Under the darkened evening sky of the Ruin Sky City, the magic crystal ball floats in the air. Its surface glows with an ethereal light, pulsating as if alive. Around it, faint images of those trapped within their fears ripple across the magical aura. The crystal ball spins slowly at first but begins to accelerate, its energy growing unstable.
From the shadows, Huey emerges cautiously. His face is etched with sorrow as he gazes at the crystal ball, sensing the presence of his friends within it. His heart aches, knowing he's the only one left standing in this desolate place. He moves closer to the floating crystal ball, his form shifting and rippling with emotion. As he nears, the aura of the crystal seems to react to him, the light intensifying.
Placing his slimy hands on the edges of the glowing sphere, Huey tilts his head and senses everyone is inside of the crystal. He then expands in size and opens his mouth wide, forming a maw large enough to engulf the crystal ball. With a sudden motion, Huey lunges forward and devours the magic crystal ball whole. As it shines, his entire slime body shines with a radiant burst of light that illuminates the entire city.
Meanwhile Mai magically spawns in her cozy room, surrounded by her familiar belongings: the glowing screens of her tech setup, her notebooks scattered across the desk, and the faint hum of machinery in the background. For a moment, everything seems normal, but her instincts tell her something is off.
The lights flicker, and the walls glitch, fracturing like static on a screen. The air grows thick, and Mai's calm demeanor falters as her surroundings begin to distort.
"What... what is this?" she murmurs, her voice trembling slightly. "Is this my fear? No, this doesn't feel right..."
The floor beneath her feet disappears into darkness, and the room around her is replaced by a vast, glitching void. The sky above flickers erratically, casting blinding flashes of white and neon colors. Mai clutches her head, struggling to process the chaos around her.
Meanwhile on the board, Kiren and Nakao exchange worried glances as the realm begins to destabilize. The platforms ahead of them crack and glitch, pieces of the realm breaking away into the void below.
"What's happening?" Kiren asks, his voice filled with unease. "This isn't part of the game, is it?"
Nakao looks upward, her sharp eyes catching a faint, glowing portal forming. "No... something's coming."
The portal grows larger, a swirling vortex of chaos. From within it, Joker emerges, his laughter cutting through the tension like a blade. His figure is cloaked in shadows, his movements theatrical as he ascends into the air.
"This has turned into an interesting event!" Joker declares with manic glee.
With a swift motion of his hand, he flies toward the top of the realm, his cane glowing with immense power. He thrusts it upward, striking the top of the realm. The force shatters the sky above like brittle glass, the fragments falling around them in glittering shards of light.
Meanwhile in sky city, Nhia emerges from a magic portal and lands on the crumbling streets. He looks around confused before noticing a shining light in the distance. Following it, he spots Huey's floating slime body, glowing with a mysterious illumination.
"Huey!" Nhia calls out, jogging toward him. As he gets closer, he notices a crystal ball embedded within Huey's slimy form.
Before Nhia can react, a hand emerges from the crystal ball, and Joker steps out. He lands gracefully, brushing off the slime clinging to his clothes. "Ugh, there's slime on my suit," Joker mutters, patting himself down. He then notices Huey glaring at him. With a mocking grin, Joker says, "Hey, little buddy. I was busy in a session with all your friends—why must you interrupt us?"
Huey's glowing body shifts, his anger evident. Nhia steps beside him, his face set with determination. "I don't know what's going on," Nhia says, gripping his fists, "but if Huey sees you as a threat, I'll gladly take you on."
Joker bursts into laughter, his voice echoing through the empty streets. "You flatter me, lesser human. But let's be real—you have no clue how vast the difference is between us."
Nhia hesitates for a moment before summoning his courage. "I've... I've got new powers," he says, though his voice wavers slightly. "They're strong enough to take on anyone."
With a flash of light, a magic book materializes in Nhia's hand. He holds it up, flipping through the glowing pages. Joker yawns theatrically. "I should really hurry," he says. "Beta's going to be mad if I keep the game paused for too long."
As Nhia turns another page, an image of Shawn's face appears on the paper. The book begins to glow, and suddenly, Nhia's body is surrounded by an intense magic aura. Joker's smirk falters, his eyes narrowing. "Whoa... I've never seen this type of magic before," Joker mutters, his tone shifting slightly.
Nhia closes his eyes, focusing. Okay, he thinks to himself. I just need to imagine that I'm stronger than this clown.
The aura around Nhia intensifies, crackling with raw energy, but just as suddenly, a massive red X appears in front of him. The magic dissipates in an instant, and Nhia collapses to his knees, gasping for breath.
"What... What just happened?" Nhia murmurs, looking down at his magic book. To his shock, the image of Shawn has turned gray.
Realization dawns on him, and he chuckles bitterly. "I get it now... This clown must be insanely strong if Dreamer doesn't even work."
Joker watches with disappointment, tilting his head. "Finished already? That was... underwhelming."
