Chapter 76 - Turning Point

Time went by faster than Rimuru would have liked. As the day of Milim's birth grew closer, he began adding more of his subordinates to guard the city. Veldanava kept saying that it felt suffocating already and insisted that Rimuru withdraw more than half of the subordinates, threatening to leave the city and go elsewhere if his demands weren't met. Much to Rimuru's dismay, he eventually agreed.

"The Creator's strength wanes." a deep voice echoed, resonating with malevolent glee. The other beings around it nodded, their expressions filled with wicked delight. "What news do you bring regarding our preparations?"

His children bowed their heads as they answered their father. "Everything is in place. 'He' is prepared to go as soon as the signal is given," Falak responded, a sinister smile spreading across his face.

"As soon as they take the bait, we will launch everything to ensure they all perish," Orochis, now a combination of his four remaining selves, replied. His androgynous form was adorned with four pairs of eyes, each pair glowing with the colors of the remaining Orochis.

"Shashasha! I'll finally have my revenge on that white demon!" Echidna cackled evilly, her monster children roaring in delight at their mother's malice.

"This plan is truly well thought out. It's always good to have you on our side, Toru," Apophis said, placing a hand on Toru's shoulder. A tall, slender male with sharp, angular features, short white hair, and piercing gray eyes that reflect his analytical nature. He appears to be in his mid-30s, with a lean and wiry build, exuding an air of precision and control.

"As long as I get his soul, then we're all good. We aren't buddies here," Toru scoffed at Apophis's friendly gesture, disgusted by the chaos snake's closeness. He then changed form to that of a muscular, imposing male with fiery red hair and intense, crimson eyes. His features are rugged, with scars marring his face. "He seriously piss me off," he muttered, his voice wavering as if arguing with unseen voices. "Shut up, all of you! It's not funny," he snapped, eliciting a laugh from Apophis.

Quetzalcoatl, who had remained silent until now, turned his gaze towards the bickering pair. "Enough. Father is still speaking," he warned his siblings. Apophis raised his hands in playful surrender, while Toru stared silently at the head of their gathering.

"Begin the assault" the coiled behemoth of a snake ordered, his voice echoing throughout the universe they inhabited. Everyone involved in the plan bowed deeply.

"It shall be done!" they responded in unison, their voices filled with dark determination.

.....

...

.....

"See, Rimuru, nothing bad has happened so far." Veldanava reassured smugly as they relaxed in a manor located near the middle of the city. "Milim's already five months old. I think my death won't be coming anytime soon. Hahaha." He laughed, a touch of forced mirth in his tone. It was true that Rimuru's presence had altered a lot in the timeline, and he didn't take into account that Veldanava's death might have been changed as well due to the chained butterfly effect of something he didn't even know.

"I guess so..." Rimuru muttered, still wary. The fact that he had a parallel existence spoke volumes about his desire to keep Veldanava alive. As he contemplated whether he was just being pessimistic and that nothing would really happen, he felt a weight on his neck and small hands grabbing onto his hair.

"Here," Veldanava's voice came from behind him. "Why don't you hold your niece to help you calm down?" Lifting the weight off his neck, Rimuru turned and delicately received the platinum pink-haired infant in his hands, his expression anxious as if he might do something wrong that could harm the child.

"Hey there," Rimuru, seated in his chair, held Milim with one hand and let her play with the index finger of his other hand. "You're pretty strong for an infant," Rimuru chuckled. He had heard of babies having strong grips, but Milim literally had a grip strong enough to bend fingers.

Milim smiled as Rimuru continued to talk to her and play with her. "Fufu, Milim-chan likes her uncle so much." Lucia came by and sat beside Veldanava, who gave her a quick peck on the cheek. They watched in silence as Rimuru and Milim enjoyed their niece-and-uncle bonding time.

"I won't let anything happen to you, I swear on my life." Rimuru murmured, just enough for the baby to hear. While she wasn't able to comprehend the meaning, Milim giggled under his arm as he kissed her forehead.

Inside Citadel's main headquarters, sirens and alarm bells echoed as far as they could possibly reach. The entire Citadel World heard the sound of danger, the sound that announced a problem involving everyone.

[Announcement: All units, cease current operations and ready for engagement. Proceed to designated locations and await directives from commanding officers. Reiteration: We are encountering a multiversal-level threat. All units, prepare for engagement and standby for imminent deployment instructions.]

The voice of Ein repeated the announcement over speakers globally and to other worlds in the Citadel Universe. She stood in front of a large dome; the walls of the dome were made from thousands of large screens showing different perspectives both in Citadel and various important universes around the multiverse.

Her job as an observer, connected to everything and processing that information to be sent to headquarters, had become a main pillar in maintaining order and enabling instantaneous response. She was currently sitting on a large lone pillar in the very middle of the dome, taking in all the data. Universes kept disappearing before her eyes. The worst part of it all, they weren't instantaneous or slow either—just enough for her to catch glimpses of the monstrosities the perpetrators committed before losing connection.

