Jayr POV - Nasuverse, Void Between Worlds, Ruined Final Arena - 2030 AD
Silence, not the one intended as the absence of sound, but the one that follows the absence of everything.
Most of the battlefield is completely gone; there is no sky, no ground, no horizon, just fragments of a broken arena drifting in a void where a universe used to exist.
I hover above it, taking in the chilling sight of the aftermath of my battle with Kang Yaling before my very eyes while breathing steadily.
At the same time, the Third Door of the State of Self Actualisation suddenly closes as the tragedy of the countless lives that were snuffed out in a single clash makes me snap out of it.
Luckily for the first time since the Holy Grail War began, there's nothing trying to kill me.
The thought barely forms before something else replaces it. A massive surge of power.
This isn't coming from the outside; it is not approaching me from somewhere far away; it is already merging with me.
It doesn't take me long to figure out what is happening, as the Blessing is the first thing that reacts to this and then fiercely and violently expands.
The remnants of Kang Yaling's Blessing are surging toward me, drawn in without resistance and without rejection.
There's no clash or incompatibility between them as they complete and recognise each other as part of the same system.
The moment they merge, everything suddenly changes as an utterly insane amount of information floods in.
They are not memories or thoughts but knowledge, a raw, unfiltered, and unbounded storm of knowledge.
My perception fractures as the volume increases beyond anything I've handled before to the point that even my Absolute Mind and Living Database seem to stall and stutter.
Concepts layer over each other, systems unfolding faster than I can fully process, connections forming and collapsing simultaneously.
For a brief moment, I lose the boundary of where I end and where everything else begins.
Luckily, the abilities granted by my Blessing hold on, barely, and I force a breath, then another.
I decide to ignore the unveiling structures and systems, and just focus on one point, then slowly expand until control returns.
Not fully or cleanly, but enough to stabilise the situation and with it comes a new awareness of what I've just unlocked.
Knowledge Manipulation, the ability to create, shape and manipulate any and all information and knowledge.
I can now insert new knowledge into the universe that becomes an established fact and reality, or destroy it to do the opposite.
An enemy could be made to forget how to walk, while an ally could be given the knowledge of an enemy's weaknesses or mastery of a fighting style with a single whim.
Information is no longer something I receive but something I can define, change and remove to my liking.
I casually decide to test it, and the thought barely forms before it's already happening.
The broken arena below me sharpens, not in the physical sense, but conceptually, like I'm seeing the idea of it instead of the broken stone.
Every crack, every shard, every scattered piece isn't just there, but it's known, and I can touch that.
I focus on a single fragment of the rock, on the fact that it's broken, that detail sits there, clear as a label.
I pull on it, and for a second, nothing moves, then reality stutters and the fragment isn't broken anymore, but it's whole, duck-shaped, and swimming through the void like a living being.
There was no sound, no magical shift, no debris snapping back into place.
One moment it's a jagged piece, the next it's a living duck-shaped statue, like it was never damaged at all. Like reality corrected itself to match what I decided it should be.
My breath catches because I didn't change it; I erased the knowledge that it was ever a broken fragment of the arena.
My focus tightens, and I push again, harder this time, and put the detail back on how it was before, a broken fragment.
Reality stutters again, and the floating duck is once again the same broken stone, the cracks reappearing exactly where they were before, restored to the exact same state as before.
Like flipping a switch between two versions of truth.
A chill crawls up my spine as I realise, 'There's no resistance. No cost. No delay. Just a thought, and the world rewrites itself to agree with me. Instant. Effortless. And utterly overpowered. And if I can do this to a piece of stone... then what else is just a "detail" I haven't touched yet?'
I swallow, staring at the ruined arena, at everything in it, at everything beyond it, then I stop before the instinct to test it further takes over.
However, Knowledge Manipulation isn't the only new ability I've unlocked; there's more.
My awareness expands outward, not searching for anything in particular, just already knowing everything.
The remains of this universe, every fragment, every echo, every absence, are all contained and readily accessible, making me realise that I've unlocked Nigh-Omniscience.
It is limited only to this current universe, but still, it is vast enough to feel endless.
For a moment, it feels too much, not overwhelming like before, but very dense and heavy, but it is natural; this is the weight of knowing everything here all at once.
I take a moment and close my eyes, not to shut the immense knowledge out but to organise it in order to make it more accessible if needed.
