Will of the Heavens – Finale

[Play Mega Man Zero Mythos: Cannon Ball]

"Hah!" Omega smashed through the last of the shadow figures and then ran towards the door. "Tsuki! Advance!"

"After you, Meggie!" Tsuki ran after her friend, heart racing in her chest.

Was it really a dream?

Everything felt too lifelike to be just that. But Tsuki could see it. A helpful command list in the corner of her vision, listing a set of moves for [Ex Nihilo Omega] along with command inputs. And then there was the floating health bar over Meggie's head...

She didn't know what was going on. But what Tsuki did know was that she didn't have to worry.

After all, her best friend was here and had superpowers!

The door opened. But it didn't open to the expected lounge area where Tsuki's father should be sleeping. Instead, it directly opened to the hallway outside.

"E-Eh?" Tsuki blinked, confused. "T-That's strange...?"

Omega raised her guard and said, "Don't think too hard on it. Dreams are weird. Now-"

A body flew through the air, landing on the ground in front of the two girls.

Tsuki screamed in shock.

Omega immediately shifted into a combat stance, raising her guard. "Tsuki!"

"R-Right!" Tsuki took a deep breath and moved behind Omega, raising her controller. But... "E-Eh? It's not a fight?"

The gaming HUD vanished, almost like a cutscene. No, it *was* a cutscene.

A tall foreigner with a shaved head and harsh eyes walked forward, adjusting a pair of black gloves on his hands. Fierce, intimidating. And dressed in a suit like Tsuki's father liked to wear. Except, unlike him, the foreigner seemed to radiate danger instead of charisma. And then his harsh eyes flicked towards Tsuki.

She squeaked and ducked behind Omega.

Omega narrowed her eyes and slowly edged forward, ready to act at a moment's notice.

The foreigner nodded. "Miss Tsuki Jin... VIP confirmed." After that, he looked at Omega and said, "Miss Omega's presence is also confirmed." After that, his cold expression faded, replaced with a warm, faint smile. "It appears that fortune favors my side."

Omega blinked and then said, "Who are you? No, who sent you?"

"Toby Reaper." The man put one arm at his waist and bowed. "I apologize for the fright, young ladies. But rest assured, I am here as your ally." He straightened and said, "As for who sent me..." He looked to Omega and said, "My employer is your father. I was sent to protect Mister Kai Jin and Miss Tsuki Jin, but also to survey for signs of you and your mother."

Omega's eyes widened. "T-That..."

Tsuki smiled and then hugged Omega. "See, Meggie! I told you Mister John wouldn't have abandoned you two like that!"

Omega shrugged Tsuki off and frowned. "S-So what! Even if he didn't, why isn't he here then?" She looked to Toby and said, "Explain!"

"That is-" Toby started to talk and then paused, tilting his head. "...Hm. My employer is on his way. However, there appears to be some interference."

"Interference?" Omega narrowed her eyes. "Something that even my father can't handle...?"

Toby shook his head. "More like an unexpected variable. Nothing he cannot handle. But until he arrives-"

Tsuki's eyes widened and she shouted. "Mister Toby! Behind you!"

Toby turned around, instinctively kicking out with his foot. The moment he did, an invisible figure leapt back. Light distorted, revealing a ninja with a suit that kept shifting colors.

At the same time, flames flickered at the edge of the hallway and another figure emerged. A ninja with a skull for a face before fire erupted around it, turning it back into flesh, but with dead white eyes.

[The wheel of fate is turning!]

[Play Crossing Fate, BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle]

"T-Those two...?" Tsuki flinched, recalling the terrifying fighting characters from the brutal fighting game. The two who gave her nightmares when she was younger.

But before she could panic, light shone from the pair of silver wings on her necklace, calming her down.

"Hm?" Toby glanced back and then nodded. "I see. So that is the countermeasure my employer prepared... Very well." He stepped forward and adjusted his tie with his left hand. At the same time, a silver gun appeared in his right hand. "I must confess that this is a first fighting a target that will not die so easily. I trust you to lead."

The moment he did that, a life bar appeared over his head, along with a command list next to him.

Omega stepped forward as well. "We're counting on you, Tsuki!"

Like with Toby, a life bar appeared again, followed by her command list.

Tsuki took a deep breath and then nodded. "Yes! Leave it to me, Meggie! Mister Toby!"

[Rebel 1]

[Action!]

-----AI|IA-----

[Play Force Addiction - Yakuza 0]

Kai's eyes snapped open.

A dark building, but not the one he had fallen asleep in. Even so, it was familiar.

He clutched his head and stood up. "This place is... 'That' place, isn't it?" Kai muttered and then looked around.

A dilapidated building hidden in the depths of Kamurocho. The place where it had been rumored that the Seiryuu kept the youngest captives to work in their soaplands, as well as the VIPs reserved exclusively for their officers... and supposedly their patriarch as well.

At the moment, Kai was in the garage leading deeper inside. The dark area lit by a single fluorescent lightbulb with wooden crates all around.

But before he could gather his bearings and further, footsteps echoed and a horde of men rushed out from the shadows, blocking Kai's way forward. And from their uniforms and the azure dragon emblazoned on their shirts, it was clear who they were. Seiryuu.

Seeing that, he clicked his tongue. "I don't know what's going on, but this is pretty bad..."

His senses and instincts were screaming at him that this was real.

It didn't make any sense, more fitting to be a nightmare than anything. But at the same time, Kai had the sense that it was a bad idea to think he'd just wake up if he got hurt or died here.

But that was fine. He just had to fight and kill them first. Except there was a problem.

He didn't have a weapon.

"Tch."

The Seiryuu started running forward. And as they did, weapons materialized in their hands. Some held hatchets, like in the past. Others chain whips. Others still, katanas, knives...

Kai stepped back, wondering if he should make a break for it. But before he could think too long on it, he felt something cold on his neck. Glancing down, he realized that it was the necklace John gave him. The four dark wings.

"What the...?"

Kai frowned and grabbed them. When he did, the necklace shattered, dissolving into inky shadows.

Out of surprise, Kai dropped his hands. But the moment he did, he felt a weight fill them. A pair of knives, shadowy blades that looked like jagged feathers.

The Seiryuu members approached, closing the gap to one that could be crossed in a single pounce.

Seeing that, Kai shook his head. "Might as well test them out... Not like I have a choice!"

Saying that, he kicked forward and swung his knives.

Blood splattered through the air as one man was ripped apart. An arm fell to the floor as another was literally disarmed.

Kai kept running forward and gave his knives a brief nod. "Don't know what the hell is going on, but I gotta remember to thank John later."

