Ch(23):-The Shattered multiverse

The void had settled, but its remnants lingered like scars in the fabric of existence. Ryuusuke stood at the edge of what was once the Nexus, his body radiating with a faint glow of residual power. Kaito knelt a few feet behind him, his blade embedded in the fractured ground. The silence was suffocating, but the tension between them was palpable.

"Is it done?" Kaito finally asked, his voice hoarse. "Is the Sovereign… gone?"

Ryuusuke didn't respond immediately. He stared into the endless void, his expression unreadable. The Sovereign's essence had been contained, but its whispers echoed faintly in the back of his mind—a reminder that the void could never truly be destroyed. He clenched his fist, and a ripple of energy spread outward, stabilizing the crumbling remnants of the multiverse.

"For now," he said at last, his tone heavy. "But it's not over. The void left its mark on reality, and the damage can't be undone so easily."

Kaito rose to his feet, his grip tightening on his blade. "Then what's the next step? You said you'd reshape existence, but I didn't think it'd cost this much."

Ryuusuke turned to face him, his eyes burning with an intensity that made Kaito take an involuntary step back. "The multiverse isn't stable. The collapse of the Nexus and the Sovereign's emergence have thrown everything into chaos. Worlds are colliding, timelines are unraveling, and factions across the realms are already taking advantage of the chaos."

Kaito frowned. "Factions? You're saying others saw what just happened and are moving in?"

Ryuusuke nodded. "The Nexus wasn't just a hub—it was a barrier, keeping certain entities and forces contained. Now that it's gone, the multiverse is open. And there are those who will see this as an opportunity to seize power."

Kaito's grip tightened. "So we've traded one problem for a thousand more."

"Exactly," Ryuusuke said, turning back toward the void. "But it's more than that. The Sovereign's essence wasn't destroyed—it's still out there, scattered across the multiverse. If someone finds a fragment and learns to wield its power…"

Kaito didn't need him to finish. The thought alone was horrifying.

The Arrival of the Fractured Realms

As they spoke, the air around them began to ripple. A faint hum echoed through the void, growing louder with each passing second. Ryuusuke's eyes narrowed, and Kaito instinctively drew his blade.

"What now?" Kaito muttered, scanning the horizon.

The hum intensified, and suddenly, the space before them tore open. A rift appeared, spilling light and shadow in equal measure. From the rift emerged a group of figures cloaked in tattered robes, their faces obscured by masks that seemed to shift and ripple like liquid. Each figure exuded an aura of power, but it was fractured and unstable, as if their very existence was tied to the broken state of the multiverse.

"Who are you?" Ryuusuke demanded, his voice cutting through the hum like a blade.

The lead figure stepped forward, their mask shimmering as they spoke. "We are the Fractured—a council of those who have seen the end and survived its madness. The fall of the Nexus has revealed truths hidden for eons, and we come bearing a message."

Ryuusuke raised an eyebrow. "A message? From who?"

The figure tilted their head, their mask reflecting Ryuusuke's glowing eyes. "From the remnants of the Cycle itself. The multiverse is unraveling, Harbinger, and you stand at the center of its collapse. The Sovereign was but the first of many consequences. Now, the Fractured Realms will rise, and with them, the true architects of destruction."

Kaito stepped forward, his blade gleaming. "And what, you're here to warn us? Or to fight us?"

"Neither," the figure replied. "We are here to guide you—if you can survive what comes next."

Ryuusuke's expression hardened. "I don't need guidance. If you're here to interfere, I'll destroy you like I destroyed the Sovereign."

The figure let out a low, echoing laugh. "Destruction is meaningless in the face of what lies ahead. You may wield power beyond comprehension, Harbinger, but even you cannot face the convergence alone."

Ryuusuke's eyes narrowed. "Convergence?"

"The Convergence of Realms," the figure said, their tone grave. "The collapse of the Nexus has triggered a chain reaction. Dimensions are colliding, timelines are merging, and the barriers between worlds are crumbling. The multiverse is being drawn toward a single point—a convergence that will either reshape reality or annihilate it."

Kaito glanced at Ryuusuke. "This just keeps getting better."

Ryuusuke ignored him, focusing on the lead figure. "If what you're saying is true, then why are you here? What do you want from me?"

The figure extended a hand, and in their palm, a shard of pure light appeared, pulsing with an otherworldly energy. "This is a fragment of the Nexus—one of many scattered across the multiverse. It contains the knowledge and power of what was lost. If you seek to stop the Convergence, you must gather these fragments and restore balance to the realms."

Ryuusuke stared at the shard, his mind racing. The power it radiated was immense, but it was also unstable, like a bomb waiting to explode. He reached out, hesitating for a fraction of a second before taking it. As his fingers closed around the shard, a surge of energy coursed through him, and visions of fractured worlds flashed before his eyes.

"What do I do with this?" he asked, his voice steady despite the chaos in his mind.

"Find the other fragments," the figure said. "And be warned—the Sovereign's essence is not the only threat. Others seek the fragments for their own purposes, and they will stop at nothing to claim them."

Before Ryuusuke could respond, the figures began to fade, their forms dissolving into the void. The lead figure's voice echoed one final time.

"Beware the Convergence, Harbinger. It is both your destiny and your greatest challenge."

A New Mission

As the figures vanished, Ryuusuke turned to Kaito, his expression grim. "We need to move."

Kaito sheathed his blade, his jaw tight. "Where to?"

"Everywhere," Ryuusuke replied. "If the fragments are scattered across the multiverse, then we have to find them before anyone else does. The Convergence isn't just a threat—it's an opportunity. If I can control it, I can reshape everything."

"And if you can't?" Kaito asked.

Ryuusuke didn't answer. He didn't need to. The weight of the multiverse's fate hung heavy in the air, and for the first time, Kaito realized just how far they had to go.

Together, they stepped into the void, their next journey just beginning.