Chapter 1 - After the Destruction of the Controller

Ascension.

It was a stage determined by the "Core" system that pervaded the entire omniversal void. It was a boundary line, a jump where someone left their humanity, or whatever race they belonged to, and inherited the race of the power union he had chosen.

Ascension was also a kind of dimension jump. It was, to put it mildly, a transcendence of the boundaries of the universe. It was becoming a superior being standing above the typical universe.

Being a superior being could bring many things. There was no need to say. To give examples of the simplest and most general features: Immortality, independence from the causality of the universe, and the ability to control that causality.

In short, a superior being was extremely powerful. However, when someone experienced Ascension, they could also lose many things. Their loved ones, their humanity, their freedom.

Ascension was not a state that a person could reach on their own. Whether a person was suitable for ascension or not was determined by the "Core" and the systems that were its extensions, and the choice was offered accordingly. Every reincarnate had this chance, but not every one of them could reach the top power line according to their universe.

Unfortunately, reality was neither an anime nor a game. Some reincarnates, mistaking themselves for the main character, would die miserably after committing acts they would deeply regret. Some would take their chances and face a bitter outcome. Others, even if they succeeded, would be deemed unsuitable for Ascension.

To be eligible, it was usually necessary to reach the highest level of power possible within the confines of the universe, and in some cases, within the confines of the multiverse cluster, which was very rare.

Either way, Ascension was clearly not a frequent event.

Someone who was eligible for Ascension had a choice. If chosen not to Ascend, they could live peacefully in their universe. They would not be offered Ascension again. But when someone chose Ascension, they had to cut their ties with their universe almost completely. Otherwise, they would only cause harm.

When someone chooses Ascension, they also has to choose between three great factions, organizations, or whatever they are called, three great organizations that encompass the entire Omniverse.

These three organizations were simply: Heaven, Hell, and Limbo. According to the most accepted theory, they had existed since the beginning of the omniverse. No one knew how true it was.

Fox's choice was Heaven at the time of Ascension. The reason was simple. Everyone wanted to go to Heaven before they died. She saw no reason not to go sooner.

Each of the three great organizations had their own ideals. Heaven advocated order in the entire Omniverse and acted accordingly. Despite the unknown purpose of the Core, they continued to carry out reincarnations. However, they were careful not to disturb the order in the universes.

Heaven was also divided into seven virtues to suit their own order. Basically, these seven virtues were a kind of calibration determined by the system according to the personalities and experiences of the individuals.

In this void, where many multiverses and omniversal unities existed, countless universes could be seen. These multiverse clusters, omniversal unities, and much more were in harmony. They were as fascinating as a human observing the stars, and as far from being understood.

Among these universes clustered in different colors and in different ways, a golden universe like a moon shining among the stars, like a sun shining in the morning, was of remarkable dimensions.

This golden universe was so vast, large, and fascinating that it swallowed them all. It warmed the heart of anyone who looked at it and filled them with peace. This was one of the main bases of Heaven. A golden universe that was perfect and organized. 

Looking at this golden colored universe, one could see seven points rotating in a certain order. The whiteness of these seven dots visible from the outside and the white trace they left in their rotation presented an image as if they were a kind of ring. Their rotation was slow, but it was not easy to erase the traces of the passing time. When the traces disappeared, a new trace would always form, thus completing the cycle.

Each of these points formed a large galaxy. The seven great galaxies were miraculous heavens, larger than the total size of some universes.

It was a completely different place from what was seen from the outside in the universe, which was no different from a cloud of golden dust. Behind the fascinating and alluring golden color on the outside, it was filled with a deep blue space inside.

It was like a dream. It was as if it was the vast sky of the world, not a universe. It was innocent and mesmerizing, like something out of a child's imagination.

It was very clear that the laws of this place worked differently. The galaxies, which moved in a slow order in the universe, were extremely large inside. Although they could not give the same feeling as the universe, they had their own charm.

