Chapter 3: Chaos Crashes the Party

You ever have one of those days where you think, “This can’t get any dumber,” and then the universe laughs and says, “Hold my cosmic slushie”?

 Yeah, that was me, trudging through the Meera Hills with Aiya, the glitter-obsessed Goddess of Creation, floating above me like a disco ball with an ego. 

After surviving plant-wolves and ghost farmers, I figured I’d earned a break. Maybe a nap, or at least five minutes without Aiya narrating my life like it’s a reality show. 

Nope. The universe had other plans, and they involved a sky cracking open and a new goddess trying to steal me like I’m a limited-edition action figure.

We were weaving through a valley of glowing wildflowers, the air thick with that minty-regret scent I’d come to associate with Aiya’s “masterpiece” world. 

She was sipping a glowing drink that looked like it was made of liquefied stars, babbling about our next “fun adventure.” “Fun for who, exactly?” I muttered, kicking a pebble. 

“Because your last ‘adventure’ had me slicing up haunted pitchfork guy.”Aiya spun midair, her silver hair whipping like it was auditioning for a shampoo ad. 

“Oh, Kazuto, don’t be such a grump! My lovely readers deserve action, drama, and a dash of my divine sparkle!” “Readers? What readers?” I threw my hands up. 

“You keep talking to nobody! And if they exist, tell them I want a refund for this afterlife. ” Before she could retort, the sky cracked. 

Not metaphorically literally, like someone took a cosmic baseball bat to a glass dome. 

Jagged fissures of crimson light tore through the perfect blue, spilling out sparks that hissed when they hit the ground. 

The wildflowers dimmed, and a low hum vibrated in my chest, like the world was holding its breath.“Uh, Aiya?” I pointed upward. 

“Your masterpiece is glitching again.”Her glow flickered, her grin replaced by a scowl. “Stay out of this, Kazuto. This is not on the script.”

Before I could ask what script, a figure floated down from the crack, wreathed in crimson lightning that made my skin prickle. 

She was tall, her black-and-red robes swirling like a storm cloud with attitude. Her eyes glowed like molten rubies, and her smirk screamed, “I’m about to ruin your day.” 

This was no budget goddess like Aiya this chick radiated danger.“Aiya!” Her voice was smooth, sharp, like a blade dipped in honey. 

“Been a while, hasn’t it ? Still playing with your little dollhouse worlds ?” Aiya’s slushie vanished in a puff of sparkles. She crossed her arms, floating higher to match the newcomer’s height. 

“Zoya. What, bored of wrecking my stuff already?” Zoya, as I’d later learn she was called, laughed a low, throaty sound that made the ground tremble. 

“Wrecking ? Nah, I improve things. Your worlds are so… predictable. Chaos keeps it interesting.” 

Her eyes flicked to me, sharp and curious, like she was sizing up a new toy. “And who’s this ? ” I crossed my arms, meeting her gaze. 

“Kazuto Tanaka. Just a guy who got yeeted here by a flower pot, thanks to Sparkles over there.” I jerked a thumb at Aiya. 

“You another goddess, or just here for the chaos points? ” Zoya’s smirk widened. “Oh, I like him. He’s got spine.” 

She floated closer, her aura making my hair stand on end. “I’m Zoya, Goddess of Chaos. My job? Tearing down Aiya’s boring creations. And you, Kazuto, are coming with me. 

I need a servant with… potential.” “Servant?” I snorted. “Hard pass. I’m already babysitting one goddess, and her glitter obsession is enough of a headache.”

Aiya gasped, clutching her chest like I’d insulted her entire divine bloodline. “Babysitting ? ! I’m the Supreme Architect of This Magnificent World ! And you ” She jabbed a finger at Zoya. 

“You can’t just steal my Chosen One! He’s mine!”Zoya raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “Chosen One? This scruffy kid? Didn’t he die to a flower pot? ” 

She cackled, and I swear the wildflowers wilted in embarrassment for me.I glared at Aiya. “Wow, way to sell me out. And you’re the one who dropped that pot on my head! Maybe I will go with Chaos Lady. 

At least she’s upfront about being a mess.”Aiya’s glow dimmed, her eyes widening. For the first time, she looked… scared. 

Not just annoyed or dramatic, but genuinely afraid I’d ditch her. Her voice dropped, almost a whisper. “Fine. Go with her. 

You’re useless anyway. Weak, whiny, and… and you smell like mortal failure. ”Her words stung, but her eyes told a different story glassy, like she was one bad decision away from a divine meltdown. 

I almost felt bad. Almost.“Chill, Sparkles,” I said, grinning to lighten the mood. “I’m not going anywhere. 

You’re stuck with me, flower pot murder and all.”Aiya’s glow flared back to life, her lips twitching into a relieved smirk. 

