The Random selection then begins and selects
「Jayden」
A brilliant white light envelops his body.
Instead of showing the slightest bit of nervousness, Jayden simply steps forward with complete confidence before turning toward the only teammate left beside him.
He places a fist over his chest.
"I'll win this for us."
His body then dissolves into countless glowing white petals before disappearing from the Waiting Room.
The next moment Jayden appears beneath the brilliant lights of the Seeker's stage.
Thousands of celestial spectators immediately turn their attention toward him.
Jayden proudly walks to the center of the stage before striking a confident pose.
"I am Jayden the Hero of Courage! And my talent...is Heroism itself!"
The Seeker watches him silently.
Then slowly sighs.
"Another predictable performance..."
He rests his chin against one hand.
"Very well, Hero of Courage..."
His eyes begin glowing.
"...show us how you would save an entire world."
The Seeker snaps his fingers.
A portal immediately opens beneath Jayden.
Before he can react, gravity disappears beneath his feet as he is pulled into the swirling gateway.
He falls through an endless magical realm filled with streams of colorful light before suddenly bursting out from the clouds high above an unfamiliar planet.
The wind roars around him as he plummets toward the ground.
Crashing directly into the center of a primitive village, the impact destroying several wooden homes as dust fills the air.
He quickly stands up.
The moment he does, dozens of native warriors surround him.
Every spear is aimed directly at his heart.
Jayden slowly raises both hands.
"Don't be afraid! I'm Jayden... the Hero of Courage."
He bows respectfully.
"I've come in peace...to save your world."
Before anyone can respond a deafening rumble echoes across the horizon.
Everyone instinctively turns.
Far away an entire mountainside begins collapsing.
Millions of tons of rock break loose, forming a catastrophic landslide that races directly toward the village.
Panic erupts and the villagers screams and panics
One elderly native suddenly collapses to his knees.
His voice trembles.
"The legends..."
He stares toward Jayden.
"...the legend is true..."
He points toward the sky.
"When a beam of light descends upon our world....it signals God's declaration of war."
Tears begin falling from his eyes.
"The end of the world has finally come..."
Jayden kneels beside him.
Placing a reassuring hand upon his shoulder.
"Then have no fear."
His heroic aura begins shining brighter.
"Because I'll save every single one of you."
Jayden then explodes forward.
His speed becomes so great that he appears in several places at once.
He rushes into collapsing homes, carrying frightened families into safety before the rocks can reach them.
One after another, he throws them toward safe ground with incredible precision.
Finally he stands directly before the incoming landslide.
The earth shakes beneath his feet.
Jayden draws back his fist.
"SHINING PUNCH!!"
His punch collides with the mountain itself.
The impact creates a tremendous shockwave that completely halts the advancing landslide, freezing millions of tons of stone in place before sending them crashing harmlessly in every direction.
The surviving villagers stare in complete disbelief.
Jayden turns back toward them smiling.
"See?"
He gives a thumbs up.
"Don't worry...I'll be the one who'll save your world."
The old native only lowers his head.
His expression filled with sorrow.
"...You don't understand..."
He slowly shakes his head.
"The ancient caverns spoke of a man exactly like you..."
He points toward Jayden.
"...the hero who claimed he came to save the world..."
His voice breaks.
"...would actually become the beginning of its destruction."
Jayden quietly falls silent.
Then his expression changes as he suddenly hears something.
Far away as it is prayers and screams.
People desperately calling for help.
He sprints away, his speed becomes so incredible that he races across the surface of an ocean as though the water were solid ground.
Eventually he reaches another city.
The entire region is being devastated by a violent earthquake.
Buildings collapse, roads split apart, and people are trapped beneath rubble.
Jayden immediately assesses the situation.
"A Shining Punch won't stop something this massive..."
His eyes sharpen.
"...I'll have to stop it at its source."
He drives both fists into the ground before diving deep beneath the planet itself.
The earth explodes around him as he burrows deeper and deeper until he finally reaches the massive tectonic plates responsible for the catastrophe.
Planting both feet firmly, Jayden grabs hold of the enormous shifting plates with his bare hands.
His muscles strain violently.
The entire planet trembles.
Then slowly... The movement begins calming.
The tectonic plates settle. The earthquake stops completely.
Jayden bursts back to the surface. Landing in the middle of the city.
Only to find himself immediately surrounded.
Hundreds of heroes.
Each armed with powerful weapons and magical abilities.
Without warning they attack.
