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Chapter 19 the crucible of shattered skies

  Chapter Title: "The Crucible of Ascension"

  ---

  Transition: The Descent Into Chaos

  The Eclipse’s Cradle tore through hyperspace, its gargantuan hull groaning like a dying star. Gogeta, small and wiry at just eight years old, pressed his face against the observation deck’s glass, breath fogging the surface. Outside, nebulae streaked past in violent ribbons of violet and gold, their light reflecting in his wide, unblinking eyes. For three days, the carrier had devoured the void, bypassing asteroid graveyards and dead solar systems. Now, alarms blared as the ship shuddered violently—a planet materialized ahead, its surface dominated by the Arena of Shattered Skies, a testing ground the size of a continent.

  The arena loomed like a mechanical god:

  Structure: A coliseum forged from black chromasteel, its jagged spires clawing at the atmosphere, each tip crackling with energy harvested from dying stars.

  Perimeter: Guarded by Planetary Annihilation Cannons, their barrels wide enough to swallow cities whole, humming with the threat of obliteration.

  Docking Platforms: Crawling with Engineer Thralls—bio-mechanical hybrids welding reinforcements to warships the size of mountain ranges.

  The Cradle landed with a tectonic boom, its boarding ramp descending into a hangar larger than Gogeta’s entire village. The air reeked of ozone and burning metal.

  Arrival: The Chosen and the Doomed

  A cacophony of screams, barks, and clanging metal erupted as recruits flooded into the hangar. Scientist thralls—pale, insectoid creatures with four glowing eyes and spindled limbs—scurried forward, their Nexus Tablets whirring as they scanned retinas and injected neural tracking chips.

  Gogeta stumbled, nearly trampled by a hulking adult Saiyan with a cybernetic tail. A thrall seized his arm, its grip ice-cold.

  Scientist #4406 (static-rasp): “Designation. Age. Bloodline.”

  Gogeta (flinching): “Gogeta. Eight. From Asraioth

  The thrall’s eyes pulsed. A badge spat out from its wrist-mounted Nano-Forge:

  ID: Subject 9-XG-23

  Rank: Flesh

  Clearance: Gamma

  Scientist #4406: “Proceed to Sector 7-Beta. Deviate, and the Necro-Wasps will correct you.”

  A floating drone shaped like a skeletal hawk swooped down, red lenses locking onto Gogeta. “Follow.”

  The Testing Grounds: A Living Nightmare

  The arena’s interior was a biomechanical hellscape, teeming with noise and motion:

  Ceiling: A holographic storm raged, artificial lightning striking energy harvesters that fed the arena’s reactors, filling the air with the stench of burnt hair.

  Floors: Crawling with War-Therianths—bull-sized beasts with exposed spinal cords, hauling munitions crates in their jagged teeth.

  Training Pits: Recruits sparred in 500x gravity, their bones audibly cracking. A teenager nearby screamed as his femur snapped mid-kick, thralls dragging him away by his ankles.

  Gogeta’s Scouter Tagged Threats:

  Aura Amplifier Towers: Pulsed crimson, forcing recruits into permanent SSJ states. One boy, no older than ten, clawed at his golden hair, screeching as his body burned itself raw.

  Pain Engines: Floating obsidian orbs zapped lagging Saiyans with neural agony. A woman collapsed, foaming at the mouth, as the drone hissed: “Lethargy is weakness.”

  Bio-Pods: Glass cylinders lined the walls, filled with failed subjects—their bodies mutated into grotesque hybrids of flesh and machine, limbs replaced with plasma cannons.

  The drone halted at a vault door labeled KI RESERVE TESTING, its surface etched with warnings in dead languages.

  Test 1: Ki Energy Reserve – The Devourer’s Maw

  The chamber was a cathedral-sized hive of glass pods and throbbing, vein-like tubes. Hundreds of recruits packed the room, their whispers rising to a panicked roar.

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  A Teenager Ahead in Line (to his friend): “Heard a guy’s spine exploded last week. Pod sucked him dry like juice.”

  Another (laughing nervously): “Better than the gravity test. They say they don’t even bury the bodies—”

  Gogeta flinched as a thrall shoved him forward. The line inched toward Absorption Pods—transparent capsules connected to pulsing machines.

  Examples of Failure/Success:

  A Saiyan Girl (Age 27): Lasted 23 seconds. The pod hissed open; she vomited blood, her hair bleached white. Guards dragged her away as she whimpered, “Make it stop…”

  Hulking Adult Warrior: Screamed for 4 minutes, his SSJ aura dimming to a flicker. The machine beeped: “Grade: Carrion.”

