The New World, a swirling blue and green sphere, shimmered as I exerted my will upon it. With a negligent wave of my hand, I ripped it from its original location in the solar system of that portion of the universe in a multiverse that sometimes really pissed me off, depositing it neatly within the ever-expanding cluster of worlds that constituted our empire. It settled into its new not-orbit, nestled comfortably beside our handful of other conquered realms, each one a marvel of enhancement made by all the good shit a utopia could need. No suffering Pit-Child necessary! Underlying evil not included!
---
Somewhere at an incomprehensible point in a dimensional substrate that made sense only to those who could shit on the fourth wall, a certain narrator spat out an expensive (to the point of irrational imaginary numbers) drink and stared incredulously in a nonexistent direction. He took off his tophat in shock and threw his monocle in a direction so fast that a solar system accidentally exploded twelve dimensions away simply due to the extra-luminal reality-breaker object passing nearby. "... You have an intelligence divinity! How can you actually believe that?! You goddamn oblivious mo-"
---
I dispatched the robots, legions of gleaming metal and whirring gears, to begin the process of integration and, let's be honest, subjugation. One of my hive clones wandered off, its mind already buzzing with plans for infrastructure improvements, educational reforms, and the implementation of a comprehensive social credit system. Another clone, the one with a particular fondness for engineering, disappeared into a newly constructed workshop, its thoughts consumed by designs for even more efficient, even more terrifying Divine Enforcement Bots.
Asuna's clones, their tasks equally divided between administration, crafting, detailed management of things I can't comprehend simply because I don't want to, and the occasional bout of divinely-enhanced baking. They dispersed throughout the newly acquired world, the older parts of the empire, and this planetary divine seat.
The Asuna whom had the most attention on it, making it the prime Asuna currently, the one whose hand I held, let out a weary sigh.
We were back in the palace, our true forms lounging on a ridiculously comfortable couch that could probably survive a small planet exploding. But despite the luxurious surroundings and the sense of accomplishment that came with conquering yet another world, a strange emptiness gnawed at me.
My body ached, my mind felt sluggish, and a deep, primal urge to punch something, anything, pulsed within me. It was a physical manifestation of the pent-up frustration, the lingering anger, the sheer rage of finding an adversary that pretended to be a peer by accident, destroyed a country by inaction, and then proceeded to give the fuck up.
"Yui," I said, my voice flat, devoid of its usual amusement, "take me to a world with a good fight. One I have a high chance of losing at."
Yui, who was hovering nearby, her form flickering with a faint, ethereal glow, looked at me with wide, horrified eyes. "Reckless father says what?!" she shrieked, her voice laced with panic. "How about you explain before I have some of MY robots put you on suicide watch! You can't be serious, Father!"
"No! No! I just want to send in one of my hive clones!" I exclaimed, my voice rising in exasperation as my eyes widened in panic. "I want to punch something, but I'm not goddamn suicidal!"
Yui blinked, her expression shifting from panic to confusion. A long, awkward silence stretched between us, punctuated only by the soft hum of the palace's energy systems.
"Oh." she finally said, her voice small and sheepish.
With a wave of her hand, she cloaked the empire, our cluster of worlds vanishing from view, hidden from the prying eyes of any potential interdimensional threats. Then, with another wave, a new world materialized before us. It was a vibrant blue and green sphere, a planet that, at first glance, looked remarkably similar to Earth. But something about it felt… off. A subtle energy, a hum of power that hinted at something ancient and dangerous, emanated from its core.
"Have fun, Papa," Yui said, her voice regaining its usual cheerful lilt. "Dying is stupid, so just make sure to cut the connection from your hive clone when you're sure you're about to die."
I gave her a thumbs-up, a surge of excitement replacing the previous boredom. Beside me, Asuna, her eyes gleaming with a predatory light, nodded in agreement. Another hive clone split off from each of us, their forms shimmering as they took on a life of their own. And then, with a shared grin and a reckless abandon that belied our godhood, we plunged into the atmosphere of a world like earth.
