Joseph and his team materialized in Utsunomiya Planet City through a portal that was already beginning to close behind them. They were immediately struck by the sight of a fierce, cosmic battle unfolding around them. Utsunomiya warriors clashed with monstrous creatures, their jets streaking across the sky, releasing missiles aimed at a towering beast. Massive armored suits collided with the creature, their pilots pushing the limits of their technology in a desperate struggle. The air was filled with the deafening roar of combat, and the ground shook with the impact of blows. The warriors were gaining the upper hand, but the battle was far from over.

  Amidst the chaos, something drew their attention—a cosmic clash of titanic proportions. The leader of the Utsunomiya warriors, Kenichi Keiko, had fused with cosmic power. His form was colossal and otherworldly, so vast that his presence almost seemed to defy perception. He stood as a force of nature, his armor shimmering with cosmic energy as he faced off against a monstrous foe that mirrored his form in size and power.

  The ground trembled with each strike between the two titans. Their blows sent shockwaves through time and space, each impact threatening to tear the very fabric of reality. Joseph and his team stood in awe, unable to look away from the spectacle.

  When Kenichi’s massive cosmic sword finally pierced the heart of the monstrous foe, it disintegrated into cosmic particles. The particles radiated across the battlefield, mending the broken world around them. The shockwave that followed was non-lethal, yet it swept through the remaining monsters, erasing them from existence. The battlefield fell silent in the aftermath, save for the cheering of Kenichi’s warriors as their leader descended from the heavens, his cosmic power receding as he returned to his normal size.

  Joseph and his team were left standing, stunned. The warriors had clearly handled the situation, and their presence felt almost unnecessary. Their faith in Kenichi was unquestionable, and it was evident that the battle had been all but won.

  "Whoa," Joseph muttered under his breath. "It seems this is bigger than any of us. And our assistance here is barely needed."

  Yuki nodded, his tone matter-of-fact. "If that's the case, then I doubt our assistance will be needed in Kure Planet City either."

  Their conversation was cut short as Kenichi, now back to his usual size, spotted them from across the battlefield. He approached with a few of his warriors in tow, his presence commanding yet welcoming.

  "Well, well, what have we here?" Kenichi called out with a grin, extending his hand to Joseph for a firm handshake. "If it isn't JBC, the Unkillable. Breaker of worlds and destroyer of timelines."

  Joseph blinked in surprise as Kenichi shook his hand, then pulled him in closer, whispering into his ear with a proud smile. "I know you're responsible for this mess. You’ve put every world at risk in this dimension—Akakawa, Red River Kingdom, and the regional planets."

  Joseph froze. The words struck him with the force of a blow. How could Kenichi possibly know about his involvement? The question hung in the air, unanswered, as Kenichi's knowing smile lingered.

  "You're probably wondering how I know all of this," Kenichi continued, his tone chilling. "Just so you know, the man never informed me. After all, I'm a multiversal warrior, and no secret in the multiverse is hidden from me."

  He leaned in closer, his voice colder, more mocking. "You think you can be the hero by helping regional planets? Here’s the newsflash, baby—you’re not needed here. And I doubt you’ll ever be needed on Planet Kure either." His grip on Joseph’s shoulder tightened, and his smile grew more arrogant. "You know why? Because this world is under the protection of a multiversal aura-level hero like myself. So why don’t you go back to whatever hole you crawled out of? You've already done enough damage to ruin our lives."

  Kenichi broke away with a smirk, giving Joseph a wink. "Besides, what can any of you do here? Your aura levels are barely universal, at best. Some of you aren’t even that strong."

  He turned to address Joseph’s team, his words loud enough for all to hear. His warriors laughed, jeering at them as Kenichi casually listed their aura levels, ranks, and types. He made it clear they should return to aiding smaller regional planets with lower-tier warriors.

  The moment was suffocatingly embarrassing. Joseph and his team stood stoically, unwilling to rise to the taunts, but Mari's fists clenched, her anger barely contained. Before she could speak, Mai subtly signaled her to remain calm. Joseph, however, spoke with measured calmness, his words cutting through the tension like a blade.

  Kenichi’s expression faltered, the pride in his eyes dimming for a brief moment. His words became more calculated, but Joseph’s calm demeanor made him look almost foolish among his comrades.

  Finally, Kenichi snapped, his eyes flashing with defiance. "Fine. If you're so confident, then let's settle this with a duel." He raised his hand, ready to challenge Joseph to combat.

  Joseph refused, his voice steady and unwavering. "We have bigger problems to deal with than wasting time sparring."

  Kenichi’s face twisted with frustration, but he held back, choosing instead to turn away. "Well then, if you're going to assist us, don’t get in our way," he said, his voice dismissive. "Let the powerful ones handle the hard work. You and your little party can assist the medics or whatever they need."