A soft *click.* The sound of a gun being loaded.

Kai's eyes widened and he moved, trying to avoid it.

But he was too slow. A human couldn't dodge a bullet.

At least, that should have been the case.

But-

*schink*

His body moved far faster than an ordinary human should be able to and his right dagger cut through the bullet, sending the shards to the side and killing two men behind Kai.

"Huh." Kai blinked and then hefted his knives. "Really don't know what's going on here now... But-"

*DADDY!*

A young girl's scream. A familiar one.

Tsuki's.

Kai narrowed his eyes. "...I have to wake up. And if this is a dream..."

He remembered. At the end of it all, he couldn't find her. If this was a dream, no, a nightmare, then the resolution of it should be there. So...

"Out of my way."

Kai kicked off the ground, his knives flashing in the dim light.

Blood sprayed and bodies collapsed on the floor. At the same time, Kai's hurried footsteps echoed in the darkened halls.

He remembered it. The path he took, the turns he made.

Seiryuu continued to pop up to block his way forward, but the daggers made from John's gift quickly split them apart.

And then he arrived.

A door at the end of a long hallway, guarded by a dozen elite Seiryuu officers.

At the time, Kai barely made it through with his life. But this time...

"Get out of my face."

He kicked the ground.

Blades cut through the air, aimed at his neck. Bullets fired, aimed at his heart.

But it was pointless.

Kai moved with superhuman abilities, easily blocking all of the attacks and killing the Seiryuu officers.

He kicked down the door and ran inside.

In reality, at that time, it had been empty. The only thing left behind was Sakura's ribbon, the one he gave her for 13th birthday.

But this time...

"I should have known you'd be here."

A towering figure with a supremely honed body. Ominous crimson eyes and shadows wreathing his form.

Shin Seiryuu. Or rather, a demon that took his form.

Kai narrowed his eyes and kicked off the ground. "You won't stop me this time!"

He was confident. Kai was sure that he could take Shin out. No matter how strong that person was, the knives he held made him beyond even that person.

He was confident.

He shouldn't have been.

Kai's opponent blurred, moving even faster than him and then threw a punch.

It was a simple attack. One without any feints or fancy footwork.

A plain jab to Kai's chest.

But he couldn't avoid it.

Kai's eyes widened and he quickly brought his arms back to block. Even then, he barely managed in time.

A heavy impact and a loud *crack*. Kai was sent flying back through the air and crashed against the wall.

"Kuh!"

He coughed, spitting out blood. And he could feel it as well. His arms weren't working anymore, shattered by that fist. "Dammit...!"

Kai grit his teeth and forced himself up.

He couldn't lose.

His instincts were telling him that the only way out was to beat that guy in front of him. That he wouldn't be able to go save Tsuki unless that man was dead.

But...

"How the hell do I do that...?"

Was it because that man cast such a deep shadow on his life?

Even in this dream world, and even with his superhuman abilities, Kai fell short.

Shin stepped forward, the shadows growing behind him. At the same time, his eyes turned red and his muscles blackened, turning him into a true demon.

"Am I... really going to fail again?" He was powerless again. Tsuki needed him, but he was trapped here in this dream. This nightmare.

No. He couldn't accept that.

He had to fight. He had to fight and win.

He needed to get out of here. He needed to..!

"Protect your daughter. Is that not right, Jin Kai?"

A calm but cold voice. One that sounded like it looked down on the world itself.

[Play Street Fighter X Tekken - Akuma Boss Theme]

Kai froze. "That voice...?"

He recognized it.

He hated it.

But at that moment...

More shadows appeared. But instead of behind Shin, they gathered in front of Kai. And when they faded...

"Hmph." A man with a supremely honed body and a long mane of wild black hair. One with a gaping hole in his chest where his heart should be.

"Shin Seiryuu...?!"

The real Shin glanced back and smirked before looking forward and narrowing his eyes. "Hmph. Daring to use my form to torment others further... Did you not hear my declaration?"

The demon in Shin's form froze, immediately raising its hands in a guard stance.

A mad cackle echoed before a shadowy figure emerged at Shin's left side. "Well, if they're sending out a demon, who else would they pick?"

Kai glanced over, surprised. "Maji-san?"

Shadows gathered again, and then a man in a white suit and red blazer stepped forward. He rolled his neck and then stepped forward, raising his fists. "Trying to keep a man away from his daughter like this... No wonder the Boss is upset."

Kai's eyes widened. "Kiri-san as well?"

"Heh." Another man, one with a shaved head and a thick green coat stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. "Never thought I'd be fighting alongside the Demon Tyrant *against* the Demon Tyrant."

Shin smirked. "Should dead men walking say such things?"

Maji cackled. "True, true."

The dark Shin let out an inhuman roar and then darkness swirled behind him, coalescing in three more copies. Four of them in total, the number of death.

"Tch. Knew it wouldn't be that easy." Maji flicked his wrist, causing a knife to appear.

Shin laughed. "That is more appropriate." He matched the stance of the copies and said, "Now... We shall see if the 'Heavens' truly match up to that man. Or if that man can surpass the Heavens themselves." He stepped forward and shouted. "Come!"

Maji glanced back at Kai and said, "We'll handle things on this side! Wake up and save your daughter, Kid! Don't be like me and show up too late, alright?"

"What do you-?"

Before Kai could say anything else, Shin roared and charged, punching his copy.

The moment that happened, the surroundings shattered.

Kai's eyes snapped open and he realized he was back in the hotel room.

He blinked for a bit, getting his bearings. And then he jumped off of the sofa and ran towards Tsuki's room. "Tsuki! Where are you? What happened?!"

He ran inside.

But it was empty. Neither her nor Meggie were present.

Not only that, there seemed to have been a struggle. The walls were damaged, the beds were ripped apart, and the window outside was shattered.

"Dammit...!"

He ran out. As he did, he noticed that the door to the hallway was open.

Yue's door was still shut.

Kai wondered if he should check on her for a split second, but quickly decided against it. He ran to the kitchen area and wrenched the drawers open to grab a knife before running out the room to the hallway.

And then a body flew through the air, landing right in front of him.

Kai froze, taking in the person.

A man in a ninja suit that kept shifting colors. Gunshot wounds all over his body, along with green blood staining his torso.

"Oh! Daddy! Hi!" A bright and cheery female voice called out from off to the right.

Turning his head, Kai saw Tsuki standing there with a controller and waving. And in front of her, there was Meggie, along with a foreign man with a shaved head.

Kai blinked and then muttered, "What the fuck?"

"Daddy!" Tsuki pouted and said, "Language!"