The main Rimuru in Citadel wasted no time in issuing orders to combat the incoming threats. From what he could tell, he recognized the signatures of four previous enemies.

Rimuru began assigning roles and targets, his voice firm and commanding. "Testarossa, take Ultima with you and kill Echidna. Diablo, you and Carrera take Quetzalcoatl." Rimuru doubled their fighting force as a precaution, still feeling that something more was coming. "Zegion and Apito, go for Orochi. And finally—"

"I'll take Apophis. That guy still pisses me off." Velgrynd intervened, her tone brooking no argument. "That guy is arguably the strongest of them all. You can't have me just stay here." Her eyes blazed with determination.

Rimuru's concern and unconscious protectiveness for her wavered as he sighed and nodded. "Fine, but take Agni and Runa with you." Velgrynd smirked in satisfaction.

"All of your subordinates will be ordered to fight in the other universes that are occupied by the lower threat levels." Rimuru contacted Ein, who relayed his orders with precise efficiency. He then turned to the rest, who stood poised, awaiting his commands. "Lait will stay in Citadel as the command tower and relay orders and information along with Ein. All Arcana members not in the Cardinal World are in charge of the units that will be advancing. They will lead the groups under their respective Cardinal (Primordial). Miztrael, I'm sorry, but I'll need you to go to the Cardinal World and remain by Veldanava's side. All who have received orders are now commanded to move!"

As his final words reverberated through the chamber, the room emptied almost instantaneously, as if they had never been there in the first place. 

As Rimuru turned and vanished, he reappeared before Ein, who was engrossed in the myriad monitors within her dome, each one reflecting a piece of the unfolding chaos. The screens flickered with frantic energy, displaying the grim reality of the battles raging across the multiverse.

"Any sign of other dangers?" Rimuru's voice was tense, cutting through the hum of the equipment.

Ein shook her head, her expression troubled. [Negative: Reports indicated multiple Orochi entities, but the unique form on the screen suggests a unified state. Conclusion: One final snake, Falak, remains unaccounted for. This is the same opponent that Lait and Jahil previously encountered.]

Rimuru frowned, recalling the reports from Lait and Jahil. Falak had played the role of bait, stalling for his brother Zahhak, who had met his end at Ein's hands. He had already sent warnings to his parallel self in the Cardinal World, urging vigilance against the looming threat. His other parallels had been recalled, ready to mobilize against greater threats as needed.

"Shit, I still can't tell who has the space domination ability among them." Rimuru's frustration was palpable as he observed the battles. From the reports, Echidna controlled life, Quetzalcoatl had wind, Orochi manipulated elements through division, and Apophis wielded chaos matter capable of negating Velgrynd's scorching flames. Falak, on the other hand, had barely revealed his abilities, relying primarily on his twin swords.

A cold dread washed over Rimuru as a new thought struck him. "What if..." he murmured. "What if their 'Father' has it?"

...

Deep within a planet's core, a massive snake coiled around itself, gazing through the eyes of its children. Their increasing strength pleased him, especially with the enhancements he had bestowed upon them. He hissed in delight, knowing Rimuru would be dismayed by the chaos they were wreaking.

"Has the designated time arrived?" he mused aloud. The planet trembled as he uncoiled from its core, burrowing upwards through layers of rock with effortless strength. Emerging on the surface, his colossal form began to shrink, his magicules concentrating and intensifying as his body transformed.

Standing at two meters tall, his obsidian scales gleamed with an eerie luster. His crimson eyes blazed with a primal force, and a midnight-black cloak adorned his shoulders, intricately designed with a snake devouring its own tail. He flexed his scaled hands, testing their new strength. For thousands of years, he had observed the Overseer, gathering information about the Silver God.

"This level of power is inadequate; I must further augment my abilities to triumph over your foes," the humanoid serpent murmured, assessing his newfound strength. "This plan is imperative; we must neutralize every peril for the sake of our Divine." A portal opened before him, and as he stepped through, he joined the battlefield for the first time.

His magicules surged outward, spreading through the universe and beyond.

Ein, quietly observing the battles with Rimuru, suddenly noticed ten universes vanish. [Urgent!-!] Alarmed, she turned to inform Rimuru, but he was already gone.

...

Rimuru appeared on the battlefield, his eyes locking onto the anthropomorphic snake before him. The creature's slit eyes glowed with malevolent glee.

Rimuru, his expression steely, drew his blade, Rakshasa, preparing for combat. The snake, in turn, revealed his own weapon: a black metal scepter with a green orb at its peak, topped with a curved blade reminiscent of a naginata. Intricate runes and coiling snakes adorned its length, exuding an ominous charm.

