Soon, four months had passed.
The Sixth Dimension shimmered quietly around Gohan, colors folding and unfolding like a living canvas. Before him floated Sentinel No. 2—or what was left of it. The body was still twisted, still wrong, its mutated form frozen in a state that refused to resolve.
He exhaled slowly.
There has to be a way… without using Time, he thought, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Almost on cue, the colors of the dimension shifted, parting ever so slightly—as if listening.
He reached forward, plunging his hand into the Sentinel's chest and gripping the burning core within.
Even if I destroy this thing, he reasoned, the kid's still left barely alive unless Vermont forces a Redo.
His fingers tightened.
Absorbing it isn't much better. Same outcome. Different method.
He grimaced. It was cruelly ironic—his soul stuck here alongside a Destroyer, yet still boxed in by consequence.
"…Dad would've known what to do," Gohan muttered.
A pause.
"…No. He'd probably tell me to just punch it harder."
With a flick of his wrist, the body vanished. In its place, a translucent screen unfolded in midair. Gohan tapped a few controls, and the image of the Twenty-First Universe filled his view.
"Alright," he sighed, "last refinement."
A vertical rift opened beside him.
He pressed start.
Power drained from him in a steady pull—controlled, deliberate.
"My lord," Vermont's calm voice greeted as Gohan nodded. "It appears the final refinements are complete." A data pad formed in Vermont's hand. "Operational efficiency stands at ninety-eight percent. Mortals remain… stable, for now."
"Yeah," Gohan replied tiredly. "Still can't reverse the damage to the kid's body."
A brief pause.
"I was also asked by Lady Diana to remind you," Vermont added politely, "that your ultrasound appointment is in ten minutes."
Gohan froze.
"…I forgot."
Then his eyes widened further as the words fully sank in.
"Oh—oh no. No, no, no—okay, we have to go. Central City, right? I can still make it."
He snapped his fingers, and the boy's body reappeared.
"Hold onto him for now," Gohan said quickly. "And give me the enchanted blade. If we can't fix this directly… we'll find a champion."
Vermont nodded without question.
They reappeared in the courtyard of Gohan's world.
"I'm heading to Earth," Gohan finished.
Then—
Something shifted.
Both of them felt it. A pressure. A presence that hadn't been there a moment ago.
"…What was that?" Gohan asked, closing his eyes.
"Allow me," Vermont replied as his staff manifested. "Whoever you are… hiding in my universe is rarely effective."
The staff flared to life, locking onto something desperately trying to flee its gaze.
"Powerful magic," Vermont noted. "Not native to this dimension… but irrelevant."
An image snapped into focus—someone straining with everything they had just to stay unseen.
"What a gaze…" the being hissed. "That's a Rod of Elysium."
The grin that spread across his face was anything but reassuring.
Then—he vanished.
A heartbeat later, he reappeared above Earth.
Gohan's jaw clenched.
Diana.
The image of his pregnant wife flashed through his mind.
His eyes burned red. His hair bleached white. A violent purple aura erupted around him.
He Kai-Kai'd.
Before the being could even snap his fingers, Gohan was there—grabbing his hand and crushing it.
"Ah! I am the god of—"
"Hakai."
The word ended the sentence.
The being screamed as his form unraveled, dissolving into nothing but wind.
"I don't care who you are," Gohan said coldly. "You gathered far too much power."
When it was over, Vermont appeared beside him as Gohan powered down to Super Saiyan God.
"Impeccable work, my lord," Vermont said. "But I believe you understand why this occurred."
Gohan nodded.
"That wall in the abyss," he said. "It probably led him straight to us."
Vermont inclined his head. "Then we must begin relocating the universe—before the Sovereign's influence escalates."
"…I'm starting to regret leaving that message up," Gohan admitted.
Vermont coughed lightly. "Five minutes remain."
Gohan's eyes widened. He vanished.
On a planet millions of light-years from Earth, one week later, the sky folded open.
The descent vessel of Lou did not scream through the atmosphere, clouds parted as if pushed aside by an unseen hand, sunlight dimming beneath the ship's shadow. Its hull was carved with the hand of opulence. This was not a warship. This was Princess Oasa's official spaceship.
Princess Oasa of Lou stepped onto the receiving dais, her boots meeting stone. For a moment, she did not move.
She looked.
The city below bore the quiet scars of collapse rather than conquest. Towers stood intact yet hollow, their luminous veins dead, glass blackened by fires that had burned unchecked when suppression grids failed. Long avenues were choked with the remains of transit lines fused by overload, not impact. The air still carried a faint metallic bite—ionized residue from a storm that had not scorched the world, but had stripped it of its defenses.
Behind Oasa, two children followed—pages of the imperial court, scarcely older than twelve. Their eyes shone with unfiltered awe, taking in the bowed masses, the ruined skyline, the impossible scale of the moment. They did not yet understand why silence could be louder than cheers.
Before her knelt the royal family of this world.
Not all of them bowed with equal devotion.
"We greet the Moon of the Lou Empire," announced King Julio, his voice steady, practiced—controlled. Queen Paloma's head remained lowered, but her hands trembled faintly. Prince Emilio rose a fraction too late, his gaze flickering upward despite himself, curiosity warring with resentment.
Oasa smiled, warm and measured, the expression of someone trained from birth to soften the weight of an empire.
"You may rise," she said gently. "King Julio. Queen Paloma. Prince Emilio."
They obeyed.
The crowd remained silent—not from reverence alone, but from fear. Her arrival meant the disaster had crossed a threshold. A signal had reached Lou from a forgotten space station orbiting an unstable star, and Lou had answered. That answer came wearing silk and steel instead of Engineers.
Oasa took a single step forward.
"I come not as judgment," she said, her voice carrying effortlessly across the square, "but as witness. Our engineers sought stability and yours found consequence. Your star responded—not with malice, but with instability."
A murmur rippled through the gathered spectators. Some clutched their children closer. Others tightened their jaws.
"Our empire was built," Oasa continued, "by protecting what could not yet protect itself—so that one day, when Lou falters, those we once shielded might remember who stood with them."
Her eyes met Prince Emilio's.
"That bond is being tested now."
The silence that followed was not reverent.
"But it was your engineers!"
The voice was small. Too small.
The words barely had time to land before hands closed around the boy—his face pressed into fabric, his protest swallowed as bodies shifted, closing ranks around him. No one looked at Oasa. No one looked at the guards.
No one dared.
