The Reunion

MAIN STORY

Back in the universe that Paulo’s in, he is wondering what to do with the Oni bodies. Yuki finally back said, “I suggest we revive them as our soldiers to go up against threats.”

Paulo then said, “My cosmic green revive is a copy ability I first copied, it allows me to revive them as a cosmic solider.” Yuki then asks how each skill works.

Paulo then said, “First skill is Cosmic Extraction. This is a one skill of power activated by the command Arise which allows me to pull a Dead soul from a corpse. success depending on my own strength versus the target’s strength. To create cosmic soldiers from fallen victims, though failure causes the Soul to crumble.”

Maki then said, “You said skills but that’s only one.” Paulo then sighed and said, “There are about 4 skills you dummy. Let me explain the rest.”

Paulo then said, “My second kill which is Cosmic Storage. It allows me to house his entire army within my own Soul, rendering the soldiers invisible and weightless until I summon them.”

Paulo then said, "My third skill is Cosmic Exchange. It allows me to instantly teleport by swapping positions with any of my cosmic soldiers, making it ideal for travel, ambushes, or escaping danger if necessary."

Paulo then said, "My final skill I copied from this set is Cosmic Preservation. It lets me rescue a dying Cosmic soldier by pulling it into my Soul before destruction, allowing me to later re-summon it fully restored and maintain an immortal army unless permanently erased.”

Yuki then said, “Cool, so which skill are you going to use.” Paulo then said, “The first one.”

Paulo then said, “The first skill.” He raised his arm. “ARISE!” Green energy exploded around them, swirling like a storm. The oni’s body lifted from the ground, his eyes now glowing with cosmic fire.

His soul was bound—no longer human, no longer free. A soldier forged from punishment. Paulo however passed out since he was in using so much energy with no rest.

Maki and Yuki rushed to Paulo’s side worrying as Yuki said, “Wake up, My beloved.” Maki then looked at her and said, “Your down bad but I respect that.”

Paulo’s eyes fluttered open, but the world around him was unfamiliar. He wasn’t in his bedroom, nor anywhere on the world. He stood in a vast chamber suspended in the sky, surrounded by towering celestial pillars that shimmered with cosmic energy.

The floor beneath him was translucent, revealing swirling galaxies far below. The air pulsed with power, and yet Paulo felt strangely lucid—as if he were both present and absent.

Then, without warning, his body stiffened. His limbs moved, but not by his will. His voice echoed, but not from his own thoughts. “This isn’t a dream,” Paulo whispered in his mind. “This is a memory… someone else’s memory.”

A voice rang out behind him, deep and commanding.

“Radiation Monarch… your time draws near. You are the oldest among us. The cycle demands your end.” Paulo turned slowly, and there stood Antares—the Monarch of Dragons.

His form was regal and terrifying, scales of obsidian and gold, eyes like burning stars. His wings folded behind him, and his hands were clasped behind his back.

“Antares…” Paulo muttered, stunned. “He’s real. I’ve read about him in the ancient texts… but this—this is before my time.” Then Paulo heard his own voice speak again, but it was not his own—it was the voice of the Cosmic King, the Monarch of Radiation. “I’ve already prepared for my departure,” the Cosmic King said calmly. “I’ve chosen a mortal vessel. His name is Paulo Satoshi.”

Paulo’s dream-state self-gasped. “Me? I’m the vessel?” Antares stepped forward, his tone sharp. “A mortal? You expect a fragile human to contain your power? Without safeguards, he’ll disintegrate before he even awakens.”

The Cosmic King’s eyes narrowed, glowing with ancient wisdom. “I’ve accounted for that. He will be bound by five limitations—each designed to protect him… and to test him.”

Antares scoffed, his voice rising. “Five? That’s all? You think your power is so tame it can be contained by five seals? You underestimate yourself, Cosmic King.”

The Cosmic King flinched slightly, then steadied himself. “These limitations are not trivial. Each requires immense sacrifice and strength to break. Only when he is ready will they fall.”

Antares turned his back, his tail flicking with irritation. “Then tell me. What are these five trials? And are they truly worth the pain they demand?” The Cosmic King placed a hand on Antares’s shoulder, his voice solemn.