  As he walked away with his warriors, he called back over his shoulder, without even bothering to look. "Feel free to make yourselves comfortable. I’m sure you know your way around the city."

  His warriors laughed mockingly as they followed him. Joseph's team stood in silence for a moment before Yuki's frustration boiled over.

  "What a jerk!" Yuki exclaimed, his voice tinged with annoyance. "He clearly doesn't know what we're capable of. If he did, he wouldn't belittle us like that. I can't wait to rub our success in his face when he fails."

  Joseph raised a hand, calming his team. "No, Yuki. We're not here for that. We're only here to assist, if necessary."

  Yuki huffed but nodded reluctantly. "But if our aid isn’t required here, I highly doubt it will be any different on Kure. That guy is a piece of work."

  Mari, who had been simmering with anger, spoke up, her voice full of determination. "Master Joseph is right. I can't stand their arrogance, especially Kenichi's. The way he spoke to our leader—disrespecting you like that—it’s unforgivable."

  Mari's fists clenched again, her face flushed with barely-contained fury. "I don’t mind being insulted myself, but when they talk to you like that..." Her voice trailed off, but the message was clear.

  Joseph placed a hand on Mari's shoulder, his tone warm but firm. "I understand, Mari. But we’re not here for a fight. We’re here to help if they need us, and nothing more."

  Mari nodded but still seemed uneasy, clearly ready to take on Kenichi if given the chance.

  Joseph’s calm words settled over the group like a steady breeze, quieting the tension that had threatened to erupt. Mari, still clearly bristling with anger, took a deep breath and nodded, her clenched fists relaxing at her sides.

  Joseph’s voice remained steady as he turned to address his team. "Remember, no one is an island. No matter how powerful someone is, they always need help." He paused, his eyes scanning the group as if weighing their reactions. "Even God needed assistance in creating the universe—that's why He created subordinates. He created others to help nurture what had been made."

  He let the words linger, allowing the depth of the message to sink in. "The point is, everyone needs help, no matter how strong they are. Even if it seems they don’t need it now, they might, when the time comes. That’s why we’re here, even if they don’t realize it yet."

  Joseph’s gaze softened, a small, reassuring smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "But for now, let’s keep a low profile. Let's observe. Let karma do its thing, and when the time is right, we’ll step in."

  With that, Joseph turned and began to lead his team toward a nearby building, looking for shelter where they could rest and plan their next moves. The city still buzzed with activity as the aftermath of the battle played out, and though the tensions with Kenichi lingered, Joseph knew the true challenges lay ahead.

  As they moved through the streets, Joseph’s mind raced with strategies. He had to stay patient, wait for the right opportunity. It wasn't about proving anything to Kenichi or anyone else—it was about being ready when the time came. The mission was bigger than their egos.

  ***

  For what felt like an eternity, Kenichi and his warriors had effortlessly repelled every assault, from universal threats to multiversal catastrophes, never once giving Joseph and his team a chance to intervene. Every time a new danger arose, Kenichi and his elite forces crushed it with absolute ease, their mastery of battle unparalleled.

  But then, something changed.

  A rupture in the sky, dark as the abyss itself, bled open above the city. From its depths, an archdemon emerged—a being of unspeakable horror. Its towering form was cloaked in shadows darker than oblivion, its visage a grotesque fusion of ancient malice and godlike wrath. Every step it took sent seismic tremors through the world, its mere presence distorting reality.

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  For the first time, Kenichi and his warriors faltered. Their attacks, once swift and absolute, barely made a dent against the entity’s abyssal form. The battle escalated into a nightmarish struggle beyond control. One by one, Kenichi’s forces fell, their screams lost in the chaos. They were either incapacitated, utterly obliterated, or erased from existence as if they had never even been conceived.

  The battlefield became a graveyard, littered with the remains of those who had once stood as legends. Soon, only Kenichi remained standing—bruised, bloodied, and drained of his once-unshakable power.

  Joseph and his team stood as the final line of defense, despite their battered and worn condition.

  Kenichi collapsed onto the ruined battlefield, his strength failing him. The archdemon hovered above, eyes gleaming with sadistic amusement as it charged a cataclysmic blast—an attack meant to erase Kenichi from existence.

  Before the blast could reach him, Mari moved.

  Despite her weakened state, she threw herself into the path of destruction, her body acting as the only shield between Kenichi and oblivion. A deafening explosion followed, shaking the very foundations of the planet.

  As the smoke cleared, all eyes locked onto Mari’s lifeless form.

  She lay motionless beside Kenichi, her once fierce gaze now empty, her body beginning to dissolve into shimmering particles. The power of the archdemon’s attack had not merely killed her—it was erasing her from existence itself. The archdemon’s laughter echoed through the chaos, reveling in the devastation.