Each one of them was like a beautiful lady who was very gentle, who would stretch out her hand and lead you to eternity, to a place where peace and harmony coexist. But if someone looked closely, they could see a kind of path.

These were paths to the galaxies. It looked like a path made of stardust. These paths, made of particles as marvelous as a child's dreams, offered a clean entrance to the galaxies.

The paths for each galaxy were named separately. Temperance, Generosity, Diligence, Humility...

There were many points in the Galaxy of Humility. Far from the simplicity of the universe, these dots were of different shapes in different colors. Some were bigger than others. Yellow, white, blue, red... It was like a Christmas tree decorated with many different colors. They were all in order. And in the center of all this order was the brightest star.

Inside the Galaxy of Humility, there were various star systems. The stars at the center of these star systems were of different colors and fascinating from each other.

Mentioning these planets and star systems, each of the planets in the star systems was several times bigger than an average planet!

This was extremely difficult to explain. There were eight planets in one star system. Each one of them was gigantic. And the star at the center of the giant planets was much bigger and shone golden.

Each of these planets was organized around an extremely large golden star. This golden star, on the other hand, scattered its peaceful rays on the planets, which were different from each other, yet similar to each other.

Each of these planets, when approached, could be seen to be a great angelic hive with gigantic cities!

Looking at the planet closest to the star, one could see countless angels flying in a golden sky. Each one was so concentrated on their own work that they were no different from a flock of birds!

Looking downwards, one could see all kinds of buildings. Some buildings were very modern. Others were very old-fashioned, with a medieval flavor.

Inside and outside these buildings, countless kinds of angels could be seen everywhere. There were human, cyclops, kijin, devil, and even life forms such as wisps, which was made of pure energy. But they all had a common physiology. These were: white or golden feathered wings, energy, and hair color.

Among them, there was an extremely large, conspicuous building. The building was as tall as a skyscraper and its size was very noticeable. It was labeled "Reincarnation Department" in huge blue letters. Next to it was a number too long to read.

When someone entered this large building, there was a space that magically allowed them to navigate between the floors as desired. Except for this space, the surroundings were completely covered with closed boxes.

It was only on the top floor, when one entered a room labeled Boss, that they could see a person standing silently.

It was Fox, with her wings folded, her eyes fixed on the floor, and her ears dropping just like her mode. In front of her, on the other side of the table, was a middle-aged man, who was sprinting with his four wings open. He was stroking his white beard with one hand. There was panic and anger in his blue eyes.

"Permission Fox, how many times do I have to tell you that you need permission?"

Fox stood silently without saying anything and answered in a very low voice:

"You're right, boss."

The middle-aged man paused and looked towards Fox. He opened his mouth a few times but then closed it again. What could he say? He had personally appointed her to correct her mistake. He let out a sigh.

"Mistakes and small escapades can be made up for with small costs. But a direct landing in a universe? That's too much!"

Fox already knew the consequences. The presence of an ascended being was extremely dangerous to the universes. Therefore, there would undoubtedly be a penalty for going without authorization without a reasonable cause.

Fox's golden tail swished back and forth as her ears perked up in attention. Her golden eyes were filled with unexpected determination. 

"I know, boss, but I just... I did what I had to do for my friend."

The old man blinked in surprise. He could see Fox's determination with naked eyes.

"I'm prepared to take any punishment for that."

Fox had maintained her gentle demeanor since she first arrived, and for the most part had a humble behaviour. Some even thought she was shy.

But when the old man looked at the pair of wings threatening to unfurl, it was clear that he was not.

He swallowed his anger and exhaled deeply. He waved his finger lightly in the air.

"I'm as guilty here as you are of what you've done. That's why I have to create a Tribunal."

With that, a gold frame and a white system window appeared before them. 

<Your request for a Tribunal is being sent to the Ruler.< p>

Demand Generator: Humility Archangel Kami-sama

Suspect: (Novice) Angel of Humility Fox

Topic Main Title: Universe Violation>

<Shall the transaction be confirmed?>

Kami-sama looked at Fox. He thought about the punishment she would receive if he did not approve it. Fox had created more than one violation.

