A.N: Oh dear Lord am I excited for this. The War of Discoveries Prologue is here, folks. I know I said it would begin next year, but honestly, this is pretty much the prologue of the prologue, where we introduce a very important character. Anyway, for those of you who don't know which worlds I'm using in this one, just read on, learn how I do things in massive crossovers, and you'll learn just who will be the stars of this series. Enjoy, everyone!

Chapter 1: The Man Named Sōjirō

The ground shook as a young man who looked to be only fifteen was slammed to the ground, having been thrown over the shoulder of his best friend. This seemed like an odd friendship, but for the two of them, it worked. In this war-torn world they lived in, their idea of bonding was sparring together constantly to keep their skills sharp. Normally, they would spar in one of their homes, but the issue there was that they were far too restricted by the rules of regular spars.

Out here, in the wild, surrounded by nothing but nature, the two could truly fight each other to their hearts content, and it made them both so happy. They had been sneaking off to spar and train with each other ever since they could throw a punch. Sadly, the moment they could punch was the moment they had to train, just to survive, such was the world of the Descendants, a world locked in constant warfare as people fought and murdered over their belief that they deserved to rule the world more than the other.

The downed boy sighed, frustrated he had been beaten again. He just never could match his best friend. Then again, that guy was something special. He had reserves of power that surpassed adults. He was amazing, and the downed boy did not resent him for it. In fact, he admired him for it. His best friend was going to be something truly amazing one of these days.

The winner of this match laughed good-naturedly. "It looks like I win again," he noted, "don't look so frustrated, Sōjirō. You almost had me quite a few times."

Sōjirō sighed again as he got to his feet. "Small comfort for the loser." He complained before looking at his best friend and smiling. "Then again, you make losing fun, considering you never gloat about it."

That got a laugh from his friend. "Winning doesn't make you any better than the one you defeat. It just means…well, you won."

"There you go again, talking like your some wise old elder." Sōjirō rolled his eyes before smiling teasingly. "Keep this up, and I'm going to start calling you Grandpa just to mess with you."

Sōjirō then gazed out before him, taking in the surroundings that his friend had brought him to. He said the one thing that was on his mind. "This place is amazing," he complimented, "I'm amazed you managed to find it."

"Natural beauty like this is hard to come by, yes." Sōjirō's friend nodded in agreement. "The constant fighting around us takes it all away. I could not help but drop to my knees and say a prayer of thanks as soon as I found this place."

"Praying again? It's the gods' fault our world is at war in the first place." Sōjirō pointed out.

"No, not the gods' fault, we caused this hellish world." His friend denied. "We are still in control over our actions. We chose to fight each other, all because we've grown arrogant and proud of our blood."

Sōjirō fell silent. He could not argue with that. Much of the world's problems could be traced to the fact that almost every Descendant thought their "divine" blood gave them some sort of claim to rule the world.

"I'm sick of all this fighting, Sōjirō." His friend admitted.

"Well, that's too bad." Sōjirō replied. "We have to fight."

"I know…and that's why I'm going to actually fight to make a difference for a change."

Sōjirō raised an eyebrow at this. "A difference?" He repeated in confusion.

"Yes, I'm going to save our world. And if fighting is what it takes to do that, then so be it. The more I fight, the more it becomes clear to me that we have failed in understanding the whole point of fighting truly is: to finish a conflict."

"And you want to finish it all?" Sōjirō could not help but chuckle. "You've always been a big dreamer."

"Maybe, but…I don't want to give up on it. I want to have a peaceful world, don't you?"

"Of course I do. Believe me, I agree with everything you say. Every day, it just seems like people are fighting just because, not because they want to solve anything. It's sickening. Fighting's pointless if it doesn't serve some sort of cause." Sōjirō then sighed. "But we don't always get what we want."

"Well, then why don't we work together and increase our chances?" His friend suggested with a smile.

"Huh?"

"Stay by my side and help me bring peace to our world, Sōjirō." His friend said to him. "Nothing would make me happier than having my best friend with me in this undertaking."

"Why would you want me?" Sōjirō frowned. "Shouldn't you want someone who can actually stand as your equal? You always kick my ass in our sparring matches."

This seemed to give Sōjirō's friend pause. Then his eyes lit up. "But you're still very strong. Your father does look at you as quite the prodigy." He pointed out. "But you know what you're even better than me at?"

"What?" Sōjirō inquired.

"Teaching!" His friend said excitedly. "You could be an instructor for our allies."

"Now we're gathering more allies?" Sōhirō frowned in confusion. "It's not just going to be us?"

"Yeah, and you'd be a great teacher!" His friend claimed. "You train your little brothers all the time, don't you?"

"Yeah, because I'm their older brother, that's my job." Sōjirō pointed out.

"But that's proof that you can be a great teacher!" His friend insisted. "Come on, Sōjirō, at least give it some thought."

Sōjirō sighed. Now his friend was pleading with him. He then gave his friend a tired smile. "Okay, fine, since I know you won't stop bugging me about this until I say yes, I'll give it some thought. But just for the record, I still think you've gone off the deep end this time."

"Now come on, let's go home, our mothers are gonna tan our hides if we stay out too late." Sōjirō gestured for his friend to follow him.

Then, a few days later, tragedy struck. A mighty warlord who has been making a name for himself as the "Lord of the Night" attacked their hometown. Everyone was driven off as the warlord's men destroyed everything in sight; everyone who got away that is…

Sōjirō sobbed, kneeling in front of two graves with visible grief on his face. Behind him, his friend stood with a look of grief and sympathy on his face. "Sōjirō," he said softly, weeping as well "gods, I'm so sorry…"

"They were children," Sōjirō said, broken, before screaming, "there was no reason for them to die in this fighting…there was no reason for them to die at all! I should've been there! I should've protected them!"

In the end, Sōjirō's younger brothers became the latest victims of a hellish civil war that plagued their entire world. "What kind of purpose did killing them serve?" Sōjirō wondered. "What the hell did that damn Lord of the Night think killing them would accomplish?"

Sōjirō slammed his fist in the ground in fury. "What kind of world do we live in?" He furiously demanded. "Where this is considered normal? Where children train to fight and kill because they have to? Where people can then kill those children without batting an eye?"

Tears stained the ground. "They never had a choice," he said sadly, "they were forced into this life…and they died fighting with no cause to die for whatsoever…"

"Sōjirō…" his friend had nothing to say, nothing to comfort him.

"Hey," Sōjirō then addressed his dear friend, remembering something they had discussed earlier, "about what you said…I've made up my mind."

"I've made my decision, Kaishi." Sōjirō told his best friend.

Kaishi, the future Founding Emperor of Menou, the man who would one day become the Saintly Conqueror of the world, looked at Sōjirō, wondering what he was going to say next. "Let's do it," Sōjirō said resolutely while still weeping for the deaths of his brothers, "let's bring peace to this world, together!"