  Kenichi, still gasping for breath, stared in shock. He had seen warriors fall before, but never had someone sacrificed themselves for him. His pride, his arrogance—it all felt so small in the face of her selflessness.

  Then, a sound cut through the silence.

  Joseph.

  His breath hitched, his pupils dilated. His hands clawed at the sides of his head, fingers digging into his scalp as if trying to contain something monstrous within. His forehead, marked by three vertical seals, flickered violently—already fractured from the battle, they now teetered on the brink of complete collapse.

  And then, they shattered.

  A surge of unimaginable power erupted from Joseph, shaking the planet to its core. His aura flared wildly, no longer bound by mortal limitations. Space and time twisted in protest, the very laws of reality unraveling at his feet.

  The archdemon floated above, watching with twisted amusement. It could feel it—something far more terrifying than itself was awakening.

  Joseph's form flickered chaotically. His body shifted at an impossible rate, phasing through different versions of himself—his evil variants, his past selves, his potential futures. One moment, he was an omnipotent being bathed in celestial radiance, the next, a cosmic horror of infinite madness. An omniscient entity and eternal observer, an alien warlord, an omnipresent specter.

  In another instant, he was a cosmic alien of unfathomable power, the next, an incomprehensible supernatural force beyond all definition. An ethereal female entity, reborn as living matter, infused with the most potent system. Boundless. Limitless. Uncontainable.

  An aberration that defied all logic, a being whose mere existence shattered the very concept of power itself. His hair, his eyes, his skin—everything morphed unpredictably, cycling through colors, textures, and energies beyond comprehension.

  Whispers slithered into his mind—twisted voices from the countless versions of himself that dwelled within.

  "Give in."

  "Let us take over."

  "Unleash the madness."

  His teeth clenched. His body vibrated with unstable energy. The air around him crackled, distorting as if the universe itself was trying to reject his presence.

  Reality was breaking.

  And Joseph was at the center of it all.

  The fury that had been suppressed within Joseph for so long erupted with an uncontainable force, sparked by Mari's sacrificial death. The very fabric of existence trembled as his anger, long bottled up, began to distort the reality around him. His power surged, unimaginable and chaotic, as the universe itself began to unravel. The sheer intensity of his aura destabilized not just the planet, but the core of creation itself.

  The archdemon, who had watched in twisted amusement, faltered for the first time. His smile twisted into something less confident, his eyes narrowing as he realized the dire mistake he had made. He had pushed Joseph too far—far beyond his calculations. The very forces he had hoped to control were slipping beyond his grasp.

  Joseph's aura expanded, a torrent of energy that battered the very essence of reality. The archdemon, once certain of his victory, now found himself struggling against the force of nature that Joseph had become. No being, not even a creature as powerful as the archdemon, had ever witnessed such fury. Not even Kenichi, who had faced countless titanic foes, could fathom the level of power Joseph had unleashed.

  Despite the turmoil within him, Joseph fought to regain control. The malevolent variants within him whispered, urging him to embrace his fury, to let the madness consume him. But the benevolent parts of Joseph—his true self—fought back, reminding him of who he was and why he fought. Memories of his team, the moments they had shared, and the bonds they had forged filled his mind, pushing back the darkness.

  With immense struggle, Joseph fought to maintain his humanity. His aura flared one final time, engulfing the entire universe in a cosmic shockwave. The explosion of energy was felt across every corner of existence, but, miraculously, it was not lethal. It was merely a release, an outburst that signaled Joseph's regaining of control.

  The archdemon, who had thought Joseph's power was a tool for destruction, now realized the depth of his mistake. Why had Joseph suppressed such power? With this force, Joseph could have effortlessly erased the archdemon from existence. A power so vast, it defied all logic—conventional and otherwise.

  As the reality around them began to stabilize, Joseph took a deep, steadying breath. His team, battered but resolute, stood firm around him, their spirit unbroken. Turning to Kenichi, Joseph spoke with unwavering determination. "We need to work together to stop this archdemon. This is no longer just about our team. It's about saving what's left of this planet."

  Kenichi, though beaten and exhausted, nodded. His pride had been wounded, but he knew he had no choice. His warriors had fallen, and his strength had been drained to the limit. The archdemon he had faced was unlike any other he had battled before—its power, enhanced by an even greater being, was beyond his ability to overcome alone.

  Ashamed, Kenichi admitted, "I've fought and defeated countless archdemon, but this one... it surpasses them all."

  Joseph, ever the leader, placed a hand on Kenichi's shoulder. "You're not alone in this. We’ve faced impossible odds before. We fight together, or we all lose."

