I wanted someone to tell me that I wasn’t alone...
“Come, poor girl who’s been trapped in a prison by the name of omnipotence,” said Lufas. “You no longer have to save anyone. It’s your turn to be saved by me.”
For a moment, Alovenus was quiet, then she started laughing. “A... Ah ha ha... Ah ha ha ha ha...”
Laughter could be heard from Alovenus, even though her hands were still covering her face. Though it sounded like laughter, it also resembled crying... It was probably the first time in her life she’d ever had a happy cry.
“AH HA HA HA HA HA HA! AAAAH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!”
Eventually, the Goddess lost control of her emotions, and she descended into a long bout of uncontrollable laughter that echoed through space and time. Just the sound of her laughter was able to put cracks in space-time as well. A parallel world somewhere was totally destroyed along with the dinosaurs in it, who were unaware of the reason for their death. A spacefaring civilization that had sprouted from Earth in a different timeline and had even waged interstellar wars was erased with no recourse. The very concept of time was ripped out by its roots, causing Dina and the others, who were awaiting Lufas’s return, to stop in their tracks. The aftereffects of the Goddess’s laughter alone had erased half of the universes connected to the Endpoint.
Eventually, the Goddess removed her hands from her face and spoke, seeming to have calmed down. “Hee hee hee... That’s some talk. Are you sure you can do it? It may sound like boasting, but my temper is a bit...extradimensional.”
“I don’t mind.”
Lufas beckoned Alovenus, prompting Benetnasch, who had been waiting for the conversation to end, to heave an exasperated sigh. Orm let out some strained laughter himself, and the two of them looked at each other and nodded.
“This is it for us then. You can take care of this spoiled child by yourself,” said Benet.
“I’d like to say that I feel I could handle the Goddess too...” Orm said, pausing. “But it seems to me that things are reaching a point where we cannot keep up. I’ll leave the rest to you.”
From here on out, the fight would take place in a realm for gods who could make everything go exactly how they pleased.
Benetnasch and Orm had already been fighting in this Endpoint at a level normal people would consider godlike, and they were holding their own. However, they had realized something after that laugh. The fight up until now—with those big bangs and big crunches and whatnot—had been fought with the Goddess still holding back greatly. She might not have even considered it fighting. From here on out, things would be even harder. The combatants would climb to the summit of infinity, piling infinity after infinity upon each other. It would be a fight without any upper limits.
However, while Benetnasch might attempt to keep up for Lufas, she couldn’t work up that much fighting spirit against the Goddess. She knew she would always end up slowing down. In a similar fashion, Orm was unable to believe that he was the absolute strongest, well, strongly enough. He knew he would always end up paying attention to any inconsistencies and contradictions, causing shadows of doubt to sprout. He would unmistakably end up dropping out in the middle, and that could not be allowed.
What was needed to win this fight was a selfishness that would not be outdone. They needed to absolutely hate losing. Only those who could truly believe they were the absolute strongest without a shadow of a doubt could stand against the Goddess. That was why, from here on out, only Lufas and Alovenus would take to the battlefield.
Honestly, Benetnasch and Orm were frustrated. They didn’t want to be left behind. However, they realized that they would be in the way, so they couldn’t, in good conscience, attempt to stop Alovenus.
“I’m bored. I’ll be going home first, so I’ll be waiting for you.”
Benetnasch tried to hide her frustration with harsh words as she patted Lufas on the shoulder. When she did so, she transferred all the mana, or experience, she had within her to Lufas. With that, Benetnasch lost the right to stay in this place and was flung back to where she had come from.
“Sorry about not being able to fight with you to the end,” said Orm.
“Don’t worry about it.”
Orm also transferred all the mana he carried to Lufas before disappearing.
Aigokeros and Pisces said their farewells to their lord and master before disappearing to return to their homeworld.
Now there were only two people left: Lufas and Alovenus. From here on out, it would be a clash of wills to decide who was stronger, so it had to be one-on-one.
