Chapter 17 — The Beginning of the Conquest
After dinner, Arthur remained silent in his room, deeply immersed in thought. The plan he had carefully constructed was bold—dangerous, even—but every step had been calculated with cold precision. He couldn't afford to fail. Not in this world, and especially not in the others he planned to conquer.
He stood by the window, staring at the darkening sky, and began to speak softly to himself, a ritual he had adopted to solidify his resolve.
"To complete this… I first need to gain power in this world," he muttered. "Only then can I begin executing each stage of my plan, one by one."
He clenched his fist as if gripping his ambition.
"Step one: Acquire the Viltrumite bloodline.
Step two: Obtain the power of Mahoraga.
Step three: Master the bloodline of Broly."
He paused, taking a deep breath, the weight of those names sinking in.
"Only then will I be strong enough to even survive entering the Dragon Ball universe, let alone face Broly. If I try now, I'll be crushed like an insect. No… I need to be patient. Strategic."
He turned, opened his hand, and summoned a dimensional gate. A swirling vortex of silver and violet light tore open the space in front of him. The wind howled as it connected his world to the one he had selected for the first step.
"This is it—the foundation of phase one."
With a confident stride, Arthur stepped into the portal. The air shifted immediately. On the other side, he emerged into a barren land under a twilight sky, tinged with orange and purple. Ominous clouds rolled slowly overhead, giving the entire landscape an eerie, otherworldly glow.
Suddenly, a fiery light streaked across the sky like a meteor, cutting through the clouds with a deafening roar.
"There you are," Arthur whispered, locking onto the object's trajectory.
He dashed forward at full speed, eyes locked on the fireball descending rapidly. A colossal impact followed—dust, dirt, and flames exploded outward. The ground trembled beneath his feet.
As the smoke cleared, Arthur reached the edge of a massive crater. Inside, surrounded by cracks and glowing embers, lay a giant black and red hedgehog—Shadow, from the Sonic 3 universe. His body pulsed faintly with raw chaos energy.
Arthur stepped into the crater with reverence. The air buzzed with energy.
"Clark has Krypto. Natsu has Happy. And now… I have you, Shadow."
He looked around. Red lights blinked in the distance—military vehicles closing in fast.
"No time to lose."
Just before lifting Shadow, Arthur noticed one of the hedgehog's spines broken off on the ground, still sparking with energy. He picked it up and slipped it into his pocket, then scooped up Shadow and vanished from the crater in a flash.
Several minutes later, Arthur arrived at an abandoned cabin far from civilization. The wooden floor creaked under his steps. Cobwebs filled the corners, and dust floated in the air like tiny spirits.
He gently laid Shadow on an old couch, his breathing steady but shallow.
Leaning against the wall, Arthur pulled the spine fragment from his pocket and examined it.
"The energy… it's still active. If I devour this, I can inherit Shadow's speed. That will give me the edge I need."
Without hesitation, he activated his Devour ability. The spine dissolved into a swirl of energy that wrapped around his arm and surged into his body. He gritted his teeth as his muscles tensed, his veins glowing faintly red. A surge of power rushed through him—light, fast, efficient.
His transformation stabilized. But just as he was catching his breath, a sharp gasp echoed through the room.
Shadow sat up violently, eyes glowing crimson, and snarled.
"Who are you?! Where am I?!"
Arthur raised his hands in a calming gesture, staying still.
"Easy. My name is Arthur. You're safe—for now. You crash-landed into this world, and I pulled you out before the military got to you."
Shadow stood, fists clenched, not convinced.
"Why should I trust you?"
Arthur took a deep breath and stepped to the window. He pointed at the flickering lights far on the horizon.
"Because if I hadn't taken you from that crater, you'd already be in chains. Humans here fear what they don't understand. They shoot first and ask questions later."
Shadow narrowed his eyes, glancing toward the window. He didn't speak, but his stance relaxed slightly.
"You don't know this world yet," Arthur continued. "It's unfamiliar. The rules are different. If you try to go it alone, you'll only make enemies."
"And you want me to stay with you?" Shadow asked, crossing his arms.
"Just until you get your bearings. After that, you can make your own choices. I'm not your master. I just want to help you… and maybe work together."
Shadow grunted, looking away.
"...Fine. But if you try anything funny, I'll tear you apart."
Arthur smirked.
"Wouldn't expect anything less."
As Shadow silently examined the room, his sharp eyes taking in every detail, Arthur leaned back and folded his arms, thinking:
"If I play my cards right… he'll become more than just an ally. He'll be a true partner—like Happy is to Natsu. That kind of bond… is exactly what I need."
A new piece had been added to the board.
Phase one had officially begun.
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