She reincarnated someone incorrectly. As an ascended being, it wasn't enough that she had visited one of the subuniverses twice, the last time she had interfered with the entire universe!

He couldn't pass judgment on interfering with a universe on his own. So he had to start a Tribunal.

The Tribunal would have to be created by necessity in case the rules were broken. The middle-aged man, Archangel Kami-sama, had done her a great favor all this time by not doing this. 

And that was only because they came from the same universe. That was why Fox was extremely grateful to him. There were three or four different rules that she had broken so far, ranging from James' wrong reincarnation, and Fox was ready to face it.

She had been afraid before, but in her time with James, she had accepted her fate more than ever. What was her punishment compared to what an innocent soul like James had suffered?

Before submitting his request to the court, Kami-sama glanced up and looked at Fox. He could see her anxiety, but he could also tell that she was ready to take responsibility.

He nodded his head slightly in appreciation, but he also hesitated briefly to do it. A vague expression of distress replaced the appreciation on his face, and finally he pressed the button.

With a sigh, he asked:

"The system cut your connection off, didn't it?"

Fox nodded slightly. The moment she'd returned here, she'd lost the link that had allowed her to communicate with James. It wouldn't be restored for another six months.

The problem was how long six months here would be in James' universe. The time-space of this universe varied even by region.

Fox didn't have much of a choice but to hope that James would be okay during that time. Besides, she now had a trial to prepare for. 

Kami-sama sank into his seat with a troubled expression. He thought while stroking his beard nervously. Since this had happened, the news was already gone. Kami-sama had only confirmed and formalized it with this message.

Angels, as a result of their long labors, earned a number of points called Angel Points. These points were earned according to the perfection of their work and the time they spent, and when they reached enough points, they were promoted. Of course, in the same way, they would lose points for every mistake they made.

That's how he became an Archangel. Moreover, he thought that he would become a Principality in the near future, in these two hundred years. But Fox had assured him that it would take another thousand years.

After inhaling and exhaling deeply with discomfort and fear of falling to Angel, he ordered Fox, who was standing well-behaved in front of him:

"There's nothing more to talk about. You may leave. In the meantime, Novice Doofenshmirtz will fill in for Reincarnation."

Fox rolled her eyes. She couldn't help but wonder how the scientist got here. But to each their own. She nodded in understanding.

"Got it, boss."

Then, slowly and depressingly, she walked away. She closed her eyes for a moment and her tail stopped moving. She needed to hire a lawyer. Otherwise... the punishment she would receive here could be extremely harsh.

***

A gigantic orb of flame, the sun, as the people called it, appeared in the sky, nourishing Vestoria, partly barren and partly fertile, with its healing and beautiful rays.

Vestoria was a fascinating planet. It was a wonder of nature that remained intact despite all that the bakugan living on it had been through, despite the many threats.

The Bakugans born from Vestoria were as fascinating as Vestoria itself. However, the invaders who came here due to their overpopulation did not even consider these fascinating creatures alive.

Still, no one in Alpha City could be blamed for this. It was a big secret kept from the people, and they all just wanted to have fun.

That was, of course, until the Bakugan Resistance came and enlightened the people with the truth.

This caused such a violent reaction that it divided the people within Alpha City!

There were those who thought the Vexos had their reasons, those who were looking for excuses, and those who instantly switched sides against the Vexos, but they all recognized one truth.

The Vexos had lied to them.

The confusion this caused disrupted everything and caused everything to descend into chaos, albeit all too briefly.

Vestals were not a very advanced race in the entertainment industry. Naturally, the echoes of this chaos did not pass immediately, as they could not easily disperse their minds.

Nevertheless, since panic and chaos did not do any good, and the peaceful demeanor of the bakugans - except for a certain abnormal - made it much easier to calm down.

In this way, the stuck wheels started to move back. The most effective result of this process undoubtedly benefited the restaurants.

