Greatest of All Time – Season 1Chapter 1: The Rise of the GoatPresent Day
This was a world where every human was born with a Monster Soul.
Some people possessed legendary dragons.
Some had phoenixes.
Some controlled wolves, tigers, eagles, snakes...
And some—
Had absolutely nothing.
A fourteen-year-old boy walked quietly through the crowded streets.
His name was—
Arashio.
He carried a small bag over his shoulder.
His clothes were old.
His shoes were slightly damaged.
And unlike everyone around him...
He had no Monster Soul.
Not even a weak one.
No wolf.
No bird.
No insect.
Nothing.
People often stared at him.
Some laughed.
Some whispered.
"There goes the Soul-less kid."
"Imagine being born without a Monster Soul."
"How embarrassing."
Arashio ignored them.
He had learned long ago that listening only made things worse.
A few months earlier, he had survived a terrible accident.
But the accident had taken something from him.
His memories.
He couldn't remember his parents.
His childhood.
His friends.
Or even what his life had been like before the accident.
It was as if someone had erased an entire part of his existence.
Arashio stopped in front of a small food stall.
His stomach growled.
Grrrrrrr...
He looked at the food.
Then looked at his wallet.
Then looked at the food again.
"...Maybe I can survive on air."
The shopkeeper laughed.
"Kid, air is free."
Arashio sighed.
"Exactly."
Suddenly—
BOOOOM!!
A huge explosion came from the center of the street.
Everyone turned.
Two boys were fighting.
One had massive horns growing from his head.
His muscles had doubled in size.
"BULL TRANSFORMATION!!"
The crowd screamed.
"Whoa!"
"That's a Bull Soul!"
The other boy spread enormous wings.
"EAGLE TRANSFORMATION!!"
Golden feathers surrounded his body.
The Bull boy charged.
"Get out of my way!"
The Eagle boy laughed.
"Make me!"
"FEATHER STORM!!"
Hundreds of sharp feathers shot forward.
Arashio's eyes widened.
"Hey!"
He ran between them.
"Stop fighting!"
Both boys stared at him.
The Bull boy laughed.
"You?"
"You don't even have a Monster Soul."
Arashio scratched his head.
"Yeah."
"So?"
The Eagle boy laughed.
"Move before you get hurt."
Arashio crossed his arms.
"Maybe you two should try using your brains."
The Bull boy frowned.
"What?"
Arashio pointed at him.
"Your horns are huge."
Then he pointed at the Eagle boy.
"His wings are huge."
He sighed.
"But apparently..."
"Your brains are tiny."
The crowd burst out laughing.
The Bull boy's face became red.
"YOU—!"
He charged.
"HORN STRIKE!!"
Arashio froze.
"...Oh."
"That wasn't supposed to happen."
Just before the horns reached him—
WHOOSH!!
A girl appeared between them.
Golden-blue flames erupted from her body.
"PHOENIX SHIELD."
BOOOOOOM!!
The Bull's attack slammed into the shield.
Nothing happened.
The girl calmly looked at him.
"Are you finished?"
The Bull boy stepped backward.
"W-Who are you?"
She smiled.
"Someone who doesn't like unnecessary fighting."
The Eagle boy immediately recognized her.
"Wait..."
"That's—"
"RUN!"
He flew away.
The Bull boy followed.
"HEY! WAIT FOR ME!"
The mysterious girl watched them disappear.
Then she looked at Arashio.
"You okay?"
Arashio nodded.
"Yeah."
He looked at her glowing flames.
"That was cool."
She smiled.
"Thank you."
Then—
WHOOSH!
She disappeared into the crowd.
Arashio blinked.
"...Fast."
He looked down.
Something was lying near his feet.
A golden card.
He picked it up.
VIP INVITATION
ONE FREE NIGHT AT THE ROYAL HOTEL
Arashio's eyes became huge.
"...Free?"
He looked at the sky.
"Finally..."
"THE GOD LOVES ME!"
The Royal Hotel
That evening...
Arashio stood outside the largest hotel in the city.
The building reached hundreds of meters into the sky.
Golden lights covered every window.
Rich guests entered wearing expensive clothes.
Arashio looked down at himself.
Old shirt.
Old pants.
Old shoes.
He looked back at the hotel.
"...I definitely don't belong here."
His stomach growled.
Grrrrrrr...
He nodded seriously.
"But free food is free food."
He walked inside.
A beautiful white-haired girl stood near the entrance.
She smiled.
"Welcome."
"My name is Siya."
"I'm the manager here."
Arashio looked around.
"Nice."
Siya smiled.
"Can I help you?"
Arashio immediately showed the card.
"I have this."
Siya's eyes widened slightly.
"VIP?"
Arashio nodded proudly.
"Yes."
He leaned closer.
"Does VIP mean..."
"...free food?"
Siya laughed.
"Yes."
Arashio's eyes sparkled.
"Then I officially love this hotel."
The Dining Hall
Minutes later...
Arashio was eating.
And eating.
And eating.
Chicken.
Rice.
Seafood.
Meat.
Dessert.
More chicken.
Siya watched in disbelief.
"You've already eaten seven plates."
Arashio paused.
"Only seven?"
Siya laughed.
"Are you always this hungry?"