Joker holds out his fist, and three glowing magic cards materialize between his fingers. With a swift motion, he rushes toward them. But before Joker can strike, Huey opens his mouth wide and fires a powerful energy blast. The explosion rips through the ruined city, shrouding the area in smoke.
Nhia stares at Huey in awe. "Wow, Huey, I never knew you had this kind of power! I thought you were just some low-level slime monster!" he exclaims.
Before Huey can respond, Joker appears above them, descending with a deadly swing of his magic cards. The sharp edges glint as they arc toward Nhia. Huey reacts in an instant, swallowing Nhia whole and narrowly dodging the attack.
Inside Huey's body, Nhia watches in amazement as the slime creature glides across the ruined city. Huey fires rapid energy blasts from his mouth, each one causing massive explosions that echo through the crumbling sky city.
But Joker, moving at the speed of light, suddenly reappears in front of them. "Enough of this," he sneers, striking downward with his cards. The blow slices Huey into several pieces, sending Nhia flying out of the slime. Nhia crashes into a pile of rubble, coughing up blood as he struggles to lift his head.
From the corner of his eye, Nhia sees Huey's small, battered form sliding toward him. He groans, reaching out, but his attention is drawn to the magic crystal ball rolling nearby. As it turns, images of his friends struggling inside flash across its surface. Nhia's heart sinks, and he grabs the crystal ball with trembling hands.
Joker approaches him slowly, "Hand it over," Joker says coldly, "and I'll grant you a quick death—no suffering."
Nhia puts the crystal ball next to Huey and faces Joker. "No..." he says, his voice trembling but resolute. "All this time, I've been weak... and everyone around me always dies... but not today! I'll be strong for all of you!"
As he screams, small particles of magic begin to emerge from Nhia's body, shimmering faintly in the air. Joker pauses, narrowing his eyes. "Hmm... this lesser human has more surprises than I thought," he mutters. "The pressure in the air—it's changed."
Suddenly, a burst of magic explodes from Nhia's chest, radiating outward with incredible force. Nhia clenches his fists, his eyes burning with newfound determination. "I'm not going to stand by and watch my family struggle anymore!" he declares.
He charges forward and punches Joker square in the face. The blow lands, but Joker remains unfazed, tilting his head slightly. "Interesting," Joker muses. "You're still weak, but the magic inside you is... something else. This group... you all have surprised me more than any other lesser humans I've encountered."
Joker's gaze lingers on Nhia's chest, where the magic aura burns brightly. Before he can act, a glowing magic dobermann emerges from the aura, snarling fiercely. With incredible speed, the dog charges at Joker and headbutts him, sending him crashing into a broken building.
Nhia looks at the glowing dobermann standing protectively beside him and speaks with urgency. "Hey, you. You take care of that clown, and I'll save the others, okay?"
The dobermann barks in response, its fierce energy radiating confidence. Nhia nods and rushes toward the crystal ball. As he reaches it, he glances back at Huey. "I'm going to need your help, Huey," he says firmly.
Huey responds by devouring the crystal ball once again. His slimy body begins to shine, illuminating the dark ruins around them. Nhia wastes no time and summons his magic book. Flipping through its pages, he stops on one with a glowing drawing of Jasee's face.
"Okay... I hope this works," Nhia murmurs, his voice laced with both determination and doubt.
The drawing on the page glows with intense magic, and an aura engulfs Nhia's body. He focuses on Huey, reaching out to him. The moment Nhia touches Huey, his eyes widen in surprise.
"Jasee's magic... is weird! Just like Copycat said!" Nhia exclaims as his body begins to twitch uncontrollably. A blinding light erupts from him, and in an instant, his form dissolves into shimmering magic particles. The glowing particles linger for a moment, suspended in the air, before slowly flowing into Huey's body.
Meanwhile, Joker emerges from the rubble of the broken building, brushing off the dust with a calm, almost amused expression. As he approaches the dobermann, his sharp gaze locks onto the dog. "Hmm... why does a god like you reside within a lesser human?" he asks mockingly, a sly grin curling on his lips.
The dobermann growls in response, its form beginning to grow larger. Magic swirls around it, intensifying with each passing second. The air crackles with energy as the dobermann's size and power increase, its presence now far more imposing.
Joker chuckles, his tone dripping with mockery. "Ah, I see. Or perhaps you've lost your godhood?" He tilts his head, feigning pity. "And decided to be weak with the lesser humans!"
He braces himself as the dobermann charges, their clash igniting an explosion of magic that shakes the ruined sky city.
Meanwhile, Huey begins to glow even brighter, his slime body pulsating with the combined magic of his own and Nhia's magic. Inside the crystal ball, Nhia can be seen diving deeper into its mysterious realm, his form bathed in radiant magic.
Flying through the ethereal space, Nhia soars downward, passing countless platforms suspended in the void. He spots Kiren and Nakao on their platforms and quickly flies toward them.
"Nhia!" Kiren exclaims, his face lighting up with relief. "How are you here?!"
Nhia stops in front of them, his aura shimmering. "Me and Huey combined our powers to break in here and save all of you," he explains. "But I'm going to need your help too."
