Joseph’s lips curled into a slight grin. “We’ll see about that. Maybe you don’t know who I am.”
Before Nana could reply, Joseph unleashed the power of his XPT. In an instant, he immobilized everyone around him, including Yoshi and Lyra. Then, with blinding speed, he charged toward Nana. She braced herself, ready to counter, but to her shock, he vanished just before reaching her.
Reappearing behind her in a flash, Joseph reached for the Treasure of Order. Just as his fingers grazed its surface, Yoshi broke free of his immobilized state and intervened, grabbing Joseph by the arm and tossing him aside with ease. Joseph flipped mid-air, landing gracefully with a spinning flourish that demonstrated his agility and precision.
Before he could charge again, Lyra joined the fray, her magic erupting in a dazzling, coordinated assault that forced Joseph onto the defensive. Magical blasts rained down around him, but he dodged and countered with fluid skill, his movements almost playful as he taunted Nana.
Meanwhile, Nana began monologuing. “You see, Joseph, the Treasure of Order has chosen me. With it, I will bring peace—not just to Kurohama, but to the entire world. Ryujin understands my vision, and together we—”
Joseph interrupted her with an exaggerated sigh. “Oh, come on. Really? Another villain monologue? Why does this always happen in every story?” he quipped, weaving through Lyra’s attacks effortlessly.
"Really?" Joseph exclaimed, dodging another attack with effortless grace. "Why is it that this sort of thing always happens in fictional narratives? Well, okay, maybe not all the time in the real world," he added with a sly grin, his eyes glinting mischievously as he glanced at Nana. She glared at him, clearly seething, but he seemed unfazed.
Effortlessly weaving through her strikes, Joseph continued, "You know, it reminds me of something. Let me tell you a little story—about me and my various counterparts." His voice carried a casual charm, as if they weren’t in the middle of a fight, his words as sharp as his movements.
Nana’s golden aura flared in irritation as she glared at him. “You mock me?”
“Not just you,” Joseph replied with a grin, sidestepping another blast. “I mean, this feels like something out of a bad movie. You don’t even know the half of it! My counterparts from other realities—now those guys had flair. One of them even—”
“Enough!” Nana roared, her frustration boiling over.
But Joseph only smirked. “Touchy, aren’t we?” he said, all the while formulating a plan. Though he seemed flippant, his mind was racing, analyzing her movements, the treasure’s energy patterns, and how best to dismantle her control without harming Yoshi or the villagers.
For Joseph, this wasn’t just a fight—it was a test of wit and strategy.
***
"A similar scenario happened in another universe," Joseph began with a confident grin, seamlessly dodging an incoming attack and performing a stunning somersault. "A female variant of mine once faced off against Tetraman, Omni-Man, Superman, Spider-Man, Iron Man, and Batman all at once during Crisis Zero #140. Her clones kept the rest of the heroes busy while she handled the big names solo."
He chuckled, narrowly evading Lyra's blast, before adding, "And in a different isekai world—not to brag or anything—a female variant of mine did something similar against Goku, Vegeta, Dante, Meliodas, Saitama, Naruto, Gojo Satoru, Baki Hanma, Ryu, and Ken. She took them on at their peak forms, saved them from being consumed by the darkness, and walked away without breaking a sweat."
Joseph’s casual tone grated on Nana, who watched him maneuver the battle with unnerving ease.
“In another anime franchise—oh, you might’ve heard of it—Anime World War Gone Rogue,” Joseph continued, ducking a powerful strike from Yoshi, “a male and female variant of mine worked together. Well, sort of—they don’t even like working together. But they managed to single-handedly take down heavyweights like Akuto Sai, Anos Voldigoad, Gilgamesh, Rimuru, Meliodas, Alucard, Hanuman, Sun Wukong, Anti-Spiral, Void Shiki, Arcueid Brunestud, and Featherine Augustus Aurora. Oh, I call her FAA for short.”
"My variants emerged victorious, freeing them from the control of a sinister, all-powerful entity."
"And guess what? It’s ironic—why do my two variants bear such striking similarities to Featherine and Maria, who can hardly work together, while Shiki Ryougi and Arcueid, on the other hand, can collaborate without a hitch?"
Joseph winked mid-spin, continuing, “Fun fact—FAA even dated one of my variants after a tiny misunderstanding. Crazy, right?”
As Joseph effortlessly sidestepped Yoshi’s next attack, Nana narrowed her eyes. She began to suspect that he had a plan, one far more intricate than he was letting on. Despite being outnumbered and seemingly cornered, Joseph wasn’t breaking a sweat. He moved with precision, almost as if he were testing his limits against Yoshi and Lyra.
Joseph, on the other hand, was observing his controlled allies closely. He’d always believed that when someone was under the influence of an external force, they fought without restraint—unleashing their full potential. And now, he was seeing it firsthand.
The battle reached an unexpected turn when Lyra, with an uncanny display of power, managed to pull Joseph from his XPT Dimension before he could fully enter. Joseph’s eyes widened in surprise as Lyra seamlessly replicated and mimicked several of his XPT-based attacks.