Kaishi's eyes widened in surprise. "Sōjirō…"

"I'm sick of all of this, Kaishi." Sōjirō told him. "I'm tired of watching people die, fighting for absolutely nothing. Let's change this world together, so that doesn't happen anymore!"

Before Kaishi could say anything else. Sōjirō walked up to him and grasped him by the shoulders. "You are my only brother left." Sōjirō told him. "And I know that you're going to one day go for this goal of yours. I refuse to let you go it alone. No matter what happens, I'm going to stay by your side and help you achieve it!"

Kaishi gazed at Sōjirō in surprise before he gave his dear friend a gentle, grateful smile. "All right," he said, "let's do it."

"Let's save our world."

And so, the two trained, pushed themselves even further until they were of age. And then, as soon as they were, they set out to begin their conquest. Kaishi would win over their followers with his heart, and Sōjirō would devote himself to making sure each and every one of Kaishi's followers could hold their own in a fight. He became the instructor for their allies, just like Kaishi had wanted. And he was actually good at it. That was what was truly amazing. In fact, he became so dedicated to his job, he was even willing to go against Kaishi's requests on occasion.

"Do you think maybe you could go a bit easier on Tomoe?" Kaishi had once requested with a sheepish smile, referring to a female recruit of their's.

"Don't even!" Sōjirō then yelled at him comically. "Just because you think she's cute, doesn't mean she's any different from the rest of my students!"

Sōjirō had to admit though, Kaishi was an amazing leader. The man could win the hearts of others through the simple act of sparing a life, or acting the part of an equal to everyone else. He would actually sleep in the camps with all of his followers. Never a fancy abode.

The man was truly a breath of fresh air in a world that had only know arrogance, greed, and destruction in their own leaders. However, he did not exactly know this was just what his world needed. He simply did what was—to him—right.

But he was also a truly wondrous sight to behold in battle. With his Art: an unbeatable power known as Lifecycle, Kaishi was unmatched in battle, as evidenced by the fight between him and the Eternal Flame, Kagutsuchi, which took place several years into their conquest. There was a mountain-range 300 miles long where those two had fought together; keyword being 'was.' There were no more mountains, just rubble, dust, and a beaten Kagutsuchi. Sōjirō turned to a stunned new recruit. "You get used to it, after a while." He noted. "Your leader is an example of what all leaders should be: the strongest in every way. That is Kaishi."

This is nothing, the kid should've been here to see the fight between Kaishi and Susanōō. I was worried I'd have to step in to prevent any wanton destruction of the nearby living areas at the rate that fight was going. He added inwardly, thinking of the fight between Kaishi and his most persistent rival, the great swordsman, Susanōō.

Meanwhile, Kaishi offered a hand to Kagutsuchi. Kagutsuchi looked at him in disbelief. "Why?" He asked.

"Do you know why my group is so large, Kagutsuchi?" Kaishi inquired.

Kagutsuchi shook his head. Kaishi gave a proud smile. "It's because the only lives I have taken are of those who are truly evil and unrepentant, like the Black Oni. Most of the people you saw in my forces, are those I recruited from armies that were once my enemies."

Kagutsuchi gasped in shock. "This world may require fighting to save it, but only if we fight to end fighting, not if it's just to kill our foes. I want to give people a chance to see that, and then fight for a cause." Kaishi explained. "Kagutsuchi, why don't you come with me? Someone with your talents…I think you can do much with them."

"Flames are only used to destroy." Kagutsuchi told Kaishi.

"Regular flames, yes. But these are flames wielded by a man with the capacity to be good or evil." Kaishi pointed out before smiling. "I would love to see what those flames can do if the man wielding them chooses to do something good."

Kaishi was still holding out his hand. Kagutsuchi. Then, without thinking, Kagutsuchi took his hand and was then helped to his feet. "I don't understand you," he admitted, "just what are you trying to accomplish here? All our people have ever known how to do is destroy. Do you think you can change that?"

"Indeed, tragically we've learned to do many awful things." Kaishi admitted. "That is why…I want to try teaching our people to do something good for a change. So what do you say, Kagutsuchi, would you like to save the world with me?"

Kagutsuchi thought it over. "You spared my life when any other man would've taken it." He pointed out. "My reputation for power and destruction spreads far and wide. No sane person who bests me in battle would waste the opportunity to kill me."

"That is not what this world needs." Kaishi said resolutely.

"Perhaps you're right." Kagutsuchi noted. "I have to admit, you're still insane to me, but I cannot bring myself to turn my back on a man who did the one thing no one else would have. You spared my life, and in doing so, saved it. My life is now yours to command, Lord Kaishi."

Sōjirō then watched in amusement as Kaishi began sputtering in embarrassment at the sight of Kagutsuchi kneeling. He hated when people bowed before him.

Then, years later, Sōjirō stood and watched as Kaishi rallied his troops for the final battle against an old nemesis, the Lord of the Night himself was their final enemy. At Kaishi's side were his five most trusted generals; Kagutsuchi, Raijin, Fūjin, Suijin, and even Susanōō, who had been eventually swayed to Kaishi's side after a final battle that even Sōjirō did not know the details of.

Tomoe, who had remained in the army and had eventually become Kaishi's lover, sighed happily at the sight of her beloved orating to the crowd. "I never get tired of listening to his speeches," she whispered to Sōjirō, "they are so poetic."

"Friends, comrades," Kaishi said grandly, "you've all fought so hard and sacrificed so much. When you joined me, you joined me out of gratitude for whatever reason. However, you were also frightened, because we as an army had a goal that no one else ever had: peace for our world."

"However, you stayed not because you grew to believe in me. No, you grew to believe in that very dream. My dream became your dream. With every victory we achieved and with every heart won over, you believed more and more that we could actually achieve our dream!"

"A world where men would no longer place themselves above each other, over something as ridiculous as blood. The only thing that would determine who is truly better is the fruits of one's own labor! I dream of a world where our efforts determine our place! And where people are free to decide what kind of path they wish to walk! No more will people fight and die because they have to! No, if we are tragically forced to take up arms again, then let those who fight, do so because they've made that choice themselves!"

Sōjirō smiled. All these years, and Kaishi never forgot about his best friend and his younger brothers, lost to them so long ago. "My dream, is a humble world of not gods and demigods, but of men and women! Let us no longer worship ourselves, but better ourselves for our own sake and the sake of us all! My friends, this world I dream of is within our reach, it is a world of peace."

"But in order to achieve that peace, we must take part in one last battle with the Lord of the Night. His stronghold is just up ahead! Will you fight with me, just one last time, for our dream?"

Kaishi paused to allow his loyal followers and friends to cheer. "And then, afterwards, will you help me build this world?"

Everyone cheered once more. "Then follow me, to victory!" Kaishi declared.