A storm of spells, arrows, blades, and explosions engulfs Jayden from every direction.
He raises both arms, blocking as much of the barrage as possible while refusing to strike back.
Then one man steps through the smoke.
A black star symbol shines brightly upon his chest.
He vanishes then reappearing directly before Jayden.
His fist slams into Jayden's stomach with tremendous force, launching him across the street before crashing into a parked vehicle, causing it to explode.
Moments later, Jayden calmly walks out from the flames, slightly injured but still standing.
He raises both hands once more.
"I'm a Hero! Stop this madness!"
The Black Star Hero slowly walks forward.
His aura far surpassing everyone else's.
"You're saying..."
He narrows his eyes.
"...the exact same words recorded within the Monolith Books..."
His voice grows colder.
"The books of futures."
He points directly at Jayden.
"Then it's true! You are the False Hero destined to destroy this world."
He clenches his fists.
"I am Black Star..."
His aura erupts violently.
"...the strongest Hero alive."
He points toward himself proudly.
"The true Hero of this world!"
His stance lowers.
"And I refuse to let you bring about its destruction!"
Black Star explodes forward.
Unleashing hundreds of punches in rapid succession.
Jayden blocks nearly every strike with his forearms.
Even while defending he continues speaking.
"You've got it all wrong!"
He shouts.
"I'm not some False Hero!"
He parries another punch.
"I'm the Hero of Courage!"
Another strike.
"The one who's going to save your world!"
Finding an opening, Jayden grabs Black Star before slamming him headfirst into the ground.
The street shatters. He points toward the horizon.
"Stop wasting your strength fighting me!"
His voice echoes.
"You're a Hero too! Can't you feel what's coming?!"
Black Star coughs blood.
Confused.
"...What are you talking about...?"
Then he hears it.
The distant roar of the ocean.
His eyes widen.
He immediately senses an overwhelming tsunami racing toward the coastline.
He jumps back to his feet.
"...What...?"
He stares at Jayden.
"Then... you really aren't..."
Jayden interrupts him.
"Forget the prophecy!"
He points toward the sea.
"There's no time! I can't stop it alone!"
Jayden then sprints toward the coastline.
He reaches the ocean just as the gigantic tsunami rises before him like a moving mountain.
He then quickly crashes directly into it. Using nothing but his own body.
He forces himself forward against the impossible current, every inch reducing the tsunami's momentum little by little causing the wave to shrink in height.
But eventually the overwhelming force overtakes him.
He is swallowed whole and is tossed violently throughout the raging waters.
Then a second figure crashes into the tsunami beside him.
Black Star.
Without saying a single word, he joins Jayden, adding his own tremendous strength against the monstrous wave.
The two Heroes stand shoulder to shoulder, pushing with everything they have.
Slowly...the tsunami loses its momentum.
Until together they bring the colossal wall of water to a complete stop, collapsing harmlessly into the sea before washing both Jayden and Black Star violently back onto the shoreline, where they tumble across the sand before slowly climbing back to their feet.
Then the entire coastline erupts into celebration.
The countless civilians who had been moments away from death fall to their knees in relief, while the city's heroes raise their weapons into the air, cheering as loudly as they can after witnessing the impossible feat performed by the two men standing before them.
Children run toward their families.
People embrace one another.
Hope had returned.
But...
Neither Jayden nor Black Star smiles.
Instead, both heroes slowly turn their heads toward the same distant horizon.
Far beyond the city across the opposite side of the planet the sky suddenly glows a deep crimson.
A deafening roar echoes throughout the world.
Moments later, an enormous volcanic eruption bursts into the sky, sending rivers of molten lava and pillars of ash high into the atmosphere.
The celebration behind them slowly comes to a stop.
Jayden narrows his eyes.
"...It isn't over yet."
Black Star stares toward the distant volcano.
For the first time his expression carries complete trust.
He turns toward Jayden.
"If you're truly the Hero you claim to be..."
A determined smile appears.
"...then let's finish this together."
He clenches his fist.
"I'm certain.....you can feel it too."
Jayden nods.
His heroic aura begins shining once again.
"Yeah..."
His voice grows serious.
"...something truly evil has awakened beneath this planet. Maybe....that has been our true enemy all along."
The two heroes then explode forward.
Their speed is so overwhelming that shockwaves tear across the ground beneath their feet as they sprint across continents, crossing mountains, forests, rivers, and oceans within mere minutes before finally arriving at the erupting volcano.
The heat alone is enough to melt stone.
Lava pours endlessly down its sides.