“The first limitation will shatter only when he dies for the first time. In that moment, he will awaken my cosmic aura… and the Eye of Eternity.” Antares’s expression darkened.

“You’re saying he must die to access your power? That’s twisted—even for you.” Paulo’s dream-self froze. “I… I already died. On Earth. I took my own life. That means… I’ve already broken the first seal.”

The Cosmic King continued, walking slowly toward Paulo’s suspended body. “The second limitation will break when Paulo and his cosmic soldiers reach a combined power level of around 250 million. When it breaks, he will gain additional copy slots and expanded summon storage. He will know it has shattered when he relives this memory.”

Antares nodded, his tone more thoughtful. “That’s a fair trial. It demands unity and strength. But the third?” The Cosmic King’s voice grew colder. “He must slay over one hundred million evil souls. Only then will he unlock the ability to wield future sight.”

Antares’s eyes flared. “Future sight? You would give a mortal the power to see beyond time? That’s madness. You risk destabilizing the balance.” Paulo chuckled in his dream-state, unheard by the monarchs. “Guess I’m going to be a problem for the universe.”

The Cosmic King smirked. “Limitation four will fall when Paulo reaches a power level of 2.5 trillion. At that point, he will gain the ability to copy forms—any form he witnesses, mortal or divine.”

Antares raised an eyebrow. “You laugh, but this is dangerous. If he copies the wrong form, he could unravel himself.” The Cosmic King’s tone softened as they reached Paulo’s body, suspended in a glowing cocoon of starlight.

“The final limitation… will only break when all others have fallen. He must reach a power level of one trillion… and then, he must die once more. A final death. Only then will the seal be broken, and he will transcend mortality.”

Antares’s voice was quiet now, almost reverent. “So, he must die… to be reborn as a god.” The Cosmic King nodded. “Yes. Only through death can he ascend. Only through pain can he become the new Monarch of Radiation.”

The chamber began to darken. The memory faded. Paulo felt himself being pulled back, the voices of the monarchs echoing in his mind. “Five trials… five deaths… five awakenings.”

As the dream collapsed into shadow, Paulo awoke in his mortal body, drenched in sweat, heart pounding. “I’m not just Paulo Satoshi anymore,” he whispered. “I’m something more. Something ancient. And my trials… have only just begun.”

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Paulo then woke up to Yuki hugging him and surrounded by his summons. Paulo then got a phone call from Saya which confuses him, but Paulo didn't what hell happened earlier on Earth.

13 hours ago. The sun dipped low behind the jagged rooftops of Keiko City, casting long, bleeding shadows across the alleyways. The air was thick with the scent of rain-soaked concrete and distant traffic, the city humming with its usual indifference.

ava walked alone, her footsteps soft against the cracked pavement, her school bag slung loosely over one shoulder. Saya and Tsuki had split off earlier, heading toward the station, leaving Ava to take her usual shortcut home—a narrow alley tucked between two aging buildings, where the light barely reached and silence clung like fog.

She didn’t notice the figure waiting in the shadows. Riku Masusa, a senior from Keiko High, stepped forward with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. His presence was wrong—too still, too quiet. “Hey, Ava. Walking alone again?”

Before she could respond, a sharp sting pierced her neck. Her vision blurred instantly. Her knees buckled. The world tilted sideways. And then—darkness. The school buzzed with its usual chaos, but something was off.

Ava arrived with a strange smile, her eyes glassy, her voice unnaturally sweet. She clung to Riku’s arm like a doll, laughing at his jokes, her movements robotic. She didn’t mention Paulo. Didn’t even flinch at his name.

Tsuki leaned in, whispering to Saya, “She’s not herself. Look at her eyes. That’s not Ava.” Saya’s jaw clenched, her grip tightening around her phone. “Something’s wrong. We need to call Paulo. Now.”

In a realm far removed from Earth, Paulo walked through the ruins of a shattered temple, the air shimmering with divine energy. The sky above swirled with violet clouds, lightning crackling in slow motion across the horizon.

Beside him strode Maki Sato, his resurrected companion—once a Ghostface assassin, now reborn and loyal. Paulo’s eyes were calm, but his heart was heavy. He hadn’t stopped thinking about Ava. Not for a second.

