Chapter 151 - Final Battle

Rimuru observed the battle as he remained still, waiting for the opponent that had long been showing its grudge to him, having even created a specific race of cryptids specifically just to end his life.

Unfortunately for it, Rimuru's growth was higher than even those snakes.

Even now, Rimuru could only laugh as Ciel was toying with the Ruler of the snake cryptids, Ouroboros. He was a big threat when he first showed himself, especially with his children.

But as they battled for uncountable years in the vastness of space, both sides had gotten used to the other's fighting style. The only difference between them was that Rimuru held many subordinates that had potential.

Potential to be the strongest of their respective races. While it was unfortunate that most of the Arcana members had perished during the battles, though they were killed by Zelanus' generals rather than Ouroboros' snakes, they still managed to reach their potential, providing Rimuru with satisfaction and not disappointment at their deaths.

One could even say it was one of the rare instances when the demons under him were jealous of those subordinates. Being of use to your master until the very end of your life, and not disappointing them, was true bliss.

On the other hand, their worst fear was to disappoint Rimuru and even perish in battle doing this. Carrera and Ultima were the ones that were on the brink of this despair when they were relocated to the Cardinal World.

Having done a massive failure of a mission in battle because of their bickering was something both Diablo and Testarossa would never let them forget.

One could say that the reason the Primordials have never suffered defeat is due to their fear of disappointing Rimuru, the same way Agni and Runa felt as they had already experienced it, thus never wanting it again.

Peeking in on the other battle, Rimuru was not surprised but still a little let down by Apophis. Sure, Velgrynd was in her true full-power form, she was even using Cthugha on him, which was overkill in his mind.

Hearing some rumbling sound, Rimuru saw the gate connecting the Otherworld and the Heavenly Tower open wide. He placed a hand on his chin, thinking what might have opened it.

"Was it Ivarage?" He tilted his head, noticing the massive wave of cryptids entering through. "Their goal is probably the Cardinal World and... oh, those three are new."

He grinned as he felt the presence of Kakeashi, Suiemu, and Habataki entering after the insects, their strength equal to or maybe even slightly stronger than Zelanus himself.

He could already imagine the battle happening in the Cardinal World's barren land. The Primordials and the Seraphim were probably already there, fighting the Insectars and the other cryptids pushing forward.

"But those aren't my problem." He shrugged as his eyes glowed at the change in magicule in the open space.

Deep in the Otherworld, as Ouroboros and Apophis were dying and their children were fighting in the Cardinal World...

"Kyahahaha!" The first cry of the Evil God finally emerged from its evolution.

The birth of the creature that many ancient beings feared being released, the creature that had begun to form its very own sentience, it was finally time for its arrival as the cocoon covering her body cracked.

The once massive form that struck fear into those that saw it, fully engulfed in miasma and the malevolent energy that seeped out of its very own body.

While spiritual beings can alter their forms however they like, whether it be the color of their hair, eyes, or skin, their height, age, and even gender, for someone like Ivarage who was born a mindless spiritual being, it was merely using a form that was created instinctively with its powers.

Now, it was different.

Finally gaining its own sentience, its body began decreasing in size, settling into the form of a small human child. The condensed energy inside began to radiate into the surrounding space.

No being, cryptid or otherwise, could remain in any vicinity near its form, especially in the state of transformation it was currently in.

As the cocoon it was morphing from dissipated, the child began to become more visible and clearer. A girl with pure white hair, golden eyes that showed intelligence, and a simple dress to cover her body.

Finally obtaining a clear will, its accumulated emotions began to embed themselves into her mind. The malice and hatred she had for the one who abandoned her, remembering the times when she was complete with her other half.

When she was both omnipotent and omniscient. When she was truly part of the being that started it all, yet was abandoned when her presence was no longer necessary.

She felt loneliness, emptiness, like half of herself was no longer there. While in her old form, such emotions were foreign and not registered properly. Now, she became aware of them.

Her vengeance toward a certain silver demon still wasn't accomplished. The desire that was the main reason for her imprisonment in this space, the one that opened and pushed her inside.

As her intelligence rapidly grew, so did she recognize these intense emotions swelling up in her. The vague memories deeply ingrained in her of those times fueled her greatly.

As such, a goal born from her hatred was set. The destruction of the things her other half, Veldanava, had created, as well as killing the silver demon and everything he holds dear.

"Kyahahaha!" She watched as her spawns of cryptids eagerly entered the gate leading to the Cardinal World. She wanted to follow them, yet her eyes lingered to a different spot.

The crack in space a good distance away, the place where Ouroboros and Apophis invaded. There, the familiar demon awaited her arrival.

With a wicked smile on her jagged teeth, she flew at a speed only the strongest creatures could get a glimpse of. Halting in the crack in space, like watching from a window, she observed the battles.

An angel and dragon toying with her children. Glancing forward, there stood a demon with silver hair and a familiar face, one that was etched forever in her mind as an enemy.

Rimuru stared at the arrival of the young child. He couldn't help but smirk, seeing as she had obtained a human form. With a swift motion, he equipped his blade, the one that had been with him for thousands upon thousands of battles.

Evolving into something greater than even mythical grade, reaching the true pinnacle of genesis grade weapon. Something honed through countless battles protecting the Cardinal World.

