"This is the Stellaron? Honestly, it's pretty ordinary," Rozen said with a smirk, eyeing the glowing golden orb in his hand. It radiated a powerful energy, pulsing faintly into the surrounding air.
But to a sharp observer, the Stellaron's power was waning. Its brilliance faded with each passing moment, until it dulled into a plain golden sphere—stripped of its mystic core, no longer a force capable of ravaging worlds or planets.
So, what had happened? How did the Stellaron end up in Rozen's grasp?
Let's go back to a time after Rozen's conversation with Cocolia. Eager to neutralize the Stellaron, he teleported straight to its hiding place.
Denying the Stellaron any chance to counter, Rozen swiftly sealed the surrounding space with the Herrscher of the Void's power, conjuring a shimmering void barrier. Simultaneously, he unleashed the Herrscher of Binding's energy-sapping might, forming a radiant field that drained the Stellaron's strength completely.
Of course, the Stellaron didn't go quietly. It fought back, summoning a swarm of ferocious Fragmentum Monsters—beasts so powerful that, if unleashed, they could reduce Belobog to ruins in moments.
But who stood against them? Rozen Itsuki, a traverser armed with the ultimate cheat: 'Omega,' an upgraded, perfected version of Medaka Kurokami's 'The End,' the signature power of anime's most iconic Mary Sue.
Before the monsters could even lunge, Rozen tapped into another copied ability—'Hakai,' the annihilation power of Dragon Ball's God of Destruction. In a flash, the creatures dissolved into shimmering violet particles, erased from existence.
The Stellaron, witnessing this terrifying display, spiraled into panic. It tried to sway Rozen with whispered promises and threats, but he brushed them off, unfazed. Growing frantic, it resorted to pleading for mercy.
Rozen ignored its cries. In the end, the Stellaron was reduced to a mere golden orb—so unremarkable that anyone familiar with its horrors would mistake it for a decorative bauble in Rozen's hand.
"It's done," Rozen muttered, gazing at the dimmed Stellaron in his hand. "But even though it's weakened, I can feel it could recover with time or a massive infusion of Imaginary energy. This thing's more special than I thought."
There's something I could use here,
He considered.
Better store it than destroy it—the danger's gone for now.
With that, Rozen slipped the Stellaron into his subspace inventory. His task finished, he teleported back to Cocolia—only to be greeted by a bizarre sight.
"Hahaha! Belobog is saved!" Cocolia's laughter echoed through the office, loud and unrestrained. "The dreams of past Great Guardians—finally realized! Hahaha!" She roared with glee, oblivious to Rozen's sudden presence.
Rozen stood silent, giving her a blank, deadpan stare.
"Hahaha! Hahaha!" Cocolia's cackling continued unabated. Growing impatient, Rozen let out a sharp, deliberate cough.
"Cough! Cough!"
Cocolia froze, her laughter dying instantly. She turned her head slowly, stiff with dread, and met Rozen's amused smirk. Her face flared bright red, and in a flash, she crouched down, burying her face in her hands.
Nooo! He saw me!
She groaned inwardly.
My humiliating outburst—witnessed! What now… my dignity as Great Guardian is shattered… I'm so sorry, Bronya, sorry, Belobog—your leader's a total disgrace…
Tears streamed down Cocolia's cheeks as she stood, steeling herself for the loss of her dignity and the mockery she expected from Rozen. But Rozen, unfazed by her inner turmoil, went straight to his purpose.
"I've resolved the Stellaron," he said calmly, leaning against the wall with a steady gaze fixed on Cocolia. "Now, surrender Belobog's authority to me."
Cocolia's eyes widened, disbelief washing over her. "What?! You've already dealt with it? That fast?" Barely ten minutes had passed since their last conversation.
Rozen gave a faint smile. "See for yourself—this is the Stellaron, isn't it?" He produced the now-dull golden orb from his hand, holding it out toward her. Cocolia flinched, her face etched with fear.
She swallowed hard, her heart racing. Only now did she grasp the terrifying scope of Rozen's power—a force so overwhelming it could drive any enemy to despair without resistance. Imagining him as Belobog's foe sent a shiver through her.