If we were to fight three-on-one, Alovenus probably wouldn’t accept the result. It’d give her wiggle room to make an excuse. That can’t be allowed. She has to completely accept her loss, or this lonely Goddess will never stop.
“Now then, Alovenus. We’re finally alone. No need to hold back...” Lufas paused. “Come at me!”
“Yes... Let’s start this thing!”
Lufas and Alovenus both raised their hands, unleashing manifestations of pure destruction that had no name. There was no more need for skill names. Thinking of them was too much work.
Both combatants wielded infinite power, so they each one-upped their opponent’s infinite power, going ever more infinite as the fight went on. Small attacks, like big bangs and big crunches, were no longer used. They would be useless, after all. With no need for skill names, they clashed with the purest expressions of power.
I’m strong, thought one.
I’m stronger, thought the other.
Then I’m even stronger than that, thought the first.
Lufas continued to get ever faster, continuing to double the speed of light to increase the definition of speed itself without end. However, Alovenus accelerated at a pace that left such definitions behind in the dust. The next moment, Lufas did the same thing back to Alovenus.
If Lufas threw a punch with impossible power behind it, Alovenus would double up on it and punch back, which prompted Lufas to add on another stack and return the favor. If one of them were to state that the other’s infinity was just a one to them, then the other would just come back with an even higher level. The two of them used each other as footstools, trying to set themselves as the absolute powerhouse in the fight.
As this exchange of attack and defense went on, the two of them paid no heed to the heights they were reaching. They weren’t interested.
Another universe was layered on top of the original. Then another was layered on top, then another, then another, then another, and then another. Universes were surpassed and became multiverses, which were then also surpassed. Multi-multiverses were then leapt over until Alovenus surpassed everything that could be perceived!
None of that mattered. At this point, there would be no end to this pattern.
Either way, it was all basically worthless if it didn’t leave a lasting effect on the opponent.
“Heh heh heh... Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha!”
Alovenus let out an innocent, childlike laugh before immediately throwing out a nasty, ruthless attack.
The ability to kill anything, piercing through all resistances as long as the attack is in the same space as its target. The ability to reflect any and all attacks. The ability to turn back time, invalidating something’s very existence. The ability to always make me win, no matter what. The ability to bestow defeat upon the opponent. The ability to delete anything just by its being in my vision. The ability to cancel out all other abilities.
I destroyed the concept of attacking and sealed off all attacks, and then I did the same for defending as well. Not to mention all of the abilities of countless gods from myths. Even abilities that came straight out of fictitious works. I’ve used everything I can think of, and still, Lufas hasn’t disappeared. She hasn’t stopped.
This is so fun!
“That’s right... Enjoy it as much as you can, Alovenus. I’ll take everything you can throw at me.”
Lufas smiled as if she were looking at something cute and lovable, but all the attacks that were being thrown at her were pure overkill.
Arm strength that will allow my punches to pierce through any ability and kill. Leg strength that will allow me to dash through any tricks. Eyesight that will allow me to see through my opponent’s next move and her move after that. The grit to bounce back, no matter what is done to me. The control to steal all of my opponent’s abilities and turn them back on her. The mental fortitude to declare that I am unaffected, no matter what settings are laid upon me. I’ll use everything I have to overcome and surpass everything that is thrown at me, all to chase down Alovenus.
Clash! A universe contained within a dimension was erased, along with all its parallel universes.
Clash! A greater dimension, made of a nearly unlimited number of dimensions coming together, was unable to resist and was blown away.
Clash! Not even a supergreater dimension, made of countless greater dimensions, was able to withstand the fight as it was smashed apart.
Not yet. I haven’t had enough yet. It still won’t reach. My opponent in front of me is still fresh as a daisy. There’s no damage at all, so I need to go higher. I need to reach greater heights! Until the end of the end of the end!
It was no longer even a fight. It was basically a game, only playable because they were both monsters who lived in an entirely different dimension. They were messing with each other.
The Goddess and her Rebel laughed together from the bottom of their hearts as they clashed, and the aftereffects erased countless worlds.