After Infinite Manor's upgrade into a "super-hub" spanning three universes, Cloud finally achieved his long-dreamed-of, theoretically-should-exist peaceful retirement life.
However, theory was just theory. Reality proved far more exciting.
For instance, right now he was facing an ultimate challenge more troublesome than the Celestials, more difficult than the Whisperer of the Universe—the "First Infinite Manor Universal Harmony and Family Responsibility Cross-Dimensional Joint Guidance Conference."
The conference was initiated by Chizuru Kagura and Natasha Romanoff.
These two head housekeepers from the KOF and Marvel universes respectively, after less than three days of exchanging glances, had rapidly formed a strategic alliance. They unanimously agreed that this increasingly lawless household required thorough, systematic standardized management.
Thus, in the manor's round-table conference room, an unprecedented "Harem Hearing" officially commenced.
On one side of the table sat the KOF Native Residents' Delegation. Mai Shiranui, wearing her classic fire-red kunoichi outfit, was righteously protesting the issue of "dress code standardization in public areas of the manor."
Her core argument: "We ninja dress lightly for freedom of movement! It's tradition! It's culture! We absolutely will not allow it to be eroded by certain outside cultures wearing black leather bodysuits!" As she spoke, she repeatedly thrust her impressive chest toward Natasha sitting across from her.
On the other side, Amazon Princess Diana Prince represented the DC New Residents' Delegation, proposing her own solution to the manor's various disputes.
Her core argument: "I propose we establish an arena system within the manor! Any dispute—whether about who cooks for Cloud today or who gets final control of the TV remote—should be resolved through a sacred, fair one-on-one duel! This is a warrior's honor!" As she spoke, she habitually touched the Lasso of Truth at her waist.
Harley Quinn, sitting in the corner, enthusiastically raised her enchanted "Devotion Hammer" and seconded: "I agree! I agree! Let the hammer decide! Anyone who doesn't listen gets hammered into a little pancake! Just like Bat-brain!"
Meanwhile, Kula Diamond wasn't paying attention at all. She and Wanda Maximoff were engaged in an extremely important academic discussion about "how to use magic to create an infinite supply of strawberry-chocolate swirl Blizzard ice cream."
Watching this epic scene of complete miscommunication and cross-server chatting, Cloud—the core subject of the meeting and ultimate source of all conflicts—sat in the main seat with an expression of complete existential defeat.
He was beginning to think that bringing all these women together might have been the craziest and stupidest decision of his life.
"Uh, everyone, everyone please settle down..." As master of the house, he tried to salvage what little dignity he had left. "Regarding the dress code issue, I think we should embrace our differences and let a hundred flowers bloom... As for disputes, all that fighting is so harsh on harmony—why don't we settle things with rock-paper-scissors..."
But before he could finish, he was silently voted down by the "shut up" glares from both the Mai-led and Diana-led factions.
Cloud once again felt that familiar, powerless sensation of being a corporate drone.
"Ah, right, I just remembered there's a pot of soup simmering in the kitchen—made from Whisperer of the Universe scraps! I need to check on it!" With that, he tried to use Spatial Transfer to escape this meeting room more terrifying than a Celestial tribunal.
However, the instant he tried to activate his ability—!
BEEP—! BEEP—! BEEP—! WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!
An unprecedented, apocalyptic blood-red alarm began screaming in the depths of his mind!
It was the System's voice! The System that had been reduced to nothing more than a "weather forecast" and "recipe lookup" tool since he'd become Dimensional Sovereign—a System he'd almost forgotten existed!
And this time, for the first time ever, the System's voice carried something resembling human emotion—absolute, hysterical terror!
[WARNING! WARNING! HIGHEST-LEVEL RED ALERT! HIGHEST-LEVEL RED ALERT!]
[Detecting 'Negative-Entropy' class existence approaching!]
[Origin: UNKNOWN! Unable to analyze! Unable to comprehend!]
[WARNING! Exceeds System database! Exceeds System cognitive parameters! Exceeds the System itself!]
The System's voice had become shrill and distorted with extreme fear, even taking on a sobbing quality!
It was like a program that had always believed itself to be "King of the World" suddenly discovering a cursor slowly moving toward its "Force Delete" button!
"Negative-Entropy?"
For the first time, Cloud's expression turned serious.
He calmed the women, who had grown alarmed by this sudden soul-level warning, then sank his consciousness into the deepest part of the System.
"What's going on? Explain clearly!"
[Lord Sovereign!] The System's voice was still trembling. [I must confess something to you. A truth about the System itself.]
"Speak."
[I was not created from nothing. The System, along with all the worlds you've traversed—KOF, Street Fighter, Samurai Shodown... even Marvel and DC that you broke into yourself—they are all essentially just parts of a massive fish pond.]
"Fish pond?" Cloud's brow furrowed deeper.
[Yes, a fish pond!] The System's voice grew more urgent. [And I, the System, am essentially just a fishing rod. Or perhaps a fishing net. My creator cast me into countless initial dimensions, and my task was to find the most promising fingerlings in these dimensions, then through transmigration and plundering, help these 'fish' grow fat... so that my 'master' could eventually harvest them.]
Hearing this, Cloud instantly understood. A cold light flashed in his eyes.
"So I'm the 'fish' you selected?"
[Yes.] The System's voice was filled with guilt and terror. [You are the most extraordinary host I've ever encountered since my creation! You not only ate all the 'bait' I prepared for you—you even jumped out of the fish pond and helped yourself to the neighboring ponds as well! You are no longer a 'fish'—you're a being that even I, your rod, can no longer restrain!]
"And then?" Cloud asked coldly.
[And then...] The System's voice took on a note of desperate weeping. [The owner of the 'fish pond,' that 'Angler' who had been silently watching from the shore this whole time... discovered that the biggest, fattest fish he'd been raising... was gone.]
[So...]
[He has come to find you personally!]