The days of old, in the empire's infancy, the age of heroes reigned supreme. It was an age of heroism, the age of chivalry. But most of all it was the age of hope.
Stories of heroes banding together from all races, creeds, and backgrounds, Putting aside their differences to drive off the evil that threatens the innocent. It was a grand age. Stories of their exploits passed down from generation to generation.
Each tale was more grandiose in scale. But that age has long since passed. In its place is an empire in decline, there are no heroes in this age. Instead, cancer spreads.
It's evil infecting every corner of this once prosperous land; War strife, famine, and persecution are its symptoms. Men have risen to fight back the iron fist of oppression like the heroes of ages past. Only to be crushed, hope has died.
However, what if you could bring back the age of heroes? That is what the first emperor asked himself. The legend goes that it was he who commissioned the creation of the 48 relics. With them, he would ensure the empire's prosperity. However, what few realized is that there was a 49th Teigu.
To prevent this mysterious Teigu from falling into the wrong hands. A story was concocted to throw off suspicions of its true nature. So outlandish that most would consider it too ludicrous to investigate.
Those who heard the story believed that it could grant the power of immortality, but this was a ruse. Its true nature was unlike any of the other Teigu. For it allowed the user the ability to observe our world's many timelines and to peer into any different world any plain of existence and follow any single person from that world.
When calamity struck, that user could summon a hero to our world that was its trump card, its unique ability. Now in this age of uncertainty, there remain only a few dozens Teigu left. Lost to war and time. Now more than ever in an era that needs heroes it has resurfaced.
In a dark room there sits an old woman at a table, a circular metal object encrusted with jewels and a gold finish. It hums as the woman stares into its many screens projecting from the device. The glare of the screen straining her eyes as she focuses on the images.
Her aged visage told countless stories of her long-drawn life. Her grayed hair done up in a bun held together by various ornaments. Her face weathered from years of stress and loss. She grows tired, but she must persevere.
"The age of heroes must return." She says to herself. She recalled the days when her grandfather would tell her stories of that age long past. Even back then, she knew that era would return, as she looked on. She hears the creaking of her door.
It opens slowly as the light from the outside partially fills the room. She turns her attention to the open door. "What is it, Rohan"? Her voice speaks with a trembling, raspy voice.
"Madam Esmeralda, have you made your decisions yet? Have you chosen your champion?" Turning back towards the device, she does not answer.
"Madam?" Rohan asks once more. Letting out a deep sigh, the woman named Esmeralda finally answers. "I have to be sure, I'm close, but I need more time before I make my decision."
The man known as Rohan approaches the table, his temper rising.
"Time is something we do not have the luxury of madam. It was you who said we only have a day before the empire discovers us."
As Rohan stares at the woman, he has sworn to protect, but now in this darkest of times, his patience begins to wear thin. "Esmeralda! How long do you intend to delay this? What we need is an overwhelming force! You said it yourself!"
Exasperated he continues. "What of the four you observed? They are more than capable of handling this task. What's stopping you?" He leans back from the table waiting for her to respond.
Turning to him, Esmeralda responds. "Overwhelming force? That is not enough for this task; something else is required." Dumbfounded by her response, Rohan slams his fist down on the desk in protest.
"Something else is needed? Are you mad? What difference does it matter? Do you believe you can do better than the Saiyan? The one who can trade blows with gods and come out victorious?
What of the man who can fell any foe with but a single punch? Is he inadequate for this task? The man who wishes to become the king of pirates. Does he not have what it takes? Damn it, Esmeralda! Even the black swordsman would be more than enough!"
Glaring at his Madam Rohan waits for her response. "They are more than capable." She speaks.
"Then why have you not chosen one of them yet? What are you waiting for"? Rohan asks in confusion,
Clasping her hands under her chin; she slowly turns her gaze towards Rohan, "I could bring them; I could bring any of them right now. But there are many risks I must take into account".
With a wave of her hand, she enhanced the size of one of the screens. The image playing is that of a man, energy radiating off him his hair a bright blue. Engaged in mortal combat with a being resembling a hairless, purple cat.
Confused Rohan inquires, "Wh-What am I looking at Madam"?
Her gaze not breaking from the screen. "That is one of our risks one of many from that world alone. The purple thing is known as Beerus. The god of destruction. If I were to bring that man here, it would open our world to Beerus's attention. Knowing that warmongering fool, she would jump at the chance at challenging him".
Pausing for a brief moment she continues, "Not only that his world's greatest prize 'The Dragon Balls.' Would also become obtainable in our world, while that could prove beneficial for us. Could you imagine what disaster would befall the universe if Honest were to get his greedy hands on them?"
Rohan looked on at the images his mouth agape at the event taking place on the screen.
Enhancing another screen, Esmeralda speaks once more. "This world, the one the black swordsman inhabits. He cares little for; He only cares about that woman and his revenge. Why would a selfish man such as he give a damn about our conflict?"
Rohan can only look on in astonishment as he sees the man butchering horrendous looking abominations. It almost seems as if the man is enjoying the chaos he is unleashing upon them.
She goes on opening a sub-screen in the same picture, "If I brought him here. He would most likely wander alone and make enemies on both sides, not only that. God knows what could follow him here.
She expands yet another screen. This one of a man wearing a straw hat, his arms crossed looking out into the deep blue ocean A smile on his face from ear to ear. "This one, he is strong. His bond with his crew is paramount, they are less his crew and more his family. But that is his Achilles heel", sorrow nearly consumed him when his brother died, How would he react if he saw the friends he made in this world strung up like stuck pigs?"