"Please forgive the anger of the masses," King Julio said quietly. "Many died during the… instability."
Whether anger hid beneath his words, none could tell.
Enchantress leaned against a dark wall in a cave, panting. "Finally…" she whispered, feeling her skin and essence accelerate in regenerative speed.
Just a few more months, she thought, her mind flickering to Circe. You're dead. She clenched her fist, wincing as a wave of pain passed through her.
Circe sneezed, drawing a raised eyebrow from Vermont. "I knew this pollen field was no good," she muttered, while Makaiya merely shook his head.
"This is the sacred world of the Kais. We don't have pollen here," he explained. Circe shrugged and closed her eyes again.
"This Pre-Divine Metamorphic Magic will turn you into a true divine sorceress. Even if Enchantress has stolen divine power, she is still bound by the systems she took," Makaiya continued.
Circe smirked. She could feel the Supreme Kai's frustration radiating through him, and she didn't mind being its conduit. It will make me stronger too, she mused.
"Concentrate, as I instructed you," Makaiya said, his palm glowing with an otherworldly light.
"This is the second-seal ritual. Without the permission of the Attendant, the Supreme Kai, and the Destroyer, the Ontological Transmutation Magic Seal cannot be granted," he added.
'So there's more to this metamorphic magic than I thought,' Circe realized.
"Without this second seal, the Pre-Divine Metamorphic Magic would consume you, leaving nothing but a husk. But it will also grant you a conceptual edge over Enchantress, regardless of any ancient magics she wields. Brace yourself."
Before she could respond, a sigil blazed onto her back, burning its circle into her very essence, binding to her soul and consciousness.
"Ah!" A jolt ran through her spine as a wave of power surged outward. Her eyes flared with rainbow light, dazzling and infinite, as though the Sixth Dimension itself had been drawn into her.
Makaiya's jaw tightened. Vermont tapped his staff, and a tiny spark of destructive energy drifted toward her forehead.
Circe groaned. I feel… enlightened, she thought.
"Now, you alter the fundamental," Makaiya said. "The gods of the Twenty-First Universe recognize you. You have access to the root of creation itself. Ontological Transmutation Magic cannot strip fully assimilated power; it can only destabilize systems that still require justification to exist."
Finally, Circe exhaled, realizing she'd been holding her breath. Sweat ran down her brow.
"You never told me about the Ontological Transmutation Magic Seal. Had I used this overwhelming reality magic over the years, it would have killed me," she said, and the Supreme Kai nodded gravely.
"Even now," he warned, "this magic is sanctioned by the Lord of Destruction. Use it inappropriately, and it will become a noose around your neck. But wield it rightly… and stripping another of their power becomes a terrifying weapon." Well, she knew what he meant, don't bare her fangs at the God of Destruction.
Circe looked down at her hands, noticing a golden and silver ring vanish into nothing. "All of these powers… they've fused with me. There's no turning back."
She stood and gazed at a distant waterfall. "Water cannot fall…" she murmured. The cascade fragmented, transforming into mist, foam, and chaotic spray.
Crouching, she pressed her hand against the ground. "By what claim do you bear weight?" she whispered. The surface rippled and sagged beneath her touch, shifting like overworked, loose aggregate.
She suppressed a smirk as she thought of Enchantress. "First, master this, and we shall return to your training once you have," Vermont explained, as a book appeared in his hand.
"This is a grimoire; it should accelerate your mastery of your new magics," he added.
Merno moved as silently as possible. He shouldn't be around anymore, he thought, stepping into a forgotten dimension.
The Negaverse lay far out in the Abyss, a place he navigated through the Sixth Dimension with ease. 'I cannot be caught by Lucifer…'
Carefully, he peeked beyond his staff, sensing only the dimensional walls around him. A tremor pulsed through him as he glanced about. I got ahold of that crystal just in time. To think the Cycle is so aggressive… yet it worked out exactly as I hoped.
Goku, Beerus, Vegeta, and Whis sat in silence as Goku sighed.
"Are we there yet?"
"No!" everyone answered in unison.
"Goku...you do know that asking every five minutes doesn't shorten the time?" Whis asked, his tone patient but tinged with amusement.
"It gives me something to do..." Goku shrugged, grinning.
"Well, you're working on my last nerve!" Beerus snapped.
Suddenly, the air around them rippled. A vast, distant signature pricked at their senses—an energy that felt like destruction.
"Gohan!?" Goku called, tension creeping into his voice.
Whis peered into his staff, tilting it slowly as the energy flickered like a dying star. "It seems...to be a construct," he murmured. "Not fully alive, yet not entirely inert."
Before they could react, the energy flared, and in a blink, they vanished, travelling across the Abyss in a silent, disorienting burst.
Within ten minutes, they arrived before a wall of golden energy, pulsating and impossible to ignore.
"Woah!" Goku exclaimed, jaw slack. Vegeta's eyes narrowed, and even Beerus raised an eyebrow.
"This says—" Vegeta began, but his words cut off as the air shimmered, twisting around them like liquid reality.
Then, a figure emerged, gliding forward. At first glance, it resembled an angel—majestic, humanoid, towering—but the closer they looked, the more unsettling it became. Its body was draped in floating, translucent armor that glimmered like starlight; limbs elongated, hands tapering to near-invisible points. Its face—or what passed for one—was a void, a mirrored emptiness that seemed to reflect their own fears back at them, with twin points of light where eyes might have been.
Ribbons of cosmic energy trailed behind it, phasing in and out of existence, trailing shards of something like frozen nebulae. The air around it warped subtly, rippling as if reality itself hesitated in its presence.
"So, this...this is the thing slowing my lunch down?" It muttered.
Goku's grin faltered. "Uh…this isn't Gohan?"
"That much is clear to see," Vegeta retorted.
The being didn't answer immediately. Its movement was smooth, gliding over the ground without disturbing it, yet fragments of its body constantly phased, as though it were only partially anchored in their reality. When it finally spoke, the voice was everywhere at once—a chorus of echoes, impossible to pinpoint.
"Visitors," it said, tone neither hostile nor welcoming, "you stand at the edge of what should never exist. Few are permitted to cross here… and fewer still survive what waits beyond."
Whis's grip on his staff tightened, knuckles whitening. His usually calm eyes were sharp, assessing, with a quick glance he read the golden wall. 'Turn back… Phantom Sovereign lies beyond the wall…'
"This… this is no ordinary being," he whispered, voice tight. "It is a Phantom Sovereign. One of the devourers of gods…"
Beerus's ears twitched, and he felt a cold unease creep through him—the kind that only comes from encountering a predator that has already consumed beings as powerful as him. "…We're not sticking around," he muttered, voice low, almost to himself.