He extends his hand outwards, and the combined magic of his and Huey's auras begins to spread, casting a golden light across the entire realm. The glow expands, reaching out to the other platforms. Suddenly, the invisible barriers surrounding the platforms shatter like glass, the many sounds echoing through the void.
As shards of the barriers disappear, Nhia's body surges with intense magic, his aura flaring. Kiren stares in awe. "What are you going to do?!"
Nakao, equally awestruck, answers for him. "He's going to break the rules!"
Both Kiren and Nakao instinctively touch the spreading magic, and as they do, their bodies begin to glow as well. Kiren marvels at the sensation, his voice tinged with recognition. "This magic... it feels almost like Megan's Shining Star."
Suddenly, the realm begins to crack. Fissures ripple through the air, and one by one, the platforms explode in bursts of vibrant magic. The void itself seems to fracture, and an enormous crack forms directly in front of Nhia.
Holding out his hand, Nhia calls to them, his voice filled with determination. "Come on! Let's save the others!"
Kiren and Nakao doesn't hesitate, they leap toward Nhia, their glowing forms radiating with combined power. Together, they soar into the giant crack.
Moments later, in another realm, Nhia soars downward, his golden aura lighting up the dim surroundings. Below him, Mai stands in the darkness, her eyes wide with hope as she reaches out. Nhia grabs her hand, pulling her into his embrace as the radiant golden magic surrounds her, infusing her with its power.
"Hang on," Nhia says firmly, his voice steady despite the chaos around them.
Mai nods, her determination renewed, and together they ascend toward another crack in the realm. The swirling fissure opens wider as they fly through it, disappearing into a new dimension.
Emerging into the next realm, they find themselves in a dark, distorted space where Michael is sprinting across crumbling ground covered in darkness. His face lights up in surprise as he spots Nhia and Mai descending toward him.
"Nhia? Mai?!" Michael exclaims, skidding to a halt.
"We've got you!" Mai calls out as Nhia extends his hand.
Michael reaches up, and as Nhia pulls him in, the golden magic envelops him, his body glowing as he's lifted off the collapsing ground. "Let's keep moving," Nhia says as they head for another glowing crack in the distance.
Bursting through the next fissure, the trio is greeted by a searing heat. Flames rage across the fiery landscape, smoke clouding the air. Amidst the chaos, they spot Ezzy kneeling on a scorched platform, tears streaming down her face as she looks up at them.
"Ezzy!" Mai shouts, her voice cutting through the roar of the fire.
Ezzy lifts her trembling hands toward them, her expression filled with desperation. Nhia dives lower, reaching out to her. "We're here for you!" he reassures her.
As their hands clasp, the golden magic flows over Ezzy, extinguishing the flames around her. She clings to Nhia and Mai, her tears turning to relief as they lift her from the burning realm. Together, the four of them fly toward the next crack in the realm.
Meanwhile, Nakao flies into another realm, the air thick with darkness. She spots Jean struggling, his movements slow and weak, as shadowy tendrils close in on him. His eyes are filled with desperation, unable to break free.
Just as the darkness begins to swallow him, Nakao bursts into view, her magic aura radiating brightly. "Jean!" she calls out.
Jean looks up, his eyes widening in relief as Nakao swoops down and grabs him, her glowing form surrounding him like a shield. The shadows retreat, unable to touch them.
"We're getting you out of here," Nakao says, determination in her voice.
She pulls Jean into the air, and together they head toward another crack in the realm. They fly through it, emerging into another dimensions where they save Simbad and Rune.
Meanwhile, in another dimension, Kiren races through the void, his eyes scanning for any sign of Megan. Suddenly, he spots her—falling through the endless expanse, her body surrounded by swirling shadows.
"Megan!" Kiren calls, his voice filled with urgency.
He flies toward her, the light of his magic cutting through the darkness. "The Star Hero is here to save you!"
Megan's head snaps up at the sound of his voice, her eyes blurry with confusion and despair. The darkness around her begins to dissipate as she looks up at him.
"The Star Hero...?" Megan murmurs.
Kiren reaches her, grabbing her hands and pulling her close. "It's okay, Megan. All of this wasn't real. Come on, use your Shining Star and help us break through this board game."
Megan's gaze shifts to the golden magic surrounding them. Her eyes widen in recognition. "This magic... It's part Huey and Nhia's magic!"
The realization sparks something within her. She nods, her voice steadying as she focuses on the magic flowing through her. "Alright, then."
With a burst of white energy, Megan casts her Shining Star, the brilliant white light expanding outward, merging with Nhia and Huey's combined aura. The force is overwhelming, and across all realms, cracks begin to appear in the fabric of reality.
Giant fissures tear open, and the others—Jean, Nakao, Simbad, Rune, and the others—emerge from their respective realms, their bodies glowing with the combined magic.
They watch as another giant cracks split open, Nhia then says "Alright, one more to go, then we're out of here!" he announces, his voice full of determination.