She turns to Rohan, "He's far too pure for this world." She says with a somber voice.
Moving the last screen to the center of the device, Esmeralda opens it, in the image is a man standing alone in a giant crater the ruins of countless foes surrounding the bald man. He stands there with a look of boredom on his face.
"Why does he look so uninterested"? Rohan inquiries.
"Because he is," Esmeralda responds in a deadpan tone.
Rohan raises his eyebrow, "How can one be bored with all that chaos around him"?
Esmeralda sarcastically chuckles, "When nothing offers you a challenge would you not grow bored as well"? That man is capable of toppling the empire within a day. But as much as I would love to see him obliterate Honest into bloody chunks, his heart would not be in it".
She continues, "He may be a hero, but only for his amusement. He's almost the same as that damn woman; he would not be doing it for us."
Clearing the screens, she waves her hand once more. Revealing a hidden screen behind all the others, Expanding it, she turns to Rohan. "This one, he might be the one. The one we're looking for".
Rohan stares into the screen; there he observes a man covered in a cloak wandering the desert alone. Perplexed by this seemingly ordinary vagrant. He looks on.
"Who is this?" He asks. Esmeralda responds to him. "That man? Oh, my dear Rohan the stories I could tell you of this man, his life. A life filled with tragedy, I have watched that man since the day of his birth. I have observed his entire life up to this point.
It is for that reason he might be the one, the one that has more than 'Overwhelming force.' What this world need is hope, someone to inspire the people."
Rohan scuffs as he turns to his Madam, "You believe the key to saving the rebellion and bringing down Honest lies in the hands of some wandering vagrant?"
"He's no mere vagrant!" She snaps at him "That man lives in a world far worse than our own. Our world is paradise compared to his."
Rohan observes the man as he walks. "A world worse than our own? How is that even possible"?
"Selfish men," Esmeralda responds "Selfish, evil men who without hesitation, exterminated countless lives in a continuous. Can you imagine it, Rohan? Civilizations built over thousands of years, gone.
History was wiped from the face of the earth. The world he inhabits."
With another wave of her hand, she makes another screen appears; this one is a full image of the planet itself. Rohan looks on in awe.
"M...my god, what is this?" He says. "What are all these explosions?" He turns his gaze to Esmeralda,
"Those"? She says, "They are more powerful than any Teigu we could ever create, I would dare not even call them weapons. Weapons are used by warriors, to wage battle. However, those things? They only specialize in one thing, erasing existence. Man, woman, child, combatant. It matters little".
Rohan stares back his face pale. "How can hope even survive in a world such as that"?
"Through his will," Esmeralda responds to his question. 'That man is the light of hope in his world, if anyone could understand what is at stake if this war is to continue, it is him. A man who has lost everything but continues to inspire hope in its people."
Rohan begins to ponder what his Madam is saying, "Madam, do you believe such a world, a world like his, is that the future you see for our own?"
She pauses for a moment before finally responding, "Yes, if this conflict continues. Honest cares little for the well being of anyone other than himself. That madman would gladly plunge this world into hell to spite the revolutionaries
Not only that, but that monster would also revel in tormenting whatever human life she could find. For that reason, I know not only will he fight for our cause but he will succeed."
Rohan crosses his arms as he turns away from the screen, "It sounds like you have made your decision. I know not if he truly is the one we seek. But I will trust in your guidance, Madam."
Esmeralda stands up from her chair, groaning from the strain it put on her back, "Thank you, Rohan. I must ask for your leave; This requires my full undivided attention to activate Heracles' trump card. If I make one mistake, I could send him to the endless void of space. On the other hand, blow us all sky high. Whichever comes first".
Chuckling Rohan walks towards the door, "Always with that droll humor Madam?"
"You've got to learn to laugh at any situation no matter how bad it gets." She responds.
"Right, Rohan says dryly. "How far would we all have to run to escape the blast radius in case something does go wrong"?
He asks her
"Oh, you'll be dead in an instant" She speaks without a hint of humor in her voice.
Rohan stops for a moment with a look of worry on his face before closing the door. His footsteps were picking up their pace with every step until she could no longer hear him.
"He's so easy to spook," she chuckles to herself, moving back towards the table. She places her hand on the giant orb in the center of the device known as Heracles.
The device began to glow bright green as the hum started to grow louder. "Well, this is it. Once I do this, the timeline shall reset, and I will no longer be able to observe this world's future."She paused as she looked out a window." It will no longer be in my hands, and all I can do is trust in his."
She looked down back at the device, "You've been through so much, and by bringing you here I will only add to your sorrow. For that, I am truly sorry." Louder the hum became, and brighter the green light as it started to fill the room.
Staring at the device; she speaks louder Her voice becoming intense. "With that, I want to welcome you, Hear me the 64th successor of Hokuto Shinken! Welcome, Kenshiro! Welcome to the imperial realm!"
The light consumed her as the floor shook and the halls reverberated. The hum grew into a loud crash as a green pillar of light shot towards the heavens. The fantastic sight was seen by all who witnessed it from all around the region.
It was a day that all who saw it would remember. The day he arrived. The day the Savior appeared.
I hoped you enjoyed the first chapter of Hokuto No Ken/ Akame Ga Kill! : Retribution of the heavens, critiques are welcome and will be taken into account if constructive.