Especially the Moonlight Restaurant, where James, who mysteriously disappeared, worked, became the most well-known restaurant after Eclipse!

Even before entering the doors of the restaurant, one could understand how full it was by looking at the windows. All sorts of noises could be heard from the enthusiastic customers!

A large room welcomed you when you entered the door. Tables and chairs, neatly and tidily laid out, could be seen. The vestals were mostly crowded around the windows. For this reason, there was a noticeable emptiness inside the restaurant.

Many of these customers were often chatting to each other, keeping the atmosphere completely lively. The place was used more like a café than a restaurant, where everyone came to chat!

Of course, it did not deviate from its main purpose. There were many service robots moving around the crowded restaurant. These were machines half the size of a vestal, perfectly programmed for fetch-and-carry work. But it was clearly far from enough.

"Hey, another plate! What's it called... Manti!"

A young man with short, red spiky hair said as he handed the plate to the serving robot. A youth with faint purple, wavy hair raised his arm.

"I want to place an order!"

Immediately after this, a young person with a stubble beard and white straight hair spoke right above him:

"More Stuffed over there for me!"

Immediately after that, the voices started to get louder.

"A glass of water for me, please!"

"Where's the menu?"

...

Many demands could be heard among the voices. Everyone who came here was very happy with the food and the waiter in the restaurant. The only big problem was that they were very late!

Of course, this was not very important. As an excited girl's voice filled the ears of the vestals, their gaze shifted towards the kitchen for a moment.

"I'll be right there! Please wait!"

Despite all the noise, the voice was clear enough for everyone to hear clearly. Then a short silence fell.

After this short silence, someone posed a question.

"Bakugans... I wonder what they are doing now?"

The first answer came from a little boy sitting on the right.

"Helping the Resistance, of course! What should they do?"

Then a woman spoke after drinking the white drink in her glass:

"I hear they're going to destroy Beta City's dimension controller too."

The little boy exclaimed in admiration:

"The Resistance is truly marvelous!"

And he was joined by a few others. Then a disgruntled youth grumbled among them:

"The Resistance is all well and good, but the Vexos hiding it... Really..."

It was clear that this young man still harbored a grudge against such brutality, and he was not wrong. While a few others like him were muttering, the boy next to the young man touched his arm.

"Never mind. When we get back to Homeworld, we'll be sure to settle the score."

The Vestals were well aware of how bad it was to violate the rights of other living beings, and the resentment of those who were angry was entirely due to that.

It was also partly because the royal family did not have a very good reputation. However, there was no need to talk about the details of this now.

As the conversations continued, everyone was swearing vengeance or mumbling strangely like shounen main characters. As the atmosphere took on a strange shounen-seinen anime tone, the question asked by a young man with short red hair froze everyone for a moment:

"What about the others? I'm talking about the ones who made the rankings."

It was a question that not many people thought about. However, while everyone's anger was piled on Vexos and the shock that Bakugans were intelligent creatures was upon them, no one wondered about this.

However, with this young man's question, the switches flipped in everyone's heads and they started to ask each other with curiosity. Still, they could not get a proper answer.

The strange question and answer-like discussion continued until a white-haired, stubble-bearded man at one of the tables spoke.

"They go on with their daily lives. What can they do? Daron and a few others still keep in touch with their former partners, but most have stopped interacting with their bakugans."

With a clear and concise explanation, he silenced almost everyone, but the silence was far from long. One unremarkable youth asked in a barely audible voice:

"And where is James? I remember he used to work here, why isn't he around?"

There was a short silence. This was one of the few questions everyone was curious about. Confusion appeared on the stubble bearded man's face. He, too, seemed far from knowing. He sighed lightly:

"I don't know."

With this answer, mixed expressions appeared on everyone's faces. The disappearance of the leading man who had made this place famous was one of the few things that was highly suspicious. The Vestals were very curious about him.

However, it was not possible to find answers. Piercing through the awkward silence and curious murmurs, the youth with the purple wavy hair posed an unexpected question.