The battle was long and arduous. The Lord of the Night, true to his name, had his troops shroud the battlefield in darkness to amplify his own power, which grew exponentially in lightless areas. Kaishi met him on the battlefield for one final duel, with Sōjirō right beside him. Amazingly, as the battle in the Lord of the Night's throne room reached its climax, it was Sōjirō who landed the final blow, ramming his fist straight through the Lord of the Night's chest.

Sōjirō glared spitefully at the man. "You may not remember them, hell you probably don't even know you caused it…but that was for my little brothers, you son of a bitch." He snarled.

The Lord of the Night looked at his two killers in disbelief at his defeat as light left his eyes. Sōjirō sank to his knees, panting. His brothers had finally been avenged. "You did it," Kaishi said with a smile.

"No, you did." Sōjirō quickly denied. "The world needs to rally around the Saintly Conqueror, Kaishi. I'm fine remaining in the shadows, as long as you're the world's hero, my friend."

"Fine," Kaishi smiled, "then we won, together. I'm fine with claiming your kill, as long as you share this victory with me, Brother."

Sōjirō smiled back and nodded. Then, much to his surprise, Kaishi was surrounded by a golden mist that lifted him in the air. "Kaishi!" He yelled in concern.

Kaishi's eyes went white as the mist continued wrapping around him. Sōjirō tried to rush in and save him, only to find some invisible force keeping him at bay. Then, a few minutes later, Kaishi was dropped to the ground, unconscious.

At that moment, Tomoe arrived. Instantly, she panicked. "Darling!" She yelled, rushing to her beloved's side.

"Kaishi!" Sōjirō yelled as well, rushing to his friend.

Kaishi groaned, quickly stirring awake. He opened his eyes to see the two most important people in his life standing over him. "What happened?" Sōjirō asked worriedly.

Kaishi looked at Tomoe and smiled. This knowledge she would love to hear, as a shrine maiden. "The gods," he said, "have blessed our victory."

Tomoe smiled happily. Sōjirō could not help but wonder if his friend was a bit delirious from the fight. "Well, I don't know about any gods, but I do know that we have friends who want to see their leader return, victorious."

Sōjirō helped his best friend to his feet. "Come, Brother," he said, "you need to keep your promise and lead the construction of this new world of yours."

And so it was, the Kingdom of Menou was founded in celebration of their greatest victory. The Saintly Conqueror became the Founding Emperor of Menou. And Tomoe became his wife and Empress Consort. Together, the two instituted sweeping reforms, specifically designed to discourage the actions of their people that had led to centuries of warfare in the first place.

Then, one day, other worlds were suddenly discovered outside of their own. Well, actually, that was not entirely accurate. The Descendants had always known that other worlds existed. They simply did not care. But, now that they were taking the time to observe, this new world they were seeing now could truly be viewed as their 'first'. "Look at that, Sōjirō!" Kaishi could not contain his excitement as he gazed at their first new world through a portal. "Isn't it amazing!"

"It is indeed, they seem much less advanced though." He noted. "I can't even tell if they have Reiki…or anything special for that matter."

"But they seem peaceful," Kaishi said, "and that is the most important thing. We need to protect that peace."

"We do?" Sōjirō was surprised.

"I have been trying to find a way to devote the people's minds and energies to a new outlet." Kaishi admitted. "We became arrogant because we thought we were gods, better than everyone else. So perhaps instead of focusing on ourselves, we should instead devote ourselves to watching over others."

"Watching over others?"

"Indeed, to protect and look out for them, in case something that is beyond their own capabilities arrives." Kaishi said. "A novel concept, perhaps, but if worlds with people as peaceful as this exist…then I'm worried of the possibility that there are those out there who can travel to those worlds and disrupt that peace."

"So you want to give our people a noble purpose, and protect these new worlds." Sōjirō shook his head in disbelief. "You really do try and do everything, Kaishi."

Kaishi just laughed, knowing it was absolutely true. And from that day forward, the Descendants became known as the Watchers.

A few years later, the Emperor and Empress were blessed with a child. The kingdom celebrated the child's birth. But then, tragedy struck a few years later. Empress Tomoe became pregnant with twins. But unfortunately, the twins were already so powerful, Tomoe simply could not handle the stress of birthing two powerful beings.

She succeeded in bringing two more lives into the world…but she lost hers in the process. Emperor Kaishi locked himself in the royal nursery to grieve, while the kingdom mourned the loss of their beloved empress.

Sōjirō, worried for his dear friend, walked to the nursery, hoping to enter. He stopped to see that a little girl with beautiful silver hair and blue eyes was standing in front of the door, as though she were standing guard. Sōjirō winced, hurt at the sight of her.

Gods, he thought, she has her father's eyes, but she looks so much like her mother.

"Heiko," he said to the young princess of Menou, "what are you doing here?"

"I'm standing guard of the nursery for Father." Heiko said, surprisingly calm. "He doesn't want to be disturbed."

She shouldn't be this mature already. Please, grieve like a normal person, Heiko. He pleaded inwardly.

"Heiko, I want to speak with your father."

"I don't know if I should let you in, Uncle Sōjirō." Heiko admitted. "Father does not want to be disturbed…but I can't help but feel that Mother would want you to speak with him."

Oh…she is grieving…the poor thing is just expressing it her own way.

"Heiko, how are you feeling?" Sōjirō asked gently.

"Mother is gone, Uncle." Heiko said, lowering her head, obscuring her face. "But…she wants me to be strong, for Father. She wants me to be strong, for my new brothers."

"Your mother left you with quite the task, but I think you're up for it." Sōjirō encouraged her. "But never forget, that even if you are a princess, even if you are supposed to be strong, it's okay to cry sometimes."

A few tears fell from Heiko's face at this. Sōjirō pulled his adopted niece into an embrace. He gently soothed her to calm her down "Now, what does your heart tell you to do?" He asked.

"I want to see my brothers." Heiko admitted. "I want to be the best big sister they've ever had."

"Why don't I help your father then?" Sōjirō suggested. "And then you can spend as much time with them as you want."

Heiko nodded and allowed Sōjirō to pass. "Kaishi, it's me." Even after all these years, he still addressed his dear friend so informally. "Let me in."

"It's unlocked." Came Kaishi's broken voice.

Sōjirō entered and was treated to a horrible sight. Kaishi was sitting in a chair in front of two cribs with two infants; the newborn princes of Menou. "Kaishi," he said, "I'm so sorry about Tomoe."

Kaishi remained silent as Sōjirō closed the door. Sōjirō then frowned as he got one last look at Heiko before the door shut. "Now listen to me," he said, "it's one thing to grieve like this, but it's another to ignore your daughter. She's grieving too, Kaishi, she needs you."

"…I can't help it, Sōjirō." Came Kaishi's voice. He then looked over his shoulder at his best friend. "Everywhere I go, I'm reminded of Tomoe. She had decided on almost every single decoration in this palace, you know. But this room was a gift to her when she became pregnant with Heiko…it's the only place she did not create herself."

