Chapter 79 - True Self

The clash began with a burst of raw power as Ouroboros thrust his scepter forward, creating a portal that sent his attack hurtling towards Rimuru in an instant. His naginata-like blade slashed through the vacuum of space with lethal precision. Rimuru, unfazed, summoned a gate before him, absorbing the attack into the void and redirecting the absorbed energy back at Ouroboros.

Ouroboros dodged effortlessly, vanishing and reappearing behind Rimuru. As he slashed with his scepter, two large snakes emerged from his body, flanking Rimuru and surrounding him. Their fangs dripped with venom potent enough to harm even Rimuru.

Rimuru, staring at the snakes, swung his sword Rakshasa, slicing the serpents and corroding their remains with the gluttonous magic embedded in the blade. Opening multiple gates around Ouroboros, Rimuru unleashed a barrage of every type of magic he could command, firing from all directions.

Ouroboros raised his scepter, which emitted a dark gleam, and a barrier materialized, blocking the onslaught. Most of Rimuru's magic could not harm him, but a sudden icy encasement on his left arm made him frown. Crushing the ice, he noticed his arm was frostbitten. Disappearing again, Ouroboros fired multiple shots as he kept moving, each one aimed precisely at Rimuru.

Rimuru clicked his tongue. "This has never happened before," he thought. There had been times he felt overwhelmed and times he could easily overpower someone, but never had he faced someone so annoyingly slippery.

Ouroboros was, as expected, a master of space—a being who could create portals to different universes, similar to Rimuru's own abilities but seemingly more proficient. The battle showcased Ouroboros's superior skill in manipulating space.

Blocking a slash from Ouroboros' scepter, Rimuru quickly turned to find his enemy behind him, performing a piercing motion towards his back. Energy bullets rained down on him as Ouroboros retreated, then instantly reappeared, unleashing more attacks.

The anthropomorphic snake hissed with a grin, small portals opening around him as he pointed his scepter to fire multiple shots. He vanished again, reappearing behind Rimuru, who dodged the magical attacks appearing near him.

"!!!"

Both beings suddenly froze in place, something causing the universe-ending entities to halt their clash. As Ouroboros grinned, Rimuru's expression grew cold. The snake couldn't help but laugh, seeing the silver primordial's dark expression.

Rimuru instantly appeared in front of him, almost mimicking Ouroboros's teleportation but using sheer physical prowess instead of skill. 

"What's so funny?" Rimuru demanded, appearing directly in front of Ouroboros. His grip tightened around the snake's neck, and his sword, forged by Veldanava, aimed for Ouroboros's chest.

In the blink of an eye, they were locked in a deadly struggle. Rimuru's fingers dug into the snake's scales, his arm enveloped in black smoke, corroding the scales. Ouroboros retaliated, stabbing his scepter into Rimuru's stomach.

The simultaneous injuries inflicted upon both beings were grave, each ignoring their pain to deliver a fatal blow. Ouroboros's taunt echoed through the void. "It's just funny seeing your face collapse from its neutral expression knowing he's dead."

Rimuru twisted his sword, exacerbating the wounds, but Ouroboros, smirking despite his bloodied mouth, aimed his scepter at Rimuru's head. Rimuru clicked his tongue, evading the scepter and retracting his sword and hand.

"Are you sure you should be wasting your time with me?" Ouroboros smirked, blood dripping from his mouth as he pulled his scepter from Rimuru's stomach and aimed it at his head. 

Rimuru clicked his tongue, dodging the scepter and pulling his sword and hand away from Ouroboros.

Ouroboros's words struck a nerve. Now was not the time for a prolonged fight. Lucia and Milim, beloved by Veldanava, could be in dire peril. Every second mattered

"Let's call it a draw, Silver Deity," Ouroboros said, wiping the blood from his mouth with his thumb. "I've accomplished my goal."

Rimuru stared wide-eyed as Ouroboros' injuries, which he had filled with every type of attack he knew, began healing as if they were nothing. Ouroboros displayed an expression of superiority. 

"I have the best life domination skill of all existence. You can't kill me with just this much."

With those words, Ouroboros disappeared, leaving no trace. Rimuru didn't bother waiting to see if it was a trick. As the gate emerged, he passed through it to the Cardinal World, his mind focused on saving Lucia and Milim. 

.....

In a different location, Ein clutched the weakened Lait in her arms, her mechanical eyes reflecting her distress. The weapon she had used had severely damaged her friend.

[Lait! Wake up, Lait!] Ein clutched the angel tightly in her arms. The cause of her friend's weakened and dying state was the weapon she had fired herself.

As a mechanical being, a machine said to be devoid of purpose, here she was with tears streaming from her eyes. Her friend would not respond to anything she said.