Then his phone buzzed. He answered. Saya’s voice was frantic. “Paulo—you need to come back. Ava’s been drugged. She doesn’t remember you. She’s with Riku Masusa. He’s twisted. You need to get here. Now.”

Paulo’s eyes flared golden green, divine energy crackling around him like a storm barely contained. His voice dropped to a whisper, thick with power. “Copy: portal.”

A rift tore open in the air before him, glowing with cosmic light and humming with ancient energy. He turned to Maki, his expression unreadable. “Defend the fort. I’ll be back.”

Maki nodded, her blade already drawn. “Don’t die again.” Paulo stepped through the portal.

He arrived at the Keiko graveyard, the air cold and still. Mist curled around the tombstones like ghostly fingers. The sky above was bruised with twilight, and the silence was deafening. Paulo stood alone, his presence warping the space around him, the ground beneath his feet pulsing faintly with cosmic energy.

He dialled Saya. “Bring Alexis and Tsuki. Meet me here.” Minutes later, the trio arrived. Saya ran to him first, tears in her eyes, throwing her arms around him.

“I missed you, idiot.” Paulo smirked faintly, his voice low. “I’ve only been semi-dead for a while.” Saya smacked his shoulder playfully. “Don’t joke about that.”

Alexis stepped forward, eyes wide. “You look… different.” Paulo’s gaze was distant, his tone colder. “I am.” Then they heard footsteps. Ava and Riku emerged from the mist, Ava clinging to him, her expression blank. Riku’s smirk was smug, his posture arrogant. He thought he’d won.

Paulo’s eyes darkened. In a blink, he vanished. Riku turned, confused—only to find Paulo behind him. With one brutal motion, Paulo punched through Riku’s skull, the force snapping bone and silence alike.

The sound echoed through the graveyard like thunder. Riku’s body crumpled to the ground, lifeless. Ava gasped, stumbling back. Paulo stepped toward her, his hand glowing with green light. He placed it gently over her head.

“Copy: cure.” A surge of energy pulsed through her. Her body trembled. Her eyes widened. Her breath caught. And then—recognition. “Paulo?” she whispered, voice cracking.

She tackled him, sobbing, clutching him like he was the last star in her sky. “You came back. You really came back.” Paulo held her close, his voice low and steady. “I couldn’t stay away. But I can’t be here long. I only came to kill a pest.”

He turned to Riku’s corpse, eyes glowing with divine fury. “You’ll be better as a cosmic soldier, you drugging prick.” He raised his arm. “ARISE!” Green energy exploded around them, swirling like a storm.

Riku’s body lifted from the ground, his eyes now glowing with cosmic fire. His soul was bound—no longer human, no longer free. A soldier forged from punishment.

Paulo opened another portal, the rift humming with power, its edges flickering like lightning. “If you want to experience war, follow me. If you want peace, stay here. But know this—death follows me.”

Ava hugged him from behind, her voice trembling. “We’re coming with you, Paulo. My Paulo.” As they stepped toward the portal, Maki Sato appeared on the other side, her blade resting on her shoulder, her eyes sharp and unreadable.

Ava’s smile faltered, her grip tightening. “Who is she, Paulo-Kun?” Paulo patted her head gently, his voice calm. “She’s, my companion. I killed her once. Then summoned her back. She was Ghostface. Not anymore.” Ava’s jealousy melted into awe. She nodded, gripping his hand tighter. Together, they stepped through the portal.

Riku’s reborn form dissolved into Paulo’s shadow, waiting to be summoned again. And as the portal closed behind them, the graveyard fell silent once more—its mist curling back into the earth, its secrets buried again.

As the portal sealed behind them with a thunderous hum, Paulo, Ava, Saya, Alexis Ness, and Tsuki stepped into the otherworld—a realm stitched together by cosmic winds and fractured stars. The sky above shimmered with violet clouds, and the ground beneath their feet pulsed with ancient energy. Towering spires of obsidian and glowing crystal surrounded them, forming the skeleton of a new base still under construction.

Maki stood at the centre, overseeing the final touches with a blade strapped to her back and a quiet intensity in her eyes. Around her, the rest of Paulo’s resurrected army moved with purpose: Akikage, Haruka, Yurei, Hiro, Minako, and Yuki—all once Oni, now reborn as cosmic soldiers under Paulo’s command.