The whole process takes a couple of minutes, and that is only thanks to my abilities, Absolute Mind, Living Database, and Compiling and Improving Knowledge, which made it tedious but effortless.
At the same time, I understand just how crucial all those previous abilities unlocked by my Blessing truly are, as without them my mind would have surely got overwhelmed to the breaking point by such an unreasonable volume of information.
After doing that, I open my eyes and immediately, something else draws my attention.
Right under me, at the centre of what remains of the arena, a golden chalice hovers untouched and perfect, unchanged by everything that just happened, the Holy Grail.
The Blessing of the Champion of Destruction contained within it pulses faintly, as if waiting for someone to claim it.
That's my prize for winning the Holy Grail War and the very last piece of the puzzle that will declare me the final winner of the whole competition among the Concepts.
I start to slowly descend toward it, and every meter I get closer sharpens the presence of the Blessing contained within the Holy Grail.
I land in front of it, and while observing the Holy Grail I realise, 'For sure this isn't the usual wish-granting artefact... It is clear that the Concepts never ever considered the possibility that someone other than a Champion could win the Holy Grail War. But well, considering the level of power demonstrated by Kang Yaling, Lucas Burns, Aletha, Ledram and the others... It is fair to conclude that it was near impossible for the native Masters to come up on top.'
While thinking that, I do not hesitate to reach out and touch it.
The moment my fingers make contact, the Holy Grail responds.
It doesn't shake or flare with light, nor does it resist, but it simply opens, like something that was never meant to stay closed in the first place.
Then it pours its content into me, making yet another surge of power flood my being.
The Blessing of the Champion of Destruction settles and merges first, familiar, almost grounding in comparison to what follows, then the final piece clicks into place, and the Blessing of the Concept of Culture becomes complete.
There is no dramatic surge; instead, everything unfolds.
My perception completely dissolves as boundaries vanish and distance loses meaning.
There is no "far" or "near," no "outside" or "within," there is only awareness, stretching across everything that exists.
Not just this universe, all of them at once.
I see them, but "seeing" isn't the right word. I understand them. Every universe, every timeline, every deviation branching endlessly from every choice ever made or never made.
Connections layer over each other in ways that should be impossible to follow, yet they are clear, clean, and immediate.
A world where a single decision changed everything. Another where it didn't. A thousand variations. A million. More.
All of them exist together, not in chaos, but in a structure so vast that the word "infinite" feels too small to describe it, and I know them completely.
If I focus on any one of them, even for an instant, there is nothing hidden. No past I cannot trace. No future I cannot see unfold in every possible direction.
Omniscience.
The word surfaces naturally, but even that feels like an oversimplification because this isn't just knowledge, but it's certainty.
And with that certainty comes something else, a quiet, undeniable truth settles in the back of my mind, 'If I decide something... it will happen. There won't be any resistance, no process, no effort. Just a decision, and reality aligns with it.'
Omnipotence.
For the first time since this began, I pause, not because I'm overwhelmed, not because I can't handle it, but because I understand what this actually means.
This isn't power like before, something to control, refine, or push further.
There's no "further." There's nothing beyond this.
I could erase a universe as easily as I could restore it, rewrite the past, lock the future, define what is, what was, and what will be with nothing more than a thought.
For a brief moment, a question forms in my mind, 'If everything is this easy... then what still matters?'
It lingers, quiet but sharp, then I let out a slow breath as the answer comes just as naturally, 'Choice. Not what I can do. What I decide to do. The Concepts promised this from the beginning. The winner would stand above everything, capable of ruling the Omniverse itself. This... is what that promise looks like. A responsibility so absolute that there is no one left to question it but me.'
The realisation settles without resistance but just clarity.
Then I sense a presence, one that is familiar and warm and that feels undeniably proud and amused before I hear the voice of Culture that seems to originate from everywhere, even within the void between worlds, [Well done, Jayr.]
Then it continues with a light, almost playful, tone, [I had high expectations, but you've managed to exceed even those.]
There is a brief pause before it adds with a tone that hides a hint of satisfaction and vindication, [You've given me quite a lot to brag about. You've shown them what it means to be a Man of Culture.]
I can feel it, the pure enjoyment and pride Culture is emitting, not just in the result but in the process and in everything that led here.
Then there is a faint, subtle shift, but a deliberate one as he says, [The power to destroy anything is easy to produce, there are countless ways... But the choice to connect with others and create meaningful bonds is not, yet it is much more rewarding.]