  Kenichi nodded, his resolve hardening. Together with Joseph and his remaining team, they joined forces in an unprecedented alliance. The battle that ensued was nothing short of epic—a struggle between two forces of unimaginable power. But even as they fought tirelessly, their strength and unity began to turn the tide.

  Joseph and his team, despite their injuries, worked tirelessly, drawing the archdemon’s attention and creating an opening for Kenichi. With a roar of pure determination, Kenichi summoned the last of his strength and struck with all the power he could muster. The final blow landed, and with it, the archdemon’s reign of terror ended.

  The battlefield fell silent as the archdemon’s form disintegrated, leaving only the remnants of its once mighty presence. Joseph and his team stood, breathing heavily but victorious.

  Kenichi, panting and bloodied, turned to Joseph, his eyes filled with respect. "You were right. We needed each other."

  Joseph gave a small, knowing smile. "No one is an island, Kenichi. Not even the strongest."

  The two warriors stood together. They had not only defeated the archdemon but also learned the true power of unity, even in the face of overwhelming odds.

  In the aftermath of the battle, the once-dynamic landscape now lay in ruin. The devastation was overwhelming, and Kenichi's heart sank as he took in the countless lives lost—his comrades among them. It was a sight that shattered the warrior’s spirit, reminding him of the heavy cost of their victory. His eyes searched the horizon, filled with grief and regret, when he felt a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

  Joseph stood beside him, the weight of the battle still heavy on both their hearts, but with an unwavering determination. The silence that followed spoke volumes of the respect and camaraderie they had built throughout this ordeal.

  Mai, understanding Joseph’s silent command, stepped forward. Her aura surged around her like a soothing wave, healing the planet, restoring it to life, and reviving the fallen warriors. As she focused, Joseph, with a subtle gesture, placed his hand firmly on Kenichi’s shoulder. His energy surged through Kenichi, his XPT abilities coursing into the warrior, replenishing his aura, and boosting him to full power.

  Kenichi was caught off guard, his strength instantly renewed, but he was at a loss for words. The kindness Joseph had shown him—someone who had been a rival and who had even been mistreated—was beyond anything he had expected. "I don’t know how to thank you," Kenichi said, humbled by the gesture.

  Joseph merely nodded in response, his face calm and resolute. "You don’t need to thank me," he replied. "But now, you should replenish your warriors’ strength and heal your universe. It’s your responsibility now."

  Kenichi nodded, a sense of gratitude welling up inside him. He turned to his warriors, using the renewed power Joseph had gifted him to heal them and restore their energy. Together, they worked to restore balance, with Kenichi at the forefront of the effort.

  Then, as the healing energy continued to flow, Kenichi found a moment to focus on something even more profound. He turned to Mari, the woman who had sacrificed herself to protect him, whose existence had been erased by the destructive force of the battle. With a final surge of power, Mari’s form reappeared. She had been returned to life, the void left by her absence now filled. Kenichi stood in awe, as her revival signified not only the healing of the planet but the triumph of their shared bond.

  With the universe now restored, Kenichi took a deep breath, filled with both relief and sorrow. He turned to Joseph, his team, and their collective strength. His voice, filled with regret, broke the silence. "I’m sorry for how I treated you all," he said, his words sincere. "You’ve proven yourselves to be more than I ever thought possible. Thank you—for everything."

  Joseph nodded once more, a quiet smile playing on his lips as Kenichi’s warriors echoed his sentiments. They, too, had witnessed Joseph’s power and unyielding determination, and they shared Kenichi’s gratitude.

  Before long, they were all gathered in front of the city lady, who had also come to offer her heartfelt thanks. She spoke of their world’s salvation and the gift of their assistance in its hour of need. Joseph and his team received her thanks with humility, ready to continue their journey.

  As Joseph and his team prepared to leave, Kenichi and a few of his warriors stepped forward, their faces filled with a blend of admiration and curiosity. "Will you be coming back to visit us?" Kenichi asked, his voice hopeful. "We’d like to get to know you all better."

  Joseph turned, his smile enigmatic, before giving them a familiar, playful look. "We’ll be back," he said, mimicking Arnold Schwarzenegger’s iconic Terminator voice. The words lingered in the air as he and his team stepped into their vehicles, preparing to depart.

  With a final, fleeting glance at Kenichi and his warriors, Joseph and his team vanished through a shimmering portal, leaving only the fading echo of their presence.

  Kenichi stood still for a moment, his eyes lingering on the spot where Joseph and his team had vanished. "I’ve never seen anyone as powerful as Joseph," he murmured under his breath, his voice filled with awe and respect. He couldn’t shake the impression left by Joseph—someone who had faced unimaginable odds, yet still managed to remain grounded in his mission, in his values.

  As the portal closed and the world began to heal, Kenichi couldn’t help but feel that their paths would cross again—perhaps not soon, but certainly in the future.