The air was thick with tension, curiosity, and something else—something darker. Paulo stepped forward, his voice calm but commanding. “Before we move forward, we need to know each other. Introductions. Now.”

He turned to face the group, his golden-green eyes glowing faintly. “I’m Paulo Satoshi,” he began. “I’m from Earth. I died once. I came back stronger. I fight for balance—and for the people I love.”

Akikage stepped up next, his silver hair catching the light. “Akikage Shirogane. I was a male Oni. Paulo ended my life—but gave me a new one. I serve him now, as a cosmic soldier.”

Haruka followed, her crimson eyes sharp. “Haruka Yurei. Female Oni. I was chaos once. Paulo ended me. Now I fight for order.” Yurei stepped forward, their voice echoing with dual tones. “Yurei Mori. I was both—male and female Oni. Paulo destroyed me. Then rebuilt me. I owe him everything.”

Hiro cracked his knuckles, his grin fierce. “Hiro Yamamoto. Male Oni. I was a monster. Paulo made me a warrior.” Minako bowed slightly, her voice soft but firm. “Minako Kanamoto. Female Oni. I was lost. Paulo gave me purpose.”

Maki stepped up, her gaze unwavering. “Maki Satō. Ghostface assassin. Paulo killed me. Best thing that ever happened. Now I fight beside him.” Saya stepped forward, her voice trembling slightly. “Saya Yamamoto. I was Paulo’s classmate. I watched him fall. I thought I lost him forever.” Hiro raised an eyebrow. “Yamamoto? Same last name. Different worlds. Strange… but kind of cool.”

Tsuki smiled faintly. “Tsuki Ishikawa. I was Ava’s and Saya’s classmate. Paulo’s death broke us. But now… we’re here.” Ava stepped forward, her voice quiet. “Ava Amanai. I was Paulo’s girlfriend. Before Riku stole my memories. Before everything changed.”

Yuki’s eyes narrowed, her wings twitching. She stepped forward, her voice sharp and loud. “HEY, AVA. I’M YUKI FUJIMOTO. I’M A TENGU—AN EVOLVED ONI. YOU USED TO BE PAULO’S LOVER. BUT THAT’S MY ROLE NOW. I WILL NEVER LIKE YOU. YOU WERE HIS BELOVED BEFORE ME.”

The air snapped with tension. Ava’s eyes widened, but her voice remained soft. “I’m sorry, Yuki. I don’t want Paulo anymore. I lost most of my memories of him… because of Riku.”

Yuki’s eyes darkened further, her aura flaring. “That bastard. Summon him, Paulo. I want to kill him a thousand times over. No one hurts people you care about.” Ava stepped back, stunned. “Yuki… why? Why waste time? He’s already dead.”

Yuki’s voice dropped, low and dangerous. “Doesn’t mean I don’t want him to suffer. You’re like a sister to me now, Ava. Remember that. I will protect you.” Suddenly, the ground trembled.

Paulo raised his hand, summoning a surge of cosmic energy. Shadows twisted behind him, and Riku’s form emerged—reborn, glowing with green fire, his eyes hollow. Yuki didn’t wait.

She launched forward, her wings slicing the air, her blade drawn. “YOU TOOK HER MEMORIES. YOU TOOK HER PEACE.” Riku barely had time to react before Yuki’s blade tore through him. Again. And again. Each strike fuelled by rage, by grief, by love twisted into fury.

The others watched in stunned silence as Yuki screamed, her attacks relentless. Paulo didn’t stop her. He let her purge the pain. When she finally collapsed to her knees, panting, Riku’s body was shredded—but still alive, bound by Paulo’s power.

Paulo stepped forward, placing a hand on Yuki’s shoulder. “Enough. He’s yours now. But he serves me.” Yuki nodded, tears streaming down her face. “Thank you… for letting me feel it.”

Ava knelt beside her, wrapping her arms around her. “You’re not alone, Yuki. I remember enough to know… Paulo never stopped caring.” Paulo turned to the group, his voice rising. “This is our team. This is our war. We fight not just for survival—but for redemption. For vengeance. For love.” The sky above cracked with thunder. And the war began.