"Let me see!" Velgrynd appeared beside her, anxious at the sight of the eighth seraph's condition. "What happened? What type of attack was it?" she asked, turning to Ein, who silently watched the Scorch Dragon assess her friend.

Knowing the urgency, Ein began to explain as quickly as she could. [She got hit by a core-destroying weapon developed by Lilith. I fired the attack at the enemy when—] Velgrynd gestured for her to stop. Gritting her teeth, Velgrynd saw the extent of the damage. Even someone like her couldn't restore a damaged soul of this level.

"I can't heal her, but I can try to at least prolong her survival until Rimuru returns," she murmured. Ein felt a wave of relief, a glimmer of hope in the grim situation. "Don't be so at ease just yet. I doubt even Rimuru can fix her soul. A majority of it has already been destroyed, and it happened when she was weakened and vulnerable." Velgrynd clicked her tongue, placing her hand on the angel's chest.

Ein used her skill to hasten her thoughts, searching her vast storage of data for a solution to Lait's predicament. A broken soul—how could it be fixed?

Then she recalled: Rimuru was also a broken soul, yet he lived. Why was that? Was it because he had a powerful enough soul to survive on his own? Was it imbued with primordial darkness? Or was it because a being supported him when he was born?

[I have an idea, Mistress Velgrynd.] Ein moved closer to the two of them, kneeling in front of Velgrynd, who was holding Lait in her hands. Velgrynd looked at her with a dubious expression while Ein's face was resolute. [While it's only a speculation, this should help stabilize Lait's soul. She told me in the past that we were both born with the same soul, that our situation was similar to Kaiser Rimuru. If that's so, giving her my soul should support her wavering one.]

Velgrynd frowned, considering the proposal. Veldanava, her brother, had told her Rimuru was unstable in the past as well, only becoming stable due to his intervention by mentioning Twilight. But Twilight was dead, and she doubted Veldanava could do it with his current level of strength.

"I see... Are you sure?" Velgrynd wanted confirmation. It was basically killing a friend to save another friend. How would that make sense to any ordinary onlookers? But this was different. Usefulness and importance needed to be taken into account. Between Ein and Lait, if asked who was more valuable, the answer was simple. Rimuru's twin sister, the eighth seraph Lait, would be the only correct answer.

[It was my fault. I am only returning to where I belong.] Ein smiled as she caressed Lait's head. She held out her hand and pierced her own chest. Electricity and static shocks flickered from her body. The hole she made revealed her machinery, confirming her nature as an ex-machina. [I'll leave the rest to you, Mistress.] With a static voice, Ein lost her life.

A small, faintly yellow soul floated out of her body and eventually landed on Lait's chest, where the gaping hole once was. Velgrynd saw that Lait's soul somewhat stabilized, though not fully, and sighed in relief.

Unnoticed by everyone, an announcement appeared over Lait's head.

<<Notice: Peerless Machine integrated into King of Compassion Castiel... evolving into the Ultimate Skill: King of Thought Metis Confirmed.>>

Velgrynd held the angel in her arms, guarding her to ensure no enemy would suddenly come and endanger her life. Then she felt something was wrong. She turned her head in a certain direction, even though looking there revealed nothing.

....

Meanwhile, the battlefield was rife with chaos. Apophis, reveling in the conflict, taunted Zegion, Agni, and Testarossa. "Aren't you going to kill me? Have you said your prayers for this betrayal, Quetzalcoatl?" He glanced at his brother, barely alive.

"I hope you've said your prayers for this betrayal, Quetzalcoatl!" 

He stared at his brother, lying on the ground near the black demon, barely alive with both arms missing.

"Kufufufu, to think we would have the same idea of using a pawn to backstab the enemy," Diablo laughed as he saw Jahil flying in space, attempting to escape the sadistic and playful duo of Ultima and Carrera. "I can't underestimate you snakes. Kufufufu, betrayal is not acceptable. Jahil will have to be thoroughly punished after this."

"Yeah, no thanks." Jahil sweated, feeling Diablo's wrath. Not only his, but the demonesses' rage as well, as they struggled to survive.

"Good thing I came to save you then," a figure appeared from a portal, with multiple pairs of eyes on his face. A barrier was placed, and attacks of ice and flames targeted the demonesses. "It's time." He grabbed Jahil, and the two of them went through the portal.

"Don't think we'll let you!" Carrera shouted, dashing toward the portal. A dark shadow cloaked the portal, swinging a large scythe at her. Dodging the attack, she was then met with a barrage of magic.

Two beings rode a stag and a silver boney horse. One was dressed in regal, almost royal clothing, while the other wore a tattered and worn-out physical shadow.

With these two guarding the portal, they managed to let Jahil escape as they entered the portal before it closed.