Sōjirō was taken aback at how Kaishi had looked that day. Gone was the warrior who would defeat you and then offer you a hand of friendship. Now, he looked like a broken and tired man.

"I know, my friend." Sōjirō regained his composure and returned to comforting Kaishi. "But my point stands. You are a father needed by his children, and an emperor needed by his people. Tomoe was a wonderful woman, and we are all grieving."

"What would you have me do?" Kaishi asked softly.

"The same thing you had me do when I was at my lowest." Sōjirō replied. "Endure. Grieve, but stay strong. Weep, but smile too. Life goes on, even when life ends for some. You have every right to grieve, my friend. But never forget that we must live on and be happy for the sake of those we've lost."

Kaishi then let a small smile curl. All these years later, and it seems that Sōjirō was now helping him. "We both knew this would happen." Kaishi admitted. "But Tomoe was adamant in bringing both of them into this world, no matter what. I admire her so much for that selflessness. She was the strongest of us all, Sōjirō; not you, and certainly not me."

Sōjirō nodded in agreement. He then looked at the two infants in the crib, whom were sleeping soundly. "They're surprisingly calm for babies." He noted.

Kaishi smiled. "The one in blue is Chitsujo," he said, pointing to the baby in blue pajamas. Then, he pointed to the one in red pajamas, "And the one in red is Konton. The pajamas match their eyes."

"Aren't they the most beautiful children you ever saw?" Kaishi asked.

Sōjirō let out a small chuckle. "You said the same thing when Heiko was born." He pointed out.

"I suppose fathers will always say that." Kaishi noted.

"But you know," Sōjirō then spoke up with a competitive smile, "I'm sure my child is going to be even more beautiful then all three of yours, my friend."

Kaishi looked at Sōjirō in surprise. "Marishi is pregnant?" His spirits were lifted in delight at the news.

Sōjirō nodded. "Wonderful news, my friend, wonderful," Kaishi said, now managing to smile, "how long?"

"We just found out." Sōjirō admitted. "I…honestly wasn't sure how to tell you…I don't even know how I was able to bring myself to do it now."

"Sōjirō, I am glad you did," Kaishi assured him, "Marishi's happiness has always been important to me, ever since my parents adopted her into our family. And now she finally gets to start a family of her own. She used to confide in me that dream of hers. It stemmed from the loss of her own family."

Kaishi gazed at his twin sons once more and chuckled. "With three babies entering the picture, the palace is going to devolve into chaos soon." He mused.

"Tomoe my love, I hope you are watching your family. We are just as united as ever." Kaishi assured her.

Several years later, Sōjirō was watching over students in the midst of training exercises. Ever since Kaishi's conquest had ended, Sōjirō was semi-retired from battle, now devoting himself as an instructor for Menou's future warriors. Kaishi had been right, he was a damn good teacher.

"How are they, Sōjirō?" Kaishi suddenly appeared by his friend's side.

"Peace has definitely dulled our people's sense of battle." Sōjirō noted. "But that is definitely for the best. And what is important is that is just as you wanted, people are choosing to fight because they want to, not because they have to."

Kaishi nodded, satisfied with that answer. Then, a servant came running in frantically. "What's wrong?" Kaishi inquired.

"Your Majesty, the prince and Grandmaster Sōjirō's daughter are fighting in the gardens again." The servant said breathlessly.

"Again?" Sōjirō groaned. "What is that daughter of mine thinking?"

"Oh come on, a little healthy competition between friends is fine. Those two have been thick as thieves since your daughter was born." Kaishi laughed as the two went to see the results of the fight.

The two arrived just in time to see an adorable young girl with blonde hair tossing a young boy with black hair and blue eyes onto his back. Sōjirō's eyes immediately lit up in pride. Even if it frustrated him when those two got in these sparring matches. He was always proud when his little girl won.

"Well, done, Kyōko!" Sōjirō cheered for his daughter, the future leader of the Seven Saint Warriors.

Kaishi chuckled at his son's defeat. He then gazed at his other children. "Well, Heiko, how did he do this time?"

"Chitsujo's movements are still too sloppy and erratic." A teenage Heiko said with a sigh. "Any disciplined fighter would crush him The fact that his best friend can do it, when she's received the same level of training he has, is a bit disturbing."

Kaishi laughed. "Then, I suppose I'm going to have to spend a little time to help him find that discipline, huh?"

Konton looked up at Kaishi with slight jealousy. Kaishi noticed this and patted his other son on the head. "Don't worry, Konton, you'll get the same training." He promised.

Meanwhile, on the makeshift battlefield, Kyōko laughed victoriously before reaching out to her best friend. "Looks like I win again, Chitsujo." She said.

Chitsujo groaned in frustration, but allowed his childhood friend to help him to his feet. Kaishi chuckled. "Doesn't that look familiar?" He inquired of his friend.

Sōjirō chuckled as well. "The only difference is that the roles are now reversed." He proudly pointed out.

"Daddy!" Kyōko excitedly rushed to her father with her arms open wide. "Did you see that toss?"

"Of course I did, Daughter." Sōjirō said proudly, catching Kyōko in an embrace. "You will make a fantastic fighter one of these days."

"Just like Daddy!" Kyōko cheered. "And will I protect Chitsujo just like you protect Emperor Kaishi?"

Sōjirō chuckled. "Looking at Prince Chitsujo now, he definitely needs protection." He joked good-naturedly.

"Chitsujo's young, but has vast potential." Kaishi defended his son, in spite of knowing it was a joke. "He just needs discipline. He'll make a great king one of these days. Both of my sons will."

"Wonderful! I'll protect both of them!" Kyōko cheered.

Little did Sōjirō know, that day would eventually come, even though he never imagined it would. Centuries later, the day came. He woke up, laying at the base of a tree. He groaned, feeling his stomach. "Damn that Kaishi," he muttered, remembering that the man had punched him in the stomach, rendering him unconscious.

His eyes then widened. "Kaishi!" He yelled, worried for his friend. The memories then came rushing back to him.

A horrifying threat had befallen their kingdom, and Kaishi had gone to confront it, along with his five most trusted compatriots. However, Sōjirō almost did as well, only for Kaishi to knock him unconscious and leave him with what he would later discover to be the last things Kaishi would ever say to him. "Goodbye, my friend…"

Sōjirō was then found by several soldiers of Menou. "Grandmaster, so this is where you were!" The officer in the lead exclaimed.

"What happened?" Sōjirō demanded. "Where is Kaishi? That damn fool knocked me out!"

The soldiers' faces all fell. A few were already weeping. Sōjirō's eyes widened. He knew that look. It was the same look the people had when Empress Tomoe had died. No, it could not be…

"Emperor Kaishi was killed in battle." The officer said in a broken voice.