"That's impressive," he muttered, a grin spreading across his face in admiration. "I knew you could mimic abilities, but XPT isn't something most beings could pull off so effortlessly, even if it's just a prototype. Higher beings struggle to perform the kind of stunt you just did, Lyra."
Meanwhile, Yoshi shattered Joseph’s Infinite Corridor with a simple gesture, redirecting the attack back at him. As if that weren’t enough, Yoshi effortlessly broke through Joseph’s Time Barrier, Time Glitch, and Time Lapses, leaving Joseph momentarily stunned.
"Wait, what?" Joseph exclaimed as he backflipped to safety. "You two never pulled stunts like this during sparring. You were holding back the entire time—even when I had my XPT back."
"Hey! When I told you to fight me with all you've got during training, I meant it!" Joseph yelled, his tone a mix of frustration and challenge. "You two were clearly going easy on me back then! But now that you're under Nana’s control, you're not holding back at all. I remember when you held back during our last battle under the relic of servitude’s control—so what’s the deal now?"
He shot a sharp glance at Yoshi and Lyra, convinced they’d been going easy on him all along. As the words left his mouth, he took the full force of their combined blast—feeling its intensity, but remaining completely unharmed and unfazed, determined to drive his point home.
Joseph laughed, shaking his head in disbelief as he dodged another synchronized attack from Yoshi and Lyra. "I’ve gotta say, it’s nice to see you two going all out, even if it’s because Nana’s pulling the strings."
His expression shifted, turning serious as he analyzed the battle. "But I can’t let this drag on. Things are getting out of hand."
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With a deep breath, Joseph steadied himself, his gaze locking onto Nana, who was still radiating golden energy. “Time to execute my final strategy,” he said, his voice calm but resolute.
Joseph adjusted his stance, his XPT beginning to glow with a pulsating energy. The battlefield crackled with tension as he prepared to face Nana, Yoshi, Lyra, and the entire village under her control.
Joseph took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling with calm determination, before fixing his gaze on Nana. She took an instinctive step back, her confidence faltering. That look in Joseph’s eyes—it was unmistakable. He was about to execute his plan.
But Nana wasn’t naïve. She gripped the Treasure of Order tightly, its ancient energy thrumming faintly in her hands. She had prepared for this moment, or so she thought.
“Yoshi, Lyra!” Nana’s voice rang out, sharp and commanding. “With the Treasure’s power, I order you to unleash your full potential!”
Her words hung in the air like a spark igniting dry tinder. The world seemed to hold its breath as Yoshi and Lyra moved in unison, their powers surging forth, luminous and devastating.
Joseph flinched—just for a heartbeat—but it was all Nana needed to believe she had the upper hand. Yet, in that fraction of a second, Joseph thrust his hand forward, the energy from the XPT within him roaring to life. The Treasure wrenched itself free from Nana’s grasp, the suddenness of the act sending her stumbling backward.
“No!” Nana hissed, her hands clawing at the air. She tried to seize it back with her telekinesis, her magic crackling like lightning around her, but the Treasure refused her call. The artifact hovered, glowing and trembling, caught between her desperation and Joseph’s determination.
Yoshi and Lyra’s combined assault was relentless, their unleashed potential tearing through the fabric of reality itself. Time faltered—seconds stretched, twisted, and snapped. The air grew heavy, crackling with an energy that threatened to obliterate everything. Joseph’s XPT strained under the pressure, pushing back against the onslaught with every ounce of its remaining power.
The Treasure, drawn by Joseph’s will, inched closer to his grasp. His glowing hand reached out, trembling under the strain, until finally, the artifact made contact. The instant he touched it, the energy from his XPT surged into the Treasure like a tidal wave, binding it to him.
Time snapped back into place.
Joseph staggered as his body flickered, glitching in and out of existence. The XPT within him burned through its reserves, barely holding him together. Pain lanced through his form, but he held on, his grip on the Treasure unyielding.
“Stop!” The command came not from Joseph, but from the XPT, its voice echoing through the minds of Yoshi and Lyra. The two froze, their powers dissipating as they obeyed the thought-command compelled by the Treasure’s influence.
In the silence that followed, Joseph’s form stabilized. His XPT, depleted, shifted into recharging mode, leaving him standing there, panting but triumphant. Raising the Treasure high, he shouted, “I now have the power!” His voice rang out, filled with exhilaration and resolve.
With a single thought, he unleashed the Treasure’s power, freeing everyone from its control. The villagers gasped, their faces lighting with recognition as the fog over their minds lifted.
“It’s over, Nana,” Joseph said, turning his attention to her. His voice was steady, unyielding. Nana remained frozen, her wide eyes fixed on him as she sank to her knees.
“No… no… it can’t be,” she whispered, her voice cracking with disbelief. A flash of memory crossed her face—Ryujin’s forewarning. She clenched her fists, her expression twisting with desperation. “I won’t let you ruin everything I’ve worked so hard to protect!”
Her fury reignited as she surged to her feet, magic pouring from her hands in violent waves. Summoning the Treasure back to her. But to her horror, it did not respond. Lyra had already cast a protective spell around Joseph and the Treasure, making it impervious to Nana’s magic.