By Qlipoth! Thank the heavens his intentions seem kind toward Belobog… though I can't be certain they're true or not.
Clinging to that fragile hope, Cocolia prayed her choice wouldn't doom Belobog. If she misjudged, she'd be the greatest sinner in its history.
With a deep breath, she knelt, her voice resolute yet laden with reverence. "I, Cocolia Rand, eighteenth Great Guardian of Belobog, hereby surrender all authority to you and proclaim you the true Supreme Ruler of our city. Your Majesty, I entrust Belobog wholly to you. I believe you will honor your promise."
Rozen nodded, satisfied, and strode to the desk once used by Great Guardians. He sat, his presence filling the room. "Of course," he declared, his voice ringing with conviction.
"I won't break my word. Gather all of Belobog—Overworld and Underworld—to the central plaza. I will address the people, announce my rule, and share my promises for their future."
"Your will be done, Your Majesty!" Cocolia replied, her voice blazing with newfound zeal. She hurried out, her steps swift and determined. The two guards outside exchanged confused glances but followed without question.
Alone, Rozen sat in silence, reflecting on the whirlwind of the past day. Once an ordinary human and traverser, he now stood as the sole ruler—a supreme emperor of Belobog, the only civilization enduring on this frozen, unforgiving planet.
Fate had sprung an unimaginable surprise upon him. For nearly fifteen years, he'd lived without a spark of extraordinary power, resigned to a mundane existence. Yet here he was now—not just an emperor, but arguably the mightiest being in the universe.
Whatever emotions swirled within him, one truth shone clear: he was deeply grateful for this turn of events. He'd broken free from an ordinary life, stepping into the extraordinary destiny he'd always dreamed of.
With that thought, he rose, resolve hardening. "There's no time to waste," he declared. "Everyone's moving fast, and I need to stay ahead." Fueled by determination, he teleported back to his lab to calibrate the evolution serum, ensuring it would transform every citizen of Belobog without flaw or failure.
There is also the fact that the serum must not affect living beings other than humans, such as plants and animals. Why is that? Well, with the sheer number of Belobog residents, it would simply be impossible to inject each one individually. The solution? Transform the serum into a gas that the residents can inhale, allowing them to evolve afterward.
After some time, they completed the calibration process. Once they confirmed there were no errors or flaws, Rozen and his clone let out a sigh of relief. Their day's work had finally ended in success.
At that moment, a clone from the Engineer group approached him. "Original! We engineers are done too! Now it's up to you to test the technology yourself," the clone announced. Rozen nodded. He didn't need the clone to tell him—he already knew, thanks to their shared mind.
So, all that's left is for me to give a public speech as the new ruler and emperor of Belobog? Hmm… This makes me kinda nervous but also excited! Let me think about what I should say…
While Rozen was busy perfecting his speech, chaos erupted across Belobog! From the Overworld to the Underworld, a commotion swept through, catching every resident off guard.
The cause? A sudden order from Great Guardian Cocolia, demanding that all residents gather in the plaza. She was set to announce something important there.
Naturally, this abrupt command stirred unrest among nearly all of Belobog's people. Workers, busy with their tasks, were especially frustrated. Yet, the heavy consequences of disobeying left them no choice—they complied, though doubts lingered in their minds.
And let's not forget the Underworld, where the unrest was even more intense than in the Overworld. Years ago, Cocolia's decision to seal off and isolate the Underworld had sparked deep conflict between its residents, the Great Guardian, and the Overworld population.
They wanted to resist, to defy her order, but the Silvermane soldiers soon appeared, issuing threats that left them no option but to obey, helpless in the face of force.
Of course, not all Underworld residents were present, because at the same time, a group was secretly gathering elsewhere.
This group was none other than Wildfire! A peacekeeping organization or faction that took over the role of the Silvermane Guardians in the Underworld after Cocolia's lockdown order was issued.
Its members were now assembling to discuss what actions they should take in response to Cocolia's sudden order to gather, which had just been announced.
Among them were familiar figures that Rozen might recognize: Seele, Luka, Oleg, and even Rozen's adoptive older sister, Natasha!