"You're lying!" Sōjirō immediately accused. "Not him! He would not die in battle like that! Don't you dare lie to me! What of Susanōō and the others? Where were they?"

"Lord Susanōō and the rest were killed as well." The officer replied. "They're all gone, sir."

"What of the rest of the royal family, are they safe?" Sōjirō asked worriedly, beginning to slowly realize that it was indeed true.

Kaishi was gone…

"Prince Chitsujo is recovering from the battle. Prince Konton has locked himself in his chambers. Princess Heiko is running administrative matters at the moment."

"Then…who will be coronated?"

"Princess Heiko has long refused the crown, so not her. Emperor Kaishi's will was just discovered. He has named Prince Chitsujo his successor to the throne of Menou, and Prince Konton will be king of the new kingdom he helped build, known as Rakuen."

Sōjirō wanted to sink back down to base of the tree. His best friend, his brother in all but blood, was gone. Once again, the nation entered into a period of grief and mourning. Prince Konton—now king—shortly after the funeral, would leave Menou for his new kingdom. Sōjirō would never see the man again. Princess Heiko would remain by now-King Chitsujo's side as his adviser. Sōjirō, meanwhile, would remain as an instructor and close confidant of his adopted nephew.

Then, Chitsujo would one day approach him with a proposition. "I want you to take on a special assignment as an instructor." Chitsujo told him.

"What kind of assignment?" Sōjirō inquired curiously. Kyōko, who had blossomed into a beautiful but powerful woman, was also listening in on this conversation.

"Menou is still in the midst of a power vacuum, even though we recently discovered that Father's most trusted warriors created some sort of reincarnation technique that passed their souls down to successors. I want to create a team of Menou's strongest, a personal guard if you will." Chitsujo explained.

"And where do I come in?" Sōjirō inquired.

"You have an eye for talent that no one else does." Chitsujo explained. "I want you to find candidates and train them. And if they meet the criteria that I will provide them, they will have the chance to join this team I'm forming."

"I'm not going to lie to you, this is going to be a very long process." Chitsujo admitted. "I'm purposely giving this team incredibly high standards to join."

"Why?" Sōjirō asked curiously.

"Because even if I want to, I can't be this kingdom's symbol of peace and safety yet. Not like my father was. It needs more than just me." Chitsujo replied bitterly.

Sōjirō gazed at his adopted nephew with sympathy. It had been a few years since he had taken the crown, and the job was wearing on him immensely. He could tell. The poor man had not yet gotten used to his role.

"What this kingdom also needs, is to be able to look to themselves for peace and safety." Chitsujo told the older man. "And I want to create a team of the best of the best that will give them that."

"And that is why," Chitsujo continued, looking at Kyōko now, "I want you to be its founding member and leader."

Kyōko gasped in surprise. "M-Me? You want me?" She said with a small blush.

"You're the strongest person in Menou besides me, Kyōko." Chitsujo reminded her before giving her a gentle smile. "And you're also my best friend. I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have protecting me and leading this team then you."

"Oh well, damn right." Kyōko said nervously. "I wouldn't accept anyone else but me protecting you."

"So, what do you say?" Chitsujo asked of Sōjirō. "Will you do this for me?"

Sōjirō nodded without hesitation and bowed. "As my king commands."

And so, for the next several centuries, Sōjirō would hunt for mighty warriors to become members of this team led by his daughter. A team that would later become the Seven Saint Warriors. Kyōko would lead as the Humility, while the man titled The Chastity would be her second in command.

Sōjirō was immensely proud of the other members of the Kanja, Majime, Setsudo, Hakuai and Yasashi all joined, they were young compared to The Chastity, but they had limitless potential that allowed them to grow into their roles. The Seven Saint Warriors became the quirky and eccentric, but reliable and popular royal guards of the king. The people loved them.

However, this happiness was not to last. Yet again, tragedy struck. 200 years ago, Sōjirō received the news no father wanted to hear. Kyōko was dead. His little girl had been murdered. Only a select few knew the details, Sōjirō being one of them. He would have gone and avenged her himself, but then his beloved Marishi died of a broken heart shortly afterwards, leaving him and his son-in-law to raise Kyōko's son alone. Life truly had a tendency to take things away from Sōjirō.

Sōjirō was forced to bury himself more and more in work to hide the pain he was in. He had to endure, for Kaishi, for Chitsujo and for his grandson. Things only got worse when Chitsujo's wife, Lady Takara, was murdered as well. Relations with Rakuen continued to decline as a rift between the two brothers continued to grow. Tragedy after tragedy struck the Kingdom of Menou, but they all endured, for the sake of those they had lost.

Sōjirō continued to endure as well, trying to train replacements for Kyōko, and The Chastity, who had retired a few years before her murder due to his declining health. A few years ago, he would find a new Chastity in a young girl named Jun, an orphaned girl. Unfortunately, he never found a new Humility to replace Kyōko. Honestly, a part of him did not want to. Chitsujo did not push the matter. He did not exactly want to replace his best friend either.

Then, last year, Sōjirō found himself approaching Chitsujo with some sobering news.

Chitsujo's eyes went wide when he heard them. "I'm…dying." Sōjirō revealed grimly.

Chitsujo remained silent, uncertain of how he should respond. Sōjirō continued to speak. "The terminal disease I am speaking of, as you know, afflicts the elderly. It attacks our Reiki supply, causing it to dwindle rapidly. Then, as our power fades, our health does as well. And eventually, we just go out like a dying flame."

"And there is still no treatment?" Chitsujo inquired.

"Some diseases simply cannot be cured, Your Majesty." Sōjirō said grimly. "I'm sorry."

"Your Majesty," Sōjirō spoke up again after a moment of silence, "I know it's most unusual to come to you with a request, but I must now, at this time."

"Anything for you," Chitsujo assured him.

"I wish to step down as an instructor." Sōjirō told Chitsujo.

"You wish to retire? Of course, you should be allowed to live out your remaining days quietly and peacefully." Chitsujo told him.

"No," Sōjirō shook his head, "I wish to step down and pursue new ventures."

"New ventures?" Chitsujo raised an eyebrow.

"I wish to take a position as a Traveler for the remainder of my days."

Chitsujo gasped in surprise. A Traveler was a Watcher who was assigned to traverse the universe, and seek out new worlds for the Watchers to add to their…well, watch. "Are you sure?" He asked. "A job like that might cause your health to decline faster. It's not as peaceful as it seems, considering the amount of travel."

Sōjirō smiled. "I appreciate your concern, my king, but this is what I want. Your father, long ago, told me that he wanted to watch over worlds to give our people a sense of purpose."

"Our life as Watchers gave us something to protect." He continued. "I…want to leave one last legacy in this universe, in the form of more people for us to protect, so that I may continue Kaishi's dream of keeping peace across the universe."