A brief silence follows, not an empty one, but one that feels expectant before Culture concludes, [Enjoy your prize.]
Culture's presence fades; it has not disappeared, as it will always be part of the Omniverse, it has just taken a step back.
And then everything changes again as my Soulbound Territory responds and expands limitlessly, the boundary that kept it enclosed within my soul dissolves completely as it connects to something far larger, the Omniverse.
It fully merges with it so that every universe, every timeline, every possibility is all within my reach, all within control.
For a moment, I don't move, but not because I can't, because I need to decide what to do next, and the answer comes to me almost naturally, 'The damage comes first.'
The destruction caused by the battle spreads across countless layers, fractures still present even after Kang Yaling's defeat, so I extend my will and gently start to fix everything as gently as possible.
The cracks respond to my intent, reality folds back into place, the universes reconstruct, the fragmented timelines reconnect, and what was erased returns as it should be.
The process continues, expanding outward, becoming faster and more precise until it's done and everything stabilises. Everything exists again.
However, I don't stop there; I have a new decision to make, and this one is much heavier.
The fallen Champions, all of them.
Every path, every outcome, every life, I see it all. What they were, what they became, what they could have been.
For a moment, I hesitate, but not because I don't know what to do; I already know it, my heart does it, my nature as a healer yearns for it, yet I still hesitate as this choice defines everything after this.
In the end, I exhale slowly, then I act.
Those who were broken beyond repair, consumed by what they became, or burdened with more than they could carry, follow the Concepts' agreement and fully release them.
Their memories dissolve, completely purged by their souls, leaving them in a blank state, and their pain disappears with them.
After that, I reincarnate them so that they can begin again with new, clean lives, tweaking the details in such a way that gives them still complete freedom but also guarantees them a happy and full life.
Then I focus on the others, those who fought, who connected, who mattered to someone.
With no hesitation, I bring them and those dear to them back.
Whole with their memories intact and the lives destroyed by the Battle Across the Omniverse restored.
And of course, I add a bit more, a little gift I'm sure they would appreciate, the ability to safely move across universes to reconnect with the friends they made during their journey and to continue having such adventures if they so desire.
I also do the same for my friends among the defeated but still alive Champions like Aletha, Ledram, Zandeer, Nikita, Nellika, Joichi, and Paul.
The process completes shortly after, and the Omniverse settles into a new form of order and a bit of chaos, as it should.
For the first time since this began, I feel at peace, no sense of urgency, no pressure, no upcoming danger or catastrophic calamity to prevent.
I look around and linger for a bit longer before I simply decide to leave.
Jayr POV - Saint Seiya Universe, Earth, Sanctuary - 1995
In a moment, I find myself at home.
The word itself feels different now, like it is heavier, broader and yet the meaning doesn't change.
Warmth reaches me before anything else. Voices layered over each other. Laughter. The kind that doesn't carry tension, doesn't hide exhaustion, doesn't wait for the next battle to interrupt it.
I look up and see that they're all there.
Saori is the first I notice. She's standing slightly ahead of the others, composed as always, but the moment her eyes meet mine, that composure cracks just enough to show what she's really feeling: relief.
Beside her, Seika exhales like she's been holding it in for far too long, while Eri and Tio exchange a glance that says more than words could.
Alvida crosses her arms, trying to look unimpressed, but the faint smile gives her away. Robin watches quietly, observant as ever, while Nero, now back in her regular form, regally tilts her head slightly, studying me like she's trying to confirm something only she can see.
Further back, my Digimon Incarnation is already surrounded.
Kharna is saying something excitedly, gesturing with both hands, while Galen tries to correct her, and Seiji just laughs at both of them. Alice and Nursery Rhyme are in the middle of it, their voices overlapping as they pull at Wormmon and V-mon, dragging them into whatever game they've decided is important.
Patamon floats lazily above them, clearly enjoying the chaos, while Bidi, Python, and Drakeos add their own brand of noise to the scene.
It's messy, loud and undeniably alive, and for a brief moment, I just stand there and watch.
Aletha is the first among my friends to step forward, arms crossed and a grin that hasn't changed in the slightest, before she says, "Took you long enough," but there's no bite to it.
Marie Antoinette stands beside her, offering a soft smile that carries quiet reassurance. Ledram gives me a short nod, his Peerage gathered behind him, their usual composure softened by the moment.