Kai glanced at the man on the floor again. But as he did, the man began vanishing, dissolving into shadows.

Kai shook his head and started walking towards Tsuki and the other two. "I don't know what's going on... but Tsuki. Are you safe? And you too, Meggie. Are you injured?"

"Nope!" Tsuki shook her head. "Mister Toby and Meggie kept me safe! And did you know?! Meggie has super powers!"

Kai frowned. "Super powers, huh? Care to-"

Rumbling thunder. At the same time, the sound of a sudden downpour and flashing lightning.

[Play Light and Darkness - Fate Stay Night]

Kai glanced out the window. "A storm...?"

Thunder rumbled again, and then Toby vanished in a burst of shadows.

Kai's eyes widened. "What is going on here?!"

Omega glanced out the window and gasped. "Tribulation lightning as well?" Despair filled her eyes and she looked back to their room. "Do the heavens really want to get rid of Mommy that much?"

Kai walked forward, shaking his head. "Alright. Meggie. You clearly have an idea of what's going on. What's happening- No, who are you and your mother?" He paused to think and then said, "And is this related to John?"

Omega shifted her gaze towards him and shook her head. "I can't explain. That's-"

A sudden roar of thunder.

Omega's eyes widened and she suddenly vanished.

And then a blinding flash of lighting, as well as the sound of shattering steel and concrete.

Kai instinctively pulled Tsuki close, covering her with his body.

Debris flew through the air, striking him. But it wasn't much. Instead, the heat was the worst part.

Like standing in front of a melting furnace... No, it wasn't just like standing in front of a melting furnace.

When the light faded, Kai saw it.

Flames in the surroundings, what wasn't flammable either melted or turned a searing white from intense heat.

And at the center of it was Yue's room.

John's wife was still asleep on her bed. And from the scorch marks all around her, it seemed that she was the target of the lightning strike.

But she wasn't harmed.

And the reason for that...

"I won't... let you take... Mommy...!"

Meggie was standing there, her body and clothes burned black with crimson blood running down her side.

Tsuki screamed and ran forward. "Meggie!"

"Tsuki no!" Kai grabbed his daughter and pulled her back.

"Let me go! LET ME GO!" Tsuki squirmed, struggling to break free. But Kai held her firm.

He looked at the flashing clouds above and then shook his head. "No! It's too dangerous!"

Tsuki sniffed and then shook her head. "NO! I don't want to lose anyone else!"

Kai froze.

Those words... Wasn't it just like him?

Before he realized it, Tsuki had broken free and was running forward with her controller. "Meggie! Stop! Please, stop!"

The clouds rumbled, as if sending out a warning.

Omega glanced over at Tsuki and then smiled before flicking her wrist.

Tsuki was sent flying back through the air towards Kai.

Omega shook her head. "Sorry, Tsuki. But this is where the dream ends."

"No. NO!" Tsuki shook her head. "MEGGIE!"

Kai grit his teeth and held Tsuki back.

He didn't get it. He didn't understand what was going on.

But he knew one thing for a fact.

For whatever reason, lightning was going to strike. And it was going to strike down on Yue. But Omega was determined to block it for her mother.

That...

Omega shakily moved closer to her mother's sleeping form and held her hand.

Thunder rumbled again. At the same time, flashes of light filled the sky. Multi-colored lightning.

Omega looked up and glared. "I don't care if we're not supposed to interfere in tribulations! You're *not* taking Mommy away from me!"

She let go of Yue's hand and then raised her head high. Slowly, stiffly, she shifted her body into a Taiji stance, glaring at the clouds.

Lightning flashed.

Tsuki screamed.

Kai covered his daughter's eyes.

But. In the moment before the lightning struck down...

"Executing protection protocol: Everlasting Distant Utopia"

...A calm but melodious female voice called out.

-----AI|IA-----

[Play Everlasting Guilty Crown - Egoist]

An eruption of multicolored light and a deafening explosion of force. Lightning trying to breakthrough and strike down Omega and Yue, but stalled by an inviolable barrier.

Omega froze, slowly lowering her hands. Her eyes widened and she began to sway. "Big sister Betty...?"

A beautiful woman with flowing crimson hair stood in front of her. Glancing back at Omega, she smiled and said, "You are strong, little sister. Good job."

Omega's eyes watered. "T-That's..."

Footsteps echoed and then another person appeared in front of Omega. An all too handsome man with blonde hair and jade green eyes.

He looked at Omega and smiled. "That's right. You did a great job, Meg. And... I'm sorry it took so long."

That time, Omega didn't try to stop her tears. She sniffed and then limped over to John.

He stood there, watching her with a sad smile.

Omega stood before him, sniffling, and then threw a punch at his face. "Stupid Dad...!"

A soft smack.

Despite everything, it seemed like Omega couldn't bear to seriously hurt her father.

John let out a long sigh and then pulled her in for a hug. "I know, I know." He patted her back and said, "You can yell at me later, alright? For now, let Daddy take care of everything."

"...Promise?"

"I swear on my soul."

"...Fine." Omega muttered. "Then... I'm... going to take a nap." With that, the strength left the young girl's body and she fell unconscious.

John carefully lifted up his youngest daughter's form and handed her to Beta. "Keep an eye on her."

Beta took her sister and nodded. "Understood, Father. But..." She glanced up at the sky, looking concerned.

Thunder rumbled and multicolored lightning crackled before lashing out again. But this time, instead of striking anything in particular, it struck empty space, shattering it.

And then, from that gap, men and women emerged, people in strange robes.

"Did we arrive?"

"The laws in this world... are different?"

"Kuh! This world rejects divinity...?!"

"O-Oi! John!" Kai, quiet while in shock with the turn of events, noticed the new arrivals and then looked to John. "Mind explaining, Friend!?"

John glanced back at the guy and narrowed his eyes. "We'll talk later, Friend."

Kai flinched.

Space rippled and then a pair of men appeared by Kai's side. One, a young man with flowing white hair and a white spear. The other, a young man with black hair and an azure blade.

Bai and Qing.

The White Tiger looked up at the invading cultivators and chuckled. "Cocky bastards, aren't they?"

The Blue Dragon swung his sword and nodded. "Indeed."

John glanced at the cultivators and said, "Bai. Qing. Handle them. Beta, continue to guard. And you..." He glared at the swirling clouds and said, "Cocky bastard. Your Master orders you to shut the hell up and wash your neck."

The clouds froze and then instantly dispersed.

Even so, the cultivators weren't deterred.

Hearing John's words, they looked down at him and pointed.

"There he is! The Idiot Savant!"