Vegeta's fists clenched instinctively, but he could see the subtle shifts in Whis and Beerus—the rare, undeniable caution. "So… we're screwed, huh?"
"Perhaps," Whis said, his voice calm but edged with steel, as he and Beerus read the intent of the golden wall. Not even he could make any sudden moves without feeling like his life was in danger. "Far stronger than any being you've faced—and cunning beyond comprehension. Gohan and Vermont… they tried to warn as many as possible. They turned and fled as quickly as they could. There is nothing here to fight… only to avoid."
The Phantom Sovereign's presence deepened, warping reality around them. The air trembled as it extended a hand, long, phasing fingers slicing through the golden barrier, probing their boundary like a predator testing the edge of prey territory. Its very being exuded hunger—not for mortals, but for gods.
Goku's grin faltered, nerves flickering behind bravado. "Uh… maybe he wants to fight?" he muttered, swallowing.
Beerus's tail froze. "Get ready to move," he growled. "If it wants to, it'll tear us apart before we even blink."
"Leaving already?" the voice slid between them. Polite. Menacing. Freezing.
"Ah… shit… it's over…" Beerus realized. They had stepped into its playground.
Whis tapped his staff to activate a barrier, but before the spell could take effect, it seemingly deactivated.
"We are too deep…" Whis said quietly.
"No need to leave," the Sovereign replied. "You will make a pleasant snack."
It lifted its hand.
Reality tore—not shattered, but edited. Like a panel ripped from a comic page, the scene rearranged itself violently. Beerus, Whis, Goku, and Vegeta were hurled away from the Sovereign's presence.
"Interesting," it muttered, its attention shifting. Two new figures now stood within its awareness.
Ten minutes prior, with Wanda and her attendant—
"Zairis… this place feels wrong," Wanda said, halting mid-transit. "Something else governs the domain ahead."
Zairis paused, then raised his staff, light cascading as he scanned the surrounding Abyss.
"You're correct," he said after a moment. "But identifying the governing influence will take time. I'm detecting a dense mass of divinity—not alive, not dead. Another group is present as well, similar in classification to us. A Destroyer and an Angel attendant… though they are far deeper within the domain."
His expression tightened.
"A Phantom Sovereign," he said. "We should withdraw."
Wanda tilted her head. "You sound concerned. That's unusual for you."
"Concern is appropriate," Zairis replied evenly. "A Phantom Sovereign exists several strata above standard Phantoms. Only one has ever fully formed, to my knowledge—and it required countless eons. Engagement protocols place it beyond the authority of Angels and Destroyers alike, save for my father and entities above him."
"So," Wanda said lightly, "you're afraid?"
Zairis shook his head. "No. I'm acknowledging that even the most powerful Destroyers within our Multiversal pantheon would be insufficient on their own. This isn't fear—it's risk assessment."
"So no direct engagement?" Wanda asked.
"If you value continued existence," Zairis confirmed.
She nodded once. "Then we have two options. We withdraw now, having identified the anomaly… or we appropriate its prey and learn what they know."
"It must never learn our true position," Zairis warned. "My staff cannot fully obscure us. Within its domain, I cannot evade its sensory magic indefinitely."
"I think I have a solution," Wanda murmured.
Now back to the present...
The Sovereign turned its attention fully toward the newcomers.
"More visitors to snack—"
It paused.
Something was wrong.
The Sovereign vanished and reappeared an inconceivable distance away—only to find the same group standing before it.
"Curious," it said. "I govern the laws of reality within the Abyss."
The figures dissolved into smoke.
Moments later, far removed—
Zairis, Whis, and the others exhaled in near unison.
"You're a real lifesaver!" Goku said, wiping his brow. "I've never felt that vulnerable around someone before."
"You truly saved us back there," Beerus added, visibly relaxing. "Beerus. God of Destruction of Universe Seven."
"Wanda Maximoff," she replied calmly. "I recently assumed the mantle of a Destroyer God."
Beerus nodded, his gaze never lingering in one place. He could already tell—from her presence alone.
"How did you pull that off?" he asked as she smirked.
"My Chaos Magic, supported by an authoritative energy like destruction, has unique properties," she said, waving her hand as their entire surroundings shifted once more.
"I put as much distance as possible between us and that thing, but I can't hide us forever. We need to leave as fast as possible," she urged. Whis and Zairis nodded and tapped their staffs. As Beerus willed the Sixth Dimension to reveal itself, they vanished in a prismatic surge.
Wanda staggered slightly as they emerged.
"I still don't understand how you access this layer so effortlessly," she admitted, eyes scanning the impossible geometry around them. For a moment, awe threatened to overtake her—then her eyes flared crimson and settled.
"This makes us even," she said quietly. "I've never tested my awareness here before, but now I can—"
"Stop." The word carried weight. The group halted instantly.
"What is it?" Goku asked, smacking face-first into Whis's back.
"Zairis," Wanda said, her gaze locked onto Vegeta, "he's marked."
Before anyone could react, her hand phased through Vegeta's chest—not flesh, but presence. She pulled something out screaming silently against reality.
A parasitic construct writhed in her grip, its form like a fractured worm of void and intent. Chaos Magic compressed it, wrapped in a shell of Destruction to prevent escape.
"This isn't a tracker," Wanda said. "It's an acknowledgment anchor. As long as it exists, that entity knows where we are—not by location, but by relevance."
"If we destroy it," Whis said carefully, "the Sovereign will immediately know. Recognition works both ways."
Beerus exhaled slowly. "So destroying it confirms we matter."
"Yes," Wanda replied. "And keeping it confirms we're being watched."
Silence followed.
"We're contained," Beerus said at last—no frustration, just assessment.
"I thought we got away," Goku muttered.
Zairis shook his head. "The Sixth Dimension isn't hiding us. It's delaying the conversation."
Vegeta clenched his fist, teeth grinding. To think such beings exist…
"But we move much faster in this dimension, right?" Goku said, trying to stay optimistic. "We should be able to outrun it—no problem."
The Angels shook their heads in unison.
"A Phantom Sovereign enforces absolute authority within its domain," Zairis said evenly. "You would need comparable standing to even consider outrunning it. It stood beside us unnoticed. Ask yourself how Vegeta was compromised without realizing it. Even if it pursued us through the Abyss while we traveled the Sixth Dimension—"
Wanda's gaze shifted to Goku, her expression sharpening. "You are powerful," she said slowly, "but your power is suppressed."