"What about Siren? Did she quit completely or is she seeing her partner?"

Just as the white-haired man was about to answer this question, a clear, cheerful, yet urgent voice filled the restaurant.

"I'm sorry! I'm late."

Delicate but hurried footsteps were heard, accompanied by the small clanking of plates. It might have seemed like a lot for a girl of her average height, but fortunately, there were service robots to help her.

She had the usual professional smile on her face. But panic was visible in her smile and blue eyes. She was very much aware that she was late.

After placing two of the trays on the metallic, white tray of the service robots, she pushed back the short hair from her face with her hand. Her hair had grown a little longer.

After placing the plates on the service robots, she rushed back to the service section of the kitchen. Her graceful and quick movements caused everyone to be pleasantly surprised as always.

While fulfilling everyone's request, she distributed the menus last and went towards the customer waiting for water and put the glass on the table personally.

She was out of breath from her quick and hurried movements. Her average-sized breasts were rising and falling. Fortunately, due to her casual attire, she did not attract too much attention.

With a gentle smile on her face, she asked:

"Hah! Anything else?"

The smile and sincere tone on the girl's face was undoubtedly breathtaking. So much so that it caused the young man to stare absent-mindedly for a moment. Then he shook his head from side to side and spoke:

"There is nothing else I want. Thank you."

As he started to sip his water, she nodded in satisfaction and walked away. The direction of the conversation changed as soon as she walked away.

"Isn't that... Esther? The daughter of..."

"Shh! Let's not talk too much."

"Huh? Why not?"

"Dude, don't you have any sense? Her mother..."

"Huh? What?"

As soon as he saw everyone's angry and bored looks, the teenager realized he had to shut up. It was almost like a wordless agreement. Although it was nice to gossip, there was no need to open someone's wound. Nevertheless, it could be seen that he had become a question mark in everyone's eyes, almost curiously.

Esther, on the other hand, walked away with quick steps immediately after serving everyone. The gentle smile on her face disappeared and was replaced by a thoughtful expression. It was impossible not to hear the rumors, no matter how thoughtfully they avoided saying them in front of her.

The disappearance of her mother, a researcher, had come just after the awakening that bakugan were thinking creatures. Moreover, right after that moment, there was something that attacked around like crazy, something that even bakugans described as 'Monster'.

Despite all this, it was a bit unexpected that it was so absent and attracted so much attention. According to Esther, it was all because of the conspiracy theories of men with nothing to do.

It could not be said that she felt much when her mother was mentioned. After all, she had taken the trouble to leave a record of her going away on her own business.

She sighed lightly. Maybe she was feeling a little resentful. This feeling disappeared as she scanned the surroundings once more with her eyes. The robots were taking the trays of three or four people who had finished eating and heading towards the kitchen.

With the arrival of the new robots, things were in order. Esther couldn't see any new customer eyes as she followed the robots. Most of them were either eating their food or sitting and gossiping. It had more of a tavern vibe than a restaurant, as various conversations were going on.

This was an ordinary day for Esther. After getting the bill from those who asked for the bill, she went into the kitchen to help.

The kitchen was illuminated by daylight reflecting off the white walls. Vegetables and spices were neatly arranged on the counter in a dazzling modern order. Lucy stood at the counter, her blonde hair glistening in the sunlight, her blue eyes fixed on the soup with a determined focus.

She had a mature stance, with a countenance molded by years of wisdom. The time she spent in the kitchen, combined with this wisdom, gave the impression of having mastered the art of cooking. She looked sleepless, with deep lines in her eyes, indicating that she had been up all night working on something.

She was dressed in work clothes, a white chef's apron and a buttoned hat, working in the kitchen like an artist. Her hands moved in harmony with the soup she was stirring, revealing her creative intent to create a flavor that would leave a mark on the palate.

Her breasts of remarkable size moved with an elegance focused on her work. The expression on her face carried both her sensitivity to her work and a mysterious distress.