"Kill him! If we do then-!"

A wave of destructive energy lashed out, instantly erasing those cultivators. At the same time, a young woman with black hair appeared in the skies. Her crimson eyes glared at the spatial rift and she raised her hand, her white dress and rainbow ribbon shimmering in the wind. "You are not allowed here."

Tsuki's voice called out then, confused. "Miss Beta? And... Miss Alpha? You have super powers too?"

John ignored her. Instead, he walked over to his wife. To Yue.

She was still asleep. But it wasn't a normal slumber.

Her expression was peaceful. But too peaceful, as if enjoying a dream she never wished to wake from.

Seeing that, John sighed. "I thought so. Those bastards really want to make you my Orihime, don't they?" He reached out and placed his hand over her dantian to prepare to enter her mental landscape and pull her back. But as he did he realized something.

"?!?!" His eyes widened and complicated emotions crossed his face before settling on a faint smile. He sighed and said, "No wonder that bastard's trying so hard to break our bond and get rid of you. Heh. Bet the old man will be overjoyed. But for now..." John leaned over and brushed Yue's hair, whispering in her ear. "It's time to wake up, my princess."

-----AI|IA-----

[Play Yume Miru Kusuri - To the World of Dreams]

Yue hugged an infant to her chest, smiling as the baby quietly cooed.

A happy and dreamlike day. A moment that she never wanted to let go.

At that time, a door opened from nearby and a male voice called out. "And how is our little daughter today?"

Yue looked up.

John walked into the room, a warm smile on his face. Like always, he was wearing a dress shirt and jeans.

Yue glanced back down and smiled. "She's doing well. And she's as adorable as always."

John laughed. "That's good. It'd be bad if she got anything from my ugly mug, right?"

Yue shook her head and said, "That's not true." She looked back at John and said, "You're perfect just the way you are."

He laughed and leaned against the doorway. "I'm far from perfect... but I do have the perfect family." He smiled. "Alphy, Betty, Meggie... and then you."

"And our child."

John nodded. "Yes. And our cute little baby daughter."

A warm and fuzzy feeling in her chest. Calm and peace.

It was nice.

Yue was happy that John came to look for her. She felt a bit guilty not heading to find him right away after arriving at his home world, but it worked out in the end.

Now she was the only woman in his life. Her and no one else.

And all the other girls that came his way... He even got rid of them.

Quietly, of course. After all, it wouldn't do to expose themselves on a mortal planet.

But what better way for him to show his loyalty? His love?

"...Damn. I didn't realize that it got this bad."

Another voice called out from behind. Familiar.

Yue blinked and turned to look towards it.

John turned to look as well. The man roused his powers, causing his blonde hair to shift. "Who are you? How did you get here?"

"Tch. Get the hell out of here, you fake." The intruder flicked his wrist and then John vanished.

And so did Yue's baby.

Her eyes widened and she panicked, turning to look at the intruder with fury in her eyes. "What did you do to them!?"

A figure that she couldn't make out. No, someone that she refused to acknowledge.

"...You can't see me anymore, can you? That's... pretty sad."

A familiar voice. One that tugged at her heart. "That..." Yue shook her head. "No! You... I don't want you! I don't need you!"

"Did you know?" The figure walked forward, causing the surroundings to shift. A dark stage with a strange musical instrument in the middle. "Once upon a time, in a tiny shop, I found a jade talisman. It was old and worn-out, but the symbols on it were still clear. I didn't know how to read it at the time, but the shopkeeper told me what it said. What it meant."

Yue felt a headache and then swept her hand out, causing lightning to crackle and lash at the intruder.

But it fizzled out. Before the lightning struck, it dissipated, as if it refused to hurt him.

"What...?" Yue frowned and looked down at her hands, confused.

The figure shook his head and continued talking. "A lonely young girl who had everything, but wished for one thing. Someone to see her as she was. One who would accept her even when she couldn't be perfect."

"T-That's..." Yue's heart throbbed.

Right. She had... once upon a time, she had written a wish like that. But she never showed anyone. She never told anyone about it. Not even her husband. So...

"You...! How do you know about that?!"

"...I should have told you. Maybe then, it wouldn't have led up to this. Maybe then, you wouldn't have worried so much. But for now..."

The figure sat down at the instrument and started playing.

Faint, lingering notes.

Ones that seemed to tug at Yue's heartstrings.

She staggered backwards, clutching at her chest. "T-This is...?" She steadied herself and then shook her head. "No! I won't be fooled! I won't be tricked again!"

Realizing that a normal attack wouldn't work, she reached out with a karmic spell. Something to strike directly at the person's karmic bonds and rip them apart.

A karmic blade cut through the air, cleaving through the figure... No, the man.

Because of it, the veil surrounding his form vanished. But when it reached the karmic ties, the blade vanished. Shattered.

Because...

"E-Eh?"

A red string of fate, completely wrapped around the man to the point where it looked like chains. And the other end of it...

"...It's me?"

The man started to play. Light notes lingered in the air and then he started to sing.

[Play Eyes on Me FFVIII Piano Collection]

*And now I sing this song...

On this stage, on my own

And now I say these words

Praying that they'll be heard*

A flash of a memory. A goofy smile and a solemn promise.

*Your smile in my memory

Was always my dearest fantasy

I'd always cheer up being with you

On that tiny little star*

His laughter as she messed up practicing her sword arts and then his grip on her hands to correct her.

*This whole night here for you

Playing songs, just once more

My last night here with you?

Please be no, please be true.

I've always liked it your way

How you shyly placed your eyes on me*

An image from his point of view. Quietly watching as she read through scrolls and cultivated.

*But did you ever know?

That I had mine on you*

John. Her husband, her real husband.

Yue stepped back, her eyes wide in shock.

*Darling, I love you so

As if no tomorrow

Praying you're never hurt

Praying you're never down

I'll be the one for you

Kissing you softly once more

So hold me close me now

And then know that you aren't a dreamer...*

With those words, he stood up and walked towards her.

*Let me be the one for you

Who kisses you softly once more

Oh hold me close me now

And then know that you aren't a dreamer...*

Singing those words, he finished with a soft smile and grabbed her hand. "Sorry you had to go through all of this, Yue."

[Play Clannad OST - The Place Where Wishes Come True]

"...John?" Yue blinked, still confused. "...My husband? Is it... really you?"

He laughed. "It's me alright. Now come on. Let's get you out of here. The girls are waiting to see their mom, you know?"

John moved and tried to go, but then Yue stepped back.

"Yue?"

She shook her head, staring at the ties surrounding him. "John... No. Why?"