She tilted her head, studying him. "You resonate like an Angel. You carry the signature of Destruction. And yet… you're still learning."
Goku scratched the back of his head. "Yeah. Vegeta and I are Saiyans. We've been training under Lord Beerus- trying to become strong enough to rival him."
Wanda glanced at Beerus, curiosity flickering in her eyes.
"Correct me if I'm wrong," she said carefully, "but a Destroyer's power is lethal to mortals—unless they've undergone extensive conditioning over thousands of years. I am an exception. It seems you two may be as well."
"Goku and Vegeta are formidable," Whis added calmly, "but they remain incomplete."
"But you possess god ki," Wanda said. They nodded. "Good. Then we don't escape by force—we escape by misdirection."
She moved instantly.
Wanda compressed the parasite in her hand, Chaos Magic shaping it while Destruction sealed its influence. An illusory duplicate of Vegeta manifested beside them—perfect in presence, resonance, and intent. She embedded the parasite within the construct and hurled it away on a divergent trajectory.
"Recognition redirected," she said. "Temporarily."
Goku and Vegeta met each other's eyes. No words—just understanding.
"Fine," Vegeta growled as they launched after her. 'I refuse to be remembered as a liability.'
"All right," Wanda began as she closed her eyes. "Let's see…" She reached her senses across an immeasurable distance. Her Vegeta clone was probably about a year's worth of travel away in the Sixth Dimension.
"Now to cut a vertical incision back to the Abyss," Wanda explained. Whis and Zairis placed a hand on her shoulder, their staffs lighting up as her eyes began to glow red. With a controlled surge of energy, she ejected the clone into the Abyss, holding her own presence and essence as far away from the vertical gap as possible.
"We will conceal your presence to the best of our abilities," Zairis said evenly. "However, revealing even a sliver of it within the Abyss would be disastrous." Both he and Whis gripped their staffs tightly, focusing their concentration.
Wanda created a tiny pocket of air behind the clone and forcibly expelled it outward.
After several seconds of silence, Goku couldn't help himself. "Did it work?" he asked.
Slowly, Wanda nodded. "Well, we're not dead, so there's that. But I can't risk sensing beyond the Sixth Dimension. The moment I pushed the clone out, I released my presence and magic. Realistically, after about an hour, the clone should dissipate, leaving only the parasite… unless the clone is devoured the instant the Sovereign realized what had happened," she explained.
"We're far from any universe clusters tied to a prior multiverse," Whis said. "These universes—from different omniverses—are scattered throughout the Abyss. The nearest cluster of fragmented universes and multiverses is at least a day away."
"Ironically," Zairis added, studying his staff, "our attempt to flee the Sovereign has brought us closer to several such clusters."
Beerus folded his arms. "Then we leave. Immediately. The more distance between us and that thing, the better."
He scowled, eyes narrowing.
"Its influence is expanding far too quickly. One Sovereign emerged mere months after the Cycle ended—when previously, ages passed between them. With Lord Zeno gone, I'd be a fool not to prepare."
Beerus exhaled slowly. "I don't intend to be caught unready when the next one appears."
"Before we exit the Sixth Dimension, I'll create three sets of clones," Wanda said. "They'll move in entirely different directions. But I'll need everyone to give me a fragment of their essence—just to be absolutely sure."
Beerus nodded, his body instantly cloaked in a shimmering layer of purple destruction. He allowed Wanda to siphon a portion of his power.
Goku and Vegeta's creamy white auras flared to life before settling, their energy stabilizing as Wanda drew from it. Zairis raised his staff and synchronized with her movements. A pulse of Chaos magic rippled outward, distorting the Sixth Dimension itself.
Wanda's eyes burned crimson as she wove the intricate power of the realm, her eyes seemingly seeing an intricate system visible to her only.
"The Time Genesis may be sanctioned," she said, "but the Space Genesis is still operational. Time Acceleration remains accessible."
Perfect clones of the group materialized around them.
Vegeta frowned. "Time and Space Genesis?"
Whis folded his hands behind his back. "A mechanism of Grand Zeno. Time and Space belong eternally to the Creator as the progenitor of existence. Their absolute limits are regulated within the Sixth Dimension, making it impossible to break them—no matter how much raw power a deity possesses."
He glanced at the clones. "True manipulation requires access, not strength. Conduits—stable connections to the Genesis stations—are what allow such control."
Wanda nodded. "In my previous universe, we had the Infinity Stones. While imperfect, they served the same purpose."
"They allowed mortals to become godlike, temporarily destabilizing reality—but the stones were imperfect, no ordinary man could wield such power without crumbling under its tremendous weight."
She fell silent.
Vegeta raised an eyebrow.
Goku had already lost the thread entirely. The clones nodded once to the group before launching outward, their movements leaving streaks that stretched across the Sixth Dimension like frozen echoes, fading only after what felt like an eternity.
"So… what now?" Goku asked.
Whis didn't look away from the rippling void ahead. "With only a few seconds of Time Acceleration, the clones will traverse an immense distance. That brief misdirection is all we require."
Zairis and Whis tapped their staffs in unison.
"During that window," Whis continued, "we will scan the surrounding Abyss and determine whether it is safe to emerge."
Whis paused, sensing the space beyond.
"From what I can feel," he said calmly, "we should be clear."
Beerus stepped forward and, with a single motion, sliced open a doorway through the Sixth Dimension—back into the Abyss.
"Enough with the games," Beerus said as he emerged from the Abyss, his voice carrying a bored finality. "Either we die, or we don't."
The distortion behind him stabilized as the others followed.
Goku scanned their surroundings, relaxed—but alert. "Huh. Feels quiet. Too quiet."
Before them, marble-sized spheres drifted in a slow, deliberate orbit.
Then space folded.
A blue-haired figure manifested at the center—calm, composed. Behind him hovered a tall man with jet-black hair and crimson eyes, his presence sharp enough to sting the soul. To the other side stood a red-haired warrior, hand resting near the hilt of his sword, posture disciplined and ready.
Their power was immense.
Contained.
Beerus's eyes narrowed.
Without warning, he released a thin wave of divine pressure—nothing lethal, just enough to test the boundary.
The red-haired warrior shifted half a step back, bracing instinctively.
The black-haired man didn't move at all.
Instead, he narrowed his eyes with a smile.
