Chapter 16

Chapter 16 — The Tournament Announces

​The crackling lightning dancing across Elder God Posaiden’s emerald and gold robes cast long, sharp shadows across the obsidian shoreline. With a single, dismissive wave of his hand, Posaiden turned his towering gaze toward the massive Dragon God.

​"You are dismissed, Dragon God," Posaiden commanded, his voice rumbling like deep thunder. "Your role here is played."

​Zalama bowed his colossal head in solemn acknowledgment. "Yes, my lord. I leave the warriors in your care now," Zalama replied smoothly. He paused, casting a brief, parting glance down at the exhausted champions. "And one more thing—these are your creations, Elder God. Care to seal a portion of your pressure to their level of understanding? Otherwise, they won't stay long on their feet."

​With a final, silent nod to Goku and the others, Zalama dissolved into a swirling vortex of golden light and vanished entirely from the domain.

​In an instant, the weight of the realm shifted. Posaiden flicked his wrist, and while the crushing, infinite gravity of his presence remained, it muted just enough for the five champions to finally draw a full, unobstructed breath. They stood alone on the shore with the supreme entity of the deep abyss.

​Posaiden crossed his arms, staring down at them with an unreadable, piercing gaze. "This will be your base within my domain. You are permitted to train here further before the tournament begins. Now, I must leave. The broadcast of the tournament will echo across the realms soon enough, and you will learn the true scale of the battles awaiting you. Take care, my creations, and get stronger."

​Before any of them could utter a word, Posaiden stepped backward into a flash of blinding white lightning and dissolved into the ether, leaving the five warriors alone in the vast, silent expanse of the starlight sea.

​Far away from the quiet shores of Posaiden's domain, the scene violently shifted across the fabric of reality, cutting straight to the epicenter of the cosmos.

​The grand arena of the Elder God Tournament materialized as a colossal coliseum suspended in the center of the infinite void, its walls built from star-metal and anchored by spinning galaxies. High above the towering spectator tiers sat the supreme rulers and architects of existence.

​Gathered together in the highest pavilion were the seven supreme authorities of the multiverse:

​Zeus, the supreme leader and patriarch of the Elder Gods, radiating an absolute authority that commanded the stars themselves.

​Akobel, the premier archangel and powerful son of Zeus, standing with wings folded in flawless, terrifying composure.

​Castiel, the matching archangel brother of Akobel and son of Zeus, watching the empty battle stages with sharp, calculating eyes.

​Posaiden, having manifested his divine avatar directly into the ruling booth to oversee the proceedings alongside his peers.

​Hera, a commanding male Elder God of immense stature, embodying the fierce dominion of the ancient cosmos.

​Chronoa, the enigmatic Goddess of Time, whose very presence caused the seconds around her to loop and fracture.

​Hades, the dark and unyielding ruler of the underworld realms, draped in shadows that swallowed the light.

​The grand stands were packed, the silence of anticipation stretching taut across the infinite multiverses. The trials were over. The training had reached its absolute limit.

​The Elder God Tournament was finally about to begin.