"That bitch of a Guardian! How dare she suddenly order us around after abandoning us so heartlessly, leaving us to rot in this hellhole called the Underworld?!" cursed Seele, her face burning with rage.
"Yes! Yes! She abandoned us here! How dare she have the audacity and the right to command us after what she's done?!" shouted another in agreement with Seele's words. Soon, many others joined in, their voices rising in unison.
"Natasha!" Seele's voice cut through the air, fierce with unyielding resolve. "We have no choice left—we must fight and rebel! The Underworld has suffered too long to share peace with the Overworld or that wretched Great Guardian. Now they dare summon us, demanding obedience as if our pain means nothing? We'll show them we're neither their subjects nor their slaves!" She stood defiant, her eyes ablaze with righteous fury, as she and the others looked to Natasha—Wildfire's founder and guiding leader—for her command.
If Natasha gave the order to resist and rebel, they would, without hesitation, launch an all-out attack against the Silvermane forces with every ounce of strength they had.
But their hopes were dashed when Natasha finally spoke, her voice firm. "No! We cannot fight them!"
Her words were immediately met with a fierce retort from someone in the crowd. "But why, leader?!" the voice shouted, thick with emotion. "After everything they've done to us, are we just supposed to sit here and do nothing?!" The others turned their gazes toward Natasha, their faces a mix of curiosity and doubt.
With a tired, helpless look, Natasha rubbed her forehead with one hand and let out a weary sigh. "Because we can't defeat them," she replied, her voice laced with exhaustion. "Our numbers and strength are far outmatched by the Silvermane Guards. And more than that, I'd rather choose peace over violence. I don't want the divide between the Underworld and Overworld to turn into an unsolvable rift—or a blood feud."
Her explanation made sense, and many in the crowd nodded, reluctantly understanding her point. But not everyone agreed. "How could you say that, leader?!" one man yelled, his voice trembling with anger. "Are we supposed to just forgive and forget everything they've done to us, all because they're stronger?! I won't accept that!"
"We won't stand for it!" another voice roared from the crowd. "We're suffering down here while they bask in comfort, feasting on fine food up on the surface! Our loved ones died because of their actions!" The shouts swelled, raw anger fueling the mob's fervor. Natasha, as their leader, felt the crushing weight of their rage bearing down on her, her temples pulsing with stress.
If only Rozen were here...
She thought.
With him, maybe this situation could be handled more easily…
Natasha's mind drifted to Rozen, Wildfire's vice-leader. He was usually the one who stepped in to manage chaos and keep the organization steady.
Rozen… Where are you now? Your big sister really needs your help right now…
But her silent wish went unanswered. Rozen was busy elsewhere, perfecting his public speech. Meanwhile, the crowd's rage intensified, reaching a boiling point where they seemed ready to march out and launch an attack.
Fortunately, someone stepped in before the situation spiraled out of control. "Enough! The leader must know the real reasons she's against rebelling and fighting, beyond just being outnumbered and outmatched, right, leader?" Oleg said, casting a glance at Natasha, who nodded in response.
The crowd finally settled down, waiting for Natasha to elaborate. "The real reason I don't want us to fight them is that I remember how emergency orders like this from the Great Guardian are incredibly rare. In fact, I recall that such an order has only been issued once before—by the first Great Guardian, when she declared the construction of Belobog as humanity's final city and stronghold," Natasha explained, drawing on what she had learned while studying in the Overworld.
She went on, "So, I suggest we comply with the order and see what Great Guardian Cocolia plans to announce! There's a very good chance this is tied to the future of Belobog!"
Everyone fell silent, suddenly realizing something obvious they had overlooked and ignored in their blinding rage.
Eventually, the crowd calmed down. After pondering for a moment, with heavy heart they reluctantly decided to agree and follow Natasha's suggestion.
They were deeply curious and eager to know what Cocolia was about to announce—something so significant that even the neglected Underworld residents felt obliged to obey her command.
(A/N: I can't update every day since I went back to college now, but I promise to update at least 2-3 chapters every week)