Infinity in the Void – Freedom in the Abyss

Magnum Opus now looks more bestial, reptile-like. They look like one of those beastman from Welt Ealam's world. A chimeric beast of lion, goat, and serpent.

And Kalpas... it is using the red-haired woman form. That kind and genuine smile... I would like to know about you more, Kalpas, Lord of Samsara.

But you are not here in person, only a puppet.

!!

This itching sensation again, I turned around... there is nothing but carnage. What is that thing that's stalking me?

I shook my head.

"Utopia, send Elderstahl.", I commanded.

"There is no need.", her voice came behind me.

An abomination tried to ambush the strongest thing in the solar system, but she just casually grabbed its face(?) and disintegrated it to the atomic level in a flash of bright light.

I held my hand out, wrapped in Venumite bandages, "Elderstahl, I request your help."

"I am your blade, so rend your enemy apart, Charlotte.", she took my hand, transforming into the longsword.

The burning sensation runs its course, luckily since we are underwater it isn't so bad. Though this is only five percent...

"Step back... I will deal with this in one strike...", I pointed the obsidian blade toward the temple.

Avalon and Kalpas obliged.

"First Seal: Niflheim - Release."

The blade blarred, igniting underwater. I can feel the heat searing my hand— wait a minute, I have Telekinesis...

I let go of the sword, moving it with my mind like the swords behind me. I pointed my gauntlet at the temple as electricity sparks.

"O' Blade of the End, Rend the World."

And I swung the blade.

The flame of Elderstahl is not normal fire, it is a fire created by the Concept of Blade, cosmic energy condensed into a meaning. That is why Anima Lacero doesn't affect it. Every moment of her existence, an infinite amount of swords were swung, so much so they emit heat and burn the air from the sheer amount of swings as a byproduct.

By unleashing that power...

Everything in front of me was cleaved cleanly, buildings, creatures hidden in the cracks, and the temple crumbles under the power of the strongest sword. All burning underwater... and I got to see what was inside.

What was happening inside the temple was the cause for the storm and wind on the surface, the Priest of Gaia and Roko fighting... a giant Dragon with the head of an octopus and a fake Dragon wielding an anti-matter sword.

They both look at me specifically. Why I love the attention, it is flattering, but this won't do.

Now... I just destroyed the temple, so Cthulhu must be mad at me... seeing how mad it is, running for me and ignoring Roko.

"Avalon, you take on Cthulhu. Kalpas, you find Theia. I will handle Roko.", I smiled, using my mind to recall my swords to me.

Avalon, hearing my order, instantly intercepted Cthulhu, dragging the Dragon somewhere else in R'lyeh, or even out of the city. As for Kalpas, they immediately expand the Flower of Life to search for that bitch.

As for me...

I stare down at Roko, who lowers their sword.

"Why are you obeying Theia?", I asked, "It doesn't make any sense."

"Charlotte... my existence is a curse upon the world, merely by living I attract the attention of The Original One. I am meant to die.", they gripped their sword tighter, "But I refuse..."

Roke stare at me, her eyes expressing her desperation, the yearning to break away from its destined path.

"I... just want to live.", they cried out, "Is that too much?"

To live, to exist, is the primordial instinct of all life. There is nothing wrong with wishing to live. Anyone would sympathize with you, Roko. 

But I am not just anyone...

"You don't deserve to live.", I spoke plainly.

They seemed to be hurt by my words. As the representative of humanity, my words have more weight than anyone. I have my own view, I have my own conviction, and nothing will stray me from this path I chose for myself.

"So fight, struggle for your own sake.", I summon my lance to my right hand, pointing it at the Fragment of the Universe, "Prove your own existence."

"By killing me."

The four lazer blades flew at Roko, while Elderstahl stayed back. And I'm circling them...

The Fragment of the Universe blocked a sword, cutting through the energy blade with that anti-matter weapon. Only for the other three to slash at their back, only one attack went through and two bounced off the metallic left arm...

"Utopia, what is that arm?", I asked.