"Oh? Can't finish anything today, can I?" Apophis sighed, running toward Diablo with chaos energy filling his arm. As his body neared Diablo, the black demon prepared to counter with a laugh. "Kufufufu, I would have preferred to merely watch."

As they passed by each other, Diablo turned to see Apophis slam his fist into the prone Quetzalcoatl. His body melted and was devoured by the chaos energy. "Can't leave traitors in enemy hands." With those words, he jumped backward into a portal that appeared behind him.

"Hey, he got away!" Ultima complained as she arrived near Diablo. "You could have done something, at least!" she huffed, placing her hands on her waist.

"Kufufufu, I do not like needless action. He would still have escaped even if I attempted something," Diablo replied with a smile. As everyone began to gather, they saw Velgrynd approaching with Lait in her arms.

"Hold her for me." With those words, Velgrynd left the Citadel.

....

Toru's face contorted into a wide, almost psychotic grin. He sensed the death of a fragment holder, the wife of the creator. Ignoring the others, he ran towards the scene, where he found the two lovers lying on the ground, holding hands.

He quickly grabbed Lucia's body, analyzing her. "I can't see it," Mirth muttered, changing form to Lumis for a better look. 

"The soul itself is still there, but the fragment..." He tossed the body down onto Veldanava's. Gritting his teeth, Aggre took over. 

"Where the fuck is it!" he shouted, his energy leaking and destroying the remaining ruins of the area.

'Calm down everyone.' (Guardian)

'Calm down!? We almost got a high-quality dish!' (Mourn)

'This is bullshit! Where is it!' (Mirth)

'If she doesn't have it, it can only mean one thing.' (Lumis)

Aggre, clenching his fist in anger, suddenly turned his head, scanning the group in the direction he sensed the fragment. 

He spotted Lendys and Femina carrying Abbas, Milim, and a tiny dragon. 

"Dragon! It's in the tiny dragon!" he exclaimed, jumping and using Asterion to arrive as fast as possible.

He found them a few kilometers from the city, their exhausted bodies fleeing while fighting off remaining enemies. 

His smile widened. "Got'cha!" He took out Gungir and fired at Femina, who was holding Milim and the baby dragon. 

The spear flew through the air, but just as it was about to make contact, it stopped in place.

The group halted, feeling the force of the spear. Turning their heads, they saw the person who stopped the attack: short silver hair, a heavy dark aura seeping out of his body. 

"Rimuru-sama!" 

One of them said, their voice tinged with relief.

Rimuru held the spear down and turned to Milim, who had been crying after not feeling her mother's warmth. 

He walked towards her and wiped her tears as she held his fingers. He gave a small smile, relieved he could at least keep his promise to keep her safe. 

He found a note tucked into Milim's clothing, a message for him from Veldanava. Opening the note, he could only give a dry laugh. He nodded to the baby dragon.

'Rimuru, make sure she dresses appropriately once she grows up!' -Veldanava

Everyone inside Toru's body froze. They stopped every movement, from blinking to breathing, wishing they could stop their loud heartbeat as well. 

It was Rimuru, the Silver Primordial, the Silver God, Overseer of the Multiverse, personally coming to save the Creator's daughter.

'Shit!' (Aggre) 'What should we do? That stupid snake promised we'd get God Rimuru's soul after he defeats him. Why is he here!'

'For now, stay calm and don't move.' (Lumis)

'Well, not like we can actually do anything even if we move.' (Mirth)

'I'll have Asterion and Chara ready if he tries something.' (Guardian)

'Can't we just apologize? I-I mean, we can't beat him! Let's just give up!' (Mourn)

'We should all just attack him and die together.' (Void)

'The moment he moves towards us, we have no choice but to fight!' (Aggre) He readied their weapons, from the two swords to Baal engraved in his right arm, to the mystic amulet, and guns in their arsenal.

Rimuru finally moved away from the group and faced Toru. As everyone inside Toru panicked, they carefully watched Rimuru, taking out all their weapons and summons as fast as they could, their main plan being escape.

As Rimuru took his first step, he disappeared from Aggre's vision. 

"Wha, where did he—" Suddenly, he felt himself thrown off the ground, a sharp pain in his stomach. 

Processing what happened, he realized Rimuru had stabbed him with Gungir, sending both of them flying.

Aggre, using both swords, swung at Rimuru, who barely moved to dodge each attack. Rimuru grabbed the spear's hilt and swung it sideways, inflicting a massive injury. 

"Gha... hahh... this is..." Aggre panted, holding his side, trying to heal himself.

'Asterion, Chara, buy some time! Hollok, protect the body!' (Guardian)

Aggre's body morphed to Lumis. Though the appearance changed, the injury remained. Lumis frowned, blood leaking from his mouth. 

"Roc, get me out of here." He jumped as high as he could, a large bird coming to fly them away. From above, he saw Asterion hanging from Gungir, motionless. 