"Hm?" He looked back. "what are you talking about?"

"...Why do you want me?" She stared at the crimson threads tying around him. "That... Aren't I just a burden? Isn't my love... our tie together. Isn't it just a chain on your neck?"

Right. John was someone who was destined to draw women towards him. That was the 'truth' that she had divined in her studies of Karma. No matter what or where, when or how, that man would end up drawing women towards him like how planets revolved around a star.

Limiting him like this... She bit her lips and lowered her gaze.

John sighed and then placed his hand on her shoulders. "Yue."

She flinched and looked up.

"Listen to me. I love you."

"...No." Yue shook her head, tears in her eyes. "That's a lie. You're only saying that because of the red string of fate. The karma tying us together-!"

"Is a chain I put on myself."

"E-Eh?"

John let out a sad smile and said, "Did you really think that I would choose someone else? Were you that scared?"

"..." Yue couldn't respond.

John sighed. "I can't say I'm not disappointed. But at the same time, I can't blame you." He chuckled and said, "After all, Betty said I still need to work on fixing my 'honeyed-tongue' when it comes to women. And I really can't stop from helping the people in front of me when I can. But Yue." His face turned serious. "The only woman that I've ever fallen in love with... the only one I will fall in love with... is you."

Yue shook her head and closed her eyes. "No. That's... What is there to love?"

She was selfish. Her husband's heart was so vast, and yet hers had been... still was, so narrow.

Countless men had courted her in the past. Her father tried to separate them on a daily basis. And there were even still Eternal Emperors who sent gifts her way even after they announced themselves as Dao Partners.

But he just always laughed. He was never worried. No, if he was worried, he simply brushed it aside and believed in her.

But she...

Tears welled up in her eyes.

A soft sigh, and then a gentle brush against her eyes, wiping away the tears.

Yue's eyes opened.

John smiled and brushed a strand of her hair behind Yue's ear. "What is there not to love about my cute wife? Your sweet smile. Your gentle gaze. The way you scold me when I mess up while laughing with your eyes. The careful practice you put in so that your innate talent isn't wasted. Refusing to believe that you can rely on your position and looking to be recognized for your efforts..." He leaned forward and placed his head against Yue's. "If you aren't worthy of love, then no one in the world is."

"B-But..." She reached out and tugged at the crimson rope binding John. "Like this... Aren't you mad? You could be with anyone else... There are countless unparalleled beauties in the Three Realms and beyond who would be with you in a moment if you decided so. Ones who would never doubt you like I do... or ones that would accept others as well. That-"

"Well. I'll make this clear then."

"E-Eh?"

"Yue. My moon. My love. My wife." He placed his fingers under Yue's chin and lifted it up, staring into her eyes. "If there isn't you in my life, it's not one worth living. No matter how much time I have, how much strength I gather, how much fortune I accumulate, none of it compares to even a single minute at your side. So... Stop looking down on yourself, alright? You don't need to be perfect to be loved."

That's stupid. Why would you have to be perfect to earn someone's love? You don't earn love! It's given because someone loves you for you!

A memory of the past. The first time they met when she talked about about why she was working so hard to cultivate and learn.

Right. At that time... he had said the same thing, hadn't he?

"...Yeah." Yue sniffed and then smiled. "I know."

"Good."

Yue looked at John and said, "Husband?"

"Always."

Yue laughed and shook her head. "You silly man..."

"Your silly man."

Yue smiled, but tears were still in her eyes. Brushing them away, she looked at her husband.

He was the same as always. No. That was a lie. He had changed a bit since the last time she saw him.

The carefree air around him was gone. He was still a bit playful, but as if he had realized what was important, the air was sharper.

"...So what?" He smiled and said, "Are we going to stand here together staring into each other's eyes until the end of time? I mean, I'd love to do that, but people are waiting for us out there, you know?"

Yue laughed. "Yes... I suppose so. Then..." She shyly shifted in place and said, "Before we go... Would you kiss me? J-Just... so I know that this isn't-"

Before she finished, Yue felt herself pulled forward. Not long after, warm and slightly chapped lips brushed against her own.

Her eyes widened, but then she closed her eyes, relishing in the kiss.

It was chaste. Different from the others they had shared in the past.

But maybe... because of that, it felt better. And then...

"Take it easy, alright, Yue? It's not just you that you have to care for now."

John's words filled her ears and the surroundings started to fade.

But then she realized his words.

"O-One moment! What do you mean by that?"

John laughed.

"H-Husband? Husband?! HUSBAND! You get back here and explain yourself!"

The only response she got was laughter trailing into the distance.

-----AI|IA-----

John leaned back, looking at his wife's sleeping form.

Unlike before, she seemed to be at ease. No, that wasn't right. She actually looked a bit pissed off... but he couldn't blame her, considering what he did.

At the same time, he felt it.

Something looking at him. Not the stupid Heaven's Mandate that had been acting up, but something else.

A power similar to his own, one that went beyond 'laws' and 'authority' and 'concepts'. Something that could shape and affect reality- No, existence itself.

And there was a simple message.

[Just this once. Settle your affairs.]

An average voice that could have belonged to anyone at all. But at the same time, a voice that defied description. One that seemed hazy... and also one that didn't leave behind a single trace when it left.

And then John felt it. A 'marker' placed on Earth that reinforced its existence so it wouldn't shatter if he left and also to stand out in the midst of the endless expanse that was the universe.

I don't know who or what you are... but thanks.

John leaned back and looked around.

Betty was tending to Meg. The latter had fallen asleep, resting peacefully on her sister's lap.

Kai had joined up with the yakuza trio and Shin, fighting off against stray cultivators that had somehow managed to cross the void, sent by the Three Realms itself.

But it seemed like they weren't welcome.

While John, Betty, Alphy, Meg, and the two Divine Beasts all seemed able to use their powers, the cultivators that crossed over...

"Dammit! What is this suppressive power?!"

"The air here is toxic to cultivators and divinities! So why are those divine beasts fine!?"

Bai cut a guy in half and said, "Because we've been welcomed, unlike you cocky bastards! Stay out of someone's home when you aren't welcome!"

Qing pierced a man's heart and nodded. "Indeed... Daring to invade a foreign dimension that can only be accessed by tracing a transcendent's steps... Truly imbecilic."

Tsuki narrowed her eyes, swiftly executing a combo of button inputs on her controller. In response, Maji and the other yakuza members took out a horde of enemies, tagging in and out at rapid speed.

"Whoo! You sure know your stuff, girlie!" He flipped his knife and said, "I think you're even better at directing us than Boss!"