Chitsujo almost started to weep at the mention of his father and his dreams. He then got to his feet and embraced Sōjirō. "No words can tell you how grateful I am to have known you." He said. "You've meant so much to me, and my family."

Sōjirō nodded in understanding and embraced the younger man back. "I've watched you grow up into an amazing man and a fine king, Chitsujo." He said, dropping all formalities now. "I'm proud of you, and I know your mother and father are as well."

Chitsujo started weeping into the older man's shoulder. "Please," he said softly, "take care of yourself, Uncle."

That night, Sōjirō delivered the news to his grandson. "Take me with you!" Ryūji, the son of Kyōko immediately demanded.

"Out of the question." Sōjirō replied. "Your place is here."

"My place is with the man who trains me!" Ryūji denied. "Please, Grandpa, let me come with you! I need you to teach me more, I…"

Ryūji trailed off, much to Sōjirō's surprise. He had his mother's energy, so whenever he ran out of things to say, it was a rare occasion. "…I want to spend your final days with you." Ryūji told him.

Sōjirō smiled at his grandson's affection. He took him in a warm embrace. "Ryūji," he said kindly, "nothing would make me happier as well."

"But your place is here in Menou. You are a Bronze Gate now, with the potential to go further and become a Silver, or maybe even a Gold Gate, maybe even one day become a Saint Warrior like your mother. You have a duty to the kingdom that you cannot ignore."

Ryūji almost started to cry, but remained strong. Sōjirō broke the embrace and gave his grandson some final words of encouragement. "Be strong, my boy." He said. "And grow stronger. I expect that of you not because you have your mother's blood in your veins, but because of who you are."

"You will grow into something truly amazing, Ryūji." He promised. "Just never lose sight of your goals, and who you are. Promise me that."

"I promise, Grandfather." Ryūji said without hesitation, putting on the bravest, strongest face he could muster.

A week later, after all the necessary preparations were made, Sōjirō was met with an attractive brunette with brown eyes and a doctor's uniform, a bespectacled young man who seemed emotionally detached, and a flamboyant man with dark brown hair, blue eyes...and seemed to be fond of standing about in strange poses. "And you threeare?" He inquired.

"Sir, I am Shūya, Lord Chitsujo has assigned me to act as your personal assistant in this mission." Shūya introduced himself formally.

The medic then introduced herself. "I'm Noriko, sir." She said. "I'll be acting as your personal doctor."

Then, the flamboyant individual struck what could only be described as an overly-hammy heroic pose, raising a hand to the heaven's above. "I am the fists of justice, I am the warm embrace of love, I am the simple ember that will one day become a flame of hope for our people!" He declared. "I am Shogo!"

Everyone looked at the man in disbelief. He can't be serious. They all thought in unison.

"Anyway," Shogo continued, speaking normally now, "I'm here as added muscle."

"I guess there was no way he was gonna let me do this mission alone, huh?" Sōjirō mused. "Damn brat, just because I'm an old man dying of a fatal disease, doesn't mean I can't take care of myself."

Sōjirō was still very well built and muscular for his age, but he had indeed aged into an old man. Pure white hair, a white beard, and a lot of wrinkles on his face. Noriko laughed nervously while Shūya remained silent. "Okay you three," Sōjirō sighed, "since I know there's no way I can get rid of you, you two come along with me."

Noriko giggled at his behavior. "This is going to be fun." She noted.

"Don't get too attached, Noriko, I'm living on borrowed time." Sōjirō reminded her.

Noriko just smiled. "Having good bedside manners as a doctor, means always being a reassuring force for your patients, sir." She told him.

"It is a great honor to learn from a hero of legend." Shogo claimed. "Even if you are in your final days, nothing would bring me greater joy than to remain by your side and call you 'Master.' Please Master, teach me all your heroics!"

Sōjirō found himself chuckling for the first time in a while. "You know what, I think we'll get along just fine. What about you, Shūya, anything you want to add?"

"No, sir," Shūya responded.

"Well, did you hear that, Noriko, Shogo? It looks like we'll have to do enough talking for all four of us...although Shogo, I think you could manage that alone." Sōjirō joked. "Okay you three, follow me."

Sōjirō then clapped his hands together, reciting an incantation that was invented when the Travelers were originally founded. "This door is a door to a path, and this path is a path to everywhere. Now, open and show us…this path of infinite destinations!"

With that, a portal opened, revealing a golden road surrounded by blackness. "Remember," Sōjirō said to his three traveling companions, "once we cross into this portal, we must stay on the path at all costs. We fall off, we fall into the Void, and then there's no going back."

"Yes, sir," Shūya, Shogo and Noriko said.

"Thankfully, we won't be sleeping on the path." Sōjirō added, reaching into his pocket and pulling out an orb. "This right here has our humble abode sealed inside. I figured Chitsujo would assign two attendants to me, so I made sure it was big enough for multiple people."

"A sealing technique?" Shūya finally showed emotion at the sight of something amazing and rare. "Sir, how did you manage to seal a house inside of that orb? Watchers who use Reiki to manipulate seals are quite rare."

Sōjirō smiled in reminiscence. "It was a favor," he revealed, "from someone very dear to me…someone who's like family. I've also got other kinds of seals for other kinds of situations."

"Well, come on, you three." Sōjirō pocketed the orb once more. "We don't have all day. I want to see a new world before the day is through!"

And so, for the next year, Sōjirō and his three compatriots traveled across the universe, looking for new worlds for their people to watch over. Sōjirō kept in touch with home as the year went by. He was happy to hear how well Chitsujo was leading.

However, there were some days when he received particularly troubling news, especially towards the end of the year. Konton apparently finally declared war on Menou with an alliance with villainous individuals residing in four of the most watched worlds at the moment. A world of wizards, a world of soul reapers, a world of pirates, and a world of ninjas.

Thankfully, Chitsujo had acted quickly and formed his own alliance with the heroic individuals to oppose this villainous coalition. He also assured Sōjirō that he could handle this matter, and he should simply focus on his own assignment. Sōjirō was still worried for his homeland, but in the end, he agreed with his king. Besides, a man with declining health such as his could not hope to do much, especially considering the man who was leading this villainous army.

Konton was every bit as strong as his brother. Even though they could not be more different, even as children, their level of power was the same. Sōjirō, sadly, would only be in the way. All he could do was weep for what had happened to the royal family.

Kaishi, I'm so sorry about what has happened to your sons. He remembered thinking to himself.

But as always, Sōjirō remained dedicated to his mission, choosing to have faith that as king, Chitsujo could protect his kingdom and the universe that was ever expanding thanks to his findings.

In the past year, Sōjirō had found plenty of amazing new worlds. But there were four in particular that had not been discovered yet. Four that would stick out to him, much like those four worlds now engulfed in a war with Rakuen did to Chitsujo and Konton.

The first was a world of magic, much like the wizard world currently at war. It was a world of grimoires. A world where faith, hope and love is hidden in the leaf of the clover each, good luck dwells in the fourth leaf, and the devil lies in the mysterious fifth leaf.

