Chapter 140 - Twist

Rudra's eyes fazed before his irises shone crimson red.

With a sudden smirk on his expression, he tightened his grip on Rimuru before plunging his fist into his stomach. Rimuru blocked the blow, receiving his fists with his open palm before twisting his arm and kicking Michael away.

"Since when did you notice?" Michael held his twisted arm, opening and closing his hand as it healed. He turned to Rimuru, who looked at him passively.

"A certain traitor," Rimuru shrugged, fixing his collar. "I can't believe you'd side with them."

"That's what you're surprised about?" Michael scoffed as he materialized Rudra's signature blade. "Why wouldn't I be? I can finally see Veldanava-sama again after all of this is done. Your little angel should understand, seeing as she ruined the 'story' just for you."

The words made Rimuru recall Ciel. It wasn't wrong to say that she did everything she could to keep Rimuru alive. Even if her actions meant destroying the laws of the world and causing more dangers and threats to appear than normal.

Some might blame Rimuru for the creation of Ouroboros and the sentient snakes but in all likelihood, the real being at fault is the sentient manas that wanted to keep her master alive.

"That's true," Rimuru agreed, taking out his own blade. Charging toward the sentient skill, he swung his sword aimed at his neck. "But unlike me, Veldanava loved this world you're trying to destroy."

Michael frowned at his words as their blades clashed. The blow caused a massive tsunami to spread out to the surroundings, their foothold even more uneven than before.

"This world took Veldanava-sama away. It doesn't deserve to live without its creator!" he roared as his blade glowed. "Melt Slash."

Rimuru dodged with ease as he watched the blade pass in front of his face before sending a swift punch with his free hand to Michael's face.

The angelic skill easily blocked the blow with his castle guard before unleashing several scorch blasts at Rimuru.

The silver demon raised a brow at the scorch magic before absorbing them with his ultimate skill: Beelzebuth. More came toward him as the airship melted into nothing, forcing the two to fly.

The battle continued high in the air, with Michael firing several scorch and ice magic spells from the true dragon sisters. Rimuru easily took those attacks and rushed forward with his sword.

Michael made another sword with his material creation and thrust it at Rimuru's face, to which the demon smirked, creating a small space gate in front of his face that connected to Michael's back, causing him to halt his action and move away.

Michael gritted his teeth at the creation of portals. He had forgotten the rarely used abilities of Rimuru. As if mocking him, Rimuru created several closed gates all over the sky and stepped into one as he stared at Michael.

Seeing this, he quickly attempted to escape the gate-filled skies. The doors all opened in unison as he moved around, cautious of a surprise attack. As he guessed, spells and weapons were thrown from the gates with no sign of Rimuru.

Dodging and blocking the attacks, his temper and mood grew worse. He threw the spare sword at one of the gates, causing it to break. Seeing this, he used Velzard's magic to amplify the drop in temperature in the sky.

Signs of frost and ice covered the gates, blocking the open doors and preventing the attacks from escaping. Michael concentrated his magicules and aura in his body before sending out a large wave, bursting it out and destroying all the gates at once.

Heaving, he grinned, seeing them disappear.

A heavy blow landed on his head as Rimuru, with interlocked hands, bashed his head from the top. Michael lost focus on his flight and fell to the ocean.

Rising from the ocean waters, his face was covered in blood and some sort of cracks, like a broken statue.

"You're falling apart, Michael." A man with blonde hair flapped his wings as he stood beside Michael.

"Feldway," he muttered as he touched his face, the sense of fissures in his body confirming this. "There is no point in using this body."

Saying this, a quick flicker of light appeared, and Michael left Rudra's body. Using a copy of Parallel Existence that he stole from Velgrynd and Rimuru in the past, he made a new body for himself.

A stronger one, and one without a soul, easy to inhabit and control.

Rudra stared, confused, as he stood there with the others. He unconsciously used flight like the rest to maintain himself. Looking at his hands and body, he felt a wave of pain causing him to vomit blood.