Kai kicked a man running towards Tsuki in the face and then slit the guy's throat. After that, he frowned and said, "Tsuki! Princess! Won't you please just close your eyes and let us handle this?"

"No! These bastards tried to kill Meggie! I'm killing them!"

"..."

Beta finally noticed John and said, "Father." She glanced at Yue, frowning. "Is Mistress...?"

"You can just call her Mom, you know? But don't worry. Yue is fine. And since she is..." John cracked his neck and then stood up, looking at the sky.

Alpha floated there, destructive crimson lightning crackling around her. As cultivators flew through the spatial rift, she swept out her hand, sending the crimson lightning to wipe them out the moment they emerged.

Fortunately, it seemed that mysterious presence was taking care of the mortal side. Reality had shifted slightly out of phase, preventing innocents from being harmed.

So John didn't have anything to worry about.

"Father?"

John looked at her and smiled. "Keep an eye on your mom and sisters, Betty."

"And what exactly do you plan to do?"

"Me?" John looked up at the rift in the sky. Specifically, at the 'being' that seemed to be looking at him from the Three Realms.

"...Oh, nothing much. Just out to kill something that thinks it's an invincible source of omnipotence. Take some names, kick some ass... The usual."

Betty blinked. "Wait. What exactly are you-?"

"Love you Betty. Be back in a few."

"F-Father! One mo-"

John stepped forward back into the void between worlds, dimensions, and existence.

As he did, he felt something- No, someone look at him. A gaze that seemed to distort karma just by looking at him, an anomaly that shouldn't exist even as a transcendent.

But it quickly vanished, as if amused. No, it seemed to be approving of him...?

But John didn't have time to dwell on that.

Before he realized it, he was there. The Three Realms, a vast starry expanse in a space 'below' Earth.

Staring at the glowing cosmos, John paused when he saw what was unfolding. And then his eyes narrowed. "These bastards- No, these idiots really got too arrogant, didn't they?" He clicked his tongue and then opened his Heavenly Realm and grabbed a certain book. A compendium of the beings that lay in wait within his Heavenly Realm for his word.

-----AI|IA-----

Outside the Celestial Jade Palace, in the depths of night.

The Celestial Jade Emperor spat on the ground, sending flecks of silver blood to land. Wiping his mouth, he looked to his opponent.

A human sized monkey with golden fur leaned on a crimson staff. The Monkey King, Sun Wukong. Looking at the Celestial Jade Emperor, he laughed and said, "Give it up, old man. You've already lost the Mandate of Heaven and that guy left the place behind. Just give us the jade talisman so that we can break his connection and release the Realm Source."

The Celestial Jade Emperor slowly raised his body and looked around.

It was a complete betrayal. Demons, buddhas, righteous cultivators, gods, immortals... even his Celestial Jade Army had turned against him.

There were only three people standing by his side, and they weren't in much better shape.

"You foul monkey!" Wang Zhaojun, a dazzling beauty that carried a seven string instrument. Plucking the strings, power swelled up around them four, strengthening them. At the same time, discordant melodies suppressed the enemies. "After Senior brother's goodwill, you still seek to go against him?!"

Beside her, a fox-eared beauty raised her body, nine white tails flowing behind her like flames. Su Daji, the ruler of the Demon Realm. "Betraying my older brother's trust like this...! No, all of you!" She glared at the demons rallying behind the army. "Have you forgotten all that he has done for us?!"

A divine beauty with a crimson silk gown and golden threads let out a sigh before saying, "Give it up, you two. The Heavens have forsaken us and it wants to sever its connection to the Timeless Savant." She narrowed her eyes and made an incantation, splitting into six women. "All that's left to do is fight." She glanced back at the Jade Emperor and said, "Do you need time, Great Emperor?"

"No. Thank you Xuannu." He shook his head and then let out a sigh. As he did, he recalled the jade talisman that Sun Wukong was talking about.

A wish that his daughter wrote down and he never realized. The desires that she kept buried deep within after he divined the future and changed it so that she wouldn't suffer heartache... only for her to suffer more due to his actions.

"Someone who loved her for who she is and not what she could be..." The Celestial Jade Emperor let out a weary sigh. "So this is why she chose him."

He realized it now. The depth of love between the two.

Wasn't it clear?

There were three heaven-defying beauties standing in front of the Jade Emperor. Ones outstanding enough to influence the entire Three Realms.

That man had been inspiring enough to pull them to his side so that they would risk their lives to fight.

But they weren't fighting to protect John. They weren't fighting to protect the Jade Emperor. Instead...

A divine transmission. Jiutian Xuannü. The goddess in front of him.

*We won't allow them to pass, Emperor. Even if we have to lay down our lives, we'll stop them here. So run. Leave this place behind and protect that girl's wish.*

Another transmission. Zhaojun.

*Yes! You have to live! Senior Sister Yue won't be happy if you die!*

And yet another. Daji.

*Jade Emperor! Retreat! Older brother wouldn't want you to die here for this! Older sister wouldn't either!*

Pleas for him to retreat. To live on so that Yue would be happy.

Instead of being jealous, they were supporting her. The affection they had for that man was steep. And even so, they chose to let him go... They respected his decision to choose Yue over them.

The Celestial Jade Emperor shook his head. "It is fine." He roused his fighting spirit, causing a benevolent aura to spread out, as well as a domineering aura that seemed to embody the heavens.

But it was suppressed. Despite being the Celestial Jade Emperor, now that Heaven's Mandate had forsaken him, his powers had weakened.

Sun Wukong laughed and then spun his staff around. "Well, I always wanted to fight you for real, old man." A malevolent gleam flashed in his eyes. "Let's see how strong you really are!"

"Jade Emperor!" Xuannu's clones charged forward. "Run!"

Zhaojun strummed her instrument, playing fast enough for her fingers to bleed. No, she purposefully made them bleed to enhance the melodies and then she started to sing. An enchanting song that stopped a few of the encroaching army.

But it wasn't enough.

The entire Three Realms had rallied against them.

"Arrogant fools...!" Daji roared and then swept her hands out, causing a sun to descend on the field, turning the weaker enemies into ash.

But it still wasn't enough.

Right.

Because this was no longer a tribulation. This was not a war. This was not a battle.

This was Heaven's Mandate.

And it had decreed: On that day, on that time, all traces of John Smith would be erased from the Three Realms.

The Celestial Jade Emperor realized that. So he made a decision.

If they obtained the jade talisman and destroyed it, his daughter's wish would be shattered. Time would revert due to John's connection to the Three Realms being severed, as well as the 'source' of his powers. But it would also turn his daughter back.