This world would be dubbed, the Grimoire World.

The second was a world of strange beasts, mystical treasures, grand adventures, and wondrous but bloody dangers. A world where the people who are attracted to this kind of lifestyle are known as 'Hunters'. A world where a mystic art known as Nen reigns supreme on the battlefield.

This world would be dubbed, the Hunter World.

The third was a world in the midst of an age of heroes. A world where nearly every human being in the world could use a superpower known as a Quirk. A world where those used these Quirks for evil were simply labeled villains, and those who used these Quirks to protect the peace were known as heroes.

This world would be dubbed, the Quirk World.

And the final world was a world of bloody evolution. The darkest of these four, soon-to-be discovered worlds, where dark beasts known as Grimm, roamed the land, devouring innocent human beings. However, protecting the people were mighty warriors known as the Huntsmen, who used powerful weapons such as Dust, Aura, and Semblances.

This world would be dubbed, the Dust World.

Four worlds with power that currently paled in comparison to the four mighty worlds that were currently locked in a devastating war with old foes allied with the kingdom of Rakuen. However, if nurtured and given time, they could. Of course, Watchers were not allowed to interfere with worlds unless absolutely necessary.

So, when Sōjirō would discover these four worlds, his plan of course would be to simply send the reports back to his king and then be on his merry way.

Sadly, as Sōjirō knew by now, life rarely goes the way people wish it to. In fact, on many occasions, life goes horribly wrong. The elder Watcher could only take note of that as he stared at the devastation before him.

It was a world they had just discovered. They did not know what it held, nor would they ever know…

…Because everything in this world was now nothing but a barren wasteland; a global graveyard with no actual graves, just corpses everywhere.

Shūya fell to his knees and vomited from the foul stench of death. Noriko stared in utter terror at the sight. She was a doctor. She was used to death. But this? This was more than just death. This was murder. This was a massacre. This was like when cattle were slaughtered for food…and the cattle were not even eaten. Even Shogo was silent. In fact, to his credit, he was visibly disgusted by the carnage.

Sōjirō, meanwhile, stood in silence, staring at the sight before him with sadness and shock. "Gods," Shūya muttered, after finishing losing his lunch, "what has happened to this world?"

"Shūya, compose yourself, son." He said to his assistant. "Use your telepathy to seek out as many thoughts in this world as you can."

Shūya regained his composure and nodded. "Yes sir," he said, holding two fingers to his head.

Shūya used Telepathy as his Art. He could use it to communicate with people, and to track people down by finding their thoughts. However, normally, doing a global scan of thoughts was incredibly taxing on his body due to the amount of minds he would have to scan. But because of how barren this world seemed…he could do it without harming himself. After a few moments of silence, he paled. "Oh gods," he muttered, "nothing, absolutely nothing…this entire world is dead…"

Noriko noticed the body of a mother, hunched over her also-deceased child. "Who did this?" She wondered. "What did this? How could anyone do this?"

Shogo grimaced, visibly furious. "Monsters, plain and simple. Monsters that we have a duty to track down and exterminate."

Shūya then gasped. "Wait, Master Sōjirō!" He exclaimed.

"What is it?"

"I'm getting someone…I think it might be an enemy. He's coming towards us with hostile intent!"

No sooner had Shūya said that, a man cloaked in black arrived. "Well, well," he said, "and here I thought we had exterminated every single person in this world."

"No, wait a minute," the man in black continued, recognizing the quartet, "you four are not of this world…you are Watchers."

Shūya eyes widened. "I can sense Reiki from him…gods, he's a Watcher, like us!"

Noriko was immediately shouting at him. "Who are you?" She yelled. "If you are a Watcher, then why are you attacking people from different worlds? We are to protect people like this, not slaughter them!"

Shogo pointed dramatically at the attacker. "Nay, we need not know your answer, fiend! You will be purged from this world for your crimes!"

Sōjirō narrowed his eyes. That cloak…it had been a long time since he had seen that cloak. And frankly, he would have been happier never seeing it again. The man in black just laughed cruelly, holding his hands into the air. "I am just doing what is decreed." He declared. "These bodies you see, they were once people. But now, they are nourishment! Their despair, their sorrow, their strife, it shall play its part in the coming of the end. Just like all the others before them!"

"All the others?" Noriko was horrified. "Oh gods, these people weren't the first?"

"And they won't be the last! More worlds are ahead after all! Worlds that can become far more miserable and tormented!" The man in black continued. "Praise be our god! Accept these sacrifices! Accept all sacrifices! Accept their torment as your nourishment!"

No sooner had the man in black finished those horrifying statements, he was suddenly slammed to the ground by a furious Sōjirō. Noriko, Shogo and Shūya both gasped at their master's actions. They had not even seen him move. The man was dying from a fatal disease that robbed him of his strength and he still moved so fast they could not see him move.

The man in black laughed at the pain he was in. "Yes, misery," he said, clearly insane now, "I am about to die. Let my sorrow at my own death be nourishment. Master, my life force is yours."

Sōjirō just glared at the man in black. "You have some damn nerve showing your face in this universe again, you bastard." He said, tightening his grip. "You and your despicable friends."

The man in black just laughed as his throat was crushed easily. Noriko gasped, having never seen her master take a life before. "Master Sōjirō," Shūya was shocked, "you killed him!"

"Believe me, Shū, the world is better off without a monster like this guy." Sōjirō said without remorse, tossing the man in black away.

"But we didn't even get to interrogate him." Noriko noted. "Sir, now we don't know if he was working alone or if he is in a group. Or what they're even planning!"

"No, we know what we need to know in order to continue." Sōjirō corrected. "I, however, already know everything about this bastard, and the people he works with."

"Huh?" The old man's three assistants said in confusion.

"I'll explain everything later, come on." Sōjirō ordered. "We don't have time for this. There are worlds out there close by that more bastards like this guy are going after. We need to get there fast and pray to the gods we get there in time to stop them."

"Hold on, we're interfering with other worlds now?" Shūya was surprised.

"We have to, I refuse to let this happen again." Sōjirō growled.

Indeed, chaos has now spread to other worlds in the universe. A dangerous new enemy has reared its ugly head. An enemy that threatens to slaughter everything in their path for an unknown objective. And right now, the seeds of death, destruction and chaos were being planted…

In the Quirk World, there was a prison known as Tartarus. A prison where criminals were so heinous, the death penalty was not enough for them. So, they were simply locked away for the remainder of their days. Sadly, with what was now happening, a death penalty might have protected the world from these monsters.

A young-looking, incredibly thin man with long silver hair and black eyes, dressed in black robes similar to the man the Watchers had just met, calmly strode through the prison grounds with an unreadable expression on his face. Then, a musclebound man with a completely bald head, no shirt and black shorts stood in his way.