"That would be unwise," Diablo said softly. "If hostility is your intent, Lord Rimuru permits me to respond."
Benimaru's gaze never left Beerus. 'Not a probe. A warning,' he assessed.
Beerus clicked his tongue. "Hmph. Mouthy."
At the same moment, Whis lightly tapped his staff.
"So," Whis said pleasantly, eyes fixed on Rimuru, "you are the axis. Fascinating. I wondered who was compensating for the missing load."
Rimuru's expression didn't change—but internally, Raphael was already working.
Analysis complete.
* Subjects possess autonomous divine authority. Operates as a self-contained law system across multiple universes. Exercise discretion.
"I am Rimuru Tempest," he said evenly. "Demon Lord. Protector of this reality."
His gaze shifted—briefly—to the drifting spheres behind him.
"State your purpose."
Wanda stepped forward, crimson energy faint but restrained around her hands.
"We seek temporary refuge," she said. "Beyond the Abyss is a devourer—one that consumes universes, not worlds. We fled before it could finish anchoring itself."
She met Rimuru's eyes without flinching.
"I am Wanda Maximoff. In my universe, I bear the mantle of Destruction."
"This is Lord Beerus," Whis added smoothly. "God of Destruction. I am his attendant. The others are… irregulars."
Beerus scoffed. "Tch. Don't lump me in with explanations."
"Hey!" Goku waved cheerfully. "I'm Goku! Wow, you're strong. Like—really strong."
For the first time, Rimuru's composure cracked—just slightly.
"…Son Goku?"
The name slipped out before he could stop it.
Beerus turned and smacked the back of Goku's head. "Stop chatting with cosmic anomalies!"
Rimuru froze.
Memory threads aligned. Manga panels. Ki signatures. A certain overly enthusiastic Saiyan.
Then his eyes shifted to Wanda.
"…That shouldn't be possible," he murmured.
Diablo's smile faded—just a fraction.
"My lord?" he prompted quietly. "Do these beings possess prior significance to you?"
Rimuru exhaled.
"Yes. From my previous life. Fictional… or so I believed."
Benimaru's grip tightened. 'Fictional gods don't exert pressure like this.'
Whis tilted his head. "Ah. This is interesting."
Rimuru looked back at him sharply.
"The being sustaining this universe," Whis continued, "is no longer present. Ordinarily, collapse would follow. Instead, everything persists."
He smiled.
"That tells me someone assumed the burden."
Silence stretched.
Finally, Rimuru spoke.
"I diverted part of my authority to stabilization," he said. "As a temporary measure."
Diablo's eyes widened—not in disbelief, but reverence.
"…You sustain existence itself," he whispered.
Benimaru lowered his head slightly. Respect, not worship—but close.
Wanda nodded. "Every breath back home continues because he wills it."
"We will not overstay. In exchange, we will help you distance this universe from what hunts us. It is not something you can consume. Not yet."
Rimuru studied them—Beerus's arrogance, Whis's curiosity, Goku's boundless potential, Vegeta's silence, Wanda's controlled grief.
Then he straightened.
"I know who Son Goku is," he said slowly. "And I know who the Scarlet Witch was."
His eyes sharpened.
"But Wanda Maximoff, Destroyer God, does not exist in any record I know."
A pause.
"So before I offer sanctuary," Rimuru said, his voice calm but absolute, "you're going to explain what changed."
"That condition would only apply if you possessed complete awareness of all extant realities," Wanda replied evenly. "You did not even recognize my existence as a Destroyer God."
Diablo's eyes narrowed, a sharp edge entering his aura—but Rimuru raised one hand. The pressure vanished instantly.
Report complete.
* Subject: Wanda Maximoff — designation 'Destroyer God.'
* Conclusion: Plausible.
* Cross-reference: No corresponding entity within recorded informational strata.
* Observation: Subject possesses independent divine authority and stable existence.
* Inference: Present-state existence supersedes all prior narrative records.
Cause assessment:
The disappearance of the former sustaining entity has resulted in partial collapse of inter-universal consistency. Foundational laws governing causality, identity persistence, and narrative determinism have been altered.
"Hunts you?" He asked.
Wanda nodded. "The being is called a Phantom Sovereign. Its strength is enough to consume not just all of us, but everyone here—within an instant," she explained seriously.
Rimuru slowly nodded before glancing over at Goku.
"The last record I have of you, Son Goku, is that you and Vegeta were defeated by Frieza—with one hit," he said.
Goku nodded. "That sounds like a while ago, but yeah, that did happen… but I have a question."
"You're welcome to ask," Rimuru allowed.
"How do you know Vegeta's name?" Goku asked, glancing at Vegeta before looking back at Rimuru.
"Before I answer that, would you allow me to enter your mind?" Rimuru asked.
Goku was silent for a moment, then shrugged. "I mean, I don't mind, but…" A cheeky grin spread across his face as Beerus's eyes slowly shifted toward him, already sensing what was coming.
"You're really strong, and I'd love to fight you at least once!" Goku beamed, his eyes shining with pure excitement as he suddenly appeared in front of Rimuru.
The movement was instantaneous.
Benimaru's eyes sharpened, and Diablo's smile thinned ever so slightly—both clearly caught off guard by the speed and fluidity of his movement.
Rimuru watched him for a moment before smiling, then laughed. "Even though I do think you are Goku, I have countless souls depending on me-" his tone light, but carrying a quiet weight beneath it.
Rimuru raised his hand. "Please try not to resist."
Instantly, Rimuru and Goku connected.
The air seemed to still.
Silence passed as Rimuru fully relaxed, his presence softening in a way that was almost imperceptible.
Benimaru and Diablo exchanged the faintest glance, both noticing how their master gradually loosened—as if sinking into something far deeper than mere thought.
Moments stretched.
Then—
"Alright… you all check out."
Rimuru exhaled softly before continuing.
"As for how I know who you and Vegeta are… I used to be a salaryman on another planet called Earth. I believed we were the only true material world—until I was stabbed to death."
No one interrupted.
"But I was raised on a show called Dragon Ball Z. That's you."
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
"On my Earth, you influenced at least forty percent of the youth, and about seventy percent of the world knew who you were. We all fired Kamehamehas at each other and put our fingers to our foreheads to teleport."
"…Are you serious?" Goku asked, completely stunned. "Dragon Ball Z..."
Even Beerus tilted his head slightly, his usual disinterest giving way to mild intrigue.