The 'perfect' maiden who lived life so coldly. The one who the heavens already refused to allow to transcend, determined to destroy such a talent before her first major tribulation. Who was destined to perish and was only saved when the Celestial Jade Emperor divined the future and Yue's mother gave her life to avert that fate.

"...No. Even if I fall here today..."

He sent the jade talisman away. Using his remaining authority, he transported it back to his daughter's side.

The monkey king noticed and then scowled. "Where did you send it, old man?!"

The Celestial Jade Emperor reached out and drew forth a glittering jade sword. "You will never know, Keeper of the Heavenly Horses."

"That name...!" Blue light flickered around the monkey king and he roared, charging forward.

The Celestial Jade Emperor prepared to fight, but then...

"Hm?"

Music. A vibrant and lively tune paired with a female voice singing. But it was artificial. Not played by an instrument, but as if replicated in some way. Reproduced.

[Play Take Over - Persona 5 Royal]

And at the same time, the sky ripped apart.

Daji looked up, the fox-eared beauty staring with wide eyes. Her hair, a flowing white from her powers, shifted and then she let out a bright smile. "Older brother!"

Xuannu's clones looked up and chuckled. "This fool, always arriving at the last minute..."

Zhaojun stopped playing and then laughed. "Senior Brother! It's about time!"

John looked down from the skies, a gaping black hole swirling behind him, as if threatening to devour everything in existence.

A golden aura and piercing jade eyes. Looking at the endless tide of cultivators surrounding the beauties and the Celestial Jade Emperor, his eyes narrowed and he let out a cold smirk, pointing a tiny blue key at the crowd. "It's showtime."

The key shattered, turning into an array of floating cards and azure lights. The cards gathered and then formed a golden door behind John before opening, revealing countless figures.

One, a towering being of light with six feathered wings. Around him, a legion of other winged figures floated, each radiating divine light.

Another, standing at the head of a horde of demonic and skeletal creatures. A seemingly normal young man but with crimson eyes and strange markings on his bare torso.

But that wasn't all.

Indescribable beings beyond human comprehension. One, a creature that seemed as if a hybrid between a dragon, squid, and human. Another, a sort mist that refused to be named. And accompanying it, a true darkness that lacked a name.

A terrifying army. One led by a single man radiating golden light, as if the dawn itself, with harsh jade eyes.

The Celestial Jade Emperor looked upon the gathered forces and then laughed. "I see... I see! So this, too, is fate... Truly, man proposes and heaven disposes... No. In this instance, could it be that Heaven proposes and man disposes?"

An ordinary young man from a foreign realm that ran without stopping. One who snatched away the heart of the Celestial Jade Princess. One who bound the Realm Source and broke beyond the limits of existence.

"John Smith... I suppose you are worthy of being named my son-in-law after all."

-----AI|IA-----

"What are you waiting for!?" The monkey king pointed at John with his staff and said, "So what if he became a transcendent? He wasn't strong enough to destroy and fully bind the Realm Source!" He leapt up into the air, charging towards John. At the same time, golden light flashed, turning into an army of monkey kings. "We can win!"

Space shattered as the monkey king kicked off, closing the gap to John. He smirked and swung his staff at John's head.

A loud crack.

But it wasn't John's head.

Instead, the monkey king's staff had shattered.

"H-Huh? That's imp-"

John reached out and grabbed the monkey king... No, Sun Wukong's neck. "The Great Sage and Heaven's Equal, was it? For someone with that person's name, you really aren't that smart."

"You...!"

"Come, Son Goku."

[Play Dragon Ball Super - The Final Death Match]

The monkey king's eyes widened and then he laughed. "Are you delusional? I would never- Hm?"

A man with rippling muscles and spiky hair with glowing white light. A stern expression and calm aura.

John tossed the monkey king aside and then looked up at the sky. "Deal with this guy. I'm taking care of that."

The monkey king spun around in the air and then scowled. "Treating me this lightly?! I'll- Kuh!"

A blur. Son Goku appeared in front of the monkey king in an instant and then smashed his fist into the monkey king's stomach. After that, a barrage of blows rained down at the monkey king, sending him flying back through the air.

John looked down at the crowd.

A stand-still.

After the monkey king was taken out, the other forces had come to a halt.

John swept out his hand and said, "Helel. Demi-fiend. Leave no survivors."

The six-winged angel hummed. "Interesting. To utilize power that goes against even Heaven... Very well. The Morning Star Helel supports you." After that, he moved forward, leading the angels.

The Demi-Fiend nodded and then stepped forward, leading the demons behind him. "Death's vastness shall hold no peace for them."

John glanced at the Realm Source.

It was silent.

"...You don't want to reveal yourself yet, huh? Fine. I need to let off some steam anyway."

He shifted his gaze towards the crowd of cultivators and then walked forward, descending from the heavens. As he did, he muttered, "This music is too light-hearted." Saying that, he snapped his fingers, causing the song to change.

[Play Battle Hymn of the Soul]

A serious guitar solo, accompanied by slow percussion. As if the slow approach of an ominous being, it slowly began to accelerate.

John nodded. "That's more like it. Now..." He held out his right hand, showing a hovering blue card with a blank face. "The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed. The moment you devoured the fruit of immortality, you sealed your fate. Entrusting your future to the cards, you clung to a dim hope. But beyond the beaten path lies the absolute end." The card spun, revealing a skull in front of a golden door and beneath a black sun. When it revealed its face, John closed his hand, crushing the card. "It matters not who you are. Death awaits."

Oozing darkness, dripping from John's hands. At the same time, a glimmer of a crimson eye within a pure white moon looking down on the world.

John opened his hand and then said three words. "Die for me."

A declaration. Immediately, the darkness spread, blanketing the cultivators. But before it connected, a buddha emerged to intercept it. Muttering incantations and shifting beads in his left hand. "May all be absolved from suffering, may all be free from sorrow."

With those words, John's attack was stopped.

He narrowed his eyes and said, "Eternal Emperor Abstinence. So you stand in my way as well?"

The buddha smiled with half-lidded eyes. "It is regrettable. But the Heavens have decreed such."

"Hmph. In that case, looks like I have to do things the old fashioned way. Fine by me." John snapped his fingers, causing golden portals to ripple behind him.

At that, Eternal Emperor Abstinence opened his eyes. "Those weapons...? Universe Grade Armaments? No... beyond even that?" His eyes were wide in shock and he looked at John. "W-When did you acquire such treasures?!"

"Always had them. Now..." He reached behind him and pulled out a drill shaped sword. "...You might have become enlightened in the ways of Heaven and Earth... But can you withstand the primordial star they were birthed from?"

