Ten Lucky Draws: I Became OP

Chapter 417: No Hard Feelings – Time for More Power

Back within the Sacred Dimension, Ash had been watching the entire fight between Kaelthyr and Nia because he was truly interested in just how far things would go.

Although he knew at a glance that Nia would win… he still wanted to see just how far his Master had come.

“Hm, is Nia the strongest outside of you?” Unara asked as she was comfortable atop of Ash’s head.

“It’s close, but no…” Ash said as Elysia chimed in.

“Raven, Vaeloria, Morgana, Layla, and even Elara could perhaps give Nia a good run for her money.”

“Yea… and Kaelthyr earned himself a rightful punshiment.” Creara said as they were now looking at the floating soul of Kaelthyr.

After Nia killed him, he was brought back into the Sacred Dimension directly into his Universe.

Initially Ash had planned to head out as he didn’t plan on sitting on his hands during these final eight millennia.

SNAP!

“How stupid can one be.” He muttered as he snapped his fingers.

—-

Ash, Elysia, Creara, and Unara returned for the second episode of Existential Crisis, stepping back onto a set that hadn’t changed a bit.

The garish neon signs still blazed, casting their loud glow across the scene.

Nine massive mystery boxes floated in a flawless semicircle, their taunting question marks slowly shifting into emojis — skulls, crying faces, exploding stars, and tiny broken hearts.

Ash reclined once again in his opulent high-backed throne of black leather and gold, legs casually crossed, one hand loosely gripping a fresh bucket of popcorn.

Elysia rested on his left shoulder, Creara on his right, while Unara sat cross-legged atop his head like a living crown.

And once more, the mortal-like host in his mid-thirties appeared on stage with his trademark manic energy, microphone already in hand.

Before he could begin his introduction, Ash raised a hand.

“From now on… you will be Don,” Ash declared, giving the man a name that was far from ordinary.

It was a Star Name—even though Don would be the only ’mortal’ in Pantheos.

This name granted him immortality, along with invulnerability that would endure only while he remained within his domain: the TV show set.

A faint clarity flickered through Don’s eyes as the Star Name took hold.

He straightened, microphone still raised and launched into his introduction with the same over-the-top enthusiasm, though now there was a subtle, almost reverent undertone.

“Ladies, gentlemen, gods, constellations, and everyone watching from the comfort of their own realms — welcome back to the second-ever episode of…”

He threw both arms wide.

“EXISTENTIAL CRISIS!”

The neon signs exploded with golden confetti and sparkling lights. The dramatic theme song blasted from nowhere.

Don whipped around to face the cameras, grinning like a madman.

“Tonight is something special… Just like last time, we’ve got the **** himself in the house!” Don announced with flair.

“And our contestant… none other than the God of Samsara, Souls, and all Vampires—and the Master of the *****! Let’s hear it for him, folks!”

He turned back to the cameras, his voice oozing mock sympathy.

“Last time, those poor horrors had it rough.”

“But tonight? Tonight we’ve got a shiny new contestant and a fresh set of nine boxes of doom! Will he make it out? Will he plead? Or will he finally find out what happens when you call one of the **** wives a bitch?”

He gave a cheeky wink to the imaginary crowd.

“Stick around, because tonight… his very existence is still hanging by a thread!”

While Don was talking, Kaelthyr — still bound in chains on the stage — finally found his voice. His eyes were wide with confusion and lingering disbelief as he looked around the absurd set.

“What… what the hell is this place? Brat…. what is going on?”

Ash leaned forward in his throne, popcorn in hand, speaking with an easy calm.

“Welcome to the most-watched show in Pantheos, Master,” he said. “You know… calling one of my wives a bitch — that’s a sin I can’t let slide. So now, you’re a prized contestant.”

Kaelthyr’s lip twitched.

“You damned brats… You know it was Nia’s power. That void over my head — it broke my mind for most of the fight!”

Ash shrugged, tossing another piece of popcorn into his mouth.

“I know….. I know…. but I still can’t let something like that slide. You get it.”

Kaelthyr stared for a moment before sighing in resignation.

“…No hard feelings, huh?”

Ash smiled — small, casual, and completely unfazed.

“No hard feelings, Master.”

Don spun back to the cameras, energy renewed.

“And with those touching final words from the ****… the second episode of Existential Crisis officially begins!”

—-

[A/N: If you’re interested in the things happened, tap into my new novel dropping in a month!] 😉

After a long week marking the second episode of Existential Crises, Ash, accompanied by his three spirits, departed entirely from his inner verse.

Kaelthyr, in particular, as Nia had previously informed the others, would not return for several centuries.

Although Ash possessed the ability to revive him immediately, Nia had imposed a punishment herself, so he wouldn’t go against that.

Before his departure, Ash spent time with both Ellyn and Kyron, though his attention was directed primarily toward Ellyn.

[A/N: A more Ellyn and Ash centric Chapter is coming in a few….]

This, however, was short-lived, as Aurora soon led Ellyn away to join the other children journeying across Pantheos.

At present, Ash stood within the void of existence.

While the reset of all things remained more than eight millennia away, his focus lay elsewhere.

Before arriving, he had invoked his Decree, which temporarily shielded him from outside observation.

Though not flawless, it granted him just enough time before Ancestor Seeker would detect him on her projection.

“We have about two weeks in True Reality before her connection reestablishes,” Elysia remarked.

She was only clarifying that Ancestor Seeker lacked the ability to break the Decree; rather, as with all who occupied higher-dimensional realms, certain functions simply did not operate in full.

Ash smiled at this, saying, “Perfect, let’s do a bit of ’sneaking’ around.”

Creara scoffed in amusement, “Pfft, since when do we sneak around?” before they vanished once more.