“W-Well, if you insist on staying with me, I guess I’ll allow it. But don’t think I care or anything! ” Zoya’s smirk vanished, her eyes narrowing to slits. 

“Cute. But I don’t lose, kid.” She snapped her fingers, and the air rippled. A figure materialized beside her a tall, lean warrior in jagged black armor, his face hidden behind a spiked helmet. 

His sword glowed with a sickly green light, and his presence made the ground crack beneath his boots. “This is Kriaa, my servant. Fight him. Win, and you’re free to stay with Aiya’s boring little world. 

Lose, and you’re mine.”I blinked. “A fight? Just like that? What is this, a cosmic custody battle? ” Aiya floated closer, whispering, “Kazuto, don’t screw this up. 

Kriaa’s fast, and Zoya doesn’t play fair.” “Great,” I muttered. “Any tips, or am I just winging it?” “Use your powers, dummy!” she hissed. 

“You know, the Spanish thing! ” I groaned, dodging as Kriaa lunged without warning. 

His sword sliced through the air, missing my head by inches and carving a smoking gash in the ground. “Whoa, dude, chill!” I yelled, stumbling back. 

“Ever heard of a warm-up?” Kriaa didn’t answer. He moved like a blur, his blade a green streak that forced me to dive behind a boulder. 

The rock split in half with a single swing, and I realized I was way out of my league. “Aiya, this guy’s too fast! I can’t even see him!” “Then stop whining and fight!” Aiya shouted, her voice tinged with panic. 

“Say the words!” I took a deep breath, feeling like an idiot for the third time today. 

“Uno!” My black katana materialized, humming with energy. I swung it experimentally, parrying Kriaa’s next strike. 

The impact sent a shockwave up my arm, but I held my ground. Okay, not bad.“. I grinned. “Alright, let’s dance.” “Tres!” The demon mask locked onto my face, its jagged design sharpening my senses. 

Kriaa’s movements slowed, like I was watching him in half-speed. I dodged a flurry of strikes, each one closer than the last, and countered with a slash that forced him back.

Kriaa growled, his voice low and guttural. “You’re no match for me, mortal.” He raised his sword, and a green aura flared around him. 

“Shinka!” His armor glowed, and two massive wings of crackling energy sprouted from his back. He shot into the air, his wings unleashing shockwaves that knocked me off my feet. 

The air grew heavy, warm, like the world was cooking me alive.“Great,” I panted, scrambling up. “Flying death machine. Just what I needed.”

Aiya’s voice cut through the chaos. “Kazuto, finish it! You’ve got this!” I gritted my teeth, gripping the katana. 

“Muerte!” A purple aura erupted around me, wrapping me in a storm of energy. Time seemed to slow, Kriaa’s wings moving like they were stuck in molasses. 

I saw it a faint flicker of green light at the base of his wings, like a weak point. My body moved on instinct, faster than I thought possible. 

I leaped, higher than any normal human should, and slashed through both wings in one clean strike. 

They dissolved in a burst of sparks, and Kriaa crashed to the ground, his armor cracking.

I landed in front of him, katana at his throat. “Yield, or I start pruning.”Kriaa glared but lowered his sword. “You… win.” 

His form flickered, then vanished in a puff of green smoke. I yanked off the mask, breathing hard as the aura faded. 

I turned to Zoya. “So, we good? Or you got another minion for me to school?” Zoya’s eyes burned, but her smirk returned. 

“Not bad, kid. Keep him, Aiya for now.” She floated upward, the sky cracking open again. “But this isn’t over. Your world’s fraying at the edges, Aiya. Tick-tock.” 

With a final flash of crimson, she was gone. The sky sealed shut, leaving only silence and Aiya’s stunned expression. 

I sheathed the katana, which vanished into thin air. “What was that about? And don’t give me your ‘details, details’ crap. 

She said your world’s fraying. Spill.”Aiya waved a hand, her usual sparkle dimmer than usual. 

“Pfft, Zoya’s just being dramatic. Chaos goddesses, am I right? Let’s move on to the fun stuff!” I narrowed my eyes. 

“Fun stuff ? After that ? You’re hiding something, Sparkles.”She stuck out her tongue. “Keep dreaming, Chosen One. Now come on, we’ve got a world to explore!” She floated off, but I caught a flicker of worry in her eyes.

As I followed her through the hills, the wildflowers glowing faintly under a now-unsteady sky, I couldn’t shake Zoya’s words. 

Fraying at the edges? A goddess scared of losing me? And what the hell was up with that sky crack? One thing was clear: 

Aiya’s “masterpiece” was a hot mess, and I was stuck in the middle, armed with a katana, a dumb power, and a growing suspicion that Flower Pot Mastery might be more than a cosmic prank.

“Middle finger to all of this,” I muttered, flipping off the sky for good measure. If Zoya and Aiya wanted to play divine tug-of-war with me, I’d play my way and maybe chuck a flower pot at both of them.