Chapter 44: A Grand Game (1)

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"A goal with no plan is called a delusion, You need a plan in order to achieve your goal."

- Overhaul, (My Hero Academia)

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<(Atem POV)> 

[Witcher verse spell-code (complete) has been randomly selected to be upgraded into a similar ability of a higher tier]

[Nirvana Flame has been randomly selected to be upgraded into a similar ability of a higher tier]

[Witcher verse spell-code (complete) has been upgraded into Harry Potter Wizarding World spell-code (complete)]

[Nirvana Flame has been upgraded into Ryujin Jakka (ability)]

||Harry Potter Wizarding World spell code (complete): You get access to the entire magical system of the Wizarding World and can analyze, modify, or create spells using the framework of its magic system. You also get access to knowledge of all spells (light and dark), potions, alchemy, arithmancy, runes, enchantments, herbology, Beastology, apparitions, astronomy, and divination of the Harry Potter world magic system, all of which will be automatically adjusted for them to suit and work in your current verse. You can also acquire an Animagus form but you will have to train to achieve it, unless you are a genius of course. 

Any magic from any other magic system can also be converted into the magic of the Wizarding world with enough research. You will develop a separate metaphysical magic core that will purify and convert all sorts of cosmic and divine energies into mana and store them. This core will increase with usage, time, and overall strength of the user. This magic system can be shared with others in which case they will also develop their own magic cores. This gift can be taken back whenever desired. The usage of a wand or any other artificial magical foci is optional. They can help focus spells or maybe enhance them in certain cases but are not at all necessary to perform magic.||

||Ryujin Jakka (ability): You can generate, manipulate, and control flames with great precision like to attack only the targets you choose, and can also form a barrier around a large area to prevent enemies from escaping. The flames themselves are near-impossible to cut through or divert, and will quickly reform if damaged or somehow opposed. Due to its spiritual nature, the flames can also burn souls or anything supernatural, divine, or even cosmic in nature. These flames are powered either by your magical reserves, your divine energies, or the life force generated by your soul.

At its highest, it burns at the same temperature in the sun's core, 15 million °C (or 27 million °F) at which point it can become invisible if willed. Its strongest ability is that when commanded, whatever the flame touches is neither burnt nor exploded but completely eradicated to nothingness. You can also call upon the burnt corpses of the dead who were killed by your flames to rise from the Earth and fight on your behalf.||

My two new abilities were in simple terms OP. Galactus might have been a pain in the ass to fight with but these two abilities made it up for that.

In fact, with the immense size of my newly acquired magical core that had filled to the brim from the energies of the cosmic storm as well as my latest fire powers that could destroy entire countries with ease because of my already present massive reserves of divine energy, I was sure that I was now a full-blown planet buster who could destroy entire civilizations by himself.

That was the reason why I had regained the confidence that I initially lost after struggling so much in my battle against Galactus... if it could even be called a fight at all that is. It was more like a rat trying to resist against a really hungry giant. But now, these two upgraded abilities alone made sure that I was much stronger than before. 

Whoever had said that 'what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger' had never spoken truer words.

'Now, I need to send Karnilla a message. My telepathy won't reach so far as another pocket dimension. So, I guess I will have to use magic.' I thought to myself as I wondered which spell could possibly achieve this feat. I now knew thousands of spells that existed in the Harry Potter-verse, not just a few spells mentioned in the books and movies. So a spell that could send messages through vast distances using the strength of my magic, to even another dimension wasn't something that didn't exist at all. 

"Mensagero Patronum" I whispered while imagining a happy memory of me having a threesome making sure to clearly visualize and encode the message that I wanted to send through my magic along with the coordinates of this place that I had gotten from the minds of the bug soldiers in front of me. 

immediately a wave of dense magical energy left from my fingers as it whooshed away to its destination. I wasn't able to see what my patronus was since it didn't take its true form in front of me. So, Karnilla would be the first one to see it. I hope it isn't something disgusting like a centipede or a leech, otherwise, I would be losing my self-respect in front of her.

'Anyway, let's hope she gets this.' I hopefully thought because if she didn't then there was a chance that a lot of people were going to be planetless very soon since this planet was extremely unstable right now with all that trash on it along with the dwindling energy of its core.

While I was thinking about all this, our group soon reached the main castle in the city while following our new guides. The city itself looked like a normal Earth city where certain sections of the city looked rich and plentiful while other locations looked like the people there hadn't eaten for days. 

The entire 'alien Metropolis' was filled with aliens of different races. The main populace consisted of mainly the Shadow People, the red-skinned Imperials, and the bug-like Spikes who were mostly dressed like soldiers but there were also other alien species among them whose numbers seemed to be vastly less when compared to the previous three species. There were even a couple of races who resembled regular humans among them.

"Wow, this is truly a discovery of immense proportions. Intelligent alien life on another planet. This discovery... it can change the world as we know it." Reed mumbled to himself, his voice trembling with astonishment as he and the others looked at all the aliens around us who were minding their own business, not even giving us so much of a glance.

"It will and quite soon at that too," I responded cryptically.