He answered after two seconds, "[Apology for the delay, Your Highness. I'm afraid that arm came from The Machine Overlord, capable of deflecting almost everything in the universe - what my Core is made out of.]"

I see... pretty simple.

Who allowed you to be given assistance?

I took a step forward, and I was already in front of Roko. This surprised them, leaving a moment of hesitation.

I thrust my lance forward, they narrowly blocked it with the black sword. Just what I need~

"Second Seal: Helheim - Release."

Elderstahl swung down like divine judgment, loping off Roko's left arm and searing the wound close in an instant.

I also got knocked away by the blast— forcing me to land and witness the devastation with glee. Elderstahl is truly busted, one singular cut left a burning ravine where she hit Roko.

Roko themselves, however, were on the ground letting out a soundless scream. The pain was too much to handle, even for the Fragment of the Universe. Theia is pretty sadistic in that manner, giving something so powerful such a weakness.

"Elderstahl, stay back for now.", I planted the sword behind me, which she transformed back into her humanoid form.

"You better wield me properly next time.", she crossed her arm.

"Don't worry, I will next time.", the mask turned into a crown, revealing my smile and sharp eyes, "You deserve to be used on something else, something far greater."

The four swords returned to me, merging back into the coffin, to which I kicked it far away - towards Utopia.

"Utopia, take Ouroboros Omniscia and go as far away as you could."

"[...as you command, Your Highness.]", he accepted it with reluctance.

With a wave of my hand, the sea of gold coins came flooding the entire temple. These coins belong to me due to Akasha, they don't affect my performance much. But for Roko? I am bringing all the advantages I have...

I scooped up a handful of coins, imbuing them with my will - they began to burst into green fire. Then I threw the coins at Roko.

By instinct alone, they created a shield out of anti-matter. Most got consumed by the shield, but some phased through it by sheer human spite alone.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!

Each coin hitting like a 50. Cal bullet. Roko's shield broke, to which I see they had already prepared an attack—

They swung their blade at me—

There was no sound, yet where I once stood there was a clean cut, deleting my coins and all the way to the battlefield behind me. Elderstahl, being the overpowered sword she is, came out unscathed.

"Utopia.", I called him.

"[My right arm was cut clean, but everything is fine, Your Highness.]", he reported.

Dammit... I don't know how far he got but to cut that far...

It is time for the big gun, isn't it?

"Let—"

"Don't play with me, Akasha.", Roko cut me off, "Your meaningless chants, they don't mean anything."

I just stare at it, already summoning another sword.

"Who do you think you are to have the audacity to stop ME?!", I shouted, the Malice Flame sparked around me.

What is this bitch on? Stopping my fun?!

"Just someone desperately fighting for their own survival.", it pointed its sword at me, "There is no need to be fancy fighting me—"

I was already in front of it, stabbing my lance right through its stomach before it could finish speaking. Then I twisted the lance and came bursting out a cone of fire, lightning, and wind.

Before it could swing its sword, I pierced its arm with my gauntlet, ripping its arm off in the same motion. It was about to let out another pained scream, but I stabbed right into its throat with my claw.

The raging elements from my lance condensed.

"Enuma Elis."

The burst of energy evaporated its lower half as I performed a slicing motion downward. For the remaining energy, I stabbed into the ground— cracking reality.

"Beasts of Tindalos, here is your meal.", then I threw Roko into the Crack—

Yet it created a sword made of glass just in time to bite the hilt and stab the stable ground to sling itself out of there.

Hmm.

Before it could land, I moved right in front of the torso, swatting it away with my lance into a pillar. Then my eyes snapped toward the metal arm... I kicked it into the Crack.

That thing came out of the rubble, panting heavily as its body regenerated. It stares at me with absolute terror.

"H-How..."

"Want to know why?", I spoke with any hint of emotion.

It shuddered, never had seen this side of me before. I glanced at Elderstahl, she was surprised too.

"Utopia."

An artillery shell hit the thing in the back, sending it toward me. I grabbed it out of the air and slammed it right into the stone floor.