"What is happening..." His voice was hoarse and his vision began to blur. He turned to the identical appearance before him. "Michael... you finally... escaped."

"No more need for you, Rudra," Michael said, kicking the first hero and sending him flying toward Rimuru. "You can keep his corpse or whatever."

Seeing the emperor flying toward him, Rimuru created an open gate through which Rudra passed easily. A wave of chilled air escaped, as the gate closed.

Rimuru then turned to the two, no, three individuals in front of him. "You must be that snake Velgrynd hates so much."

Seeing the half-charred humanoid lizard slowly healing, he mocked him as Apophis gritted his fanged teeth at the sight of Rimuru. The demon who was the reason for their creation, the demon who killed his siblings easily, as well as the lover of the true dragon Velgrynd.

"Feldway, stop with this stupidity." Rimuru ignored Apophis's glares as he turned to the phantom king. "Whatever you're planning, it won't work out like you want it to."

"And why should I believe you?" The seraph crossed his arms, scorn etched on his expression at the silver demon. "It is this world's fault, no, it is your fault that Veldanava-sama died. You should take responsibility and help us, even."

Rimuru sighed, shaking his head. The being in front of him was already beyond talking. He had no intention of listening to any words Rimuru would say. It was almost like talking to Rudra all over again.

"You don't really think that you can beat me?" Rimuru released his aura. The surroundings began to tremble, and even the air shook at the intense wave of magicules. "This body may not be able to take you down, but the real me is different."

Feldway sneered. "Your Citadel counterpart is being taken care of already by the cryptids. Are you not informed of the ongoing war behind the scenes? Your subordinates have been dying one by one. I was informed that the two original spirits are out of commission."

Rimuru did, in fact, not know what was happening outside of the Cardinal World. But he was informed of what was happening, at the very least the general idea, thanks to Ciel. As for Agni and Runa being taken out, that was a surprise to hear.

"I'm sure 'I' can take care of the cryptids easily." He grabbed his mythical-grade sword and placed it on his shoulder, his sight on the trio in front of him. "Adding to that, 'my' job is to take care of this place, not there."

Chloe and Velgrynd appeared beside him as he pointed his blade at Feldway.

Michael and Feldway readied themselves for battle.

"Hahaha." All turned to Apophis. His body began to glow as his charred flesh healed rapidly. His size doubled as his scales turned from their normal hues to deep black, like the void itself.

"HAHAHAHA!"

Like a madman who had finally lost his mind, he spread out his hands as he laughed loudly, causing everyone to look at him strangely. Even Michael and Feldway frowned at the sudden outburst of the snake.

"This is it." Apophis clenched his fists as he waved them. "YOU BASTARDS ARE DONE NOW!"

Hundreds, if not thousands, of portals opened all around them. The sky was filled with portals that covered both the sky and ocean in their field of view.

"Father has granted me his strength." His eyes bloodshot, he boasted arrogantly as he glared at Rimuru. "You, I will have your soul."

From the portals, tens, if not hundreds of thousands, of insect and snake cryptids poured in en masse. They flowed out like water, pouring more and more.

Surprisingly, the snakes appeared to have developed some sort of small wings on their bodies to keep themselves from floating. An adaptation for fighting in places with no land or place to stand on, like space.

The insects and snakes covered the area like a dome with Rimuru and the two others inside.

"Not only them!" he roared, as various other cryptids, as well as other races who had turned via snake bite, began coming out of the portals.

"You're done for now, you demon! Father has defeated your superior self and has bestowed me the power he gained from you."

As he continued his boasting, Rimuru was looking at him, confused. Velgrynd and Chloe wore similar expressions as they stared at the large swarm that blocked the sunlight, creating a shadow.

"If you did take that from 'me,' then why is it portals and not gates?" Rimuru couldn't help but involuntarily ask the snake.

"Boss," another voice came out of the portal. Jahil, with the same expression as ever, stepped out with his mechanical insects, spreading themselves as they became part of the large swarm.

