The fight between Zeus and Roshi had begun. Zeus swung a massive fist down at Roshi, only to be shocked when the old martial artist deftly blocked the attack and delivered a brutal uppercut that snapped the god's head back, knocking out several teeth.
Roshi followed up instantly with a fierce, driving punch to the gut, the impact so deep it made Zeus double over, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the arena stones. But instead of growing angry, Zeus's eyes lit up with wild excitement. He straightened back up, a bloody grin spreading across his face.
With surprising speed for his size, he rushed forward and smashed Roshi into the arena floor with a thunderous crash. Lifting his foot, he attempted to crush the master beneath it, only for Roshi to roll nimbly out of the way and hop back to his feet, stance steady.
Roshi wiped the blood from his split lips, a defiant glint in his eyes behind his cracked sunglasses. "Not bad, you old fossil."
Zeus chuckled. "Same to you, you relic."
Then, the two ancient warriors launched into a high-speed barrage of blows. Fists and kicks became a blur, a relentless exchange where some strikes were blocked with resounding cracks and others were taken squarely, each impact shuddering through their battered bodies. As the fight continued, they grew more and more beaten, their skin bruising and cuts opening, yet neither showed any sign of yielding. The shockwaves from their clashing power grew so intense that Heimdall, clutching his horn, had to scramble back for distance, fearing the sheer force threatening to blow him from him away.
-----
Up in the stands, Beerus stood holding the unconscious and beaten forms of Hermes and Loki by the scruffs of their necks. He glanced at his attendant. "Whis, take care of these things."
Whis gave a polite nod and tapped his staff lightly on the ground. The two gods were instantly encased in glowing, translucent energy bubbles and floated gently to the side, out of the way.
Beerus turned his attention back to the arena, his voice low and serious. "Well, Lord Tet, they actually did it. I assume that you want me to destroy them now."
Tet shook his head slowly, his eyes fixed on the battle below. "No. Let the fight finish. Look at how happy the old man is."
Beerus followed his gaze down to the arena, where Roshi wore a fierce, exhilarated grin even as he and Zeus continued to clobber each other.
"True," Beerus conceded, a hint of a smirk on his own face. "He seems to be having fun. And he's already showing improvement. At least this knockoff deity was able to be of some use. His sacrifice will strengthen my fighter."
Tet gave a faint smile. "Not much longer now. We're nearing the end."
------
Back in the arena, Zeus spoke with a casual grin, his tone dismissive as he waved a hand. "Well, this has been fun, but I think it's time we ended things."
Roshi straightened, his expression sharpening as his aura subtly shifted. "Yeah, I agree. Let's see how well you handle this one."
He suddenly jumped back, sandals scraping against the arena floor, and planted his feet firmly. Bringing his hands together at his side, his muscles tensed as his face hardened with focus. "Kame—"
Blue energy immediately began to build between his palms, crackling and surging with growing intensity.
"—hame—"
The energy swelled even further, the light reflecting off Roshi's determined eyes as the power continued to rise.
Zeus chuckled, tilting his head with mild amusement. "Oh, that looks dangerous. Well, that's enough."
In an instant, he activated his time stop ability.
The entire world froze.
The air stood still, the roaring crowd silenced mid-breath. Zeus smirked, utterly confident, and calmly walked forward, stopping directly in front of the helpless, frozen Roshi. Raising his fist for the killing blow, his grin widened—
Only for a sharp snapping sound to echo through the void.
Zeus's eyes widened as time abruptly resumed. He barely had a moment to register what had happened when Roshi shouted at the top of his lungs, veins standing out as his power reached its peak.
"—Ha!"
A massive blue energy blast erupted at point-blank range, completely engulfing Zeus in blinding light. The force sent him flying violently out of the arena, his body crashing into the ground beyond it, landing as a charred, smoking husk.
The spectators remained silent, frozen in shock as they stared at Zeus's lifeless body.
Heimdall was the first to regain his senses, his voice trembling with disbelief as he shouted, "And here is our winner! Representing humanity—Master Roshi!"
From the gods' spectator stands, a blond man wielding a trident leaped down toward Roshi, his face twisted with pure killing intent.
Before he could reach him, Roshi vanished in a flash of golden light.
Beerus appeared in his place, arms relaxed, eyes half-lidded yet terrifyingly sharp.
"My, my," Beerus said calmly, though a dangerous edge lurked beneath his tone. "You people broke the rules three times. Oh well. I'm sure you're ready for the consequences."
As he stared into Beerus's eyes, Poseidon felt fear for the first time in his life.
-----
Before Beerus began the massacre, Tet calmly transported himself and his family and Whis home. The violent aura of the arena vanished in an instant, replaced by quiet stillness.
Whis tilted his head slightly, a curious smile on his face as he folded his hands behind his back. "Did you not want to watch my lord in action?"