"I am a fun-loving person, you decided to take away my fun. That's all to it.", I began to lift the thing up with my gauntlet, shocking it with dozens of electrical pulses.

"You wanted me to be serious about this.", I tighten my grip on Quirinus, "Grow."

The lance responded to my command, its spikes grew and stabbed through its scales, then bloomed into a bush of red thorns behind it.

"You had a chance, and you threw it away."

I looked down, the scarf was gone. I dispelled that combination long ago.

"You don't deserve to exist. You don't deserve to have a name. You don't deserve to have an identity. You are merely a tool made for a meaningless purpose."

Then I twisted the lance, the thorns too twisted, sending the thing into a world of pain.

"That is what you are."

I took in a deep breath, plunging the lance right through its chest—

I let go of the thing before the lance could pierce through its back, and then I teleported away— letting Cthulhu's body crush it.

Then a whole zoo crashed upon the Dragon, gnawing away at its amorphous body. The Dragon roared, wiping off the beasts in one fell swoop.

I just touch the undulating mass, and blast it with Malice Flame at full force - erasing the entire Dragon in a single hit. The beasts stare at me as I stare at them.

Then I look at what seems to be an altar, where Cthulhu regenerated from tendrils of darkness. Avalon went for it again.

While my attention is fully on this thing. I took a step forward, it crawled backward. It tried to swing a sword at me, I just blocked the waterblade with my lance.

I stomped its right leg, breaking the leg with a crunch and a scream followed, stopping it right in its tract. Justice Mist formed into swords behind me, then they launched— piercing through it before losing their shape and reforming behind. I dripped down Hope's Dew, letting it feel the pain of a Trial as the dew healed it— before breaking its leg again. I formed a Euphoric Crystal in my palm, then threw it into the chest of the thing, letting it experience an overdrive of stimuli. With a quick twist, I twisted and broke its arms with Delusion, another scream. Then Reverie Sludge bubbled up beneath my feet, eating away at its broken limbs. Up next, an electrical shock strong enough to cook an elephant from the inside out. And finally... a single ember of Malice— blossomed into a burning flower on its chest.

I pointed my lance to its face.

"O' Ancient Souls of Divinity, may you be Forgotten."

A ball of pure white energy formed at the tip.

"O' Spirits of Nature, may you Return to Nothing."

The ball pulses, energy, and power of my mind gathered as I wrote my will into this.

"O' Fragment of the Universe..."

Then I thrust the lance lightly, for the ball to touch its head.

"May your Existence be Denied."

The ball imploded, sucking in its head and rewriting the rules for its existence. For it does not deserve to live, and it shall die by my hands. It cannot regenerate anymore...

"Phantasmal... Denial."

I raised my gauntlet, blocking a strike from a chain made of clay. I glanced to my left... Theia is standing there, her dress tattered, her body full of bite marks, missing a few pieces of flesh here and there. Her hands were chained but she seemed to break out of the binding.

"So you incapacitated Roko... without much effort too.", her crimson eyes stared at the thing with a disdainful look.

I appeared right before her, crouching, "Enuma Elis."

And I stabbed her right in the chest, the three elements of my lance combined and went straight through Theia. But the reality-piercing attack missed as she turned her chest into black mist.

She whipped the clay chains at me, which I blocked with my gauntlet.

The Flower of Life expanded, and a behemoth of moss and vines snapped Theia in its jaw from the flower.

"This is seriously annoying...", a burst of white light destroyed the entire thing, with Theia still standing.

She went passed me, heading straight for the thing. She reached into its chest... and pulled out an iridescent stone - a rainbow glow wrestling with darkness.

"Awaken once more, Mesmarel.", she plunged the the stone into the thing's chest—

A flash of bright light enveloped the whole place. I stabbed my lance into the ground.

"Grow."

The spikes sprouted thorns, creating a red dreary forest around me. A giant draconic hand reached into the forest, pierced by the hundreds of thorns.

I examined my gauntlet... hmm, it is damaged pretty badly. One last spin.