"Jahil, it's been a while." Rimuru waved casually, not caring one bit about his arrival. "How's everything on your side there?"

Jahil looked at Apophis, who continued to smile ear to ear at the massive number of troops. Michael and Feldway looked at him as if his presence here was not planned.

"Why are you here?" Feldway asked, as Jahil shrugged his shoulders, not caring about the obvious glare he was receiving.

"Did you manage to at least create the deathmen?" Michael looked at the high human passively. All that he cared about was the success of the plan.

Jahil gave them a smirk as ten deathmen went out of the portals, each one becoming a part of the encirclement beside the swarm.

"What do you say, Scorch Dragon?" Apophis, even more confident in their chances than ever, looked to Velgrynd. "Joining our side is still possible for you."

"I'd rather die," she replied flatly, not even batting an eye.

"Can you still say that after Zelanus and the others arrive?" His words made Rimuru's brow rise. The presence of the Insectar King might be fun to fight after so long, after all.

He was even growing excited for his arrival, though he could kind of guess who would be the next one to come out of the portal.

As an Insectar's silhouette began to leave the portal near Apophis, he grinned, moving closer. "Zelanus, I heard that you were there when Father was beating 'Rimuru.' How pathetic were his screams?"

Chloe and Velgrynd frowned at his words, but Rimuru just held back his laughter.

As Apophis got closer, the silhouette changed to someone he knew but not one he expected. "Zelanus? No, you're Zess, his son, right? Where is he now?"

Zess moved further forward, his body becoming visible as the color red became very prominent across his body.

"..?" Apophis looked bewildered at his unresponsiveness before Zess moved past the portal and fell into the ocean.

With his hands outstretched, Zegion showed himself from the portal, punching Apophis in the face and sending him flying several hundred meters away.

"I knew it." Rimuru stopped holding back his laughter. "There is no way you're beating 'me' just like that when 'Velgrynd' and 'Ciel,' not to mention the Primordials, are there."

Michael quickly moved to intercept Zegion but was blocked by a high-speed attacker that deflected his blade. The sound of high-speed flapping wings reached their ears, and Apito floated slightly beside Zegion.

"Looks like it's done." Jahil sighed with relief, taking something out of his coat and pressing a button.

A massive explosion with a similar effect to nuclear strike magic resounded across the swarm. Each Critter Jahil brought out exploded, causing massive casualties to the insects and snakes that formed the dome trapping Rimuru and the others.

"Zahhak!" Apophis charged at Jahil with a black blade filled with miasma. "You traitor!"

Before he could reach him, a deathman moved in the way to receive the attack, causing its death as the blade disintegrated it into nothing. The other deathmen then moved from the sides and struck at Apophis in unison, guarding Jahil.

"I already told you." Jahil materialized his scepter, pointing it at Apophis. "I don't want to be called that."

He fired a powerful burst of flames as the deathmen charged at Apophis, using their strong constitution to push him back.

"Honestly." He scratched his head, looking at Rimuru. "Going deep undercover is tough work. I demand compensation later."

Feldway fumed at the sudden change in circumstances. The high ground shifted so quickly that he ground his teeth seeing the traitor take out their large swarm like it was nothing.

"Kufufufu, don't think we are done here, Feldway." An all-too-familiar laugh caused him to look behind him to see the Black Primordial, Diablo.

"Fufu, after a long time, it is quite nostalgic to return here." Testarossa smiled as she stood there as well.

The portals that were supposed to bring reinforcements were now becoming a source of the enemy's advantage.

"Let's retreat for now," Feldway voiced, and Michael nodded.

The two disappeared before Apophis found himself grabbed by something and pulled into a portal, which closed quickly.

"Looks like they got away." Rimuru sighed, shaking his head. "So, what's the plan now?"

He turned to his side. A man stood with his arms crossed, an identical appearance to his own. The same silver hair, same face, same body, same everything.

"We're reaching the climax of this timeline." Citadel Rimuru smirked as the rest began to gather around.

A/N: ...Don't really know what to write here. So Yey the sidelined characters are back?