Today was a bright, sunny day.
Inside a grand building covering nearly one hundred square kilometres, a lecture was being held with about a hundred students in attendance. The atmosphere was heavy, and the heat made it difficult for anyone to stay fully focused.
Then, suddenly, the clouds above the school turned dark.
At first, it seemed like a common phenomenon. But it was equally strange because it wasn't happening in just one place.
It was happening all over the world. And yet, it was a phenomenon perceived by only a single person.
At the back of the hall sat a teenage boy, about fifteen years old. His mouth hung slightly open, and his posture screamed, "Lord, take my life."
Suddenly, he jerked his head upward.
His eyes glowed a piercing crystal blue. Not even the ceiling could obstruct his vision. His gaze pierced through it, locking onto the true cause of the impending storm the beginning of a great change.
High above the sky floated a figure, clad in deep crimson apparel, with a crown of lightning resting upon his head, the figure stared directly down at the boy. A playful smirk rested on his face, one that clearly said, "Time's up, boy."
"Ahh…" the boy sighed softly to himself. "It's time."
This time, his usual carefree self was gone, replaced by something ancient. His voice carried a tinge of sadness and melancholy.
Deep within him, a seal began to crack.
As it broke apart, heavy memories flooded back countless secrets, forgotten truths, and the weight of his one and only mission.
Among the countless multiverses and worlds floating in the endless void, every world had a guardian assigned to it.
These worlds, numbering in the billions, followed a ranking system. They were classified based on their power levels, their rate of regeneration, and the strength of the guardians assigned to them.
In the natural order of existence, millions of worlds came together to form what was known as a Cosmic Expanse.
Over thousands, sometimes millions of years, a need for growth and balance would arise. This was caused by the continuous influx of cosmic particles from the surrounding void into the expanse itself.
As a result, the cosmic expanse would expand outward.
And when it did, a new void was created. A space that demanded to be filled. This was where ascension came in.
A world would be chosen to rise to fill that void and gain access to the immense power within the cosmic expanse.
But there was a truth known across all worlds:
Every world that ascended became a colony.
Or worse…
Food for the most powerful worlds already within the expanse. Today, Earth was about to become one of them.
In an instant, the boy vanished from among his classmates.
He reappeared in the sky, standing directly before the crimson-clad entity.
The man radiated overwhelming cosmic power. His presence felt like both death and life intertwined, a herald of destruction and creation.
He spoke.
"I have come to complete my mission. Move out of the way."
The boy's glowing eyes remained steady.
"We are not ready."
"I have given you enough time," the entity replied calmly. "This is a fate you and your world cannot escape. Do you intend to oppose the laws of nature?"
The boy's expression hardened slightly.
"No… I cannot fight it. But I can delay it."
"Ahh, boy," the entity said with a faint smile. "I know you have the power and capacity to try. But such actions come with drastic consequences. And besides… I am not alone."
Suddenly, space itself shifted.
A subtle distortion rippled through the air, causing a brief furrow to appear on the entity's face. Just as quickly as it appeared, it vanished.
The entity raised his hand.
Power gathered instantly.
He began to chant:
"By the power bestowed upon me by the Lord of Chaos and Order, I hereby proclaim that Earth-234 shall now acend and be under the law and jurisdiction of the Cosmic Expanse " Axica"
A sudden silence followed.
The declaration… did nothing.
It was nullified.
The boy exhaled lightly.
"As I said… Earth-234 is not ascending today."
The entity's gaze sharpened.
And I am fully aware of who you brought with you."
A faint smile appeared on the entity's face. Stubborn as usual
"Well then…"
He stepped forward.
"Let's dance."