"Took you long enough," Rimuru cracked his neck. Slowly, he began to pace forward to where Ivarage was. "Shall we play?"

Ivarage looked at the silver demon and laughed loudly. A glow in her small hands fired a tiny projectile. The projectile was a mere energy blast that was commonly used by many fighters; the more magicules, the bigger the projectile.

As the small ball of energy neared Rimuru, he twirled his sword slightly forward as a small patch of black mist covered the attack. As the mist caught it, a small flicker of light bloomed in the dark mist before dissipating.

Rimuru countered casually, but it was a projectile made of pure miasma and condensed energy. That small thing could have erupted the entire area of Citadel into nothing in seconds.

"Kyahahahaha!" Seeing her attack easily countered, the Evil God couldn't help but gleefully laugh. She was happy that the person she wanted dead was as powerful, maybe even more powerful, than she remembered in the past. "Yeah, let's play!"

With her words, Rimuru swung his sword in a large arc. "Imaginary Blade!"

Not waiting for a warm-up bout, Rimuru swung his greatest swordsmanship attack. Imbuing it with the Nihility Collapse (Turn Null) he obtained after acquiring Nameless Mist, he released an art that delivers an attack akin to Hinata's Melt Slash.

However, unlike Melt Slash that destroys enemies through disintegration, Imaginary Blade devours the target using the Ultimate Skill, supplying Rimuru's Nameless Space and serving as an additional energy battery.

Ivarage looked at the attack with curiosity. With her arm coated in miasma, she accepted the blow, countering with her fist. With an eerie snicker, she found her miasma-covered arm to be more than enough to block the blow.

As the slash dissipated, Ivarage looked at her arm to find signs of injury. She looked at her arm quizzically, like it was her first time witnessing such a thing. Tilting her head, she opened and closed her hand as the wounds healed.

"Kyahahaha! As expected of you!" Ivarage jumped forward, passing through the crack in space and lunging toward Rimuru.

Rimuru received her approach with his own assault. As the two beings collided, the Citadel that was used to monitor the entire multiverse collapsed.

The world, home to tens of millions, if not hundreds of millions, of Rimuru's subordinates in the past, now began to fall from just the mere beginning of their clash.

Rimuru's lips curved upward as Ivarage grabbed at his blade, her other arm preparing a dark ball of energy to send at his face.

Rimuru faced the powerful blow directly as he twisted his sword, cutting at Ivarage's fingers. As the dark ball of energy exploded, sending the two flying in different directions, Rimuru fired his own barrage of blasts at the Evil God.

Ivarage observed the barrage. As if studying them, she replicated their number and energy level before sending them back. As each blast countered the other, she raised her hands as a miasma blast the size of her dragon form was sent toward Rimuru.

The silver demon scoffed, placing his sword on the ground. He clapped his hands as a gate appeared before him, just the perfect size for the attack sent to him.

"Reflective Gate." With a smirk, he absorbed the blow. And within the next second, the massive blast returned, aiming for its creator.

Ivarage's eyes opened wide seeing this. The joyful smile on her face broke for a second as she recalled that familiar skill. "...Kyahahaha! Asulon Cocytus."

"Cocytus?" Rimuru couldn't help but mutter. He watched as the perimeter around Ivarage dropped in temperature and massive 'ice' blocks formed in front of her and took the attack. The 'ice' did not last that long, but it did manage to intercept the attack.

Rimuru turned as Ivarage suddenly appeared behind him. As he swung his blade into her body, she vanished like mist. "An Illusion?!"

As he sensed danger, he quickly turned again and found the young girl in front of him. He couldn't help but be shocked at the surprise attack and the illusion that even worked on someone like him.

With his thoughts hastened to the extreme, his eyes lingered on her right hand holding something. His expression couldn't keep up with processing as fast as his thoughts, but inside his mind, he was greatly panicking.

Ivarage, the World-Destroying Evil God, was holding a blade.

Not only that, it was reminiscent of someone he knew. A sword that he had the opportunity to clash with several times in the past.

World.

Guy Crimson's genesis sword named World.

"World's Requiem." With a cheeky smirk on her face, she slashed at Rimuru.

The demon quickly boosted all of his defenses. The barriers around his body continued to shatter one after the other. Luckily, his own blade managed to contain most of the blow.

Even then, he leaned down slightly to find his shoulder bleeding from a small wound. He looked back at Ivarage, who was staring at her own sword with genuine joy as she playfully swung it around, sending massive energy slashes into the area.

His eyes were looking at the once childlike appearance of the Evil God as it seemed to be growing in age. From her previous appearance that seemed to be from a child of six to eight years old to someone with the body of an early teen.

"Kyahahaha!" She fired more familiar spells towards Rimuru.

"What is this feeling..." He couldn't help murmuring. It was a feeling of déjà vu, like he had seen this turn of events somewhere, somehow.

"Kyahahaha!" Ivarage laughed, seeing Rimuru's confused expression. "This human form really is fascinating and useful! I'll give it to my children too!"

Rimuru raised a brow from her words and brushed them off.

He collected himself as he prepared to take the battle as seriously as he possibly could.

"Kyahahaha let's continue playing!" With her proclamation as the signal, their clash would continue for an untold duration of time.

A/N: It's pretty obvious that I made this before Vol. 23 came out lol.