She glared at Joseph with unbridled hatred. "You’ve taken everything from me—even that which meant nothing to me. For that, no one shall have the Treasure of Order!" she cried, her voice shaking with despair.
She chanted in a guttural, ancient tongue, the words foreign and incomprehensible. Joseph frowned, his grip tightening on the Treasure.
“Yoshi?” he asked, his voice tinged with urgency.
Yoshi’s face paled. “I… I recognize some of it, but not enough to stop it.”
Before anyone could act, Nana finished her incantation. A rift tore open in the air, and the Treasure vanished from Joseph’s grasp in a flash of blinding light. It was gone—transported to Ryujin’s domain.
“No!” Joseph growled, his voice breaking with frustration.
Nana, drained and trembling, fell to the ground. She didn’t resist as the warriors moved in, binding her hands and taking her into custody. She stared at the dirt beneath her, her expression hollow, her spirit broken.
The villagers, now free, began to gather. Their murmurs grew louder as the village chief appeared at the edge of the crowd. His clothes were tattered, his face worn with the weight of servitude. Gasps rippled through the onlookers as the reality of his suffering set in.
Lyra stepped forward, her magic swirling gently as she transformed the chief’s ragged attire into something dignified, befitting his station. The villagers fell silent, their gazes fixed on their restored leader.
Together, they moved to the community hall, where the chief stood before them. His voice, steady despite his visible exhaustion, began to recount the story of their enslavement and the horrors Nana had wrought.
Inside the community hall, the villagers gathered in solemn silence as the chief stood before Yoshi and his companions. His gaze, though weary, carried the weight of a confession he had long suppressed.
“I must admit,” he began, his voice heavy with regret, “I was a coward in the face of danger.” His eyes swept over the crowd, lingering briefly on the warriors and elders seated nearby. “When the attack came, I was paralyzed with fear. My family’s safety was all I could think of, and for a moment… I nearly surrendered the Treasure of Order to our enemies.”
Gasps rippled through the room. The villagers exchanged uneasy glances, their faith in their chief visibly shaken.
“I had the Treasure in my possession, its power at my command,” the chief continued, his voice cracking, “but even then, I doubted. Could I truly stand against the forces threatening us? Could I protect my people? My heart told me that surrendering was the only way to save lives, even if it meant disgrace. But then…”
The crowd listened in silence, the weight of the truth settling over them like a heavy cloud. For now, the battle was over, but Joseph knew this was just one chapter in a much larger struggle.
He hesitated, his expression darkening. “Then Nana Rie intervened. She took the Treasure from me and vowed to protect the village. At first, I believed her to be our savior, the hero we desperately needed. But I was wrong.”
The hall fell deathly silent as the chief’s next words spilled out like venom. “She orchestrated the attack herself.”
The villagers recoiled in collective shock, their disbelief palpable. Whispers broke out among them, disbelief and betrayal hanging heavy in the air.
“She confessed it to me in secret,” the chief said, his fists clenching at his sides. “It was all part of her plot to gain power, respect, and admiration as a hero. And when she had the Treasure, she used its power to compel my obedience, binding me to her will.”
Yoshi’s expression hardened, and Lyra shook her head in quiet fury. Joseph remained silent, his jaw set, while the villagers struggled to process the truth.
The chief bowed deeply, his voice trembling with gratitude as he turned to Yoshi and his companions. “Thank you. Though I failed my people, your courage has restored the hope and order we thought we had lost forever.”
Rising, he added, “Our village may not have much in abundance, but we hope you will accept our humble thanks and an offering to aid you on your journey.”
Yoshi inclined his head graciously. “Your gratitude is more than enough. The Treasure of Order may be gone, but your village has found its strength again. That is what truly matters.”
The hall erupted in applause as the villagers came together to offer their heartfelt thanks. Soon after, the group prepared to depart.
At the village gates, the chief and the villagers stood in a solemn line, waving farewell to Yoshi and his companions. “May your journey be safe, my prince,” the chief said, his voice carrying above the crowd. “And may the light you brought to Kurohama shine wherever you go.”
Yoshi bowed slightly, his companions following suit. “Farewell, and take heart. Your people are stronger than you realize.”
With that, they turned and set off, the sun rising behind them as they continued their journey.
***
Back in Kurohama, in the dim confines of the village jail, Nana sat silently in her cell. Her hands rested limply in her lap, her eyes downcast, shadowed with regret.
A faint glow filled the room as an astral form materialized before her. It was Ryujin, his presence both commanding and serene.
“Well done,” he said, his voice echoing softly in the quiet. “Though you stumbled, you made the right choice in the end.”
Nana lifted her head, her eyes meeting Ryujin’s. She didn’t respond but held his gaze, as though waiting for judgment.
Ryujin extended a hand, and before she could protest, his presence enveloped her. The guards outside the cell slumped unconscious, overcome by his mere existence.
In an instant, Nana vanished along with Ryujin, leaving the jail empty. The glow faded, and the village guards stirred moments later, none the wiser to what had occurred.
The people of Kurohama would remember Yoshi’s visit as the moment their village began to heal, though questions about Nana’s fate would linger in whispers for years to come.