Chapter 153: Akemi Homura

Akemi Homura.

A girl who never gave up trying. With her slowly-cultivated unbreakable will, she didn't let her countless pile of failures be the reason for her to stop. Instead, she made that the exact reason for her persistence.

Just like a player playing a game, she shut off most of her emotions and did many "New Game" indifferently.

After that event when Kaname Madoka had ascended to become a nomological "Law" of the universe, she cooked up a plan which involved the Incubators. She "leaked" the knowledge about the previously rewritten world line where Witches are present. Since they are fighting against Wraiths, a type of ghost made up of humankind's resentment, the energy collected by them isn't efficient.

Hence, they "trapped" everyone in a universe-sized labyrinth. Through some kind of preparation, which wasn't effective even against "him", they managed to fool the Law of Cycles into thinking that it's also a part of the "past, present, and future"; thereby existing in the same world lines as the others that she supervises.

What the Incubators didn't expect, however, is that Homura would straight up turn into a Witch—an enemy far more powerful than any others. Just as she was about to be "sent away" by the Law of Cycles, she suddenly used up her remaining powers to tear off a portion of her "Human Aspect", allowing her to gain unimaginable power.

With it, she made it so that everybody had forgotten all of those memories prior to the decisive world line. Due to her opposition with Madoka's will, she came to call herself as a "Devil". Though, her power is overwhelming enough, to the point that the universe-sized labyrinth became hers instead and further evolved with Homura's power, turning it into a stronger labyrinth where she's the sole god.

Then again, she didn't expect to "sense" the decisive world line turning into a singularity. Any of the consequences there can affect all of her work to make the best ending, thus she interfered when she could.

While she met the "Law of Cycles" from a past timeline, she didn't worry much about it as she's pre-occupied with someone else.

"Destroying civilizations in one strike... That power, it's clouded with mystery."

Even as a "Creator", she felt that the power within that strike has something inexplicable with it. It is kind of similar to a white paint in a black canvas, or an 8-year old child in a college classroom.

It simply didn't fit with the world, as if it's made to be that way. She felt that if she's on the receiving end of that strike, she would've most likely perished.

"..!"

The moment the "young girl" appeared and saw through her, she immediately became vigilant. She mobilized the three creator attributes that she unknowingly got and readied herself for a fight. Though, what she didn't expect is that the girl would focus on Madoka's situation instead.

With a single cut, she did what Homura achieved through decades of preparation. That's it, all she did is a simple cut, but it is one imbued with the strange power from earlier. Just like a pair of scissors cutting paper, she separated the human aspect of Madoka—it is even more complete that what she'd done.

Soon, reality froze and stopped moving. She saw a pair of bright amber eyes that looked at her direction. Those eyes seems to have been conveying something, perhaps a honest thought that the girl had willingly let out.

Since an entity at this level doesn't have enough reason to deceive her, she weighed out her thoughts. Homura has no reason to fully believe her, but if this is really a chance to fulfill that preferred ending of hers...

It is a risk she's willing to take.

*****

The mechanical armaments that I wore disintegrated before it turned into a royal overcoat and pants with golden embroideries in it. It matched the [Royal Outfit] that I was wearing moments before "my" death.

"Are you really sure about this, Homu-homu?"

"I am. But... Why do you keep calling me that?"

"Oh, that. It slips off my tongue easily."

What she didn't know, however, is that she became a victim of this chronic illness of mine. One that randomly gives away nicknames that can be either pleasing or annoying.

Anyways, I summoned forth the world inside my heart—the one place where most of my life belonged. A throne room manifested in this empty void, emitting an ancient yet awespiring aura.

Due to the [Reality Marble], it can form a connection with the original, making it closer to the original. Hence, its overall aura is stronger than before. Of course, it is the same with "my" other [Reality Marble].

"Heh. Looks like the fake can really surpass the original."

"?"

Ignoring her questioning looks as she definitely heard my mumblings, I leaped from the spot and sat on my high and mighty throne. Though it's only the size of a normal humanoid, it's different with my current form. My small height made it so that I can't touch the floor with my feet.

I'm so damn lucky to not have others watching this. If my subordinates or wives are watching this... I'm afraid that my dignity will crumble into dust.

"Cough! Cough!"

I coughed out blood once more. This might seem like a surface injury, but it is not. My soul, the other half of my existence, got pretty injured when I initiated the <ORIGIN STATE>. Even at its pacified version, it damaged more than 5% of my soul. It looks quite small compared to my injury before, but it is the 5% of my <Ancient God> realm, a completely different level than myself who was at <Main God> realm.

At the former's realm, one's existence sublimates into something higher. They can't be harmed by other low-level attacks as a result. In fact, <Ancient God> already has characteristics of a <Creator God> in terms of life level. The only defining line between them are the three creator attributes.

One can only be a <Creator God> if they have all three of them.

Anyways, my body is reacting to the soul's injury since they are one and the same at this realm. Their experiences are synced with each other, so as to say. I made those blood stains disappear as I focused my attention back on Homura.

Thankfully, there's someone here that will help me sustain lesser injuries.

"Come here."

"...What?"

Looking at the confounded expression of hers, I clarified:

"Sit on my lap. I'll be needing a portion of your powers to push this singularity into a "single" reality."

Homura understood the next second later and sat on top of my lap. I wordlessly held her hand before feeling a "connection" between us. The power that she currently has, something that exceeded the <Creator God> realm and only fell short with <Beyond Creator> realm, made it easier for me to do my thing.

As I assimilated the majority of her power, I reverted back to my <ORIGIN STATE>.

System, use up every God-level entities and above as a protection, but save a few Ancient God-level entities.

[Understood. Beginning conversion process...]

[Conversion completed. The current protect can protect a total of 70%-90% of the after effects. Estimated duration: 10 seconds]

[Detected foreign energy. Enhancing the current protection period...]

[Estimated Duration: 1 minute]

I saw Homu-homu instantly turn pale due to the sudden loss of her powers. Still, her abyss-like eyes kept staring at mine as she exuded determination that even I admires. Since I'm doing this not only for their sake but mine as well, I won't be going back from my words.

It is now time.

"{Receive this edict!}"

BAM-!

An invisible wave of pressure covered the entire universe, which also alarmed the several nearby universes. It also affected the causality of many things due to this power impacting space-time, too. The small butterfly effect turned into a universe-level one.

Right now, I felt that I am back at those days once more—the time when my word is the literal law. While I used <ORIGIN STATE> to bridge up the difference, it is still a huge accomplishment.

"{As the Eternal Sovereign, let this single branch of space and time be the only accepted reality!}"

At this moment, this universe underwent a rapid change, one that defied all of its inhabitants' previous fates.