Distracted and mesmerized for a moment, Esther's nose was filled with the scent of different flavors, causing it to tingle. She covered her mouth with one hand and sneezed.

"Bless you."

As Lucy said this, she checked the cauldron of soup that was cooking. It was the thickest of all. The different flavors and the smell that made Esther's nose tingle was coming from this soup.

There were not many living people around to help her. Although a few cooking robots performed the work autonomously, Lucy did all the rest, but she seemed to be content with that. Unfortunately, the noticeable lines under her eyes did not say the same.

She was careful and focussed, but she yawned every now and then. Esther asked anxiously as she placed her earnings in the till:

"Sister, why don't you get some rest? You look too sleep deprived."

It was the fifth time she had said this during the week. Nevertheless, Lucy replied in the same way:

"I'm fine. There's plenty of time to rest after work."

She wanted to say no, that she didn't have that time, but she couldn't for fear of being disrespectful. She sighed lightly. Lucy had been trying to find out what had happened to James since he left and where he was. Esther was already sure what had happened. James was the monster she had seen in person.

But there was no way to prove it and there was no point in telling Lucy and upsetting her further. She stretched as she folded her arms and walked over to Lucy. A look of resignation might have crossed her face, but soon, her lips curled upwards in excitement.

"Well then, what's there to help, sis?"

Lucy glanced at her. She wanted to say something but finally gave up and told him where to look. Thus, once again, the food cycle begun.

***

Time passed quickly as the sun surrendered itself to the moon. Like every day, the service was extremely tiring, but even more tiring than the service was doing the work that should have been done by a dozen cooks together with two cooks and a handful of robotic cooks.

Esther had to end the day with a sore back, neck, and soles. The shutters were lowered and the money counted. Their earnings were very good as usual.

There were many thoughts in his mind as he stepped towards his house. For a modern and clean city, the city of Alpha at dusk was fascinating. Neon lights and digital advertising panels in a variety of colors easily attracted attention.

Esther put her hands in her pockets as she hid her face well with the hood of her coat to avoid attracting attention. Slowly and carefully, she made her way home. She lived at the top of a small six-story apartment block. It was close, but not too much.

The apartment was neither too flashy nor too plain. It was just a white pillar with nothing remarkable about it. It was just like a few eccentric apartment buildings around it.

Her mind was unexpectedly empty as she went inside and went up in the lift. She took her right hand out of her pocket and pressed it against her aching lower back.

She said to herself in a playful voice:

"Ah! I wonder if I should ask for a raise? Every day is more and more tiring."

When the lift stopped at her floor, she stepped forward and stood in front of a snow-white door. It didn't seem to have a handle. Esther took out a card from her left pocket and swiped it on the panel standing right next to the white wall-like door. As the door slid open, all the lights in the house hit her face and her eyes stung for a moment.

"Oops~! Did I forget to switch off the lights?"

Her hand went to the switch to switch off the lights in a hurry. Her eyes relaxed as the light of the hall that welcomed her was gone. It wasn't completely dark yet, after all. The hall was just as she had left it before. Untouched and dusty.

On the table on the right, the note left by her mother was still there as if it was yesterday. Her eyes drifted there for a moment, but then she shook her head from side to side.

She went towards her room. She didn't want to change her clothes or eat. The best thing she needed right now was a comfortable sleep.

Throwing the coat she was wearing into a corner, she entered the door of the room. The first thing she noticed was that the white ball she left on the bedside table was on the floor.

This strange ball, the size of a plum, which she kept with her because of its pleasant appearance, was devoid of roughness. She had found it in her pocket at that time when the Bakugans were liberated, but she had not received any reaction.

She wondered why it was lying on the floor, but she didn't want to think too hard about it. She picked up the ball and put it back on the nightstand and threw herself on the bed. Due to lack of sleep, she neither noticed the broken picture frame on the floor nor the muffled, rather hoarse male voice...

***

Huh... I guess it was a bit too full, the first chapter. Right? I wanted to make the opening of the second volume more meaningful and longer. I hope you enjoyed it.