world? This is just like—
His eyes lit up with a mix of awe and anger. Memories of fists, laughter, and betrayal flared in his mind like wildfire. He clenched his fists, a wicked grin spreading across his face.
"Three wishes and a new world? Heh... Alright, old man. I accept."
"Excellent." The God gestured, a scroll materializing in the air before Li Wei. "Then make your choices."
Li Wei's thoughts raced. Power. Respect. Freedom. But first—which world?
"There are so many... High School DxD for its devil hierarchy and insane power scaling... Date A Live to command Spirits... Fate, where legends are reborn... or Tensura, with the god-tier evolution hacks of a slime..."
The God chuckled softly. "You seem... overwhelmed."
Li Wei crossed his arms, smirking. "You have no idea. This isn't just a decision. This is a waifu buffet with ultimate power on the side."
Images swirled around him like a dream given form:
Rias and Akeno from DxD, their beauty undeniable.
Kurumi and Tohka from Date A Live, radiant and deadly.
Jeanne and Artoria from Fate, noble and fierce.
Shion, Shuna, Milim—Rimuru's companions, both adorable and terrifying.
Li Wei's grin darkened. "Compared to them, the girls back in my world were just plastic dolls with cruel smiles."
He remembered their insults, their shallow scorn. "They laughed at my dreams. Let's see who's laughing now."
The God cleared his throat. "Li Wei, are you quite finished?"
"Almost. Just doing some... strategic planning," he replied, eyes gleaming. "I'm not just here to live. I'm here to win. I'll take my revenge, sure—but I'll do it in style. Surrounded by a harem of top-tier waifus while my enemies rot in regret. Now that's justice."
The God raised an eyebrow, amused. "So... have you made your decision?"
Li Wei smirked. "About that... I think I have."
But before he could say more, the God raised a hand—and a screen of shimmering light appeared. A figure emerged on it: tall, face shadowed and unfamiliar.
"There's one condition before I send you," the God said. "A mission."
Li Wei frowned. "A mission?"
The God nodded. "If you encounter this individual... eliminate him. He is a threat to the balance of the world you're entering. His actions will bring destruction, not just to that realm, but many others."
Li Wei studied the image. "Huh... don't recognize him. Not from any Manga, Manhwa, or Donghua I've seen."
"He doesn't belong. He's a cancer to the new world's future. I want you to stop him—before it's too late. Will you do it?"
Li Wei's smirk returned. "With the power you're giving me? Of course. I'll protect this world... and reshape it. Not just for vengeance, but for everything I was denied. Just sit back... and watch me shine."
To be continued...