I dodged the grab with a flip, then ran on top of its arm with my claws and chainsaws at full power - ripping and shredding the blackish purple scales and flesh - leaving traces of white sparks on its body.

It tried to grab me with the other hand— only to be caught by dozens of stone pins stabbed through its arm, pinning it in place. I overloaded my gauntlet and slashed forward— sending slashes of electricity toward its reptile face, destroying my creation in the process.

In quick succession, I transformed my chest plate back into its shield form— smashing it into the slashes as I teleported in before it could hit. Incognito Zero reflected my own attack, doubling the damage.

BOOM!!

It blew up half the head of the dragon, and detonated the sparks on its arm, splitting the thing into two from hand to shoulder.

Then a giant wolf with black fur twitching so much as if it's alive tackled the Dragon, wrestling with it. Then Kalpas came over and straight up punched its remaining left arm - shattering it in an instant.

...

Alright, I got it out of my system. Yeah, we are overpowering them like beating up a child. This isn't even a fair fight.

I glanced to the side, seeing Theia lunging over... no you don't.

I threw my shield away and held my left hand out, "Elderstahl."

She turned into her longsword form and flew at me. I caught it while on a sprint toward Theia. Then I teleported in front of the Other Ego.

"All Seal: Release."

The blade burst into flame, burning and scarring my hand permanently. But I managed to land an attack— splitting the Other Ego of the World into two.

I let go of the sword and began to work on the repair of my hands. As for Theia... with just one strike... she was nowhere to be found, only a giant cut in the earth that connects directly to Hell.

Hell is the land where all Imprints go, people can actually dig to Hell if they try hard enough.

The lava from Hell bubbling out, cooled by the water to patch the hole.

I glanced to the side, seeing Kalpas and Avalon still tearing the thing apart. Good...

Now...

I stare at Cthulhu, standing there motionless. I wonder why... there is no hostile intention...

Then it began to kneel, face first into the ground... it is praying for something.

!!!

I blocked a beam of crimson light with my lance, flinging me back quite a bit. I see Theia, standing there. She no longer resembles a human, but a humanoid womanly form made of crimson fire and grey stone - half of her body is gone, even the left side of her head disintegrated, and she cannot even regenerate. Her face is a blank slate with no features except for a single whispy white eye, staring at me.

"Tiamat, my plan had failed.", she began to speak, "For three billion years you had won over and over."

I summoned Galatine to my hand— ugh, it stings. I fired a shot at Theia, to which she easily deflected with a swat.

"So, Tiamat, O' Black Dragon of Conflict...", she raised her hand up, "Consume me, like The Slumbering King once dictated, we shall become one. Eat your victory meal and fuse together... to become The Unified World of Conflict and Destruction - Terra."

A large shadow bloomed underneath Theia— I teleported in front of her, grabbed her face, and dragged her across the stone floor before throwing her into a stone wall.

I look back, seeing a pulsating dome made of shadow, letting out wisps of darkness...

"You have no reason to save her, Akasha.", a harrowing voice came from that shadowy dome, "What gives? I am just cleaning out trash."

The dome popped, revealing what was inside. A figure draped in a cloak made of shadow, the only discernable part is the crown of horns and the black veil on its face.

"Because I have a bad feeling about this.", I stated, keeping Theia close to me... who is just laughing.

"Nothing will come to harm, I am not trying to make The Pale Court mad here.", it shrugged, or at least tried to.

"End the Great Game."

"What did you say?", it tilted its head, "End my fun? Why would I ever listen to you?"

!!!

A bunch of tendrils popped out from my shadow, grabbing Theia away before I could even react— a tendril slammed into my chest, sending me through a wall.

Oh fuck... this hurt. I clutched my chest as Hope repaired my broken ribs.

"Let me introduce myself again, Akasha, in case you forgot. I am The Black Dragon of Conflict, Tiamat Abzu is my name.", it spread its arm out, showing silhouettes of four arms with claws, "And soon... I am Terra."