Arashio nodded.
"I don't remember much about my past."
"But apparently..."
"I remember how to eat."
Siya couldn't stop laughing.
Across the room—
The Bull boy from earlier spotted him.
"You!"
Arashio looked up.
"Oh."
"The giant forehead is back."
The Bull boy nearly choked.
"MY FOREHEAD IS NORMAL!"
The Eagle boy burst out laughing.
Siya covered her mouth.
Arashio continued eating.
"Anyway..."
"Can you pass the chicken?"
The Bull boy stared at him.
"...I hate you."
The Rooftop
Later that night...
Hundreds of guests gathered on the rooftop.
The night sky was beautiful.
Stars filled the darkness.
Then—
BOOOOOOM!!
Magical fireworks exploded across the sky.
Phoenixes.
Dragons.
Tigers.
Golden stars.
Everyone cheered.
Arashio looked up.
For the first time that day...
He smiled peacefully.
Then—
BEEP.
A strange sound came from the sky.
Siya looked upward.
Her smile disappeared.
"...That's not a firework."
A gigantic spaceship appeared above the hotel.
Everyone froze.
Arashio looked up.
"That's..."
"...definitely not normal."
The spaceship opened.
A weapon charged.
VVVVVVVVMMMMM!!
Siya shouted—
"EVERYONE, RUN!"
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The hotel exploded.
Glass shattered.
Fire filled the sky.
People escaped using their Monster Souls.
Wings appeared.
Dragons were summoned.
Phoenixes flew upward.
But Arashio—
FELL.
"ARASHIO!!"
Siya transformed.
Golden-blue Phoenix wings exploded from her back.
She flew toward him.
But suddenly—
A yellow-haired boy appeared.
His expression was cold.
"Found you."
He raised a strange black weapon.
"Power Absorption."
SHOOOOOM!!
Siya's Phoenix energy was ripped away.
Her wings disappeared.
Her eyes widened.
"No..."
She began falling.
"SIYA!"
Arashio reached toward her.
But the yellow-haired boy grabbed him by the neck.
"So you're Arashio."
Arashio struggled.
"Who..."
"...are you?"
The boy smiled.
"Call me Zen."
He lifted Arashio into the air.
"I've been looking for you."
Arashio couldn't breathe.
His vision became blurry.
Then—
Everything went black.
Inside the Darkness
Arashio opened his eyes.
He stood inside an endless black space.
A strange blue light floated ahead.
Then a boy stepped from the darkness.
Blue energy surrounded him.
Arashio stared.
"Who are you?"
The boy smiled.
"My name is James."
Arashio frowned.
"I don't know you."
James sighed.
"Of course you don't."
"You lost your memories."
Arashio stepped forward.
"Where am I?"
James pointed around them.
"Inside your subconscious."
"And I've been waiting for you."
Arashio clenched his fists.
"Siya is in danger."
James nodded.
"Yes."
"Then help me!"
James smiled.
"That's why I'm here."
A second presence appeared.
Crimson energy filled the darkness.
Another boy stepped forward.
James looked at him.
"You're late."
The boy crossed his arms.
"I was sleeping."
James stared.
"You don't sleep."
"...I was pretending."
Arashio blinked.
"What is happening?"
The second boy smiled.
"I'm Saku."
James pointed toward Arashio.
"And he's our new problem."
Saku laughed.
"Welcome to the chaos."
Arashio stared at both of them.
Then—
A massive explosion shook the subconscious.
James became serious.
"Arashio."
"Your time has come."
Saku's crimson energy exploded.
James's blue lightning erupted.
Arashio reached forward.
"I don't care what I am."
"I don't care what happened to my past."
"But I'm not letting Siya get hurt."
James smiled.
"That's the answer."
Saku extended his hand.
"Ready?"
Arashio grabbed it.
"Ready."
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
Blue lightning.
Crimson flames.
A massive wave of energy swallowed the darkness.
Awakening
Back inside the spaceship—
Zen was still holding Arashio.
Suddenly...
Arashio stopped moving.
Zen frowned.
"...What?"
Arashio slowly opened his eyes.
They were no longer normal.
One eye—
NEON BLUE.
The other—
CRIMSON RED.
Lightning exploded across his body.
KRAAAAAK!!
Zen's smile disappeared.
"W-What?"
Arashio looked directly at him.
His voice was calm.
"Let her go."
Zen froze.
"Who do you think you are?"
Arashio clenched his fist.
BOOOOOOM!!
One punch.
Zen flew through the spaceship.
The walls exploded.
Arashio caught Siya before she fell.
She looked up at him.
"Arashio..."
He smiled.
"You okay?"
Siya nodded.
"Yeah."
Then she noticed his glowing eyes.
"...Your eyes."
Arashio looked confused.
"My what?"
Suddenly—
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The spaceship exploded.
Arashio carried Siya through the flames.
They landed safely.
Silence.
Everyone stared.
Arashio looked at his hands.
"I..."
"What just happened?"
Inside his mind...
James smiled.
Saku laughed.
And somewhere far beyond the Earth...
A mysterious figure opened his crimson eyes.
"So..."
"The legendary vessel has awakened."
He smiled.
"Excellent."
"The game has finally begun."
TO BE CONTINUED...