"That is not something I ever thought I would hear…"
"Impossible…" Vegeta cut in as he floated forward. The rest of the group closed in behind him.
"How would that even—" Vegeta shook his head. "You simply read his mind. Do you take us for fools?"
"Watch yourself—" Diablo's voice dropped, a dangerous edge slipping through—
—but Rimuru raised a hand, silencing him instantly.
"Let me see…" Rimuru murmured, his gaze drifting slightly as he thought.
A brief pause.
Then he smiled.
"Your first struggle with Super Saiyan—you couldn't fathom how that low-class clown could achieve it and defeat Frieza."
Vegeta's expression darkened.
"So you left and trained, only to be broken on an isolated alien world. You beat the ground in tears and frustration."
Silence.
"You stopped caring about becoming the legend—your hatred turned inward, toward yourself, for being worthless compared to a low-class warrior."
The air grew heavy.
"And that's what finally triggered it."
Goku slowly glanced at Vegeta.
Vegeta didn't respond—he simply stared at Rimuru, eyes narrowed, tension coiled tight beneath the surface.
"…So, Vegeta…" Goku started carefully, scratching his cheek, "you got Super Saiyan through tears?"
"Shut up, clown! Whatever!"
"Well," Rimuru continued, a hint of amusement in his voice, "I'd like to thank you for raising Satoru Mikami when he was alive."
Goku blinked—then broke into a wide grin.
"I don't know how, but the honor is… uh, mine?" he said, uncertain, yet oddly pleased.
Rimuru had to bite back a laugh.
"I would love to fight the legendary Son Goku—even Prince Vegeta, if he's willing," Rimuru said.
Goku's excitement visibly spiked.
"Ohhh yeah!"
"It seems your reputation precedes you, Goku," Beerus added casually.
Goku just shrugged.
"I propose we return to my capital for now," Rimuru said.
Before anyone could respond—
space warped.
And in the next instant, the group vanished.
The group reappeared suspended high in the azure sky above the Jura Tempest Federation's capital—Tempest.
A city of impossible scale sprawled beneath them, its white marble spires and emerald crystal towers catching the sunlight like a crown forged for a living god. Floating gardens drifted between the buildings, connected by shimmering sky-bridges of condensed magic. Airships patrolled in perfect formation, their sails emblazoned with the federation's crest. Below, hundreds of thousands of citizens—goblins, orcs, lizardmen, elves, dwarves, even awakened demon lords—moved through the streets like a living tapestry of every race that had sworn fealty to one name: Rimuru.
The moment the spatial warp stabilized, every eye in the capital turned upward.
Rimuru floated at the head of the group, his regal human silhouette he preferred for state occasions—silver-blue hair drifting as if underwater, a simple yet radiant white-and-gold coat fluttering around him. A gentle pulse of his aura rippled outward, not as a threat, but as a declaration: I have returned, and I bring guests worthy of reverence.
Benimaru and Diablo on his flanks, their presence sharp like drawn blades. Shion and Souei materialized a half-second later, the former gripping her massive odachi with barely contained excitement, the latter already scanning the newcomers with eyes that missed nothing. Rigurd, the goblin elder and de facto prime minister, appeared on a lower balcony of the central palace, his jaw dropping before he bellowed an order that echoed across the city via wind magic:
"ALL HAIL LORD RIMURU! CLEAR THE CENTRAL PLAZA! VVIP PROTOCOL—LEVEL ONE!"
The reaction was instantaneous and deafening.
Cheers erupted from every district. Horns blared. Flags unfurled from every tower, the federation's emblem glowing with enchanted light. Citizens dropped whatever they were doing—merchants abandoned stalls, children pointed skyward, even the usually stoic Dragonewts fell to one knee in perfect synchronization. A massive magical projection of Rimuru's crest bloomed across the sky itself, larger than any airship, bathing the entire capital in soft azure radiance.
Goku's eyes widened like saucers. "Whoa… this place is huge! And everyone's looking at us like we're some kinda parade!"
Vegeta crossed his arms, hovering a few meters behind Rimuru, his scowl deepening. "Hmph. Overdramatic. We're not here to be gawked at like zoo animals."
Beerus yawned, tail flicking lazily. "As long as there's food at the end of this circus, I don't care."
Whis floated serenely beside Beerus, staff resting lightly across his shoulders, a polite smile never leaving his face. "My, my… what a splendid reception. Lord Beerus, do try to behave. These people seem to hold Lord Rimuru in the highest regard."
Rimuru glanced back at the full group, voice calm yet carrying across the entire sky without effort. "This is Tempest—my capital, and the heart of the Jura Federation. You are the first outsiders in history to receive this welcome. Not because of treaties or power displays… but because I asked for it." His gaze lingered longest on Goku, the respect in it unmistakable. "Son Goku saved the spirit of a lonely salaryman on a dying Earth more times than I can count. That debt is personal. Therefore, today, all of you—Goku, Vegeta, Beerus, Whis, Wanda, and Zairis—are VVIPs. The entire nation will treat you as such."
Wanda's crimson cloak rippled with latent chaos magic—hovered with quiet poise, scarlet energy faintly crackling around her fingertips. She glanced at the kneeling masses below, then at Rimuru, her voice carrying only to the inner circle. "They treat you like a god because you are one here, Rimuru. Yet you extend this welcome solely for Goku. I respect the sentiment… even if it bends protocol."
Zairis remained silent at the rear of the formation, arms folded neatly, his sharp gaze sweeping the city with the detached calm of someone who had seen empires rise and fall. A faint smile tugged at his lips as the cheers grew louder. "Flashy. Very flashy. But effective."
Diablo's smile was polite on the surface, but his crimson eyes narrowed fractionally at Goku's casual grin and the casual way Whis and Wanda floated alongside Lord Rimuru. "Lord Rimuru's word is absolute. However…" He let the word hang, tone velvet over steel. "Only those seated at the Council Table may voice concerns. The rest of us will ensure your stay is… flawless."
Benimaru's flame-wreathed hand rested lightly on his sword hilt as he studied Vegeta's coiled stance and Zairis's quiet watchfulness. "Your speed earlier was impressive, Saiyan. And the rest of you carry presences that could level nations. But here, in Lord Rimuru's domain, restraint is expected. We would hate for any… misunderstandings."
Goku laughed, completely unbothered, scratching the back of his head. "Hey, no problem! I'm just glad to see a city that actually looks fun to explore. You guys throw festivals? Tournaments? I bet the food's amazing—oh, and hey Whis, think they've got anything better than your snacks?"