Zandeer and Nikita stand close together, their child held safely between them, while Nellika and Joichi exchange a few words before looking my way.
Paul raises a hand in greeting, casual as ever, while Reviriel remains at his side, her expression calm but unmistakably relieved.
They're all here, not as warriors, not as competitors, just here as friends waiting for me.
Something in my chest tightens, subtle but impossible to ignore.
I take a step forward.
That's all it takes.
The distance closes instantly, not because of power, not because of some unconscious use of what I've become, but because they move too.
Seika reaches me first.
She doesn't say anything, just pulls me into a tight hug, and for a moment I freeze, caught off guard by how normal it feels.
Then I return it.
Eri and Tio follow right after, overlapping voices, half-formed sentences, questions they don't even wait to finish asking.
"Are you alright..."
"Did it..."
"You look..."
Alvida clicks her tongue and turns away slightly as she mutters, though she doesn't leave, "You're late."
Robin steps closer, her gaze steady while she says simply, "Welcome back," and somehow that lands deeper than anything else.
Nero lingers for a second longer before stepping in as well, her hand briefly touching mine, a quiet confirmation that everything is as it should be.
Behind them, the kids finally notice.
"Dad!"
The shout cuts through everything.
Seiji is the first to fly over, the others not far behind, and this time I don't even try to stay composed as they crash into me all at once.
Kharna immediately starts talking, fast and loud, while Galen tries to maintain some level of order and fails completely. Alice and Nursery Rhyme add their own commentary, turning the whole thing into a chaotic chorus.
I laugh, and for a moment, I let myself sink into it.
No omniscience, no omnipotence, no awareness of everything beyond this place, just this, just them.
Eventually, the noise settles into something softer, more natural.
Conversations pick back up. People move, reconnect, fall into place like they were never meant to be apart.
I take it in quietly, all of it, then I step forward again, properly this time.
Not as the winner of the Holy Grail War. Not as the one who now stands above the Omniverse. Just as myself, as Jayr Pucci, and for the first time since this began, I feel it clearly. I am home.
And for once, I feel truly blessed.
Jayr POV - ??? - ???
As I'm spoiling my daught... ehm, educating my daughters, I sense a small disturbance in the force, which is a cultured way of saying that my Omniscience, which I keep mostly in the background, informed me that something requires my attention, so I focus on it.
In one particular universe among countless others, there is a pattern I recognise immediately.
A truck. A collision. A soul displaced.
For a moment, I pause, then I smile wryly while thinking, 'Of course. The newly ascended Concept of Truck-kun messed up... again. Why am I not surprised? It feels almost like messing up is part of its concept, which now that I think about it, maybe it is...'
While thinking that, leave my Digimon Incarnation to spoil my kids and teleport to the "divine space" where I usually deal with such issues.
Once there, I don't interfere with the concept itself, just the outcome, so I stabilise the soul and make it appear in front of me in the shape of a ball of light.
The soul belongs to a human named Carl, who is quite the peculiar individual, as he is actually an agent of the Concept of Truck-Kun who drives around a truck as his cover job while running over the chosen individuals.
The next moment, Carl regains awareness and starts cursing out loud, "What in the fucking hell! I can't believe that I just isekai'd someone, and then I die!"
At this point, I decide to interrupt him while having a bit of fun, so I take the form of Erik King and catch his attention by screaming in a deep voice, "SURPRISE MOTHREFUCKER!!"
This evokes a "manly" scream from the poor soul, "UWEAAAAAA!!!"
Before Carl's soul turns his sight and notices me staring at him with a mean face, he stutters, "W-What the... Are you the mighty Truck-Kun? If so, why am I dead? And why take this form?"
Hearing that, I shake my head and play the role of R.O.B. while replying, "No, I am GOD. And I am here to fix the mess that young Truck-kun did. You see, the boy made an error, sent two agents to do the same delivery, and your situation is the result. And I just use some form that you are familiar with, because in essence, I do not have a fixed form. Do you prefer the classic form of Morgan Freeman or some other cliche instead?"
I then hear the soul's thoughts as he is loudly projecting them, 'And there it goes, the "in your image" of the bible... But let's be honest, the human body is not that much of a beautiful creation, instead I find it curious... I mean, who'd put a waste disposal near the arcade.'
Hearing that makes me almost chuckle, but I maintain an even face as he asks, "... Just for fun, can you take the form I'm thinking about?"
