[Time until Main Round: 0:00]
Ding! Ding! Ding!
The sound echoed like the tolling of a divine bell, clear and deafening across all realms.
The timer had hit zero.
That meant only one thing: the short rest granted after the brutal [Chosen Round] was now over.
There would be no more breaks.
Fwsshh!
A crimson ripple swept across the sky of Universal Descent and every world watching.
From the realm of the players to the hearts of those helplessly observing from the outside, the tension soared again.
[Well, it’s time for what might be the most important round of this entire thing,] a voice spoke with cold finality.
It was one of the Creators, seated lazily in his floating chair, speaking with a calmness that belied the gravity of what was about to unfold.
[The “Elimination Round” was simply meant to reduce the number of pairs. The “Chosen Round” tested the connection between gods and their Chosen. But now…]
His words faded as an eerie silence passed through the dark void.
[Now, the real show begins. Only the five strongest pairs remain. It’s time to begin what you’ve all been waiting for.]
Four of the Creators, excluding the one with grey eyes, smiled in unison.
Their grins weren’t just cold, they were chilling.
The kind of expression that hinted at an entertainment rooted in chaos and blood.
And then, without warning,
Snap!
The crimson-eyed Creator lifted a single hand and snapped his fingers.
Instantly, hundreds of new screens bloomed into existence around every single watcher across the twenty-five worlds, including Earth.
The panels formed in front of people sitting in their homes, lying in hospitals, hiding in bunkers, there was no escape from the influence of the Creators.
[Let’s have a little fun before the round begins. A vote.]
[In front of you are the five remaining pairs. The same ones you saw earlier. Choose who you want to win. This vote may or may not influence what happens next.]
[You have five minutes. Anyone watching these panels but choosing not to vote will be eliminated. No exceptions.]
“…What?” someone muttered on Earth, and similar expressions of disbelief spread like wildfire across the other worlds.
The crowd was silent at first, then loud with panic.
Alex, despite all the chaos and unpredictability he had already witnessed, still felt a chill run down his spine.
Even he hadn’t expected that.
Inside the quiet, dim chamber where he and Kaelios were resting, a faint glow bathed them from the screen in the ceiling, but unlike the others, theirs didn’t give any voting options.
“Guess they’re not letting us vote,” Alex muttered.
“Of course not,” Kaelios replied, folding his arms.
“We’re the subjects of this twisted performance, not the audience.”
Alex remained silent for a moment, narrowing his eyes.
A creeping thought slithered into his mind.
Why? What’s the real purpose of this vote?
What are they planning with it?
The answer didn’t come.
Only the same silence that had become all too familiar.
The Creators, Alex clenched his fist.
Just how far are they going to take this?
They had already bombarded the entire Earth not long ago.
Millions dead. Governments collapsed. Families shattered.
And now? They were casually threatening to kill billions more for not voting in a twisted game of favoritism.
Alex remembered what Vexum had said.
That the Creators weren’t “evil.” That they were on nobody’s side.
And yet, the more this continued, the less he believed it.
This isn’t neutral, this is cruelty.
And then, another snap.
Snap!
The emerald-eyed Creator flicked her fingers with a soft smile.
There was no visible flash. No instant explosion. And yet, something happened.
Something invisible but suffocating spread across the cosmos like a dark tide, something that made even the air feel heavier.
It was the quiet kind of death, the kind that didn’t scream but simply ended.
Alex took a deep breath.
[23.9 billion votes received.]
That number echoed across the panels, making hearts everywhere stop.
“That means over three times Earth’s population…” Alex muttered, staring upward.
The numbers weren’t a bluff.
That was the true scope of this game.
After all, everyone needed to vote, meaning that not only was it the population of Earth, but also Universal Descent and the 25 worlds.
This was a cosmic event stretching across galaxies.
[Here are the results of the vote. Listed from most to least votes:]
The screen displayed five glowing names, one after another.
[1. Primordial Goddess]
[2. God of Darkness]
[3. God of Nightmares]
[4. God of Death]
[5. God of Destiny]
“…Last?” Alex asked, mildly surprised.
“Looks like it,” Kaelios said calmly, leaning back, “Probably because of our description and how we acted during the fights.”
Alex nodded slowly.
He wasn’t offended. Honestly, he didn’t care.
Their description hadn’t painted them in a good light, justice seekers on the surface, but traitorous murderers underneath.
And frankly, that wasn’t completely false, though he wasn’t planning to betray anybody.
“I guess people just voted based on fear and appearances,” Alex said.
“They usually do,” Kaelios replied without hesitation.
And still, even with all the hate pointed toward them, neither of them flinched.
They had already accepted what they were willing to do, what they would sacrifice.
Whether the people loved them or hated them, the plan wouldn’t change.
They would finish this, no matter the cost.
Ding!
The list flickered, fading from view, but not before one last message appeared.
[This vote may influence the Main Round. Perhaps you’ve just doomed yourselves.]
A cryptic message, vague and almost mocking.
Alex’s eyes narrowed.
So being last might not just be symbolic.
It might have a mechanical effect…
“Any debuff in this round could be dangerous,” he said.
“And fatal,” Kaelios added.
[Don’t worry,] the creators’ voices echoed again, [It will remain fair enough. The strongest can still win, regardless of votes.]
“Right,” Alex muttered, unconvinced, “They say that, but this is their game. Fairness is whatever they say it is.”
And yet…
Ding! Ding! Ding!
[We shall now begin the Main Round.]
[All five pairs will be transported to the “Creators’ Domain.” All combat will take place there. The rules will be explained shortly. Good luck.]
Before they could brace themselves, a crimson light swallowed Alex and Kaelios, surrounding their bodies like fire.
But unlike before, they didn’t simply vanish.
No slow fade into pixels.
WHOOSH!
They were launched.
Straight upward, tearing through the ceiling like meteors in reverse, ascending into the stars.
It felt like they were breaking through layers of reality itself.
The speed was overwhelming.
Wind tore across their skin as they spiraled higher and higher, space warping around them like glass melting under fire.
BOOM!
A tremendous shockwave pulsed outward as their bodies reached an invisible limit, then passed it.
They didn’t crash. They appeared.
BAM!
Their feet slammed into solid ground.
Alex dropped into a crouch, eyes scanning his new surroundings.
Kaelios did the same.
The light faded, revealing a vast domain unlike anything they’d seen.
[Welcome to the Creators’ Domain.]
[This realm spans hundreds of kilometers. Within it are countless trials, fortresses, environments, and tools to either help or test you.]
[Only two pairs will survive. The others are free to kill without restraint.]
The voice came from everywhere and nowhere at once.
It was calm. Dispassionate.
As if narrating a chess game, not a battle to the death.
[Additional rules may be revealed as the round continues. After all, surprises are part of the entertainment.]
[Once only two pairs remain, the “Main Round” will end. And then… the Final Fight shall begin to determine the one and only winner.]
As the voice faded, Alex slowly stood straight, locking eyes with Kaelios.
Neither of them said anything, but the understanding was mutual.
This is it.
Somewhere in this realm, four other god-chosen pairs were preparing, sharpening blades, whispering tactics, or perhaps simply waiting in the shadows.
Every single one of them was a monster.
A force capable of destroying worlds.
But so were they. Alex exhaled slowly.
“Let’s end this.”
And then, without a word more, the hunt began.