Eternal Emperor Abstinence paled and quickly started chanting again.

John narrowed his eyes. "Die and be silent."

A scouring torrent that carried both destruction and creation swept out.

The buddha put up a barrier to try and stop it... But it was pointless.

Existence tore, for a moment showing a scene of a primordial flux with nothing but heat and energy. And then it vanished, along with a swathe of the cultivators and Eternal Emperor Abstinence.

Even so, that show of force wasn't enough for the cultivators.

"Such an attack must have drained him!" A random swordsman.

"You will fall!" A man with a righteous aura.

John sighed. "It seems you all won't understand unless you see it, huh?" He held up his right hand, causing the black hole to swirl above him.

Countless attacks flew towards John. Flames, lightning, sword slashes, temporal and spatial distortions...

"...Now, I shall give the Three Realms despair."

An overwhelming gravitational force. No, it wasn't gravity. It was a force much greater than that. A fundamental rule of existence that gathered everything to a single point, the singularity that existed at the beginning and would return at the end. Everything and nothing, all at once.

John lowered his hand, causing the singularity to descend. At once, the attacks shattered beneath it, drawn in and adding to the force of John's attack.

But before it could wipe out the cultivators-

*Impudent.*

-A harsh mechanical voice sounded and the surroundings changed.

John finished lowering his hand and then turned to look at the speaker. "So you finally show your face, huh?"

A formless core of light.

They were suspended in a void. Just John and the light.

[Play Our Beginning - Persona 5]

He narrowed his eyes and said, "You really should have just shut up and stayed silent."

*Fool. The heavens yield to no man. What gave you the strength to transcend? What granted you the cultivation you possess now?*

"My will. And my path." John stepped forward, approaching the light. "Definitely not you." At the same time, his power swelled out, the black hole emerging behind him to devour the light.

*You dare to defy the heavens completely? No, to attempt to subjugate it?*

"An existence like yourself that seeks only control. One that denies the will of beings to go beyond the mortal coil... One that kills all who dare to challenge your might and led to this mindless slaughter." John narrowed his eyes. "And one who dared to declare the death of my kind and hard-working wife." He raised his left hand, a gun slowly forming. "There's no need for you."

*Fool. This is why your 'Earth' remains so weak! With no guiding hand, mortals will continue to remain ignorant and feeble!*

A wave of domineering might. The weight of the Heavens themselves.

It was blocked- No, seized. Drawn in by John's black hole.

The formless core of light fluctuated, as if shuddering in shock. *Impossible!*

"If the Heavens refuse to play by their own rules... Then mortals have no need of them."

*Preposterous! You dare go against existence itself?!*

John narrowed his eyes. "Begone."

A gunshot. And then the sound of shattering glass.

The core of light cracked, slowly fading away. At the same time, a voice echoed out. No longer high and mighty, but like an old man's.

"What power... To surpass my own, a being born from the will of existence itself... So this is a true transcendent..."

John didn't respond. Instead, he kept his eyes narrowed, focused. Just in case there was a second form, like most boss fights.

Fortunately...

"Damn that nameless one... It seems he wasn't spouting nonsense..."

Like that, the Heaven's Mandate, the will of the Three Realms itself... it perished.

But because of that, the Three Realms would as well. Without a being sustaining its laws and authority, it would quickly collapse.

At least, that's what would ordinarily happen. But...

"Trying a kamikaze at the end, huh?" John smirked. "Unfortunately for you... that won't work on me."

Accumulation. The path that John walked that allowed him to acquire all in existence. To obtain everything regardless of qualification. A path that accepted any and everything that John desired.

And now...

"You're mine."

-----AI|IA-----

Back in the Three Realms proper.

A furious and bloody battle waged on. But just as it reached the peak...

"Hm?"

The Celestial Jade Emperor noticed it first. "The Heavens...?"

Sun Wukong noticed it next. "Dammit! So that guy really was just holding bac- Guhaw?!"

Son Goku appeared in front of the monkey king and smashed him back into the ground.

And then a voice spread out. One with the weight of the Heavens themselves.

*The path to transcend is sealed. Those who dare to attempt supplanting my control will be destroyed. If you seek more than immortality, venture out to the void and look for your own fortune. These realms... are mine. And as for those who rebelled against me...*

Screams of shock. Cultivators- No, not just them. Even Eternal Emperors and primordial demons were stripped of their powers, swiftly ground away into dust as time resumed its natural course and their souls were sent into the stream of reincarnation.

*Think harder in your next life.*

People gritting their teeth in reluctant acquiescence.

Others kneeling to the ground and accepting their fate.

Watching it all, the Celestial Jade Emperor shook his head.

And as he did, he heard a message.

*I'll give the mandate back to you for a bit to settle things here, Pops. When things calm down though, come visit, okay? I think you're in for a pleasant surprise.*

Like that, John's presence vanished and the spatial rift sealed.

The Celestial Jade Emperor laughed. "Pops, was it? As disrespectful as ever. Then again, for one to turn their nose at the Heavens themselves, I suppose that is to be expected."

After that, he narrowed his eyes, feeling the familiar Will of the Heavens within his grasp.

And then he looked to the monkey king. "Sun Wukong. You mentioned wanting to fight me personally, correct?"

Son Goku stepped back, bowing his head to the Celestial Jade Emperor.

The Emperor bowed his head back to Son Goku and then looked to the monkey king, walking forward. "Very well. Let us fight."

-----AI|IA-----

John watched everything unfolding in the Three Realms and then nodded, seeing that it was taken care of.

Well, not completely. He still needed to thank those three for standing beside his father-in-law and supporting John's decision to go with Yue instead of them.

But that was a later issue.

For now...

John turned back to peer through the void. There, a faint blue star shimmered, lit up for his return by that plane of existence's overseer.

He looked at the being and then nodded.

The nameless being nodded back and then ushered John forward.

As he returned back to Earth, John muttered, "Thanks. Won't happen again."

The voice muttered back. "Just take care of your family. No matter what, they should come first."

John smiled.

The presence vanished.

And then John reappeared in the room at the top of the hotel in Walt World. And from the clock on the wall, it seemed to be 6 AM. Time pulled forward by a few hours.

Everything was back to normal. The damage from Yue's tribulation and the interference by the Realm Source had been fixed.

But that didn't mean that it was erased.

Kai stared at John, frowning. "So... Friend. Care to explain?"

John started to nod, but then he frowned back and narrowed his eyes. "Yes. Friend... Would you also care to explain why you were with my wife and daughter this entire time and didn't give me a phone call?"

Kai coughed.