I once again perceive his projected thoughts and almost smirk before I once again change my form, turning into a familiar tall and buff man with blonde spiky hair and red eyes and say the iconic catchphrase, naturally I tweaked a bit to fit the situation, "You thought it was GOD.... But it was me, DIO!"
Carl is stunned as he never thought the GOD of all was a Jojo fan, and knowing what he is thinking, I calmly answer, still playing my role and messing around with him, "Well, why do you think I made you with the capacity for imagination? An eternity of always the same thing is boring, that's why humanity is my favourite pastime."
At this point, the now resigned Carl projects his thoughts once again, 'And here is explained the meaning of life... What great mystery will it reveal next...?'
Then he asks, "So can you please tell me what's going to happen to me?"
Straight to the point, I reply with a maniacal grin as I imitate Dio's mannerism, "For compensation, you are going to be reincarnated but with some twist... Just for a change... First, I choose where, when, and who. Second, you'll lose your memories of your previous life, but they will return to you at the age of three, but only as detached knowledge, and I'd put some godly protection on the young mind so that it doesn't break. And at last, one wish nothing too complex, or that will break the balance of the world you are going to."
Hearing that, Carl exclaims, "Hell yeah! I knew that working for Truck-kun was for the best; such a welfare policy is awesome."
Then he tries and fails to make some form of puppy eyes, as he has none, while asking, "Before the wish, can I know where I am going so that I can think of the best possible wish I can make?"
I shake my head and reply, "Nope. Where is the fun in that? You are going in blind."
Carl once again projects his thoughts as he starts to consider his options, 'Shit! Ok... think Carl think... Perhaps something that starts weak but then grows stronger... Got it, let's go with my first subbed anime...'
After making a decision, he asks, "Is it ok to have an Asauchi from Bleach? One that uses the energy of the world where I'll be going, instead of Reiroku, if I am not going to the world of Bleach? And of course, one that I can use even if I am not a Shinigami?"
I think about it for a few instant and then say, "Granted..." Then I add, "Good. Now it is time to go. Good luck and..."
Stunned by the sudden change of pace, Carl exclaimed, "Wait..."
But I ignore him, and still in Dio form, I make the famous pose and yell, "ZA WARUDO!"
I stop the flow of time, and Carl remains fixed in place as I launch a barrage of punches while yelling, "MUDA, MUDA, MUDA, MUDA..."
All these punches are for show and for fun, as they don't cause any damage to the soul. Once I think it is enough, I stop and the flow of time resumes.
Carl, in all his ball form, is then flung into the nothingness and loses consciousness as his soul travels to his destination.
After that, I return to my normal form and turn my sight to another entity that was here the whole time but didn't make its presence known until now.
It is the Concept of Truck-Kun who says, "Thank you for fixing my mess, as you know my domain is only delivery. I just send the souls to the various deities in the Omniverse when they require them. I can't grant my people gifts as you all do."
I smile and tell him, "No problem, Truck-Kun. My children love your work; thanks to you, they enjoyed countless 'stories'. Still, I promised the other Concepts to discipline you when needed, so... I have to give you some form of punishment."
As Truck-Kun shudders, I think about it for a few moments and say, "Now, as your punishment for this mess you caused, you are going to the Transformers Universe and pull a Jesus on the Autobots and Decepticons..."
Shocked Truck-kun starts to beg, "Jayr, please no! All those guys think about is playing with the All-Spar. Please choose something else! Anything!"
And in all my fair justice as God of Justice, I declare, "Then you will watch Boku no Pico for a week...."
Truck-kun does not even finish listening and starts sprinting at the speed of light towards the Transformers Universe, screaming, "Cybertron, your Lord and Saviour is coming!!!"
I watch for a moment with a smile on my face, then turn away, returning to my home, hearing the voices of my kids laughing again.
I walk toward them while thinking, 'There are still countless stories unfolding. Endless worlds. Infinite possibilities. I don't need to control them. I will just watch and when necessary act... Now a new adventure begins. And this time I get to enjoy it from the beginning.'
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Here it is. This is the end of this story. There have been ups and downs, hits and misses, but I hope you all enjoyed it. I thank you all for reading. For those interested, you don't have to wait too long for my next one, as I have already started writing it. In fact, it should already be out, and the title is: I'm in Marvel, but I play Yu-Gi-Oh!? Hope this new one will also entertain you all, hopefully even more, and as usual... Have a Nice Day, Ciao!