He gritted his teeth.

"Summons are useless; they'll just die!" he shouted. Holding his right hand with the katana and the engraved Baal, he pointed it at Rimuru. 

"Alzalam Bararaq!" Dark lightning passed through his sword as he swung it towards Rimuru. He then raised his left arm with another sword. 

"Bankai: Donyoku Kariudo no Ja Junrei!" Beasts appeared near Rimuru, chains binding his body while beasts attacked. The sword transformed into a large bow. 

"Hati, Skoll, lend me your power." The two hounds appeared beside him, standing atop Roc, fire and ice accumulating into the arrow.

"Frostfire shot!" He released the arrow, the surrounding area alternating between scorching heat and freezing cold. 

Rimuru, bound by chains and beasts, snapped his fingers. The beasts exploded, the chains broke, and a gate appeared, receiving the attack and returning it to Lumis.

"Roc, dodge it!" he shouted. The large bird moved aside as the arrow passed by, but they didn't notice Rimuru standing beside them. 

Rimuru, still holding Gungir, stabbed Lumis in the chest, making him drop onto Roc's back, the spear going through both.

They fell to the ground. Guardian took over as Lumis was out of commission, using swords to slash at Rimuru, who barely received any injuries. 

Mirth used their ability of mitosis to create another Toru, grabbing guns and firing at Rimuru. A step back revealed another Rimuru behind him, slashing him with a sword.

Rimuru punched Guardian in the face, dropping him to the ground. "Vulpecula!" Several Torus ran in all directions, each a different form: Lumis, Aggre, Mirth, Mourn, Void, with different colored hair. There were at least a hundred, most being illusions.

Rimuru calmly watched them, hunting the small fox and eliminating it then the illusions began dissipating. His parallel existence nearby began hunting the other bodies.

He ran towards Aggre, barely able to run, and with a solid punch to the face, dropped him to the ground. 

"Shit!" Aggre wiped the blood from his mouth, "Adapt: Ghoul's kagune!" With his shout, a sort of tendrils appeared on his spine, covering both of his arms and turning them into large blades.

Rimuru merely dodged his attacks apathetically, with no form whatsoever Aggre was beaten after slicing him in half.  "Gluttony." He absorbed Aggre, making the others flee with more vigor.

Rimuru-sama! A vision appeared after Aggre's death. A red-haired kijin shouted his name.

Rimuru blocked an attack from a black-haired individual with hollow eyes. "Die! Die! Die!" Void kept attacking Rimuru with aura-filled twin axes, but it was futile. Rimuru severed Void's arms before decapitating him. "Gluttony."

Kufufufu, Rimuru-sama.

Another vision. Diablo, bloodied, smiled.

"This is impossible, shit, shit!" Mirth rode Chara with Hati and Skoll as guards. He kept throwing paper bombs behind him as a distraction. 

A large earth spike impaled Chara, and Mirth fell, seeing Rimuru approach with the hounds growling. 

"Haha... you two stand down. It's a waste of eff-"

At his words, he turns to his loyal hounds to see them lifeless, shredded by an unknown force done by Rimuru.

Rimuru passed the hounds' bodies and pointed his hand at the dazed Mirth. "Gluttony."

Sensei! A vision of Chloe in a uniform appeared.

Mourn wept on the ground, witnessing three of her own die. Rimuru approached her. She closed her eyes, waiting for the end. "Gluttony."

Rimuru Hinata appeared, with her usual stern gaze.

"God Rimuru!" Lumis shouted, firing a futuristic cannon. 

"Take this! Divine Cannon!" The blast destroyed everything in its path, but Rimuru remained unscathed.

Lumis panted, gripping a mystic amulet, trying to stop Rimuru. 

"Stop!!" But Rimuru kept moving, passing out from exhaustion without seeing his demise.

"Gluttony."

Master A voice similar to the World's Voice.

Rimuru held Guardian by the neck, choking him. Hollok, the shadow cloak, tried to protect its host, but each punch passed through, hitting the body.

Eventually leading to the shadow's own demise.

Punch.

Again and

Again and

Again and

Again and

Again and

Again and

Again and

Again.

"Is that all?" Rimuru finally spoke, looking at the bloody mash below him. The head and body were barely visible, splattered everywhere. Yet Rimuru remained spotless.

He held out his hand to Toru's body.

"Gluttony."

A/N: We getting a flashback arc with this one!

So each time he devours one of them, he gets more memories. I just simplified it to them calling his name, there is no hidden meaning on why they were the ones who are shown. Just take note that each Rimuru-sama/Rimuru/Sensei he is seeing more memories.

No new chapter next week.

Also he should be in the 80-90% range of his soul. Toru had about 30-40% fragments after collecting around universes.