One teeming with god slayers and heretic gods.
---
A psychic scream, a wave of raw terror and existential dread, ripped through the collective consciousness of the Campione. Seven individuals, scattered across the globe, each bearing the mantle of god-slaying power, shuddered as the chilling cry echoed in their minds.
Kusanagi Godou
Godou, a nineteen-year-old burdened with the mantle of Campione, flinched, his hand instinctively tightening around the hilt of his wooden sword. The scream, a raw, primal fear, sent a shiver down his spine. Information, fragmented and chaotic, flooded his mind. An existential threat, a convergence of unimaginable power, a desperate plea for aid. His heart pounded in his chest, a primal instinct urging him towards the source of the disturbance. The King of Chaos Moved towards LA while trying to leave his overpowered harem out of the situation. Of course they found out and followed him anyway.
Salvatore Doni
Salvatore Doni lounged on a pristine beach in the Florida Keys, a smug grin playing on his lips. He was deliberately trespassing on another Campione's territory, a playful jab at the superhero wannabe who called this entire country his own. Relaxation, however, was abruptly shattered by the psychic scream. His grin vanished, replaced by a frown of annoyance.
Even for him, a Campione who reveled in chaos and conflict, this was… unsettling. Pandora, her voice choked with panic, echoed in his mind, begging for assistance, for a gathering of all Campione to face a threat she couldn't even fully comprehend. He sighed, his eyes narrowing. Duty called, and even a lazy Devil King couldn't ignore a summons of this magnitude.
Luo Hao
Luo Hao, the Campione of china, a woman whose youthful appearance belied two centuries of experience, was on a shopping trip. She paused, a silk scarf held aloft in her hand, her cheerfully haughty expression momentarily replaced by a blank stare. The scream, a jarring dissonance in her ancient mind, echoed with a desperate urgency. Pandora, her voice trembling, pleaded for aid against an unknown, powerful force. Luo Hao scowled, her annoyance quickly turning to a cold fury. She had an unknown pair of gods, beings who somehow defied categorization, to deal with. And she wouldn't tolerate any interruptions to her shopping spree.
Aisha
Madame Aisha, her usual playful demeanor replaced by a petulant pout, strode down a bustling city street. Voban, her beloved friend, wasn't answering her calls, and boredom gnawed at her. Perhaps she should pay him a visit, just to liven things up a bit- or maybe Godou. Then, the scream. Pandora's panicked plea for help, a call to arms against a terrifying, unknown enemy. Aisha's pout vanished, replaced by a wide, cheerful smile yet again. A to fight alongside her fellow Campione, to vanquish evil! Splendid!
Voban
Voban, the Balkan's King, stared at the cell phone in his hand, his brow furrowed in concentration. He poked at the screen, his fingers tracing the smooth surface. He knew he was supposed to "swipe left" to answer a call, but… swipe what? The phone remained stubbornly silent. Then, the scream. It ripped through his mind, a wave of raw panic that sent him stumbling back, his hand instinctively reaching for his Singing spellbook and teleported to Los Angeles. He understood now. There would be no need for phone calls. He would be meeting Aisha in person. And something told him it wouldn't be a pleasant reunion.
John Pluto Smith (Annie Charlton)
Annie Charlton, her John Pluto Smith persona firmly in place, scowled beneath her mask. Los Angeles. Of course, they had to meet in Los Angeles. The entire city would be leveled! The thought of her carefully crafted image, her reputation as a flamboyant hero, being shattered by a battle of this magnitude filled her with a frustrated rage. "FUUUUUU—" she roared, her voice muffled by her mask.
Ren Rokuhara
Ren Rokuhara, the other Japanese Campione, sat in a bustling diner, a half-eaten burger and a lukewarm soda before him. He'd been looking forward to a rare day off, a chance to relax and enjoy the simple pleasures of a normal life. The psychic scream, however, shattered his peaceful interlude. He sighed, his shoulders slumping. He'd known it was too good to last. "There goes my free day," he muttered, his gaze fixed on the swirling patterns in his soda. Duty called.