Whis chuckled softly. "One can only hope, Goku."
Vegeta exhaled through his nose, arms folding across his chest. "Kakarot… at least try to act like you've been somewhere important before." His gaze drifted across the city, then settled briefly on Rimuru. "This place… it's not just for show." His eyes narrowed slightly, sensing the underlying concentration of power. "Tch. There's more here than meets the eye."
Wanda's lips curved into a small, knowing smile, scarlet wisps dancing around her. "Sharp instincts, Prince Vegeta. Not everything here is as simple as it appears."
Zairis let out a low, amused huff. "Play nice, all of you. The god of this world is watching."
Rimuru's laugh was light, genuine, and it rolled across the capital like a benediction, causing fresh waves of cheering below. "You're all right. I am the god of this world. But I was also just a fan once. That part of me still exists." He turned his gaze downward, voice amplifying across every district. "People of Tempest! These are my highly honored guests—Son Goku, Prince Vegeta, Destroyer Gods Lord Beerus, Lady Wanda, and their attendants Whis, and Zairis! They stand as equals in my eyes. Treat them with the same respect you would grant me!"
The roar that answered was thunderous. Fireworks of pure magic exploded in the sky—harmless, celebratory bursts of every color—while the central plaza below cleared in seconds, a perfect circle of polished stone ringed by the highest-ranking officers of the Tempest Army.
Rimuru began his descent first, slow and deliberate, feet never touching air as he glided downward. The others followed in his wake: Goku floating with easy curiosity, Vegeta maintaining a cautious altitude for a few extra seconds before drifting down, Beerus drifting sideways as if the entire spectacle bored him yet intrigued him in equal measure, Whis descending with graceful poise, Wanda's cloak trailing scarlet light like a comet's tail, and Zairis bringing up the rear with measured calm.
As they neared the plaza, the rest of the inner council knelt in unison—except for the handful of true equals: Benimaru, Diablo, Souei, Testarossa, Shion, Shuna, Hakuro, and Geld who merely bowed their heads in perfect synchronization. Only they would ever dare question Rimuru's judgment on these guests. The rest of the nation already understood: if Lord Rimuru respected them then the entire federation would move mountains to ensure their comfort.
Rimuru's boots touched the central plaza stone first. The moment they did, the magical crest in the sky flared brighter than the sun, and every citizen within sight bowed low.
He turned to his guests with a small, private smile that only they could see.
"Welcome to Tempest, my friends. You're home for as long as you wish to stay."
Goku landed beside him, eyes still sparkling at the sheer scale of it all. "This… this is gonna be awesome."
Vegeta touched down with a soft huff, scanning the kneeling masses with narrowed eyes. "Just don't expect me to bow to anyone but myself."
Testarossa eyes narrowed slightly, but Diablo's gaze made her pause.
Beerus's stomach growled audibly. "Food first. Then we can talk about how ridiculously flashy your welcome party is."
Whis inclined his head politely. "I must say, the architecture is quite exquisite."
Wanda's gaze swept the plaza, a faint nod of approval. "Impressive. Even by destroyer standards."
Zairis landed lightly, arms still crossed. "Not bad. Not bad at all."
Rimuru chuckled, the sound warm and final, as the grand gates of the palace swung open behind them and the capital's bells began to ring in joyous, thunderous welcome.
The great gates of the palace did not merely open—they parted.
Layers of enchanted stone slid soundlessly into the walls, revealing a vast interior hall carved from luminous white crystal and veined gold. Pillars rose like frozen lightning toward a ceiling painted with drifting constellations, each star slowly moving as if the night sky itself had been captured and tamed. A long obsidian pathway stretched forward, leading toward a circular chamber deeper within—the Council Hall.
Rimuru walked at the front, his pace relaxed, hands tucked lightly into his sleeves.
"Come," he said over his shoulder. "We'll move somewhere more private. There's… something we need to discuss regarding the Phantom Sovereign."
That single name subtly shifted the mood.
Even Goku's smile dimmed—just a little.
Behind them, the great doors closed with a deep, final resonance.
They passed through the inner corridors, where the atmosphere changed.
Less spectacle. More intent.
The guards here didn't cheer. They stood still—alert, aware, powerful. Every pair of eyes tracked the newcomers, measuring them in silence.
Vegeta noticed. "Tch… this is more like it," he muttered.
Benimaru walked slightly ahead now, voice low. "The Council Hall is restricted to Tempest's highest authority. Only those capable of influencing the fate of this nation are permitted beyond this point."
Beerus scratched his cheek. "So… like a strategy room?"
"You could say that," Shuna replied softly.
They entered.
The Council Hall was circular, vast, and quiet—its center dominated by a massive round table of polished black stone. Runes pulsed faintly along its surface, reacting to the presence of those entering.
Already gathered were Tempest's top brass:
Shion stood to one side, arms crossed, barely containing her excitement.
Souei lingered in shadow, unseen until one looked directly at him.
Testarossa sat elegantly, legs crossed, eyes half-lidded with quiet interest.
Hakuro stood straight-backed, hands resting lightly on his blade.
Geld loomed like a mountain, silent and immovable.
Shuna took her place beside Rimuru's seat.
An empty seat remained—
—and then the air cracked.
"RIMURUUUUU!"
The voice shook the entire hall.
A violent surge of magic exploded into existence—wild, ancient, overwhelming.
A form burst into the chamber without warning. Black scales. Golden eyes and a grin that bordered on madness.
Veldora Tempest had arrived.
"YOU DIDN'T TELL ME WE HAD GUESTS—"
He stopped as his eyes locked onto Goku.
Then shifted to Vegeta.
Silence.
Then—
"…No way."
The aura around him spiked.
"NO WAY! THESE ARE—THESE ARE—" He pointed dramatically, practically vibrating.
"IT'S YOU! IT'S REALLY YOU! KAKAROT! PRINCE VEGETA!"
Goku blinked. "Oh! Uh—hi?"
Vegeta's eye twitched. "Don't call him that so casually—"
"I'VE WATCHED EVERY EPISODE!" Veldora roared, stomping forward, the floor cracking under each step. "EVERY BATTLE! EVERY TRANSFORMATION! THE CELL SAGA—ABSOLUTE MASTERPIECE!"
Rimuru's face went blank.
"…Oh no."
Veldora's aura flared again—lightning arcing wildly across the chamber. "I HAVE WAITED FOR THIS MOMENT!"