The entire mountain trembles violently as though something beneath it is desperately trying to escape.
Black Star slowly lowers his stance.
His body begins radiating immense power.
He closes his eyes.
Then whispers—
"I can feel it.....its hatred.....its malice..."
The volcano erupts once more.
"...its only desire..."
He raises his head.
"...is to destroy the world."
He roars.
"please give me your strength everyone!"
His voice echoes throughout the sky.
"Because I was destined...to become this world's true savior!"
Jayden steps beside him.
A warm aura surrounds his body.
He smiles confidently.
"And I....am the Hero of Courage."
He looks directly toward the volcano.
"I'll give this world... the courage to keep on fighting."
The two heroes exchange a determined glance.
Then they bump fists and then together they leap covered in intense aura, directly into the gigantic pillar of molten lava erupting .
The unbearable heat engulfs them instantly.
Yet neither slows down.
They continue diving deeper...
reaching to the endless rivers of magma and passing the planet's mantle. Until they finally reach the Earth's core.
Waiting there suspended within an enormous lake of molten lava, is a colossal crimson egg.
The moment the heroes arrive cracks begin spreading across its surface.
Then the shell explodes apart.
A monstrous creature slowly emerges, its body formed entirely from molten rock as enormous wings of black fire unfold from its back, filling the chamber with overwhelming darkness.
The creature lets out a deafening roar that shakes the entire planet.
The true source of the apocalypse had awakened.
Jayden and Black Star immediately charge together.
The battle that follows is unlike anything the world has ever witnessed.
Every punch, every clash, every explosion.
Sends violent shockwaves throughout the Earth's core, causing continents above to split apart while volcanoes erupt across the globe.
The planet itself begins approaching its limit.
Jayden is blasted backward by a barrage of molten energy before forcing himself back to his feet, his entire body covered in burns and wounds.
He coughs blood and then shouts toward Black Star.
"We have to finish this now!"
He struggles to remain standing.
"This battle alone is going to destroy the world!"
Black Star wipes the blood from his mouth.
Then grins.
"Then....let's end this with everything we got!"
The two heroes sprint toward one another before synchronizing their movements perfectly.
Both draw back their fists with their strongest techniques, their greatest determination.
Focused into one final attack, together they throw a single united punch.
The combined impact tears through the molten creature's body before erupting into a blinding explosion that illuminates the entire core of the planet.
The creature screams then completely disintegrates.
At that exact moment—
The earthquakes cease.
The volcanoes become silent.
The storms disappear.
The oceans calm.
The apocalypse... ends
Several days later a gigantic crater lies at on the surface of the world.
Slowly, a single hand reaches over its edge.
Jayden pulls himself out of the crater, battered and exhausted, carrying the unconscious Black Star in his arms.
Moments later, countless heroes from around the world arrive.
The moment they see the two men they immediately rush forward.
Black Star is gently awakened.
As he slowly opens his eyes, every hero present drops to one knee before turning toward Jayden.
One after another they bow with gratitude.
Jayden smiles warmly.
"Anytime..."
He gently lowers Black Star onto the ground.
"...for the sake of the world."
He looks toward the gathered heroes.
"I'll leave the rest..."
He gives them a confident thumbs-up.
"...to all of you."
As Black Star gives him a unconfident look.
Suddenly a brilliant pillar of light descends from the sky as it engulfs Jayden completely.
The next instant he reappears upon the Seeker's stage.
Thunderous applause immediately erupts throughout the celestial stadium.
The audience rises to its feet and countless spectators cheers.
Jayden smiles proudly before raising both arms high into the air.
For a brief moment it seems as though he has won.
Then suddenly
Judge One presses their X button.
The applause grows quieter.
Another judge presses another.
More silence spreads through the audience.
One by one four Xs are shown from the judges with the crowd completely quiet.
Jayden slowly lowers his arms.
His smile fades he then looks toward the Seeker.
" You have failed."
The Seeker speaks with authority, Jayden then screams.
"...What do you mean?!"
His voice carries genuine confusion.
"I saved that world from destruction!"
The Seeker watches him quietly.
Then he snaps his fingers.
A gigantic magical screen appears behind Jayden.
Confused, Jayden slowly turns around, his eyes widen in shock as the very world he had fought so desperately to save was dying.
The planet itself slowly began exploding from within.
Jayden stares in complete disbelief.
His voice barely escapes his lips.
"...How..."
He takes an uncertain step backward.
"...How is that even possible...?"