  Elite Prodigy (Age 35): Meditated calmly, his pod glowing gold for 11 minutes. Thralls chattered excitedly: “Grade: Eclipse Candidate.”

  Gogeta’s Turn:

  The drone nudged him into a pod. Cold needles stabbed his spine, syphoning his ki. His vision blurred instantly.

  Voices Outside (muffled):

  “Look at the runt! Bet he lasts ten seconds.”

  “Eight years old? They’re scraping the barrel.”

  7 Minutes Later:

  Gogeta’s muscles trembled, his throat raw from screaming. The machine beeped, releasing him. He collapsed, gasping, as the drone intoned: “Grade: Stable. Proceed.”

  Test 2: Endurance – The Gravity Forge

  A hangar-sized chamber where 500x gravity spiked every 10 seconds. Recruits fought War-Simulacrums—skeletal robots wielding plasma axes.

  Gogeta’s Trial:

  500x: He ducked a simulacrum’s swing, driving his fist into its chest. The metal dented, but his knuckles split.

  1,000x: Blood dripped from his nose. A robot’s kick sent him skidding, his ribs creaking.

  2,000x: His vision doubled. He headbutted a machine, roaring as his forehead split open.

  3,000x: His legs gave out. Guards hauled him away, his arms dangling like rags.

  Survivors:

  Super Elite (Age Unknown): Laughed at 10,000x, snapping a simulacrum’s neck with his tail.

  elites : Meditated in a ki bubble, unfazed until 5,000x forced her to retreat.

  Gogeta’s Score: Thralls dumped him into a recovery pod, sneering. “Endurance: Acceptable. Pain tolerance: Aberrant.”

  Test 3: Ki Control – The Weaver’s Loom

  A pristine white lab where recruits shaped ki spheres under the scrutiny of Precision Drones. The room buzzed with explosions and screams.

  Gogeta’s Task:

  Sphere Size: Shrink to pebble, expand to boulder. His hands shook, the energy flickering wildly.

  Shape: Forge a blade. The sphere warped, nearly exploding twice.

  Contrast:

  An old guy high class: Crafted a ki replica of the Eclipse’s Cradle, down to the glowing engines. Thralls clapped mechanically: “Grade: Flawless.”

  Brute Warrior: Detonated his sphere, vaporizing three fingers. “Grade: Waste.”

  Gogeta’s Score: A drone scanned his lopsided blade. “Grade: Marginal. Proceed.”

  Test 4: Final Assessment – The Unseen Judge

  A cavernous stadium where Scanning Robots with prismatic lenses analyzed recruits. A hologram displayed results to a jeering crowd of elites.

  Elite Examples:l

  A super elite (Age 34): SSJ erupted, lightning shredding the stage. The crowd fell silent as she vomited blood mid-scream.

  Example Scans**:

  - **Dai **: Base (8.2M). SSJ (420M). Held for 3 seconds. “SSJ Stability: D-45. Potential: C-70.”

  - **Mimi (Age 12)**: Base (18M). False SSJ (180M). Her crimson aura destabilized the scanners. “Aberrant. Potential: B-88.”

  - **S-Class Veteran**: Base (76m). SSJ (3.8b). The AI stuttered. “Rank: S-29. Excellent .”

  Gogeta’s turn. The scan plate chilled his bare feet.

  Gogeta’s Turn:

  The drone shoved him onto the stage. He powered up, his small frame trembling.

  Base: some soldiers that kid got potential alright but he's. “Weak!”

  SSJ: Golden light exploded, silencing them. The hologram glitched, unable to process his output. Scientist that was observing gogeta what he said he was only 8

  SSJ2: Lightning arced, shattering scanners. Scientists scrambled, shouting: “what but he's only 8 how can he turn ssj2

  **Base**: 2.3M. Murmurs rippled.

  **SSJ**: Golden light erupted. The AI’s orb than ssj2 flared. “Power Level: 230M. Stability: S-100. Anomaly detected.”

  **SSJ2**: Lightning arced. The AI screamed, **“POTENTIAL: S+++. TERMINATE SCAN.”**

  Return to Asraioth: The Fractured Legacy

  The return trip was a haze of pain. Gogeta limped through the Cradle’s labyrinth, searching for Dai and Mimi, but the ship’s scale dwarfed him:

  **Gogeta’s Grades**

  - **Ki Control**: C-60 (Below Average)

  - **Endurance**: B-75 (Average)

  - **Stamina**: A-89 (High)

  - **Battle IQ**: D-42 (Low)

  - **SSJ Power**: 230M (Stable)

  - **Potential**: S+++

  Gogeta A-20

  Dai limped over, his watch displaying **A-70 Overall**. “dsim he looked in a little envy. Thinking If I had potential like him he crossed his arms

  Mimi scoffed, her stats glowing **B-88**. “Potential doesn’t mean squat if you fight like a scared rabbit.”