"Wait—Veldora, don't—"
Too late.
"FIGHT ME, SON GOKU!"
He vanished.
And slammed into Goku.
The impact detonated like a bomb.
The wall behind them didn't break—it ceased to exist as Veldora tackled Goku straight through it, launching both of them into the open sky above Tempest.
The remaining group was stunned into silence, newcomers and residents alike. "Does Veldora know you guys?" Shuna asked as she tilted her head to the side.
Testarossa had watched with a keen eye, 'Very few could take blow from the Storm Dragon.'
Outside—
A shockwave ripped across the capital.
Clouds split.
Airships wavered violently.
Two figures shot upward—
Goku, laughing.
Veldora, howling with excitement as they zipped across the sky at mind numbing speeds, stunning the large swats of crowds below that had gathered.
Inside the ruined hall, dust settled slowly.
Rimuru stood frozen.
Then—
…thud.
He facepalmed.
"…Of course this happens."
Above the city, Goku twisted midair, catching Veldora's next strike with a grin.
"Whoa! You're strong!"
"OF COURSE I AM!" Veldora bellowed, throwing another punch. "I AM THE STORM DRAGON VELDORA!"
Their blows collided—
The sky cracked and clouds parted.
Back in the hall—
Benimaru was already moving. "Containment units—now!"
Souei vanished into shadow.
Shion gripped her sword, eyes shining. "Can I go up there too?!"
"No."
"Aw."
Rimuru sighed, then stepped forward, his aura expanding outward in a controlled wave.
"Alright—calm down, both of you."
His voice wasn't loud.
It didn't need to be.
It reached them anyway.
In the sky—
Goku paused mid-motion, just as he was about to rock Veldora with a left hook.
Veldora froze, his fist about to land as well for a clean double hit.
Both slowly turned.
"…Rimuru said stop," Goku said.
"…Rimuru said stop," Veldora echoed.
They looked at each other.
Then—
They both grinned.
A moment later, they landed back in the hall—through the door this time.
Veldora immediately clasped his hands together, eyes sparkling.
"Rimuru. Rimuru. Rimuru."
"No."
"I didn't even ask yet!"
"You're going to."
"Yes."
"No."
"PLEASE LET ME FIGHT HIM JUST A LITTLE BIT!"
Goku leaned in instantly.
"Yeah, just a little bit!" he made a pinch gesture.
Rimuru stared at both of them.
Same expression.
Same energy.
Same problem.
A visible sweat drop slid down his temple.
"You two are exactly the same…"
"Please?"
"Please?"
"…You're not helping."
A pause.
Rimuru exhaled.
"…Fine."
The room stilled.
"But under one condition—controlled environment. No damage to Tempest."
"YES!"
"YES!"
They pumped their fists in sync.
Rimuru sighed but chuckled. "I hope you know I want to have my go as well." He suddenly explained as Goku stood even more upright and give him a thumbs up.
"I'm always down to fight someone strong!"
Shion leaned forward immediately, practically vibrating.
"Lord Rimuru! If you're fighting too, then I demand a turn as well!" she said, gripping her odachi eagerly. "I refuse to be the only one left out of this!"
Shuna placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"You will be the only one left out if you break the capital," she said sweetly.
Shion froze.
"…That's unfair."
Testarossa rested her chin lightly against her hand, smiling with quiet intrigue.
"A dragon, and, and… whatever he is," she said, glancing at Goku. "How delightfully chaotic." Her eyes shifted to Rimuru. "You do attract the most interesting company, my lord."
Hakuro gave a slow, thoughtful nod.
"There is discipline in his movements," he observed. "Even in their excitement." His gaze sharpened. "That one—Son Goku—he moves without hesitation. A warrior who has long since surpassed doubt."
Geld rumbled quietly, arms folded.
"If they fight at full strength…" he began.
"…they won't," Rimuru cut in.
Geld paused.
"…Then I will trust your judgment, my lord."
Wanda Maximoff tilted her head slightly, scarlet energy faintly dancing at her fingertips.
"You're allowing this so easily," she noted, studying Rimuru. "Most rulers wouldn't gamble their entire nation on the whims of two battle addicts."
A small pause.
"…You're either very confident… or very reckless."
Whis smiled pleasantly, tapping his staff lightly against his shoulder.
"Oh, I wouldn't worry too much," he said. "If things become truly problematic… we'll simply intervene."
His tone remained light.
The implication did not.
A subtle weight settled over the room.
Diablo's smile didn't change—but the air around him grew heavier.
"How bold," he murmured.
Crimson eyes locked onto Whis.
"To speak of intervention… in our lord's presence."
A pause.
"…You must be quite confident in your abilities."
For a moment, the tension lingered—
Then Whis chuckled softly.
"Hoho… you could say so."
Silence.
Then—
"Oh yeah, Whis and Zairis are monsters," Goku said casually, folding his arms behind his head. "I haven't been able to land a single blow on him."
A beat.
"Ever."
The room didn't react immediately—
—but the shift was there.
Benimaru's posture stiffened, just slightly.
Testarossa's smile deepened, interest sharpening behind her eyes.
Souei's gaze flickered, recalculating.
Hakuro slowly opened his eyes and stared at Whis, his eyes slowly noticing the incredible stillness of the angel.
Even Diablo's expression paused for the briefest instant before settling again.
The tension didn't disappear.
Vegeta scoffed, arms crossed tightly.
"Kakarot…" he muttered. "Getting excited over every strong opponent you meet…"
His gaze slid toward Veldora, narrowing as he measured the dragon again.
"…Though I suppose this one might actually be worth the trouble."
A faint smirk tugged at his lips.
"Tch. Don't take too long."
A beat.
"I'll be next."
Rimuru stared at them.
Then sighed.
A visible sweat drop slid down his temple.
'…Yeah. They're definitely Saiyans…'
He glanced between Goku, Veldora, and now Vegeta—
Then something clicked.
"…Actually," Rimuru began, straightening slightly. "Goku mentioned festivals and tournaments earlier…"
Goku perked up instantly.
Rimuru's smile turned just a little more deliberate.
"How about we turn this into something more structured?" he continued. "A fighting tournament. A proper spectacle—for both our guests and Tempest."
For a split second—
silence.
Then—
"YES!"
Goku's excitement exploded.
Shion stepped forward at the exact same time, eyes shining.
"YES!"
They beamed in perfect sync.
Rimuru blinked.
"…Of course you two would react the same."
Zairis let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head.