A/N: I don't limit myself by chapter length. Each chapter grows or shrinks depending on what I want to include. Some are long, some are short. Like this one.
Words in this chapter - 1440 (Not including A/N)
After Ch 10, I will share my final decision on how I will upload chapters. For now, I was thinking, after writing 2 chapters, 1 will be uploaded here. The other one will be uploaded to Patreon for early access.
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The vast expanse of the lookout gleamed with serene light, its polished marble stretching into the clouds like a reflection of eternity itself. Pillars carved with ancient sigils rose into the heavens, and beyond them hung the endless void of space, silent and vast. At the center, upon the highest platform, stood the Grand Priest of this dimension—his light-blue skin glowing faintly against the white brilliance around him.
He waited with his hands folded, gaze sharp yet calm, as two familiar presences approached.
Ray and Sei descended, landing softly on the pristine tiles. Their clothes were torn, dust clinging to them—a clear sign of battles fought not long ago.
The Grand Priest regarded them with his usual composed smile, though his eyes carried a faint glimmer of concern.
"I would welcome the two of you with proper ceremony," he said, voice carrying like a ripple across still water, "but from the look on your faces… it seems you bring something grave to report."
Ray bowed lightly, his expression taut.
"Greetings, Grand Priest. Under different circumstances, we would have presented ourselves properly. But the situation… it is dire."
"Calm yourself, young guardian," the Priest replied gently, raising a hand.
"Do not let fear hasten your tongue. Speak clearly. Explain."
And so Ray told everything—their journey, the corrupted realms, the dark masters, and Jin's unexpected clash within the void. Sei added details, her voice steady but shadowed by unease.
The Grand Priest listened in silence. Not once did his expression falter. When they finished, a long pause hung in the air, heavy as stone. At last, he spoke.
"So, from what you said, I believe our visitor may hail from Lord Zeno's world."
His gaze sharpened, thoughtful.
"And the dark masters you encountered… yes. I know well what they are."
Ray leaned forward.
"What are they? Why did they feel so… sinister? Their very presence was suffocating."
The Priest's eyes softened, though his tone remained steady.
"To understand the dark masters, you must first understand the Dragon Balls. You would have learned this had the previous guardian lived to guide you. But he fell against the fallen archangel, Merlin. The burden now passes to you without any guidance."
Ray's brow furrowed.
"Dragon Balls?"
"Yes," the Priest said evenly. "From the look on your face, it seems you have heard of the term—perhaps from our visitor. Mortals once called them 'Ragon Balls,' a name born of their limited tongue. But the true name is Dragon Balls."
He clasped his hands behind his back and stepped closer, speaking with calm gravity.
"In the earliest era of the Omniverse, there existed a race known as the Dragon Kin within this realm. They were beings of immense magical talent, their existence intertwined with creation itself. Among their greatest achievements was the forging of the Dragon Balls—sacred artifacts born of pure life energy, capable of granting any wish, though with certain limitations."
"At first, the Dragon Kin used them sparingly. As their numbers were few, they lived in unity, and their wishes remained pure. But over time, they discovered that each pure wish caused the Dragon Balls to evolve, growing stronger after every use. Fascinated, they began to rely on them daily, unaware of the danger building within."
He paused, his tone darkening."They overlooked the negative energy accumulating inside the orbs. Before they realized it, that corrupted energy erupted outward, consuming everything in its path. Many of the Dragon Kin were twisted by it—transformed into corrupted beings—while the few who resisted fled to other realms."
Sei's eyes widened.
"So you sealed them?"
The Grand Priest shook his head.
"No. At that time, I was merely an Archangel—a candidate to become the next Grand Priest. My father, the Grand Priest of that era, was away on an important mission with the Omni-King. I lacked both the strength and the experience to contain that energy."
He paused, his gaze drifting toward the distant light beyond the marble pillars.
"It was the Dragon God Zalama who intervened. He sealed the corrupted energy within a realm already tainted by chaos—what is now known as the Deishin Realm. Along with the five entities born from that corruption, with each one embodying the essence of a Dragon Ball. They came to be known as the Dark Masters."