  Bio-Labs: Thralls grafted Saiyan DNA into asteroids, creating screaming hybrids.

  Arena Prep Zones: A girl sobbed as thralls sawed off her mangled arm, replacing it with a plasma cannon.

  Noble Suites: Elites bathed in pools of liquid Ambrosia, their laughter echoing.

  As the ship entered asraioth planet And Ina city gogeta was looking at the window wondering as he

  A Glimpse of Legend

  The Eclipse’s Cradle trembled slightly as it adjusted course, descending toward Asraioth Citadel. The ship’s observation deck, once calm, had turned into a gathering point as young recruits and adults crowded against the windows. The hum of casual conversations died down, replaced by excited murmurs and hushed whispers.

  “It’s here…” someone breathed.

  Gogeta, standing on his toes, craned his neck to see what had drawn everyone’s attention. The ship passed between towering skyscrapers, weaving through the veins of the colossal city. Then, just beyond the main plaza, a monument dominated the skyline.

  A colossal statue stood at the city's heart, carved from obsidian and veined with glowing gold. The figure’s hair flowed in eternal Super Saiyan 3 glory, its towering form so immense that it cast a shadow over entire districts. His arms were folded, gaze piercing, as if still watching over the empire he helped forge.

  The reaction was immediate.

  "Gogito… It's really him."

  Saiyans of all ages—young recruits, seasoned warriors, even elite officers—pressed against the glass, some placing their hands over their hearts in silent respect. A group of older warriors stood nearby, discussing in reverent tones.

  "Every time I see it, I get chills," a soldier muttered.

  "Tch, you weren't even born in the era of his empire. None of us were."

  "Doesn't matter. He built this place. Without him, we wouldn’t even have the Asraioth Kingdom."

  A rush of movement—several kids pushed past Gogeta to get a better look. One of them, an older boy with a battle-scarred face, grinned. "Hey, you wanna hear something crazy about Gogito?"

  ---

  Prologue: The Asraioth Legacy

  Three trillion years ago, the Saiyan warrior Gogito stood atop the smoldering remains of a dead universe. His fists dripped with the essence of collapsed galaxies, his golden hair ablaze with the light of a thousand supernovas.

  The God of Destruction Asura, enraged by his defiance, hurled a black hole at him.

  Gogito caught it. Held it in his palm. Crushed it into nothingness. Then, with a smirk, he whispered:

  “You should’ve aimed better.”

  Some of the recruits on the ship shivered as the older boy finished his tale. "That’s why nobody dares challenge Asraioth now. His power made even the gods think twice."

  Another kid scoffed. "That story’s gotta be exaggerated. No one can crush a black hole."

  An elite soldier nearby chuckled, shaking his head. "Believe what you want, kid. But if he wasn’t real, this empire wouldn’t be here."

  ---

  Gogeta’s Perspective

  Gogeta barely heard the chatter. His eyes were locked on the statue, tracing the hardened features, the flowing hair, the stance of absolute authority.

  Gogito.

  He had never heard the name before. The way people spoke of him, the reverence in their voices—it was as if he were some kind of god. Gogeta swallowed, his small hands clenching into fists.

  How strong was he? Was he really that invincible?

  For the first time, Gogeta felt small. The weight of history pressed down on him, heavier than any gravity chamber. This wasn’t just a place where warriors trained. It was a place built on the legend of a man who had once shaken the universe itself.

  As the Eclipse’s Cradle descended toward the docking bay, Gogeta’s gaze never left the statue.

  Not out of admiration.

  But out of curiosity.

  “I never thought I’d see it up close.”

  When the ship docked at Asraioth Castle, Gogeta staggered onto the landing pad. The fortress-city floated above the clouds, its towers piercing the stratosphere, each spire crawling with Necro-Wasp nests.

  Final Scene

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