"I am the Chain Hero, Bojangles!" Bojangles declared as what appeared to be chains sprouted from his hands.

Bojangles jangled his chains about in a threatening manner. Indeed, his Quirk was Chains, perfect for restraining and whipping uppity villains.

The silver-haired man gave Bojangles a dark stare. There cloaked individuals then appeared, flanking him. "Cardinal," one said to him, "would you like us to deal with this man?"

"No," the Cardinal replied, "I will."

The Cardinal then stepped forward. "I will make this simple," he said, "get in my way, and you die. A great slaughter is fated to take place in this world. I would think you'd want to die with your loved ones instead of dying alone."

"I won't be dying at all!" Bojangles declared. "I protect the people by keeping villains like you in chains! I won't back down against a damn villain like you, especially after you and your men murdered so many guards! You're the lowest of the low!"

"Humph," the Cardinal scoffed, "perhaps it's for the best then. Your death will show the world the misery of inevitability."

"Take this!" Bojangles had heard enough. He launched his chains at the Cardinal, intent on ending this fight quickly.

Later, inside a solitary cell, an elderly man with a face that was nothing but wounded tissue, due to a devastating fight with a certain hero, listened to the chaos outside. "I suppose I should be glad I'm not deaf." He mused with a sadistic grin. "Such music is wonderful entertainment."

Then, the door to his cell block was blasted open. A large object suddenly contorted and shrank into what appeared to be a hand. All of this was silhouetted by the dust from the blast. Then, the old man watched as a severed head was thrown in front of his cell. He looked at the head and chuckled cruelly.

The Chain Hero, Bojangles, was no more…

"You certainly no how to make an entrance." The old man noted.

The Cardinal then entered, gazing at the old man with an unreadable expression. "You must be All For One." He noted. "The man who wanted to be the Symbol of Evil."

All For One, Japan's most dangerous villain, gazed at this man with tremendous interest. "I am," he replied, "and who are you?"

"My followers refer to me as the Cardinal of Death, one of the Four Cardinals of 'D.'" The Cardinal replied. "I come on behalf of my leader. We have…a proposition that you might be interested in."

"A proposition for a retired, incarcerated villain?" All For One seemed amused. "Well, you did come all this way just to free me from my prison. I suppose I should humor you at least."

Meanwhile, in the Hunter World, a second man dressed in a black cloak, flanked by three followers in those same cloaks. "Cardinal," one said, "look, is that the one you were looking for. He matches the description"

The Cardinal pulled his hood back, revealing the face of a dark-skinned, bald man with what appeared to be black tally marks carved into his forehead. They were a symbol, a symbol of each god he denied as a ruler of this universe. For he was the Cardinal of Denial, one of the Four Cardinals of 'D.'

"This is indeed." The Cardinal noted, walking over to the corpse of a monstrous humanoid holding the hand of a young girl.

The Cardinal then callously tore away the girl's hand and tossed her body away. He knelt down and gazed at the humanoid corpse with interest. "So, this is the Chimera Ant King, Meruem…" he said quietly.

Meanwhile, in the Grimoire World, several cloaked individuals were gathered around a body, performing a strange ritual. Meanwhile, a third cloaked man, massive in size, with black hair that flowed about like the mane of a lion and crimson red eyes, laughed madly at what he had just done. "Destruction!" The Cardinal of Destruction yelled loudly. "So fun! So fun! So fun!"

"Maggots!" The Cardinal yelled at his subordinates. "You're taking too long! I may have to destroy more if you make me wait any longer!"

"Apologies, Cardinal," a cloaked follower tried to placate the Cardinal, "we will be done soon. This is a very long and delicate process."

"Soon, the Elf named Patoli will walk among us once more."

Finally, in the Dust World, a fourth cloaked man, flanked by three followers, knelt before a regal woman with pure white skin and terrifying black eyes. The man looked thuggish, yet regal with his cloak on, with his rough face and spiky dark brown hair. "For someone with no past to speak of, you are quite audacious." The woman mused. "You march right into my domain with your followers and ask me for an audience."

"I have no past because I am not of this world, milady." The man was surprisingly formal in spite of his appearance. "My people call me the Cardinal of Despair, I come on behalf of my leader with a proposition to help you destroy this world."

"A Cardinal of Despair?" The woman seemed interested in that title in particular. "My, my, I think I've already found a kindred spirit in you."

"We have only recently discovered your world, and many others. Since then, we've been watching you, for quite some time. I must admit, I admire your actions in particular, Lady Salem." The Cardinal said respectfully. "Please, it would bring me joy for you to listen to our plan of despair and torment."

"Out of respect for our shared love, I will." Salem, Master of Grimm, assured the Cardinal. "And afterwards…take me to your leader. I think I would like to meet the architect."

"But first, rise, I would like to speak with you as an equal." Salem ordered the Cardinal.

The Cardinal did as asked and got to his feet. "I will keep things brief, Madame, and then I will take you to my master." He told her. "My master wants but one thing, to destroy everything in the name of our god."

A cult? Salem's interest grew with each moment. How interesting…

"We have gone from world to world, giving each the ultimate despair and torment, the feeling of utter inevitability as they are slaughtered to the last man, woman and child." The Cardinal continued to explain. "And now we have come across your world, along with three others…and let's just say that we find ourselves with more than just a desire to destroy."

"No, we find ourselves intrigued to ally with like-minded people in this glorious endeavor."

"Interesting," Salem nodded, "so your goal is an alliance?"

"An alliance with four purposes in mind: death, destruction, despair, and to deny hope and life to all who will be sacrificed. They are our faith's four glorious tenets."

Salem just laughed. "The universe is more amazing than I ever realized." She said, disturbingly happily. "To think people like you actually existed."

"Yes, I think I want to meet your leader." Salem decided. "Perhaps it would be more entertaining to not just snuff out hope in Remnant…"

"…But to do the same to three other worlds."

And with those chilling words, a dark alliance began to form between a dark and mysterious cult, and individuals from different worlds with sinister intentions. Meanwhile, Sōjirō frantically ran across the golden path between worlds with his two allies close behind, praying to the gods that there were warriors who could help these worlds survive long enough for him to arrive and provide help.

Thankfully, there were. And among these warriors were four in particular who were truly special.

A boy who was nothing special, for he possessed no magic at all. However, that was what made him truly special.

A boy who was born quirkless, without superpowers, but when he displayed an act of selfish heroism, a hero gave him his power, and set him on a path to becoming one of the greatest heroes.

A boy with a boundless sense of adventure, who became a Hunter with the goal to find his father.

And a girl with silver eyes and a romanticized view of heroes, resolving to become one herself. An idealist living in a world where ideals and optimism are arguably viewed as a waste.

While Menou was locked in a multi-world war of its own, a second war with a great importance of its own was on the horizon. A war for the future of new worlds; the War of Discoveries was about to begin.