Sei's voice was tight, uneasy.
"Then… doesn't that mean using the Dragon Balls is extremely dangerous?"
The Grand Priest inclined his head.
"No. After that calamity, the Dragon God Zalama upgraded the Dragon Balls—enhancing their power and expanding their wish-granting potential, even eliminating their original flaws. And to prevent another disaster, he placed safeguards upon them. That's where the guardian comes into play. By being the guardian of the dragon balls, one will be able to sense the current state of the dragon balls. Along with many special abilities related to the dragon balls, all to ensure history would not repeat itself."
Ray exhaled slowly, though worry lingered in his voice. "And what of the dark masters? And Jin?"
The Priest's expression finally hardened, a rare flicker of steel in his otherwise serene demeanor.
"Your friend will endure. From what you've told me, he may have fallen into that Dimension. That place is, in essence, a training ground. By the time you meet him again, he will likely have grown stronger—a strength that may prove invaluable in our current predicament. As for the Dark Masters, you do not need to worry about them for the time being."
The Grand Priest's expression softened once more, his voice turning almost fatherly. "But what you must concern yourselves with now is the ritual—completing the rite required to become the Guardians of the Dragon Balls truly. Though the dragon balls are needed to complete the ritual, some parts of the ritual can be done, which might prove valuable in the upcoming fights."
Ray frowned. "But… Grand Priest, do we really have time for that? What if the dark masters cause chaos? Take this opportunity to corrupt all the worlds? I might not know what happened when I was unconscious, but surely they made some wishes with it. "
The Priest clasped his hands behind his back, perfectly calm."Yes. They might have. But you do not yet understand the nature of this energy—it is patient beyond measure. And those who embody it, the Dark Masters, will also be patient. They will not attempt a direct confrontation now when they aren't sure of winning. Instead, they will prepare the field, lay traps, and wait for the perfect moment to strike."
Ray swallowed hard. "So what do we do? Just sit and wait for them to spring their traps?"
The Priest's voice was steady, almost like stone.
"No. I will watch over the realms myself. Previously, I sensed disturbances and went to investigate, but found nothing—that was likely their doing. This time, I will remain and observe without leaving. They will not be able to act as freely as before."
Sei frowned.
"Grand Priest… wouldn't it be easier to simply destroy that realm? Burn it to the ground and be done with it?"
A faint, rueful smile crossed the Priest's face.
"That would be easy, as I am very capable of doing that right now."
He let the words hang for a moment, then shook his head.
"But it would be a grave mistake. If I destroy that realm now, the corruption trapped inside will scatter—seeping into other worlds. It would be weaker, yes, but it would seed chaos across countless realms. Small fires everywhere are far worse than one great blaze. You won't be able to identify which one to target first. Before you know it, there might be many worlds like the daishin world."
He looked past them, eyes clouded with the weight of old choices.
"But if the daishin realm is left alone, the negative energy of that realm will eventually be cleansed by itself—but it will not happen for at least a millennium. It will take eons before balance is restored again."
Ray's voice was small.
"Eons? That's too long."
The Priest nodded calmly.
"Yes. If the corruption finds nothing to infect, it will eventually fade away. But if it manages to infect other worlds, it will bring chaos to the balance of the worlds, and it will take trillions of eons to disperse. And it will continue to take longer the more it manages to infect worlds. That is why you must complete the ritual without delay—it will grant you the strength you'll need. And you, Sei, must gather the strongest warriors and warn them. In the meantime, I will prepare the necessary items to seal the barrier to the daishin realm."
Ray and Sei bowed their heads in unison.
"Yes, Grand Priest."
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A/N: Now that you have read it, what do you think about the settings? Comment so I can gain insights on how to further improve it. OR to fix any mistakes I made.
Also, don't forget to give power stones.
100 power stones within 3 days = 1 bonus chapter
Now here comes the question ->
1. Who are the Dragon Kins?
(Answer in this paragraph)