"I am inclined to believe we have not yet been formally introduced," the snake began, his voice smooth and sinister. "Greetings, I am Ouroboros, the Serpent of Infinity. It is a revered pleasure to at last encounter you in person, Rimuru, Arbiter of the Multiverse, the Silver Deity."

"Ouroboros, huh," Rimuru replied, his glare unyielding. "Am I right to assume that all this chaos is your doing?"

"Indeed, it is I who have commanded their every action. Might I request that you and your subordinates graciously accept defeat and surrender to our might? By doing so, we can avert this futile conflict, for ultimately, your demise at our hands is inevitable."

Rimuru scoffed, a defiant grin spreading across his face as he brandished his sword. "Unfortunately for you, 'inevitable' isn't in my vocabulary." He then charged at Ouroboros, the air around them crackling with impending violence.

...

In the Citadel, the majority of the inhabitants had deployed to eliminate the threats. In Advansa, Lilith and Jahil prepared to join the defense, rallying their subordinates to bring more manpower.

Unbeknownst to them, a hidden enemy had been waiting for this moment, a saboteur who had infiltrated the Citadel. With most of the defenders gone, the barriers enclosing the Citadel were destroyed by someone after Rimuru left.

The barriers were meant to ensure that enemies would not be able to advance to the Citadel at will, as they had in the past. This precaution was suggested and implemented following their previous encounter with the snakes. Unfortunately, it seems to have been in vain, as the artifact that deployed the barriers was destroyed.

The hall of gates, previously inactive, started to open, allowing a flood of enemies to invade. "How nostalgic," muttered the first enemy to cross the unguarded gate. "It has been a while since I came here." Falak laughed, pleased with his successful infiltration.

His arms glowed brightly as he plunged them into the ground. "Seismic Wrath!" The ground trembled violently, fissures spreading outward and devastating everything in sight.

Toru, now in a lean, agile form with wild, colorful hair—a mix of green, purple, and blue—and mischievous, amber eyes, surveyed the shattered remains of the building. His appearance was androgynous, shifting seamlessly between male and female. He trailed behind the initial wave, taking in the desolate surroundings of Citadel.

With no ceiling or roof left, the entirety of Citadel was laid bare before him. "This is Citadel? It isn't much," he sneered, a malevolent smile twisting his lips as he muttered to himself, "Such a grand name for a pile of rubble." His voice echoed slightly in the empty expanse, filled with a mixture of disdain and mockery.

....

Veldanava was beginning to grow concerned. The Rimuru that had been with them earlier had explained that there was a threat they were trying to neutralize. As he stayed with them, he suddenly disappeared, likely recalled back to the Citadel to lend his strength in defeating the enemy.

The citizens of the city were on high alert, having been informed by their lord and the three Arcana that came to guard Veldanava and his family. This indicated that a significant threat had emerged. The pretense of being normal, average citizens was dropped. They donned their armor and took up their weapons. The non-humans reverted to their true forms, scouting and spreading throughout the entire city.

A barrier was created to cover the city, strong enough to withstand a true dragon attack.

"This must be the place," a man with shoulder-length white hair, shaved on both sides and the back, leaving the top braided, said. He had brown skin, black wings, and flames on his back. "Listen, we are ordered to eliminate everyone in this city. You understand?" He turned behind him, looking over his men.

A thousand-strong army stood behind him, all sharing his characteristics: brown skin, white hair, black wings, and flames on their backs. They wore military garb, with a variety of weapons from hammers to swords to spears.

They all flew upward, like a flock of large birds, and began to cover a part of the city with their looming shadow. "Charge!" he shouted. As he did, the barrier began to collapse for some reason.

The people in the city's heart pounded in their chest as they saw the barrier, their last line of defense, falter and begin to shatter. The sky darkened with the enemy's ominous presence, their war cries reverberating through the city. Citizens, now in their true forms, stood ready, a mix of determination and dread etched on their faces.

A/N: So yeah I am alive. I didn't post last week because I was still getting used to the place. New home and everything. I am actually creating this story previously in our family computer, now I am having a hard time finding a way to continue writing other than on the phone because it would be low quality writing and hard to edit. I had plans to buy a laptop but that'll probably be until September, luckily I made sure to make a lot of drafts!

I don't know if I did good in making this a stressful chapter, I certainly felt stress while making this atleast HAHAHA!!! 

You know, there are a lot of plotholes if you thing about it in Veldanava's death in Tensura. Rudra and Guy could barely hold an excuse like not being in the kingdom when it happen, what about Dino and his two other angel subordinates? shouldn't they be guarding their weakend master? Why would Rudra leave them unguarded! How come they didn't manage to make it in time to protect them? Transport magic everyone? As far as I can tell, an army can't just appear out of nowhere and not be seen or sense by these op characters! Same for Milim's pet dragon's death, you would think Rudra would have learned and have powerful guards for her! Yeah, yeah he was depress at the time but so what?!