Tet's expression darkened, his gaze lowering for a brief moment before he answered, his voice steady but heavy with meaning. "I've never been fond of watching people die, especially when I ordered it. Usually, I would stay and watch as penance for my actions, but this time I didn't because I won't have my children witness it."
Whis's smile softened, and he gave a small nod of understanding. "Fair enough."
Tet straightened, his composure returning as he reached into the folds of his coat. "As for Beerus, here's what I promised."
He placed a blue key into Whis's open palm, its surface glowing faintly with a serene, otherworldly light.
Tet continued evenly, his tone almost instructional. "Unlike my crimson keys, which trap people in a hell of my own design, the blue keys allow the holder to enter their ideal paradise for as long as they please."
Whis's eyes widened slightly in genuine delight as he examined the key. "Wonderful. A pleasure doing business with you, Lord Tet. Call us again anytime you require."
With that, Whis vanished in a flash of brilliant light, returning home as if he had never been there at all.
Tet exhaled quietly and turned toward Hestia, his expression softening. "Hestia, I'm going out for a bit. I promised Hades something, and now I need to do it."
Hestia smiled warmly, giving him a small wave. "Okay. Bye, darling."
Tet nodded once, and in a kaleidoscope of shifting colors and fractured light, he teleported away.
-----
Tet, Hades, and Persephone all sat at a heavy table, their attention fixed on a lone door at the far end of the chamber, its surface shimmering faintly as it remained connected to the multiverse.
Persephone broke the silence, her brow knitting slightly as she folded her hands. "Are we sure there isn't a more efficient way to do this?"
Tet leaned back in his chair, a faint, knowing smile tugging at his lips as he answered without hesitation. "Efficient, yes. Fun, no."
The door slowly opened.
Stepping inside was a young woman with long black hair tied into two neat pigtails, her black eyes unblinking and her pale skin almost porcelain. She wore a black academy uniform, accented by a white undershirt and a perfectly straight black tie. Her posture was rigid, her expression unreadable as she came to a stop before the table.
Hades studied her for a moment before speaking, his voice calm and measured. "Miss Wednesday Addams, yes?"
Wednesday met his gaze without flinching. "Correct."
Hades gestured toward the empty chair across from them. "Please, have a seat."
Wednesday sat down smoothly, her movements precise and deliberate.
Hades picked up a stack of papers, scanning them once more before looking up at her with clear interest. "I've gone over your paperwork, and I am impressed with your intelligence and ability to quickly master anything you set out to do. But tell me, why do you wish to be a caretaker of the Underworld? More specifically, you applied to work in the fields of punishment, with an apprenticeship under the Furies."
In a flat, monotone voice, utterly devoid of hesitation, Wednesday replied, "I've always been fascinated with death, and I already torture my brother for fun, so why not make a career out of it?"
The three gods stared at her in silence for a long moment, the weight of her words hanging heavily in the air. They all knew, without question, that she wasn't kidding.
Hades finally cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "Yes. Well. You're hired."
He stamped her form with a firm motion, slid it across the table toward her, and added, "Show this to Alecto, and she'll get you started."
Wednesday took the form, rose to her feet, bowed once with perfect composure, and left the room without another word.
The next person to enter the room was an ancient-looking tortoise who stood upright on two legs. He walked slowly toward the chair with the aid of a worn wooden walking stick, each step measured and deliberate. Once he was settled into the chair, Hades regarded him with quiet curiosity.
"You would be Mr. Oogway, yes?"
The tortoise inclined his head slightly, eyes warm and serene. "Yes, that is correct. Thank you for seeing me, my lords and lady."
Hades nodded in acknowledgment, folding his hands atop the table. "Of course. Now, if I understand correctly, you're applying for the expansion department and wish to help with organizing a paradise in worlds that currently don't have one."
Oogway's voice remained calm and thoughtful as he answered, his grip resting lightly on his staff. "Yes, sir, that is correct. I feel I could do a lot of good in helping to craft new afterlives, as I have experienced my own afterlife for quite some time now. Combining that with mastery over chi and knowledge of obtaining inner peace, I think I could help make a very soothing and wonderful paradise."
Hades considered his words for a brief moment before nodding. "Very well."
He stamped Oogway's paperwork with a decisive motion, slid it across the table, and added, "Take this to my daughter, Makaria, and she will assign you where she needs you most."
Oogway accepted the form, rose carefully to his feet, gave a polite bow, and left the room at the same unhurried pace he had entered.
After the door closed, Hades leaned back slightly and spoke with a note of resignation. "No, Tet. Persephone is right. This will take too much time."
Tet sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose before answering, a hint of reluctance in his tone. "Okay. I'll stop being lazy. I know a few potential worlds that have the personnel we need, but it's going to be tough. I mean, they've got their own world to worry about."
Hades gave him a measured nod. "I appreciate it."
Persephone followed with a gentle but earnest look. "As do I. Also, have you found a replacement for my mother yet?"
Tet exhaled quietly and shook his head. "Not yet. I'm working on it."