12th installment of the VGNU.
The time has finally come.
Heroes are called from all corners of a universe self-destructing.
A mysterious figure has gathered them to save their worlds before it is too late.
Will they stop this great calamity?
Or...
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"You've made them angry."
"I've made them prideful."
"Your own pride shall be your undoing."
"They will be... reckless."
"They'll become stronger than you realize. You believe your actions lead the course of history away from me, and yet even this is by my design."
"For now. But it is them who will decide the victor."
"You believe you can persuade them?"
"They crave... carnage. If that is what I promise... if that is what I deliver... then I will win."
"And I know they are better than that. I trust that they will desire a happier ending. An ending where the heroes win, and the villain is destroyed once and for all. An epic final battle to end it all."
"It will end. Everything will end. They will realize there is no point. They will fight. They will continue fighting because that is what they do. They want to fight, and it will be their downfall, and my rise."
"And you?"
Captain Nintendo was silent, floating in a space beyond even the void, watching from some ethereal plane. The fighters arrived back at Light Base, and the Halberd detached from the Boarding Spike. It drifted away... and self-destructed.
"Even he refers to them as the fighters."
"Silence... Captain, your thoughts?"
"... I... I think there will be less of an audience than you realize." Captain's words were quiet, seemingly audible only in his head despite him having spoken out loud. "I think in the end..."
"There will be enough. If even one voice speaks out... It will be enough."
"Maybe... the verdict won't be so bad then."
"Then let me prove my point. Let me intervene again."
"That decision is not mine to make."
"It never is."
"But if you do, then I will make my move as well."
"I agree to these terms."
As Captain watched, Light Base suddenly went on Red Alert.
"What did you do!?"
"Worry not. This will play in our favor."
"Believe what you like. The end is mine."
Captain felt himself heating up, like he was coming back into phase with the same existence as Light Base... But, Light Base was shifting as well...
___
Gathering in the main room, the fighters all collapsed in their usual seats. Emerald welcomed them back, hoping for a sign of the Captain, but... his greetings were only met with a tired silence. There was no respawn after this fight, no healing, no rest. They were all beaten and broken, and this time that was the end of it.