Soon, we entered the tallest building beside the spaceship at the city's center. It was taller than almost all the buildings on Earth except the one that I had made my people construct in Genosha which was a tiny bit bigger than this one. 

"Guys, I am not feeling well. It's like my entire body is itching. That radiation didn't give me skin cancer, did it?" Ben asked with a painful expression on his face as he looked at me for an answer.

"Nope, you are perfectly healthy. You are just manifesting your powers." I answered offhandedly as I glanced at his skin which seemed to be slowly drying up and hardening. "Just endure it a little more, you will soon have a room to rest in."

The palace-like building was more luxurious than the entire mega-city combined. From orgies to exotic dance, there was almost every type of entertainment going on here. And enjoying it all was an 'old man' sitting on a throne on the top floor with a huge grin on his face. He looked like he loved the perversion that surrounded him. At first glance, there was nothing special about him except his blue skin color and face, which looked strangely similar to Jeff Goldblum's. But somehow despite his childish conduct, he emitted an aura of power and authority. 

Scores of bug-like guards stood around him, ready to give their lives to protect him including a middle-aged woman, who looked like a human, her hands holding a distinct scepter that had a yellow ball on its top.

However, the ones who drew the most attention in the room beside the Grandmaster himself were a red-skinned Sakaaran Imperial wearing golden mechanical armor standing by his side with a proud smile on his face and a grey-skinned Shadow People woman dressed a lot like the bikini-wearing Princess Leia from Star Wars sitting on the floor with something that looked an awfully lot like a pet collar on her neck.

[{Image}]

"AAh, new guests. Good, very good. I wanted some new people to play with. The games were getting boring with those same old contestants... Go on, introduce yourself." The Grandmaster spoke in pristine English with a friendly countenance as soon as his eyes laid on us, an innocent smile blossoming on his face.

"I am Atem and these are my friends, Reed, Johnny, Ben, and Susan. We are travelers who have lost our way and have come to you for your help. But, now that you speak of games, I myself too am quite a big fan of contests. In fact, I am the undisputed winner of all games back on my planet. People sometimes even call me the Ultimate Supreme Great Grandmaster to respect my winning steak in games. So maybe, we could play a game against each other... if you aren't afraid of the competition that is." Giving the entire room a once over, I switched my bullshit mode on using my Golden Rule of the Stars perk to its highest potential after I finished introducing everyone.

According to some of the aliens here who didn't have psychic protections to protect their minds, as well as my own knowledge of Marvel from my previous life, the Grandmaster of this particular world was one of the Elders of the Universe. This group consisted of a pack of races who were the oldest living beings in this universe born during the Big Bang. These beings were immortal and lived their lives for just one thing, a single obsession that defined them. Even their names resembled this obsession of theirs. For the grandmaster, it was games and contests.

That was why, I knew that he would never be able to say no to my invitation to play a game with me. It was simply not in his nature.

"Afraid of games and me? Never? I love games and I am the best player there is. I would definitely like to play a game with you. However, remember, I only participate in games personally when there is something to gamble on. So, if I play with you, I would like you to bet something precious on it, like your freedom or if you have any other treasure of high value." He remarked while clapping his hands in excitement like an adrenaline junkie.

"I see. How about this then?" I asked taking out a crystal from my inventory. It was a small black-colored crystal that looked like it contained liquid darkness inside it which it did since I had once sealed a major portion of Blackheart inside this crystal after converting him into pure dark energy while helping Ghost Rider in his quest to save the love of his life from the demon's hands. "It's a magic crystal that has so much mystic energy inside it that it can even destabilize entire dimensions if it explodes. A very powerful weapon in the right hands. Is this worthy enough for you to participate?" 

"Very. It's like the Infinity Stone I used to have. I can imagine a lot of ways I can use that. Even if I don't find any uses for it myself, my brother will. He will be ready to give me a lot of new and unique contestants for my games from his 'collection' in exchange for that." The grandmaster said with stars in his eyes as he took a good long look at the black crystal in my hands.

"You had an Infinity stone?" I asked raising one of my eyebrows, struggling to believe his words.

"Yes, as much as I recall, the mind stone was its name. One of my most prized possessions that I was planning to use as a trophy for a grand tournament, but that was before that purple-headed war-mongering brute stole it from me. *Sigh* Well, let bygones be bygones... I am indeed interested in that crystal but what do you want if you win? Credits? A faster-than-light ship to go back to your home planet? Or maybe something else here interests you?" He asked as he waved his hands at the room, indicating that everyone here was his property in a sense.

Reed and the others looked interested at the mention of getting a spaceship since they desperately wanted to go back home. They hopefully looked at me with delighted faces, happy that my plan was working. But unfortunately, for them, my plan wasn't as simple as just winning a game, getting a spaceship, and leaving.

No, I wanted more. I wanted this planet, its citizens, its army, its wealth, and everything else the Grandmaster had to offer. And I knew the exact way I would get them all without even having to go to war... I would play a game with him, a game that didn't even have to include fighting at all, one that I could easily win with the help of my abilities and skills. Taking this planet from him would be as easy as taking a candy if I just played my cards right, regardless of his vast power and his huge loyal army.

[Ding! New Quest Received!]

[First Chain Quest Obtained!]

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